It Takes a Village …

I have always lived in a village, knew nothing any better

The village I refer to is my religious community, to be clearer

In this village we have everything one ever needs

From before birth to after death, villagers support all our deeds

With lots of cousins, aunts and uncles, it takes a village to raise a family

Love, care and advice from these adopted relatives is more than congeniality

The villagers might miss some religious occasions sometimes

But to provide personal comfort and to share joy, they are there at all times

Whether it is Mithi-shitabi, Chetti, Aqiqa, Misaq, Teja or a wedding

On one phone call and all the villagers respond by attending

In our village everyone really cares and watches out for each other

All insults and slights are set aside, when help is needed by a brother

Especially in sickness and death all villagers become one family

We pray for each other and share others pain whole-heartedly

Adjudication among villagers is done by the village chief called an Aamil

They are taught by our Maola to be kind, benevolent and they are Faazil

For most everything we do in our village, we get raza from our Aamil

This removes conflicts among villagers, and Maola’s doa becomes shaamil

With guidance from our Aamil, the village functions with volunteers

Madrasa teachers, Shabab, Burhani Women’s, Tolaba, Talebat all get our cheers

Village like mine exist in many cities and countries all over the globe

You never feel stranger there, you are made to feel comfortable as in own abode

Living in a village like this, what else would a man or a woman need ??

May our Maola Burhanuddin live healthy ta-qiyamat, that is our prayer and ummeed

Abd-e-Syedna, TUS – Shk. Husain Jamali, Anjuman-e-Burhani, Los Angeles, CA.

For all my poems and Madehs please go to <http://www.oocities.org/hjamali52>