SPIRITUAL LEADER OF BOHRA MUSLIM COMMUNITY NO MORE
URL http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2014/01/appluading-bohra-muslim-community.html
I
went to express my condolences to the Bohra Muslim Community for the
loss of their spiritual leader. I had called in a group of Muslims from
each denomination to join us; unfortunately the last minute call did not
produce results. On this occasion, I must applaud the community for
many things, but certainly the Amin aspect.
In
the picture are Tayyab Kundawala, a prominent Indian community leader
who walked toe to toe with me during the 9/11 crisis, he was the
President of India Association at that time. He is currently involved
with the Mahatma Gandhi statue placement in Dallas. The other person in
picture is the imam (Aamil Saheb) in charge as the resident Aamil Saheb
is in Mumbai to join in the funeral services of the Syedna Burhanuddin.
Bohra
Muslims are one of the eight most known denominations of Islam; Sunni,
Shia, Wahhabi, Ahmadiyya, Ismailia, WD Muhammad, Alawite and Bohra. Each
group is headed by a spiritual leader except Sunni and Wahhabi (part of
Sunni) denominations.
Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin was the
spiritual leader of the Bohra Muslim community, and he passed away
yesterday passing the responsibility to his son, a hereditary system of
spiritual leadership.
THE AMIN
The
Bohra Muslim community has done relatively well when it comes to being
the Amins of the Society. It was the first model of Prophet Muhammad.
Amin is being just, truthful and trust worthy.
Did Muslims call
him the Amin? No, there were no Muslims at that time; it was the Pagans,
Jews, Christians and others who called him Amin. We have to earn the
trust among the people we live with, no matter who they are. Indeed that
is the first and foundational Sunnah (practice) to build peaceful
societies.
God informs in Quran (49:13) that he created humanity
from a single couple into multitudes of tribes, communities, nations,
and conflicts were bound to happen with the given differences. Then he
advises, the conflicts persist because we don’t know each other. He
asserts that the best one among you is the one who takes the time to
know the neighbor. When you know each other conflicts fade and solutions
emerge.
A the foundation for pluralism have been conducting the
Unity Day for the last ten years, and as a part of the program we start
the program with American national Anthem, and we always wanted a Hijabi
Muslim Girl to sing the Anthem – guess where she came from twice in ten
years? The Bohra Muslim Community! Thanks to the education and
teaching imparted in their system to have produced someone to
participate.
I can appreciate this much more after finding out
that the Orlando Muslims could not produce a Muslims girl to sing the
National Anthem at our Unity Day program in Mulberry.
All I can
say is keep this Amin component alive and active. This is how we build
better societies, to be a part of it, rather than live within.
Dawoodi Bohra spiritual leader Dr Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin passed away.
—-
RELEASE
announcement of the sad demise of the Spiritual leader of the Dawoodi Bohra Muslim
community Dr Syedna
Mohammed Burhanuddin Saheb in Mumbai, India on the Morning of Friday the 17th
of January 2014 after cardiac arrest. He
was 102. Per the tradition, his eldest son Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin succeeds
leading the community.
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un (إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا
إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ) “Surely we
belong to Allah and to Him shall we return”. The phrase
is recited by Muslims when a person passes away.
At World Muslim Congress, we extend our condolences to the family, friends and
the Dawoodi Bohra community in particular and Muslim Ummah in General. Syedna provided progressive leadership to the
community and he was here in Irving, Texas to for the Grand opening of their
Masjid. Indeed, the community members are trained to be participants and
contributors in each community they live. I was particularly proud of them for
participating at the Unity Day events, and always have one of their girls ready
to sing the national Anthem in full Hijab. They always participated in India
based events and a lot of interfaith meetings. I hope and pray their
contribution will continue to accelerate.
We thank Times of India for the full report and thank Taiyab Kundawala for
sharing this sad news.
url- http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2014/01/dawoodi-bohra-spiritual-leader-dawoodi.html
Mike Ghouse
World Muslim Congress
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MUMBAI: The spiritual leader of Dawoodi Bohra community Dr Syedna
Mohammed Burhanuddin passed away today after a cardiac arrest here. He was 102.
His 70-year old son Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin has succeeded him, it was
announced here.
Syedna Burhanuddin died this morning at his residence in South Mumbai, a
spokesperson for the community said.
“The 52nd Dai al-Mutlaq of the worldwide Dawoodi Bohra community, His
Holiness Dr Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin expired today at the age of 102 at his
Mumbai residence at Saifee Mahal,” he said.
“Born in Surat, he was the leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community after
succeeding his father Syedna Taher Saifuddin in 1965. Under his leadership, the
community has achieved remarkable social, economic and educational success
across the world.
“Known as ambassador of peace and goodwill, he was highly respected by
world leaders and governments for his endeavours in promoting international
brotherhood and harmony,” the spokesperson said.
He was honoured with highest civilian titles like the Star of Jordan and Order
of the Nile by the respective governments of Jordan and Egypt. Syedna was
conferred Honourary Doctorates for his efforts in social and educational
development by renowned institutes like Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Aligarh
Muslim University and University of Karachi.
In Mumbai, the one of its kind Raudat Tahera mausoleum which has the entire
Quran inscribed in letters of gold and bejewelled with precious stones; the
world class Saifee Hospital; and the on-going ambitious Saifee Burhani
Upliftment project of the redevelopment of Bhendi Bazaar are some of the major
initiatives of Syedna in the city.
In 2011, Syedna had proclaimed Nass (investiture) upon his second son Syedna
Mufaddal Saifuddin in London. The 70-year-old successor is the rector of the
community’s 200-year-old institution Jamea-tus-Saifiah, which has campuses in
Surat, Karachi, Mumbai and Nairobi.
“He was closely associated with the late Syedna and has received much of
his spiritual guidance under the tutelage of his revered father.
Highly respected among the community members, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin
travelled widely with his father and met heads of states and other
distinguished personalities across the world, he said.
Among the many projects that Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin has worked under
Syedna’s directions in the restoration of famous Fatemi Masjids in Egypt and
other edifices in the Arab world, he said.
Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin will lead the Namaz-e-Janaza of the late Syedna at
Saifee Masjid at Bhendi Bazaar. The late Syedna will be laid to rest at Raudat
Tahera mausoleum in Mumbai.
Thousands of Dawoodi Bohras from all over India and from around 40 nations are
converging to Mumbai to pay their last respects and homage to their beloved
leader Syedna Moahmmed Burhanuddin, he said.
Dawoodi Bohra is a sect of the Shia Muslims spread all over the world.
One of the key principles of the sect is “patriotism as part of the
faith.” It encourages followers to make a positive contribution to the
country they live in.
The word Bohra means trader and traditionally, most members of the sect have
been entrepreneurs.
Last year, thousands of Dawoodi Bohras from across the world flocked to the
city to celebrate Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin’s 102nd birthday.
Times of India – http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Dawoodi-Bohra-community-spiritual-leader-Syedna-passes-away/articleshow/28959032.cms
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Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a
writer on pluralism, politics, peace, Islam, Israel, India, interfaith, and cohesion at work
place. He is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers
pluralistic solutions on issues of the day at www.TheGhousediary.com. He believes in
Standing up for others
and a book with the same title is coming up. Mike has a strong presence on
national and local TV, Radio and Print Media. He is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on
Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to
the Texas Faith Column at Dallas
Morning News; fortnightly at Huffington post; and
several other periodicals across the world. His personal site www.MikeGhouse.net indexes all his work
through many links.