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Synopsis of the Khoja Shia Ithna Asheri |
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Page 6 of 7 BILAL OF AFRICA
With the passage of time, the emergence of new patters, tendencies and values brought about by the new social environment, the Federation became gradually aware of its responsibility towards propagation of Faith outside the Khoja Community. This awareness was not prompted by any selfish motive. The urge for spreading the mission was now genuinely believed to be their burden. But at least a decade before the Federation ever thought in this direction, that is in the mid-fifties, Mulla Husein Alarakhya Rahim wrote in the Zanzibar-based, religious, Gujarati periodical 'SALSABIL' about the need to spread the message of Ahlul Bayyt among the indigenous inhabitants of the Continent. in 1964, Ayatuullah Syed Muhsin EI-Hakim Taba Sarah gently admonished the leaders of the Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheris for their self-centred, proprietory and possessive frame of mind. He directed them to preach the Truth to the African masses, and thus to absolve themselves of their sacred responsibility to Allah Almighty. In the year 1962, and later in 1964, Maulana Syed Saeed Akhtar Razavi submitted a pilot scheme and a detailed memorandum on the missionary activities before the Conference of the Federation convened at Tanga, Tanzania. The 1964 memorandum was received with mixed feelings, but was ultimately adopted as a policy by an appreciable majority. This is how a new field of activity appropriately named BILAL MUSLIM MISSION,
after the great African companion of the Prophet, and first Muazzin of ISlAM, HAZRAT BILAL, may Allah bestow upon him His pleasure, was begun.
Studying the African response to the Shi'ite propagation and its evaluation is a subject requiring an extensive research. But it will not be out of place to record that the previously prevailing impression that Shi'ite faith was exclusively Indian has now been eradicated. The bias and prejudice with which the Shias were held has now been replaced with a fair and balanced attitude.
The scope of the Bilal Muslim Mission is vast and has many facets. It must be graciously admitted that the people with whom it deals need religious as well as temporal care and attention. In the wake of spreading the teachings of the 'THAQALAIN', the Holy Qur'an and the : Ahlul Bayt, the need for social, educational and economic services could not escape our perception, and Islam being a complete code of life, demanded explicitly that such a comprehensive programme be instituted. To this end, the late Professor Khwaja Mohamed Latif Ansari of Pakistan, had drawn the attention of the Community in his memorable address delivered at Arusha Conference in December 1958.
The Africans have their own rich cultural traditions and ancient history of which they are rightly proud. At he same time in their search for the Truth, and in their efforts to identify themselves with the modern world, they are keen and least resistant. When an African embraces a new faith, he generally does so with absolute conviction and with no ulterior motives. Therefore, when I speak of the scope of the Bilal Muslim Mission, I do not merely speak of their expectations; I speak also of our responsibilities.
An African is an avid and voracious reader. He reads whatever comes in his way, so as to learn and know more and more.
The Bilal Muslim Mission started its first Swahili Publication "Sauti Ya Bilal" (The Voice of Bilal) to cater for the Swahili readers. And then there was an English periodical, 'The Light' which now enjoys global readership. To its credit, the Mission has several Kiswahili and English books written on a wide range of Islamic topics. Apart from two centres in Tanzania and Kenya, it has nearly 25 Madressas in East Africa, which are managed by the Shia African Muballegheen originally trained in the centres. The number of African converts in Tanzania. Kenya, Burundi and Madagascar may safely be estimated at 40,000. Both the centres run a successful correspondence course which has a substantial enrolment of African students some from as far as West Africa. At least one Primary School for secular education of . African boys and girls is known to have been built by the Bilal Muslim Mission. This school in Kenya, is classed among the best primary schools at the Coast. Many African converts were given employment and some of them were trained for various vocations enabling them to become self employed. However, the efforts in this sphere cannot termed satisfactory.
The Maraje' Taq/eed, Ayatullah Syed El-Hakim and Ayatullah,Syed El~Khui have attached great importance to the activities of the Mission, and have expressed their full support; blessing the Federation with their earnest prayers. In 1968, Ayatullah El-Hakim graciously admitted African students from East Africa to the Hawza in Najaf but due to the fast deteriorating conditions, they were transferred to Lebanon - some of them under the care of Syed Mohamedhusein Fazlullah -and later on to Qom, Iran. Among the African students in Iran; we have some who are from Burundi, Uganda, Madagascar and Comore Islands.
It is not possible, within the limited time at my disposal, to enumerate all the activities of the Bilal Muslim Mission in detail. Among the great changes it has wrought in the Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Community is a fact that it spurred and prompted the Khoja boys and girls to engage in the advanced religious studies. With the African boys and girls in Iran today, we have a number of Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri students - all busily pursuing higher religious education.
As I have mentioned earlier, the incessant and untiring efforts and contributions by Maulana Syed Saeed Akhtar Razavi in this direction have been decisive and of great import. His knowledge of Swahili and English enabled him to offer his services without any undue hesitation. He was appointed Chief Missionary of Bilal Muslim Mission - an apellation signifying the new role of an Aalim among the Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheris. For the first time in its history, the Community lent its credence to this new appointment and realized that the function of an Aalim could be much more beneficial, varied and discursive.
To this August Conference (16) attended by the Ulema and intellectuals of ISLAM, I venture two submissions. First, that the Shia Ithna-Asheri Community of Africa has undergone a dispersal, and is now widely scattered in the West. The influence of ISlAM has got to be compatible with the inroads of anti-ISLAMIC influence, and the pace has got to be equal if not greater. I hope and earnestly pray that this Ahlul Bayt League, with its high aims and noble objects will, with the aid of modern amenities and new approach, attend to this dire need, giving it a preferential dispensation. The programme need not be for Shias of Africa alone, for the problem faces all Muslims, and is expected to endure if not remedied in time.
The idea of leadership by Ulema is not a novel one. One can see such leadership provided by them in the history of Iraq, Iran, Syria, Lebanon and India. In modern times, we have seen it function in the Islamic Republic of Iran. With the establishment of this League, a new era has dawned, with our expectations running high. I hope that this leadership will not be restricted to leading of the daily prayers, occasional preaching, solemnizing marriages and divorce, last rituals for the dying or the dead, exorcising of those overtaken by the so-called evil spirits, amulets and divining. We hope that this leadership will conjoin the Islamic hope of heaven with justice on earth. Secondly, please do not forget Africa. Africa needs your prime attention. The faint but reasonant recitation from the Holy Our'an in the court of Negasus reverberates even to-day. Every African can become a replica of BILAL who once told the Prophet:
"And when virtue is mentioned in our mids, we cite you as an example"
And the Ayah of Our'an, I recited earlier,
“And when they hear what has been revealed to the apostle, you will see their eyes overflowing with teachers on account of the truth that they recognize” Al-Maedah (5:83)
holds good even today.
Wassalaam.
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