UAE condoles Syedna’s death as gloom grips Bohra community

The Dawoodi Bohra community offering prayers for Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin at Burhani Mosque in Sharjah on Friday. — KT photo by Juidin Bernarrd

Members of the Bohra community all over the world scrambled to board the first available fights to Mumbai to pay respects to their spiritual leader Dr Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, who passed away on Friday aged 102.

Syedna, known as an ambassador of peace and goodwill, had been the leader of the community for the past 50 years.

The UAE President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, sent a cable of condolences to Mufaddal Saifuddin, deputy leader of the Bohra community on the death of his father.

His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai; and General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces; also sent condolences.

A spokesman for the community in Mumbai said the present, 53^rd Dai Al Mutlaq Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin will lead the Namaz-e-Janaza of the late Syedna at Saifee Masjid at Bhendi Bazaar and the leader will be laid to rest at Raudat Tahera mausoleum in Mumbai this morning. “Thousands of Dawoodi Bohras from all over India and from some 40 nations will be converging in Mumbai to pay their last respects and homage to their leader,” he said.

The successor of the departed leader, Sahab Mufaddal Saifuddin, was yet to return to Mumbai from Colombo.

Sources said the senior most people of the community in Dubai have already left for Mumbai.

Shops and offices owned by Bohras in the UAE, Mumbai and other places will remain shut for three days. “People have stopped eating and drinking. We have kept prayers in the mosque, and for the next three days, all the 700 shops of the Bohra community will remain closed for mourning,” said Ahmed Baghdadwala who has been in Dubai since 1978. - news@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE