Naipura Industrial Area was a busy part of the village township. There were about one hundred small industrial units, mostly one-man shows engaged in metal working, metal printing, lathe working, wood turning, automobile parts reconditioning, electroplating, plastic sheet making, plastic moulding, and so on. There were some textile dying and printing units as well. Two units of used-saree repairing and re-dying units engaged the largest number of men and women. Altogether the industrial area provided jobs to some three hundred people including boys and girls. While the single-man units worked round the year others were highly seasonal as the workers doubled as agricultural labourers during the planting and harvesting seasons, when the demand for labour was at the peak and more remunerative. The villages around Naipura produced wheat, sugarcane, cabbage and cauliflower besides some quantity of ground nut and vegetables.
The industrial area resembled the ghettos of the olden days. Brick-paved lanes criss-crossed in a disorderly fashion, now winding and now straight, through which men carried heavy loads on head, as no vehicle – not even an auto rikshaw or cycle rikshaw – would enter because of the narrowness and sharp corners. More over the lanes were also used as stock yards for metal scrap and rubbish. Where the streets were wider there were tea-shops and kabab houses or other food joints which got busy during lunch times and evenings. There were a few grocery shops, a couple of green grocers, a milk depot and a sweet-meat shop. Many of the so-called factories or workshops had residential extensions or vice versa, which made the gullies, lanes, lively during the day and the night.
The kind of industrial activity also generated quantities of effluvia, which included colour washes and waste oils and other chemical discharges which were directed to the often dirt-filled and already overflowing open drains. In one of the winding streets there stood an old structure used by the people of the industrial area as well as the residents of the wide waste lands behind as a place of worship, a mosque.
The open land behind the industrial area was marked with a number of single storied – single roomed brick and mortar structures - and hutments thatched with palm leaves or sheets made of asbestos, tar and paper or corrugated iron sheets. Some were new and some dilapidated. Two or three houses had brick-jelly terraces. The space between the dwellings and the adjoining open yards were the dumping grounds for all kinds of rubbish from the workshops and residences and contributed to the pollution of the surrounding air with enough dust and decay.
The mosque was a typical building with a paved courtyard, a two meter wide veranda to its west and a four meter-wide prayer hall further west. The court yard was used for the mid-day congregations, except on Fridays, during winter for the heat of the sun, while the main prayer hall was used at all other times.
In the eastern periphery of the courtyard there were some ten stools made of bricks, nicely plastered with cement mortar. Beyond them was a long water tank which gave water, to the devotees who sat for ablution (washing their hands, face and feet before prayers), through the plastic taps of various colours, red, yellow and blue fixed one each before the brick-stools. Between the stools and the water tank, just below the taps there was a drain which received the waste water. Near the water tank stood a cupboard with pigeon holes for keeping the foot wear. The wall of the water tank near the entrance had a few taps which gave water for washing the feet before entering the mosque.
In the western wall of the prayer hall there was a man-size hole or projection for the Imam to stand while leading the prayers. On the right of it was the mimber, a three step brick work for the Imam to stand while giving his sermon, Khutba, during the prayers on Friday and the two Eids, at the top of which he would rest for a while in between phases.
The lower half of the walls of the hall and the verandah were painted blue and the upper half white, with a red ribbon running in between. The only other decoration was a chandelier which was hung in the middle of the hall. And a round clock on the wall. Once upon a time the chandelier had held a number of candles; but for now there were fluroscent tubes attached to the walls.
It was nearing time for Zohr (mid-day or early afternoon) prayers. An elderly person entered the courtyard, leaving the shoes in one of the pigeon holes, proceeded to a brickstool and sat down for the ablution. He opened the water tap a little allowing water to flow like a thread, washed his hands, face and feet with water collected in the hollow of his palms. The boys on the other stools watched him with curiosity. They had been used to allowing the water to run with full force while they rubbed their hand and feet or washed the face. The old man looked at them sternly and as if prompted by the force behind his looks, the boys, one after the other, turned the taps reducing the flow. The old man looked at them and smiled, pleasingly.
Raising from the stool, he pulled out a white cap from his trouser pocket and put it on; walked straight to the verandah and then into the main hall and stood in prayers.
When he had finished the prayers he found himself flanked by a small group of inquisitive men, young and old.
"Assalamu Alaikum" (Peace be upon you). He greeted them.
"Wa Alaikum Salaam" (Upon you be peace) They responded.
"My name is Amanullah, I am from Kerala"
"Kerala is in Madras ?", Some one asked.
"Are you a Madrasi ?"
"Don't look like. Your accent is like a UP man."
"Well I have learned Urdu in my childhood; and for your information, Kerala is a state south of Madras, in the south-west part of India"
"What brings you here ? business ?"
"Yes, business, Allah's business"
"Have you come with a Tablig Jamath ? (Missionary group)
"No. I am a lone preacher". Pause.........
"I want to talk to you about the dreadful disease, Polio"
"What a dreadful disease. I say, I wouldn't mind if you die of a disease, but being afflicted is horrible. The father or mother must have committed some sin, some unpardonable sin – otherwise why should an innocent child suffer?"
"You caught my thoughts! I came to talk about your sins which make the children suffer"
"Who will listen to us. We have become old. Do you think they will stop committing sins ? They act like no body's business. Murder. Looting. Cheating. Even Prostitution. Eating out of usary ! Will they stop all that if we tell them! Not even my boys! They are more mature than I."
"Any way, let me try in my own way. I should talk to the Imam first."
"Maulana will be here in a few moments, it is time for Zohr"
"I should talk to him after the prayers"
The Imam, Maulana Jamaluddeen Fahmee was a well groomed young man. He greeted the stranger as soon as he entered the hall. Enquired about his welfare. Dr. Amanulla told him that he had some urgent matters to talk to him, after the prayers were over. He readily agreed.
"Hajee saheb, we will have enough time after the prayers, say until, Asr (late afternoon or evening prayer). Will that please you?"
"That is perfect. We must say our prayers first. May Allah guide us in the proper way"
The prayers were over in about fifteen minutes. The Imam went upto Dr. Amanullah and asked him, "Sir would you mind joining me for lunch – I am being provided with some rotis and dhall by one of the households in turn. It may not be very good or tasty; but the quantity will be enough for two or more. The people are very generous. If you need some meat I will buy from the shop across the street"
"Whatever you eat will more than suffice. I will gladly join you. I must talk to you."
The Imam resided in a two room apartment above the grocery shop adjacent to the mosque. It was given him free of rent by the owner of the grocery. The door of the apartment was shut but not locked. The Imam pushed it open. They entered the front room. It had a small table and a chair at one end and a shelf with books, a few religious books, and some on science, mathematics, economics and general knowledge. Some of them were in English and others in Urdu. They included a couple of copies of the Holy Qur'an and two or three translations. Dr. Amanullah glanced at the library as he waited for the Imam to bring a mat and a sheet of cloth, from his bedroom, which he spread on the floor for them to sit. He then took the food which was kept on the table in a plate covered by a plastic dome.
Placing it on the cloth, the Imam said, "I read many things; I believe knowledge is power."
"Yes. That is precisely why the Holy Prophet, Peace be upon Him, commanded that even if you have to go to China, go and learn".
The Imam nodded. He invited Dr. Amanullah to join him for the lunch.
"There is only one plate and one bowl. We can share."
He waited until the guest took the roti, broke a piece out of it, and dipped in the dhall and said "Bismillah" (In the name of Allah, I begin), and put the morsel into his mouth. The Imam followed suite.
"Moulana Saheb, you know something about the deadly disease, Polio, I assume."
"Yes, of course. I have read about it. I have also seen many children paralysed by polio. May Allah keep us safe from all such diseases"
"Ameen. But don't you think that we should do something to prevent this disease from afflicting our children?"
"Certainly. Prevention is better than cure. But How ?"
"You know, Moulana Saheb, Uttar Pradesh is the worst hit state in India. The Polio eradication programme of the Government of India, with the support from an organization called Rotary, the World Health Organization and UNICEF, have successfully eradicated polio from many states, particularly in the South. Islamic countries including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait and Iran, are already free from the disease. But it persists in UP, Bihar and West Bengal. That too, predominantly among the Muslim Community."
"I am aware of it."
"But many people are not aware of the great danger threatening the posterity. It is going to create a population which is useless to themselves, to the society and to the nation. It is necessary to create an awareness among them"
Then they talked about the erroneous notions the people had about the whole exercise, the instigations they were subjected to and the sheer ignorance of the folks.
"Hajee Saheb, I am with you. Here there are many people who do not want to give their children any vaccination – not only Polio. I cannot give a Fatwa (an edict) in favour or against. First thing, I am not qualified to do so. Second, that would create a split among the people. And you know my job here to lead the prayers and answer strictly religious questions based on the Holy Qur'an and the Hadith (Holy sayings of the Holy prophet). Going beyond that would be ultravires of me."
"Sure. I am not recommending any action that will cause disharmony or a split. No. Not at all. But, don't you think, it remains our duty, mine and yours, to educate the people and lead them on the right path...."
"I do realize what you mean. But it is also my duty to maintain the unity, and avoid disputes"
"Okey. You don't embarrass yourself. Leave that job to me. Would you permit me to talk to the congregation after the Juma (Friday prayers) tomorrow."
"Well..." the Imam paused, thinking.. "I'll do that, in sha Allah (if Allah wills)"
"Thank you very much. You need to announce to the congregation at the end of Khutba (the sermon) that an old man from Kerala is here and he would like to talk to you on some important matter, affecting all of us. And ask them to stay back for a few minutes to listen to him."
"That will be my pleasure. I am convinced that if Kerala with a big Muslim popultion –you said almost 20 % - can be free from polio why UP and Bihar cannot. More over if you should travel all the way from the southern tip of the country for thousands of kilometers, at this ripe old age, your mission has to be very important one for the Umma (brotherhood). I only pray that Allah gives them sense to patiently listen to you and understand your view point in the right earnest." The Imam appeared quite enthusiastic about it.
"Thank you so much. Half my job is done. In sha Allah, I will do my part well tomorrow."
* * * * * *
After Dr. Amanullah had left the Imam cleaned up the vessels and folded the sheet that had been spread on the floor. The azan (call for prayer) for the Asr (afternoon) was heard. He went down to the mosque, called Mahmood Bhai, the Mukri (the one who makes the calls for prayer) and said. "Mahmood Bhai, Dr. Amanullah Saheb from South was with me for lunch. You saw him. Didn't you?"
"Yes, I did. A very saintly person. Looks like a Sufi."
"He wants to address the Jamath (congregation), after Juma prayers."
"Except for some old hang-arounds, these people wouldn't stay back for a moment. They will all run away. Who is interested in wisdom? They have enough wisdom to make money."
"This is not like the usual missionary work, something different and serious. Mahmood Bhai, I am very much impressed by Amanullah Saheb. He has a message for all of us and a good logic. We must help him to put it across."
"Me ? What can I do ?. I am past 80. I can't even stand in their way when the fellows rush out like a herd of hungry buffalos running for their fodder."
"you can say..."
"I am not a scholar like you."
"Listen....All that I want you to do is to make a simple announcement when you make the Azan (prayer call) for Maghrib (the dusk). Say that, Doctor Hajee Amanullah from Kerala will speak to the Jamath after Juma and that he has requested all to stay back for a few minutes and listen to his address."
"Well, if you say I will do that. May be I should repeat that at other calls following too. Is that Okay ?"
"Yes, yes. You should. At the end my Khutba I will also make an announcement about the request."
"Should I say that he wants to talk about Polio ?"
"How do you know that he wants to talk about Polio?"
"He said, he was worried about the spread of Polio among Muslims of U.P. and Bihar, particularly"
"That is right , but let us not say anything about it; we don't have to arm the people in advance. You need only say that it is a matter of grave concern to all of us. Let him explain in detail. Until then let them think it is about Palestine or the Iraq war."
"Okey. Moulana Saheb. I would do that, In sha Allah".