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Journalism of Courage
At 1 pm Monday, just before the afternoon namaz at the Jama Masjid on Parliament Street, there was a curious discussion among worshippers: “Will the Imam find time to lead the prayer today?”
The curiosity ended minutes later as Mohibbullah, 48, arrived, walking nonchalantly, to lead around 30-odd worshippers in the prayer. The namaz began at 1.20 pm sharp and lasted around 10 minutes before Mohibbullah headed out again — across the road, to Parliament.
Mohibbullah was busy attending his first Parliament session after becoming MP from the Rampur constituency in UP. Fielded by the Samajwadi Party, despite opposition by party veteran Azam Khan, he won the seat by defeating BJP’s sitting MP Ghanshyam Lodhi by 87,000 votes.
Born in Razanagar village in Rampur’s Suar region, Mohibbullah studied at the Madrasa Jameul Uloom Furqania in the district before moving to Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama in Lucknow. He later shifted to Delhi, where he completed his graduation in Arabic and also got a Master’s in Islamic Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia before landing the Imam’s job at the Parliament Street mosque on March 28, 2005.
Being the imam at the mosque, just across the road from Parliament, meant frequent chances to meet politicians and other prominent persons who would come for namaz. Among the prominent persons who have stood behind him in prayer, Mohibbulah recalled, were former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.
“It was by God’s grace that I was appointed here… This is a historical mosque which has seen freedom fighters offer namaz before Independence. The mosque has always had prominent persons as guests – Muslims and non-Muslims,” Mohibbullah said, adding that his only relative to be involved in politics in recent times was his uncle Talib Hussain, a cleric who was the village head for Razanagar.
These meetings, Mohibbullah said, developed in him an interest in politics. “I would always hear and discuss politics with the leaders who would come for namaz. I always wanted to help people and resolve their issues. Now, I have the chance to do it. All this was in my thoughts, but how it all happened is the design of the Almighty,” he said.
On how he finally took the plunge, Mohibbullah said it was former five-time Sambhal MP Shafiqur Rahman Barq – a regular at the mosque – who introduced him to Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav in January at the party headquarters in Lucknow and suggested he be fielded from Rampur. Barq passed away just a month later.
Now a Lok Sabha MP, Mohibbullah said he plans to raise the issues of unemployment, healthcare and education in Rampur in Parliament during the next five years.
“My focus will be on these three things. For this, I will get inputs from the district and will raise the issues of the people. For this, if I need to approach the UP Chief Minister, I will do it. If the district needs a special package from the Centre, I will try for it too,” he said.
And will he also continue to lead the five-time namaz at the mosque? “Namaz takes very little time – just five-six minutes. And the distance between Parliament House and my residence in the mosque complex is barely 50 yards. Today was the first day and I presided over the namaz and also attended Parliament,” he said.
And how will he juggle between the mosque, Parliament and his constituency? “I am a local in Rampur. I was born there. People have told me if I devote two-three days in the constituency, it will be enough. Plus, we live in a time when communication is easy and Rampur is just three hours away. There is no issue. I am sure I can play the roles of MP and cleric of this mosque.”
At 5.20 pm, Mohibbullah again walks out of the Parliament building, crosses the road, and enters the mosque to lead Asr, the late-afternoon namaz. He takes oath as MP Tuesday.
