Mufaddal Saifuddin
Mufaddal Saifuddin is the spiritual leader and 53rd Da'i al-Mutlaq of two million Dawoodi Bohras, a subgroup of the Tayyibi, Mustaali, Ismaili Shia branch of Islam. He is the second son of the 52nd Da'i al-Mutlaq, Mohammed Burhanuddin, who he succeeded in 2014. Saifuddin led the restoration of medieval Fatimid architecture, notably Al-Anwar Mosque, Al-Aqmar Mosque, Al-Juyushi Mosque, and Lulua Mosque in Cairo. He also discovered the burial places of the 5th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, and 30th Da'i al-Mutlaq in Yemen in the years 2018 and 2019.
Personal life
Early life
Mufaddal Saifuddin was born on 20 August 1946 in Surat, India, and was given the name Aali Qadr Mufaddal by his grandfather Taher Saifuddin. His kunya is Abu Jafar us Sadiq and his laqab is Saifuddin.During the era of his grandfather Taher Saifuddin, he began the recitation of the Quran in Saifee Villa, Colombo. He received much of his spiritual tutelage from his father, Mohammed Burhanuddin and his father-in-law Yusuf Najmuddin the rector of Al Jamea tus Saifiyah. In 1969 he graduated from Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah with the al-Faqih al-Jayyid degree. In 1971 he was conferred with the degree of al-Aleem al-Baari'.
Saifuddin married Jawharatusharaf Najmuddin, daughter of Yusuf Najmuddin, on 1 January 1970.
At 22 years of age, his father Burhanuddin designated him as his successor by performing nass on him in 1969, following that, in 2005 and 2011.
Saifuddin was appointed Amirul Hajj by his father Burhanuddin in 1390 AH. After Hajj, he travelled to Karbala, Najaf, Syria, Misr and Yemen. In Yemen, he laid the foundation for the 3rd Da'i al-Mutlaq's Hatim's mausoleum. After that journey Burhanuddin bestowed upon him the honorific title Aqeeq-ul-Yemen in 1391 AH/1971 AD.
Saifuddin often accompanied his father Mohammed Burhanuddin, meeting heads of state and notable personalities.
Leadership
Saifuddin led numerous projects for the restoration of medieval Fatimid mosques in Egypt and other Islamic edifices. Projects include the restoration and revival of Al-Hakim Mosque, the restoration of the masjid of Zoeb bin Moosa in 1406H, the restoration of Aqmar Mosque in 1408H, construction of the mosque of Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Ismail in Salamiyah in 1414H, restoration of the Lulua Mosque and Juyushi Mosque in 1416H, construction of the zareeh of Zaynab bint Ali in Cairo in 1416H, construction of the Mashhad Ras al-Husayn in Ashkelon in 1421H, the construction of the Mazar and Mosque of Hatim bin Ibrahim in 1425H, and the discovery of the burial places of eight Da'i al-Mutlaq in Yemen.During his centenary birthday celebrations, in 2011, Mohammed Burhanuddin announced that a new Aljamea tus Saifiyah campus would be built in Nairobi, Kenya. The construction of this 14 acre campus commenced in 2013, and was inaugurated by Mufaddal Saifuddin and the President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta on 20 April 2017.
Philanthropy
Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust
Saifuddin's father, Mohammed Burhanuddin, conceived the Bhendi Bazaar Redevelopment Project and a public charitable trust named the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust was created on 23 January 2009 with an initial corpus provided by settlors Shahzada Qaidjoher Ezzuddin and Shahzada Abbas Fakhruddin. The first phase was inaugurated by Saifuddin on 18 May 2016. "About 250 dilapidated buildings in Bhendi Bazaar will be replaced with 17 new towers with wide roads, modern infrastructure, more open spaces and highly visible commercial areas." This ambitious philanthropic enterprise "aims to rehabilitate 3200 families and 1250 business which are currently living in poor conditions." It is expected to reach completion by 2020.Donations
Saifuddin gifted AED 21 million in Qardan Hasanah or interest-free loans to the Dawoodi Bohra community of UAE in 2012. On Mohammed Burhanuddin's posthumous 103rd Birthday, Saifuddin donated INR 103.53 crore to the Qardan Hasana Scheme in the name of his father.In October 2016 Saifuddin donated USD 53,000 to Tanzanian public schools. The same month, a local community led by Saifuddin donated TZS 545 million toward earthquake relief efforts in Tanzania.
On 27 April 2017 Saifuddin donated KSH 5.2 million for Beyond Zero initiative towards maternal and child health to Margaret Kenyatta, First Lady of Kenya.
On 19 July 2018 Saifuddin met Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and expressed interest in investing in Egypt. Saifuddin also donated 10 Million Egyptian Pounds to the Long Live Egypt Fund, matching his own donation from 2014.
In September 2019 Saifuddin met with President Maithripala Sirisena of Sri Lanka and donated LKR 10 million to National Kidney Fund of Sri Lanka to enhance facilities and improve welfare and preventive care for patients impacted by chronic kidney disease. In the same month, Saifuddin made a "significant contribution" to the Relief Fund of Chief Minister of Maharashtra to aid with rehabilitation efforts post 2019 Indian floods. In October 2019 Saifuddin donated LKR 5 million to National Cancer Institute, Maharagama towards infrastructure and capacity expansion of its Bone Marrow Transplant Unit.
In October 2019, Saifuddin donated 60,000 seed balls to Kenya, and a month later, on the occasion of his 76th birthday per the islamic calendar, he donated 76,000 seed balls which would be utilized to grow over 35,000 indigenous tree species at Amboseli National Park.
Burhani Foundation
Through the Burhani Foundation Saifuddin has launched environmental awareness campaigns such as the tree-planting and bird feeding campaigns such the "Save our Sparrows" initiative.Faiz al-Mawaid al-Burhaniyah
To reduce food wastage, Saifuddin introduced a regulation to strictly limit the number of dishes served in any community, social or personal gathering where Dawoodi Bohras are present. This was launched under the motto of ek kharaas, ek mithaas, no israaf. Approximately 7000 Dana Committee volunteers world-wide are tasked with eliminating food wastage at community dinners.To ensure that not a single community member goes hungry, Saifuddin has actively expanded worldwide the community kitchen scheme, named Faiz al-Mawaid al-Burhaniyah. Everyday, a Tiffin or Thali consisting of a fully prepared and cooked meal is delivered to each Dawoodi Bohra community household free-of-cost.
Social Upliftment
In December 2016 Saifuddin initiated a social 'Upliftment Program', to improve the living standards of his community members. Over 4,100 volunteers from India, East Asia, Europe, North America and the Middle East were spread out over 200 towns and cities. The 5-day upliftment drive consisted of free renovation of houses, planting of trees and shrubs, upgrading sanitation of community properties and grounds, building playground and sports facilities, dental hygiene and vaccination camps, a sports day and a community breakfast on New Year's Day.He has also launched a global initiative named Project Rise to help improve the lives of people that are marginalized, neglected or living in poverty. In partnership with government bodies and local organizations around the world, Project Rise’s upliftment programs span a range of policy areas, including healthcare, nutrition, sanitation and hygiene, environmental responsibility and conservation, and education. These initiatives are activated during natural disasters such as COVID-19 pandemic
Saifee Burhani Medical Association
Saifuddin, on his first visit to North America, established Saifee Burhani Medical Association , on 14 March 2015, chaired by his brothers, Qaidjoher Ezzuddin, Qusai Vajihuddin, Ammar Jamaluddin, and his son, Husain Burhanuddin. The mission of the Association, which is self-sufficient, is to run free medical clinics for the community, to mentor students, and to network and facilitate professional development.Recognition and awards
Awards and Accolades
Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin has been recognized in the following awards and accolades:| Year & Date | Country | Award & Honour |
| 26 June 2014 | United States | Certificate of Commendation at Tampa, Florida |
| 3 March 2015 | United States | Resolution California Legislature |
| 6 March 2015 | United States | Certificate of Appreciation - City of Bakersfield |
| 7 March 2015 | United States | US Senate Certificate of Recognition. |
| 9 March 2015 | United States | Certificate of Appreciation - Ontario, California |
| 12 March 2014 | United States | Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition - United States House of Representatives. |
| 9 September 2015 | Governor of Sindh Dr Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan conferred an honorary doctorate degree upon Mufaddal Saifuddin in a convention organized by University of Karachi at Governor House. | |
| 2015 & 2018 | Mufaddal Saifuddin, was elected as Aligarh Muslim University's new Chancellor on 11 April 2015. He was re-elected as the Chancellor for a second term on 2 December 2018. | |
| 2014 to 2020 | Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin was named one of The 500 Most Influential Muslims in the years 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2020. | |
| 23 June 2014 | He was awarded the Grand-Croix de Deuxième Classe in Madagascar. | |
| 18 August 2014 | President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi received Mufaddal Saifuddin on his first visit to Egypt since he took office. Saifuddin donated 10 million pounds for the Long Live Egypt Fund. | |
| 2015 | He was awarded the "Global Peace Award" for 2015 "In recognition of his outstanding contribution in the promotion of human rights and social justice". He was also awarded a Lifetime Global Patronship Of All India Council Of Human Rights, Liberties And Social Justice. | |
| 28 February 2016 | He launched the poster of "Beti Bachao Beti Padhao" under the theme "Mai Tulsi Tere Angan Ki" during his presence in Islamic Cultural Centre New Delhi on 28 February 2016 and in Al Jamea tus Saifiyah University on 4 May 2016. | |
| 29 August 2015 | Tanzania | During his visit to Moshi, Tanzania, Mufaddal Saifuddin was presented the "Key to Moshi - The Land of Kilimanjaro" by the Mayor Japhary R Michael on 29 August 2015. |
| August 2015 | Egypt | On the invitation of the Government of Egypt, Mufaddal Saifuddin participated in inauguration ceremony of the new Suez Canal. Saifuddin commented that "The Suez Canal is the miracle of mankind which should be venerated rightfully." |
| 20 April 2017 | Kenya | Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart, Second Class by President Uhuru Kenyatta on the inauguration of the Al Jamea tus Saifiyah campus in Nairobi. |
| 30 September 2017 | Key to Karachi by the Mayor of Karachi, Waseem Akhtar. | |
| 30 April 2018 | A new species of orchid was named as Dendrobium HH Dr. Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin. | |
| 13 January 2019 | Key to City of Colombo by the Mayor of Colombo, Rosy Senanayake on 13 January 2019 |
Academic and literary works
Rasāʾil Ramaḍāniyya (Epistles)
A list of Risalah composed by Mufaddal Saifuddin, or started by Taher Saifuddin and Mohammed Burhanuddin but completed by Mufaddal Saifuddin:Qasidah (Poetry)
Teachings
Ashara Mubaraka
Ashara Mubaraka refers to a period of ten days of Muharram at the beginning of the Islamic year dedicated to the remembrance of the grandson of Muhammad, Imam Husayn ibn Ali. Although all Dawoodi Bohra communities across the world commemorate this event locally, a global event is led by the Dai al-Mutlaq in a location he selects with the divine inspiration of the Imam, to which large numbers of community members travel from across the globe. the Da'i al-Mutlaq delivers ten wa'az on Islamic philosophy, history, liturgy, expository, horatory over 9 days: One wa'az each day for 8 days starting 2nd Muharram and two on the final day of Ashura, the 10th of Muharram.The Ashara waaz by the Dai al-Mutlaq is, on occasion, broadcast to various venues around the world.The host city from where the Dai al-Mutlaq delivers his waaz, at times, attracts 100,000 to 200,000 azadar-e Husayn .Arrangements are made to provide them with free accommodation, transportation, and meals.| City | Country | Continent | Gregorian Year | Islamic Year | Start Date | End Date | Attendees |
| Surat | Asia | 2014 | 1436 | 200,000 | |||
| Houston | North America | 2015 | 1437 | 25,000 | |||
| Dar es Salaam | Africa | 2016 | 1438 | 32,000 | |||
| Karachi | Asia | 2017 | 1439 | 65,000 | |||
| Indore | Asia | 2018 | 1440 | 210,000 | |||
| Colombo | Asia | 2019 | 1441 | 28,000 |
Miqaats
Saifuddin travels extensively to various Dawoodi Bohra community centers year-round to meet his followers, deliver sermons, organise local communities, kickstart social projects, and commemorate important religious functions.Surat, the erstwhile seat of Dawat and home to the principal Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah campus, and Mumbai, the current seat of Dawat and home to Raudat Tahera, are host to most miqaats; whilst Karachi, owing to large presence of followers outside India, sees more visits from Saifuddin than average. Colombo, Tanzania, and Kenya are other rather smaller community centers to which Saifuddin travels often.
Saifuddin visits centers in Yemen, Egypt, and Iraq for their religious and historical importance. Saifuddin also often travels to various places of pilgrimage within India like Udaipur and Taherabad in Rajasthan; Ahmedabad, Jamnagar, Mandvi, and Delmal in Gujarat; Burhanpur and Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh; especially to commemorate annual remembrance of the Duaat and Hudood Kiram buried there.
The first miqaat Saifuddin presided over following the death of his predecessor and father, Mohammed Burhanuddin, was at Saifee Masjid in South Bombay on the occasion of Milad Imam al-Zamaan on 4 February 2014 which was relayed to Dawoodi Bohra community centers world-wide. His first pilgrimage was to Al-Husayn Mosque in Karbala and Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf via Karachi; and to Zijibla and Haraaz in Yemen where he inaugurated Mansoor al-Yemen masjid built by his father Mohammed Burhanuddin. For his first Ramadan, Saifuddin traveled from East Africa to Hutayb, Yemen where he spent the first 10 days of the month. He then spent the next 10 days in Karachi, Pakistan; and the final 10 days including Laylat al-Qadr and Eid al-Fitr in Mumbai, India.
In the tradition of his father Mohammed Burhanuddin and grand-father Taher Saifuddin, Mufaddal Saifuddin leads Laylat al-Qadr prayers at Badri Mahal mosque in Fort, South Bombay. Mufaddal Saifuddin has also consistently held urs mubarak of his father and grand-father in masajids of South Bombay since his accession.
Deputies
On 18 Dhu al-Hijjah 1435, Saifuddin elevated his uncle Husain Husamuddin to the rank of Mazoon al-Dawat and appointed his uncle Qasim Hakimuddin as Mukasir al-Dawat at a religious gathering held in Mumbai.On 20 Rabi' al-Thani 1439H, Saifuddin elevated Qasim Hakimuddin to the rank of Mazoon and appointed his uncle Ali Asgar Kalimuddin as Mukasir at a religious gathering in Surat.
On 27 Jumada al-Thani 1440H, Saifuddin elevated Ali Asgar Kalimuddin to the rank of Mazoon and appointed his brother Qaidjoher Ezzuddin as Mukasir at a religious gathering in Ahmedabad.
Succession
The 52nd Da'i al-Mutlaq of the Dawoodi Bohras, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, died on 17 January 2014. As per the tenets of the faith each predecessor is required to nominate his successor during his lifetime. His death sparked a succession crisis where a rival emerged for the title of 53rd Dā'ī al-Mutlaq: against Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, Khuzaima Qutbuddin of the Dawoodi Bohra.The challenge created a divide in the community with the majority aligning with Mufaddal Saifuddin and a smaller number aligned with Khuzaima Qutbuddin. Mufaddal Saifuddin assumed control of the Dawoodi Bohra administration and community infrastructure. In March 2014, Khuzaima Qutbuddin filed civil suit 337/2014 in the Bombay High Court against Mufaddal Saifuddin in which he sought a declaration that he was validly appointed as the 53rd Dai al-Mutlaq. The UK Charity Commission has taken the view "that His Holiness Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin is the current incumbent of the office of Dai al-Mutlaq."