BORN IN A MUSLIM FAMILY

Being born in a Muslim family is not a criterion that the child will grow to be a good Muslim. It is accepted fact that every child is born Muslim but his parents make him follow any faith they follow. Or he is taken away by his wrong observations and upsetting experiences to embrace other way of life. He is thus misguided from the right path. There is a hadith: ”There is none born but is created to his true nature (Islam). It is his parents who make him a Jew or a Christian or a Magian quite as beasts produce their young with their limbs perfect. Do you see anything deficient in them? Then he quoted the Qur'an., The nature made by Allah in which He has created men there is no altering of Allah's creation; that is the right religion" (xxx. 33)" 'The Book of Destiny (Kitab-ul-Qadr)' of Sahih Muslim - 6423. Never-the-less, it is true to the core, that a child, to which the world may not agree, when hears the words of 'Äzan' i.e., announcement that Allah is great, Muhammad is His messenger, call to the prayers and means to salvation, for the first time in the lap of his parents, these words are stamped in his back of mind; and if any thing betrays him to the wrong path at any stage of his life he always returns back to the right track and receives forgiveness and favours of Allah, the Almighty. I was one of such children. I was born to Hussain and Saîn (means noble lady) on the first September 1931 as recorded in the of birth and death register maintained by the Headmaster of Primary School of village Kanga, Taluka and District Larkana in Sindh. Before I begin with my own story it is better to trace history of my parents and places mentioned above. Hussain and Saîn were real cousins. Their fathers Sher Muhammad and Ismael respectively were real brothers, and along with their third brother Noor Muhammad lived in the same compound but in separate houses. Hussain was the only son of Sher Muhammad. Fatima was his sister. Ismael had two sons - Haji and Ghazi and two daughters - Saîn (my mother) and Halima. The first born of Hussain and Saîn was Allahwarayo, my elder brother who died in his infancy, and hence my appearance in this world became a matter of immense joy for both the families and my birth is said to have been celebrated with great fervor. I do not know who recited Azan in my ear but I believe he was my grandfather Sher Muhammad on the premise that I developed great affinity with him due to his affection and religiosity. My grand father was known as wade wate waro meaning ''the man with big bowl'. Every visitor to the village was his guest. This tradition continued to be custom of my family till the death of my younger brother Qadirdino who was called back by our Creator in the year 2009. He (my grandfather) was very generous to the poor and had made his nature not to eat a crumb of a morsel at dinner unless there was a guest or wayfarer staying in the mosque. He transferred this practice to me and my faith never failed me.