We became very close to Mazoon Maula TUS after Maula’s first trip to Hong Kong in 1981. From 1983 to 2010 Maula gave us sharaf of utaaro at our various residences about 20 times. During most trips morning imaamat namaz thai, sometimes also zohor asar. A few trips included sabaqs during morning time. One of our memorable memories is of Maula’s fondness for walking. Very often just before maghrib namaz, after tea, Maula would go for walks in the countryside (Hong Kong has many green walking areas), and Maula would give raza for us to join. We would learn a lot during these walks, especially about Maula’s experiences with Aqa Taher^RA and Aqa Maula^TUS. Throughout Maula’s trips mumineen would come for qadambosi, personal arzis etc. and very often Maula’s audiences would go on late into the night. We could not help marveling at how Maula could manage with such minimal amount of sleep.

On one trip (late 80’s or early 90’s) Mazoon Maula^TUS had graced Hong Kong on the occasion of Eid-al-Adha. A misaal mubarak from Aqa Maula^TUS had just arrived for Mazoon Maula^TUS and all Hong Kong mumineen, which Mazoon Maula^TUS read out during Eid majlis. After the majlis Mazoon Maula^TUS ordered the jamaat to make photocopies of the misaal mubarak and to ensure that a copy of the misaal mubarak reached each and every house. I still remember how much emphasis Maula put on the fact that this was not an ordinary letter, but ‘Haq na Dai na misaal mubarak’. No house in Hong Kong should miss out on the barakat of getting a copy of Aqa Maula’s^TUS doa mubarak.

One very strong impression we received during all these trips was how much Aqa Taher’s teachings had shaped Maula’s views and personality during Maula’s youth. Hardly a zikar would be made without mentioning Aqa Taher^RA. One other impression was how important Maula considers young mumineen. Maula always made an effort to reach out and talk to young mumineen, to impress upon them the importance of deeni ilm, and at the same time taking a keen interest in their worldly studies. (In this regard, I personally remember Maula taking my Physics textbook and looking through it, and also taking my English essay from my school textbook. Maula took it away and read it with great interest at his leisure.) My mother always took personal and great care in preparing Maula’s meals and Maula would always be deeply appreciative of the jaman and the work behind the preparation and presentation.

On one occasion Mazoon Maula^TUS had expressed the desire to my mother to have kormu for breakfast. Unfortunately there was no kormu in the house (and this was an item which was not available in Hong Kong, we would always get it from India). My mom was worrying what to do. All of a sudden, the doorbell rang, and the postman was there with a packet of kormu, mailed by my masi from Surat! We had had no previous knowledge that this packet was on its way, indeed, we had not even asked for it. This incident is still very fresh in our minds!

[Contributed by Cader family]