The Miracle of Service

THE MIRACLE OF SERVICE In the English fortnightly India Today (15 August 1990), page 68 featured a thought-provoking incident. Mohammad Hanif Sulaiman, 35, is a Muslim barber from Lucknow. For the past ten years, he has been cutting Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav’s hair. Initially, Mr. Yadav was only a political leader, but now he has become the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. One day, Mohammad Hanif Sulaiman told him, “You have achieved a high position. Please help me get a shop in Hazratganj Bazaar, Lucknow.” Mr. Yadav agreed but later forgot his promise. Suleman waited patiently for a few months and then stopped visiting the Chief Minister’s residence. When Mr. Yadav inquired about this, he learned that Suleman was upset over the broken promise and had therefore withdrawn. When Mr. Yadav realized this, he directed his officials to find a shop for Suleman in Hazratganj. After extensive searching, they discovered that no shops were available in the area. However, the Power Department of the Lucknow Development Authority had an office in Hazratganj. By Mr. Yadav’s order, this office was vacated and given to Suleman so he could open his shop there. According to the reporter, at that time, 1,250 people were waiting outside shops in Hazratganj. However, Suleman jumped ahead of them all and, in just a day, bought a shop in Lucknow’s most prominent market—worth about five lakh rupees then. He then started his business there under a signboard that read: Bombay Hair Dressers.