Article: Longing to have a glimpse of the beloved Imam

Of late, I was overcome with the longing to have a glimpse of my beloved Mowla. I cannot explain it, but every single day from the time of awakening in the morning up to the time of nodding off at the end of the day, one and only one thought was uppermost in my mind: When would I see Him? And how?

I tried to convince myself that the time would come, the Imam will go to grant His blessings to some jamat or the other around the world and perhaps at that time, it might become possible to get a glimpse. I tried to curb down my longing by explaining to myself over and over again that I would have to wait. The month of Ramadhan was approaching rapidly and it is well known amongst His jamats, Mowla does not travel during this holy month. But no matter what I thought and said to myself, this longing – this yearning – to have a glimpse of His beautiful countenance would just not stay put. I tried to meditate but could not concentrate at all. All that I could think of was: when would I see Him? And how?

Time was passing very slowly. And I was getting more and more restless as I thought of the whole month stretching ahead of me. Long day after long day. Finally, I put my feelings clearly in front of Him during prayer. I told Him that I really, really wanted to see Him, and this was a sincere heartfelt wish of mine. I further told Him that I knew Ramadhan was approaching (only a few days left) and that He did not travel during Ramadhan. I told Him I knew all that and understood it, but my heart was not willing to concede to waiting for the end of the Ramadhan. So, I made a wish. I wished that I could see Him before Ramadhan started and I told Him that nothing was impossible for Him; He could make the impossible possible. After submitting my wish at His feet, I felt a little bit better and was able to continue with my daily routine.

17 July 2012. TheIsmaili.org announces the arrival of His Highness the Aga Khan in Tanzania.

On 16th July, 2012, late in the afternoon, a friend of mine just mentioned in casual conversation that today the Imam was in Dar Es Salaam. Upon hearing this, I felt very low indeed. In fact, I was very upset. Here I was yearning to see Him for so many days now and without my knowing the Imam had arrived in Dar Es Salaam already. I cried, could not help it but I cried and begged the Imam for forgiveness. Surely I must have done something terribly wrong and that is why I missed such an invaluable opportunity. With these melancholy thoughts, I arrived home at close to 6 o’clock, and narrated the news to my family members. My voice was shaking with emotion and I could not contain my anguish. Upon seeing my state of despair, my family suggested that we should go to Dar Es Salaam. “Mowla has arrived in Dar Es Salaam according to your friend but by all accounts, He has not left yet. This means that He will probably leave tomorrow or even day after tomorrow. So why don’t we go to Dar Es Salaam first thing tomorrow and perhaps you will be able to get your glimpse at the time of His departure.”

I could not imagine why I had not thought of this before. How silly of me! Immediately I perked up and thereafter, late in the evening of 16th July 2012, all the miracles started happening in front of my eyes. First of all, seats were available for the first flight out to Dar Es Salaam the next morning. That in itself was a big miracle. Secondly, there was no money (cash) in the house that evening but the bank was open at that late hour when we rushed there, and even better – the foreign currency I needed in cash was available in plenty. In this way, we were able to catch the first flight to Dar Es Salaam the next morning having packed hastily and spent the rest of the night in prayer, begging Mowla to please not go before we reached there and to please make it possible to have that all important glimpse.

The flight was on time and within an hour of departure, we arrived in Dar Es Salaam with beating hearts and anxious expressions. We had decided to ask the local taxi drivers where His Highness The Aga Khan’s residence was situated in Oyster Bay so that we could go there and see if He was really there or not. We were especially anxious because we could not see His private jet anywhere in the airport. “Perhaps my friend was just mistaken,” I thought with a sinking heart. Nevertheless, we asked for a taxi driver who was familiar with the Oyster Bay area and when we questioned him, his answer really surprised us! He asked us why we wanted to go and wait for His Highness at His residence and not at the old airport where He would be arriving later on today (July 17th 2012). We were all flabbergasted! “Are you sure He is coming today? We were told He has already arrived yesterday!” We bombarded him with all kinds of questions. But he did not waver. He insisted that His Highness was expected to arrive today, He had not arrived and would be landing at the old airport later on in the afternoon. We immediately took off for the old airport, which was just nearby and the same taxi driver then went off to investigate and a few minutes later, he informed us that he was right – His Highness the Aga Khan was expected to arrive today at about 3:30pm in the afternoon. Our happiness and ecstasy knew no bounds! We laughed and we cried and took out tasbihs of shukrana. It was a very emotional moment for us and completely unbelievable, incredible even! I was in a daze myself. “Was I really here, in another country, awaiting the arrival of my beloved whom I wished to see so desperately? Was it really true? Would He really come? Would I get a glimpse?” At that time, the lack of activity at the airport bothered me a lot. There was no community security visible anywhere and no jamati members at all. But it was very early in the morning yet. So I thought the activity would probably start later on, a couple of hours before the Imam’s arrival. The taxi driver took us to find a hotel and I insisted that we should not waste time settling in and so on. “What if the taxi driver was mistaken and the Imam arrived earlier than expected?” With these thoughts, we just left our luggage at the reception and rushed back to the airport. The traffic was heavy, the weather was hot and humid and I only relaxed at bit when we were safely back at the airport.

Then we settled down to wait. At about 1 00pm, a huge convoy of government security vehicles arrived, accompanied by a band troupe and traditional dancers. We looked at each other and asked if this could be in preparation for receiving our Imam. But the taxi driver said that an important world dignitary, a political leader of another country, was scheduled to arrive at about 2 00pm and all this was in preparation for that arrival. The Aga Khan would come after the dignitary had left. At 2 30pm, we heard the band troupe playing somewhere inside the airport and gun salutes went off. Our taxi driver kept us well informed and said the leader has arrived and has been received by the president himself. I kept on glancing nervously at my watch. So far there were no signs of any Ismaili security and no other jamati members were also in attendance. “Perhaps, the Imam would also be received by the same government officials who were already inside? And He too would then leave with the same convoy?” With these thoughts running through my mind, I asked the taxi driver to quickly park near the VIP gate so that if the Imam was also part of the government convoy then we would not miss out on having a glimpse of Him from the car.

The government convoy left in pomp and splendour at about 3:15pm. We craned our necks but could not see the Imam’s car amongst the convoy. We wondered what was happening and looked at each other dejectedly. But not for long because a few minutes later, three other Ismailis came to where we were standing near the gate. They were from abroad too visiting Tanzania on holiday and they informed us that the Imam would be arriving at 4 00pm. “But I have not seen any arrangements being made for him!” I argued. Just then, a convoy of three to five cars containing Ismaili security personnel arrived and went through the VIP gate. The Imam’s green Audi was amongst that convoy. At last, I was convinced that He was really coming and we jumped and jumped with joy. The other Ismailis then suggested that perhaps we should go look for the waving base as Mowla’s car (the Audi) looked heavily tinted and it might not be possible to see the Imam from the car. We fell in with that suggestion and trooped towards the main building to ask about the waving base. Unfortunately, the old airport does not have a waving base!

Just then we heard the loud drone of a jet’s engine and we quickly walked towards the corner of the building outside. Lo and behold! There was a set of glass doors (closed) but through which we could see the runway and THE IMAM’S PLANE COMING TO A STOP JUST IN FRONT OF THOSE VERY GLASS DOORS!!

Oh my my my. What a miracle! A few minutes later, in front of our eyes the door of the plane opened and a few seconds after that, my Beloved, my Beloved, my Beloved came down, clearly visible to us from the glass doors which we had never noticed before. He was really smiling and looking extremely radiant and my heart expanded and expanded until I thought it would come crashing out of my chest. I had really seen Him! I could not believe my eyes! And BEFORE Ramadhan! What an amazing occurrence.

Thereafter, we rushed back to the VIP gate and reached there in time to wave at the Imam’s car. The car was not as heavily tinted as we had assumed and we saw the Imam smiling and waving at us happily with both hands. We were all jumping up and down with joy. All six of us. Once the convoy had left, we hugged each other, we cried, we laughed, we danced, we celebrated, much to the amusement of the airport staff and our taxi driver.

“Eji Anant kirpa sahebe kidhi
Ane kaaj hamara saariya
Evi preet bandhi saheb saathe
Have rahiyo kem jay”

Shukranlillah. My wish was granted by He who is above all else, and granted in such a loving, miraculous and unexpected way. All were used by Him as part of the miracle: my friend on the previous afternoon, the taxi driver (how can he know so convincingly about the Imam’s schedule of arrival?), the other Ismailis from abroad who asked us to find a waving base which then led us to the glass doors and a clear unhindered glimpse of the Imam). It was all a miracle.

It is now two weeks later and I am still in a daze. The whole miracle was so quick, so fast, just like a flash of lightning. I still wonder if it had been a dream, and all day long I just keep on smiling. People must be thinking I have lost it because at all times of the day, they just see a goofy smile on my face. But why not?

I share this with all as an inspirational example to submit all heartfelt and sincere wishes to Him, and Him only, with conviction and staunch faith. It is only the Imam who is worthy of all the praises in this world for it is only Him who can show so much love and go out of His way and undergo extreme inconveniences to grant our wishes. “No mountains, no deserts, no oceans, no valleys can keep the Imam’s love from reaching His murids.”

Mubaraki to the entire Tanzanian jamat for this extremely blessed visit.

-shared Anonymously and with proper permission of the original author.