On 31 May 2010, the KSIMC of London, Stanmore held the Mulla Asghar Memorial Day to honor the memory of Marhum Mulla Asgharali M.M. Jaffer. The Hon Treasurer of The World Federation of KSIMC, Sajjad Bhai Tejani represented The World Federation at this event;  unfortunately, due to time constraints, he was unable to present the following address on behalf of the President of The World Federation of KSIMC, Dr. Asgar Moledina:

21 March 2000 (14 Dhul Hijjah 1420) is that date which has turned into a dividing line for the Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Community, where our history in the modern era is referred to as ‘Mulla’s time’ and ‘after Mulla’.

Although admired and respected throughout his life, the love for Marhum Mulla Asgharali M.M. Jaffer has surged the hearts of both the young and the old all the more after his sudden demise. Today, the personal stories which continue to surface illustrate just how much he touched the lives of thousands of people during his 63 year life span, making each one of these individuals feel special.

Like the winds of change that have engulfed our global community, Marhum Mulla Asghar emerges as a visionary to lead this Community into the future. As a powerful communicator, he eloquently presented the teachings of the Ahlul Bayt (AS) to the masses at large. His impact on our society was so great, that he shifted paradigms, leaving an unforgettable mark on the Shia Muslim Community at large. Such a personality emerges but once in a lifetime. 

Jab tak mai' jiu', khidmate qaum karta rahu' mai',

Maut aa'e to ya rab, esi khidmat me maru' mai'.

The above Urdu couplet which seemingly embodies Marhum Mulla Asghar’s life long services to humanity seems inappropriate in one dimension; this is because, after his death, his legacy of services continues through the many individuals who were inspired by his example of serving the community and through his majalis and lectures, which are still being listened to around the world.

Amongst his many special talents was his ability to move us out of our comfort zones. He never hesitated to act, even at the displeasure of the community if he thought it was the right thing to do.  Maintaining the unity of the community was at the very core of his being and he always emphasized that this harmony could only take place if there was genuine tolerance and understanding.

Mulla Asghar longed to make the community spiritually strong, and with this in mind, he never feared to stand for the values and principles that governed the Islamic faith.  When he was criticized, he would say:  “you can please all of the people some of the time, you can please some of the people all of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time.”

One such episode was the 1990 Constitutional Conference when the majority of the community’s leadership was not in favor of his endeavor to introduce a Code of Leadership to The World Federation constitution. He wanted to include the qualifications of Taqwa and Adalah as part of this governing document which was met with much criticism. Delegates at this conference tried to persuade Mulla Asghar to withdraw the amendment so as not to ‘defeat’ him. He refused and challenged them to defeat him.

Today, the spirit of his noble efforts remains etched in the collective consciousness of the community. 

Today, ten years on, his fragrance lives on as so aptly put by a contemporary poet:

The fragrance of the rose will linger on,

Petals of Taqwa and Adalah will live ever on,

Forget we will not, the name of Asghar Mulla,

We will go on using it on and on and on and on…

Unless we regain this spirit, our communal culture will cease to evolve based on the life of the Holy Prophet (S) and his Ahlul Bayt (AS):  where the principle of action is for the sake of Allah (SWT), where Taqwa is practiced, where leaders act with Adalah, and where Islamic values are maintained. That when we serve, we serve with simplicity and sincerity. The World Federation’s motto, ‘We Exist to Serve’, coined during Mulla’s time, means we exist to serve others, for the pleasure of Allah (SWT).

Let us recite Sura Fateha for the late Mulla Asghar M.M. Jaffer as well as for all of those individuals who have served our communities and are no longer with us.