The candy man

By Dr. Muhammad Hafizullah

One, two, three, four and the process of ‘downloading’ would continue! Bottles of special olives – black and green would be ‘delivered’ from the side pockets, dozens of packets of selected variety of French cheese from upper pockets and then the special zip would open to deliver loads of specially chosen and packed sweets. And then we would lose the count and the things would continue to appear from various hidden pockets. Soon, there will be a heap of bottles, packets and boxes ‘smuggled’ in to the holiest of holy places – front row of Masjad e Nabvi in close proximity to Roza-e-Rasool. This will happen on a daily basis and some of the ‘smuggled goods’ will be utilised for Iftari but the main bulk would be utilised to host post Iftari party. This used to be a unique party – both Maj Humayun and our very dear Saudi friend Waheed Mokhtiar would make small sandwiches of olives, pickle and cheese and offer it to the passersby who were fortunate to offer Salaam to the best of the best – Rehmatul lil Alameen (SAW). People are soaked in emotions especially during Ramazan and after Iftari as they draw near to Roza-e-Rasool and suddenly when they were presented the sweets and sandwiches most would accept it as a part of blessing and acceptance of efforts. 

For most of the fortunate people occupying the front rows, regardless of age, Humayun was known as a ‘candy Baba’. He had an unending treasure of specially produced ‘Apache’ sweets of different hue, shape and taste. Very casually he would present three to four sweets to an eighty years old Baba - who would accept it with a smile. He would shove in a few sweets in the pocket of a twenty years old Sultan. Then he would hurl a few chocolates to a forty years old Moatism, who would catch them with a broad smile.

Children would rush to ‘Candy Baba’ and he would bless them with warm kisses and plenty of sweets. Dozens of chocolates would find their way into my pocket with instructions to distribute them among my friends. As a matter of fact there were designated ‘rounds’ of sweet distribution - firstly as he would enter the mosque, secondly during Iftari, thirdly before Taraveeh and fourthly just before Qiam Ul Lail. I can never forget a seventy years old Saudi with long flowing beard and piety written all over his face coming to Humayun to collect his share of sweets.

This sweet distribution was a ‘relation building’ exercise which would start with a warm hearty handshake and end with something complimentary to say resulting in an ear to ear smile. The sweets will change the attitude and literally ‘stern looking’ composition will melt into lovely genuine smile. He was like a ‘honey bee’ distributing sweets and in return earning their respect and love. But there was something very different – this whole exercise was not neither to win worldly respect nor to develop relationships; this was to win pleasure and acceptance of the most beloved and revered.

Fair colored, average height, tough body of an ex army person sporting a short pepper salt beard with smiling eyes, Humayun has polished mannerism of a business tycoon. While clad in ‘Touk’ with an outdoor sleeveless jacket and wearing a special Turkish cap, he threw an open challenge to everyone to establish his identity. Most would be surprised to hear him speak flawless English and others would be dumbfounded hear him communicating in Urdu and Punjabi. Most presumed him to be an Arab, some thought he was Turk and others guessed him to be from Europe. He, undoubtedly, is an enigma – very difficult to understand. It is almost impossible to measure and describe in words his unlimited kindness, infinite extravagance and boundless love. It’s very hard to believe that someone can be as good and genuine as him. He continued to surprise people around him with his honesty, sincerity, frankness and humility. Everyone would envy one’s fortune to be enrolled in his list of friends!

He is a retired Major from the Army who enjoyed a distinguished ‘high fly’ career. He occupied some of the most coveted jobs many aspire for and he knows intimately, perhaps, most people who appear in ‘who is who’ list of Pakistan. He is currently a consultant in airport designing and had a major role to play in designing and attracting investment and actually implementing the plan for Sargodha airport. He played very important role in improvement of Lahore, Peshawar and Islamabad airports. He owns businesses dealing with ‘Apache’ sweets and only God knows how much he distributes pro bono for His pleasure. He is undoubtedly well versed with not only the techniques of winning friends but also harbors the commitment to invest limitlessly in relationships. It is strange to imagine how a person can adorn his lips with an eternal smile where as he carries a heavy load of sorrows in his heart. His humility and wet eyes, during his submissions just before Maghrib prayers, would tell tale of what is brewing in him. His extravagant and altruistic nature has won him the friendship of a Saudi Engineer Waheed Mokhtar who shares similar love for the Holy Prophet and endeavors to spend the last Ashra in Masjad e Nabvi.  Friendships developed under the green canopy nurtured on the basis of love for the Holy prophet have to be very deep and strong.

In Masjad e Nabvi many people would come to him to share their problems. He has a big heart and everyone would download their tribulations.

He would try to help all those around him. He would ring Lahore to fix appointments for his friends with doctors, request for extra support for follower Sultan – his young friend, negotiate prices in Karachi for his cronies, buy special jai Namaz for his favourite daughter in law and procure sweets for the expected guests back home. He is young at heart and could comfortably interact with young Mahad, share jokes with his cousin nick named as Fidel Castro, discuss facebook with shy Sultan and share the latest in Football with young Mohammad.

Humayun has a multifaceted personality but his commitment to ‘do good’ to all eclipses all other qualities. Very few can equate him in being so self-sacrificing and unassuming. His ability to touch hearts with his sincerity and modesty is amazing. He is a strange man who in the journey of life goes along distributing unlimited joys which many cannot see and a few sweets that are visible to all. May be Allah Subhanu Taala created this noble soul only to win hearts and dole out joys among His creatures regardless of age, color and creed.