Never before have we advertised our sentiments on these pages. But today I want to make an exception to this practice.

************    

We, the Founders of Bilal Muslim Mission, have been a dreaming people from the very beginning. The difference between us and other day – dreamers is that we not only dream, but also try to turn our dreams into reality. We dreamt of establishing an institution for propagation of true Islam in East Africa; and, lo, the Bilal Muslim Mission came into being in 1965.           

Then we dreamt of praying in next Eidul – Fitr with African Shias. And when the next Eid came in 1966, there were enough converts to establish Eid prayer together.            

 We dreamt of having our own centres; and now we have got them in Dar es Salaam, Songea, Mombasa and Mackinnon. 

**************            

Now a unique pattern developed: as soon as we dreamt of something, Allah turned it into reality. And it is happening with starling rapidity: in this short period, we sent many African Shias for higher studies to Middle East; we have already published 24 books in English and Kiswahili, and many more are in pipeline. (Compare it with 23 books published by a ‘very active’ Mission in more than 40 years ;) We have regular magazines in English and Kiswahili; we have an Islamic Correspondence Course in English, and a Junior Course in Kiswahili; we run several madresas, have two boarding houses, conduct religious examinations in whole East Africa; and now we are going to have our own printing press. And what is more important, the number of converts is increasing.            

 And we achieved all this in face of all types of difficulties: adverse propaganda, even by many Shia Ithna asheries; opposition from many so-called Muslims, lack of skilled man – power; too heavy dependence on a few helpers and many such hurdles.

************           

Anyhow, uptil now we were passing through a time very much like the Meccan period of Islam: the progress of conversion was slow and the number of converts was less than 500.             We earnestly wanted a change in this situation. We often dreamt of mass conversions, a picture of which is given in this Sura of Qur’an:-           

“When comes the help of Allah and victory,           

And you do see the people enter Allah’s religion in crowds.           

Then celebrate the praise of your Lord and pray for His forgiveness;            

For He is Oft-turning (in Grace and Mercy).”            

This was our biggest dream so far. And by Mercy of Allah and Grace of 14 Masoomeen (a.s) and the Help of our 12^th Imam (a.s), this dream has come true in Kenya.

          *********           

And it has happened in the way the early Arab tribes accepted Islam. Most of them became Muslim because they were impressed with the honesty, truthfulness, sympathy and kindness of the Last Messenger of Allah, and with the general behaviour of the Muslims.

                                    ************           

In Islam, every Muslim was a missionary. Be he a trader or physician, a teacher or labourer, a peasant or a judge, he had to be the perfect example of Islamic character and manners. And it was this upright character which attracted people towards Islam. It was to this aspect of life, that Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s) referred in this Hadith ‘KUNU LANA ZAINAN WA LA TAKUNU LANA SHAINA’ Be for us an adornment; and do not be for us a shame.           

People of other faiths and religions do not know what Islamic books teach. They only see how the Muslims behave. And through that observation they form their views about Islam. If the Muslims behave like true Muslims in all walks of life, there will be no need to appoint any missionaries for propagation of Islam. The character of the Muslims will be enough to attract the whole world towards Islam.

                                    ************

Group Photo taken on 7/10/72

 L. to R: Haji Mohsin A. M. Jaffar; Mulla Abdur Rasul H. Khaki; Chief Yusuf Ibrahim Chuphi; Agha S. Mohammad Mahdi; Haji Mohammad Jaffar K. Gulamhussein.  Standing: Haji Gulamabbas H. Janmohamad.             

He is a farmer and has business contact in Mombasa and other places. In Mombasa, he had opportunities to see from very near the family members of M / S Kassamali Gulamhusein, Mombasa. What impressed him most was their regularity of prayers and their sincere obedience of the rules of Islamic Sheriat. Even in the midst of important business discussions, they used to postpone the talks and close the office when the time of prayer arrived. Before that, the Chief had known some Muslims of other sects, and had found their behaviour not attractive. Now that he saw these Ithna – Asheris. He realized that here was a religion which so completely controlled the life of its followers. Naturally, he was curious and wanted to know more.

                      **********           

This led to many discussions with these businessmen, and they explained the tenets, beliefs and Sheriat of Shi’ism to him.            

He was at once attracted to this faith, which he found so logical and reasonable. When after some time he expressed his desire to embrace Islam, he was told to wait a little longer and study it in details. They told him that in our faith, one MUST understand the matters of belief before accepting them. He was very much fascinated by this assertion, because his church had always taught him that ‘you should just believe without understanding, as the religion is a mystery, beyond the human intellect.’ Now, for the first time, he was being told to understand before believing. This difference of approach showed him the difference between a blind submission (heritage of colonialism) and enlightened search for truth (the true independence).

                      ***********           

After many months, he was ready to enter into the fold of Islam. And so on Saturday 28^th Shaban, 1392, (7^th October, 1972) Mulla Abdur Rasul H. Khaki, Agha Seyyid Mohamed Mahdi, Mr. Mohammed Jaffer Kassamali Gulamhusein, Mr. Gulamabbas Habib A. Janmohammed, Haji Mohsin A. M. Jaffer (Hon. Secretary of Bilal Muslim Mission of Kenya) went to Mackinnon; and the Chief with 23 of his family members became Shia Ithna – Asheri. By 19^th Shawwal (26^th November 1972) 181 people had become Shia. A religious teacher was sent there from Dar es Salaam on 13/10/72.           

Then on the invitation of the Kenya Mission, Haji Ali Muhammad Jaffer Sheriff (from Arusha) and I went to Mombasa on 2.12.1972. Next day, being Sunday, our group comprising of Mulla Abdur Rasul H. Khaki, Haji Ahmad Husain Sheriff (President of the Bilal Muslim Mission of Tanzania), Haji Bashir Peera, Secretary – General of the K.S.I. Supreme Council, Haji Ali Muhammad Jaffer Sheriff, Mr. Mohammed Jaffer Kassamali Gulamhusein, Haji Mohsin A. M. Jaffer and myself, went to Mackinnon, where a public meeting was arranged.            

The chief welcomed us, and then I spoke on the Christian’s theory of the original sin, and explained the contrast between this theory and the Islamic theory that every child is born a Muslim. I explained how the Christian’s belief degrades the whole humanity by condemning them as sinners from the very birth, while Islam elevated the humanity as born without sin.             Then Haji Ali Muhammad Jaffer Sheriff explained the matters of faith. On that day 61 families, comprising of 253 souls, accepted the true faith.

                                 **********           

Then we discussed the details of the construction of a Mosque, a madresa, a primary school and the house for the religious teacher, 10 acre land has already been donated by the tribesmen for these buildings.            

A dispensary has already been started there. Dr. Mustafa Rahim goes there weekly to attend to the sick persons. The medicine is provided free by the Mission.            

So, one of our major dreams has come true. At the time of writing this article more than 800 people have become Shia in that area.

************  

Still, the trouble with us is that we are never content with what we have got. It is human nature, isn’t it? As soon as a dream becomes reality, we start dreaming even more ambitious dreams.            

 What are the other dreams we dream? Well we now dream of ………….           

But why not wait some more; we would like to present them as facts some time.