If he did not choose to become an Imam, he would have been a journalist. Not only a journalist, but journalist par excellence. His understanding and knowledge of contemporary issues were formidable. For any clarification on Islam, Shariat and other related issues, he always helped journalists and scholars. Not only helping them professionally, he had a word of comfort for them when they feel the heat either on home turf or professional front. Over six feet tall frame, white beard bordering silver colour and glowing face, was enough for all those who meet him for the first time that he is not an ordinary soul. Countless distressed people would have cried before him or he had offered his shoulders to them to cry. For over half a century, Maulana Jameel Ilyasi,76, was truly a God sent saviour to umpteen number of people. And recently when Imam saheb suddenly departed, Gurdeep Singh, Business bureau chief of UNI was at his bedside.
Jameel Saheb was the Imam of mosque close to India Gate since 1955. While he was a devout Muslim, he was at the same time a fiercely secular person. He was proud of the fact that he is a ddescendents of Lord Krishan. His house and heart was always open to all, all the time and every time. With such a remarkable personality, it was not surprising that even large numbers of saffron clad Sadhus and journalists recently were too jostling for space in the mosque to mourn his death.
In a way, he was an ageless seer. I have met him for the first time in 1979. I was in my teens, went inside there with my two-three friends to quench our thirst for water. He was standing right outside the mosque when we were drinking water there. Once we were about to move out from there, he asked us in his heavy baritone, “ Dhoop me Ghar se mat nikla karo.Jao Sambhaal kar ghar jao.” These words of wisdom have etched in my memory since then. And in the later years as and when I moved close to his mosque, very often I used to see him. And immediately those words start reverberating in my mind. And one thing always struck me that he did not change even an ounce.
The vagaries of time have failed to make any impact. He was same. And as I became a journalist albeit small time, I again visited the mosque with historian and writer Feroz Bakhat Ahmed around three-four years ago to discuss and understand some points of Islam. Imam Saheb was holding the fort, talking to people, telling them ‘trust God. He would solve all your unresolved issues. He must have some better idea for you.’ And when our turn came, I recalled my first meeting with him. After that, I started visiting him more often than not. As and when I faced any issue, I just go to him. And I always found that he had some long-lasting solutions to my problems. Like me, umpteen numbers of professionals to politicians used to visit him. And he never failed them. In his passing away, God sent man has gone back in the lap of God and journalists as well his (Imam Sahib’s) many followers became shelter less.
Tailpiece. One of his sons is certain Shoaib Ilyasi, a journalist.
Vivek Shukla works for a publication house as an editor and writes at various places. He can be contacted at 09818155246.
