A Ramadan In Qom
This year’s Ramadan was one of its kind in my life so far. I havethe honor of living on the land of Lady Masooma a.s since a few days, and this wasmy first Ramadan here. Haram e Sayyada Masooma a.s is not far from where I am residing in, so,after breaking my fast I usually walk towards my ‘holy comfort zone’. Eventhough its quite difficult to live away from family & friends, when Ienter Haram, it feels like I am under the shadow of a grandmother’s ‘chador’. Thefeeling is beyond description, and I think its better not to try describing it(I can not risk feeling empty after giving it away :)).
Before arriving in the holy city, I heard people saying that Ramadan in Qom has no matchwhatsoever. I only realized what they meant as the ‘shabhaa e qadr’ (the odd nights at the end) approached.The first one was the shab of 19th Ramadan. I approached Haram and to my surprisethe roads were blocked. Yes it was not only shab e qadr but shab e Zarbat eImam Ali a.s as well. People were dressed up in black, and organizers were busyin arrangements for the Holy night. My amazement kept increasing as I noticed thatthe number of zaaireen is a 100 times more than it usually is. I asked one ofthe ‘khuddaams’ about the program for the night. Quite unusual for me, he had a printedbrochure in hand detailing everything that is going to happen until ‘fajr’. Itook a look at it, and then I entered Haram.
After doing ziarat, and saying Salam to Shaheed Motahri & Agha Behjat Ientered Shabistan e Imam Khumein rh (the main prayer hall close to Zareeh).Sukhanraani (khutba/speech) was going on. After reciting the importance of theholy month, etc Sheikh reached the ‘masaaib’ part, and every one was in tearsas his speech finished. As he left the ‘mimber’ a ‘qaari’ arrived and started ‘qirat’, which wasthen followed by ‘Dua e Joshan e Kabeer’.(Unfortunately) it was my firstexperience of that dua. I realized the extent of ‘noor’ left by Ahleybayta.s is just beyond limits (how ignorant we are!); its certainly upon our capability to utilize it.
Qaari kept reciting one ‘verse’ after another of Dua, reciting ‘masaib e Ahleybayta.s’, calling Imam e Zamana a.s for help and asking Alllah for forgiveness& blessings. The feeling was again ‘beyond description’. It felt likechests are being ‘opened up’ and the attendees are getting closer…and closer toALLAH. After each verse, comes the line to repeat ‘Subahanka La Ilaha…..’ thatends on requesting ALLAH for refuge from the (fire of) hell.
For an impatient person like me, it is hard to wait until the end of dua (it has 100 verses), and Idecided to leave. As I came out of the hall, I realized all the halls and’sahan’ of haram are full. I came outside. I saw that even the parking lots,streets and footpaths are full of people (men & women, old & young..sitting with families) watching and praying with the help of’screens & projectors’, all around the haram. I walked backed towards my home,with the echo of ‘ Subahanka La Ilaha….’.
We know about a hadith which is narrated in Bihar al Anwaar (urdu vol 11-12),in connection with ‘signs of Imam Mahdi’s appearance’. It goes like ‘A nationfrom the east will take a ‘stand’. It would ask for its right. It would bedeclined. It would ask again and would be declined again. This would repeat for3 times. And then, that nation would take out its swords (prepare forwar)…….That nation would not surrender itself to anyone, but Imam Mahdia.s’
Even if we avoid implying ‘who is who’ in advance, I think the only nation onthe planet (even if Masoom a.s had not mentioned ‘EAST’) is this very nation. Askingfor its right of ‘independence’ at large (and nuclear rights on a lower level).The only nation that is ‘resisting’ to the dictating superpowers that wantnations to move according to their plans, to enable them to exploit themperfectly, is apparently this nation.
A nation that is standing in the Karbala of its time, following the footstepsof its master Imam Husain a.s, saying NO to ‘world dictators’ and experiencingsimilar problems as a result. Modern day sanctions imposed on them by themodern day Yazidiat are similar to the blocking of ‘water’ for Imam Husain a.sand his family. People are paying $3 for something which is worth less than $1 asa result, but still resisting and flourishing in all fields.
An ‘all rounder’ nation indeed, of an all rounder Ostaad Imam Khumeini rh.Holding everything that Ahleybayt a.s has left for us; Dua, Ibadat, Namaz,Azadari, Resisting against Yazeedeat, etc. In short, holding ISLAM. That is the reason, I believe, theyget enormous Divine help and Imam e Zamana a.s hand is certainly behind them.
I wish all of us would become ‘all rounders’ (Inshallah) and make the most ofour lives by serving Allah following the guidelines provided by Hz Mohammad (sw)and his Ahleybayt (a.s). (Salwat & Iltemas e Dua)