Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Indian court upholds appointment of Dawoodi Bohra leader

The Dawoodi Bohras, a religious sect within Shia Islam, traditionally appoint their leader through divine inspiration, with the position known as the Dai-al-Mutlaq.

Indian court upholds appointment of Dawoodi Bohra leader

An Indian court has has dismissed a suit from 2014 challenging the appointment of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin as the leader of the Dawoodi Bohra Community.

Justice Gautam Patel, presiding over a single Bombay high court bench, clarified that the court's decision solely pertained to matters of proof rather than faith.


The suit, originally filed by Khuzaima Qutbuddin soon after the passing of his brother and the then Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin in January 2014, sought to contest Saifuddin's ascension to the position of Syedna.

Following Burhanuddin's demise, his second son Mufaddal Saifuddin succeeded him as the Syedna. After Qutbuddin's passing in 2016, his son Taher Fakhruddin continued the legal battle, asserting his father had granted him the authority.

The heart of the matter revolved around conflicting claims regarding the appointment process. Qutbuddin contended that his brother Burhanuddin had privately designated him as his successor through a secret "nass" prior to announcing him as the mazoon in 1965. Fakhruddin maintained that his father had similarly conferred the position upon him before his demise.

Justice Patel emphasized the need for stability, stating, "I don't want any upheavals. I have kept the judgment as neutral as possible. I have only decided on the issue of proof and not faith."

The Dawoodi Bohras, a religious sect within Shia Islam, traditionally appoint their leader through divine inspiration, with the position known as the Dai-al-Mutlaq. While the suit aimed to restrain Saifuddin from acting as the Dai-al-Mutlaq, it also raised concerns about the legitimacy of his leadership.

Saifuddin defended his position by asserting that the nass of 1965 lacked witnesses and therefore could not be considered valid. He further argued that nass, according to Dawoodi Bohra doctrine, could be altered or revoked. Saifuddin claimed that in 2011, the 52nd Dai conferred nass upon him in the presence of witnesses, following his hospitalization due to a stroke.

The dismissal of the suit brings a legal conclusion to a contentious dispute within the Dawoodi Bohra community, which boasts a significant presence both in India and globally.

(PTI)

More For You

'Companies with diverse leadership are better positioned for growth'

From LtoR- Lord Karan Bilimoria, Sir Trevor Phillips, Seema Malhotra MP, David Tyler and Nathan Coe

'Companies with diverse leadership are better positioned for growth'

COMPANIES with diverse leadership are better positioned for sustainable growth, improved decision-making, and will connect better with multicultural markets, equalities minister Seema Malhotra has said.

She added that the government will soon launch a public consultation on their approach to mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting.

Keep ReadingShow less
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar with  Wang Yi (right)

Subrahmanyam Jaishankar with Wang Yi (right)

S Jaishankar: ‘Delhi’s global interests shape its regional ties'

INDIA today sees itself as a global power or, at least, a country with global interests, which is why Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has spoken of its equation with Russia, China and notably the Middle East.

India’s external affairs minister was in conversation last Wednesday (5) in London with Bronwen Maddox, director of the Royal Institute of International Affairs at Chatham House.

Keep ReadingShow less
'Hundreds of million pounds can be saved by abolishing NHS'

Keir Starmer speaks with medical staff during a visit to the Elective Orthopaedic Centre at Epsom Hospital in Epsom, England. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

'Hundreds of million pounds can be saved by abolishing NHS'


HUNDREDS of millions of pounds could be saved and patient waiting lists reduced as prime minister Keir Starmer announced plans to abolish NHS England, the body overseeing the state-funded health system.

In a speech delivered in Hull, Starmer explained his decision to streamline the National Health Service's management structure: "I can't, in all honesty, explain to the British people why they should spend their money on two layers of bureaucracy."

Keep ReadingShow less
Early risers in the UK witness stunning Blood Moon eclipse

The lunar eclipse of Friday may not have been as dramatic as the total eclipses seen in other parts of the world

iStock

Early risers in the UK witness stunning Blood Moon eclipse

In the early hours of Friday morning, stargazers across the UK were treated to a partial lunar eclipse, with many enthusiasts rising before dawn to catch a glimpse. The celestial event, which saw the Earth's shadow partially covering the Moon, began at 05:09 GMT. Although only partial for most UK observers, it still presented a spectacular sight, with western parts of the country and regions further afield, such as the Americas and some Pacific islands, witnessing the eclipse.

For some, like Kathleen Maitland, the experience was magical. Stargazing from Pagham Harbour in West Sussex, she described the beauty of watching the Moon gradually darken and transform into a reddish hue, with the sunrise unfolding behind her. The eclipse gave rise to the so-called "blood Moon," a phenomenon that occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth’s shadow, turning a dusky red as sunlight is refracted through the Earth's atmosphere.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sangam Foundation celebrates Women's Day

From L- Reetu Kabra, Maya Sondhi, Shobu Kapoor and Meera Syal during Sangam Foundation's Women's Day celebrations.

Sangam Foundation celebrates Women's Day

HUNDREDS of women gathered for the International Women's Day celebrations of Sangam Foundation last week. Prominent actresses Meera Syal, Shobhu Kapoor and Maya Sondhi have attended the event, a statement said.

The British Asian celebrities shared their experiences of breaking into an industry rife with misogyny and prejudice. The industry veterans also talked about challenges they faced in a male-dominated field.

Keep ReadingShow less