Farewell Yusuf Bhaijaan RIP

Farewell Yusuf Bhaijaan RIP, originally uploaded by firoze shakir photographerno1.

Last evening Raju Shresta passed by my shop, he was once known as Master Raju a great child artiste, he apologized that he was unable to inform me, but his father Yusuf Bhaijaan had passed away recently.. it was indeed a shocking and a tragic news .

I am not a very great fan of the Bandra Khoja Shia mosque, I hardly go there for reasons I do not wish to share, but if one person who was a part of the humility of my Shia faith was Yusuf Bhaijan, a man I can comfortably call a Shia soldier of God.

I was once thrown out by a Shia bigot from this mosque , while attending the 40 Chelum majlis of my late father Mohomed Shakir, the person, this Shia bigot , there are many among the community, I have neither forgotten nor forgiven was so enthusiastic in showing me the door thought I was a non Muslim.. I guess I am in more ways than one.


This act when bought to the notice of Yusuf Bhaijan had hurt him the most, as Yusuf Bhaijaan had seen both my kids since childhood attending the Koranic classes held at the mosque, , and those days in the 80's I did not know he was Master Rajus father though I too was connected to Bollywood,he always praised my kids , as he stood by the doors of the Mosque.Thankfully my kids had taken after my wife she was the source of their Shia heritage and background.,.

I thought the only reason I was known among the Bandra Shias those days was because of the religious devotion of my children , and their intense love for Ahle Bayt.

I had not yet become a part of congregational religiosity.It all happened a few years back.

Yusuf Bhaijaan was the face of the Bandra Shia Khoja mosque,and even in the picture you can see the vessels lying at his feet, he had just served Sherbet to the crowds that had come for the Majlis.. this is Yusuf Bhaijan , as he would like to be portrayed standing serving the Lord on his two feet.

Yusuf Bhaijaan was not into mosque politics, he was the finest Shia Khoja gentleman I have ever met in my entire life, he never said a word that would hurt another person.. Raju has lost a father, the mosque has lost one of its exemplary foot soldier , I have lost a good friend.

This is a small token of a tribute to him, I told Raju yesterday,that though his father had passed away he was alive on my Flickr photo stream..

Yusuf Bhaijaan had of late become very close to my grand daughter Marziya, the moment she saw him, she ran into his arms, and I am crying at 4.40 am, as Marziya will certainly be searching for his smiling face near the mosque coming Moharam.

Farewell Yusuf Bhaijaan..God needed you by his side..Take Care .