The story of Hafiz Yahya Haji
starts with his father. Who
was a well-known Multi Million business man from a very high-class family of
Quilon (Kollam Dist.), Kerala. It was at the full-fledge of his business, Allah
Azzawajal opened the doors for him towards the efforts of Da’wa and Tabligh. That
was a great change for someone who was enjoying worldly life to its fullest. Left
behind everything for the sake of Allah and turned towards Deen. Thus, a large
cinema theater which he was building at Ernakulam city was turned to Masjid. So,
you know how far is the change. Yahya
Haji was one of his son who then was studying in a top English Medium school at
Bangalore was dropped at and joined to a Madrassa to be a Hafiz and an Alim. Thus,
a great sacrifice was done by all means in forsaking that of an ignorant past and
towards building life upon Deen. Hence Hafiz
Yahya Haji was the fruit of his father’s immense sacrifice.
It was after the Demise of great Daee and an Alim from
Kerala named Moosa Moulana (May Allah shower mercy on him), I heard about Hafiz
Yahya Haji. Allah gave him a personality which would attract any. I remember
his early days. A majlis would be pin drop silent, none would dare to leave in
between. A bayan may be hour or two, not a minute eye is taken away from him.
He was more a teacher than a speaker. A teacher is someone who tries to make
the audience understand in whatever the ways of that which he has understood
for himself. As a good teacher can make a complex subject
interested and easy to the students, his presentation of Tabligh was appealing
and easy for the new generations. He told only that’s practical and acceptable.
He had all the qualities of a
leader. As we know, in Tabligh, leadership is never sought but the leadership itself
seeks the right person. What others would do in days, he would do in hours. A fast
and quick decision maker. Someone who has explored the depths of this world and
who understood the problems of the youth. Who is well aware of the world around
him. He was against any kinds of extremism. Either in Deen or in Tabligh. For me
his greatest success or influence was the emergence of numerous Da’ee who could
balance between Deen and Dunya. Doing their best in the efforts of Deen, Best
in Business or job, best in the family. As
we all know extremism in all lines is the dangerous thing we all face in this
era. To be extreme is easy where as to balance this life and to be of that ‘Middle
Nation’- أُمَّةً۬ وَسَطً۬ا
is difficult.
His Bayan used to be top of my list. Some of which I have
uploaded online years back which you may get them just by googling ‘YAHYA HAJI KERALA’ and See the top results. There
are Urdu Bayans aswell that I uploaded which he made in a Masjid in New
Zealand.
I am much happy that I could do some khidmat to him in
person when he visited for Umra last few years. We once had his whole family
trip to Taif and other sightseeing places. He and his mom was sitting in my car
and He was talking all the way. Whatever the subject he discussed, I feltlike I
was sitting with someone who knew everything around him and whose life experience
has surpassed his age. As I am dealing with financial accounting software, he
has better knowledge of all this as well.
We mutually used to text in WhatsApp thereafter then and
then. Once while I was in in Sudan I saw him in a dream visiting him in a sick
state. The same day, I got the opportunity to serve a Kerala Jamaath in
Khartoum where all the members of the Jamaath was sick. I took them to a
Hospital and could do some Khidmah Akhamdulillah. I informed him about this and
he made Dua for me. His recent message in
the WhatsApp, which I read so sadly was a farewell message to forgive him for
anything if he has done wrong.
Yahya Haji is a person and a personality which got molded in
his time, place and circumstances. Hard to replace and hard to get back. What’s
lost is lost. History itself has to roll back to get someone like of him. Alhamdulillah,
he was given a chance and he used it to his best. Everything what he had, was
used for the efforts of Deen. His knowledge of multiple languages. His intellectual,
financial, the multi-talented personality, everything was sacrificed for the
sake of Deen.
May Allah accept him. He
has returned to the One Almighty about Whom he was reminding all his life. Allah
Azzawajal, the One Who never dies but makes all of His creations die. Now he
has met the very day of certainty which he reminded all of us with, the death.
We all are part of mere dust this day or the other. Glory be to Allah who makes all die but He
never dies- سبحان
الذي يميت الخلائق ولا يموت
We ask Allah Azzwajal to forgive him. Show mercy upon him.
The day we all are gathered in the courtyard of the Almighty (Mah’shar), be
united in the shade of His throne. May Allah unite him and all of us and all
Muslims in the eternal abode of the pious. In the company of Rasulullah
(s.a.w). In the everlasting paradise where the fruits of all hardships in the
path of Allah are enjoyed for eternity.
Ameen.