Inna Lillahi wa inna Elaiyhi raji’un
إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ
Full Verse Quran 2:156:
الذين اذا اصابتهم مصيبة قالوا انا لله وانا اليه راجعون
“Who, when a misfortune overtakes them, say: ‘Surely we belong to Allah and to Him shall we return’.”
This phrase is recited upon hearing the news of someone’s death or when struck by a calamity of any kind. It is translated as “Verily we belong to God, and to God we return.”
Tajdin Abdullah Allarakhia, age 96, my dad, passed away on July 11, 2013. My father who was born in Zanzibar, passed peacefully in his sleep in Los Angeles on July 11, 2013, at age 96. He was a self taught man, who gave his Cambridge exams at the same time as my sister and even though he was a successful businessman running a shop in Eldoret, London Silk Store, he still pursued his education looking after eight children with my Mom, another elevated and gifted soul who is now 89. He also studied to become an optician and a lawyer and when we moved to Dar es Salaam, he worked as an attorney in Mata Salamat building and the owners offered him a partnership in the law practice but his goods had arrived from Eldoret and he set up his shop Deen’s the small profit shop on India Street near Remco and soon became very popular as he gave good value for money and taught us that the customer is always right and his slogan was “satisfaction guaranteed”.
There were many miracles in my dad’s life as he was a faithful believer in Allah and His revelations and in His Prophets and the Holy Imams. During his long life he witnessed many and experienced a lot of miracles due to his staunch faith in the Imam of the Time. One story in particular is when in Eldoret, his new arrived goods were stolen from his shop and as a sole proprietor and caregiver to a large family with small children, he was confident that since he was paying his Dasond in full, he would not suffer a loss this big and so sincerely prayed to the Imam regarding his plight and sure enough, three days later, the local police asked him to identify a truck-load of goods found and they were his. This story was related by Alwaez Abualy who said that Pir Sadardin has said that if you are a true believer and that if you pay your Dasond, (the Tithe) regularly that you would not have your goods stolen and my dad’s story proved this edict and so became an example for us all.
It was my father’s wish that we not mourn on his death day but to have a Khushiali (rejoicing) and as fate would have it, his passing fell on Imamat Day Khushiali, the same day that our beloved Mowlana Sultan Mahomed Shah passed and when our beloved Mowlana Hazar Imam ascended to the Imamat, Mashallah! Which of your Lord’s blessings would you deny? – Quran. Not only that, all his Ruhani Mijlases are all falling as Khushiali Mijlases! Aaj Raaj Mubarak hovey – Today is truly a blessed day of rejoicing!
My father was my inspiration in learning the Quran and about our faith and at his last rites, I could feel that he wanted me to carry on this legacy which he had started many years ago in devoted service to the Imam Mowlana Sultan Mahomed Shah, who sent him a wonderful Talika when my dad defended the Ismaili faith and its leader, the Imam, when other Muslims were bashing us in letters to the East African Standard. See Talika attached.
The funeral was on Sunday morning July 14th, which fell on Baitul Khayal Khushiali Mijlas in the month of Ramadan and so there were multiple Baraqah on this day with the spiritually charged ceremony in the morning and great attendance – haajri in Jamat Khana and everyone who came up to me to offer their respects would relate how he had touched their lives and been a positive influence. The Jamat Khana was packed and many said that the haajri was more than Chandraat and I reminded them that it was due to Khushiali Mijlas and they said that it was his wonderful Ruhani that brought in this wonderful congregation.
The Ziyarat prayers and Ginans were amazing as he was a regular and would sing Ginans and many knew him as Bow-tie Uncle who sang great Ginans.
It has been a busy week due to outpouring of well-wishers and I just returned from Los Angeles and wanted to quickly put up this page to inform everyone at this time.
My dad is survived by his wife, five daughters, three sons, grand-children and great grand-children. We ask that you please pray for him and for his family.
May Allah grant him the highest level of Paradise, and provide all the family with sabr – patience.
Nina, I remember your dad, once he went to Bombay and I requesed a Book “Aryabhishek”
20th edition, printed in 1998, as I love Ayurvedik medicines and I refer to it, whenever I Need, and remember him, he brought and when I asked how much should I Pay He Said “Nothing” Just prayers, and he had already written a poem of Alfred Lord Tennyson 1809-1892 “speak to him for he hears and spirit with spirit meet, closer is he than breathing, and nearer than hands and feet.” And I remember his narration about Burglary, he Described in datails he narrated at Rai Saheb’s Home (I still Remember it). The Book is still preserved by me, it looks like in mint condition. I pray for the elevated soul. Amen.
Akbarali
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Thank you so much, everyone. Your thoughts and prayers are really appreciated. This poem may touch you:
He said, “Who is at my door?”
I said, “Your humble servant.”
He said, “What business do you have?”
I said, “To greet you, 0 Lord.”
He said, “How long will you journey on?”
I said, “Until you stop me.”
He said, “How long will you boil in the fire?”
I said, “Until I am pure.
“This is my oath of love.
For the sake of love
I gave up wealth and position.”
He said, “You have pleaded your case
but you have no witness.”
I said, “My tears are my witness;
the pallor of my face is my proof.’
He said, “Your witness has no credibility;
your eyes are too wet to see.”
I said, “By the splendor of your justice
my eyes are clear and faultless.”
He said, “What do you seek?”
I said, “To have you as my constant friend.”
He said, “What do you want from me?”
I said, “Your abundant grace.”
He said, “Who was your companion on the journey?
I said, “The thought of you, 0 King.”
He said, “What called you here?”
I said, “The fragrance of your wine.”
He said, “What brings you the most fulfillment?”
I said, “The company of the Emperor.”
He said, “What do you find there?”
I said, “A hundred miracles.”
He said, “Why is the palace deserted?”
I said, “They all fear the thief.”
He said, “Who is the thief?”
I said, “The one who keeps me from You.
He said, “Where is there safety?”
I said, “In service and renunciation.”
He said, “What is there to renounce?”
I said, “The hope of salvation.”
He said, “Where is there calamity?”
I said, “In the presence of your love.”
He said, “How do you benefit from this life?”
I said, “By keeping true to myself
Now it is time for silence.
If I told you about His true essence
You would fly from your self and be gone,
and neither door nor roof could hold you back!
– Rumi
Nina dear, in loving memory of Bapaji, I would like to dedicate this poem by William Wordsworth:
“What though the radiance which
was once so bright
Be now forever taken from my sight,
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower,
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind
In the primal sympathy
Which having been, must ever be
In the soothing thoughts that spring
out of human suffering;
In the faith that looks through death,
In years that bring the philosophic mind
Intimations of Immortality.”
With love and dua,
Sakar
On the death of a pious person such as your Dad was, Allah says:”Those whose lives the angels take in a state of purity, saying (to them) ‘peace be on you; you enter the Garden because of (the good) which you did (in the world)'” (16:32 Holy Quran)
May the dear, departed soul repose in everlasting peace. Ameen!
Dear Sakar, your words are so consoling and came at the right time! It makes me feel closer to him even more. Alhamdulillah! Because of your poem, it inspired me to share the Rumi poem below. I had good teachers, my Dad as my Father and you as my school teacher! Which of your Lord’s blessings would you deny? – Holy Quran
May His SOUL Rest In Eternal Peace…Aameen
A very respected and knowledgeable gentleman in the Ismaili Community!
He will be missed dearly by his family and everyone who came in contact with him.
May his soul rest in eternal peace…Aameen.
Papa was a man who honored family, and therefore his family is his legacy. I am proud to be a part of such a powerful patriarch’s legacy and I hope to continue honoring him. My grandfather was a proud and stubborn individual, but he was also very warm hearted and used to send us type-written birthday notes and checks every year. He told us he loved us every chance he got. He was a smart man too, an entrepreneur and a scholar. And he was forever devoted to his beloved, my grandmother, for 70 years. He is missed, but his soul has an abode in heaven and he is with his creator. He had a beautiful and full life. I hope he continues to bless us from beyond.
He was a man of great influence and knowledge. I married his daughter Nina and would like to share some of the things he said to me which I remember till today – 33 yrs later. He told me, walk softly on this earth – not like military men who pound their feet on this earth – because the earth is not yours but Allah’s. So walk softly on it. He also told me that I should always remember that when I have my children – I should not be boasting about it as children are Allah’s and I am only a custodian of the children and on the day of Judgement, I will be questioned by Almighty Allah as to what I have done for his children. I also remember that he used to order copies of the KORAN from Penguin Books and give them away for FREE to the people who were seeking knowledge of Allah and the Islamic faith. One advice he gave us was to read 2 pages of the Quran every night before going to sleep. He will be missed a lot as he always shared his knowledge with others. He was a very kind man and has helped others and a lot of people in India. May Allah give his soul peace and may he be as happy in the other world as he was happy in this world. Ameen.
So good to hear from you Alnoor! Latif and Shamira were at the funeral and Ziyarat ceremony and then came home. Missed you. Are you in Canada?
Inna lilahi wa ina ilahi raje’un
I remember your dad well and used to come to Deens on India street with my dad. May Mawla rest his soul in eternal peace. Shukhar, Alnoor
I have known your dad for many years. His knowledge of Quran and religion was very good and he always shared this knowledge by giving us books for free. Thank you.