Alhamdulilah, blessed with the opportunity to go for I.Hussain’s n H.Abbas’s ziarat for chehlum was just a mind-blowing experience; with no exaggeration. For me it was a trip filled with azadaari, lectures, stories and advices from many people and an experience which taught me a lot from the awareness of the sacrifice of I.Hussain (a.s) and family to the socializing bit with people from different countries. The talks with the other outsiders plus listening to the advices offered by people really broadened this ‘4 tennis court capacity’ mind. And I never realized that people had such great sense of humors! The best part of the whole trip was messing around with the group’s jokers!! hehe. Alhamdulilah! Moreover, also teaching me the importance of appreciating the other in our lives! Of course, not leaving out the bit whereby we had to struggle to fight the main barrier!! Language! Well, I’m not saying we’ve become experts at Farsi. But a bit of English, Arabic and Kiswahili jumbled up could produce this amazing Persian language. J
This was the first time Imam (a.s) called me for chehlum and I must say, feeling the sorrow of the tragedy of Kerbala and grieving in the vicinity of Imam’s shrine just has a totally different taste when compared to your hometown. What more could someone wish for on such an important occasion (arba’een)? Furthermore, matams with Shahid Baltistani were just the perfect icing to the majlises recited at the different spots in history. For instance; the camps of Kerbala, H.Abbas (a.s)’s two hands being cut off, Death place of H.Aliasgher n H.Aliakber (a.s), teel-e B.Zaynab (a.s). These places were just walking distances from our hotels and hence the outside ziarat’s were completed in two days. One may literally picture the scenario at that time and feel the sorrow like a striking arrow in the heart. Especially, with Shahid Baltistani’s heart-touching and emotional recitations blaring out from the speakers. He livened the processions from one place to the other. Unfortunately, we didn’t hear much of him towards the end of the trip due to his voice almost dying out. Whoops.
Well, thinking of the trip, I’d say that it was too short a trip. All I remember now is the preparation lectures we got from back home and how excited we all were to embark on yet another trip to this Holy place. And now getting adjusted to the same old routine from such a wonderful trip is a bit difficult. But of course, that’s part of it all.
The best occurrences of this trip would be firstly stepping out of the bus to be
welcomed by cool desert breeze and drinking hot chai (iftikhan) before getting
checked in, in our different hotels; Baabus salaam and jannatul Kawther. Lol…
readers, they were not precisely heaven places but they were good- comfortable
earthly lodges. Well, the next thing was the combined group procession, walking
towards the harams and seeing the domes. The next minute (well, not exactly a
minute.) Due to the rush it would take ages to pass through the security and
finally walk yourself through the inside of the Haram after dropping your shoes
in one of the shelves and finaaalllyy entering the vicinity of the zari. Oh!
Seeing the zari and keeping in mind that the imam is looking at you and knows precisely what status you hold with Allah (s.w.t) is really astounding. A wind of humbleness and shamefulness just overtakes you and No body could be blamed for their brains freezing at that point due to being totally flabbergasted by I.Hussain’s magnanimity. I remember this certain phrase which a lecturer told us and it hit me hard making me realize the greatness of this personality “I. Hussein (a.s) gave everything he had to, for and in the way of Allah (s.w.t). He sacrificed not only himself but his family members as well. So imagine what position the All-sustainer has granted him “Subhanallah!
The day of chehlum (main reason why we went to Kerbala) arrived. A very sad day indeed and this was felt all the more, due to the heart emotive majlis and thereafter setting off for a procession entering and exiting both the harams. Until a few years back no one was allowed to grieve and do matam but Alhamdulilah, I must say this was the first time I went for chehlum and we all enjoyed the azadaari to the max. Thanks to Dr.Ehsaan that he arranged such a comfortable trip for all of us! Well, walking in the streets after chehlum was veryy unusual! Felt like we were in a totally eerie place. This was because the streets were always seen choc-full with swarming people. Now walking to the Haram or to the next hotel was much quick and we all had a wider legroom due to many zaaireen having have returned back to their home-towns.
There were also very many miracles in Kerbala and since the Iraqis have become quite advanced in technology J many clips and videos were taken. (Probably the web-site manager could put them up so that everybody will be able to view it). Well, first of all there was a dark centre figure from the sun which was shining right above I.Hussain (a.s)’s Haram. This was very unusual. Next was the one where by there was no food for the zaaireen due to there being no cooking fuel and voila! With no connection to the gas, a flame turned on!! Now how amazing is this... This enabled the cooks to make food for the hungry. How merciful is our imam and hence from where should we start to comprehend the Mercy of our God?
The third miracle or I’d say blessing granted to one of the zaaireen from Allah (s.w.t) was seeing our present Imam “Imam Mehdi (atfs)” it happened in I.Hussain (a.s) rozo and the Imam helped him to reach out to the zari in a point whereby it would have been impossible due to him being in a position where he was squeezed with people moving out and he was at the edge of giving up all hope, when the Savior fulfilled his wish. Well, I know you all have many questions… but not many details were offered. But ultimately, going for such trips awakens and releases our souls from deafness and blindness!
Well, after having our share of fun in Kerbala. We all set off for Najaf, where we were to meet Ameerul mu’mineen (a.s) and also see our marja’a. After the bus ride, we all reached Najaf near midnight and after enjoying a hearty dinner we were allocated in our specified rooms. I could tell you for one that no one bothered to even look twice at the other, and all went to bed safely tucked, and fast asleep.
Our agenda in Najaf was very tight and hence all our days very extremely tiring! But hey, now when we look back at those days! I would die, to be in that place and experience the trip all over again. In Najaf, We Visited Masjid-e-Kufa and wadi us salaam and also did the necessary amaals over there. We had to go to Masjid-e-Kufa really early in the morning, and whoa! The cold at four in the morning is just body-quaking. But never the less, all enjoyed the elevation of the spiritual feeling of being in a mosque which has such great status! A mosque; whereby 1 rakaah of salaah was equal to a thousand rakaahs. Whereby 1 dinar was equal to thousands of dinars, a place where after 100 years- H.Adam received his istighfaars acceptance. This and much more is the significance of the mosque. Alhamdulilah! Well, moving on, it so happened (that we had reached the end of our trip and) the meeting with the Agha Seestani was finalized the day before leaving for Basra-Dubai-Destination. Alhamdulilah! Thanks to our Karim uncle who finalized it for us.
Well anyway, after the day’s ziarat we all left to see our marja’a. We had to enter the room in groups, so basically we were in the first batch, and I must say everybody was very anxious to see the great man himself. The moment we entered the room, everybody’s eyes darted from one end of the inside of the room to the other. Just anxious to see him!
Oh and there he was. Sitting amidst other officials. We were all staring with rapt attention at the marja’a. Not knowing whether we were just viewing another picture or were we really seeing him seated in front of us, totally amazing. We had a few minutes with him and in that period, many asked him a few questions and were extremely satisfied with their answers. And we just had to rush after “salimiaing” him. Alhamdulilah! Well, thereafter, we all rushed to the Haram for our wida ziarat and with tearful eyes we all prayed that Allah (s.w.t) brings us to these places again and again. And with our final resolutions and promises to the prince of believers, we headed for the hotel. For me, I also had to say good bye to some cop who dropped me home after almost losing my way from the Haram!! Lol. Good memories… We were to rush with our lunch and finally board the buses for Basra! A sad moment for all
In conclusion, we Thank the Almighty first, for granting us this special favor of being among the ones who performed the ziarat of His special and splendorous servants. May He always grant and bless us with the tawfiq to go again and again and experience a spiritual revolution each time we go there. May he also accept this ziarat from us and always Guide us on the right path. Next we as the Mombasians would like to thank Mohammedraza Karim for taking this group to such a holy place and may Allah ( s.w.t) grant him the tawfiq for the same this and every year. And last but not least, we thank the chief captain of this ship Dr.Ehsaan for sailing the ship serenely along the waters of Iraq. Moreover, also making sure that the whole group was fully satisfied with the services. Be it from food to rest and to anything minute.
Ahsant and May God bless you all!!