mustafanalwalla wrote:This was a wonderful post.
anyways, there is a lot of truth in what Progticide has said. If one cannot sacrifice ones money, time or energy, then the least one can do is wish well for the Dai.
Indeed it’s a wonderful post, if kothar would like to accept the well wishes and khidmat from bohra instead of money. And there are millions of bohras who are praying and wishing well for the Dai day and night. People are sacrificing time, money, energy for Dai and Daawat.
In my personal opinion, I have no complaints about paying up, I pay voluntary and compulsory, I understand funds are needed. Niether I m against a comfortable life lived by sayedna saheb, everyone deserves to live a good life whoever they are. But there has to be a limit. I m pointing at opulent lifestyles lived by Kothari levels. All this holier then thou talks of love and affection has been a cover up and hogwash since many years. Shehzadas Amils and sheikhs will shout from the rooftops how people should be qurbaan from jaan and maal while they come collecting gleefully gloating in pride of their melodrama speech has worked wonders with emotionally gullible bohra mumins giving away in good faith.
I have lived in denial for too long, that corruption is not true. But such extravagance is a glaring example to see. The little good..remain little good in the community while we see this big extravagant display of show and pomp further disconnecting bohras from reality.
There are genuine people, emotionally way led to give away / sacrifice their wealth in wajebaat, salaams, najwas, ziyafats and titles in good faith and affection. If good exists, so is bad, I m not forgetting good, but I cant ignore bad. We have to acknowledge the bad to safeguard the good. If we keep ignoring we will fall in slumber of make-believe and loose touch with reality. This is happening as I write. Think about it.
progticide wrote:Those who dont have money but physical abilities sacrifice their time and energy toward the service of the community, this way they express their devotion to their Master, their Guide.
Very true, and that is what many bohra mumin do, they offer khidmat from jaan and maal. Be it serving jamaan, manage traffic, manage crowd, muallims in schools and sheikhs in jaamat etc. The sad irony is when amils / Kothari leaders exploit love of this commoners. Why, please tell me why. Kadambosi passes, kadam, nikaah, misaaak, talaqqi, ikram, greetings are monetory. Why is the respect / love / affection measured in money yaar !... why does people who offer salaam without money are taken by surprise ?
progticide wrote:Others who dont have any of the above, but can contribute through their knowledge, serve the community through religious and educational practices, some devote themselves to extensive prayers and recition of Quran and other religious scriptures in Masjids and Markaz, some offer their services in scouts and guards, some offer their services at Dargahs and seminaries, yet others offer their services in Mawaid and community gatherings etc. All these people in some form or other sacrifice a part of their life and living as a form of devotion to their religious Head to earn his blessings. Yet there are others like me who if they cant do anything of the above, atleast wish for the well-being of our Dai in our hearts.
A khidmatguzar was taken by the side and told by the assistant of Amil (who was also his son-in-law) not to do salaam if he dint have money. As salam without money is disrespectful. That particular majlis was to facilitate Khidmatguzaar after ramadan for their services ! do you see the cruel Irony.
My family has been instructed on several ocassions (My and siblings Misaaks, sister’s wedding, Uncle funeral, Nephew’s Chatti, Akika and jaman) how much money shall be placed in the salaam covers, and amounts are expensive that we have to negotiate. And its quiet humiliating in an intimidating environment of dewri.
I had gone to Dewri for some raza, unaware that I must do money salaam, the sheikhs at office enquired and ensured of money salaam before letting me into the amil’s office.
My mother was going on Panjatan Ziyarat tour, after paying up all charges (tickets, accommodation, hoob), before embarking on the trip, they were asked to pay laagat. My mom is a devout abde, she too was surprised at the demand.
My father was excluded from Tanzeem committee from local markaz, because he objected with compulsory levies of Ramadan hoob, there were more then enough funds to see through Ramadan arrangements.
So my points are, commoners toe the line out of faith,affection, love and well wish of the Dai. But what is jamaat / kothar / leaders doing back to them. Only sweet mushy talks and lip service to display their affection. I m not generalizing my above experiences and paint the whole picture wrong. Experiences such as above are representative of situation / mindset / ground realities which is shadowed in show and pomp bandwagon in our community.
We are given this divertive speeches to avoid accountability. I m asking again, how / why does asking for accountability is wrong in the community ?