Tranquility

 

TRANQUILITY

Amatullah Shk Fakhruddin

Asherah

A short story- 

In the crisp air, the sun shining brightly as it played hide and seek, tucking itself behind the trees and buildings, and peering out again. Nearby, the waves could be heard, merrily splashing and crashing onto the shore. Overwhelmingly hospitable, the ocean gushed and rushed over to hug us, for we had finally arrived at the majestic city of Colombo. Here, our benevolent and beloved Aqa Moula Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS was about to commence the annual sermons on the martyrdom of our eternally revered moula Imam Husain AS.

Asharah Mubarakah had begun!

In the long lines of getting entry to the Masjid, stood an elderly woman and her grand-daughter, eagerly waiting to enter.

The grand-daughter exclaimed, "Dadi look! The ocean looks so mesmerizing. I love the saline scent of the ocean! Feeling the soft breeze brings upon my face, tingling all my senses with joyous splendor."

The grandmother couldn't agree more. "Yes beti," she said, “The Ocean here really is fantastic, alike you I truly enjoy these wonderful sensations and feelings it brings, but I long and yearn for another, much greater experience."

The young girl’s inquisitive little eyes sparkled as she questions her grandmother, "And what would that be Dadi?" What could be better than this? She wondered...

"Oh my sweet child, I yearn to gaze upon the majestic and divine visage of our beloved and benevolent Moula TUS, for even a glance at his visage fills my heart with pure joy and euphoria. His visage brings light to the sun itself, and the divinity in my soul kindled by his sermons cannot be described with words."

"Wow Dadi!" the girl exclaimed, "I can't wait to hear my first Waaz Mubarak! Dadi will you please help me understand the waaz so that I may also be able to feel and relate to what you feel?"

The Dadi responds “Yes beti, of course, I will”.

Her little pupil continuing to manifest the same eagerness asks: “Dadi can you please explain to me the importance of Asharah Mubarakah. What happened in Karbala, please explain the important historical figures that hold such great importance to us even after 1400 years?'

The Dadi exuberantly exclaims, "Yes beti, of course, I will surely explain the significance of this sacred event to you, make sure you etch these teachings in your heart and never forget them, for Imam Husain's AS zikr and remembrance is the very reason we are alive today. May you do zikr of Imam Husain AS day and night and never forget him for even a second."

 "Yes Dadi I will do as you say" replied the granddaughter nodding willingly.

Tears splitting over and flowing down her face like a river, she listens as her grandma explains the gut-wrenching and tragic tragedy of Karbala to her granddaughter with vivid details, and paints a picture with emotional words for her granddaughter which reverberated to her very heart and transported her to the deserts of Karbala.

The granddaughter was overtaken with anguish at the zikr of Imam Husain ASA and began sobbing uncontrollably, she proclaimed laanat on the enemies of Imam Husain AS and the Ahle Bayt AS and Ashaab Izaam, and cursed their enemies.

Finally, both the grandmother and her granddaughter reached the Masjid and frantically went to find their seats, when seated they eagerly waited to enrich their hearts and minds with the precious and priceless sermons of Aqa Moula TUS, while doing matam of Imam Husain AS Endlessly crying “labaik ya Husain AS, labbaik ya Moulana TUS”!