Al-Juyushi–A Vision of the Fatemiyeen SA

Photograph by: Shk Qusai Malindiwala 
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Throughout the length and breadth of history, empires and dynasties have chosen to manifest their powers in ways that have highlighted their own regimes. The sole purpose of the Fatemiyeen ^SA was to establish the word of Allah Subhanahu, and in doing so, to honour Islam and its followers. Maulana al-Imam al-Mustansir Billah ^AS instructed al-Syed al-Ajal Amir al-Juyush Badr al-Jamali ^RA to build al-Juyushi in 478 H/ 1085 AD. As years marched on, weathered by neglect and eroded by calamities, al-Juyushi was in dire need of repair and restoration. The 52nd al-Dai al-Fatemi, His Holiness, Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin ^RA, in 1416 H/ 1995 AD, restored this masjid to its former eminence after centuries of neglect.

In Praise of al-Jame’ al-Juyushi

Al-Dai al-Fatemi Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin ^RA describes the existence of al-Juyushi:

“O believers! The Aayaat of Surah al-Fath are inscribed in the blessed dome of al- Juyushi. The passage of time and the transgressions of those envious of the Fatemiyeen SA had taken their toll. Some of the letters had been completely wiped out and others had been weathered by the elements. Amidst the restoration made possible by Allah to me- a servant of Aale Mohammed was to restore these Aayaat, completing the missing parts and emboldening the faint script. The pieces that were broken from the Aayaat were,
It is He Who sent down tranquillity into the hearts of the Believers, that they may add faith to their faith. (48:4)

I thank Allah for this great honour. I will reveal another extraordinary fact to you; in the centre of the dome of this masjid, there is a decorated mudawwara. The names of ‘Mohammed’ ^SAW and ‘wa Ali’ ^AS are written in its centre and this Aayat encircles both the names:

It is Allah Who sustains the heavens and the earth, lest they cease: and if they should fail, there is none – not one – can sustain them thereafter. (35:41)

To have made the masjid on the edge (of the Muqattam hills) and to have written this Aayat in its dome is a proof of the fact that Mohammed ^SAW and Ali ^AS and their Doat are the protectors of the ‘Houses of Allah’. It has been nearly 900 years; the masjid had weakened, the dome was barely intact and it seemed as though it would collapse by a single strong gust of wind. Yet the mudawwara in the dome and its inscriptions remained and will remain forever. This is the miracle of Aale Mohammed,

Aale Mohammed are the protectors of the Deen,
Their looks and glances guard the Deen

‘Earthquakes occurred and mountains crumbled but al-Jame’ al-Juyushi stood unshaken, the traces of barakaat remained.”

(Extracted with minor formatting edits from the book, ‘Al-Juyushi–A Vision of the Fatemiyeen’, pages 14-19)