Marhoom Mohamedhussein Hassanali Ahmed (Mamsen Khokoni)

The mainlanders will remember Mohamedhusain Hassanali Ahmed as an old timer reciting ‘Ya Husain na bewatan…’ at the kabrastan on the Ashura day or being brought to the mosque or mehfil in a wheel chair hardly realizing that in his hey days he was the very epitome of Zanzibar Khoja Ithnashries’ zealousness.

He was one of the most ardent azadar. First Muharram onwards he would attire himself in black till the twelfth and always availed himself of his leave during the 12 days to devote it to azadari, even whilst with NBC in Dar-es-Salaam where he was a Security Officer in the Administrative Services Department and resided on the top floor of the famous City Drive Building.

One of Mohamedhussein’s most distinguished features was his extraordinarily powerful voice. His rendering of kalema during a funeral procession in Zanzibar generated tremendous emotions and the scene still etches on the memory. His recitation of ‘jab akhri rukhsatse Husain ae haramme…’and Ya Husain na bewatan….’ to this day remain unmatched. In saf matam his presence was striking up till the end of the matam which would culminate with salutations (ziyarat) of the Martyrs of Kerbala. The late Husain Sultan Nathani had the knack for emulating his mentor when the saf matam climaxed with the rendition of ‘çhalie Madina…’ or the final stanza ‘ruswaio ….’. Sadly, both remain no more.

How could we ever forget Mohamedhussein’s soulful ‘kehte hai Zainulaba leke alam ayah u, utho Rasule Khuda leke alam ayah u…’ resounding through the Kiponda vicinity in the return leg of the Chehlum julus en route from kabrastan to imambara as the sun would set in the Zanzibar of by-gone days and the emotions of the devotees raised at fever pitch

Mohamedhusseinbhai, aged 86, passed away on Thursday, the 9th of June (6th Rajab), 2011.

We request you to remember Marhoom Mohamedhussein Ahmed with a Sura-e-Fateha gifted to Rasoolallah (pbuh). May Allah (SWT) grant him maghferat and His infinite grace and mercy as well as place him in the highest stations of Jannah within the proximity of the Ahlulbayt (as).