The Living Dai
The chain that began with Imam al-Tayyib (AS) placing his trust in Sayyida Arwa (RA) — who appointed the 1st Dai Zoeb ibn Musa al-Wada’i (RA) in 526 AH — continues unbroken to this day, held in the person of Syedna Aali Qadr Mufaddal Saifuddin (TUS), the 53rd Dai al-Mutlaq of the Dawoodi Bohra community.
“TUS” (تُقِيَّت أَنفَاسُهُ) — may his breaths be protected — is the honorific suffix applied to the living Dai. As the Dai of the hidden Imam al-Tayyib (AS) and the representative of the Fatimid Imamate in the world today, his guidance, blessing, and raza (permission/permission) are the primary means by which the mumin maintains their connection to the Imam.
His Lineage
Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin (TUS) is the son of the 52nd Dai, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (RA), and grandson of the 51st Dai, Syedna Taher Saifuddin (RA). He thus belongs to the direct lineage of two of the most revered Dais of modern times — a lineage that itself extends back through generations of the dawat.
He was born in 1362 AH (1946 CE) in Mumbai, into the family of the Dai. His education encompassed the full curriculum of Islamic and Fatimid sciences — Quran, Arabic, Lisan ud-Dawat, ta’wil, jurisprudence, history, and the esoteric sciences of the dawat — alongside a grounding in the contemporary world.
He was appointed Mazoon al-Dawat (the highest rank in the dawat hierarchy below the Dai) by his father Syedna Burhanuddin (RA) and served as the principal deputy of the dawat for decades before assuming the seat of the Dai.
Assuming the Dawat — 17 Safar 1435 AH
On 17 Safar 1435 AH / 18 December 2013 CE, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (RA) passed from this world in Mumbai at the age of 102. He had reigned as Dai for 50 years.
On 17 Safar 1435 AH, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin (TUS) was installed as the 53rd Dai al-Mutlaq. The installation — the formal assumption of the Dai’s authority — was performed with the recitation of the misaq (covenant), the transmission of the nass (designation), and the assembly of the community in recognition of the new Dai.
The dawat thus passed without interruption, as it has for 900 years, from one Dai to the next — each Dai holding the chain until he transmits it to his successor by nass.
Scholarship and Writing
Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin (TUS) is among the most prolific scholars in the history of the dawat. He has continued and expanded the extraordinary literary tradition of his father Syedna Taher Saifuddin (RA), composing:
- Qasidas in Arabic — poetry in the classical Arabic tradition praising the Prophet (SAW), the Imams, and the Dais; his Arabic poetry demonstrates mastery of classical meters and the Fatimid theological vocabulary
- Qasidas in Lisan ud-Dawat — devotional poetry in the Gujarati-Arabic hybrid language of the community, continuing the tradition his grandfather Syedna Taher Saifuddin (RA) made famous
- Theological treatises — works of ta’wil and Ismaili philosophy in the tradition of the great Fatimid scholars (al-Mu’ayyad al-Shirazi, Hamid al-Din al-Kirmani, and others)
- Khutbas and waaz — the formal Friday sermons and majalis addresses that are the primary vehicle for teaching and guidance in the community
The community calls him Qalamul-Bayan (قَلَمُ البَيَان — the Pen of Expression) — a title reflecting the centrality of his literary and scholarly output to his ministry.
His Work in the World
Since assuming the dawat in 1435 AH, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin (TUS) has continued and deepened the major projects of the dawat:
Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah
The Bohra Arabic Academy — which trains scholars, aamils, and community leaders in the full curriculum of Islamic, Fatimid, and secular sciences — has been expanded significantly. The campus at Nairobi, Kenya was inaugurated, and the Surat campus continues as the flagship institution. The curriculum, developed over generations, is considered among the most rigorous in the Islamic world.
Fatimid Heritage and Restoration
The restoration and protection of Fatimid and Bohra heritage sites has been a consistent priority:
- The al-Juyushi Mosque in Cairo (Fatimid era, 478 AH) was restored
- Work on the Fatimid Cairo monuments (al-Hakim Mosque, Bab al-Futuh, Bab al-Nasr, the Cairo walls) has continued through community engagement
- The ongoing advocacy for the restoration of Jannat al-Baqi — the Medina cemetery where Imams Hasan, Zayn al-Abidin, al-Baqir, and al-Sadiq (AS) are buried — whose domes were demolished in 1925
Global Community Visits
Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin (TUS) has traveled globally to meet the worldwide Bohra community — in North America, Europe, East Africa, Pakistan, India, and beyond. The visitation (mulaqat) of the Dai is among the most cherished experiences for the community; the mumin receives the Dai’s blessing, renewed walayat, and spiritual guidance directly.
Bhendi Bazaar Redevelopment (Mumbai)
The Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust project — the large-scale urban regeneration of the historic Bhendi Bazaar area of Mumbai — has continued under his guidance. This project, one of the largest urban renewal initiatives in Asia, aims to replace old, unsafe buildings in this central Mumbai neighborhood with modern, community-centered structures while preserving the social fabric.
His Presence in the Community
For the Bohra mumin worldwide, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin (TUS) is not a distant authority. He is:
The voice of waaz: His waaz (sermons) — delivered at Saifee Masjid in Mumbai during Ashara Mubaraka and on other major occasions — are heard by community members around the world via broadcast. His voice in Lisan ud-Dawat and Arabic carries the teachings of the dawat directly to every Bohra home.
The granter of raza: Every significant act in the Bohra mumin’s life — from marriage and naming a child to undertaking business ventures and performing Hajj — is ideally preceded by the Dai’s raza (blessing/permission). This is not bureaucratic; it is the practical expression of the walayat relationship.
The guide of the community: Syedna (TUS) has addressed the community on matters of faith, family, commerce, education, health, and community cohesion. His guidance on maintaining Islamic values in the modern world is sought and followed by hundreds of thousands of mumin globally.
The Salawat Upon Him
The salawat upon the living Dai is offered in the Friday khutba and in personal dua:
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مَولَانَا الدَّاعِي الثَّالِثِ وَالخَمسِين سَيِّدِنَا المُفَضَّل سَيفِ الدِّين تُقِيَّت أَنفَاسُهُ دَاعِي الإِمَامِ الطَّيِّب أَبِي القَاسِم صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيهِ
O Allah, send blessings upon our Master, the 53rd Dai, Our Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin — may his breaths be protected — the Dai of Imam al-Tayyib Abu al-Qasim, blessings of Allah be upon him.
Dua for His Long Life
The community regularly recites duas for the long life and protection of the Dai:
يَا اللَّهُ يَا اللَّهُ يَا اللَّهُ أَطَل اللَّهُ بَقَاءَكَ وَجَعَلَ الجَنَّةَ مَأوَاكَ وَصَانَكَ عَن كُلِّ سُوءٍ وَمَكرُوهٍ وَأَدَامَ عِزَّكَ وَعُلَاكَ
O Allah, O Allah, O Allah. May Allah prolong your life and make Paradise your abode. May He protect you from every harm and disliked thing, and perpetuate your honor and eminence.
يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّوم — آمِين