Why did you choose the legal profession?

From childhood I had been exposed to the legal field because my father, Shk. Saifuddin Wakhariya, was a solicitor. Initially, I wanted to become an architect or engineer or something similar in the field of science. Then sometime around the time when I was completing my HSC exams, my father one day did araz in Hazrat Aaliyah Imamiyah for guidance on what I should become. At that time, Aqa Maula (TUS) was graciously pleased to choose the legal career for me and said "law karse to Dawat ni khidmet kari sakse." That was the first turning point in my life, after that I studied for BA at St. Xavier's College in Mumbai and thereafter LL.B. at Government Law College in Mumbai. When I started my LL.B. studies in 1987, I simultaneously joined Little & Co., where my father was a senior partner, as a trainee.

What is your success story since?

It's a long story, but it has been a true dream story!! I started in the legal field expressly at Aqa Maula's (TUS) khushi mubarak and every career step thereafter, big or small, has been Aqa Maula's (TUS) khushi mubarak - that is my only success story.

In 1987 I began LL.B. studies and joined Little & Co., where I stayed for three years and received valuable job training. In those three years, I received ample opportunities to render khidmet in many small ways, but more importantly, because my father took me with him during his khidmet, I got to observe first hand, the skill of many great lawyers who have advised on Dawat matters from time to time. Even more important that this experience was that of learning the skills of applying secular laws to principles of Dawat and Deen in the presence of many Shahzada Sahebs. This learning continues to be my privilege even today.

Then in 1989, I applied to US Law Schools for studying in an LL.M. Program. Initially my father was opposed to my doing this because (i) we did not have the financial means for this and (ii) I would, in his opinion, be "wasting time" away from getting valuable experience at the Firm. However, during one Anjumane Eide Gadeer ziyafat on Gadeere Khum, he did araz in Hazrat Aaliyah Imamiyah for guidance and Aqa Maula (TUS) directed that I should study abroad if I could. When I finally got admission into Duke University School of Law at Durham in North Carolina, Aqa Maula (TUS) not only gave raza mubarak to join the LL.M. course but also graciously gave enayat for the entire year of study.

I obtained the Ll.M. Degree in May 1991. One day before the graduation ceremony, Shahzada Q. Ezzuddin Saheb personally telephoned me at Duke and asked me not to immediately return to India but to go to New Jersey, where the Dawat US office was located. Under Shahzada Ezzuddin Saheb's active guidance I spent the next nine months in rendering khidmet in US legal matters which were being reorganized at that time. During this period, I got a call from my Law School Dean informing me that a US law firm was looking for an Indian lawyer for a short project and asked me to go and meet them. To make a long story short, that New York firm, Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, made me an offer to join them. My father was more and more anxious for me to return to India and in fact, unbeknownst to me, had many times did araz to Aqa Maula (TUS) for my return. I submitted the offer letter to Shahzada Ezzuddin Saheb for guidance and in turn Aqa Maula (TUS) directed me to accept the offer and join the firm, which I did in March 1992. Shortly before that I had taken the New York State bar examinations and with Aqa Maula's (TUS) dua mubarak cleared it on the first attempt (which is not very common).

In 1999, I became Kelley Drye's youngest partner in the shortest time of just seven years (when the normal time to become partner then was 11-13 years). By this time, Aqa Maula (TUS) had given me the opportunity to render khidmet through my US Firm and therefore, when I was being considered for partnership, one of the Firm's partners, in fact directly sought Aqa Maula's (TUS) raza mubarak for me to accept partnership because they knew that this was important to me and I would not accept any position without Aqa Maula's (TUS) raza.

This next event of my career was narrated to me by Shahzada Ezzuddin Saheb. About eight or nine years ago, during a private discussion, Aqa Maula (TUS) had mentioned that "Sk. Saifuddin's son should move to India".

A short time later, it so happened that my US Firm began considering the idea of my moving to India to open an office in my name with which they could affiliate. This materialized in mid-1998 and when araz was done, Aqa Maula (TUS) granted raza mubarak and bestowed the name "Wakhariya & Wakhariya" and directed my father to retire from the firm where he was for more than 40 years. Thus, Aqa Maula's (TUS) thoughts were indeed prophetic.

Your father Shk Saifuddin has had the privilege to perform khidmet of dawat in legal matters through turbulent times…

My father came from a humble family. Born in Radhanpur and educated in Pune. Maulanal Muqaddas Syedna Taher Saifuddin Aqa (RA) directed my father to the legal profession. He was then directed to join Little & Co., which had been serving dawat during the historic litigations.

This continued with Aqa Maula (TUS) guiding my father's khidmet in the last 40 years. There were many public opportunities and many other private opportunities for khidmet. In all this, my father followed only one clear principle - Aqa Maula (TUS) is Imam uz Zaman's Dai - truly infallible and always right - Dawat's principles are uncompromising and always supreme. Thereafter, he applied the law to this principle. With this clear thought, for him khidmet was easy, because he could now give legal advise without fear or favor. He always gave direct and clear legal advice. He looked at every problem as a direct problem, not through the eyes and expressions of the presenter of the problem. So his legal advice was always clear and only for one purpose - Aqa Maula's (TUS) shaan and maqaam should always be upheld in the highest esteem - no matter what.

My father rendered khidmet in the following cases:

(a) Udaipur litigations
(b) Nathwani, Tarkunde and Tewatia Commission matters
(c) Godhra litigations
(d) Lanat litigation
(e) Some early stages of the Excommunication Review Petition
(f) Many real estate title investigations
(g) The bomb attack episode
(h) The BMC Bank episode

In addition, over the years, he served in various capacities in the following dawat Idaras:

(a) Anjuman-e-Shiate Ali
(b) Anjuman-e-Eid-e-Gadeer
(c) Burhani Foundation
(d) Burhani Qardan Hasana Trust

Aqa Maula's (TUS) shafaqat and nazaraat on my father can be summed up in two sentences. (i) My father passed away immediately after Haj (on the night of 17th Zilhijjah) three years ago received the sharaf of being buried in the vicinity of Maulatona Khadija (AS) in Janattul Mala in Makkah Moazzaham; and (ii) My successful career and Aqa Maula's (TUS) personal guidance is a result of the continuing shafaqat and nazaraat of Maulanal Muqaddas (RA) and Aqa Maula (TUS) upon my father and the acceptance of his khidmet by both Maulas.

You too have had the privilege to offer your services to dawat…

My privilege has been that I got a head start. I was brought up in a household in which khidmet was a prime principle of life, because both my father and my mother were champions of this principle. My supreme privilege has been that my education has been personally guided by Aqa Maula (TUS). Because of this, I have received the following opportunities for khidmet over the past 15-18 years:

(a) Lanat litigation - even before I became a lawyer
(b) The BMC Bank episode
(c) The reorganization of Dawat in USA
(d) The continuing organization of Anjumans and other idaras in USA
(e) Advising on the Qardan Hasana scheme under US laws
(f) Real estate title issues for a few Dawat properties in India
(g) Countless other smaller opportunities in India, US, Canada and UK.

What is the most challenging case you have worked on?

In India the lanat litigation. In the US, the organization of the Qardan Hasana scheme.

What advice would you give to young students who wish to embark on a legal career & perform khidmet of dawat ?

I wish more mumineen children would take up legal studies at prestigious institutions. However, they must realize that becoming a good lawyer is not an overnight matter. It takes years of hard work in studies and practice. But one must keep on persevering to achieve excellence - and finally, none of this hard work and practice will achieve anything, if it is done contrary to Aqa Maula's (TUS) khushi or raza mubarak.

In both studies and in khidmet the same principle is applicable - Maula's khushi and raza, Maula's dua mubarak are the only route to success. Becoming a law graduate is easy. Becoming a lawyer is even easier. But becoming a good lawyer - that requires what other people may call luck - but what we know as the raza and dua mubarak of Aqa Maula (TUS).