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Mufaddal Saifuddin

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Mufaddal Saifuddin
Claimant to the title of 53rd Da'i al-Mutlaq
of the Dawoodi Bohra community[1][2]
Saifuddin during Moharram 1437 Waaz in Houston.
Born (1946-08-20) 20 August 1946 (age 78)
Surat, Gujarat, British Raj
Alma materAl-Azhar University, Al Jamea tus Saifiyah
Spouse(s)Jawharatusharaf (nee Najmuddin)
Bazat Saifiyah Qutbuddin (divorced)
ChildrenJafar us Sadiq Imaduddin (b. 1973), Taha Najmuddin, Husain Burhanuddin
ParentMohammed Burhanuddin
RelativesKhuzaima (half-uncle)
Taher (cousin)

Mufaddal Saifuddin (Arabic: مفضل سيف الدين; Abu Jafar-us-Sadiq Mufaddal Saifuddin) is a claimant[1][2] to the title of 53rd Dā'ī al-Mutlaq (highest spiritual authority) of the Dawoodi Bohra.[2] The Dawoodi Bohra are a sub group within the Mustaali, Ismaili Shia branch of Islam.[3] He is the 2nd eldest son of the 52nd Dai Mohammed Burhanuddin. He succeeded,[4] not without dispute, to the office after his father, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, who passed away in 2014.[5] He is the spiritual leader of 2.5 million people living in 100 countries.[6][7]

Early life

Mufaddal Saifuddin was born on 20 August 1946, corresponding to 23 Ramadan 1365 A.H. in Surat, Gujarat,[8] and was given the name Aali Qadr Mufaddal (Arabic:عالي قدر مفضل) by his grandfather Taher Saifuddin. He received much of his spiritual guidance from his father, Mohammed Burhanuddin [9][10] and devoted most of his time to strictly religious pursuits.[11] He graduated from The Institute of Islamic Studies at Al-Azhar University.[12]

Marriages

Mufaddal Saifuddin married Jawharatusharaf Najmuddin, daughter of Yusuf Najmuddin, the erstwhile rector of Al Jamea tus Saifiyah on 1st January 1970.[13][14] His second marriage was to Bazat Saifiyah Qutbuddin, eldest daughter of Khuzaima Qutbuddin, who holds a Ph.D in Islamic History[15] from the University of Oxford. Both marriages were solemnised by the 52nd Da'i Mohammed Burhanuddin but the second marriage to Bazat Saifiyah Qutbuddin ended in divorce.

Travel

Mufaddal Saifuddin often accompanied his father Mohammed Burhanuddin during the latter's travels across the globe, meeting heads and states and other notable personalities during such trips.[10]

Mufaddal Saifuddin was appointed Amirul Hajj by his father Burhanuddin in 1390 AH (1970 CE). After Hajj, he travelled to Karbala, Syria, Misr and Yemen. During his trip to Yemen, he laid the foundations for the construction of 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.[13]

On 28 Rabi' al-thani 1435 AH (28 February 2014 CE), the Indian foreign minister Salman Khurshid accompanied Saifuddin to Mumbai airport to see him off for his first visit abroad after the passing of his father Burhanuddin in January of that year. Khurshid presented Mufaddal with a letter of good wishes from Sonia Gandhi, the president of the Indian Congress, before departed to Najaf and Karbala in Iraq for a pilgrimage to the shrines of Imam Ali and Imam Husain.[16]

Narendra Modi met Mufaddal Saifuddin in Mumbai

Later on, in Pakistan, he was received with state protocol and was welcomed at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah.[17]

According to one of Mufaddal Saifuddin's followers in Ontario, California who gave a press interview during a March 2015 visit of Mufaddal Saifuddin, the main message that Saifuddin hopes to instill on the community is that of loyalty to wherever people live, to follow the rules and be a good citizen, live in peace and make an honest living.[18]

Recognition & Awards

Succession controversy

Main article: 53rd Syedna succession controversy (Dawoodi Bohra)

Succession controversy aroused after the demise of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin in January 2014, Mufaddal claimed the office of Dai[33][34][35] Khuzaima also took the office as the Dai, claiming to have been appointed heir 50 years earlier in secrecy,[34][36][37] challenging Mufaddal's right to be Dai in court.[38]

After Burhanuddin suffered a stroke in June 2011 in London, Mufaddal Saifuddin was declared as his successor by Muffadal's brothers.[38] The Dawoodi Bohra community was reported of the succession by Mufaddal's brothers[39][40] a group formed in 2013 in support of Burhanuddin's half-brother Khuzaima Qutbuddin, who was Mazoon, serving second under Dai al Mutlaq.[33]

The faction of Dawoodi Bohras led by Qaid Johar Ezzuddin the brother of Mufaddal who follow Mufaddal Saifuddin supports Mufaddal Saifuddin as Dai,[41] and it is alleged that they have excommunicated Qutbuddin and his faction.[42] However, there is no official confirmation from Dawoodi Bohra community on the alleged ex-communication and progressive members have called a banned on this practice citing it as illegal.[43]

Dissenters claim that Burhanuddin did not publicly declare any successor as late as 2011 and there were fights between rival factions of Burhanuddin's family over who should inherit control.[44]

The rival claimant to Mufaddal saifuddin is now succeeded by Taher Fakhruddin who was appointed by Khuzaima Qutubuddin as the 54th Syedna.[45]

Burhanuddin's now deceased brother Khuzaima Qutubuddin also claimed to be the successor of Burhanuddin after his demise. The legal team of Khuzaima has expressed to continue fighting the case, even though the cross examination dates for the other claimant has been cancelled.[46] The high court has not passed any order for abatement of the suit and the case still continues in the court.[47]

Forced Allegiance

There are various reports that Mufaddal has taken over part of the administration using threat and intimidation.[48] Also the Bohras who support Khuzaima are being forced to swear allegiance to Muffadal using social boycott and threats of divorce between married couples.[48] It is alleged that Mufaddal Saifuddin and his representatives are resorting to threats and social pressure to maintain their control over the community[49]

Sakina’s husband was okay with her belief in Qutbuddin, but the local jamaat insisted that she leave her marital home. Her in-laws and husband succumbed. The second woman, a professional, had just had her nikaah solemnised; now, her in-laws have told her to choose between her belief and her husband.

— Reported threats of divorce in Punemirror

Female Genital Mutilation

On 25 April 2016, while delivering a sermon to community members, Mufaddal Saifuddin exclaimed that "Even the big sovereign states, whatever it is they say, if it makes any difference to our things, then we are not prepared to understand!" he says and then adds. "The act has to happen! If it is a man, then it is right, it can be openly done, but if it is a woman then it must be done discreetly, but then the act has to be done."[50][51] Mufaddal Saifuddin, in the same sermon, also "defended khafz as a religious duty and defied foreign authorities to prevent the practice from taking place".[52] An audio recording of the sermon in question, which was conducted in the Lisan al-Dawat language (very similar to the Gujarati language), has also been uploaded to YouTube by a community member who was present.[53]

According to Anjuman-e-Burhani (London), the khafz procedure advocated by Mufaddal Saifuddin is prohibited by the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003.[54] That act specifies that excision, infibulation, or mutilation of any part of a girl’s labia majora, labia minora or clitoris would cause an offence to be committed.[55] As Anjuman-e-Burhani (London) states that khafz would constitute female genital mutilation (FGM) under this act, it can be assumed that the procedure involves excision, infibulation, or mutilation of parts of a girl’s labia majora, labia minora or clitoris. The United States Code Title 18 § 116 also shares the same definition of FGM[56] and therefore the procedure prescribed by Mufaddal Saifuddin is illegal in both the United Kingdom and the United States.

In 2016, both before and after Mufaddal Saifuddin's speech on 25 April, Dawoodi Bohra Trusts in Australia,[57][58] UK,[59] USA & Canada passed resolutions stating that since khafz (also recognized as khatna or female circumcision) has been interpreted to be within the meaning of FGM, khafz is illegal. The community members were instructed to abide by the law of the land at all times, not engage in khafz under any circumstances, and they must not take they children overseas for the purposes of khafz. These resolutions were passed by centers in Australia,[60] USA,[61] UK [62] & Canada.[63] All of these statements were signed by the trusts governing the local congregations.[64]

On 6 June 2016, Mufaddal Saifuddin issued a statement[65][66] stating that despite media reports,[51] the multiple resolutions passed by the Anjumans (local congregations) in regards to khafz "reflect the repeated directions of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin (the top spiritual leader of the community) to respect the law of the land and live as worthy and contributory citizens within prevailing laws,".[65] The statement further added that "it is clarified that contrary to the media reports following the sermon of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin on April 25, 2016, these resolutions of the Anjumans (asking to abide by the law of the land) have not been nullified and continue to be valid."[65]

In this statement, Saifuddin further says that "Male and female circumcision (called khatna and khafz respectively) are religious rites that have been practised by Dawoodi Bohras throughout history. Religious books, written over a thousand years ago, specify the requirements for both males and females as acts of religious purity", clarifying that khafz is a "religious obligation that finds an echo in many other Muslim communities, particularly those following the Sunni Shafi'i school of thought."[66]

The statement released by Saifuddin's office was received with mixed reactions by Dawoodi Bohra community members. A doctor in Toronto belonging to the community responded that Saifuddin's statement "promotes gender-based child abuse in countries where [female genital mutilation] is not yet banned."[52] Another group of Dawoodi Bohra women cautiously welcomed the statement but expressed disappointment that the ritual will continue to be practiced on girls in countries where it is legal.[67]

On 9 June 2016, in direct response to the sermon delivered by Mufaddal Saifuddin in on 25 April 2016, a judge in Sydney overturned his ruling sentencing Shabbir Vaziri, a representative of Mufaddal Saifuddin, who was convicted of "telling his followers to deny they practised FGM" and sentenced to 11 months home detention. Instead of home detention, Vaziri was sent to jail. Justice Johnson "changed his mind and jailed Vaziri following a sermon by the religious sect’s world leader in India, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, in which he appeared to tell followers they should continue the practise of FGM known as khatna".[68]

See also

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References

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