Zackeria Hazrath: A teacher
with a difference.
By V.M. Khaleelur Rahman,
We were fortunate to have many good
and dedicated teachers in the Mazharul Uloom High School, Ambur where we
studied more than four decades ago. That period is still green in our memory.
We cannot forget our teachers who taught us with all care and attention. Every
teacher had his own special characteristics, which impressed and inspired us
and even now we cannot but remember and respect them very much.
Prophet Mohammed (Sallallahu alaihi
wasallam) gave importance to education and teachers. Once he came across two
circles of people. The first circle was supplicating to Allah and the other was
listening to a discourse by a teacher. The Prophet said “The first circle is
begging God who may or may not give them what they want but the second circle
is getting education from a teacher. I have been sent as teacher.” He joined
the second circle. This shows that the Prophet gave preference to teachers and
education. There are many examples of him giving priority to teachers.
In this write-up I would like to
share my impressions about the late Janab V. Mohammed Zackeria sahib, a
dedicated and well-known teacher who served in the Mazharul Uloom High School
for more than 40 years and left his indelible shining marks. He was
affectionately called “Zackeria Hazrath”. He was actually a teacher with a
difference. To him teaching was a mission. He taught his pupils with all
seriousness, care and attention. He was very scientific in his words and deeds.
He endeavoured his best to make every boy a “gem” in discipline and education.
He never tolerated laziness and wanted his pupils to be alert and hard working.
Zackeria Hazrath was not only a
teacher, but also a reformer par excellence. He was well versed in Urdu,
English, Tamil and Hindi languages. He was good in Arabic and Persian also.
Interest of the community was dearer to him. He was a serious person, an
authoritative one. He “ruled” us and wanted every one of us to study well and
benefit from the school without wasting any time.
He had modern thinking and always
opposed superstitious beliefs and revealed in his own inimitable Urdu language
how soothsayers, sorcerers, astrologers etc. hoodwinked innocent people for the
sake of money. He advised us not to believe them and understand things properly
using our intellect and wisdom. He was dead opposed to blind following in any
matter.
Zackeria Hazrath’s literary taste was
immense. He never failed to correct even the spoken language of his pupils
whether it was Urdu, English or Tamil. His pupils as well as their parents were
careful while talking to him. He disliked the colloquial and wanted everyone to
speak chaste Urdu in its sweet and beautiful form. He used to say “Urdu ka
khoon mat karo.Miyan” ( Don’t kill the Urdu language.
The following “rubayee” penned by him
shows his noble thoughts. We have to understand it in the proper perspective
and respect the plural society in which we live.
“Ya rub hai teri her jagah hasthi,
Paatha hai thujko daaraa-e-beenaayi,
Masjid mayn Muslim Mandir mayn Hindu,
Karthay kalesa mayn wird hain
Easaayee”
O God, your existence is everywhere,
Knowledgeable persons are able to
find you,
Muslims in the mosque, Hindus in the
temple
And Christians in the church pray to
you.
One day Hazrath wrote this “rubayee”
on the Black Board in the class room and said that “after all everyone is
worshipping the same God”. People like me still remember it because of the
beautiful thought expressed therein. It is a powerful thought and this thought
is necessary for all Indians where different religious people live happily. We
cannot forget this great teacher under any situation. He is no more now. But
everything he taught us so happily and so seriously, sometimes even with anger,
is in our memory in tact. It is impossible for us to forget him and his
wonderful and revolutionary teachings. May Allah rest his soul in peace.
