السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ
It’s Wednesday 20th May 2020. Let’s talk about ‘Ramaḍān and Junaid Jamshed رَحْمَةُ الله عليه’ today اِنْ شَاءَ الَّلهُ.
It was a Wednesday in 2006, when there was a real buzz within our Tablīghī brothers in my local Masjid here in Blackburn, Masjid-e-Anīsul Islām. Information had been received that a very special Jamā’at from Pākistān was arriving the very next day for 7 months and that their first stop will be Masjid-e-Anīsul Islām.
Our Amīr Ṣāḥib, Hāji Nūr Muḥammad Bhai met me and said ‘The JamāꜤat consists of the famous Pākistānī cricketer Sa’īd Anwar and also a singer who has become a Tablīghī‘. He couldn’t remember the name. As one of the responsibles of our Masjid, naturally I was very excited.
Having spent 10 days in Jamā’at in 1982, I was a regular monthly 3 day JamāꜤati in 1984/85 مَا شَآءَ الله. When Ḥaḍrat Ji Mawlānā In’ām ul-Ḥasan Ṣāḥib’s vehicle entered the grand marquee at the last world ijhtimā to take place here in the UK, in 1985, I was privileged to be part of the security at Dewsbury Markaz. All the rewards go to our local Jamā’atis, especially Marḥūm Hāji YāꜤqūb Bhai Mozambique who, if I recall correctly, did my first ever tashkīl.
It was a Friday in 2006 when I first saw Junaid Jamshed. His shining face said everything. Dressed very smartly in immaculate white clothes with a white amamah, he had an amazing effect on me. Little did I know back then, in 2006, that this was the start of a very special friendship. However, being completely honest, that first meeting was a disaster, which I won’t go into.
Junaid Jamshed was an amazing person, whose life in the world of music had reached its peak. He had everything that one could only dream off; fame, wealth, luxury, you name it, he had it. But, in his own words ‘I had everything, but no peace or contentment of heart. Something was surely missing‘.
During those 7 months in the UK in 2006, and until his beautiful departure from this temporary world, the world understood the real meaning of the word ‘Nasheed’. Junaid was a master at singing, which he converted to the recitation of Naats and Nasheeds, in an unprecedented and unique style, سُبْحَانَ الله. His voice, choice of words, and down to earth humble character, would bring tears to the eyes of thousands. He was very special.
One of his closest associates, Hāji Ilyas Master of Bradford recalls: ‘Junaid Jamshed was always smiling and cheerful, very humble and very welcoming. He would stay awake into the early hours of the morning memorising The Holy QurꜤān. After his one hour Bayān in Minā, he would walk for an hour to the Europe section and deliver another one hour Bayān‘. سُبْحَانَ الله.
We at Masjid-e-Anīsul were very truly blessed, because whenever he visited the UK, Anīsul Islām was on his list. This was down to his very special friendship with Sājid Sherpuri. مَا شَآءَ الله, Sājid is a gifted individual, who takes advantage of every opportunity he gets, to bring guests visiting the UK to our Masjid. Junaid was the guest of honour during many nights of Ramaḍān in our Masjid. The atmosphere would be electric.
Sājid has many fond memories: ‘Junaid Jamshed was very unique. He would always remain with wudhū. He never missed his Tahajjud. The word ‘no’ was not in Junaid Jamshed’s dictionary. Junaid Jamshed had a very special attachment with Ḥaḍrat Mawlānā Yūsuf Motālā Ṣāḥib, نور الله مرقده, who gifted him with a shawl belonging to Mawlānā Ḥusayn Aḥmed Madani, مَا شَآءَ الله‘.
Sājid also narrates: ‘I was with Junaid Jamshed one day in London. Junaid Jamshed was invited, with a number of celebrities, to enjoy a cruise on the River Thames with full cuisine provided. Junaid Jamshed decided to pop into a local takeaway and sufficed on a simple kebab roll‘.
To conclude, Junaid Jamshed’s life should be an example for all of us. A millionaire, who became penniless overnight, was taken from this world like a king.
Saeed Anwar relays an amazing story of Junaid Jamshed.
Please listen to these short Nasheeds reflecting upon the life of this great personality.
Almighty Allāh forgive Junaid Jamshed’s shortcomings and reward him with eternal joy and happiness in the Hereafter, Āmeen.
جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا
Request for Du’ās
وَالسَّلَامُ Hanif Dudhwala