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| Thursday, 1 January 2004 |
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141st Anniversary of The Mashaik Feast - Dharga Town: long and cherished history by A.W.A. Azeez The 141st Anniversary of the Mashaik Feast at the Shrine of the famous Sri Lankan Moor Saint Al Kutubuzzamaan Sheik Hassan Bin Osman Magdoomy (Rali) popularly known among the mureeds all over Sri Lanka as Alim Sahib Appanga started with the Annual Flag Hoisting Ceremony on the evening of 24 December 2003. The grand feast will be on the night of 2nd January 2004 and noon of 3rd January 2004. During these two days well over fifty thousand devotees who come from every corner of Sri Lanka are fed. This is undoubtedly the largest Muslim gathering at a Shrine in Sri Lanka to take part in a Feast given in the name of all the Saints of Allah. Dharga Town situated on the Aluthgama Road has been an area with long and cherished history. The village has been named Dharga Town after the Dharga of His Holiness Sheik Hassan Bin Osman Magodoomy (Rali). The shrine traces its origin to around 1,866 when his Holiness was enshrined in his Home Town. his Holiness was a very respected and venerated person in the Muslim Community. His spiritual powers and Leadership was sought by one and all during his lifetime. He is one of he very rare Sri Lankan Saints known todate. He belonged to the position of Ghouzul Anam, Al Kuthubuzzaman. With his demise and enshrinement His Dharga has been held in such esteem and respect and visited by generations of Muslims over the years. The Annual Feast commenced by the Saint has been continued unbroken for 141 years todate. Well over 50,000 devotees attend annually. Muslims from all over Sri Lanka visit this Dharga and hold this Dharga in extreme sacredness and Veneration. It is appropriate now to give a brief history of this Feast and the history of the Shrine for the benefit of the new younger generation in the Muslim community. Sheik Hassan Bin Osman Magdoomy (Rali) was born in a village called Shola (Thalapitiya) in Galle in the year of Hijra 1,200 (A.D. 1,785). His father was Osman Magdoomy Bin Fareed of Aluthgama and his Mother - Fathima Siddeeka, the only daughter of Katheeb Sheik Mohamed. She was a wealthy lady well versed in the Holy Quran and was well versed in various sciences including the interpretation of dreams etc. Osman taught children the Holy Quran and one day when he made a mistake he was corrected by his wife. There upon he drew and threw the Cain on his wife which hit her abdomen. Immediately she fell into a state of trance (HAL) and uttered 'in my womb is a son who will renounce the extensive worldly wealth he will inherit from me and will follow the path of Allah'. Nine days after his birth I will pass away and as a fore warning of which a large tree in front of my house will wither away, a few months later Osman saw a dream where two doves alighted on his lap one of which he caught, the other flew away. This was interpreted by his wife as the one which was caught is your son to be born and the dove which flew away is me who will leave you. Exactly as predicted on the ninth day of Sheik Hassans birth his mother passed away and every other prediction too came to reality. Sheik Hassan had his early education in Quran and religion in a 'Madarasa'. He was the first Katheeb of Galle Fort Mosque. Sheik Hassan after a stay of 42 years in his birth place Galle, he spent his latter life in Hambantota, Trincomalee, Kandy, Ganetanne, Maggona and finally Aluthgama where he died in 1,283 A.H. (1,866 AD). A part of this Town is known as Dharga Town reminiscent of the fact that The Wali is enshrined there. Sheik Hassan's life was eventually a Spiritual one and hence miracles and supernatural things form a great part of it. He received Khilafath of Seyed Sheik Ibni Mhammadul Jiffry (Jiffry Thangal) from Seyed Ahmed Ibni Abdulla Bafaki (Ral). Sheik Hassan had only one son and the child passed away at a young age. Sheik Hassan loved his two nephews with whom he spent a major part of his life. They are Mohammed Lebbe and Sheik Abdul Cader - better known as Kaliyar Fakeen Mohideen. Sheik Hassan had bestowed his full power pertaining to Khilafath on him. He attained Sainthood at a very young age. He was a great scholar in theology having studied extensively at the Al Azhar University in Cairo. Sheik Hassan prior to his death had given detailed instructions regarding his burial to his nephew Mohammed Lebbe. He had said 'My Shrine will be visited by diverse kind of persons, many great Auliyars, including Khilar Alai Salaam, the poor and the troubled seeking solace and numerous others who wish to pay their respects and blessed. If you bury me in the Grand Mosque the graves of the Pious Muslims all around will be trampled by those who visit my grave. My sheik and Sheiks' Sheik was enshrined in their house, but the Jinns who would frequent by tomb may frighten your children, so bury me in an open space some distance away from your house so that those who come to perform ziyarath can congregate, make their offerings, distribute the alms and fulfil their vows'. This last will (Wasiya) is recorded in the 18th and 19th chapters in page 247 in the famous book written by Mapillai Lebbe Alim and say thus:- 18th Chapter, page 247 of "Mawahib Ul Rahman fi Manaqib Hassan Bin Osman. Mohammed Ibunu Al Hassan of Alkami narrated that my uncle's last will (Wasiya) on whom Allah's mercy be showered) two days before his demise while supplicating to Allah with the success of here and hereafter said, if I happen to die, bury me in a place where people could have easy access to me to get my blessings and obtain their desired vows. May Allah make my burial place to which Saliheens often visit, and my Shrine as the "Consoling and comforting" place of the suffering lots who had turned frustrated and become desperate through their omissions and commissions. Let my Shrine be the green pasture for those destitute and dependents. Let you not bury me in the Common Burial Ground of the Grand Mosque. Lest, I fear the people who would visit me would tend to trample or walk over the graves of both Saliheens and common folk which would be out of etiquette and this would also in convene those lovers of mine who would do to feed the needy Muslims. He said - I carried his Wasiya to the spirit and the letter. I built the existing well fortified Holy Shrine. There were many eulogies composed in honour of Sheik Hassan after his death, but the authoritative and beautiful record of his life had been made my Sheik Mohammed of Keelakara popularly known as Mapillai Lebbe Alim as author of several books on Islam and a great scholar of South India. (The writer is Chairman Board of Trustees Shrine of Sheik Hassan Bin Osman Magdoomy (Rali) Dharga Town). |
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