Arrival of Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA in Durban South Africa
It was a
normal morning in the winter of 1895 when a ship S.S Hoosen, docked at the
Durban Harbour. On board was a person, simple in dress in a yellow garb and a
cloth hat. As he stood on the deck of the ship looking at the people on the
wharf to welcome their respective relatives and friends, little did the people
realise that he was to make such a great impact in their life-style, to make
them God-fearing and to bring about spiritual, mental and social upliftment, and
an enhancement in the quality of their lives. His was a name that, with the
Grace of Almighty Allah, will till Eternity, remain on the lips of the people, a
name that will remind future generations of his selfless sacrifice for the Deen
of Islam and for the general upliftment of the masses in South Africa.
Custom formalities being over, the passengers now
disembarked and on the wharfside, relatives embraced, hugged and met each other.
Some were helping the passengers with their heavy luggage, tin trunks and
suitcases along the gangway from the ship, others were stacking the luggage on
the horse wagon on the wharf, while some were being driven away by their
relatives and friends. Looking at the scene as he came down the gangway, this
humble son of Islam, with a walking stick in one hand and a small cloth-covered
bundle in the other (in it were his spare koortha, loongie, singlet, miswak,
towel, a Quraan, a tasbih and a book with various wazifas) carefully stepped on
to soil of Southern Africa with confidence knowing that the blessings of Allah
and his Pir are with him.
As he walked he greeted the people, some returned his
greetings while others just stared at him curiously. No one offered to give him
a lift into town or even ask him whether he had a place to stay. Hazrath Soofie
Saheb RA made his way to the Jumah Musjid which was then a very simple building
in Grey Street.
Hazrath’s Second Day in Durban
After Salatul fajr the next
morning, the incident of the previous night with the Muezzin, spread like
wildfire among the local Muslims. Out of curiosity Musallees gathered around
Hazrath and began to talk to him, among other things, about his village at home
in India. On learning that he was from Ratnagir, District Kokan, then one
Rooknoodeen and one Fazloodeen Jhetam who were from the same district, took a
greater interest in him. He explained his mission to them and that he was sent
by his Pir O Murshid, Hazrath Khwaja Habib Ali Shah RA of Hyderabad, India to
serve the Deen of Islam.
The Musallees offered him
accommodation and to be their guest, but the Imam refused to let him go. After a
short consultation with both parties he decided to sleep at the house of the
Imam but eat at the homes of the Musallees. This made everyone happy.
Locating the Grave of Hazrath Badsha Peer RA
Grave of Hazrath Badsha Peer RA, Brook
Street, Durban. (Artist Impression)
The next morning after
breakfast at the Rooknoodeen home where others were also present, Hazrath
inquired about the grave of Hazrath Sheikh Ahmed RA. Unfortunately they could
not remember such a person. Next he made inquiries at the Jumah Musjid from the
Imam. After failing to get a definite answer he then asked to be taken to the
local Muslim cemetery in Brook Street. At the entrance he made Muraqaba
(meditation) until he was able to identify the actual grave.
He walked directly to the
grave. After removing the overgrown grass and weeds, the shawl that he had on
his shoulder was placed on the grave of Hazrath Badsha Peer RA. Hence the first
Gilaaf (cloth cover) was placed on it by Hazrath Soofie Saheb RA. He told the
people who were present at the graveside on this historic occasion that it was
this personality who had foretold his arrival, and that Hazrath Shaikh Ahmed RA
was the Badsha (King) of the Peers of his time. Hence he is well known today as
Hazrath Badsha Peer RA.
The people then remembered
that there was a person who wore torn and tattered clothes and was referred to
as a diwana because he had no family and he had no care for this world. He spent
most of his time seated either in the vicinity of the Juma Musjid or at the
Brook Street cemetery. He would often move from one place to another. He
frequently visited the small and remote villages and towns in northern Natal
where there were Indians, although travelling in those days was difficult.