I was aged around 20 when I developed cordial relations with some elder worshippers of the Usmania Jamia Masjid in Karachi. I used to offer almost every prayer near them, but after the Majlis-e-Ishraq prayers, we would often gather near the ablution room of the mosque for a conversation. We usually met at the mosque, but after Friday prayers, there would be breakfast at any Nihari restaurant in Karachi.
My brother Qari Hamitaullah, who is five years younger than me, would never skip this meeting under any circumstances, while I would occasionally bunk. Except for the two of us, everyone was aged over fifty or so, but we would not politely like other elders. We thoroughly enjoyed this meeting with all sincerity. All these elders would also attend the teachings of the Holy Quran by my father. Among them was Amin Bhai, who remained part of these lessons for 18 years and completed the tafseer of Quran twice. He worked in the Excise Department at that time and is now retired and living in Rawalpindi. When I met him there a few years ago, we cherished the old memories still vivid in our minds.
The biggest benefit of these meetings held in the early 90s was that we discussed the topics of the world with complete openness. We didn’t hesitate in the slightest and spoke something so outrageous that old men would first make us laugh at our naivety and then show us the straight path. Often we would show our stubbornness and stick to our stance to be quickly reprimanded by Amin Bhai. He would scold us so loudly that often we would become breathless and off our ground. But it never occurred for even a moment that these elders even threatened to take us away from their company. It did not affect our health but rather the training impacted our consciousness and the benefits were incalculable.
Young people are full of enthusiasm and do not interact with the elderly as they considered them outdated or boring. I can swear that half my conscience is due to the four or six elders, who took my thinking to such an exalted level, that as I started writing at that time, some older readers who met me for the first time were amazed at my wisdom. I cannot forget Dr Saeed Qazi to this day who had asked for my identity card to be 100 percent certain that I am Riyatullah Farooqi.
If your look around, there are a few elders in almost every mosque who come to the call to prayer and do not leave immediately but stay there for a long time. These are very experienced and wise men who have seen the ups and downs of the changing times. Some of them are engineers, academics, or retired government officials who must be experts in their prime. Even if they are not educated, their experience and observation are so intense that the young degree holders will be wiped off their ground.
If today’s youth want free teachers who can equip them with the skills to deal with the tribulations of life, then they should associate with these elders of their respective mosques.
I can assure you that they are very kind and will be anxious to embrace you. You don’t even have to make any requests. Just shake their hand for two days after each prayer and leave. On the third day, they will hold your hand and ask you for your introduction and activities. This is where your training will begin. You just introduce yourself with one of them and the rest will follow. Within a couple of months, you will experience that, unlike the current professionals, these retired elders are ready to hand the essence of their lives into your hands.
Young people are only concerned about education as everything. There is no denying the importance of education, but traveling on the highway of life also requires the gained knowledge of an experienced person. Young people stepping into practical life have fresh education but no experience at all. In such a case, the company of these elders makes great arrangements for valuable counseling. These wise old men are your guides and you should hold their finger steadfast.
