BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF PIR SABZALI RAMZAN ALI


Pir Sabzali was born in 1871 in Mundra, Kutchh. His father died around 1889 at Bombay and his mother all alone upbrought the children. It appears that he took no interest in the school, and was in the company of the friends, wandering in the streets and teasing the people.

His elder brother, Muhammad Jafar Ali (d.1918) sent him to Varas Muhammad Remu (1860-1924) in Gwadar, who had intimate terms with him. He was sent to Karachi in the company of an Ismaili trader, and thence he proceeded to Gwadar.

Gwadar faced scanty of water and the people had to procure it outside the town. One Ismaili brought water daily for the jamatkhana in the morning, and an old blind woman, called Sonabai washed the utensils and swept the jamatkhana. Once Pir Sabzali came in the jamatkhana in the morning for drinking water. Sonabai heard the noise and asked, to which he identified himself. She said, "You have impured the glass. I will have to wash it again." Being asked, how it became impure, she said, "I have heard that you smoke and your impure lips have touched the glass." The words of the old lady deeply pierced in his heart. To quote him, "These words absolutely touched my heart. I began to hate myself and resolved not to smoke in the life." This was the first stage of the changes in his life. He began a new phase, which transformed him completely towards a religious awakening.

He became much close to Varas Muhammad Remu, under whose training, he began to acquire religious education. Simultaneously, he also took the training of business. This was the second stage of the changes in his life and his latent tendencies emerged very soon in his personality. When Varas Muhammad Remu found him ability and sincerity, he posted him in Pasani to look after his firm. He also appointed him the Kamadia of the Pasani jamatkhana in 1905 on behalf of the Gwadar Council with Mukhi Khuda Bux Rahmatullah. There was no missionary in the Pasani jamat, therefore, he himself performed waez on many occasions. When Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah visited Gwadar for the second time on April 1, 1905, he graciously presented him a shawl in Gwadar on April 15, 1905 and told him, "You live like the jamat of Gwadar." In 1907, Pir Sabzali had been appointed the Mukhi of Pasani jamatkhana with Muhammad Meruani as a Kamadia.

He conducted the business of Varas Muhammad Remu as his agent in Pasani and served the jamat as a Mukhi till 1912. Varas Muhammad Remu promoted him as his agent as well as the Mukhi for Ormada jamatkhana at the end of 1912. This was the third stage of the changes in his life, making him quite a responsible person. In sum, he became an expert merchant, a missionary and a devoted social worker.

He passed about 20 years in Gwadar, Pasani and Ormada. He decided to run his own business in Karachi. In the meantime, his elder brother, Muhammad Jafar Ali expired in Bombay on October 27, 1918. He went to Bombay for few months. He took an opportunity to perform his touching waez in Bombay and Kathiawar for the first time and impressed the jamats. He returned to Karachi and started his business of fish in 1919. Very soon, he also became an exporter of cotton yarn of Sind to Bombay.

The first world war (1914-1919) had badly shaken the business in India for many years. In 1920, the British used the railway wagons for the military even after an end of the war. Thus, a large stock of cotton of Pir Sabzali was lying in the railway godowns. He was worried for its transportation. On that day, Wazir Rahim Basaria (1885-1927) informed him the gracious wish of the Imam to go on the trip of Punjab and the Northwest Frontier as a Special Commissioner of the Imam. Pir Sabzali spoke nothing of his business worries and obeyed it. He left his goods at railway yards on the mercy of the Imam and left Karachi next morning by Quetta Mail. With the help of the local Ismailis, he combated with the challenges of the Arya Samaj in Punjab. It must be noted that a lady missionary Varasiani Ghulam Fatima of Gujranwala also joined Pir Sabzali in Punjab in the mission of conversion.

Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah arrived in Karachi on April 10, 1920 for 27 days. On April 29, 1920, Chief Mukhi Rahmatullah Lutf Ali (1914-1928) said to the Imam, "Mawla, we have been benefited much with the presence of Bhagat Sabzali over here." The Imam became happy and said smilingly that, "I know all these. Not only in Karachi, but he had worked hard in Bombay, Kathiawar and Makran."

Pir Sabzali also presented his Mehmani on the same day. The Imam said to him, "You are working hard. You are living in Kharadhar, therefore you perform waez and impart the spiritual meaning of becoming fana fi'lillah, and also go to Garden among the Kutchhi brethren and deliver waez, Khanavadan. I give you much blessings."

Then, the Imam put his gracious hand on his shoulder, blessed and congratulated him. Khan Bahadhur, Dr. Suleman Ghulam Hussain Haji (d. 1924) submitted a humble service that, "I have invested a title of Tuti-i Sind to missionary Sabzali." The Imam however said, "I give him a title of Tuti-i Bagh-i Bahisht instead of Tuti-i Sind." The Imam once again congratulated him. Sonbai, the wife of Pir Sabzali was standing with a gold chain. The Imam blessed her and took the gold chain from her hand and put it on his own neck and blessed her.

Pir Sabzali was yet in Karachi and involved in different field of community services and performed waez. In 1922, the Recreation Club branch of Karachi sent him to Gwadar for waez, and then he began to reside in Bombay.

We now reach what can be claimed the greatest achievement of his service career in the community, and that is his historical journey in Central Asia. On March 7, 1923, the Imam graced a didar to the Ismailis of Badakhshan in Poona. Pir Sabzali was also summoned on that occasion. The Imam said to him, "I shall be very happy if you prepare to go on the journey of Central Asia." He bowed his head in reverence to indicate his readiness and obedience. The Imam also said, "You go to that region, and I will give you my talika."

On April 7, 1923, the Recreation Club Institute accorded a tea party to him at late evening. With the termination of the party, almost all of them joined with Pir Sabzali at the Bori Bunder Station to bid him farewell.

Pir Sabzali returned from his journey on December 12, 1923, which suggests that the span of his journey was for 8 months and 5 days. He came in Karachi at first from Lahore to see his relatives, while Alijah Ramzan Ali Alibhai, his Secretary and others reached Bombay on December 12, 1923.

Pir Sabzali was warmly received at the station in Karachi. The Ismaili Council accorded a reception at Wadi in Garden and presented him the welcome address written on a hand-woven clothe in a silver casket. The Young Khoja Ismaili Volunteer Corp, The Saddar Bazar Khoja Panjibhai and the Recreation Club feted a dinner party in his honour.

Pir Sabzali reached Bombay on December 29, 1923 by a Mail Steamer and was received with pomp by the leaders at the port. Seth Abdullah Kassim Mevawala and Seth Navroz Ali Hirji Plumber jointly honoured him and Alijah Ramzan Ali, a party in the hall of the Recreation Club, which was presided by Mukhi Laljibhai Devraj (1842-1930). The Recreation Club Institute also accorded a dinner party to them on January 6, 1924 in presence of 150 guests.

In the meantime, the Imam arrived at Bombay from Europe on Sunday, January 13, 1924, whom Pir Sabzali presented the report of his journey. Imam was delightful for this noble voyage and blessed him. The Imam invested him the title of Alijah at Poona on January 29, 1924 with an award of a gold medal; and silver medals to others.

It appears that he had become an adventurous itinerant to launch journey in other parts of the world. On May 24, 1924, Pir Sabzali and his friends, namely Ismail Muhammad Jafar, Habib Rawjee, Abdullah Kassim Mevawala and Hasan Ali Mukhi Megji left Bombay to make personal visit of England, Italy, France, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, Germany, Syria and Egypt. They sailed from Bombay by Mail Steamer, Caledonia of P.O. Co. He was warmly hailed in Salamia and was accorded the Guard of Honour in presence of Mir Mirza Haji Kamadia Mustapha and Haji Musa bin Jiraf. Varas Mir Suleman, Mir Mirza Haji Kamadia Mustapha and Ali Jindi made excellent lodging for Pir Sabzali and his associates. They returned to Bombay on Wednesday, November 5, 1924.

He made his first East African visit with Wazir Rahim Basaria, missionary Hamir Lakha (1881-1963) and missionary Hussaini Pir Muhammad (1878-1951), and left Bombay on January 7, 1925. The Imam arrived in Zanzibar for didar on February 9, 1925. After performing excellent waez in the jamat, he returned to Bombay with Hamir Lakha on April 18, 1925.

He was not only a best orator and the missionary, but also rendered many other services in the community. Sometimes, he offered nikah of the Ismaili couples in presence of the Imam. He interpreted the Imam's farman into Gujrati with his loud voice, and sometimes also became an interpreter between the Imam and the followers during the Mehmanis. He could also speak Persian and the dialects of the Central Asia, and was assigned as an interpreter when the Ismailis from Central Asia visited Bombay.

He had been also assigned to launch a campaign in East African countries as a Special Commissioner of the Imam for generating funds for the Golden Jubilee, which was his second visit. In his telegraphic message from Paris on May 17, 1934, the Imam stated: "Most paternal affectionate thoughts for all in Africa. I have sent Alijah as Special Commissioner on my behalf to bring message of my paternal constant thoughts and my particular desire of careful useful cooperation in worldly and religious matters amongst all Ismailis during these hard times of crisis of world depression."

He visited the different villages in East African countries by crossing the appalling and dangerous roads and imparted the jamats through his waez. He had certainly toiled while taking parts in other fields too. Shafique Literary Society accorded him a reception on September 10, 1934 in Dar-es-Salaam. Varas Abdullah Sharif, the President of the Supreme Council, Mukhi Zaver Karshan, Kamadia Abbas Moledina and the distinguished leaders, attended it. In October, 1934, he gave an interview to "Tanganika Herald" in Dar-es-Salaam. He launched a short visit of Dodoma and presided over the general function of the local library on October 2, 1934. He arrived at Mombasa on October 21, 1934 from Tanga. Alijah Kassim Khimji, the President of the Council arranged his lodging at his bungalow at Niyalina Bridge. He stayed 15 days in Mombasa and delivered impressive waez three times a day. He also made a flying visit of Thanga on October 17, 1934 by Mira steamer. He was feted a warm welcome by the jamat at the port and was brought in the city in a procession.

He also emphasized to erect a volunteer corps in Thanga jamat, thus 40 men and 38 women offered their services as volunteers. The Recreation Club Institute honored him a reception on October 28, 1934. He left Mombasa on November 5, 1934 for Moshi. He was escorted at Voy, about 100 miles from Mombasa. He performed waez at Voy and Matati for one day and then returned to Moshi and Taweta. He then visited Kisumu in November 22, 1934, where he reorganized the gents and ladies volunteer corps. He had an honour to lay the foundation of the building of Rehmatullah Punja in the new market of Kisumu. The local leaders gave him a grand reception in presence of 500 guests. In sum, he returned to Bombay on December 29, 1934. In his effortless and untiring campaign, he collected five lac shillings in East Africa as a Special Commissioner of the Imam. The Imam arrived at Bombay on January 3, 1935 from Europe. Pir Sabzali submitted his report of East African tour to the Imam.

On October 16, 1935, a meeting presided by Lady Ali Shah (d. 1938) at Poona, in which the "All India Golden Jubilee Celebration Committee" was formed with its President Sir Ibrahim Rahmatullah (1862-1942) and Ghulam Ali Merchant as a Vice-President. To make a concerted drive for the collection of funds in India, a "Working Committee" was launched under Pir Sabzali. Accordingly, he started his noble campaign on October 23, 1935 from Kathiawar and delivered his touching waez first in Dhoraji. He then proceeded to Junagadh, Manawadar, Rajkot, Jamanagar, Viraval, Una, Majewadi, Jetpur, Virpur, Supedi, Vadwan, Chotila, etc. In other words, he made his trip in 17 villages and collected 85,000 rupees in Kathiawar, Gujrat and Kutchh. He then proceeded to Sind and Punjab and other parts of India and collected a total sum of five lac rupees for the Golden Jubilee celebration.

It may be noted that all the preparations had been made for the celebration of the Golden Jubilee of the Imam during the completion of 50 years of Imamate. Pir Sabzali received much response from the jamats more than expectation. When the collection reached upto five lac of rupees, a special meeting of the Golden Jubilee Celebration Committee was held on December 8, 1935 at the premises of the Central Board. Ghulam Ali Merchant read the telegraphic message of the Imam and also announced the collection of five lac rupees. The members hailed the report in jubilation. On that occasion, Pir Sabzali put a proposal not only to celebrate the occasion of the golden jubilee, but the Imam should be weighed with gold. N.M. Budhwani (d. 1944) of Dhoraji seconded his proposal, which was unanimously passed in the house.

He launched his third and last journey to the African countries on January 5, 1937 as a Special Commissioner of the Imam, where he toiled for six months to remove off all the old customs. He prepared a report and published duly approved by the Imam.

He also attended the Golden Jubilee of the Imam in Nairobi on March 1, 1937. On that occasion, he took a historic chance to put the gold bars into his hands and addressed on microphone the importance of the occasion. On that occasion, he had been invested the title of Itmadi by the Imam, and was also awarded the gold medal of "Chevron" and "Straight Bar."

During his visit, he established four Co-operative Societies and most important was the existence of Insurance Company. It was his last visit to East Africa and is reported to have said to the jamat in his waez that, "When the Diamond Jubilee of the Imam will be celebrated, the Africa will be so prosperous on that time that the Ismailis will easily weigh the Imam in diamonds without any hardship."

The year 1937 was a revolutionary for East African Ismailis, or it was then that the target or first stage of their progress in economic fields was set. Among them was Jubilee Insurance Co. Ltd., which took its birth from the historic occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the Imam. The growth and success of the company are to be attributed to the keen interest, hard work and foresight of the stalwarts like Count Paroo (1906-1998), Count Fateh Ali Dhala, Count Sir Eboo Pirbhai (1905-1990), Count Hasan Kassim Lakha (1892-1982), Count A.G. Abdul Hussain and other directors. The initial honor however must go to Pir Sabzali who, at the command of the Imam, took upon himself the onerous task of enlisting the new company's shareholders as well as business, and traveled widely throughout Africa. He arranged to raise a capital of 2 million shillings and also brought the insurance business for about 20 million shillings. He however deserved official right of the commission for Shillings 40,000, but he did not claim for it.

He stayed in Africa for 23 months. Being exhausted in his ceaseless workings from village to village, his health became impaired. He left behind words to the African jamats to come back within three months and bound for Bombay for treatment in 1938. Three days after his arrival, a telegram received of Imam's gracious visit to Bombay from London. He became highly delighted and made a striking speech in the Kandi Mola Jamatkhana, Bombay for ten minutes, which was his last delivery in life. After his speech, he visited the room of Recreation Club Institute, where after 30 minutes, he felt acute chest pain and fainted a short while later. He was taken to the bungalow of his close relative, Wazir Muhammad Ibrahim Muhammad Rawjee (1830-1965) for treatment.

Imam visited Bombay and when he heard the impaired health of Pir Sabzali, he went to see him on December 10, 1938. Imam caught his hand for ten minutes in standing position, then put his blessed hand on his forehead and gave him a chhantta. The tears streamed from his eyes. The Imam said, "Sabzali, do you feel pain?" He said, "Mawla! I do not feel agony, rather I feel happiness. You have come to my house when I cannot stand to honor you. This is the only reason of tears in my eyes." After two days, he was expired on December 12, 1938 at 8.25 a.m.

On December 14, 1938, the Imam said to the Bombay jamat that, "Itmadi Sabzali has reached on God's mercy. I give my blessings for him. His name always will remain immortalized in the history. He was a chief dai of the present jamat like the dais of the past, and glorified the Ismaili faith in Africa, Sind, Punjab, Gwadar and India.

Itmadi Sabzali has revealed his spiritual power to the thousands of people and also to other sister communities. He has imparted the tariqah of our religion to other communities. During the occasion of Golden jubilee, he had visited one to another city and imparted our jamat and other communities.

Itmadi Sabzali was the standard bearer of the haqiqi momins. He departed from the world, putting the world in great loss. He has gone into the real bliss. It is a matter of happiness that he has no worldly problem till the last breath of his life."

On December 15, 1938, the Imam said, "The photo of late Itmadi Sabzali be placed in the jamatkhana. His photos also be kept in the jamatkhanas of Karachi, Punjab and Sialkot."

On the occasion of the unveiling ceremony of his photo in the Recreation Club Institute on January 18, 1939, the Imam made the following historical announcement: -

"Itmadi Sabzali has served me in such a manner that after his death, I honor him the title of a Pir. If others would render such services, they too shall secure a like status. During the stretch of 54 years of my Imamate, to only one Pir Sabzali, I honor such a status."


NB: The complete biography of Pir Sabzali is given in the first volume of "101-Great Ismaili Fidais" (UNDER ACTIVE PREPARATION)


[previous][index][next]