Þyah.edu - NOT FOR CIRCULATION

www.jameasafiyah.edu - NOT FOR CIRCULATION

لرحيم لرحمن ا بسم الله ا

لعالمين * وصلاته وسلامه على محمد سيد المرسلين * الحمد لله رب ا

وعترته وصحبه اجمعين*


The 52nd al-Dai al-Mutlaq and head of the Dawoodi Bohra community, the late His Holiness Dr Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA delivering a sermon on the occassion of his 75th milad mubarak in Surat, India in 1407/1986.


The 53rd al-Dai al-Mutlaq and head of the Dawoodi Bohra community, His Holiness Dr Syedna Aali Qadr Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS delivering a sermon on the occassion of his 75th milad mubarak in Surat, India in 1440/2018.


Foreword 6

A Distinguished Heritage 12

The Herald of Good Tidings 18

Spiritual Emergence: Misaq 24

‘A Towering Bough of Loftiness’: Haddiyyat 30

A Great Loss 32

A Seamless Transition 38

Raudat Tahera 41

The Laqab ‘Saifuddin’ 46

Learning to Serve 56

Aqeeq al-Yaman: The Auspicious Jewel 74

Al-Multaqa al-Fatimi al-ʿIlmi 106

Contents


Al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar: The Luminous Masjid 116

Heritage Restored 132

Appointment as Successor 144

Delegation of Responsibilities 158

An Unbearable Loss 164

A Defining Transition 172

In Allah’s Eternal Care 236


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ForewordAll praise be to Allah, the Almighty, who has endowed

humanity with al-ʿaql — intellect. As a result of this divine endowment, human beings have the ability to observe and contemplate the world around them, pondering over the marvels of Creation. In addition to this great blessing, they have been bestowed with the ability to convey their observations to others. Their intention in so doing is to offer gratitude to the Almighty for His countless blessings by appreciating the infinite wisdom apparent in each and every aspect of Creation.

The most precious of the Almighty’s innumerable blessings are His divinely ordained Awliyaa Allah AS 1. Extolling their virtues, recounting their noble deeds and reflecting upon their history not only pleases the Creator but provides much-needed inspiration for self-growth and introspection. In keeping with these noble aims, the esteemed late rector of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah, Shahzada2 Dr Yusuf bhaisaheb Najmuddin authored a biographical account of the 52nd al-Dai al-Mutlaq (Dai) and head of the Dawoodi Bohra community, the late His Holiness Dr Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA in 1407/1986. Published on the occasion of His Holiness’ 75th milad mubarak3, the biography celebrated the many

1. Awliyaa Allah AS: Allah’s beloved and chosen representatives who successively undertake the responsibility of guid-ing humankind in every age. 2. Derived from the Persian word for prince.3. The Arabic word for birthday. It is commonly used within the Dawoodi Bohra community to refer to the birthdays and birth anniversaries of community leaders and is often accompanied with the word mubarak, or blessed, denoting the auspicious nature of these events.


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The late Dr Shahzada Yusuf bhaisaheb Najmuddin QR presenting 75 Momentous Years in Retrospect to Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA in Surat.

milestones of Syedna’s RA auspicious life and reflected upon his leadership and achievements. It was aptly named 75 Momentous Years in Retrospect.Three decades later, as a natural extension of that noble endeavour, this second volume of 75 Momentous Years in Retrospect presents vignettes from the illustrious life of the 52nd Dai’s successor and son, the 53rd incumbent to the august office of al-Dai al-Mutlaq, His Holiness Dr Syedna Aali Qadr Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS. It is fitting that this work too has been published in celebration of his 75th milad mubarak.

Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS was born on Lailat al-Qadr, the most auspicious night of the Hijri calendar, which falls on


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the 23rd eve of the holy month of Ramadan. However, since acceding to the august office of al-Dai al-Mutlaq, he has chosen to celebrate his milad on the day of his eminent father’s milad, the 20th of Rabiʿ al-Akhar (the 4th month of the Hijri calendar), as a continuing tribute to his revered memory. This publication recounts Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin’s TUS pious life, which is perceived by the community as a continuation of Syedna Burhanuddin’s RA, thus complementing his decision to celebrate his milad along with that of his father’s.

This second volume of 75 Momentous Years in Retrospect seeks to not only provide a glimpse of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin’s TUS many accomplishments over the course of the past five years as head of the Dawoodi Bohra Community, but also attempts to highlight his distinguished contributions in the service of his revered predecessor, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA,

throughout the latter’s 50 year tenure. Ultimately, this book strives to impart to the reader an enriched understanding of the 53rd Dai’s role as the driving force in implementing his predecessor’s dynamic vision for the development and future of the community, the Islamic umma and humanity at large.

With Syedna Burhanuddin RA at the community’s helm, the Dawoodi Bohras experienced unprecedented prosperity. To succeed him and ensure the further development and growth of a community with raised expectations — one that was already recognized for its literacy and emphasis on education, its prowess and success in trade and business, its empowerment of women, and above all, its religious dedication and devotion — was no small task. Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin’s TUS vision, energy and commitment have ushered in a new era for the Dawoodi Bohras in which the community has embraced further growth and is overcoming challenges, new and old, in ways never witnessed before.

The initial years of the 53rd Dai’s tenure have seen the community scale even greater heights. Not only has the community, as a whole, reaffirmed its allegiance to the values and principles of


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Islam, but Syedna TUS has also captured the hearts and minds of every individual member who, drawn towards his magnetic personality, shares a close bond with him and engages with his causes at a uniquely personal level. His tireless travels to cities, large and small, in South Asia and across the world have further bolstered this phenomenon. The strength of the bond between Syedna TUS and his followers and the impact and influence of his sermons and interactions are seen in how quickly community initiatives, especially those commenced by his beloved predecessor, reach fruition. In an era of increased globalization and technological advancement, Syedna TUS continues to guide the Dawoodi Bohra community on the bedrock established by his predecessors which ensures the preservation of its rich religious and cultural heritage.

The narration of the key milestones of the 53rd Dai’s life covers three phases. The first phase relates to the years spent in the presence of his illustrious grandfather, the 51st Dai, Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA. The second phase covers the 50 golden years spent in the service of his illustrious father, the 52nd Dai, where he was ever-present and steadfast by his side, serving him with utmost humility and fidelity. The third phase focuses on the years after his accession as the 53rd Dai following the passing of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA.

Alluding to the continuity between a predecessor and his successor, and the community’s responsibility towards each of them, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA addressed a gathering on 11th Rabiʿ al-Awwal, 1399/7th February, 1979, and bestowed upon them the following counsel:

Let me also state that you should serve the Dai who succeeds me just as you are serving me today... As was just mentioned, when will Syedna Taher Saifuddin be pleased? When I am pleased. Today, I am pleased with you… [W]hen the time comes for me to ascend to my heavenly abode and my successor takes my place, and you serve him, the Dai — I will be


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delighted. I will pray for you, just as Syedna Taher Saifuddin prays for you.

It is with the intention of attaining the happiness and benedictions of Syedna Aali Qadr Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS, and in turn the happiness and blessings of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA, that Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah presents this humble tribute in celebration of His Holiness’ 75 momentous years. May we continue to behold Syedna al-Dai al-Ajal’s TUS glories and continue to offer our gratitude by remaining steadfast in his service.


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The 53rd al-Dai al-Mutlaq, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS, seated in a majlis (gathering) presided over by Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA as part of the latter’s 75th milad mubarak celebrations.


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The history, faith and traditions of the Dawoodi Bohra community provide vital context in attempting to understand

Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin’s TUS life and achievements. Like all Muslims, the Dawoodi Bohras believe in one Creator, Allah, and that His last and final message to humankind was through His final prophet, the Prophet Mohammed SAW. They hold that this message has been laid down in the Holy Quran, as the Word of Allah, and that the mantle of guiding humankind passed on from the Prophet Mohammed SAW to Amir al-Mumineen Maulana Ali b. Abi Talib SA, and from him to the Imams AS in their progeny. Devotion to the Imam and the al-Dai al-Mutlaq, the Imam’s vicegerent, is a core belief of their faith.

The Dawoodi Bohras trace their heritage to the beloved Fatimi Imams SA, named after Maulatona Fatima SA, the venerated daughter of the Prophet Mohammed SAW. A Fatimi Imam AS is present at all times on the face of the earth and leads the sacred mission which provides guidance to humankind known as the Dawat. Literally meaning a ‘call’, the Dawat is the divine and eternal call to faith leading to the salvation of humanity. Thus, devotion to the Fatimi Imams AS and the Prophet Mohammed’s SAW family, often referred to as the Ahl al-Bayt AS, is a hallmark of the Dawoodi Bohra faith. Among the many expressions of devotion, one that is central to the community’s religious discourse and practice, is the remembrance of the

A DistinguishedHeritage


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martyrdom of Imam Husain AS, the son of Maulana Ali SA and the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed SAW. The Dawoodi Bohras believe that Imam Husain’s AS martyrdom and the articulation of grief and lament upon him are key to salvation.

In 61/680, Imam Husain AS along with several members of his family and close companions were intercepted by Umayyad forces at Karbala, Iraq. Imam Husain AS was travelling to Kufa whose inhabitants had beseeched him to act against the Umayyad ruler, Yazid’s tyranny and anti-Islamic practices. Imam Husain AS, who had witnessed Yazid’s blatant depravity first-hand and was well aware of the ramifications of his unjust and ill-gotten reign if left unopposed, accepted their entreaty and set out for Kufa. In Karbala, the Umayyad forces, over a period of nine days, unleashed upon Imam Husain AS as well as his family and companions unthinkable cruelty and inhumanity. Having denied them food and water for three days, they slayed all 72 of them, including Imam Husain’s AS six-month-old infant son. In a final vile act of savagery and blasphemy, the gravity of which shook the Islamic world to its very core and prompted a swift resurgence of dedication to the true message of Islam, the Umayyads martyred the Prophet Mohammed’s SAW last living grandson, Imam Husain AS, severing his sacred head from his hallowed body as he prostrated upon the scorching earth praying for humankind’s salvation. Thus, remembering Imam Husain’s AS sacrifice and his stand against tyranny and inhumanity is an integral element of faith for the Dawoodi Bohra community, one which informs and influences the community’s values and traditions in every sphere of life.

Following the tragedy that befell Imam Husain SA in Karbala, the Imams who succeeded him continued to lead the Dawat and uphold the timeless tradition of guiding their followers. Towards the end of the third/early tenth century, as foretold by the Prophet Mohammed SAW, al-Imam Abdullah al-Mahdi bi Allah AS (r. 297-322/909-934) commenced a period of zuhur1.

1. A period during which the Imam is the sovereign of a state.


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He set out for North Africa from the Levant, where he had been in seclusion, and established what came to be known as the Fatimi empire, which at its height spanned an area from the shores of the Atlantic in present-day Morocco in the west to Libya in the east. Imam Mahdi bi Allah AS and his successors ruled over much of North Africa from their capital in Tunisia until the 14th Imam, al-Muʿizz li Deen Allah AS (r. 341-365/953-975) conquered Egypt in 358/969 and shifted his capital to the famed city he founded on the banks of the Nile, al-Muʿizziyya al-Qahira.

Immediately after founding al-Qahira (Cairo), Imam Muʿizz AS built al-Jamiʿ al-Azhar in 359/970, the masjid in which he established the renowned centre of learning known today as Al-Azhar University: one of the oldest extant educational institutions in the world. Subsequent Imams AS brought further glory to Egypt, founding other centres of learning and building numerous religious and civic monuments in devotion to the Almighty and for the betterment of the populace. These architectural monuments stand testament to how the beauty and majesty of such devotion can be made manifest in material form. The Imams’ contributions to Egypt and the medieval world at large brought with it a civilizational force marked by a renaissance of thought, art and culture.

The Fatimi Imams AS ruled for more than two centuries in North Africa and later from their capital of al-Qahira. While the kingdom was at its zenith, the 18th Imam, al-Mustansir bi Allah AS (r. 427-487/1035-1094) initiated preparations for the approaching and foreordained period of satr2, which would see the Imam secluded from the public eye. Most importantly, he set into motion a series of provisions that would ensure that the Dawat continued to fulfil its purpose of providing guidance during this critical period. The 21st Imam, al-Imam al-Tayyib AS, following the martyrdom of his father, al-Imam al-Amir bi Ahkam Allah AS, left al-Qahira and went into seclusion. He

2. The period during which the Imam is either secluded from the public eye entirely or is not the sovereign of a state.


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vested his authority and powers, by way of the Queen of Yemen, Maulatona al-Hurra al-Malika Arwa bt. Ahmed al-Sulayhi RA, in the al-Dai al-Mutlaq. Literally, ‘the unrestricted missionary’, the al-Dai al-Mutlaq serves as the Imam’s vicegerent and sole representative during the period of satr. It is an article of faith for the Dawoodi Bohras that the imamate during the satr has continued from the 21st Imam through his progeny, from father to son, and that today an Imam from this august lineage is present on the face of the earth and is represented by the al-Dai al-Mutlaq.

In preparation for satr, extensive efforts were made to safeguard the continuation and vibrancy of the Fatimi faith. These preparations involved the transferral of knowledge, culture and traditions to Yemen, all of which would equip the office of the al-Dai al-Mutlaq to face the many challenges it would encounter in the centuries to come. Although providence and divine wisdom required that the Imam’s physical presence amongst the faithful be withdrawn, they would also mandate, in accordance with Allah’s justice, that the Imam’s leadership, benevolence and sagacity remain present through the esteemed personage of the al-Dai al-Mutlaq. Thus, the faithful would continue to flourish with the Imam’s blessings under the auspices of the Duat Mutlaqeen AS (pl. of Dai Mutlaq).

The period of satr is characterized, essentially, as one of trials and tribulations. In Yemen, the Duat Mutlaqeen RA fought valiantly to protect their followers from both physical assaults on the community’s mountain strongholds as well as repeated attacks against their faith and beliefs. In 946/1539, after the seat of Dawat shifted to present-day India, the community and its leaders were persecuted to the extent that hundreds if not thousands of the faithful were put to death. This oppression peaked with the martyrdom of the 32nd Dai, Syedna Qutbuddin al-Shahid RA, in Ahmedabad in 1056/1646 at the hands of the future Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb. The political persecution went in tandem with accusations of anti-Islamic practices and heresy. Despite


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facing constant difficulties, the Duat Mutlaqeen RA persevered and ensured that the faith and culture cultivated by the Fatimi Imams AS for centuries remained in the hearts and homes of their followers.

The 50th Dai, Syedna Abdullah Badruddin RA (d.1333/1915), appointed Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA as his successor who was just 28 years of age when he became Dai. At that time, there were those who felt that considering the prevailing circumstances combined with the presence of strong and powerful dissident elements within the community, it would not be possible for such a young incumbent to consolidate his position and lead the community. Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA faced opposition from a number of factions of society but primarily from the social elite which included men of wealth and men of letters. There were those who — enamoured by the colonial narrative and its emphasis on modernity and intoxicated by the boons of growing international trade and commerce — tried to force the community to sacrifice its religious heritage at the altar of progress so that only a diluted, desecrated form of religious theory and practice would remain. On the other hand, there were certain functionaries within the religious establishment who — conceited by their claims to knowledge and enticed by their pride — disregarded Syedna’s RA authority and instructions and embedded their doubts and disillusionments within many in the Dawat. However, the 51st Dai’s dedication to the Imam, overarching love for his community and unshakeable determination ensured that such challenges were not just overcome but done so with grace and integrity. Syedna RA demonstrated that temporal prosperity and spiritual growth go hand in hand and that tradition is not vanquished by modernity but rather enhanced and complemented by it.

Syedna Taher Saifuddin’s RA 53 years were marked by a revitalization of the community’s many institutions along with its customs and intellectual traditions effectuated by a discerning use of the tools of modernity. The 51st Dai led the community


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through a period of overwhelming global change and conflict including two World Wars as well as the Partition of India and Pakistan, the two countries where the majority of the community resides. Throughout these testing times, the Dawoodi Bohra community spread far and wide, and under Syedna’s RA guidance and foresight, experienced a period of great prosperity.


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At the conclusion of the 40-day period of mourning following the passing of the 50th Dai, the 51st Dai, Syedna

Taher Saifuddin RA was blessed with a son on the same day he officially ascended to the gadi (seat) of the Dawat. Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA named him Mohammed and thereby chose for himself the kunya (teknonym) of Abu Mohammed: Father of Mohammed, the same kunya assumed by the 43rd Dai, Syedna Abdeali Saifuddin RA. Throughout his tenure, the 51st Dai repeatedly and emphatically proclaimed in his sermons and writings that the birth of his son and successor had ushered in countless blessings for the community. The birth and nomination of a successor is a harbinger of glad tidings for the predecessor and his Dawat, for it is by virtue of this successor and his presence that the Dawat’s continuance is assured and the blessings, guidance and salvation it provides persist.

Such was the resplendence of Syedna Taher Saifuddin’s RA glorious era that it was destined to be blessed with a second, equally auspicious birth of an august personality who would become his father’s and grandfather’s counterpart in all aspects. Seventy-five years ago, in the year 1365/1946, the Mumineen1 of Surat, India, requested Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA to observe the holy month of Ramadan in their city. Syedna RA responded by sending his successor, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA, 1. Mumineen, plural of Mumin is a Quranic term which literally means ‘the believers’ or ‘the faithful’. Within the Dawoodi Bohra community it is used to refer to members of the community.

The Herald ofGood Tidings


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to lead prayers in Surat while he led them in Mumbai. The Mumineen of Surat rejoiced at this news knowing full well that his presence was equal to that of Syedna Taher Saifuddin’s RA. So exalted was the 52nd Dai’s status in the service of his beloved father.

On the eve of Tuesday, the 23rd of the holy month of Ramadan, 1365/20th August, 1946 — the night known as Lailat al-Qadr — Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS came into this world and beheld the radiant countenance of his illustrious father. As is tradition, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA requested Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA to bless his newborn child with a name. The 51st Dai instead asked his beloved son to suggest what he would prefer as a name to which he responded, ‘Whatever Syedna wishes to fadl (bestow)’.

From left to right, the 51st, 52nd and 53rd Duat Mutlaqeen of the Dawoodi Bohra community: Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA and Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS.


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Accordingly, Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA sent a piece of paper in which he had written the name ‘Aali Qadr Mufaddal’.

The Arabic name ‘Mufaddal’ is derived from the word fadl

The name Aali Qadr Mufaddal and its numerical value, 1365, underneath it in the blessed handwriting of Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA.

which, amongst its many meanings, refers to pre-eminence and preference. ‘Mufaddal’, thus, means ‘one of pre-eminence’, ‘one of many virtues’ and ‘one who has been preferred over others’, while Aali Qadr means ‘one of lofty status’. Together, they both equal 1365, the year of Syedna’s TUS birth, according to the Abjad numeral system which assigns each letter of the Arabic alphabet a numeric value. The 51st Dai and 52nd Dai both foresaw illustriousness in the future of the newborn and named him accordingly. The significance of the night of his birth, the precise choice of name and the consonance between the year of birth and the numeric value of the name were indications that foretold of the blessed newborn’s greatness.


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From left to right, the 51st, 52nd and 53rd Duat Mutlaqeen of the Dawoodi Bohra community: Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA and Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS.


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Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA and Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA on the occasion of the former’s 75th milad mubarak.


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I t is a tradition that can be traced back to the earliest prophets in which the faithful, upon reaching adolescence, pledge

allegiance to Allah’s representative on earth through a sacred covenant known as the misaq. The practice of administering this oath of allegiance is referenced in the Quran in over 70 places and has been documented in historical Fatimi and non-Fatimi sources which detail its form and content, both of which are closely adhered to today. Upon giving or entering the misaq — which entails accepting to abide by a series of obligations regarding religious practice, doctrines and allegiance to the Imam and Dai — an individual is officially considered as having entered the fold of the Dawoodi Bohra community. A Dawoodi Bohra’s first misaq is a seminal life-event and is often referred to as the day of his or her spiritual birth and passage into adulthood.1

In 1379/1960, Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA celebrated his 75th milad mubarak. In his years at the helm of the community’s leadership, he had succeeded in consolidating the Dawat and had successfully overcome multiple challenges. However, his greatest achievement was the appointment of his successor, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA in 1352/1933, who had taken up a key advisory position besides his beloved father,

1. The day of Eid Ghadir Khum is the primary annual event for the first misaq as well as community-wide misaqrenewal ceremonies. In a location known as Ghadir Khum, the Prophet Mohammed SAW announced his appointment of Maulana Ali b. Abi Talib AS as his successor before a congregation of 70,000 Muslims, requiring them to pledge their allegiance to Maulana Ali AS. Thus, the day is associated with loyalty and fidelity.

Spiritual Emergence: Misaq


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assisting him in all his endeavours for the betterment of the Dawat and its followers.

At this momentous juncture in history, the misaq of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS was solemnized in Mumbai. Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA conducted the future 53rd Dai’s misaq ceremony on the day of his 75th milad mubarak in Mumbai’s grand and historic Saifee Masjid. Thousands of community members travelled to Mumbai to participate in the celebratory events, and those who could not, attended local community centres where gatherings were held to mark the occasion. The occasion was also marked by the launch of a number of projects for the well-being and betterment of the community. The confluence of both events was no less than providential for it would be this future Dai whose upliftment of the community in later years would prove to be unprecedented in its scope and impact. As his birth and misaq indicated, the Dawoodi Bohra community from the very beginning celebrated milestones in the 53rd Dai’s pious life with fervour and enthusiasm.


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Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA conducting the misaq of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS in Mumbai in 1379/1960.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS seeking the blessings of his respected father, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA, following his misaq.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS seeking the blessings of his respected grandfather, Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA, following his misaq.


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Three short years later in 1382/1963, the year which marked Syedna Taher Saifuddin’s RA golden jubilee as the 51st Dai

and head of the community, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS reached another milestone at the age of seventeen. On the eve of his 78th milad mubarak, Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA elevated Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS to the high rank of haddiyyat in Saifee Masjid, Mumbai, and presented his young grandson with a special shawl. Haddiyyat, derived from the Arabic word hadd1 refers to receiving a rank and entails a formal inclusion within the hierarchy of the Dawat.

Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin’s TUS haddiyyat at the age of seventeen is of historic significance. When Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA raised his own son and successor, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA, to this rank, he too was seventeen years old. He remarked that his predecessor, the 50th Dai, Syedna Abdullah Badruddin RA, bestowed him with haddiyyat when he was seventeen years old as well. The 51st, the 52nd and the 53rd Duat Mutlaqeen, three generations of son after father, were all raised to the rank of haddiyyat at the same age.

Following his haddiyyat, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA presented his shahzada with a priceless manuscript of a haqiqat2 1. A hadd (pl. hudud) is a term used for a high-ranking functionary of Dawat.2. Haqiqat: the absolute truths that govern cosmological and eschatological order. In the Fatimi faith it is considered one of the highest ranks of knowledge to which only the deserving, through years of previous study and dedicated practice, gain access to.

‘A Towering Bough of Loftiness’: Haddiyyat


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text. This manuscript contained a handwritten inscription indicating Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin’s RA great pride in his eminent son:

To the most beloved son, the one of auspicious rank, a shining star; one whose noble character and praiseworthy etiquettes shine like a priceless jewel:

Mufaddal bhai

By the Will of Allah, may he remain in the garden of Dawat a fragrant flower; a towering bough of loftiness.

The Arabic inscription inside the haqiqat manuscript gifted by Syedna Burhanuddin RA to Syedna Saifuddin TUS.


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Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA boarded the train departing from Mumbai towards the hill station of Matheran on 12th Rajab

al-Asabb, 1385/5th November, 1965, for what would be his final journey in this temporal world. Prior to the train’s departure, the grandson of ‘lofty status’ had the privilege of kissing his Dai’s hands and feet. Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA placed his hand upon his grandson’s back and instructed him to ‘remain ever-present in the service of the Dawat’.

Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA passed away on the eve of Friday, the 19th of Rajab al-Asab, 1385/12th November, 1965, at the age of 80. The departure was so sudden and its impact so great, that the entire community was consumed by a grief not seen in over half a century. For 53 years the Dawoodi Bohra community had known no other leader. In these most trying of times, a soothing call came from Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA. He addressed those who had gathered at Saifee Mahal to mourn the loss of their benevolent father. His consoling words, ‘for you, the 52nd Dai is here!’ served as the single greatest source of solace for their inexpressible grief; the salve they so desperately needed. His resoluteness and fortitude while overseeing the burial of his respected father in the hallowed precincts that would later be known as Raudat Tahera, and all throughout the mourning period, conveyed to his adherents that he would continue to lead them with the same grace, wisdom and foresight as his

A Great Loss


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predecessor. With resolve and vigour he followed in the footsteps of his esteemed father, ensuring that the Dawat’s traditions and practices continued as before. By his side, aiding him in all his efforts was his eminent successor, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS.


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Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA consoling Mumineen at Saifee Mahal, Mumbai, following the passing of Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA .


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The janaza mubaraka (sacred funerary bier) of Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA making its way from Saifee Mahal to Raudat Tahera.


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A Seamless TransitionOver a period of 53 years, the 51st Dai had honed an

administrative mechanism for the functioning of Dawat and the management of its waqf and trusts while simultaneously forging a strong personal bond with his followers across the world. Upon his passing, the community looked to Syedna Burhanuddin RA for this same rare combination of skill and personal charisma. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA brought these virtues to bear and ensured an utterly seamless transition. Immediately after the 51st Dai’s passing and for decades to follow, members of the community who found themselves in the presence of Syedna Burhanuddin RA continued to witness the sagacity, fortitude and warmth of the 51st Dai.

Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA, cognizant of the need for the purity of both the soul and mind of the follower, encouraged and fostered loyalty and honesty in belief and action — and the community responded. As followers of the Fatimi faith, they became increasingly aware of their religious responsibilities and the civic and social duties such religious observance obligated. They strove to live a purposeful life which sought fulfilment and satisfaction through concern and care for others which ultimately secured comfort and well-being for themselves as well.

At the forefront of all of Syedna Burhanuddin’s RA initiatives was Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS. Ever-ready in the service


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of his eminent father, together, these two august personalities saw that the community of adherents entered the 15th century Hijra with a renewed sense of social identity grounded firmly in Fatimi values. Throughout this transformative time, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS endeavoured to remove the obstacles that sought to hinder the implementation of his father’s wishes. His contributions complemented and completed the successive array of achievements that were to become the hallmarks of the 52nd Dai’s era.


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Raudat Tahera, the mausoleum designed and constructed by Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA as the final

resting place for his respected father, represents Syedna Taher Saifuddin’s RA life and symbolizes his contributions to the Dawat and the Dawoodi Bohra community. The 52nd Dai’s vision was for the building to be a simple, elegant structure, clad in white marble, that incorporated decorative elements and inscriptions inspired by Fatimi monuments. On the four walls of the mausoleum Syedna Burhanuddin RA had the entire Quran inscribed and gilded. It is the only structure in the Islamic world to have this distinction. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA laid the foundation stone for Raudat Tahera on 27th Zilqaʿda, 1385/18th March, 1966, the day of Syedna Taher Saifuddin’s RA birth anniversary. The night before, on the eve of this hallowed day, the 52nd Dai bestowed upon his successor, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS the laqab, or title, ‘Saifuddin’, evoking the memory of his two namesakes amongst the Duat Mutlaqeen AS. The first being Syedna Abdeali Saifuddin RA, the 43rd Dai, and the second and more vivid in the hearts and minds of the community being Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA himself.

With the construction of the structure nearing completion, on 19th Rabiʿ al-Awwal, 1390/24th May, 1970, Syedna Mohammed

Raudat Tahera


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Burhanuddin RA directed his successor to ascend to the top of the dome and place upon the apex its crowning element: the finial. In this way, the 53rd Dai is closely associated with both the foundation of Raudat Tahera as well as its completion. In the very same year, the 53rd Dai presented the 52nd Dai with a model of Raudat Tahera made out of pure silver as a tribute to his construction of this great Islamic monument.

Approximately 35 years after the inauguration of Raudat Tahera in 1395/1975, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA undertook a comprehensive restoration and renovation of the venerated mausoleum as part of his centennial milad celebrations. On the day of the 51st Dai’s death anniversary in 1432/2011, the 52nd Dai inaugurated the newly renovated mausoleum, and during the same auspicious event, publicly proclaimed Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS as his successor in the presence of thousands of community members. The historical association between Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS and Raudat Tahera shows that the grandson is eternally linked to his grandfather and through him the 51st Dai would be always be remembered and his legacy upheld.

On 19th Rabiʿ al-Awwal, 1390/24th May, 1970, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS placed the finial atop the dome of Raudat Tahera heralding the completion of another milestone in this monumental undertaking.


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Syedna Saifuddin TUS presented a model of Raudat Tahera to Syedna Burhanuddin RA in 1390/1970.


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I t is tradition that upon assuming the position of Dai, the Syedna confers a laqab (title) upon each of his sons. In

1385/1966, the year of the 51st Dai’s sad passing and on the auspicious eve of his birth anniversary, the 52nd Dai conferred upon his beloved successor the same laqab of Saifuddin that was conferred upon both his eminent father and the illustrious 43rd Dai, Syedna Abdeali Saifuddin RA. Prior to conferring the laqab, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA stated:

Today, in this gathering in which we remember Syedna Taher Saifuddin and recall his bounties, I bestow upon my radiant son, Mufaddal the laqab ‘Saifuddin’.

Both community heads bearing the title Saifuddin, the 43rd and 51st, are renowned for their defense against those with mal-intent for the Dawat. They are also both seen as pioneers of intellectual movements that saw the production of unparalleled levels of scholarship in the community. In addition to their academic and intellectual contributions, both undertook the task of organizing the Dawat’s administrative departments to meet the requirements and demands of the age.

The love of the 52nd Dai for both his father and his followers was so great that he ensured that the blessings of Syedna Saifuddin RA, through his namesake, continued to grace the community even

The Laqab ‘Saifuddin’


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after the 51st Dai’s passing. It was also on this same auspicious occasion that the 52nd Dai conferred upon his eminent son the title of Thiqat al-Dawat al-Tayyibiyya (The Trusted of the Tayyibi Dawat), one of the highest titles bestowed by the Dai upon any member of the Dawoodi Bohra community.


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Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA solemnized the nikah of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS in Surat, India, on 20th Shaʿban, 1388/10th November, 1968. The engagement ceremony had previously taken place in Mumbai on 11th Zilhijja al-Haram, 1385/1st April, 1966.


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Syedna Burhanuddin RA celebrated the wedding of Syedna Saifuddin TUS in Surat in Shawwal, 1389/January, 1970. Invitations were conveyed to all members of the Dawoodi Bohra community through Syedna’s RA secretariat. Over 12,000 Mumineen attended the wedding with Syedna RA personally ensuring that their stay in Surat was a comfortable one. Mumineen were received at the station, escorted to their accommodation and served all three meals throughout their stay. A chartered train from Mumbai was also arranged.


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A wedding reception was held at Saifee Mahal, Mumbai, on 6th Zilqaʿda, 1389/13th January, 1970, which was attended by the Governor of Maharashtra, Nawab Ali Yawar Jung, and the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Vasantrao Naik, as well as other prominent members of society.


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From the outset, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA was well aware of the greatness of his son. He thus ensured that

his education was in a manner keeping in line with his position and future role. Of Syedna Taher Saifuddin’s RA involvement in the upbringing of his children, Syedna Burhanuddin RA had the following to say:

I am grateful to my beloved father, Syedna Taher Saifuddin, for grooming my children and placing them under his care just as he had placed me; he [further] honoured me by appointing me as his successor. His compassion and benevolence were far-reaching. He treated my children with generosity and kindness, elevating them in stature and standing.

In Fatimi theology, of all the roles a Dai is to fulfil, none is more important than the preparation and grooming of his successor. Apart from formal modes of education, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS was educated by experience. He remained by his father’s side throughout most of his travels and therefore witnessed first-hand Syedna Burhanuddin’s RA management of Dawat affairs, his resolution of the issues affecting the ever-expanding Dawoodi Bohra diaspora and the solutions he provided to the challenges presented by a rapidly modernizing world. The 52nd Dai worked tirelessly for the Dawoodi Bohra

Learning to Serve


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community, as well as for the causes of the Muslim umma and humanity at large. This passion and dedication manifested itself equally in Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin’s TUS august personage.

The Holy Quran is the source of all knowledge. Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS commenced his recitation of this sacred text in Saifee Villa, Colombo, during the tenure of Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA. His early childhood years were spent in the tutelage of his respected grandfather and father until he graced the community’s premier academic institute, Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah. In his final year, in 1389/1969, after an extraordinary viva voce examination in which he answered questions regarding his respected father’s historic travels to North Africa, Syedna Saifuddin TUS graduated with the al-Faqih al-Jayyid (The Distinguished Jurist) degree. Two years later in 1391/1971, on the day of his milad mubarak, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA conferred upon him the institute’s second-highest degree, an honour reserved for the Dawat’s most distinguished scholars: al-ʿAleem al-Baariʿ (The Outstanding Scholar).

After graduating from Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah in Surat, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA arranged a multi-faceted education programme for his son and successor that would befit his nobility and the regality of the Fatimi Imams he was to represent. From 1392/1972 to 1398/1978, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS benefitted from a tailored tutelage programme in al-Qahira, the city known as ‘The Mother of the World’. Al-Qahira’s importance as a centre for learning and culture in the Muslim world is second to none and its significance in Fatimi history and the Dawat is unparalleled. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA was keen that the city founded by the Fatimi Imams have an impact on Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin’s TUS education and outlook and thus arranged for a study programme that involved scholars from some of al-Qahira’s most renowned educational institutions. The prolific author and General Secretary of the Egyptian Ministry of Religious Endowments’ Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs, Dr Mohammed Tawfiq ʿUwaydah; the


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President of Al-Azhar University and Minister of Religious Endowments, the renowned Shaikh Ahmed Hasan al-Baquri; and the Palestinian author Ishaq Musa al-Husayni, who taught at the American University of Beirut, the American University in Cairo and the Arab League’s Institute for Arab Studies, were just some of the prominent academics who Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS interacted with.

Syedna’s TUS time in al-Qahira provided an ideal and immersive environment for the further development of Arabic language proficiency and also offered additional opportunities to study Arabic literature and Islamic history. His personal, one-on-one interactions were combined with access to lectures and seminars at Al-Azhar University and other major institutions. As the home of countless treasures from the Fatimi period, al-Qahira also enhanced his profound insight into, and appreciation of, the meanings and symbolism of Fatimi art and architecture. In time, he became known as al-Amir Mufaddal and came to represent his respected father in academic and political circles. Syedna’s TUS broad-mindedness, empathy for Muslim causes, ability to reach out to all creeds and communities and desire to preserve Islamic tradition, culture and thought are reflections of the time he spent in al-Qahira.

Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA and Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS with Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia in 1381/1961.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS with the deputy prime minister of Egypt, Syed Mohammed Hassan al-Touhami in 1394/1974.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS with King Faisal of Saudi Arabia in 1388/1969.


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In the wake of the vandalism to Maulatona al-Hurra al-Malika’s RA zarih mubarak, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS met with Dr Abdul-Rahman Al-Haddad, a senior Yemeni government official responsible for heritage preservation and former UNESCO representative, to collaborate on the protection of Yemen’s sacred, historic sites.


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Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA and Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS with Begum Khaleda Zia, Prime Minister of Bangladesh in 1412/1992.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS with the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in 1436/2014.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS with the President of Madagascar, Mr Hery Rajaonarimampianina in 1435/2014. Syedna TUS was awarded the Grand-Croix de Ceuxième Classe in Madagascar on 25th Shaʿban 1435/23rd June 2014.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS with the President of Kenya, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta in 1438/2017. The president awarded Syedna TUS the Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS with the President of Tanzania, Mr John Magufuli in 1438/2016.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS with the President of Uganda, Mr Yoweri Museveni in 1439/2018.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS with the President of Singapore, Ms Halimah Yacob in 1439/2018.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS calling upon the Emir of Kuwait, Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in 1440/2018.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS with the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi in 1440/2018.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS with the President of Pakistan, Dr Arif Alvi in 1440/2019.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain in 1440/2018.


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Yemen has been referred to in the Holy Quran as the ‘pure land’ (34:15). It is a region which, since the time of Prophet

Mohammed SAW, has been the abode of the faithful and, as is mandated, will always remain so. Following the transfer of the seat of Dawat from Yemen to present-day India, Mumineen residing in Yemen endured many hardships in the form of persecution at the hands of various rulers as well as suppression at the hands of dissidents within the community. For many years, the Yemeni community was prevented from any significant contact with the central administration of the Dai in India. This period of hardship finally ceased when Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA visited Yemen in 1381/1961 at the behest of his respected father, the 51st Dai. During this historic journey, he looked into the community’s affairs, provided much-needed guidance and conveyed to them his father’s benedictions. With the community predominantly residing in the mountainous region of Haraz, approximately 100 kilometres south-west of Sana’a, it remained the focal point of his visit. Haraz was, and continues to be, the centre of the Dawoodi Bohra community in Yemen. It is here that many of the community’s venerated mausolea are found, including that of the highly revered 3rd Dai, Syedna Hatim Mohyiddin RA, who migrated to this region in the 6th/12th century. Over the course of the following four centuries, Duat Mutlaqeen RA intermittently graced Haraz with their

Aqeeq al-Yaman:The Auspicious Jewel


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presence, taking up residence in mountain forts and establishing them as centres of the Dawat.

In his first trip to Yemen, the 52nd Dai reaffirmed the bond between community members in Yemen and the leadership in India, especially the Dai and his successor. Throughout this historic journey, he created lasting relationships with local community and government leaders in an effort to promote intrafaith respect and cooperation. Alongside his work with the community, the 52nd Dai authenticated the burial places of many of the Duat Mutlaqeen RA in Yemen as well as other historical locations. One cannot fully encapsulate the transformation ushered in by his tireless efforts made further extraordinary by the relatively short duration of the visit. The profound impact of this visit, its role in revitalizing the Yemeni community and its indication of the great heights they were to scale at the hands of the 52nd Dai, led Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA to confer upon his successor the title of Mansur al-Yaman (The One Divinely Aided in Yemen) upon his return to India.

The 53rd Dai accompanied his predecessor on this very first trip in 1381/1961 and on all subsequent visits to Yemen. He personally witnessed how the 52nd Dai conducted himself, won over the hearts of community members and awakened them from their torpor. These very acts and qualities would become the defining aspects of his own engagement with them during his noble father’s tenure and thereafter.

The founding of the Yemen Arab Republic, shortly after this historic visit in 1381/1961, afforded some protection for religious minorities. For the Dawoodi Bohras of Yemen, this newfound freedom ushered in an age in which the community would once more flourish in the region. The socially-conscious community quickly allied itself with Yemen’s many state-led public initiatives. The first glad tidings of this new age took the form of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin’s TUS first independent journey to Yemen in 1391/1971, after he had led the hajj pilgrimage the previous year.


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After delivering the initial ʿAshara Mubaraka sermons1 of 1391/1971 in Madina Munawwara, the 53rd Dai travelled to Imam Husain’s AS mausoleum in Karbala al-Muʿalla on the 5th of Muharram, 1391/2nd March, 1971, where he delivered the remaining sermons. In his own sermon on the blessed day of ʿAshura2, the 52nd Dai informed Mumineen gathered before him in Kolkata that his successor was in Karbala:

My radiant son, Mufaddal, I believe is in Karbala. He had expressed a desire to observe ʿ Ashura in Karbala so that he may recall Imam Husain’s martyrdom while paying homage at his zarih mubarak3.

From Karbala, the 53rd Dai proceeded to al-Najaf al-Ashraf on the 16th of Muharram where he spent the next four days at Amir al-Mumineen Maulana Ali’s AS zarih mubarak in prayer and supplication. On 23rd Muharram, after his final ziyarat4 at Karbala he arrived in Aden from where he departed for Sana’a on the 25th of the same month. Providence had ensured that the 53rd Dai would take a route similar to the one travelled by his respected father during his visit to Yemen in 1381/1961.

In a missive informing the Yemeni community of the mandate given to his son, the 52nd Dai referred to Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS as ‘one of angelic traits’, and lauded his noble character, superior etiquette and pre-eminence. It should be noted that the 51st Dai used these very four attributes in praise of the 52nd Dai while narrating his appointment as his successor in 1352/1933. These four attributes have not been used for anyone but the 52nd Dai and the 53rd Dai in recent history.

During his visit to Yemen, the 53rd Dai looked into the temporal and spiritual affairs of the community. It did not take long for the people of Yemen to see in him the same aura and warmth 1. A series of ten sermons delivered during the first ten days of the new Hijri calendar year in commemoration of Imam Husain’s AS martyrdom. 2. The 10th of Muharram, the day of Imam Husain’s AS martyrdom. 3. A zarih in Arabic is commonly used to refer to a grave or tomb. Within the Dawoodi Bohra community, the term is more specifically used to refer to ornamental enclosures usually constructed of precious materials surrounding the graves of pious leaders and saints. The word mubarak, or blessed, accompanies the term because of the reverence associated with the grave and the individual interred therein. 4. Ziyarat refers to the practice of paying respects at the graves of the deceased, particularly members of the Prophet’s SAW family as well as saints and other pious individuals.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS during the annual hajj in 1390/1971.

of personality they had seen in his father. He made it a point to visit the homes of individual followers and provide guidance and counsel to each one of them. The sea-change that this visit was destined to bring about was foretold by the rainfall that descended from the heavens upon whichever village the 53rd Dai graced. The rains, commonly associated with the Lord’s mercy in Islamic lore, symbolized how after years of aridity the merciful sustenance needed to nourish the hearts and minds of the Yemeni community had finally arrived.

While in Yemen, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS laid the foundation for a new mausoleum for Syedna Hatim RA on Friday, 29th Muharram, 1391/26th March, 1971. Syedna Burhanuddin RA had wished to reconstruct the mausoleum and stated that the original intent to rebuild the mausoleum was of his eminent father, Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA. During discussions in Kolkata regarding the logistics of the mausoleum’s


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construction, it was suggested to the 52nd Dai to first build a road leading to Hutaib Mubarak so that it may facilitate the movement of the heavy materials required for the mausoleum’s construction. However, Syedna Burhanuddin RA insisted that the mausoleum was to be constructed first. He then declared that the renewed mausoleum’s ‘blessings would make possible all other development’, including the construction of the road. The 51st Dai’s intent and the 52nd Dai’s efforts and plans were brought to fruition by the actions and leadership of their successor, the 53rd Dai.

These two consequential journeys by the 52nd Dai and the 53rd Dai, the former’s in 1381/1961 and the latter’s in 1391/1971, had taken place ten years apart. Both undertook their journeys to Yemen at the behest of their designators. Upon Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin’s TUS return to Mumbai he was received at the airport by the 52nd Dai in the same manner that the 52nd Dai himself had been received by his predecessor at the Surat railway station upon returning from his historic journey. The occasion

Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS during his first independent visit to Yemen in 1391/1971.


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was of such significance that a missive was issued by Syedna Burhanuddin’s RA secretariat directing community members to travel to Mumbai to be part of this memorable event.

The ultimate parallel between these two visits to Yemen is the title each successor was given by his predecessor upon his return. On the eve of Prophet Mohammed’s SAW milad mubarak, corresponding to 6th May, 1971, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA conferred upon Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS the title of Aqeeq al-Yaman, just as he himself had been honoured by his noble predecessor, the 51st Dai, with the title of Mansur al-Yaman. The conferrals reveal the historical link between both visits, the relationship between both sets of predecessor and successor and the role of all three personages in safeguarding the legacy of the Duat Mutlaqeen RA in Yemen and protecting the community that resides there.

Aqeeq refers to carnelian, a prized stone which in Islamic sources is described as having propitious effects for its possessor. Among the different types of carnelian, the Yemeni variant is held in high regard and coveted over others. Mansur, as mentioned above, translates to one who has been provided divine assistance. The phrasing of these two titles suggests that both the 52nd Dai and 53rd Dai were recognized by their predecessors as having profoundly impacted the Yemeni community by providing them with divine assistance and helping them realize their true value by reminding them of their rich, long-standing history and importance in Dawat.

The 52nd Dai narrated these events in his annual missive to the Yemeni community issued that year and expressed his joy and jubilation at his beloved son’s numerous accomplishments:

The radiant son, Mufaddal bhai Saifuddin, after fulfilling the obligation of hajj and other pilgrimages, arrived in Yemen. His arrival was redolent with glad tidings since we had instructed him to lay the foundation for the mausoleum of Syedna Hatim


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Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA welcoming Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS upon his return from Yemen in 1391/1971.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS offering his respects to Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA after a historic visit to Yemen in 1391/1971.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS being felicitated by Shahzada Hatim bhaisaheb Hamiduddin QR upon his return from Yemen in 1391/1971.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS being felicitated by the present Mukasir al-Dawat, Syedi Qaidjohar bhaisaheb Ezzuddin DM, upon his return from Yemen in 1391/1971.


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Mohyiddin RA...He delighted Mumineen by visiting them in their villages and guided them with his discourses and wise counsel. Then, when my beloved son, delight of my eye, returned to me and displayed his unwavering dedication, I — in his honour and in recognition of his praiseworthy endeavours — bestowed upon him the title, Aqeeq al-Yaman.

The efforts of the 52nd Dai and the 53rd Dai ensured that the Mumineen of Yemen remained steadfast in their faith. However, ominous seeds of dissent had still managed to take hold in the hearts and minds of some. This was in part due to the fact that since the early years of the 51st Dai’s tenure, the Naʾib (deputy) of the Dai Mutlaq had himself become an instigator of dissent, having betrayed his oath of allegiance to the Dai and pledging it instead to the Zaidi Imam. Deeply troubled by his disloyalty and aware of his transgressions, Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA chose to delay any corrective measures to a more suitable time. While in Makka al-Mukarrama for hajj in 1355/1937, Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA summoned the Naʾib5 from Yemen and strongly reprimanded him for his actions.

Despite Syedna’s RA magnanimity, the Naʾib remained obstinate and continued to sow seeds of dissent, even after the passing of the 51st Dai in 1385/1965. Apart from maligning the Dai’s character, he actively deterred community members from adhering to the faith that the Duat Mutlaqeen AS had for generations fought to safeguard and preserve. It was becoming increasingly apparent that the Naʾib sought to consolidate his own authority detached from the leadership in India. Among his many baseless claims was one of the indigenous Yemenis being racially and ethnically superior to their South Asian brothers in faith. He used this divisive discourse to create a rift within the followers of the Dai and actively instructed his flock to disregard what he saw as lowly, ‘Indian’ religious customs. The Naʾib ignored the Dai’s missives and directives and often failed to even 5. This Naʾib was not the Naʾib later removed from office by Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA in 1391/1971, but his father who preceded him.


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convey them at all. In such trying times, it was the seeds of love sowed by the 52nd Dai and the 53rd Dai that kept the community together.

Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA sent his successor to Yemen again that very same year (1391/1971), primarily to assist in the explanation and subsequent execution of a new dastur al-ʿamal, or constitution, which he had issued for the people of Yemen. The dastur was meant to revive the traditions, beliefs and customs of the Fatimi faith which were under threat because of the Naʾib’s treacherous leadership. Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS reached Aden on 13th Shaʿban, 1391/3rd October, 1971, and immediately took up the matter of implementing the directives outlined in the dastur. The issuing of the constitution had revealed the divisions within the community in Yemen: those that accepted the Dai’s authority embraced the code of conduct laid out by the new constitution, while those in whose hearts dissent had festered due to the influence of the Naʾib, claimed that the dastur was unacceptable and unnecessary, laying bare their disloyalty to the Dai. In this trip, Syedna Saifuddin TUS tactfully navigated the murky waters that had engulfed the Yemeni community, with his ultimate aim being to ensure that those whose hearts contained love for their Dai were protected and their souls salvaged. In a farsighted decision, one that led to perhaps one of the most decisive moments in the community’s recent history in Yemen, the 53rd Dai chose to only visit the homes of those who had accepted the constitution, without openly condemning the dissent of those who were unwilling.

Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin’s TUS bold actions drove the dissidents to open confrontation; their hypocrisy had lay hidden until now. Along with verbal assaults against the Dai and his emissary, they also attempted physical attacks. One individual brandished a handgun at Syedna Saifuddin TUS, while another threatened him with a dagger. The 53rd Dai, however, is not susceptible to intimidation. Having judged his impudence, he told the man to fire if he dared. At that instant, a Yemeni Mumin quickly


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disarmed the agitator and opened the chamber to find that it was indeed fully loaded. The gravity of this offence led Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS to direct the man who had threatened him to repent for his sins. If not, he would head to the sacred grave of Syedna Hatim RA and pray that Allah punish him for his transgression. With the agitator showing no remorse, Syedna Saifuddin TUS proceeded to the mausoleum and just as he placed his head upon the blessed grave, the man met his retribution: he and his group of co-conspirators were apprehended for an unrelated incident.

In the immediate aftermath of these events, the 53rd Dai called the Naʾib to Hutaib Mubarak as well as the Dai’s representative in Sana’a. The naʾib reached Hutaib Mubarak while Syedna Saifuddin TUS was inside the mausoleum of Syedna Hatim RA. Upon seeing him, the 53rd Dai declared:

My respected father has informed me that you are nothing more than a munafiq6. You sent your cousin to have me killed! By Allah, we do not fear death; many of our forefathers have given their lives for our cause!

Syedna Saifuddin TUS returned to Mumbai two weeks later and proceeded to Borivali station from the airport. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA was returning from Surat by train, and instead of waiting at Saifee Mahal, Syedna Saifuddin TUS joined him at Borivali in the city’s suburbs, accompanying him on the remainder of his journey back home. He informed his respected father about the resistance he faced, the root causes of turmoil and the Naʾib’s negative influence, reconfirming everything Syedna Burhanuddin RA had already concluded.

Two days after the 53rd Dai’s return from Yemen, on 27th Shaʿban/17th October, 1971, at Badri Mahal in Mumbai, the 52nd Dai announced he was removing the Naʾib from his

6. Munafiq is a term found in the Holy Quran and refers to a dissembler or hypocrite.


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position as representative of the Dai with immediate effect7. He made it clear that his decision was beyond reconsideration and only suggestions pertaining to the swift implementation of this directive be proffered. The events that unfolded during Syedna Saifuddin’s TUS journey brought about a watershed moment in the history of the Yemeni community. Never before had a naʾib been removed from office. Considering the Maʿzul’s political connections, the support of his clansmen, the tribal structure of the Harazi hinterland as well as the community’s fragility and susceptibility to dissident deception, the potential consequences of his removal were grave. However, Syedna Burhanuddin RA had determined that the community’s true welfare and salvation demanded no other course of action. The 52nd Dai could no longer see his beloved followers being so willfully misled, especially when his successor and son was able and willing to take up the difficult task of ridding Yemen of its ills and guiding its Mumineen. Although the Maʿzul’s malfeasance had taken hold among many, the tireless efforts of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA and Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS would fully restore the faith and integrity of the Yemeni community in a short time.

Over the course of multiple visits, the 53rd Dai reconnected the people of Yemen to their Islamic Fatimi heritage. He was unwavering in his efforts to ensure the adoption of the new constitution sent by the 52nd Dai that sought to restore the community’s Islamic values and traditions. Prime among them was an emphasis on the core practices of the sharia which had become increasingly neglected over the years. Even the community’s defining practice, lamentation upon the martyrdom of Imam Husain SA, had been belittled and disregarded. Within a short span of time, however, this act of remembrance and mourning, like many other practices which had been forsaken, once again became an integral part of their lives.

In tandem with religious observances, social norms changed

7. Henceforth, the Naʾib will be referred to as Maʿzul, i.e. one removed from position.


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for the better. Vices that had hampered the development of the community such as the cultivation and use of qat and the convention of demanding and paying exorbitant dowries were strongly discouraged. Over the years, qat terraces were replaced with lush coffee plantations and various other agribusiness ventures took root including bee farming and animal husbandry. Certain aspects of the ancient tribal structure that had long been responsible for disunity and disagreement slowly disintegrated as the community came together under the Dai’s leadership. As a result, Harazi society grew more receptive, kind-hearted and broad-minded while also enjoying drastically improved standards of living. The 52nd Dai and the 53rd Dai wholly transformed the landscape and infrastructure of the region along with its social fabric.

In 1402/1981, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA began the process of renovating the masjid of the first Dai, Syedna Zoeb b. Musa RA, at Huth. In his yearly missive to Yemen (1406/1986), while recalling its reconstruction, the bulk of which concluded in 1404/1984, Syedna Burhanuddin RA states:

This masjid, which is known as Jamiʿ al-Saumaʿa, was in a derelict state; its roof had fallen, its pillars had crumbled and its walls had weakened to the extent that many of them had collapsed. The majority of its arches had fallen and its colonnades lay in ruins. This masjid remained neglected for some time and due to the accumulation of dirt and pullulating thorny plants, prayers ceased to be conducted within it… The fine features of the mihrab had withered away and a portion of it had fallen altogether. However, by the grace of Allah, enough had survived to allow for its revival and restoration to its former glory.

The task of reconstructing the mihrab was challenging for it required meticulous skill, knowledge and an expertise in architectural restoration. I am grateful to Allah for providing me with this opportunity and


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aiding me in its restoration. With Allah’s exalted blessings, it now shines as it had originally. I sent my radiant son, the shining star of heavenly nobility, the bright star of celestial excellence, Mufaddal Saifuddin to observe and inspect what has been completed of this undertaking. He reached there and was pleased with what he saw: that Allah had granted our wishes and fulfilled our desires.

In 1414/1994, the zarih mubarak of Maulatona al-Hurra al-Malika Arwa bt. Ahmed RA, the Sulayhi Queen of Yemen, was vandalized and damaged in Zi Jibla, Yemen. Syedna Burhanuddin RA sent Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS to oversee its reconstruction. Syedna RA writes:

I sent my dear, radiant son, Mufaddal Saifuddin, from al-Qahira to Yemen to discuss with the authorities the matter of constructing anew what had been damaged. They welcomed him and accepted my proposal. Work has commenced, all praise be to Allah, the Exalted. The desecrators failed in their schemes, for Allah is the ‘Doer of what He wills’. I pray that Allah sees to the completion of all aspects of the construction work as soon as possible.

In 1423/2002, Syedna Burhanuddin RA celebrated his 91st milad mubarak in Hutaib Mubarak. On that day, Syedna RA declared his intent to build anew the mausoleum of Syedna Hatim RA, as a scaled replica of Raudat Tahera, and proceeded with the foundation laying ceremony. From its foundation to its completion in 1428/2007, the construction of this new mausoleum, as well as that of the 18th Dai, Syedna Ali Shamsuddin RA in Shariqa, Haraz, was overseen by Syedna Saifuddin TUS.

In 1431/2010, while Syedna Saifuddin TUS was in Zimarmar, a miracle of the Duat Mutlaqeen AS was revealed, as stated by Syedna Burhanuddin RA:

My radiant son, Aqeeq al-Yaman, Mufaddal


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Saifuddin reached Zimarmar accompanied by a large number of Mumineen. He led them in afternoon prayers following which he recited verses in praise of Allah’s beloved and supplicated to them. He then began clearing stones that lay nearby and from underneath, the [hitherto unknown] blessed graves of hudud revealed themselves. He demarcated the locations of these blessed graves and gave instructions that new graves be constructed as soon as possible. He conveyed this news to me and sought my permission. I was delighted by this news and gave my consent, praying that Allah ensure this undertaking is completed safely and surely.

For many years, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA had endeavoured to rebuild a mausoleum upon the sacred grave of the 19th Dai, Syedna Idris Imaduddin RA, and rebuild a masjid adjacent to it. Located atop Shibam, a military outpost and one of the highest peaks in Haraz, the opportunity did not arrive until 1423/2002 when Syedna Burhanuddin RA laid the foundation stones for the masjid and mausoleum, with work seeing completion eight years later. The construction work at Shibam was uniquely challenging. The military officers stationed there were apprehensive of a public monument being erected in such close proximity to their outpost. There was also a dispute among local tribes regarding which tribe’s jurisdiction the mausoleum fell under. Securing the necessary governmental and military permissions as well as fulfilling tribal demands were not the only obstacles that needed to be overcome. Negotiating the logistics of constructing a masjid and mausoleum nearly 3000 metres above sea level came with its own set of problems. None of them, however, deterred the 53rd Dai, who had been tasked with the project, from fulfilling the wishes of his respected father who referred to this achievement in his missive to community members in Yemen:

On the 8th of Rajab, 1431 (19th June, 2010), I offered


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ziyarat at the zarih mubarak of Imam Husain [in al-Qahira]... On that day, glad tidings came from the favoured land of Yemen. As per my directives, my radiant and blessed son, Aali Qadr Mufaddal Saifuddin, Aqeeq al-Yaman, had travelled there to inspect the [on-going] construction work at Syedna Idris Imaduddin’s mausoleum. He placed the musalla (the uppermost part of the revered grave) in its place and perfumed it with the finest of ʿoud8.

After offering his respects at the sacred tomb of the 18th Dai and other hudud in Shariqa, he participated in a qat eradication effort, uprooting a few of the impure trees with his own hands. His actions emphasized to Mumineen the trees’ harmfulness, heightening their awareness, and provided guidance to the discerning amongst our learned brothers.

Syedna Saifuddin TUS oversaw the construction of numerous masjids and mausolea in Yemen, each initiative revealing the foresight and prescience of Syedna Burhanuddin RA in directing that the construction of Syedna Hatim’s RA mausoleum be given precedence over all other works.

Of particular significance in the contemporary history of the transformation of the Yemeni Dawoodi Bohra community at the hands of the 52nd Dai and 53rd Dai is the arduous battle against qat, the narcotic plant which has stifled the economic and social development of Yemen for decades. In recent years, as a result of awareness campaigns targeted at local farmers and aided by volunteers from Mumineen all over the world, thousands of qat trees have been uprooted. It is testament to the untiring efforts of the 53rd Dai that as of his 75th milad mubarak this year, nearly all land owned by community members in Haraz is free from qat. The significance of this feat cannot be overstated, especially

8.ʿOud refers to what is commonly called agarwood or aloes wood. It is a dark, fragrant and resinous wood found in certain trees. The essential oil derived from it is used as a perfume and is highly valued by many cultures. In the Islamic tradition, it is especially important and is often used during various religious rites within the Dawoodi Bohra community.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS removing a qat tree in Shariqa, Haraz.

Coffee terraces in and around the village of Bani Murra. The removal of qat shrubs has improved the socio-economic prospects of the region (following spread).


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Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA laying the foundation stone for the mausoleum of Syedna Hatim RA in 1423/2002.


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when considering the widespread use of qat in Yemeni culture and its financial implications. Since its introduction to Yemen in the 9th/15th century, qat consumption has become ingrained in Yemeni culture and features in almost every social event. A staggering 90 percent of men in Yemen chew qat for up to three to four hours daily and its use is growing popular among women and children as well. Over half of an average house’s income goes towards meeting the needs of its consumption. Naturally, this has led to a large, nationwide industry promoting the cultivation and sale of qat as a cash-crop despite its damage to Yemen’s agriculture and draining of precious groundwater. Although many Yemenis are waking up to the evils of qat and more and more research is pointing to its long-term social, economic and health detriments, the 52nd Dai and 53rd Dai have been educating their followers about its ravaging effects, particularly on the community’s faith and beliefs, for over half a century. They have repeatedly emphasized that with the eradication of qat, other issues plaguing the community and Yemen at large would too dissipate. Their persistent efforts reached fruition in 1440/2018-9 when the Yemeni community, of their own accord, united for a final drive to extirpate the menace of qat from their lands.

In 1435/2014, shortly after the passing of the 52nd Dai, Mansur al-Yaman, the 53rd Dai, Aqeeq al-Yaman, visited the hallowed region he and his beloved father had long looked after. On his 53rd day as the 53rd Dai, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS inaugurated a masjid built in Hutaib Mubarak by his father and named it ‘Masjid Mansur al-Yaman’. The inauguration of this masjid was the first in his tenure as Dai, and signalled that the good fortune the community of believers residing in Arabia Felix9 had experienced in the preceding eras would continue. That same year, after nearly 400 years, Syedna Saifuddin TUS became the first Dai to observe the holy month of Ramadan in Yemen. During this same historic month, he became the first Dai ever to observe the blessed days and nights of a single holy

9. Arabia Felix (Fortunate Arabia): the Latin name for the region now known as Yemen. The name was coined by the ancient Romans due to the greater rainfall it received compared to other parts of the Arabian peninsula.


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month of Ramadan within the three regions where the Dawat is to always remain: Yemen, Sind and Hind. A fitting concurrence for a Dai who would go on to bring together these three regions and their faithful like never before.

The year of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin’s TUS 75th milad mubarak has witnessed epochal events that have illustrated the good fortune associated with Yemen and the Dawat in the tenure of Aqeeq al-Yaman. These events began with the publication of an epistle in 1439/2018 by Syedna Saifuddin TUS in which he detailed the history of the Dawat in Yemen and the efflorescence brought about by the efforts of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA. Continuing with this theme, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS based his sermons during ʿAshara Mubaraka 1440/2018 upon the names of places visited by Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA during his inaugural journey to Yemen in 1381/1961. Syedna TUS adhered to this theme post-ʿAshara as well, referencing other historic locations in his key sermons throughout the year.

In his sermon on the occasion of the fifth death anniversary of the 52nd Dai, which was centred upon the topic of Sana’a, the 53rd Dai revealed a recent archaeological discovery of great import for the community. He informed Mumineen the world over that the blessed graves of four Duat Mutlaqeen RA had been rediscovered within a small graveyard near Sana’a at the base of a steep hill known as Hisn Afʾida. The hilltop had served as a natural fortress in medieval times and had remained a long-standing residence of a number of Duat Mutlaqeen RA. Although Duat Mutlaqeen RA were known to be interred at Hisn Afʾida, the exact locations of their revered graves were unknown. The sacred graves of the 11th Dai, Syedna Ibrahim b. Syedna Husain al-Walid RA; the 12th Dai, Syedna Mohammed b. Syedi Hatim al-Walid RA; the 13th Dai, Syedna Ali b. Syedna Ibrahim RA; and the 30th Dai, Syedna Ali Shamsuddin b. Syedi Hasan RA (which lies at a short distance from the previous three) had been covered by silt and earth accumulated over the course of centuries.


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In gratitude for Syedna’s ʿAshara Mubaraka sermons dedicated to Yemen, a group of Mumineen had visited Hisn Afʾida to discover that the government had embarked upon archaeological work in the area. Upon closer inspection, they noticed a group of graves which were in the process of being partly covered by the construction of a wall. Here, by the grace of Allah and the prayers of the 53rd Dai, the sacred graves were found. During the sermon in which he announced the discovery of these blessed graves, Syedna Saifuddin TUS laid the foundation stones for the construction of the mausolea and a masjid adjacent to them.

In view of this great revelation, efforts were intensified to locate the remaining revered graves of Duat Mutlaqeen RA in Yemen. Local archaeologists were also employed to scour sites mentioned in Dawat texts as their resting places. Four months following the discovery at Hisn Afʾida, the sacred grave of the 5th Dai, Syedna Ali b. Maula Mohammed al-Walid RA was unearthed in al-Ughmur, approximately 32 kilometres from Hutaib Mubarak in Haraz. The 5th Dai stands distinguished amongst the Duat Mutlaqeen AS not only for his knowledge and humility but also for authoring substantial poetry and prose. His works ensured that the community remained steadfast to the tenets of faith despite the upheavals brought about by the seclusion of the Imam. They became an integral part of the curriculum studied by students who journeyed to the presence of Duat Mutlaqeen AS in the pursuit of knowledge because they inculcated sincerity, dedication and purity in their hearts and souls.

Syedna Saifuddin TUS announced this discovery during a sermon conducted in remembrance of the 51st Dai and 52nd Dai on the death anniversary of the 51st Dai on 19th Rajab, 1440/25th March, 2019. During the sermon, Syedna TUS conducted the foundation ceremony for a mausoleum upon the blessed grave. Considering the significance of Syedna Ali’s RA works in the curriculum of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah, its faculty members and students pledged to contribute to the mausoleum’s construction as a means of expressing their gratitude for being given the opportunity to study his writings, and through this study, prepare themselves


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for the service of Dai and Dawat.

The downpour of blessings continued with the revelation of the venerated graves of three Duat Mutlaqeen: Syedna Hasan Badruddin RA (20th Dai), Syedna Husain Husamuddin RA (21st

Dai) and Syedna Ali Shamsuddin RA (22nd Dai) in Masar, Haraz on 10th Shaʿban, 1440/15th April, 2019. Syedna Saifuddin TUS conducted the foundation laying ceremony for the mausoleum to be constructed there during his sermon commemorating the martyrdom of Amir al-Mumineen Maulana Ali b. Abi Talib SA on 19th Shahr Ramadan, 1440/23rd May, 2019.

The blessings associated with the revered graves of Allah’s Awliyaa AS are manifold. The discovery and rediscovery of these hidden treasures is not only a source of joy but also a sign of divine favour and an indication of what is to come during the era of Aqeeq al-Yaman, Syedna Aali Qadr Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS carrying out the foundation laying ceremony for the two mausoleums and one masjid in Hisn Afʾida during his sermon on the fifth death anniversary of Syedna Burhanuddin RA in 1440/2018.


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Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA and Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS in Aden, Yemen, in 1388/1968.


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Aqeeq al-Yaman, Syedna Aali Qadr Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS, inaugurating Masjid Mansur al- Yaman in Jumada al-Ula, 1435/March, 2014.


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The year 1400/1979-80 marked the advent of a new millennium for the Muslim community. As the turn of the

century approached, debate heightened about Islam’s relation and relevance to contemporary life. Scholars from the Islamic world sought to, as they still do today, reimagine the nature of an individual’s relation to faith in line with the technological, social and cultural changes that were taking place. Largely influenced by colonial models of thought and governance, some scholars began to assign traditional Islamic values and practices subaltern status in accordance with a global trend to relegate religious practice to the private sphere.

Foreseeing the dilemma that was to confound generations of Muslims and seizing the occasion as an opportune moment in time for communicating his strategy and vision for his community, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA convened a gathering at Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah, Surat in 1399/1978-79, which he named al-Multaqa al-Fatimi al-ʿIlmi: The Fatimi Intellectual Gathering. Multaqa is derived from the Arabic verb ‘to meet’. Syedna RA envisioned that apart from being an opportunity for members of the Dawoodi Bohra community to come together and meet one another, the Multaqa would become the impetus whereby the community would meet the requirements mandated by its faith. Ultimately, the strengthened faith brought about by the Multaqa would increase the faithful’s spiritual standing, enabling them to

Al-Multaqa al-Fatimi al-ʿIlmi


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Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA addressing the over 3000 Mumineen gathered in Surat, India for al-Multaqa al-Fatimi al-ʿIlmi in 1399/1978-79.


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meet Allah’s beloved, emulating them in thought, speech and deed both in this world and the next. Unlike a seminar or conference which often caters to an array of different views and opinions, the Multaqa — Syedna RA explained — was for the like-minded Dawoodi Bohra community who had all embarked on a single path. The Multaqa was an open, international gathering to which Dawoodi Bohras from all walks of life were invited. For four days, more than 3000 attendees participated in debates and discussion. They were encouraged to freely enquire into issues of faith and practice that they believed required further clarity and explanation, especially in the context of contemporary challenges.

Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA delivered the opening address of the Multaqa in which he highlighted the core issues facing the Muslim umma and also identified the philosophy and approach that would enable the community to prosper in both worlds. Excerpts from this defining address which illustrate the importance of the Multaqa have been provided below:

I have gathered you all here in this Multaqa to provide you sustenance which will nourish you in this world and the next.

I foresee for this Multaqa a pre-eminent status both today and tomorrow. It shall open gates of guidance and provide methods and means to discharge the duty of obedience to Allah, His prophets and the wali al-amr1; they are Allah’s chosen ones and are worthy of obedience. We must value and cherish this Multaqa, and other such future meetings, preparing for them and benefitting from them accordingly.

Today, we face scientific and technological advancements which are the result of man’s learning and research. These achievements, in reality, are by the grace of the All-wise Creator, and in accordance

1. Wali al-amr literally means ‘the possessor of authority’ and refers to Allah’s representative, i.e. the Imam or Dai, of the age.


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with the Omniscient Almighty’s Will. What should follow, mandated by logic and reason, is that man’s devotion to Allah, his humility before Him and his submission to His power should increase. Yet, man was beguiled by Satan.

He denied the Creator and went astray. Despite profiting from the bounties of Allah and taking advantage of the wonders of Creation, man renounced the Creator and His obedience. Not only that but man compounds disobedience with further disobedience, stumbling in his error and turning from Allah’s obedience to the worship of Satan. He befouls society with his false and ungrateful ideology and through his opposition of Allah he persecutes the faithful servants of Allah as well. He threatens the Deen2 of Allah and its believers. He revels in his ignorance and attempts to deny the faithful knowledge of things he himself does not know.

We also encounter another group: those who are zealously religious but lack intellect and conviction. Their faith stands on a shaky foundation. They reject the wonders of Allah and His omnipotence and refuse to even consider them. By doing so, they inadvertently aid the foes of Allah’s Deen and those who are plotting against it...

Therefore, the faithful must strive for success in both worlds. They must combine knowledge that ensures fulfilment in this world with knowledge that secures prosperity in the hereafter. Such knowledge is a synthesis of different sciences, arts and skills, and encompasses, especially, religious education and an understanding of the sharia...

I urge the faithful believers who have rallied around 2. Deen generally refers to religion, and here refers to the eternal path prescribed by Allah in the Holy Quran and in the Sunna of the Prophet Mohammed SAW.


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the banner of this Multaqa to carefully study what our noble Fatimi scholars and guides have prescribed for a pure and happy life in this world and for emancipation in the hereafter. Know that life in this world, both at its lows and highs, is naught but death. However, the death of he who dies while in the fold of Deen — is life. So strive to acquire true life while in this temporal world and avoid that which is real death. Such a course of action will help you realize the truth uttered by many a sage, ‘This world is nothing; so take from nothing something’.

As votaries of the truth, we must comprehend the wisdom bestowed by Imam Muʿizz SA in his following words:

‘If Truth3 was a path, and Falsehood was a path, both would have equal status, each substantiating their own origin. And if Falsehood were to be founded upon an origin, it would strike down Truth. A fundamental origin is for Truth alone. Falsehood is nullified; it has no origin.’

Those who allege that the Islamic sharia is inherently incompatible with the needs of their times are misled and deceived. They attempt to establish the inadequacy of sharia which we know to be the most perfect and complete of all paths. Detractors and naysayers engage in a comparison of the sharia with man-made social orders that they have attempted to perfect. Although they claim perfection, they themselves are imperfect and ephemeral; they perish prior to witnessing the results of their handiwork. Sharia has been laid down, however, to rid humankind of imperfection. Its objective is to usher in betterment, well-being and contentment…

3. The original Arabic word here is haq which has been translated as truth for the sake of understanding. A more comprehensive explanation of haq would be ‘what is true and right’.


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The purpose of sharia is:

• The preservation of spiritual health and the recu-peration of what has been lost.

• Prosperity in this world and salvation in the next. • The greater good.• The emancipation of souls from this world’s diffi-

culties and depredations, and their deliverance to eternal peace and bliss reserved for the inhabitants of Paradise…

Biased attacks against the sharia are the result of malevolence, flawed beliefs, short-sightedness, lethargy, coveting that which is beyond one’s capacity to understand and attempting to know before attaining the ability to absorb. The knowledge of sharia must be taken from those who Allah has chosen as its torchbearers and who hold the keys to its kingdom. The process of learning is made easy when accessed through the appropriate channel, while, seeking it through any other means causes harm and ultimately leads one astray.

The Multaqa reinvigorated the community and had far-reaching consequences. In light of the discussions that took place — and due to the emphasis given on realigning thought and practice with the sharia as outlined in Fatimi texts — trade practices were revamped, community norms of what was considered acceptable dress were revised and the overall understanding of what it entailed to be a Mumin in the contemporary moment was wholly redefined. Unlike many contemporary Islamization movements that call for a return to fundamentals, the resurgence of faith brought about by the Multaqa within the Dawoodi Bohra community embraced modernity and did not seek change for the sake of change but for growth, prosperity and, ultimately, spiritual enlightenment.


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The proposals and courses of action brought forth by the Multaqa were daunting. The community was at a crossroads; to embrace the message of the Multaqa was to embark upon a journey that would forever change the community. To resist change and to ignore the call to action would lead the community into the very abyss of self-doubt, disillusionment and disarray that had threatened many other faith-based communities. Yet, action required courage that only the Dai could provide and conviction that could only come from unwavering love and devotion. It is no wonder then that Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS was at the forefront of each challenge, guiding Mumineen towards the blessed path his father had laid before them, holding their hands, strengthening their hearts and illuminating their minds. His constant motivation throughout was an unwavering commitment to Islam and its ultimate quest of securing the betterment of both worlds, a sense of urgency to enact its directives and his indomitable faith in his predecessor. These three factors constitute the core of the 53rd Dai’s philosophy and continue to serve as historical constants in his illustrious leadership.

Shahzada Dr Yusuf bhaisaheb Najmuddin QR offering gratitude to Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA for the guidance he bestowed throughout al-Multaqa al-Fatimi al-ʿIlmi.


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In accordance with the directives of Syedna Burhanuddin RA, Shahzada Dr Yusuf bhaisaheb Najmuddin QR endeavoured to spread the message of the Multaqa to Mumineen all over the world. In Rajab al-Asab, 1399/June, 1979, a two-day seminar was held in Chicago during which Shahzada Najmuddin saheb answered nearly 400 questions pertaining to the role of Islam in the contemporary world.


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Seven subsequent gatherings were convened following the Multaqa which further emphasized Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin’s RA vision for the community. Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS is seen here at a gathering held in Surat in 1401/1981.


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Historians throughout time have attested to the Fatimi Imam’s AS patronage of art and architecture. They left for

posterity a rich heritage of treasures that are cherished to this day. Replete with symbolism, Fatimi art and architecture reflect the Dawat’s ideology and, similar to its textual tradition, the edifices constructed by the Imams concealed layers of meaning. Utmost care was put into the construction of Fatimi monuments and only those serving at the highest ranks of the Dawat, often under the direct instruction and supervision of the Imam himself, were tasked with overseeing the planning and construction of these monuments. As heir to this rich heritage, the 52nd Dai worked endlessly towards preserving and protecting these monumental structures, the most significant of which was the masjid of the 16th Imam, al-Hakim bi Amr Allah: al-Jamiʿ1 al-Anwar.

The revival and restoration of al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar would usher in a new, resplendent age in the community’s history, and forever shape its cultural identity. The construction of al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar started in the year 380/990-91. Further extensions were done in 393/1002-3 and final furnishings were provided in 403/1012-13. One of the largest masjids of al-Qahira, it has over 1000 metres of Quranic inscription running along the walls of its main prayer hall. It is one of the architectural wonders of the

1. Jamiʿ refers to a congregational masjid in which Friday prayers have been convened by the Imam or with his permission.

Al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar:The Luminous Masjid


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medieval Islamic World and is revered as the ‘Gem of Fatimi Cairo’.

After the dissolution of the Fatimi state in the 6th/12th century and the seclusion of the 21st Imam, a darkness brought about by neglect, indifference and animosity spread over al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar. Many of the subsequent rulers of Egypt regarded the legacy of the Fatimi Imams AS with hostility and attempted to erase all traces of their reign of nearly two centuries. Their palaces were looted and built over, their educational institutes branded as places of heresy and destroyed, and even the spaces they dedicated to the worship of the Creator were left to fall into disrepair. Alongside the injustices of man, al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar fell victim to a series of natural calamities as well. In 702/1303, an earthquake brought devastation to the city of al-Qahira. The tops of al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar’s minarets fell; many of its arches and piers lay in pieces upon the ground.

Over the course of history, the sacred spaces of the masjid would be used for almost every purpose save the purpose for which they were originally built. Nineteenth century travellers lamented the state of the masjid in their works, remarking that it was no longer a place of worship, but rather a rubbish heap. Large pieces of granite, old fragments of columns and stockpiles of scrap wood were strewn across the courtyard. The names of French generals carved into the stone masonry of the Fatimi walls remind us of Napoleon’s destructive occupation of al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar and undignified fortification of its walls and minaret. A common path, frequented by camels, caravans and stray dogs alike, made its way from the main door and exited across the courtyard on the opposite qibla wall, passing between ropewalks and Syrian glass bead workshops. An assortment of establishments were housed up against the masjid’s wall — from a cafe to a brewery to a caravanserai to a lemon market and store — concealing the monumental portal and majestic facade. A French historian declared that no other building in the city of al-Qahira gave a better idea of the level of devastation and destruction that


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occurred to Muslim monuments than al- Jamiʿ al-Anwar.

In 1356/1937, the 51st Dai, Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA visited al-Qahira; he was the first Dai to do so. During his stay, he visited and prayed at al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar where he was overcome with anguish at the condition of this sacred place of worship. At that moment, he expressed his desire to restore the masjid. With that statement the foundations were laid for al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar’s transformation. Fulfilling his respected father’s desire, in 1398/1978, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA set about restoring al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar, ridding it of the darkness that plagued it and bringing it back to life. It was destined that the sincere intention of the 51st Dai, the sheer determination and grace of the 52nd Dai and the ever-present leadership of the 53rd Dai would together help realize this momentous task and pave the way for the inauguration of the restored masjid in the first month of the 15th century Hijra/November, 1980.

The restoration and revival of al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar was the biggest undertaking in the movement for the conservation of Fatimi monuments. This was all the more remarkable when considering that in Egypt, at the time, there were nearly 100 archaeological teams from various Western backgrounds engaged in numerous restoration projects. Under Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin’s RA direction, the Dawoodi Bohra community was the only Islamic group willing and prepared to take on this massive undertaking. The experts and craftsmen employed came largely from India while materials of the finest quality were sourced from around the world.

Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin’s RA month-long stay in al-Qahira at the time of the inauguration of Maulatona Zainab’s AS zarih mubarak, which he had dedicated in 1398/1978, acted as a catalyst for the restoration of al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar. At the airport, Syedna Burhanuddin RA and Syedna Saifuddin TUS were waiting to board their flight to Kuwait. Aware of his respected father’s wishes, Syedna Saifuddin TUS sought permission to remain in al-Qahira and commence the cleaning of al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar —


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the first step in the arduous journey of its restoration. Upon his unexpected return to the city from the airport, Syedna Saifuddin TUS conveyed to a few individuals that he intended to go to al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar the following day to begin cleaning the historic masjid. For years now, community members had visited the masjid, but aside from clearing the area closest to the mihrab and burning incense to mask a lingering odour in its vicinity, no comprehensive cleaning effort had ever been undertaken. The enormity and scale of the masjid combined with the extent and severity of the destruction meant that any such effort was almost futile. What could be achieved with only a few individuals and to what end? Nonetheless, the following morning, Syedna Saifuddin TUS set out for al-Anwar accompanied by a few community members. Small baskets and wheelbarrows were procured and armed with brooms and dustpans the small group went about cleaning the sanctuary area closest to the mihrab. It was during this first day that the true extent of the injustice done to the masjid and the enormity of the task that lay ahead dawned upon them. Along with the waste and debris that had accumulated over the course of centuries, it became apparent that the mihrab had become a latrine of sorts. The group rose to the task of cleaning the affected areas and endeavoured to remove all traces of this awful abuse. What was initially thought to be a futile exercise slowly brought about promising results.

The next day, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS and others returned to the masjid only to find new traces of ordure and waste in places they had painstakingly scoured. Moreover, the source of the ever-present stench that made it difficult to even approach the mihrab could still not be identified. The caretaker of the site was admonished for continuing to allow people to enter the premises only to disrespect the masjid. He insisted, however, that he was not at fault and proceeded to take the group led by Syedna Saifuddin TUS to a location behind the masjid’s mihrab wall to the south-east. There, they found over 40 families occupying an old building built up against the wall: a listed monument


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known as the Wikala2 of Qaytbay. The building lacked adequate sanitation, so its residents resorted to climbing to the wikala’s roof where they would discard their waste as well as empty their bowels in a pit of filth located immediately over the mihrab. Since the majority of the masjid was unroofed, others would cross over into it and perch themselves on the colonnades where — directly above the sacred verses of the Holy Quran — they would relieve themselves, their excrement defiling the walls, piers and floor of the masjid. This discovery was appalling. However, Syedna’s TUS determination saw the pit emptied and the source of odour and disgrace removed in a short time. Eighteen years later, in 1416/1996, when describing this act of his son and successor, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin TUS stated that it was from this moment that the signs of cruelty upon this most-venerated masjid truly began to dissipate.

Day after day, community members went about sweeping and cleaning, motivated by Syedna Burhanuddin’s RA desire for the masjid to be purified and inspired by Syedna Saifuddin’s TUS personal involvement — the sight of his rolled-up sleeves and determined brow. This first step of cleansing the masjid, a task seen by some as futile and unattainable, set the tone for the entire project. The restoration commenced with a series of acts in which dedication and devotion to the Fatimi Imam AS and his representative, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA brought about an atmosphere of resolve and conviction that chipped away at even the most difficult of obstacles. These acts were the first rays of dawn heralding the advent of a glorious new day.

The image of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS standing at the edge of that cesspit is forever fixed in the collective memory of the Dawoodi Bohra community. The stark contrast between his radiant purity of intent and enlightened devotion and the dark filth of that chasm, symbolic of man’s immorality and ignorance, is striking. For generations of Dawoodi Bohras to come, and for all those committed to worthy causes that inspire them and give 2. A wikala was a type of caravanserai that lodged craftsmen on its upper floors and housed their goods on the ground floor around a shared courtyard.


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their lives meaning, Syedna Saifuddin’s TUS actions serve as an example of the resolve and fortitude required to achieve what others deem impossible.

Throughout the duration of the restoration, but specifically at the beginning when the obstacles before it seemed insurmountable, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS had instructed volunteers at al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar to recite the Holy Quran and various other supplications all across the masjid, even while perched upon its colonnades. Prayer to the Almighty was the team’s greatest arsenal and Syedna Saifuddin TUS yielded it well. Syedna TUS also had the northern minaret, which had been inaccessible for years, reopened and cleaned. He personally descended into a well, found during the course of the restoration to assist in its reconstruction, and was adamant that it be made operable at the earliest. The well was an auspicious omen for it provided water when heavy construction on the site had been plagued

Leading by example: Syedna Saifuddin’s TUS personal involvement in the restoration of al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar was a lesson in dedication and commitment to the service of the Dai.


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with an acute water shortage. Syedna Saifuddin TUS oversaw all restoration activities and personally interacted with the workmen on-site, whether it was a craftsman preparing inscriptions or a bricklayer completing one of the masjid’s iconic arches.

Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS was instrumental in carrying out what can be considered the most important project in Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin’s RA lifetime, a feat to which he attested. On 4th Rabiʿ al-Akhar, 1416/29th August, 1995, Syedna Burhanuddin RA delivered a sermon on the birth anniversary of the 21st Imam AS during the inauguration of another restored masjid in al-Qahira, al-Jamiʿ al-Juyushi. During his sermon, the 52nd Dai recounted the valiant efforts expended by his beloved successor during the restoration of al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar and graced him with a prayer pronounced by the Prophet Mohammed SAW himself:

In Kitab al-Tahara (the Book of Ritual Purity), Syedna al-Qadi al-Nuʿman RA narrates an incident in which Rasul Allah SAW was informed that a man had expectorated on the mihrab wall of the masjid. Learning of this, the man’s wife cleaned the spoiled area and perfumed it with saffron. Her actions delighted Rasul Allah SAW and he rewarded her with the saffron and musk of his prayers in her favour.

There was, at one time, a persistent stench around the mihrab of al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar. Such was the sorry state of affairs that refuse was dumped in the Jamiʿ and its doorway had been turned into a tip; rubbish was dumped there. After the inauguration of Maulatona Zainab’s AS zarih mubarak, I travelled to Kuwait. At that time, I instructed my son, delight of my eye, Mufaddal Saifuddin to stay back in al-Qahira. “Remain here and begin the process of cleaning al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar”. He personally engaged in the removal of refuse and sought to determine where the stench near the mihrab originated from.


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Then one individual offered to show them its source. He led those present to a wikala immediately behind the mihrab and qibla where 40 families were residing. A pit had been created behind the mihrab wall into which these residents relieved themselves and threw their garbage. The open pit, full of ordure, filth and waste, was so disgusting and its stench so foul that it was almost impossible to stand there. Despite efforts made from morning till evening, workers who were willing to clean it could not be found. Then my son, Mufaddal, expressed his resolve to the volunteers around him. “I will descend into the pit and clean it myself. It has been a grave sin on our part that we were oblivious for so long about the mihrab being desecrated in this manner.” Immediately after he had expressed this intention, workers ready to clean the nearly three metre deep pit came forth and the area was cleared and made fragrant with incense. The marks of oppression upon al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar began fading from that day onwards.

Today, I pray for all those who rendered khidmat (service), and for my son; Rasul Allah SAW prayed for that woman, “May Allah bless her.” So today, I pray that may Allah reward him for his endeavours for he has strived to serve these Jamiʿ masjids and toiled for their cause.

The scale of al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar’s restoration was massive and its complexity staggering. The limited availability of human, technical and financial resources, the relatively nascent establishment of the Dawoodi Bohra community in al-Qahira and the need to secure federal and local permissions were just some of the challenges that had to be met. With his successor at his side, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA was undeterred and resolved that the inauguration of the restored masjid should coincide with the completion of 1400 years of the Islamic


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calendar, the onset of the year 1401.

Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS, who was in al-Qahira as his father’s representative, met every challenge that arose during the course of the restoration with sagacity, humility and conviction. His continuous presence in the service of Syedna Burhanuddin RA and his unwavering dedication to the revival and restoration of al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar was evident and luminous to all.

The 52nd Dai and the 53rd Dai in al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar.


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Syedna Saifuddin TUS paid meticulous attention to each and every detail of the restoration of al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar as well as the restoration of other Fatimi masjids in al-Qahira.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS giving the azan, the call to namaz, in al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar.

Al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar restored to its former glory (following spread).


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Overseeing the renovation of the well in al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar in 1423/2003.


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The golden era of the 52nd Dai was characterized by an unparalleled amount of community-led construction

projects, specifically the conservation and restoration of architectural heritage. After the inauguration of al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar, each time the 52nd Dai inaugurated a new construction project, he stressed that it was made possible by the blessings of al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar’s historic restoration.

After his pivotal role in al-Jamiʿ al-Anwar’s revival, the 53rd Dai would go on to oversee numerous projects entrusted to him by his eminent father and lead them to successful completion. In 1406/1986, he oversaw the restoration of the historic masjid in Huth, Yemen, which was originally built by the first Dai, Syedna Zoeb RA. A few years later in 1408/1987, the 53rd Dai supervised the restoration of al-Jamiʿ al-Aqmar in al-Qahira. Likewise, Syedna Saifuddin TUS initiated the restoration of al-Jamiʿ al-Luʾluʾ as well as that of al-Jamiʿ al-Juyushi on 16th Jumada al-Ukhra 1414/30th November, 1993 also in al-Qahira. These conservation efforts not only held unique spiritual significance for the Dawoodi Bohra community but also helped safeguard priceless remnants of Islamic architecture for posterity. In his missive to Yemen in 1408/1988, Syedna Burhanuddin RA narrates the commencement of the restoration of al-Jamiʿ al-Aqmar, the masjid of the 20th Imam, al-Aamir bi Ahkam Allah AS:

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On 27th Muharram, 1408 (20th September, 1987) — the death anniversary of Syedi Fakhruddin al-Shahid — I presided over a gathering in commemoration of this day and delivered a sermon. I informed those present that the government of Egypt has granted us permission to restore and renovate al-Jamiʿ al-Aqmar, the masjid of Imam Aamir, upon him the greatest of Allah’s salutations and salams. My beloved and dear son, the one of lofty status, Mufaddal Saifuddin, initiated the restoration works on the death anniversary of Syedi Hasanfir al-Shahid, which falls on the 23rd of Muharram. This is a great honour bestowed upon me by my great and powerful Lord.

Syedna Burhanuddin’s RA gratitude for being bestowed this great honour was expressed, partly, by selecting his son and successor to see the task to completion. As in commencement, so too in culmination, Syedna Burhanuddin RA praised the services rendered by Syedna Saifuddin TUS:

The restoration of the masjids, al-Aqmar, al-Luʾluʾ and al-Juyushi were nearing completion and preparations for the installation of the zarih mubarak of Sayyida Ruqaiyya, the daughter of Amir al-Mumineen Maulana Ali, was in its final stages. Upon my instructions, my dear radiant son, Aqeeq al-Yaman, Aali Qadr Mufaddal Saifuddin, was in al-Qahira overseeing the planning required for the inaugurations.

In 1414/1993, the 53rd Dai supervised the installation of gold and silver adriha (pl. of zarih) at sacred sites in Damascus, Syria related to the sacred remains of Imam Husain SA, his noble family and his loyal companions. He also oversaw the restoration, accomplished in a remarkable period of 40 days, of a third/ninth century masjid built by the Fatimi Imams AS in Salamiyah, Syria.


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The task of restoring the masjid in Salamiyah was challenging and beset with numerous difficulties and hindrances. To resolve these matters, Syedna Burhanuddin RA repeatedly sent Syedna Saifuddin TUS to Damascus where he met with Syrian authorities. However, the issuance of permissions continued to be delayed. Finally, with just over 40 days remaining till the intended date of inauguration, permission was granted. Syedna Saifuddin TUS travelled to Damascus on 22nd Safar, 1414/10th August, 1993, and commenced restoration work the very next day. He began with the arduous task of cleaning the masjid which was in such a derelict state that a number of contractors and engineers declined to take up the task of its restoration. They insisted that even on an expedited schedule with work taking place 24 hours a day, it would take at least seven or eight months for the project to be completed; clearing the masjid of debris alone would take two months. Despite their skepticism, work was completed within 40 days without any compromise in the high standards expected

The zarih mubarak dedicated by Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA to the venerated site where the raʾs mubarak (blessed head) of Imam Husain AS was placed in Damascus, Syria.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS leading namaz in the Fatimi masjid in Salamiyah, Syria, prior to its restoration.

for such a historic masjid. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA inaugurated the masjid as planned on the auspicious occasion of the 21st Imam’s SA milad mubarak, 4th Rabiʿ al-Akhar 1414/20th September, 1993.

During his sermon in the newly restored masjid in Salamiyah, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA recounted the efforts of those who toiled day and night to install the adriha and reconstruct the masjid:

Many contributed [to the restoration efforts] through calligraphy, design, liaison with authorities, site management and through other means as well. Some strived day and night and personally took part in the construction of this masjid and similarly the adriha (in Damascus)...I am delighted that we have been able to dedicate a precious, elegant and beautiful zarih mubarak at both venerated sites…


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Syedna Burhanuddin RA directed Syedna Saifuddin TUS to write the bismillah on the mihrab wall of al-Jamiʿ al-Luʾluʾ in al-Qahira.


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The 52nd Dai and the 53rd Dai in al-Jamiʿ al-Juyushi in al-Qahira.


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The inauguration of the restored masjid, al-Jamiʿ al-Luʾluʾ in al-Qahira in 1416/1995.


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May Allah Almighty handsomely reward all those who rendered service and may He fulfil their desires. The ghurrat (foremost) among them is Mufaddal Saifuddin, Aqeeq al-Yaman, Aali Qadr. May Allah reward him greatly for his efforts.

Syedna Saifuddin TUS was also entrusted with the construction and placement of a zarih upon the blessed grave of Maulatona Ruqaiyya AS in al-Qahira in 1416/1995 as well as upon the venerated graves of Maulana Jaʿfar al-Tayyar AS and Zaid b. Haritha QR in Muʾtah, Jordan in 1420/1999. In 1421/2000, he oversaw the construction of a commemorative structure in Ashkelon, Israel, at the site where the raʾs mubarak of the Prophet Mohammed’s SAW beloved grandson, Imam Husain AS, was buried before being interred in al-Qahira. Of his contributions to the construction of this structure, the 52nd Dai writes:

I sent my radiant son, Aqeeq al-Yaman, Aali Qadr Mufaddal Saifuddin to Ashkelon to lay the foundation stone for a masjid-like structure to be constructed on the place where the raʾs mubarak of Imam Husain was once buried. The authorities administering the affairs of this city gave us permission to do so.

Syedna Saifuddin TUS was also the driving force in the reconstruction of the historic al-Masjid al-Muʿazzam in Surat, originally built in 1219/1804 by the 43rd Dai, Syedna Abdeali Saifuddin RA. Many years after Syedna Burhanuddin RA had laid the foundation stone for the masjid’s reconstruction, progress had slowed and construction had come to a near standstill. Intent on seeing the realization of his father’s desire for the masjid to be quickly completed, Syedna Saifuddin TUS took up the task and began eliminating the impediments holding back this marquee project. Swift decision making, combined with a global mobilization of human resources and expertise, achieved in just a few months what had proved elusive for a number of years. The masjid’s inauguration on 1st Shaʿban, 1417/11th December, 1996, took place with great fanfare and celebration. During his


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The grand inauguration of al-Masjid al-Muʿazzam, Surat in 1417/1996 was attended by over 150,000 Mumineen.


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travels prior to the inauguration, Syedna Burhanuddin RA made it a point to enjoin community members in every city or town he visited to gather in Surat for the inauguration. In his sermon delivered on this grand occasion, he stated:

In all the services rendered [towards the completion of this masjid], in continuously encouraging all those who volunteered to remain focused and dedicated and in leading them by example, the efforts of my beloved son, the delight of my eye, Aqeeq al-Yaman, Mufaddal Saifuddin, have borne fruit. He repeatedly travelled here, to Surat, and discharged this responsibility with great dedication and devotion. It was planned for all works to be completed by this date (1st Shaʿban, the commencement of the annual examinations of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah) and so they were. There was great concern as to how the remaining works would be completed in time, but they were; I am grateful to the Almighty.

Syedna Saifuddin TUS was also called upon by Syedna Burhanuddin RA during times of difficulties. In 1398/1978, word came of the intent to replace the ornamental grille of gold and silver dedicated by the 52nd Dai at Maulana Ali b. Abi Talib’s AS sacred place of martyrdom in the Grand Masjid in Kufa, Iraq. Syedna Burhanuddin RA sent Syedna Saifuddin TUS who ensured that the ornamental grille was not replaced. In 1422-23/2002, when members of the Dawoodi Bohra community and many others in Gujarat were affected by communal riots, Syedna Burhanuddin RA sent Syedna Saifuddin TUS with his prayers and benedictions to head the relief efforts to help those affected in this time of great loss, uncertainty and upheaval.

Syedna Burhanuddin RA entrusted his successor with projects and initiatives that would both define his era and shape the Dawoodi Bohra community for generations. These numerous responsibilities illustrate that Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS was — in the words of his own father — the ghurrat, or foremost,


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of all those who rendered services to the 52nd Dai from amongst the hudud of Dawat and members of his community. It is particularly befitting then, that as the ghurrat he should be the one to undertake the reconstruction of the masjid built by Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA in Mumbai, known as Ghurrat al-Masajid, the ‘Foremost of all Masjids’. Syedna Saifuddin TUS laid the foundation stone for its reconstruction on the eve of the 52nd Dai’s fifth death anniversary in 1440/2018.

The 52nd Dai entrusted Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS with the task of protecting, preserving and honouring the heritage of the Fatimi Imams AS and their Duat Mutlaqeen AS. He continues to fulfil this task today as the 53rd Dai, not only by virtue of the various projects he has undertaken, but by embodying the sacred values and meanings that Fatimi heritage represents and upholds.


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In 1432/2011, the Dawoodi Bohra community celebrated the momentous occasion of the 52nd Dai’s centennial milad

mubarak, a milestone not reached by any of his illustrious predecessors. In his sermon delivered at Saifee Masjid on this auspicious occasion, the 52nd Dai expressed his gratitude for ‘the convergence of the good tidings of 100 and 1000.’ Nearly a 1000 years had past since the 21st Imam’s seclusion and the 52nd Dai had reached the age of 100. The fortuitous concurrence of these two historic milestones saw manifold bounties showered upon the community.

It was in this historic year, on Saturday, 3rd Rajab al-Asabb/4th June, 2011, that the 52nd Dai made a public appointment of his son, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS as his successor and 53rd Dai. He conveyed this auspicious news while in Cromwell Hospital in Central London to six members of his family and instructed them to inform Mumineen throughout the world. The 53rd Dai was informed of the appointment and immediately made his way to his respected father’s presence. In accordance with his characteristic humility, he humbly presented himself to Syedna Burhanuddin RA and with eyes brimming with tears prayed for his father’s long life in health and happiness. Joy permeated the community as the glad tidings of this appointment spread across the globe.

Prior to this proclamation in London, there had been other

Appointment asSuccessor


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appointments that had been conveyed to select individuals. Those privy to these proclamations had been sworn to secrecy by Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA, only revealing after this public announcement how the 52nd Dai had appointed his successor long before this public appointment.

The first documented appointment occurred in 1388/1969 before three witnesses personally selected by the 52nd Dai and took place in the dead of night, just before he embarked on his travels for hajj. The documentation of this conferment was undertaken by his trusted personal secretary, Shaikh Ibrahim bhai Yamani. This written record was kept among the personal possessions of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA. Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS would later inform the community that his respected father had shown him this written record in 1430/2009. A translation of its contents is as follows:

On the eve of Tuesday, the 11th of Zilqaʿda al-Haraam, 1388 H1, Maulana (our Master), the munificent, the veil of the Imam of this age, Abu al-Qaidjoher Mohammed Burhanuddin, may Allah extend his life and eternalize his sultanate until the Day of Judgement, at approximately 1:00 AM beckoned his lowly servant Ibrahim Yamani, Shaikh Abdulhusain Shaikh Ghulamali Tambawala and Abdulhusain Shaikh Ibrahim to his private chambers. He bid them to come extremely near to him and shared with them a most significant and well-protected secret as mentioned below. He bestowed upon us, his servants, this great honour for which we offered many prostrations of gratitude.

(Syedna Burhanuddin states the following:)

I wish to disclose a confidential matter.

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Benevolent. All praise for the Ruler of the Universe,

1. This corresponds to early Tuesday morning, 28th January, 1969.


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and salutations and salaams upon His Prophet, Syedna [our leader] Mohammed and his pure and pious progeny. And upon the 21st [Imam from the progeny], Maulana al-Imam al-Tayyib Abi al-Qasim, the leader of the believers. And upon the Imam of this age, and his descendants, those who are awaited for until the Day of Judgement. And upon their Duat Mutlaqeen, specifically the 51st among them, Syedna Taher Saifuddin. May Allah further raise his sanctity, may he bless us with his divine intercession and affection, and may he bestow upon us from his heavenly emanation goodness that cools our eyes and gladdens our hearts.

My father, Syedna Taher Saifuddin, the 51st Dai passed away; he had conferred his nass upon me. Today, I am the Servant of [the Prophet] Mohammed’s descendants. I serve the Imam of this Age. I constantly remember Syedna Taher Saifuddin and speak of him. [He has bestowed upon me] great bounties. I am fortunate to be blessed with the service of the Imam of this age; I am the 52nd Dai. I have thought and deliberated over appointing my successor which will gladden my soul.

Tonight, I confer nass upon my most beloved and radiant son, the delight of the eye, Bhai Mufaddal Saifuddin. May Allah, the Exalted, aid him in his deeds. May he serve the Imam of our Age. His title has been given seeking the blessings of the title of our Maula Taher Saifuddin. May he please the Imam of this Age, may he please my soul and may he please the soul of my father. May Allah grant him a long life; may Allah aid him.

I ask of you all to bear witness:

Shaikh Ibrahim


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Shaikh Abdulhusain Tambawala

Abdulhusain Shaikh Ibrahim AbdulqadirThis matter is to remain confidential and is to be revealed at the appropriate time. We should sacrifice ourselves for [the cause of] the Imam of our age; his blessings are numerous. He is a Maula of lofty stature. How can we express our gratitude? Even if I were to sacrifice my soul a thousand times, what has been obligated cannot be fulfilled.

And I am the servant of the Pure and Pious Descendants of Mohammed, salaams be

upon them.

Mohammed Burhanuddin2

In 1415/1994, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA informed his personal secretary, Shaikh Abdulhusain Yamani of his appointment of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS as his successor. Shaikh Abdulhusain documented the details of this momentous disclosure just as his father had done before him:

...Maulana (our Master), the beneficent, Syedna Abu al-Qaidjoher Mohammed Burhanuddin, may Allah extend his noble life and may his reign continue till the Day of Judgement, spoke to this humble, lowly and undeserving servant, of a confidential matter: I have made note of it.

This relevant matter is concerning the time when Maulana, the beneficent, had returned from his blessed journey to the Exalted [land of] Karbala and had graced Karachi with his presence.

As per my routine, this lowly, humble servant, Abdulhusain son of al-Hadd al-Muqaddas Miyasaheb Ibrahim al-Yamani, had gone to Burhani

2. The text in bold is written by the hand of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA.


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Mahal (the residence of the 52nd Dai in Karachi) in the morning to seek an audience in the Glorious Presence [of the 52nd Dai], may Allah perpetuate its divine assistance.

Date: 20 Jumada al-Ulaa 1415 H corresponding to 24th October 1994, Monday.

In the morning, at 10:00 AM, I arrived in the presence of Huzurala (Syedna Burhanuddin at his residence). As per my routine, this servant of Syedna presented a schedule of the day’s programme after which I sought permission to leave.

At that point, [Syedna] called me close to his chair and asked me “Has anyone spoken to you of a confidential matter?”

This servant replied “No, Maulana.”

At that moment he said, “I will now reveal a confidential matter to you. I had told Shaikh Ibrahim (Yamani) in Mumbai. You are his son, which is why I am telling you. In Mumbai I had called Shaikh Ibrahim, Shaikh Abdulhusain Tambawala and Shaikh Abdulhusain Shipchandler and had spoken to them at length. Then I spoke to them about nass. I had also spoken about this to Aaisaheba (The late wife of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin). Aaisaheba guarded confidential matters very diligently.”

He then said “After me, my Mansoos (successor-designate) is Mufaddal Saifuddin. I am conferring nass upon him. I had told the three of them to keep this (the conferral of nass) confidential and only reveal it after I am covered with a duppatta (indicating the ceremonial shoulder wrap which would be used to cover him at the time of his demise).”

After that he said, “When Mufaddal Saifuddin was


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born, I requested Syedna Taher Saifuddin to give him his name. He (Syedna Taher Saifuddin) asked [me], “What name would you like?” I replied, “Whatever name Huzurala chooses to bestow”.

This is what he related.

This servant offered prostrations of gratitude and humbly said that Maulana’s choice was indeed appropriate. After that, I humbly stated that it is just as Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin has said: “He is completely deserving, rather he is far superior than that”.

And then I offered prostrations in gratitude again and took permission to leave.

This is the confidential matter that I have noted on this day:

7th Rajab al-Asabb 1415 H, [corresponding to] 9th December, 1994, at 5:00 in the evening.

In 1426/2005, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA summoned the present Mukasir al-Dawat, Syedi Qaidjoher bhaisaheb Ezzuddin DM and Shahzada Malekul Ashter bhaisaheb Shujauddin DM to his residence in London, and in the strictest confidence, conferred nass upon Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS. He also disclosed to them that he had previously conferred nass upon Syedna Saifuddin TUS.

These appointments have been documented by al-Dai al-Ajal Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA in his risala sharifa (epistle) Zaat al-Nur where he states:

I had secretly confided the matter of this nass previously to those whom I confided in, and made this secret a safe-guarded entrustment with them. And in the year 1426 H, in London, during my stay [there] wherein I spent the holy month of Ramadan


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(9th Islamic month), I apprised my two radiant and beloved sons, two shining stars, Qaidjoher Ezzuddin and Malekul Ashter Shujauddin, of the matter of this nass, and I made them both witness it (nass), while emphasizing to both of them that it be kept undisclosed, according to what Allah’s Companion, the Master of the age, inspired me [to do].

Six years on, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA declared nass upon Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS in London in 1432/2011 and gave instructions for the nass to be made public, as men-tioned above. He describes these events in his risala sharifa Zaat al-Nur:

And indeed, when the Imam extended to me an abundant flow of his emanations, and by commanding me to declare this nass, granted me the most exalted of his triumphs, I announced, by the Will of Allah, Exalted is He, and His Companion (the Imam) that I had indeed placed the invaluable crown of nass upon the head of my son, of radiant brow, of evident superiority, comfort of the heart, one who treads the path of piety, sincerity, and belief, coolness of the eye, adorned by meritorious traits, chaste etiquettes, and exalted virtues that are more valuable than gold and silver, who is attired with the turban of significant praiseworthy deeds, crowned with renowned merits, who I have nurtured, educated and refined with the knowledge of the pure and noble progeny of Mohammed. For he is my ‘good deed’ who I have presented and prepared in seeking nearness to Allah, Exalted is He, and to His Companion (Imam), salutation be upon him. I have appointed him in the Rank of Dawat, the Master (Imam) of which is the best refuge and


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most honourable ideal for people of [the true] faith.

This beloved son was bestowed to me by Allah, Mighty and Exalted is He, on Lailat al-Qadr (23rd night of Ramadan) 1365 H. So my father, father of all [followers], the pre-eminent [51st] Dai, Syedna Taher Saifuddin, Allah’s favour be upon him, named him ‘Aali Qadr Mufaddal’ indicating his virtue. I conferred upon him the laqab ‘Saifuddin’, deriving the blessings of the 51st Dai’s laqab, Allah’s favour be upon him, and the laqab of the pre-eminent Dai, the patron of bounties, Syedna Abdeali Saifuddin (43rd Dai), Allah’s favour be upon him, who is known as ‘al-Muʾayyad al-Asghar’. I bestowed upon him the title ‘Aqeeq al-Yaman’ (the Carnelian of Yemen), to proclaim his renown upon his return from the journey to the blessed Yemen in the year 1391 H. May heavy clouds of the blessings of guidance and [divine] inspiration continue to shower upon him. May Allah, Exalted is He, appreciate his radiant effort, prolong his life, garb him with the choicest attire of good health, protect and safe-guard him from all adversities, watch over him with the eye of his merciful benefactions, and make his father, the servant of the pure progeny of Mohammed, and his grandfather, the [51st] Dai who is sanctified in the highest heavens, attain in him their expectations and [may Allah] fulfill [in him] their wishes.

This nass took place on the 3rd of Rajab al-Asabb, 1432/4th June, 2011 in London and was witnessed by:

1. Shahzada Idris bhaisaheb Badruddin DM,2. Shahzada Qusai bhaisaheb Vajihuddin DM,3. Shahzada Ammar bhaisaheb Jamaluddin DM,4. Shahzadi Husaina baisaheba DM,5. Dr Moiz bhaisaheb Nooruddin, and 6. Abdulqadir bhaisaheb b. Dr Moiz bhaisaheb.


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During Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin’s RA stay in Cromwell Hospital, it was customary for the shahzadas to visit him. On the 3rd of Rajab, 1432, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA did not permit them to leave the hospital and instructed them to wait in a nearby room. Shortly after, he summoned them and announced: “...We appoint Mufaddal Bhai in the rank of Dawat”. He then instructed them to inform everyone. He then asked, “Did you all hear [me]?” To which they replied in the affirmative.

The following day, Syedi Qaidjoher bhaisaheb Ezzuddin DM presided over the ʿurs majlis3 of the 37th Dai, Syedna Noor Mohammed Nooruddin RA in London. As per Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin’s RA wishes, he related in detail the events of the previous night. During his recounting of the events, he mentioned that sharbat was presented to Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA and that he took a sip and then personally handed the sharbat to Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS. Syedi Qaidjoher bhaisaheb Ezzuddin DM, along with those present conveyed their felicitations to the 52nd Dai and his successor.

As the 19th of Rajab al-Asabb, the ʿ urs mubarak (death anniversary) of the 51st Dai, drew near, the 52nd Dai’s yearning to visit his father’s blessed grave at Raudat Tahera in Mumbai grew stronger day by day. The 52nd Dai had paid his respects and been blessed with the ziyarat of his father’s revered grave on this historic day every year since his passing without exception. An ambulance plane was arranged and the 52nd Dai’s resolution to visit his eminent father’s mausoleum stood fulfilled.

It was on this auspicious day, in the precincts of the 51st Dai’s mausoleum, Raudat Tahera, that the 52nd Dai publicly proclaimed the 53rd Dai as his successor. Thousands of community members witnessed this historic pronouncement as he bestowed the highest rank, the one which he himself bore, upon his eminent son. The profound humility with which the 53rd Dai conducted himself in speech and gesture brought tears of joy to the eyes of 3. A gathering commemorating the death anniversary of a community leader or pious saint.


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those assembled there. It is noteworthy that this historic event should take place in the hallowed environs of Raudat Tahera, which would now bear witness to this momentous event for all time. The 52nd Dai recounts this appointment in his risala sharifa Zaat al-Nur:

...I arrived on that day [of Urs] to visit the grave of my father, father of all [followers] the pre-eminent Dai...[I]n the presence of the faithful, I renewed upon my beloved son the nass, which is conjoined to the Duat Mutlaqeen from the pure progeny of the Prophet — may clouds of blessing continue to rain and shower upon them — thereby appointing him in the rank of Hijaabiyyat, for I placed him in the position of the servant of the pure progeny of Mohammed. I seated him to my right, for I promoted him above all the dignitaries and [all] followers.

Indeed, I have always found him to encompass all the characteristics that necessitate for him the [rank of the] esteemed Dawat, and by which he becomes worthy of possessing a close standing with Allah, Exalted is He, and with His noble Companions (the Imams). I praise Allah, Respected and Exalted is He, for this great blessing, more than the praise of those who praise Him, and offer Him gratitude, Exalted is He, more than the gratitude of those who extol Him.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin’s TUS humility and deep reverence for Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA has impressed itself upon the hearts and minds of the Dawoodi Bohra community.


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Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA publicly appointed Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS as his successor in the blessed precincts of Raudat Tahera on 19th Rajab al-Asabb, 1432/20th June, 2011.


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The annals of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin’s RA 50 years of travel across South Asia and other parts of the

world where his followers reside bear testimony to his trust and reliance upon Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS. Over the years, he gradually delegated to him many of the tasks and responsibilities which he personally oversaw.

Syedna Burhanuddin RA would regularly designate Syedna Saifuddin TUS to visit the towns and homes of community members, administer the misaq, solemnize nikahs, as well as confer upon them ranks and titles. Although Syedna Burhanuddin RA would primarily undertake these activities himself, occasionally, even when time and means permitted, he would delegate these responsibilities to Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS, similar to Syedna Taher Saifuddin’s RA own actions with respect to Syedna Burhanuddin RA.

As far back as 1393/1973, Syedna Burhanuddin RA directed Syedna Saifuddin TUS to visit the homes of Mumineen on his behalf. In one instance, while referring to a visit to Dar es Salaam, Syedna Burhanuddin RA writes:

In response to their [Mumineen] requests, I directed my son, the Trusted of the Tayyibi Dawat, Mufaddal Saifuddin to bless their homes by visiting them. From then on, this custom continued in all the cities

Delegation of Responsibilities


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I visited in response to the earnest requests of the sincere and faithful.

In another instance, while mentioning the visits of Syedna Saifuddin TUS to the homes of community members, Syedna Burhanuddin RA stated that such visits are an honoured custom of Duat Mutlaqeen AS by virtue of which the blessings of their followers multiply and their worries and trepidations are dispelled. He added that these visits provide an opportunity to look into their matters, to address their concerns and to guide them towards the betterment of their religious and temporal lives.

Syedna Burhanuddin RA not only sent Syedna Saifuddin TUS on his behalf to the homes of followers, but also to towns and cities that had requested Syedna Burhanuddin RA to grace them with his presence. In an epistle written in 1415/1994, Syedna Burhanuddin RA narrates:

I also sent my most esteemed son, Aqeeq al-Yaman, Mufaddal Saifuddin to Barwani, thereby accepting the invitation of its residents that I visit them; such is the obligation of my affection and love for them. The [faithful] people of Kukshi, Alirajpur and Amba also received him along the way, and welcomed him with utmost hospitality, as they saw him to be the noble and venerable son of his father, their compassionate and benevolent Dai.

There are countless instances of Syedna Burhanuddin RA granting Syedna Saifuddin TUS permission to conduct the misaq and nikah of community members. The first misaq, administered when community members attain puberty, is a significant milestone in an individual’s life, and an occasion of celebration for family and friends. Throughout Syedna Burhanuddin’s RA travels, it would almost always be Syedna Saifuddin TUS conducting this first misaq. Likewise, on the Eid of Ghadir Khum at the bidding of his predecessor, Syedna Saifuddin TUS would take


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the misaq of hundreds of young adherents who had come of age, personally welcoming them to the fold of Dawat. During Syedna Burhanuddin’s RA tenure, Syedna Saifuddin TUS must have taken the misaq and solemnized the nikah of thousands all over the world. So keen was Syedna Burhanuddin RA for Syedna Saifuddin TUS to carry out these two key religious tenets — one which brings new initiates into the faith and the other which completes it1 — that on one occasion in 1425/2004, when a customary written request was presented to him to grant Syedna Saifuddin TUS permission to carry out misaq and nikah, Syedna Burhanuddin RA wrote on it, ‘He has my permission, today and henceforth’.

The 52nd Dai also designated his son and successor to carry out many of his personal tasks and obligations. In 1412/1991, in Alexandria, Syedna Burhanuddin RA paid homage at the tombs of two prophets, Luqman AS and Danyal AS, whose tombs lie within an underground alcove. Syedna Burhanuddin RA states:

I directed my radiant and dear son, Aqeeq al-Yaman, Mufaddal Saifuddin to descend to the tomb and offer respects on my behalf as well as on behalf of all Mumineen. He also shrouded the venerated grave with a rich brocade (as a mark of respect for the venerable site and a rite of ziyarat).

Whenever the opportunity arose, Syedna Burhanuddin RA chose to highlight Syedna Saifuddin’s TUS standing. For instance, in 1432/2011, on the occasion of his centennial milad mubarak, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA entrusted him with bestowing the religious rank of haddiyyat to 50 community members in his stead. Granting this lofty rank upon such a number of community members in one sitting was a singular honour never given to anyone other than Syedna Saifuddin TUS.

Similarly, in 1424/2003, upon the completion of new offices for his respected sons in Dawat’s administrative headquarters,

1. The Prophet Mohammed SAW has stated that nikah completes one’s faith.


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Badri Mahal, Syedna Burhanuddin RA chose to inaugurate the office of his ‘radiant and noble son, Mufaddal Saifuddin’ first.

During the final years of his blessed life, the 52nd Dai displayed great fortitude and steadily continued to further delegate many of the tasks which he used to personally undertake to his beloved successor. At the behest of Syedna Burhanuddin RA, Syedna Saifuddin TUS from 1432/2011, following his public appointment as successor, till the sad passing of Syedna Burhanuddin RA travelled to over 150 towns and cities in two and a half years. In each city he looked into the affairs of the community and blessed them with his father’s prayers. Together, they saw to it that the 52nd Dai’s benevolent vision for the community continued to be realised without any pause. In the five years following his accession as Dai and until his 75th milad mubarak celebrations in Surat, Syedna Saifuddin had journeyed to over 247 different towns and cities all over the world.

Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA regularly directed Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS to administer the first misaq of community members.


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In his centenary milad mubarak sermon, Syedna Burhanuddin RA expressed his desire to warmly embrace each and every community member. Having seen his followers grow under his warm guidance, the members of the community were akin to his beloved children. During the final years of the 52nd Dai’s incumbency, the 53rd Dai saw to it that his beloved father’s desire was fulfilled in body and in spirit. Many will testify to the tireless effort with which he personally visited the towns and cities in which Syedna Burhanuddin’s RA followers resided. Those he visited felt warmly embraced by a wave of paternal love. Throughout his travels, he showered Mumineen with many distinct privileges. Foremost among them was a sermon in which he addressed members of the local community, providing them with wisdom and guidance and touching upon issues relevant to their lives and livelihoods. Many speak of the boundless energy and the heartfelt love for community members embodied in those sermons. His extensive travels and his affectionate words enveloped the Dawoodi Bohra community with the warm embrace of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin’s RA love, prayers and concern.

Syedna Saifuddin TUS continues to fulfil the needs of the community and has ensured the well-being of each and every individual.


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The 52nd Dai acted with great foresight in all matters. Reaching the grand age of 102, Syedna Mohammed

Burhanuddin RA continued to lead the community up until his last breath. His resplendent era marked the establishment of hundreds of community centres, the dedication of a large number of mausolea and adriha in honour of community leaders, the production of intellectual works and the development of institutional and social mechanisms that would continue to enrich the lives of community members for generations to come. His life was dedicated to the spiritual and temporal upliftment of each and every adherent, wherever he or she may reside. Testimonies to the granularity with which he looked into the matters of individuals and groups is far greater than can be recollected let alone documented. In a relatively short span of 50 years, the 52nd Dai had transformed the community and ushered it into the modern era with a renewed allegiance to the core tenets of its Fatimi faith.

The 16th of Rabiʿ al-Awwal, 1435/17th January, 2014, is a day that no Dawoodi Bohra will ever forget. It dawned as does any other, yet in a few hours it had plunged the community into heart-wrenching grief and deep sorrow. The 52nd Dai — a father so loving, so caring, so concerned about the smallest of their problems — had suddenly left them. Anguished cries of mourning echoed all around the world as the news spread

An Unbearable Loss


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Like his revered father had at the 51st Dai’s passing, Syedna Saifuddin TUS stood in the portico of Saifee Mahal, Mumbai, offering solace to a community devastated by the passing of Syedna Burhanuddin RA.


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and thousands left their homes to make their way to Mumbai. In grief, in astonishment and in shock, the community felt orphaned. But immediately a soothing call came from Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS. At Saifee Mahal, his residence in Mumbai, he addressed the thousands who had gathered there in the very same manner that his beloved father had addressed the community upon the 51st Dai’s passing. Despite his own personal and unfathomable loss, he saw that the need of the moment was to assuage the bereavement of the community. His presence and words reassured them that even though the 52nd Dai had passed, the 53rd Dai was there for them.

Four days earlier, on the eve of the Prophet Mohammed’s SAW milad mubarak, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA visited Raudat Tahera for what would be his final ziyarat of his father’s sacred grave. The 53rd Dai in his many sermons has repeatedly and vividly described the celestial radiance on the 52nd Dai’s countenance that night, and how he called for someone to photograph it for posterity.

To grieve the passing of a beloved father whose warm presence had shaded him since birth demanded great fortitude in itself. Yet, the 53rd Dai was also required to immediately assume the responsibilities that fell to him as leader of the community. His display of inner strength, willpower and courage in such trying circumstances is perhaps the greatest testament to the care and sagacity with which both the 51st Dai and the 52nd Dai prepared their successor for the leadership of the community. He immediately addressed the most pressing tasks before him paying no heed to peripheral distractions.

Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS chose Raudat Tahera as the burial site for his respected father. The 53rd Dai conducted the rite of carrying the janaza mubaraka to its final resting place in a manner befitting the lofty stature of the 52nd Dai while also ensuring that the thousands who had flocked to Mumbai from the far-flung corners of the world were able to pay their respects with dignity and solemnness. Those who were unable to be


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physically present participated in spirit by gathering in local community centres across the globe to mourn and pay their respects to the 52nd Dai.

The funeral procession from Syedna’s RA residence at Saifee Mahal to his final resting place at Raudat Tahera was one the likes of which Mumbai had never seen. The roads and major thoroughfares of Mumbai from where the procession passed were inundated with a sea of Dawoodi Bohras clad in white, tears in their eyes and cries of ‘Maula, Maula’ upon their lips.

After the burial, a period of 40 days of mourning commenced where every day Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS presided over a condolence gathering. Aside from Mumineen who attended in their thousands, people from all communities and faiths came to pay their respects and offer their condolences to the 53rd Dai. They derived from the new head of the community both solace and inspiration. Following the culmination of the period of mourning, the new incumbent embarked on a pilgrimage to the venerated shrines of Amir al-Mumineen SA and Imam Husain SA, drawing solace from them, and then on to Yemen.

Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin’s TUS actions before and after the passing of the 52nd Dai epitomized a loving son’s devotion to his father, a bereaved spiritual father’s concern for his children and followers and a Dai’s unwavering dedication and commitment to the Ahl al-Bayt AS, the Fatimi faith and the legacy of his predecessors.


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ship in a sea of tears: the janaza mubaraka of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA proceeded through Mumbai on 17th Rabiʿ al-Awwal, 1435/18th January, 2014.

Raudat Tahera, the final resting place of both the 51st Dai and the 52nd Dai (following spread).


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The 53rd Dai continues to lead the community after the passing of his beloved father with great purpose and resolve.

Several visions of the illustrious 51st Dai and 52nd Dai had already reached fruition. It was now time to provide further impetus to their efforts and broaden the scope of their expectations for the community. The Dawoodi Bohras had witnessed great prosperity and progress at the hands of the 52nd Dai, however, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS would demonstrate that the aspirations of his father for the community went well beyond what had already been achieved. In many a sermon, he praises his audience for their acceptance of the 52 nd Dai’s teachings and admires how Syedna Burhanuddin RA had nurtured them and elevated them to their current spiritual and material standing. Yet, he urges the community onwards and upwards, engendering a newfound dedication to faith and commitment to helping others the likes of which none were aware could even exist. By strengthening existing social institutions, establishing new organizations and renewing vigour to the adherence and practice of religious tenets, the 53rd Dai has ensured that the achievements of his predecessors would increase exponentially. As a result, his incumbency has resulted in a renewed celebration of the community’s cultural identity. A series of initiatives in these last few years have seen an unprecedented mobilization of resources within the community. The 53rd Dai’s firm resolve and

A Defining Transition


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sharply focused vision has invigorated each and every community member. Similarly, his love for all of humankind has led him to address many pressing issues affecting the human experience. The following sections highlight key programmes, institutions and initiatives led by Syedna Saifuddin TUS and illustrate his vision for the Dawoodi Bohra community and society at large.

ʿAshara Mubaraka: The Blessed TenThe delivery of sermons, known as waʿz majlis, is the primary medium through which history, doctrinal law, intellectual thought, wisdom and guidance is disseminated in the Dawat. These sermons are delivered throughout the year, usually on days of religious significance.

The most important annual sermons are delivered during ʿAshara Mubaraka which takes place at the onset of the Islamic year to commemorate the martyrdom of the Prophet Mohammed’s SAW beloved grandson, Imam Husain AS. The cumulative efforts of the last three Duat Mutlaqeen AS have ensured that every single Dawoodi Bohra community centre across the world holds the ʿAshara event for its local congregation with a series of majalis (pl. of majlis) both in the morning and in the evening in which Imam Husain’s AS martyrdom is commemorated through sermons delivered by the congregation leader and the recitation of elegies by the audience. With each subsequent sermon, having progressed through various themes in Islamic history and philosophy, the assembly moves closer to the day of ʿAshura (the 10th of Muharram) in which Imam Husain’s AS final journey to Karbala and the oppression he faced there are narrated in great detail.

A large segment of the community travels to hear the sermons of the Dai which are conducted at a scale like no other and offer a truly unique experience for the thousands that attend. In the few short years of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin’s TUS tenure, the number of attendees has grown exponentially with


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Syedna Saifuddin TUS delivered ʿAshara Mubaraka sermons in Indore in 1388/1968 (left) and Dohad in 1395/1975 (below).


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over 200,000 people attending his sermons in Indore, India in 1440/2018. The sermons serve as a means for followers to reinvigorate their faith and navigate the complexities of modern life by contextualizing thousands of years of history with the issues facing the Dawoodi Bohra community and humanity at large today. The majalis give rise to intense grief and emotion which not only cleanses the soul providing mental and spiritual relief, but also sensitizes attendees to contemporary challenges facing the world, generating a greater sense of collective empathy. Syedna’s TUS counsel and guidance throughout the year, but especially during ʿAshara Mubaraka, are the source and foundation of the community’s core ethos: the expression of a strong Islamic identity that resonates with values of loyalty, patriotism, lawfulness and generosity. These values encourage Dawoodi Bohras to be exemplary citizens of the countries they live in and ideal members of society.

Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS has always had a seminal role in generating greater awareness of the significance of Imam Husain’s AS martyrdom. He delivered his first ʿAshara sermons in 1388/1968, when Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA sent him to Indore. Indicating the importance of this maiden event, Syedna Burhanuddin RA instructed Dawat hudud, members of his administration and Mumineen to see Syedna Saifuddin TUS off at the railway station. In subsequent years, Syedna Burhanuddin RA directed Syedna Saifuddin TUS to deliver ʿAshara sermons in Madina Munawarra and Karbala al-Muʿalla (1391/1971), Karachi (1394/1974), Dohad (1395/1975), al-Qahira (1396/1976), Ahmedabad (1397/1976), Kuwait (1404/1983) and Mumbai (1411/1990).

The 52nd Dai often sent his successor to assess cities vying for the privilege of hosting ʿAshara Mubaraka, trusting his judgement and evaluation. In one instance he states:

The requests of the faithful in Indore seeking this great honour (that Syedna Burhanuddin RA grace their city with the sermons of ʿAshara Mubaraka)


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had been conveyed to us continuously for a number of years… From Khandala, I sent my radiant son, the delight of the eye of Allah’s trustworthy Dai, Aqeeq al-Yaman, Thiqat al-Dawat al-Tayyibiyya, ʿAleem al-Baariʿ , to ascertain the requirements needed...

During the 52nd Dai’s tenure, the 53rd Dai was the single most prominent voice in encouraging the faithful to attend ʿAshara Mubaraka, rendering a hugely consequential service to his father. The prominence of his service was made apparent during the night majalis held in the location where the 52nd Dai led the ʿAshara gathering. Whilst other Dawat hudud and scholars in attendance would address the gathering each evening offering their reflections on Syedna Burhanuddin’s RA sermon delivered that day, for years it was reserved for Syedna Saifuddin TUS to deliver his uniquely impassioned oration as the final speech on the final night, the eve of ʿAshura. His heartfelt words strengthened the conviction of attendees and prepared them for the day of ʿAshura, the day Imam Husain AS attained martyrdom. Syedna Saifuddin’s TUS ʿAshura eve oration was eagerly anticipated and was a core feature of Syedna Burhanuddin’s RA ʿAshara Mubaraka.

In 1411/1990, Syedna Burhanuddin RA was due to deliver the ʿAshara sermons in Dar es Salaam when illness prevented him from travelling to Tanzania for the first few days. He instructed Syedna Saifuddin TUS to deliver sermons in his stead in Mumbai’s historic Ghurrat al-Masajid (Saifee Masjid). Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA describes this occassion in the following words:

I beckoned my radiant son, the delight of my eye, Aqeeq al-Yaman, Mufaddal Saifuddin, and directed him to deliver the sermon of mourning at Ghurrat al-Masajid. He followed my directives, and having sought succour from Allah, delivered an excellent sermon. He guided Mumineen towards the best of paths. He counselled them regarding the obligation


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of Allah’s obedience, the indispensability of Maula’s walayat (love), and the need for them to be sincere and pure. These sermons continued until the 4th of Muharram. He oversaw this responsibility diligently with regards to his narration, his counsel and the remembrance of [Imam Husain’s AS] martyrdom.

While Syedna Saifuddin TUS was delivering the sermon in Mumbai, Syedna Burhanuddin RA remained at Saifee Mahal and alternated between listening to a recording of a sermon delivered by his father and predecessor, Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA and listening to the live audio relay of the ongoing sermon of his son and successor from Ghurrat al-Masajid. After completing the first sermon, Syedna Saifuddin TUS returned to the presence of his respected father who showed his pride and pleasure by kissing him upon his forehead.

The 53rd Dai would go on to deliver sermons on behalf of his

The ghurrat of all those who had rendered services to Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA delivered three sermons during ʿAshara Mubaraka 1411/1990 in Ghurrat al-Masajid in Mumbai as per the directives of Syedna Burhanuddin RA.


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predecessor in 1433/2011-12, 1434/2012-13 and 1435/2013 after he was publicly proclaimed successor. During this time, the 52nd Dai bestowed upon him the unique privilege of seating him at his side on the takht1 on multiple occasions including the blessed day of ʿAshura for three successive years. This rare sight invoked the memory of the 51st Dai who similarly granted his successor the same honour twice, once in Ahmedabad and once in Mumbai. Such is the seamless continuity that is manifested throughout the illustrious lives of these three august personalities.

The significance of ʿAshara Mubaraka for the religious and cultural perpetuity of the Dawoodi Bohra community cannot be overstated, and Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS has spared no effort in spreading awareness in this regard. Throughout time, it has been the responsibility of the Imam or Dai of each era to ensure the preservation and perpetuation of the Dawat so that its adherents may continue attaining salvation. The 53rd Dai, like Duat Mutlaqeen RA before him, has clearly stated that for the Dawoodi Bohra community, this salvation lies in the remembrance of, and lamentation upon, Imam Husain AS.

In order to ensure that this message reaches each and every individual, members of Syedna’s TUS family, administration and students of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah along with select Mumineen travel to towns and cities where Dawoodi Bohras reside during the annual Ohbat2 week approximately a month prior to ʿAshara Mubaraka to explain its significance and motivate the community. During this week, community members visit each other’s homes and hold majalis where they recall Imam Husain’s AS tragedy at an intimate and personal level. The opportunity to remember Imam Husain AS in the familiar setting of one’s home surrounded by individuals whose common bond is the love for Imam Husain AS and his Dai TUS is a profound experience and is the perfect motivation and precursor for the upcoming ʿAshara gathering. The end result of Ohbat has been that community

1. The takht is an ornate platform from which sermons are delivered.2. Ohbat is the Arabic word for preparation and in this context is used to express the notion of readiness, eagerness and preparedness for ʿAshara Mubaraka.


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When attending ʿAshara Mubaraka with Syedna Burhanuddin RA, Syedna Saifuddin TUS would address the attendees on the final night, the eve of ʿAshura, preparing them for the next day. Here he is seen addressing thousands of Mumineen in Surat in 1410/1989.

members’ attendance, punctuality and understanding of the sermons and the significance of Imam Husain’s AS grief continues to grow year on year. It is customary for community members to close their shops, cease their businesses and other worldly activities, and take leave from school and work to participate in the majalis, and wholly commit themselves to this remembrance as a humble tribute to Imam Husain’s AS sacrifice. Following ʿAshara Mubaraka, they return to their daily lives spiritually fulfilled, primed for the year that lies ahead with renewed vigour to do what is right, kind and virtuous in all spheres of their lives, positively impacting their relationships, businesses and souls. Immediately after one ʿAshara Mubaraka draws to a close, Syedna TUS urges the community to prepare and plan for the next. Wherever Syedna TUS travels, this one message of his remains constant, a message that has brought the community closer to each other and, more importantly, closer to Imam Husain AS.


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In whichever city Syedna Burhanuddin RA

convened ʿ Ashara Mubaraka, Syedna Saifuddin TUS would often reach beforehand and oversee each and every aspect of the ongoing preparations from the waʿz venue, to accommodation and dining facilities for those attending, to the tazyeen (decoration) used to create an atmosphere of grief and lament.


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Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA and Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS as one on the Day of ʿAshura, 1433/2011, in Ghurrat al-Masajid, Mumbai (following spread).

ʿAshara Mubaraka 1436/2014 in Surat, India (pgs. 184-185).


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Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah, as a representation of an ideal, embodies the values, teachings and practices of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS and his illustrious forebears. As an educational institute whose sole benefactor is the Dai, it stands as a bastion of the intellectual and cultural heritage of the Dawoodi Bohra community. Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah was formerly known as Darse Saifee, a formal institution of learning founded by the illustrious 43rd Dai, Syedna Abdeali Saifuddin RA, in 1224/1810 for community students aspiring to serve the Dawat and its adherents.

It was destined for the next ‘Saifuddin’ in the line of Duat Mutlaqeen, the 51st Dai, to further develop the institute founded by his namesake. Both their eras were marked by an intellectual efflorescence providing the ideal environment for the establishment and development of an academic institute. The 51st Dai expanded Darse Saifee and renamed it Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah. Thus, this traditional centre of religious instruction was transformed into an Arabic academy which, along with religious scripture, taught the natural sciences and the humanities to both male and female students.

The 52nd Dai continued to raise the level of instruction at the academy. In 1404/1983, he inaugurated a new campus in Karachi, Pakistan. In 1407/1987, upon the sad demise of Aljamea’s first rector, Dr Shahzada Yusuf bhaisaheb Najmuddin QR, the 52nd Dai appointed the 53rd Dai as one of four rectors of the institution. The remaining three rectors included two brothers of Syedna Burhanuddin RA — the late Mazoon al-Dawat Syedi Qasim bhaisaheb Hakimuddin QR and the late Shahzada Abbas bhaisaheb Fakhruddin QR — and his eldest son, Mukasir al-Dawat Syedi Qaidjoher bhaisaheb Ezzuddin DM. Although, in terms of age and apparent rank, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS would be seen as the junior of the four rectors, Syedna Burhanuddin RA specified in his directives to the rectors

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at that time, that if there were to be a difference of opinion amongst them, Syedna Saifuddin’s TUS judgement was to prevail. The rectors were tasked with overseeing the administration of what had now been transformed into a contemporary centre of learning, offering courses in a wide range of subjects.

On the occasion of his 100th milad mubarak, Syedna Burhanuddin RA established a campus of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah in Nairobi, Kenya. Swiftly complying with his predecessor’s directives, Syedna Saifuddin TUS ensured that Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah, Nairobi, was up and running within 20 days of the initial announcement in a temporary campus. Transferring staff and students, arranging for their accommodation, setting up classrooms and administrative offices, providing dining facilities for three meals a day and creating a thriving environment for the time-honoured traditions of Aljamea in such a short time span was no mean task.

Once the Nairobi campus was operational, Syedna Saifuddin TUS turned his attention to the construction of a new dedicated campus, involving himself in all aspects of its design and development. His compassion and deep love for Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah and for all those affiliated to it was further seen in the construction process. He commissioned world-renowned architects for its design and ensured that state-of-the-art facilities be provided for its students, enriching their journey of learning in all possible ways. In 1438/2017, this grand and iconic campus was officially inaugurated by the President of Kenya in the presence of state dignitaries, scholars and thousands of assembled community members. East Africa, where the community until not too long ago was ostensibly in the grip of so-called reformists, was now a vibrant centre of the community’s lore and learning.

In 1434/2013, in commemoration of Syedna Burhanuddin’s RA 50 years as head of the community, and in accordance with the wishes of his predecessors, especially the 47th Dai and the 49th Dai, Syedna Saifuddin TUS announced the establishment of Aljamea-


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The viva voce examinations of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah. During the oral examinations students are questioned on a variety of topics found in the epistles of the 51st, 52nd and 53rd Duat Mutlaqeen which are studied year round.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS presiding over the viva voce of the students of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah.


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Syedna Burhanuddin RA and Syedna Saifuddin TUS gracing the written examinations of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah.


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tus-Saifiyah’s fourth campus in the Mumbai suburb of Marol. Prior to the official announcement, Syedna Saifuddin TUS had already personally overseen the design of the entire campus and designated the locations of its various facilities and faculties. In both 1436/2015 and 1440/2018, he presided over foundation laying ceremonies of its various buildings, just as he will, by the grace of Allah, preside over its inauguration in the not too distant future.

The 53rd Dai’s relationship with the faculty and students of Aljamea is unique. Having been a rector of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah for 28 years, he shares an intimate connection with members of the community’s premier institution of learning. Likewise, by having overseen the affairs of its students and administered its oral examinations, he has been responsible for personally training generations of community leaders who today serve under his aegis. This prolonged engagement with the academy and the great esteem with which he regards it has seen it blessed with unbounded affection and paternal oversight. This level of care is sensed by all associated with Aljamea, especially when they are fortunate enough to be afforded an audience with him and when he refers to the institute and its students in his sermons. None of its matters are deemed too trivial to merit his supervision, nor are any of its challenges too mundane to not be of sufficient concern. A testament to his deep faith in the institution is that he has ensured that the students and faculty of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah be integral participants in all community-wide developmental initiatives.

During a visit to Surat in 1412/1991, Syedna Saifuddin TUS laid the foundation stone for faculty residences.


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Syedna Saifuddin TUS laid the foundation stone for Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah, Nairobi in 1434/2013 (right) and Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah, Mumbai in 1436/2015 (below).


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Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah, Nairobi: Syedna Burhanuddin’s RA gift to the community on his centennial milad mubarak (following spread).


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The Quran is the fountainhead of all wisdom and serves as the cornerstone for all disciplines of knowledge in the Fatimi tradition. Great care is taken by the institutions of learning functioning under the Dai to honour the Holy Quran through the study and internalization of its meanings and the memorization and recitation of its sacred text. It was to this end that in 1396/1976 the 52nd Dai established Mahad al-Zahra, an institute under the auspices of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah dedicated to the recitation, memorization and study of the sciences and arts of Islam’s revered book.

Expanding the institute’s mission greatly, in 1415/1995, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA expressed his desire that each and every student of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah be a hafiz. Post-haste, Syedna Saifuddin TUS set about realizing this great vision, firstly, by devising systems that would facilitate student memorization of the Quran and, secondly, by providing the physical infrastructure and the human resources required for this process. A grand facility designated for this purpose was inaugurated by Syedna Burhanuddin RA in Surat in 1419/1998 and similar structures would follow at Aljamea’s other campuses in later years.

The efforts of the 53rd Dai have led to a community-wide initiative encouraging both young and old alike to recite the Quran, memorize it and understand its meanings and interpretations. He has frequently conveyed to the faithful his desire that every household be blessed with at least one individual who has committed the entire Quran to memory. From the time this initiative was launched during the last years of his father’s era, the number of persons who have memorized the Holy Quran has increased annually. The past two years alone (1439-40/2017-19) have seen nearly 2000 Mumineen commit the entire Quran to memory.

In order to facilitate memorization and Quranic literacy throughout the community, Mahad al-Zahra has taken up a two

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pronged approach. Firstly, in one of the first such systems of its kind, the institute developed a flexible online platform through which community members all over the world are able to recite passages they have committed to memory to certified hafizes and Quranic instructors. Because of the convenience and flexibility online communication offers, participants in the e-Learning Quran initiative hail from almost every country in which Dawoodi Bohras reside. In order to offer a more personal, face-to-face experience, in conjunction with the online programme, Mahad al-Zahra has also established a range of physical centres and retreats for the memorization of the Quran. Operating on a seasonal or permanent basis, these centres are located in major cities with large Dawoodi Bohra populations such as Dubai, Houston and Colombo, or have been setup at pilgrimage sites in rural India in the peaceful, sanctified settings of mausoleum complexes, where both accommodation and meals are provided to aspirants. Quranic instructors are also sent to smaller communities to conduct seminars and workshops, especially during the holy month of Ramadan. By virtue of these various initiatives, Mahad al-Zahra has certified over 3,800 hafizes while nearly 49,000 individuals have received certificates for the memorization of Juz ʿAmma, the last out of the 30 segments of the Quran.

Over the last few years, a number of Mahad al-Zahra certified hafizes have travelled to al-Qahira to receive further accreditation in Quranic studies. Under the instruction of distinguished Egyptian reciters, some even receive advanced training in the art of recitation, particularly in the Ten Readings1 of the Quran which is considered a prerequisite for mastery of Quranic recitation.

1. Traditionally, there are ten variant readings of the Quran associated to the primary recitations and narrations.


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Syedna Saifuddin TUS reciting the Holy Quran in the presence of Syedna Burhanuddin RA in Udaipur (1386/1966).


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Syedna Saifuddin TUS observing students of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah reciting the Holy Quran from memory in a sitting known as a maqraʾ at.


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Syedna Saifuddin TUS reciting the Holy Quran in the presence of Syedna Burhanuddin RA in London (1427/2006).


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The qaʿat, or octagonal recitation hall, of Mahad al-Zahra, Surat.


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Syedna Saifuddin TUS presenting a six-year-old hafiz with a degree certifying his memorization of the Holy Quran in Rajab, 1440/March 2019.


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A Patron of EducationSyedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS and his predecessors in office have always been patrons of education. They have contributed to the causes of learning and have remained dedicated to the betterment of the human experience through knowledge. Soon after his ascension to the office of al-Dai al-Mutlaq, Syedna Saifuddin TUS was presented the chancellorship of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) like his esteemed father and grandfather before him. Syedna TUS accepted the proposition and, a few months later, in Jumada al-Ukhra, 1436/April, 2015, Syedna TUS was confirmed as chancellor. In Jumada al-Awwal, 1437/February, 2016, Syedna Saifuddin TUS visited the University as its chancellor for the first time on the occasion of its 63rd Annual Convocation and addressed the 5000-strong gathering with an exposition of the Quranic verse which is the motto of AMU, ‘He (Allah) taught man that which he knew not’ (96:5). He also composed an Urdu poem for the occasion incorporating this sacred verse into its chorus. In 1440/2018, Syedna TUS was unanimously re-elected Chancellor of AMU for a second term.

Like Aligarh Muslim University, the University of Karachi shares a long-standing relationship with the leaders of the Dawoodi Bohra community and has long recognized their contributions to society. In Zilqaʿda, 1436/September, 2015, the University of Karachi conferred upon Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS the degree of Doctor of Letters honoris causa in recognition of his scholarship and commitment to education. Syedna Saifuddin TUS is the third Dai to have received an honorary degree from this institution. His grandfather, Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA, was presented with an honorary degree in 1375/1955 while his father, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA, was presented one in 1425/2004.

Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS is a prolific writer and scholar. In five years as incumbent he has authored multiple treatises in


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Arabic and has composed hymns and other genres of poetic works in Arabic, Lisan al-Dawat1 and Urdu. His publications are widely read within the community and formally studied by students of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah. He has also completed and published two unfinished treatises started by the 51st Dai and is in the process of completing and publishing those started by the 52nd Dai.

Continuing in the tradition of Duat Mutlaqeen RA before him, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS too has undertaken the composition of a haqiqat text. As of his 75th milad mubarak, he had already penned 3000 verses. Likewise, he has also initiated an annual, ten-day intensive retreat in which community members of all levels of learning have the opportunity to enlighten themselves through the study of such venerated texts.

1. A vernacular used by Dawoodi Bohras derived from Arabic, Farsi, Gujarati and Urdu.

Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS received an honorary doctorate from the University of Karachi in 1436/2015.


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In 1437/2016, Syedna TUS undertook the restoration and refurbishment of Syedna Taher Saifuddin High School, located within the Aligarh Muslim University campus. Established in 1875, the school was renamed Syedna Taher Saifuddin High School in 1966 after His Holiness Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA.


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Syedna TUS presided over the 63rd Annual Convocation of Aligarh Muslim University as its chancellor in 1437/2016.


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Upliftment of the CommunityThe 53rd Dai has inherited and cultivated a profound love for his community members from all backgrounds and across all regions. The initiatives he led during the 52nd Dai’s era allowed him to come into contact with people from all walks of life and this particularly inspired a strong desire to uplift the less affluent among them. In 1436/2015, Syedna TUS announced an annual week of volunteerism dedicated to ‘fostership’ and ‘upliftment’, two unique concepts that are at the forefront of Syedna’s TUS aspirations for the community. Fostership entails a more fortunate family adopting and fostering the growth and development of another through financial and educational support and the sharing of business acumen. Upliftment, the term most associated with the initiative, is a concept prevalent within the community which incorporates assisting others in order to stimulate both material and spiritual prosperity and promote upward mobility in both worldly and religious spheres.

A key element of the Upliftment drive is to ensure that every community member has a home that, at the very least, meets basic standards of safety, space, tahara (ritual purity), comfort and utility. Volunteers not only provide immediate relief in the form of short-term solutions such as painting and basic repairs, but also put in place long-term measures to ensure the stability and comfort of the families they visit. Often, volunteers simply assist homeowners in tasks that they are unable to do on their own such as clearing out clutter or thoroughly cleaning difficult-to- access areas of the home. Although often seen as menial tasks, the impact on the beneficiaries of such support is a profound realization of the community’s interconnectedness and love for one another.

The annual drive mobilizes the community’s vast administrative mechanism, particularly the students and faculty of Aljamea, and sees community professionals and businessmen volunteer their time and expertise. For the past three years, Syedna TUS has encouraged community members from all walks of life, but


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particularly skilled professionals, to join the Upliftment drive. Alongside students of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah, architects, engineers, doctors, construction professionals along with anyone else keen on lending a helping hand contribute to the efforts with their time, labour and expertise. Medical practitioners provide diagnostics and medical care, and organize seminars addressing pertinent health issues and lifestyle diseases. The Upliftment drive, which has became a fixed annual event, focuses primarily on cities and villages in India, where the majority of the Dawoodi Bohra community resides, and therefore sees hundreds of individuals fly in to join the cause. Volunteers visit thousands of homes and identify hundreds of projects to uplift the living standards of the less well-to-do. Aside from the support it provides families in need, the drive facilitates cultural exchange and offers volunteers a unique learning experience.

The end purpose and motivation behind the Upliftment drive is to ensure prosperity in both worlds. The community believes that material growth at the cost of spiritual detriment is ultimately fruitless. Hence, an integral mandate of those involved in the drive is to foster spiritual, moral and intellectual growth. Crash courses on religious tenets, informal conversations about important practices and the encouragement of greater religious literacy are intertwined with the other social initiatives. It is this focus on spirituality combined with temporal development that distinguishes the community’s Upliftment drive and highlights the farsightedness of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS and his affection and concern for the Dawoodi Bohra community.


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In 1430/2009, the 52nd Dai initiated an urban redevelopment project on a scale unseen in South Asia. For almost 50 years, the 52nd Dai frequented the mausoleum of his father, Raudat Tahera, located in the centre of Bhendi Bazaar in Mumbai. Having taken close note of the dilapidated state of many of the buildings as well as having seen first hand the living conditions of those who reside in this area, he took it upon himself to transform the 250 buildings occupying 16.5 acres of land in the heart of Mumbai. This gargantuan project was not just for members of the community who are the predominant residents of the area but also for all the other residents and businesses that make up this teeming yet congested enclave.

Today, the 53rd Dai continues his father’s patronage of this project, one that continues to give rise to new challenges and complexities on a daily basis. Relocating the many families, businesses and other institutions that have been housed here for well over a century has taken tireless efforts often requiring the mobilization of the whole Dawat administration. Many comment that if not for the community’s love, faith and trust in Syedna TUS, a project of this scale and complexity could never be achieved. Both Syednas’ personalities have allowed disparate communities, political and religious factions and other persons with interests in this area to coalesce around a project that would otherwise have been well-nigh impossible to conceptualize, let alone implement. Bhendi Bazaar’s transformation is now fully underway and the first major building complex, al-Saʿada (lit. good fortune), is nearing completion. Businesses have already moved into their new premises and nearly 600 families will soon occupy their own flats in a state-of-the-art, eco-friendly building overlooking Raudat Tahera.

Saifee Burhani Upliftment Project (SBUP)

The two towers of al-Saʿada are the first of many buildings which will redefine living standards for the residents of Bhendi Bazaar.


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Syedna Burhanuddin RA and Syedna Saifuddin TUS laying the foundation stone for the Bhendi Bazaar redevelopment project in 1432/2011 as part of the 100th milad mubarak celebrations.


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Business is in our BloodThe Dawoodi Bohra community is commonly associated with trade and commerce. One meaning of the word bohra is trader. Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS, who has stated that business runs in the Bohra blood, has sought to ensure the preservation of the community’s mercantile character and their excellence in trade. One strategy that he has adopted has been a concentrated effort for the community to establish itself in industry and trade in the newly emerging economies of East Africa, especially Congo, Uganda and Zambia. In recent years, hundreds of families have emigrated from South Asia, the UK and the Gulf to East Africa, many of whom had no ties with the African continent nor previous experience in business. Syedna TUS is sending a clear message. Although many from the Global South seek to emigrate to the Global North through different career paths, they may not always notice the possibilities for growth in the newly industrialized areas of the world. By encouraging the Bohra community to explore business options at the frontiers of the world economy, Syedna TUS is reminding the community of its entrepreneurial origins and the risks their forefathers took plying the trade routes between South Asia and Africa, and the rewards they reaped.

A key aspect of Bohra business identity is the community’s adherence to Islamic principles, the hallmarks of which are integrity, honesty and, most importantly, interest-free transactions. Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS continues to lay emphasis on engaging in fair and exemplary business and trade practices. As he visits his followers in different parts of the world, he reminds them to be entrepreneurial and courageous in their business ventures, yet always remain within the pale of the law and ethical conduct.

The 53rd Dai also continues to exhort the community to stay away from all forms of interest and invest instead in the divine reward and economic benefit reaped by the practice of giving and taking Qardan Hasana, interest-free loans, as stipulated in


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the Quran. Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS, in the few years of his leadership, has reinforced this practice and habituated the community to giving Qardan Hasana. The phenomenon is so wide spread that community centres collect funds through large or small contributions and donations during public gatherings on a weekly basis reinforcing the notion that all members of the community, regardless of their financial standing, are always in a position to assist one another. He has increased the number of trusts and schemes that provide such loans and periodically, as his father did before him, bolsters them with handsome endowments. Schemes have been established through which individuals can contribute to short-term, long-term or special funds designated to provide assistance to those most in need. New online deposit and withdrawal systems have further facilitated the giving and taking of Qardan Hasana and, as a result, turnover as well as the number of beneficiaries continue to grow year on year.

Wherever Syedna TUS travels, expos and trade fairs are organized in which members of the Dawoodi Bohra community present their ware and business ideas.


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Even in this age of plenty, far too many people remain affected by hunger and food insecurity. It was the 52nd Dai’s heartfelt wish that no community member should have to sleep on an empty stomach for which he established Faiz al-Mawaʾid al-Burhaniyya (FMB). The 53rd Dai saw to the realization of his predecessor’s wish and its worldwide implementation. The FMB initiative involves the establishment of a community kitchen in every city where members of the Dawoodi Bohra community reside. These kitchens provide one meal, once a day, up to six days a week to all households of the community. The meals are served in containers, commonly known within the community as thalis, baskets or tiffins, and, in most instances, are delivered to homes, or in certain areas, picked-up from a collection centre.

FMB kitchens are present across the globe, from large metropolises in the West to small towns in rural India. Communal kitchens have now become a mainstay for thousands of community members. For many they have become a source of steady work and livelihood while for others an opportunity to volunteer to help prepare and distribute the food cooked in these kitchens. Well-balanced, hand-cooked meals are delivered to thousands of households on a daily basis. A central department monitors all centres and provides operating guidelines, suggestions for food preparation and advice on nutrition and kitchen hygiene. A common meal distributed among all members of the community, regardless of wealth or perceived stature, ensures the integrity and strength of the community’s social fabric. Most importantly, it ensures that no family goes without at least one wholesome and nutritious meal a day. The eradication of food poverty is an achievement that has had far-reaching consequences and has resulted in a shift in the dynamics of the community.

The opportunity costs of cooking and preparing meals for homemakers, specifically in low and middle-income households can be drastic. In fact, a reduction in the time taken to prepare

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meals is an important aspect in securing the empowerment of women. The FMB programme allows many women to use their time in other pursuits such as furthering their education, contributing to the family income through small business ventures or dedicating more time to the upbringing of children. Moreover, many community kitchens look to women from the community to provide services for their various cooking and prepping needs. Securing an additional income can significantly improve the quality of life and raise the self-esteem of a homemaker and her family.

The efforts of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA and Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS have ensured that a healthy and nutritious meal is within the reach of all. FMB serves as a prime example of how through strong local communal networks, food security can be ensured for the masses. In addition, the derivation of its name from that of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA has made sure that whenever and wherever a family partakes from a meal, they will undoubtedly remember the radiant countenance of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA and offer their gratitude for the morsels of blessings he bestowed upon them for 50 glorious years.

Alongside his strengthening of FMB, Syedna Saifuddin TUS has championed the cause of zero food waste. Food and sustenance of any sort is seen as a sacred blessing in Islam and waste and excess is considered a form of ingratitude towards the Almighty. In 1437/2015, the 53rd Dai expressed his desire to do away with all forms of excess in communal meals, a major contributing factor to food waste within the community. Instead of serving multiple-course meals at community gatherings, guidelines were issued that promoted healthier meals with fewer courses. This initiative contributed notably to reducing waste and enhancing the nutritional value of meals. In the wake of this drive for zero food waste, committees were formed in worldwide Dawoodi Bohra centres to ensure that no food wastage occurs. Aptly named Dana Committees, they work to ensure that not a single


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grain, or dana, is wasted. They also collect leftover food and distribute it to those in need, while food not suitable for human consumption is composted. It is a testament to the sagacity of Duat Mutlaqeen RA in general, and Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS in particular, that their guidance and insight permeate even the smallest aspects of their followers’ lives.

Syedna TUS pays special attention to all matters pertaining to the cooking and distribution of community meals. He repeatedly stresses the importance of kitchen hygiene and the nutritional value of the food prepared. Here he is seen commending the efforts of a group of young boys who help distribute FMB meals.


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‘His faith is now complete’: these were the words uttered by the Prophet Mohammed SAW following the marriage of any one of his Companions. For Muslims, marriage is an integral element of faith and is directly correlated to one’s religiosity. As such, Duat Mutlaqeen AS have always stressed the importance of marriage. In response to changing attitudes toward marriage often brought about by misconstrued notions of progress and modernity, the 51st, 52nd and 53rd Duat Mutlaqeen AS have endeavoured to preserve the sanctity of the institution of marriage and ensure that it remains a priority for young Dawoodi Bohra men and women.

To simplify and facilitate the process of marriage, the 51st Dai began the tradition of collective weddings arranged in the Dai’s presence known as ‘Rasme Saifee’. Rasme Saifee uniquely combines both pageantry and an element of frugality to ease the financial burden often brought upon families as a result of weddings. The shared experience enhances the joyfulness of all participants and truly transforms the event into a community-wide celebration. During the 52nd Dai’s era, additional initiatives were undertaken to facilitate and expedite marriages and promote a healthy outlook towards married life. These initiatives took the form of youngster get-togethers, marriage seminars and the establishment of a worldwide network of counselors dedicated to helping eligible individuals.

The 53rd Dai continues to regularly provide counsel regarding contemporary issues surrounding marriage in his sermons. He especially emphasizes the importance of finding partners based upon character, personality and sincerity — not social standing or material wealth. He reminds Mumineen that marriage is first and foremost a matter of faith, and as such, it should be celebrated within the parameters of religion and according to the customs and traditions of the community. Only then can it be considered auspicious and blessed. Syedna Saifuddin TUS has encouraged all community members to reduce the costs

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involved in marriage ceremonies, staying away from needless excesses that lead to one-upmanship instead of camaraderie and give way to eye-service rather than deeds undertaken solely for the sake of Allah.

Syedna TUS with bridegrooms at a Rasme Saifee majlis in Surat, India.


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Enhancing Community AdministrationThe Dawat has long operated as a transnational organization centrally administered with the help of local bodies of governance in all community centres known as a jamaʿat. A representative of the Dai, known as the Amil, is deputed to most centres and serves as a means to spread the Dai’s message and convey his counsel to community members under the Amil’s jurisdiction. During the 20th century, as the community grew in number and spread across the world, the 51st Dai and the 52nd Dai took great efforts to establish a robust administration that could cater to the needs of this growing, international community. As part of these efforts, they issued constitutions and operating guidelines, devised an effective system for official communication and established hundreds of remote administrative offices within community complexes.

Soon after his accession to the helm of the community’s leadership, the 53rd Dai, like his namesake, the 43rd Dai, saw to it that Dawat’s many organizations were reorganized to increase efficiency as well as to foster the growth required to meet the demands and challenges of the age. He initiated a movement for a renewed commitment to professionalism and accountability amongst the various organizations that govern the community’s affairs.

He further streamlined the functioning of the jamaʿat by providing it and the Amil leading it with a governance structure encompassing various roles and responsibilities. The structure is based upon 12 organizational tenets derived from the Quran and Fatimi texts: 1) religious affairs, 2) education, 3) budgeting and accounts, 4) human resources, 5) internal affairs, 6) waqf and trust, 7) finance and business development, 8) legal matters, 9) Faiz al-Mawaʾid al-Burhaniyya, 10) public relations, 11) community welfare, and 12) health. Through the implementation of a singular organizational protocol, local community centres are better able to facilitate a greater number of people, especially those that depend most on their social services. As a result,


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Alvazaratus Saifiyah, the secretariat and central administration of the 53rd Dai, is better able to assist and support local centres in administering their affairs.

Badri Mahal, located in Fort, Mumbai, houses the central offices of the Dawat’s administration.


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Love for the NationFor centuries, Duat Mutlaqeen RA have encouraged members of the Dawoodi Bohra community to travel far and wide in search of their livelihood. As a result, community members have become well-respected and productive members of their respective societies in different countries across the globe. As he visited Mumineen all over the world, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA would enjoin them to contribute to the nation’s development and become exemplary citizens. Today, Syedna Saifuddin TUS continues to guide the community in this manner. Throughout his travels, he reminds them of Prophet Mohammed’s SAW counsel, ‘Love for one’s country is integral to faith’, and calls upon them to be loyal citizens and participate fully in the country’s development. He meets with heads of state, faith leaders, businessmen and other individuals from varied backgrounds, emphasizing common values and sharing his ideas for the betterment of society.

Due to this guidance, Dawoodi Bohras worldwide are known as a peace-loving and law-abiding community. Be it in celebration of national observances or providing a helping hand in times of adversity, the community continues to assimilate and integrate with society at large, while maintaining their distinct identity and culture, thereby enriching the social fabric of their respective nations.


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Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS at a flag-hoisting ceremony in Banswara, Rajasthan, on India’s Republic Day in 1436/2015 (left), and being welcomed to Los Angeles, USA, in 1436/2015 with a gift of a US flag flown over the US Capitol building (below).


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In 1412/1992, on the occasion of his 80th milad mubarak, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA established the Burhani Foundation India (BFI), a charitable trust dedicated to the preservation of the natural environment. In response to the daunting environmental challenges facing the planet, BFI spreads environmental awareness and supports various initiatives concerning the preservation and conservation of earth’s precious resources. The foundation helps provide clean drinking water through rainwater harvesting and the installation of hand pumps in rural areas. It also conducts tree plantation campaigns and cleanliness drives. In 1432/2011, on the occasion of Syedna Burhanuddin’s RA 100th milad mubarak, it carried out the Save Our Sparrow campaign which involved the largest distribution of free bird feeders ever recorded.

Following in the footsteps of his predecessor, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS has repeatedly emphasized the responsibility of every member of the community to conserve and protect the environment. In his discourses and sermons, the 53rd Dai regularly promotes environmental awareness, particularly recycling, organic farming and tree planting. He has stressed the enhancement of urban environs through micro-gardens, green walls and potted promenades. In the holy month of Ramadan in 1438/2017, Syedna TUS expressed a desire for the community to plant at least 200,000 trees across the globe. By linking the planting of trees with fasting and prayer, which is the essence of the holy month, Syedna’s TUS message is clear: protecting the environment is an important aspect of a Muslim’s worship and thus an integral tenet of faith.

Syedna’s TUS environmental initiatives clearly indicate his concern regarding the impact of pollution on the planet. He regularly stresses the importance of cleanliness in his sermons. During the annual Upliftment drive in 1439/2018, one of His Holiness’ TUS

directives was to assist in the cleaning and organizing of community properties, particularly cemeteries which were often

Care for the Environment


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found neglected. Volunteers removed undergrowth and planted shrubs and flowers transforming unused land into gardens, play areas and sports grounds. Syedna TUS has also stressed the cause of waste reduction and many of the large-scale, multi-day events he presides over are conducted as zero waste and no-plastic events. These directives illustrate the interconnectedness between environmental protection, public health and physical fitness. In the wake of these recurring cleanliness drives, Nazafa1 Committees have been established in Dawoodi Bohra communities with the specific mandate of maintaining their cities’ cleanliness and environmental health.

The awareness and momentum generated by these initiatives became evident during ʿAshara Mubaraka 1440/2018. The entire event, which hosted over 200,000 Dawoodi Bohras, was managed with a special emphasis on eco-friendliness in line with the reputation of its host city, Indore. Single-use plastics were banned and attendees were encouraged to leave India’s cleanest city even cleaner than they had found it. The kitchen that provided three meals a day to all the attendees took steps to ensure zero food waste and any organic byproducts were converted into compost. The awareness created during ʿAshara resulted in the establishment of a record for the largest number of cleanliness pledges ever. Over 150,000 attendees reaffirmed their commitment to cleanliness and protecting the environment. Syedna’s TUS efforts for the environment illustrate how faith-based communities are positioned to take a leading role in the care and preservation of the natural environment.

1. Nazafa is the Arabic word for cleanliness and is commonly used within the community in its original because the Prophet Mohammed SAW has stated, ‘Nazafa is a part of faith’.


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Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA has stated, ‘the planting of trees is a most beneficial act, for they lend beauty to the earth and bring about a downpour of Allah blessings’. Syedna Saifuddin TUS planting a sapling in the Quranic garden of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah, Karachi, Pakistan in 1394/1974.


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The 53rd Dai, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS, is supported in all of his efforts by his immediate family consisting of his respected consort, his three dedicated sons and two devoted daughters. Through their humility and integrity, they provide a worthy example of how acquired knowledge must manifest itself in beneficial deeds and actions.

Syedna Saifuddin’s TUS distinguished siblings, his respected uncles and other family members illuminate the firmament of Dawat with their good character and nobility which they have had the great honour of inculcating first hand from the example of three generations of Duat Mutlaqeen AS. It is indeed Allah’s special blessing for Syedna Saifuddin TUS and an indication of his own commitment to his Imam and forefathers that his family members are exemplars of firm conviction and dedication to his causes aimed at the betterment of the community and humanity at large.

The Gentle, Dignified Family

From right to left: Shahzada Dr Jaʿfar us Sadiq bhaisaheb Imaduddin DM, Shahzada Taha bhaisaheb Najmuddin DM and Shahzada Husain bhaisaheb Burhanuddin DM.


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As the Dawoodi Bohra community celebrates the 75 momentous years of Syedna Aali Qadr Mufaddal

Saifuddin’s TUS pious life, we look to the past. We look at the services he rendered during the lifetimes of his predecessors and forefathers, Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA and Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA, and we stand in awe of his dedication, devotion and selfless service to the causes of the Dawat.

Although only a modest five years have elapsed since the 52nd Dai’s passing and Syedna’s TUS accession to the office of al-Dai al-Mutlaq, each year has been more momentous than the previous. Revealing the meaning of the Quranic injunction ‘whoever brings a good deed shall be rewarded tenfold’ (6:160), the five years of Syedna Saifuddin’s TUS reign have showered upon the community the blessings of Syedna Burhanuddin’s RA

50 golden years. The seeds so painstakingly sown by the 52nd Dai have borne fruit so swiftly and resplendently that the Dawat has become a lush, verdurous field, one that ‘fills the sowers with wonder and delight...’ (48:29).

An event is momentous when it is not only of great importance or significance, but also when it has bearing on future events. The broad spectrum of initiatives undertaken by Syedna Saifuddin TUS has seen the community progress and advance in all possible aspects. Today on the occasion of Syedna’s TUS

In Allah’s Eternal Care


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75th milad mubarak, each community member conveys their felicitations and offers their gratitude to him by eagerly awaiting a fresh set of initiatives that will further raise them in standing.

On this auspicious occasion, and in perpetuity, every heart beseeches the Creator to bless al-Dai al-Ajal Syedna Aali Qadr Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS with enduring, eternal good health.

Syedna’s TUS comforting and loving gaze upon the Dawoodi Bohra community has ensured its continued growth and success in all spheres of life.


Note on Transliteration, Dates and Prayer Acronyms

Transliteration of terms and phrases from Arabic or Lisan al-Dawat follows a simplified system similar to that of the International Journal of Middle East Studies (IJMES) although preference has been given to spellings which reflect pronuciations prevalent within Dawoodi Bohra community literature and parlance. With the exceptions of the Arabic letter ʿayn, signified with a (ʿ), and some instances of the hamza (usually as a glottal stop) indicated with a (ʾ), diacritical marks have been avoided throughout the text for the ease of the reader. In some names the diacritic for ʿayn is also removed. Long vowels are generally represented with a single ‘a’, ‘i’ or ‘u’ although certain less familiar words are transliterated phonetically and feature a sequence of two vowels such as ‘ee’ in place of ‘i’ or ‘aa’ in place of a single ‘a.’ The ta marbuta has been rendered ‘a’ or ‘t’ depending on the prevalent pronunciation within the Dawoodi Bohra community.

The reference to the Hijra date and century precedes the Gregorian throughout the book. The Hijra dates are calculated according to the Fatimi lunar calendar.

Where the names of the Prophet Mohammed SAW, the Fatimi Imams AS and other revered community leaders are found in the book, they are followed by varying prayers that invoke Allah’s blessings in their favour. These invocations are denoted by superscripted upper-case acronyms proceeding their names or titles.SAW: salla Allah ʿalayhi wa-aalihi wa-sallam (May Allah’s blessings and salams be upon him and his progeny). This prayer is often expressed as ‘peace be upon him’ (PBUH) and is explicitly used for Rasul Allah SAW.SA: salawaat Allah ʿalayhi/ʿalayhaa (May Allah’s blessings be upon him/her).


AS: ʿalayhi/ʿalayhimu al-salam (May Allah’s salams be upon him/ them).RA: ridwan Allah ʿalayhi/ʿalayhaa/ʿalayhim (May Allah’s favour be upon him/her/them).QR: qaddas Allah ruhahu/ruhahaa (May Allah sanctify his/her soul).TUS: tawwal Allah ʿumrahu al-shareef ilaa yawm al-deen (May Allah extend his eminent life to the Day of Judgement).DM: adaam Allah ʿuluwwa majdihi (May Allah preserve his distinction).


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