A Dai's Commitment: Sacrifice to Fulfill the Promise to Allah and the Imam

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

مِّنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ رِجَالٌ صَدَقُوا مَا عَاهَدُوا اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ ۖ فَمِنْهُم مَّن قَضَىٰ نَحْبَهُ وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَنتَظِرُ ۖ وَمَا بَدَّلُوا تَبْدِيلا

'Among the Believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah: of them some have completed their vow, and some (still) wait: but they have never changed anything.'

(Surat al-Ahzab: 23)

This article was written by Ra'sul Hududil Mayameen Janab Syedi Aziz Bhaisaheb Qutbuddin in 2014.

In this month of Jamadil Ukhra, the 27th of which is the urus of Syedna Qutub Khan Qutbuddin al-Shaheed RA we remember that Syedna Qutbuddin Shaheed sacrificed his life for the Dawat of Imam al-Zaman, to fulfil the mission he was entrusted with by his Imam. Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA was once threatened with death by those wishing ill for Dawat and Dai. His reply to them was, “You threaten us with death? Don’t you know that our forefathers have sacrificed their lives for the sake of Dawat. I also have the same conviction.”

Syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin RA was of that same shaan. He once said in a waaz some years ago, “Mumineen, do not fear the enemies of Dawat, for I will be a shield between them and you.” Today the true successor of Syedna Taher Saifuddin and Syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin, the true successor of Syedna Qutub Khan Qutbuddin, is the 53rd Dai al-Mutlaq Syedna Khuzaima Qutbuddin TUS. Syedna Taher Saifuddin says in his risala shareefa that, "I have given my most beloved son Khuzaima the laqab of Qutbuddin, bestowing upon him the karaamat, honour and nobility of the auspicious laqab of Syedna Qutbuddin Shaheed."

Syedna Khuzaima Qutbuddin is today demonstrating that he is truly the worthy successor of Syedna Qutbuddin Shaheed. He has taken the ultimate stand, putting all at stake, for the sake of haq, truth, justice, and the spiritual and temporal wellbeing and success, the future of the Dawoodi Bohra community of Mumineen Muminaat and children. This is not only a stand for the present, but will have reverberations for generations to come. The forces of falsehood and deception, which have lead the community astray in these critical times, have over the past few years, taking advantage of Syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin’s age and health, usurped control of the administration, institutions, and infrastructure of Dawat.

Doat Mutlaqeen have faced seemingly insurmountable challenges in the past, and always triumphed in the end. Syedna Dawood bin Qutubshah, father of Syedna Qutbuddin Shaheed, lived three years in an underground cave, but nevertheless conducted Dawat in all the regions, until Akbar’s court ruled in favour of the Dai of haq and Suleiman, the perpetrator, was defeated, and safety and security for the Dai and for mumineen was restored. Syedna Khuzaima Qutbuddin, mindful of the amanat of Imam-uz-zaman entrusted to him by Syedna Taher Saifuddin and Syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin, has today has taken the ultimate stand against the forces of falsehood, corruption, and misguidedness, who are, by a combination of deception, fear-mongering, and threats, are leading people away from the true path, sirat-e-mustaqeem, away from the true Dai, Syedna Khuzaima Qutbuddin, towards not only a path which is damaging and destructive for this life, but more importantly, a path which will lead to eternal loss in the hereafter – the irrepairable loss of Jannat.

Syedna Qutbuddin has committed everything to safeguard the treasures of Dawat. The most invaluable treasure is the treasure of souls, nufus, of Mumineen and Muminaat. The Dawat today, its children the Mumineen, its identity as a principled, observant, peace loving, open-minded, forward looking community, its administration, its infrastructure of masjids, and other trusts, are all a result of the tireless efforts and sacrifices of Doat Mutlaqeen, especially those of the 51st Dai Syedna Taher Saifuddin and the 52nd Dai Syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin in the past 100 years. All the spiritual and material wealth of the community that exists today has been painstakingly built by these Doat mutlaqeen, with the khidmat of Hudud Fodala, and of Mumineen Mukhliseen. With the tayeed of Imam-uz-zaman the Dai today, Syedna Khuzaima Qutbuddin, is doing whatever is necessary and required, whatever it takes, to safeguard these treasures no matter what the seemingly insurmountable odds, no matter what the cost to self and to family, and do whatever is required to fulfil his duty as Dai of Imam-uz-zaman and as the spiritual father of Mumineen.

It is now up to Mumineen, who have the clarity of mind and vision (baseerat), the conviction of faith (yaqeen), the strength of purpose to stand up for what they believe in, to come to the aid of Dai and Dawat. Mumineen, your Dai is facing the forces of falsehood, deception and oppression. This is your opportunity, and your duty to stand up behind him, in whatever way you can, being mindful of circumstances, but also being strong and upright. This is the ultimate cause of all causes. It not only affects you as Mumineen, but also the entire community, including those who have been lead astray, to provide them the knowledge and the avenue to be able to return to haq; it is a cause which will be remembered and have an impact through the generations, just as today, after the passing of so many generations, the memory of Syedna Qutbuddin Shaheed RA and the Mumineen of Ahmedabad and their sacrifices is still fresh in our minds as if it happened only yesterday.