Amazon Best Selling Novel “Malabar A Flame” in Lima World Library
21. The Riddles
Door opened. Alihaji alighted from the car.
Though the times have changed, Ali’s mind has not
rusted. “How can I hold the supreme power in society” was
a thought that often tormented him. To hold supreme power
on society, at least among the Muslim faithful in the vicinity
of East Ham, he made it a point to go on a pilgrimage of the
holy cities of Mecca and Medina almost every year. It had
its rewards too. A simple Ali became Alihaji commanding
everybody’s attention and respect.
During the discourse at the break time of prayers, Ali
reminded the faithful: “Do not commit sin and be not
sinners. Don’t hurt others. Let patience, penance, meditation,
generosity grow in your hearts. Respect womanhood. Only
they can please Allah”
Ali became the self-proclaimed Musliar. He went to
Mecca not only to purify himself. He talked to the Muthafas
(clergy heads) there. They promised financial aid for the
upliftment of the East Ham Muslims. He opened the big
hall of his home for prayers. He organized a large batch of
pilgrims from London to Mecca.
After prayers, instead of eggs and milk, tea and bread
were distributed. Who got more than one loaf showed their
respect to Ali. He was willing to help them out financiallytoo. His long beard hung in front of all as if he is a born
hermit. He sat in reverie by stroking his beard in front of his
faithful. They felt that he stood in heaven and condescended
to speak to them the heavenly wisdom. He appealed to the
government the need for a Masjid for the believers to pray.
After much persuasion, the authorities granted permission
the envy of other communities.
Ali approached the rich for financial aid to build the
masjid. He foresaw the generosity of the English people and
their passion for religion. He did not inform his followers
the enormous donations he had received from prominent
people. Before the masjid came into being, Ali bought a
house and accommodated his second wife and children
there. He promised the patrons in the ruling party that in
the next election Muslims would vote for their candidates.
The Mayor of London was the Chief Guest on the opening
of the masjid. The Mayor said: “Muslims, Hindus, Christians
are believers in one god and one society. You do good for
societ”. Ali became the godfather and Musliar of the masjid.
Ali continued his Mecca pilgrimages. He distributed
the photos of the London masjid among the Saudi leaders.
He misled them that the London Christians were against
the building of the masjid. He got the permission but later
proved that he became a pauper by building the masjid. “As
we Muslims are ignored by Britons, we have to show them
what Islam is, who the Muslim is. Our dream is to build a
Muslim country there. For that, money is a factor. Be kind to
us,” was the refrain of his appeal. Money flowed in.
Alihaji was so cunning that he distributed one fourth ofthe donations among the Muslim faithful. They hailed him
as angel from the Heavens. Ali’s fans propagated that Ali is
helping the poor from his own income from Kashmir. Ali
bought another house and gave it to his third wife and kids.
Ali now speaks as a spiritual scholar. He studied Arabic
with the help of his wife Fatima. Ali used to bring theological
books from Mecca. He did not know the essence of it.
Fatima taught him the key quotations from it as if to a child.
What Fatima teaches him is the goldmine of spiritual quotes.
He blares it out in each Friday at the masjid. The listeners will
reap it as manna from the heaven and go back in a trance.
“What you have to see is the beauty of the soul not the
loveliness of the women. Souls stay in this universe. Souls are
capable of slaying or taming. Souls are messengers of Allah.”
That is the sole and all that Ali knows about the souls.
For the question as to what was the soul? Alihaji would
thunder back:
“Who dares to ask me such simplistic a questions here?
Do you question the wisdom of the supreme merciful
Allah?”.
“Beyond that I don’t know the smell and attribute of
the soul. For me I am the soul. Why should I bother about
another soul?”
Ali has possessed the will-power to face anything odd.
The great desires that grow for years in the mind now
slumped to the status of a Musliar. He laments his inability
of not attaining a higher position. His headquarters is the
masjid itself. Ali watched a Hindu temple being built at the roadside not far from his mosque. Had I been born a Hindu
there would have been more avenues for fun and frailty, he
mused. To make penance shall I bathe in the holy rivers like
Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati and Sarayu. To reach the zenith
of power I am ready to bathe in any river and purify the mind
and the body. I need not know about the carcases of cows
and buffaloes flowing in the holy waters where I bath.
End justifies the means. How many inns or convents
would have been built within this period. How many
monks would have become inmates in them. The venerable
presence of hermits will woo more believers to there. By
travelling around the world I would have made so many
youthful monks as my disciples. By conducting several
poojas (venerations ) how many rulers and top guns would
have prostrated before my feet. How many countries I would
have enslaved.
In the name of the deities in the kovil (temple) and for
oblation how many bhandarama (coffers) would have been
filled. For annual utsavs (temple festivals) I would have
received life-size garlands. I would have seated as a god-man
on the golden dais decorated by people. I would have enjoyed
the fragrance of the camphor and incense. The belief is that
the gravely sinned, if deceased, would get moksha ( salvation)
if one of the siblings was sacrificed to satiate the forefathers
who shower mercy.
Alihajis reveries went on and on.
There is one person who scatters thorns on my path.
Who wants to see me no more. Jealous in my prosperity. The
lone enemy on the earth. Son Abubacker Ali. The lone sonmy second wife begot. He did not consider me like his bapa
even from his childhood. I beat his mother. Him too. Finally
talaq I say. I kicked her out as she was not ready to live as I
wish. Even now I don’t feel it is wrong. Sarkar (government)
is there for her maintenance.
My life was for the wellbeing of others. First I brought
here blood relations. Then neighbours, friends and
others settling now on the soil of London. Is it the crime
I committed? I threw the laws to winds. Because the law
should be beneficial for man. Codified the useless laws to be
worthy for others. When this country adopted me why did
they forget my parents and family? I did not deceive anybody
according to the canon law. Not lent money for interest. Not
received. Did not hurt anybody. My religion lets polygamy. It
is not only my personal interest but public interest too.
I divorced his mother. It is my personal interest. Whether
it is right or wrong why should I bother to calculate? How
many decent men have other wives and paramours. Srikrishna
had plenty of wives. Prophet Mohamed too. I didn’t know
where their siblings are. I did not know if Buddha and Christ
have wives or not. If asked, had they illegitimate relation, I
did not know. How can I tell the things I did not see. Each
religion has each attribute. Human and animals have similar
virtues. God created human beings. I did not know how did
he create. I am not ready to believe in myths.
Abu, only your mother is wilted. It can never be mended.
What benefit did you derive by spreading allegations? Have
not my followers reply to your allegations raised against me?
He, who did not know how to control his libido, undergoes fast, exhorts, people, receives money from Mecca and
Pakistan. Abandons wife and children like curry leaves.
What help did I get from him like my bapa. Because of this
country’s benevolence that he brought his relatives via fake
visas? He is an international traitor. What is the quality he got
to be an Imam(mosque head)? Abu warned of legal action
if I was not expelled from the mosque. He raised allegations
and counter allegations among the people. Ali’s henchmen
countered those allegations as false and deliberate.
Ali waked the drive way to Antony’s home. His sole aim
was to wreck vengeance on Abu, the only one he could not
mend or bring around to follow him.
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