The music never ends. Nor the generations end the music. But, paradoxes play their role. Shafi Mohammad Jumman, the 50-year-old, vocalist, passed away on Tuesday, in Civil Hospital Karachi, without food and medicines.

Horrific as it is hunger and neglect has taken away from us another musician of Sindh who could have survived if care was taken by respective sections of society. But events in Pakistan develop too slow to match the deterioration of the man sinking into the death cellar.

The man, the artiste and the musician, who could have retained modern trend in the traditional Sindhi music, is dead — unmourned and unsung.

Paradoxically, he, too, found a starving deathbed with wailing children and a sad wife. Like Abdullah Kachhi, Shafi Mohammad Jumman also fell short of the recognition offered by their government’s cronies.

Born to a great exponent of Sindhi music, Shafi Mohammad was the son of Ustad Mohammad Jumman, the master who did not only retain a typical Sindhi musical culture but also brought a lively contribution to Sindhi music in 1960s which was still unknown to it.

Master Ibrahim and Mohammad Jumman had started doing it after they were attached to Radio Pakistan. In the early 1950s their contribution became major source of innovation in the post-Independence Sindhi music. Difficult as it is to compare between the artistic calibre of the two, the fact remains that while Ibrahim tutored artistes like Rubina Qureshi and Abdullah Kachhi, Jumman produced vocalists like Zarina Baloch and some of the scintillating compositions that still live.

A number of students and disciples learnt from the extra- ordinary tutelage of Jumman but perhaps Shafi Jumman, his son, was the only vocalist who could sing his style and the advance Jumman made during post-Independence era.

On Tuesday, tutored by his father and Ustad Nazar Hussain, destined to become a great artiste, Shafi Jumman died in the miserable condition which could have been averted.

A father of six children and a vocalist of a style that was versatile and progressive, died of hunger and distress in the most agonising circumstances. Surrounded by his two brothers and sons, he died with a perpetual legacy of neglect, without food and medicines.

Born in Karachi in 1953, when Mohammad Jumman used to sing in the city, Shafi picked up singing at an early age. While the other students learnt from his father, Shafi learnt music at home first at Karachi and then at Hyderabad. Traditionally, he picked up music in traditional Guru-Shishak style maintaining the Sindhi music — kafi- and ghazal-style. After the death of his father, Jumman, he continued to sing. As a vocalist, he contributed much but was a helpless fellow without any mentor at the age when he needed one.

Two years back, inflicted by sugar and finally hepatitis-C, he developed gangrene and was admitted to the Civil Hospital Karachi a few months back. In response to the voice raised for his help, the Sindh government announced that it would help the vocalist with a sum of Rs200,000 for his medication, but the help did not come as he waited on his deathbed and succumbed to his ailment before proper medication or food could reach him.

Shafi Jumman died of his ill-health and we may mourn it for a few moments, similar to Abdullah Kachhi, Pathhanay Khan, or Mai Bhaagi. What remains is to be seen who becomes the next victim of such miseries that heavily inflict our society. Perhaps the popular doctrine with our society that we appreciate the artiste after his/her death is not untrue, and let us once more affirm that the death of Shafi Jumman is a case in point.

ISLAM requires belief in the unseen, as the Quran says, “It is a perfect Book, there is no doubt in it; it is a guidance for the righteous, who believe in the unseen and observe prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them.” (2:3-4). Is this belief in the unseen sheer blind faith or there are some indications or clues, which keep the unseen hidden from the naive but help a perceptive mind to take him to the stage where he comes to believe as much in the unseen as the seen?

The life in the Hereafter is the most elusive concept, after the existence of Allah. For this, of paramount importance is faith in the existence of Allah. Then, every thing will fall in place, as His word about the unseen would be easily acceptable on the strength of His knowledge and truthfulness. According to Islam, belief in the existence of Allah is not just a shot in the dark, but man is invited time and again to experience His very existence. Presenting a living personal God makes Islam unique among present day religions. There is enough foretaste of the Hereafter in the worldly life. What is required is a reflective and perceptive mind.

This is how the Quran presents it: “And no soul knows what joy of the eyes is kept hidden from them, as a reward for their good works. Is he then, who is a believer like one who is a disobedient? They are not equal.” (32:18-9) “Do those who commit evil deeds think that We should make them like those who believe and do good works, so that their life and their death should be equal? Evil indeed is what they judge.” (45:22)

“For those who do good there is good in this world, and the home of the Hereafter is even better. Excellent is the abode of the righteous.” (16:31) “Most surely We help those who believe, both in the present life and on the day when witness will stand forth.” (40:52)

“As for those who say ‘Our Lord is Allah’, and then remain steadfast, the angels descend on them saying: ‘Fear ye not, nor grieve; and rejoice in the Garden that you were promised. We are your friends in this life and in the Hereafter, Therein you will have all that your souls will desire, and therein you will have all that you will ask for as an entertainment from the Most Forgiving, the Merciful.” (41:31-3)

“So Allah gave them the reward of this world, as also an excellent reward of the next; And Allah loves those who do good.” (3:147) “But for him who fears to stand before his Lord there are two Gardens.” (55:47) “And give glad tidings to those who believe and do good works, but for them are Gardens beneath which flow streams. Whenever they are given a portion of fruit therefrom, they will say, ‘This is what was given us before’, gifts mutually resembling shall be brought to them.” (2:26)

“Behold! the friends of Allah shall certainly have no fear, nor shall they grieve. Those who believed and kept to righteousness, for them are glad tidings in the present life and also in the Hereafter there is no changing the word of Allah; that indeed is the supreme triumph.” (10:63-5) “For those who do good there is good in this world, and the home of the Hereafter is even better. Excellent is the abode of the righteous.” (16:31)

The holy Prophet (PBUH) said, “When a disbeliever does a good he is fed out of it in this world, and in the case of the Muslim, Allah stores up his good works for him in the Hereafter and provides for him in this life on account of his obedience.” Another version is: “Allah does not wrong anyone. A believer is rewarded for his good works both in the Here and the Hereafter. A disbeliever is rewarded in this world for his good works done for the sake of Allah; so that when he proceeds to the Hereafter, there is no good works for which he may be rewarded there.” (Muslim)

There is also a foretaste of the Hereafter for evil deeds. Thus it is in the Quran: “It is they whose works shall be of no avail in this world and the Hereafter. And it is they who are the losers.” (9:69) “For them is disgrace in this world; and theirs shall be a great punishment in the next.” (2:115)

Allah is the Mercy and does not want to punish His creature unless and until it is really unavoidable. Some taste of the punishment in the Hereafter in this world is to warn man of consequence of bad conduct so he may be able to reform himself and be spared the punishment in the next world. “And most surely We will make them taste of the nearer punishment before the greater punishment, so that they may return to us with repentance.” (32:22)

“So if they repent, it will be better for them; but if they turn away, Allah will punish them with a grievous punishment in this world and the Hereafter, and they shall have neither friends nor helper in this world.” (9:74) “And We punished Pharaoh’s people with drought and scarcity of fruits that they may be admonished.” (7:131) “We seized them with punishment so that they might turn to Us.” (43:49) “Indeed We have sent Messengers to peoples before thee; then We afflicted them with poverty and adversity that they may humble themselves.” (6:43)

Sometimes they are made a lesson for others, present as well as future generations. “Thus We made it an example to those of its time and to those who come after it, and a lesson for those who fear God.” (2:67) “So Allah seized him (Pharaoh) for punishment of the Hereafter and the present world. Therein surely is a lesson for him who fears.” (79:26-7)

The holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, “When there is open indecency among a people, new diseases break out among them.” Sex-related diseases of today, hitherto unknown, so common among the most promiscuous societies are an eloquent proof of this phenomenon. Not only the person afflicted suffers, as in any disease, but his or her conduct becomes public unlike other health problems.

Followers of a new religion have to face persecution in the beginning. Muslims shared this traditional lot in an ample measure. Apart from that, the righteous are at times seen facing other trials and tribulations which look like an act of God.

Is this in the above category of forewarning of the unenviable fate in the Hereafter? This is how Allah explains this in the Quran, “Do men think that they will be left alone because they said, ‘We believe’, and they will not be tested? and We did test those who were before them. So Allah will surely distinguish them from those who are truthful and He will surely distinguish the liars from the truthful.” (29:3-4)

“And We will surely try you until We distinguish among you who strive for the cause of God and those who are steadfast. And We will make known the facts about you.” (47:32)

The holy Prophet said, “Of the people the most severe trials are for those of Prophets and similarly of those according to their love of faith. Those who are strong in faith have to face severe trial, but those who are rather mild in faith will have commensurate trial.” “Allah, the Exalted says, ‘I have no reward other than Paradise for a believing servant of Mine who is steadfast when I take away a beloved of his from the denizens of the world.” “Whatever trouble, illness, anxiety, grief, hurt or sorrow afflicts a Muslim, even the pricking of the thorn, but Allah removes in its stead some of his faults.” “A trouble is this world becomes an expiation of a sin.”

What is the criterion to distinguish the trial of the righteous from the punishment of the wicked in this world? First is the very character of the two. Allah, Just as He is, is not expected to punish the righteous. Second is the reaction of the two. The righteous, sustained by his faith, accepts it resignedly and cheerfully, as is mentioned in the Quranic verse quoted above, (21:36) and turns all the more to Allah.

The wicked, on the contrary, shows no patience and begins to weep and wail and blame others, including Allah, if he professes any faith in Him. In extreme situations, he may lose mental balance, become violent or even go to the length of committing suicide. The Quran explains the reaction of the sinner: “And when We bestow favour on man, he turns away and goes aside; and when evil touches him, he gives himself to despair.” (17:84) “When evil touches him, he is full of lamentation.” (70:21)

Finally, the trial of the righteous reveals his many fine qualities, which would have otherwise remained hidden and gone unrewarded, like patience, steadfastness, conviction in faith, trust in and obedience of Allah, etc.

On the other hand, the wicked brings forth all the mischief and malice latent in his mind and is hardened in his evil behaviour. In short, the trial of a righteous brings him closer to Allah whereas the sinner further drifts away from Him. All this change is quite obvious.