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MADRASA AL-HIDAYA |
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MUSLIM SCHOOL OF RIGHT GUIDANCE |
Imam Haji Shameer Khan (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) of Masjid Imdad, Toronto passed away on 16 Ramadan 1434 A.H. and was laid to rest after Salat al-Jumu‘ah on 17 Ramadan/July 26, 2013. May Allah give him a high place in Jannatul Firdaws, Amin.
The du‘a at his grave after burial lasted for more than an hour. This is an indication of the extent to which he himself used to supplicate to Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala).
He had fund raising abilities and raised funds to found Masjid Imdad in Toronto of which he became Imam. He was solidly supported by his family, especially his very able wife, Hajen Shareefunnisa, and many Muslims, especially from his Guyanese community.
Once, with tears running down his cheeks, he appealed to Muslims to donate for the Masjid, otherwise the Masjid would be founded on debt and interest would have to be paid. He was able to obtain qard hasanah to pay off the cost of the masjid. Al-Hamdu Lillah.
He loved Allah and was rewarded with whole night programs of Zikrullah (Remembrance of Allah) organized in the masjid.
He loved our Beloved Holy Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu ‘alayhi was Sallam) and organised Milad-u-Nabi and Mi‘raj un-Nabi programs. He took care to explain that the Mi‘raj un-Nabi (Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam) was with both body and soul.
He loved the Ahl al-Bayt (Rady Allahu ‘Anhum) and organised the annual Muharram majlis to mourn the martyrdom of the Shuhadaa of Kerbala.
He loved the Khulafa ar-Rashidin (Rady Allahu ‘Anhum) and recited their names in the Friday Khutba as well as after every four raka‘at in the 20 raka‘at of Salat at-Tarawih.
He loved the Awliya Allah and the Salihin and they became his guests in the masjid.
He loved all the ordinary Muslims. They listened to his advice and he won them over with his smile, easy manners and firmness where necessary.
Before he came to settle in Canada, he was the Imam of a masjid in Guyana and used to take Mawlana ‘Abdul ‘Alim Siddiqui (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) and Mawlana Fazl-ur-Rahman Ansari (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) for various religious programs when they visited Guyana. He said that they were able to defeat the heretical Qadiyanis in Guyana.
He went for Hajj on the advice of Mawlana Shah Ahmad Noorani Siddiqui al-Qadiri (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh). When Mawlana Noorani visited Canada, he held a program at which he recited a poem which he had composed in his honour.
The Masjid Imdad that he founded in Toronto became the main centre for the visiting Sunni ulama from many countries who came for the grand annual Milad-un-Nabi Conference organized by the World Islamic Mission Canada. Among the luminaries who prayed there or gave a talk were Imam Muhammad Alawi al-Maliki (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) of Makkah, Shaykh Muhammad Abu Bakr Ba Shu‘ayb of U.K. and Dr. Farida Ahmad Siddiqui of Pakistan.
Imam Haji Shameer Khan was multi-lingual. He used to recite qasaid and naats in four languages; Arabic, Urdu, Farsi and English.
You always remembered the Surahs he recited in Salah (Prayer). This is perhaps one of the indications of the acceptance by Allah of his Salah.
He initiated provision of iftar in the masjid over week-ends in the month of Ramadan, and for the past few years, iftar is provided every day to break the fast, MaashaaAllah.
He was a stickler for tradition and organized qiyamul-layl to worship Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala) on Nisf Sha‘ban, (the fifteenth night of Sha’ban) with a visit to the graveyard to pray for the deceased.
He organized the distribution of Zabiha meat on the occasion of ‘Id al-Adha. He initiated many good deeds, too numerous to mention.
He advised people not to live in sin and got them married.
He was well-known for giving ghusl to the deceased, leading Salat al-Janazah, reciting du‘a (supplication) at burial and organizing the recitation of Khatm al-Qur’an.
He had basira (inner-sight) and could easily discern the usefulness of each person he met.
A madrasa was started in the Imdad Centre conducted by Ustadh Bagh Khan, another wise elder of the Guyanese Jamat.
Ever since Masjid Imdad has been well established, officials of many masajid have come to the masjid to raise funds to establish masajid in their areas, Al-Hamdu Lillah.
He was awarded the prestigious Mawlana ‘Abdul ‘Alim Siddiqui award by the World Islamic Mission Canada for his services to the Muslims.
May Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala) reward him for his sabr (patient endurance) in his final illness.
Some years ago, I saw him in a dream with my own Shaykh from Yemen, Al-Habib Ahmad Mash-hur bin Taha al-Haddad (Naf'anAllahu bih). This indicates that, although they had never met, he had a special relationship with al-Habib, but the nature of the relationship is a spiritual secret which cannot be divulged.
He always ended his talk with this sentence: “At the time we breathe our last, let the Kalima be on our lips:
Laa ilaha Illallah Muhammad-ur-Rasulallah.
None is to be worshipped but Allah, Muhammad is the Prophetic Messenger of Allah.”
May Allah raise his darajah (spiritual rank). Amin.
Siddiq Osman Noormuhammad, 27 Ramadan 1434, Toronto.