Nuances of a scholarly poet released in a documentary

by Abbas Adil

On 26 February 2016, India’s legendary Shia Islamic scholar, cleric and orator Maulana Mirza Mohammad Athar, popularly known as ‘Khateeb-e-Akbar’ (Biggest Orator) breathed his last. At that moment, the world witnessed a sea of people drowning in tears from across the world. There was a multitude of clerics and scholars all around the country in his burial ceremony. His coffin was taken way to the burial ground like a procession, even the Chief Minister of his state paid homage to him at the burial ground.
Then at His 40th day death anniversary, leading scholars from Iran, Iraq and all around India attended the ceremony. Son of Marja Taqleed Ayatollah Bashir Najafi visited Lucknow to pay homage to the great scholar along with several Shiite Marja representatives.

That was the stature of the great scholarly figure who taught the world the lesson of humanity and tenets of Islam in such a simple way that even a small kid can understand. He was popular all across the world, recently rewarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at Chicago by United Muslim Association of America (UMAA). He was also the genius book world record holder for continuously orating Majlis at Moghul Masjid in Mumbai for 58 years.

Not many know about his poetic talent, though his love for poetry in the praise of Ahlulbayt (as) evinced through her speeches. According to his son, Maulana Mirza Yasoob Abbas, “He used to write Nauhas (Elegies) and couplets in his diary.”

An Islamic NGO of Lucknow, Maulayi Lovers of Ahlebait (as) Association decided to make a documentary, ‘Khateeb-e-Akbar He Kalaam’ on the poetry of Late Mirza Athar to give tribute to the departed soul. General Secretary of the organization and Director of the documentary Hasan Zia Rizvi said, “I have a lot of memories with him from my childhood and I relished those moments listening to him in my home as He was my neighbor then and at gatherings. I wanted to introduce to the world the shades of poetic genius of a scholar. The couplets included in the documentary were written for the Door of Wishes Hazrat Abbas(as) made it more special.”

Another important part of the documentary is the couplets written by renowned poets on Khateeb-e-Akbar. These couplets are recited by Mirza Abbas Ali Danish. It is globally released online at www.youtube.com/user/tabarrai110

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