| [My message for Muslims is to look after each other with good wishes and keep good relations with Hindus and reduce distance from them. Hindu community is keen and anxious to know about Islam, Concerted efforts can lead to massive conversions.] |
SAFOORA: I invited newly converted
sister Jameela to my house through efforts of Sister Shahnaz. She came
along with AFSANA, sister of Maulana Zulfiqar's wife. After salutation
and tea I told Jameela sister about interviews published in 'Armughan'
and 'Allah Ki Pukar' magazines in order to attract and persuade non
Muslims towards Islam. Sister Shahnaz also endorsed my views and spoke
about the popularity of these interviews not only in India but in Saudi
Arabia, Great Britain and Africa also. Thus Jameela Sahiba agreed to
give the interview otherwise she held the view that she wanted to get
Allah's pleasure only and nothing else especially worldly fame.
Q:
What was your earlier name?
A: My earlier name was PUSHPA
Q:
What is the name of your father?
A: My father was Sheo Ram Bhagat
and my mother was called Sooma Bai
Q: Tell me about your family and
native place.
A: I belonged to a Bhagat family of Rajpura district
Patiala and my family consisted of three sisters. Q: Why you left
your religion and come under Islamic fold?
A: True and simple
answer is that Allah liked me and blessed me with the gift of IMAN and
freed me from bondage of infidelity. Apparently it’s a long story about
my attraction towards Islam.
| I used to wear sari and sleeve less blouse. One day some young workers told me that my dress disrupted their faith and concentration. I asked them to explain the term faith. They replied we are Muslims and our religion teaches that women should be properly dressed and covered to preserve modesty and character and faith of both males and females. They also told me that for faith KALMA was to be recited. |
Q: Yes yes all of us are
impatient to hear your account.
A: We belong to a poor family. But
my mother's sister was married in a rich family. I was 20 year old when
my aunt got me married with son of his brother in law. He was an officer
in C.B.I. My mother was not willing because of status difference but
she was forced to accept it. After marriage I came to know that my
husband was a drunkard and very careless fellow. I was maltreated by my
in laws. After 3 years of marriage a son was born to me in a hospital in
horrible condition. My mother also stopped to take care of me because
of her circumstance. I had to earn live hood by doing menial jobs. I
became mother of a son and two daughters. But I had a sharp mind. I
jointed stitching cum embroidery work shop and got 250/- P.M as salary.
The workshop was owned by a Hindu but workers were Muslims. I used to
wear sari and sleeve less blouse. One day some young workers told me
that my dress disrupted their faith and concentration. I asked them to
explain the term faith. They replied "We are Muslims and our religion
teaches that women should be properly dressed and covered to preserve
modesty and character and faith of both males and females." They also
told me that for faith KALMA was to be recited. I said probably Muslim
women recited it because of their religion. The Muslim workers
sympathetically remarked 'Sister, who so ever you may be but we want
that you should dress like our mother and sister'. "Their emphasis on
faith and covering of women touched my heart and all of a sudden I
wanted to join their faith. The other day I asked them to teach Kalma to
me. But they said that their father Baba would do so. After few days an
old man clad in a cloak and green cap and beads in neck came to me and
asked me to say with a cloth on head 'Greetings to Ali, MOHAMMAD OH
ALLAH HALI help me'. "(At this stage the Questioner and sister Jameela
interrupted her and said it was not KALMA)". She replied to us. Yes but
at that time I was told it amounted to faith. I followed his instruction
and recited these words. Then the old man told me to visit the graves
of saints and I went to many places. I soon started stitching ladies
suits and design various dresses which sold at high prices. Then I
purchased machines and started my own readymade clothes business. It
flourished so much that I set up my own garments factory and employed
many Muslim artists. Allah gave me so much money that I purchased a
whole building complex in Sultanpur Ghausabad, Nehru Place. My mother
had given me a shop which I sold for Rs 12000/- out of this money I gave
Rs 11000/- to the old man Baba for construction of his monastery and
kept 1000 for my expenses. I completed formalities of my conversion to
Islam in Patiala House Court Delhi. I concentrated on my business in
Nehru Nagar and started to earn money. I found that Muslims workers
spent a lot of time on the pretext of saying prayers in a distant
mosque. They actually went to see pictures. In order to ensure their
prayers with regular work within a short time I purchased land in HAJJ
colony Ghafoor Nagar and shifted my workshop there. But Muslims of that
area become hostile and raised doubts on my Islam and relations with
young Muslim workers. This upset me and affected the prosperity of
workshop. I had to go back to my family at Nehru Nagar and started
selling cloth cut pieces. There I got good company of Muslim women
specially AFSANA sister and wife of Maulana Zulfaqar. They encouraged me
to carry on the business and Zufiqar Saheb helped and guided me well.
He treated me as his mother. I again resumed my workshop at HAJJ colony
and started business of new designs of dresses, night tee; Shalwar suits
etc. and constructed my own house and workshop. I was told that I was
not following real Islam and was just worshipping graves. I recited
correct Kalma, learnt prayers and understood the meaning of the Hadith
of Prophet 'Prayer is ascension for a believer.' [On our congratulation
on this enviable state of affairs she asked us to give her some tips so
that she could fully concentrate on prayers and get pure satisfaction.
We told her to pray to Allah sincerely to which she readily agreed]
Q: Now tell us about your special moments of prayers and gratitude.
A: During month of Ramzan I kept fast and offered prayers. But due
to sugar problem, I could not say prayers in standing pose. There were
many tenants in my building. All of them were saying nafil prayers in
Lailatul Qadar. But I could not join them because of pain in knees and
legs. I wanted to pray in those sacred nights and was heartbroken
because of this disability. I prostrated before Allah and wept bitterly
on my inability to say prayers like others. All of a sudden I realized
that I could stand erect and then actually I said prayers in standing
position, I got rid of sugar and could move and walk freely. But after
some time the illness again returned. I read in "Fazail Aamal" that
mothers of a Hafiz son would be crowned in paradise. I became highly
restless because both of my sons were married to Hindu women and I could
not get them converted to Islam. Seeing my grief and anguish religious
neighbour lady asked me to adopt a son and make him a Hafiz. I got hold
of a poor child Ehtesham and sent him to Sonkari Madrasa in Saharanapur
to become Hafiz. But some people told me that I would not be crowned
unless the child Hafiz happened to be an orphan. This made me
miserableagain. However in a Hindu jhuggi I got an orphan child and
named him Abdullah. I took him to Raipur where he has memorized 12 paras
of Qur'an and I pay for his expenses. Now I have sent my 13 year old
grandson Aman to Hauz mosque for Hafiza, [I told her sister Jameela you
are really great in regard to Hifz-e-Qur'an and traditional Muslims must
follow your zeal and love for Qur'an and Hadith]
Q: Sister Jameela
you have done wonders. All of us envy as your zeal and love for
Hifz-e-Qur'an. You deserve all applause. May we follow you, please tell
us something more.
A: I read a Hadith in Fazail-e-Aamal that snakes and
scorpions would grow in the stomach of usury takers. I narrated this
hadith to some Hindu women in Jalandhar and they stopped usury dealings.
I feel that non Muslims are eager to know Islamic teachings. But my
study is confined to Hindi translation of holy Qur'an and Fazail-e-Amaal
only and I cannot explain to you more. I am sure you can do it better.
[This made all of us feel ashamed and we realized that Muslims should
take up this work instead of devoting their whole time and energy in
material pursuits, like business and high education of our children.]
Q: Sister Shahnaz has told us about your reunion with your husband
after 25 years and renewal of your marriage. Please let us know the
detail.
A: My husband did not take care of me and my children for
the last 25 years. Sometimes back he returned and from his fund money he
purchased a flat but due to adverse circumstances he had to mortgage
it. He was forced to come to my Nehru Nagar residence where both my sons
lived with their families. After sometime the elder daughter in law
turned him out of her place. Then he went to second son's house. One day
I saw the young daughter in law was giving him food just like dogs were
fed. I rebuked her for this ill treatment. Then I went to Raipur to
meet my Hafiz grandson. There another boy from Jamia Millia was staying
for Hafz-e-Qur'an. He knew my affairs and said to me, 'Mother your
husband is still Hindu. It is your duty to invite him to Islam.' I
replied that he was a drunkard and could not live without wine.' He said
"Even then you must give Dawah to him with a tumbler full of wine I am
sure he will become a Muslim. You must concentrate on this work." On
return I tried to talk to my husband on phone but could not do so. One
day my Hindu sister forcibly bought my husband to me and said ' Look,
after embracing Islam my sister is leading a prosperous life. You should
also turn Muslim.' He agreed and next day in Ghaffar Manzil Mosque a
Maulvie made him to recite Kalma and renewed our marriage. I was sitting
behind curtains. Zulfiqar Saheb asked Maulana to advise me to break
pardah and meet my husband. I followed his instruction but after
separation of 25 years everything appeared to be quite strange. However
for the last 22 days he had not touched alcohol.
Q: Do you look
after his Prayers and his interest in Islamic Affairs?
A: He offers
prayers five times punctually in the mosque. He went to Phulat but
could not meet Maulana Kaleem Saheb because he was away [Jameela sister
suggested her to send him to Dar-e-Arkam Batla House Delhi to get proper
training and discuss with Maulana Saheb]. Oh Yes training centers are
very necessary where sincere scholars provide very useful knowledge and
training to the newly converts.
Q: Sister Jameela why you left your
children to live like Hindus.
A: I was not properly guided by any
Muslim and I myself have just now become Muslim in true sense. By the
way, both my sons use terms like Bismillah and Al-Hamdo-Lillah in their
talks. The eldest daughter in law is orthodox Hindu but younger one has a
soft corner toward Islam. The Younger son looks after factory workshop
but he fears his wife. [Then we told to Jameela sister that one day we
would invite her family to dinner and discuss these matters. She said
'No first I'll call you on dinner and introduce my daughters-in-law and
then you should invite them.' Then she spoke highly of Zulfiqar Saheb
and Afsana and praised them for their services and good wishes. I also
thought that through good offers of sister Shahnaz and Javed Ashraf I
was able to meet many good persons and prayed for them.]
Q: Now
tell some specific blessings of Allah to you.
A: Once in a dream I
saw myself sitting in a beautiful green room of a mosque with other man,
there were a number of Beautiful maidens sitting with trays of jewels,
Pearls & Diamond. Then in another dream I found myself clad in
bright white dress standing near a spring of pure water. In third dream I
saw myself with my grandson in a barren land and felt tremors of
earthquake. I started reading surah Fatiha and the earthquake vanished. I
don't know the meaning of this dream but I feel content and happy.
Q: Do you have any message for ARMUGHAN?
A: We must live
peacefully and come closer to Hindus who are eager to know Islam and
with some efforts large numbers of them can be converted to Islam. I
pray that 20 Crores of Indian Muslims should realize their duty and
treat their poor non Muslims brothers with sympathy and affection.
