53-yr holy sermon puts cleric in record book

For 53 years, a popular tradition for Shia Muslims in Mumbai during the Islamic month of Moharrum has been the hour-long evening sermon given by scholar Maulana Mirza Mohammad Athar at Imamwada's landmark Iranian mosque or Mogul Masjid.
Maulana Athar gave his first lecture as a 22-year old and has, since then, not missed a single year. During the 10-day period of mourning during Moharrum, he appears at the pulpit of the mosque, delivering his sermon for exactly an hour between 9pm and 10pm. And now, his feat has become a national record after Limca Book of Records included the achievement in its latest edition.
Athar said that he did not seek a mention in the record books. "I was told that a local group called Anjuman Imamia had sent an entry to the record keepers. I was informed a few weeks ago about the entry in the record book," he said.
When Maulana Athar speaks at the Mogul Masjid, his sermons are always about the chapter in Islamic history that Shias call 'the tragedy at Karbala' - the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, that cleaved Islam into its two main sects. "Maulana Athar has always spoken out against acts of terrorism committed in the name of religion because Shias were one of the first targets of religious violence when Hazrat Hussain and his followers were martyred at Karbala," said Ali Namazi, a member of the Iranian community in Mumbai.
Namazi who is now 46, remembers attending Maulana Athar's sermons as a child with his father Abdul Hussain Namazi, then secretary of the mosque. "Maulana Athar would insist on staying in the mosque's guesthouse even when it was in a dilapidated condition. He said he wanted to stay in the mosque premises so that people could talk to him," said Namazi.
Maulana Athar is expected to speak at Mogul Masjid later this month as the Muslims observe the Ramzan fast.

Maulana Athar at Mogul Masjid in Mumbai.

Arthy Muthanna Singh of the Limca Book of Records confirmed the listing and said, "Yes, Khateeb-E-Akbar Maulana Mirza Mohammed Athar's record was accepted and is featured in the Human Story chapter on page 332 of the 2011 edition of Limca Book of Records."