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More than once in the past few months, starting with the Ashara mubarakah in Mombasa, has Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin Aqa (TUS) expressed his earnest desire to perform ziyarat of Maulana Ali (SA) and Imam Husain (SA) and dedicate the newly constructed zarih in Kufa. Both the monuments are ready and awaiting Maula's (TUS) arrival.
Seventy-seven years back in the year 1353 H, Syedna Taher Saifuddin (RA) pilgrimaged to Iraq via Karachi to perform the ziyarat of Maulana Ali (SA) and Imam Husain (SA). It was during this visit that Syedna Taher Saifuddin (RA) noticed that both the shrines had become old and were in need of replacement. He determined to undertake the noble deed. The government gave permission to Syedna Taher Saifuddin (RA) to prepare the zarih in India and send it back to Iraq. Syedna Taher Saifuddin (RA) personally supervised each and every detail of the new zarih. He stood physically at the site to estimate the revised area on which the new zarih would be built and placed. He also selected every design and embellishment. Two years later, the zarih was completed and installed in its place.
Seventy-five years have passed since then, and Aqa Maula (TUS) resolved to rebuild the zarih mubarak which has passed through a long passage of time.
Similarly, the restoration of the masjid at Kufa, along with its sprawling sehan, was an enormous and complex task. The magnitude of the project, the prevailing volatile political climate (people inside the masjid worked within earshot of gunfires and explosions happening outside) and the historical significance of the masjid truly make it a colossal task.
According to historians, in the 17th century Hijri, muslims captured Madaain, the capital of the Sassanid Dynasty which ruled over Persia. The muslim army, not used to the rich and luxurious life, was not able to acclimatize in the capital and hence searched for a place which could house them permanently and serve them as a housing station for further excursions into the Persian territory. It is said that Maulana Salman-ul-Farsi and Maulana Huzaifa-tul-Yaman were entrusted with this particular task. After reconnoitering the land of Iraq, they finally settled on Kufa, which was a plain desert terrain on the west bank of the River Euphrates. It was called Kufa for its coarse soil and reddish sand.
The name "Kufa" has some interesting origins. Syedna Qadin N'oman narrates, "Maulana Ali (SA) was with his As-haab in the masjid of Kufa when, upon seeing someone, got up and went outside to talk with the unknown visitor. After a while, the As-haab became concerned that they had left Maulana Ali (SA) alone with a stranger, so they went out to look for him. They met Maulana Ali (SA) as he was returning after his audience with the stranger. Upon enquiry, he revealed that the stranger was Khadir, and among the information he had given, was the origin of the name of Kufa. He said that Kufa was named after a king who had dug a river and whose name was Kufaan.
Kufa's identity became compounded with the history of Maulana Ali (SA) from the time he adopted it as his 'Dar-ul-Hjrat.' Since then, the masjid of Kufa became the pivot of all his activities. This masjid is witness to his glorious shanaat; the pearls of wisdom he showered; the eloquent sermons he delivered; the just and perplexing judgements he proclaimed; his unparalleled ibadat; and ultimately his shahadat which safeguarded salvation for his sh'ia.
Once, a group of people from Kufa went to the hazrat of Imam Ali Zain-ul-Abedeen (SA). Looking at them, he said, "It is amongst you that Ali has scattered his ‘ilm."
The project is an endeavour not only to restore the masjid, but to preserve the spiritual piety and the historical glory which is attached to every aspect. For instance, one of the huge gates of the masjid is known as "Bab-us-Soban," meaning the gate of the python, for it was from this gate that an enormous python entered causing panic among those present until Maulana Ali (SA) calmed them and instructed them to make way for the giant creature who was a messenger of Bani Aamir, a tribe of djin. The python slithered its way towards Maulana Ali (SA), climbed the minbar and putting its mouth close to his ears, murmured something in a language which was audible to the people as squeaks and squeals only. Maulana Ali (SA) replied to him in its own language, and the python departed from the gate from which it had entered. Maulana Ali (SA) descended from the minbar, and revealed the mystery that had transfixed the entire presence, "There occurred a dispute among the djins and the python had come to ask me to resolve it. I taught him what to do in the matter."
As mumineen all over the world await to witness Aqa Maula (TUS) arrival at Kufa and the inauguration of this resplendent edifice, the magnificent city of Kufa awaits another chapter of glory.
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