In 1965 my bawaji Sk Abbasbhai was in Mumbai for a brief visit and went to Moulana for raza to leave for Calcutta. Moulana replied, “Kaaley aavjey”. So bawaji went the next day and again, Moulana replied “Kaaley aavje”.

This happened for a few days in succession and on one occasion, bawaji must have said that he really needed to go to Calcutta immediately. Moulana zara naraz thaya and said, “Mein yeh naa keedhu ne.” Bawaji was innocently persistent; he stood beside Shk Ebrahim Yamani, requesting if he could put in a word on the ground that not only was it urgent but there was nobody to manage the shop. Finally, Moulana gave raza but wasn’t too happy about it.

Bawaji got his train tickets booked, travelling with my sister’s mother-in-law, mother and brother Mohammedbhai. He got down on the first station to buy fruit and there accidentally met Shk Alihusainbhai Shakir (also of Calcutta). Bawaji was relieved; he now had somebody’s saath.

That night, bawaji fell unconscious in the train. This was of serious concern to the family; there was still a long journey ahead, the family could not get off the train and even if they did, what would they do with an unconscious man as they did not know anyone en route? Since I received a message that the family would be arriving by train, I went to the station to recieve the family. We took father home and then to hospital where it was confirmed that bawaji was suffering from a bad bout of meningitis with a 10,000:1 survival chance.

It was due to Moulana’s dua mubarak that bawaji continues to live. Much later, Shk Alihusainbhai narrated his part of the story: that he had gone to get raza for his mother to travel to Calcutta but Huzurala insisted that he accompany his mother and travel only on a specific date. Shk Alihusainbhai wondered how it would be possible to get reservations for first-class travel but Moulana said ke “Thai jaase” and that was that. Moulana with his remarkable vision had ensured that Shk Alihusainbhai would be on the same train (when he was not to be traveling in the first place), would look after our family, provide support and get them safely to Calcutta! 

Shaikh Nooruddinbhai Calcuttawala, Dubai