Succession issue

Succession issue is the portrayal of the Dawoodi Bohra sect, who are a community of a minority within a minority sect, in the newspapers prominently since the sad demise of their leader, the 52nd Da'i al-Mutlaq Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin on 17th January 2014. It is publicised that the sect is in great turmoil. And it is also claimed that doubt has been created in the minds of the members of the community as to who their leader is.
But are these rumors which actually started much before the sad event true? Are there really any doubt in the minds of these people?
To understand this one has to comprehend a certain belief of Dawoodi Bohra sect called the NASS.
Belief
Nass , also spelt as nas, in simple terms, is a process of appointing another person in one's position. Nass is a process not a code word. The word Nass may or may not be used during the actual process of the nass. Nass can be done once or many times by the person doing the nass. When nass is done openly in front of the members of the community or before the general public it is called zahir (explicit) nass. When nass is done in private before two to few members and under oath of not disclosing it to the members of the community or general public until further instructions by the person doing the nass or at a specified time after the person's demise is called a private (khangi) nass. Only when explicit nass is not done that private nass sought for. But even in private nass there would be atleast two or more witness (shahid).
Nass is such an important tenent that there is a famous event in history wherein a captain of a ship on which Syedna was travelling was asked as to what he would do if ship faces bad weather. To this the captain of the ship replied that the Syedna travelling with him has still not performed nass and nothing will happen to him till he has done so, hence nothing will happen to the ship.
To emphasise further nass is the nomination of a successor. Nass is what Muhammad Rasululla did when he appointed Maulana Ali as his successor at Ghadir al-Khumm on the 18th of Zilhaj Hijri calender. Muhammed Rasululla had done nass on Maulana Ali a number of times before this in different ways.
Nass is what Maulana Ali did upon Imam Hasan ibn Ali and Imam Hasan ibn Ali did when he appointed Imam Husayn ibn Ali during the last few hours of his life. Further Imam Husayn ibn Ali did nass upon Imam Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin and Imam Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin upon Imam Muhammad al-Baqir. The process of nass continued till the 21st Imam, whose Father Imam Al-Amir bi-Ahkami'l-Lah was the last among the Fatimid Caliphates. The 21st Imam went into seclusion.
After that the office of Da'i al-Mutlaq was established who represented the Imam in seclusion. The successor of the Da'i al-Mutlaq were also appointed by the process of nass done by the incumbent of the said office.
Some of the features common to the successor of the office of Da'i al-Mutlaq are:
*The successor always remains with the incumbent of the office at all times (except when sent for some work on the behest of the incumbent) helping him and at the same time learning from the incumbent.
*The successor does everything with blessing and according to the wishes if the incumbent.
*The successor would be exactly like the incumbent in character, learning, knowledge and other personal aspects.
*The successor would preserve the heritage of the Dawoodi Bohra sect like the incumbent.
*The successor would never seek support from the general public at large so as to request the members of the Dawoodi Bohra community for any reason but would approach the members directly.
*The successor would never expose the covenents of the Dawoodi Bohra sect so as to seek support which he is forbidden to do through a pledge (misaq).
*If anyone were to challenge his position the successor will respond immediately and express his justification and not wait for years such that the incumbent is no more to resolve the issue.
*In the event of any danger or misfortune should fall on the incumbent, the successor would take it upon himself.
*The successor would not make any changes to the format of religious beliefs.
*The successor would never stand against the incumbent at any time.
These are just a few of the common features.
The details of the nass in question is mentioned everywhere but for the sake of those who are new to this issue. This is about the nass done by the 52nd Da'i al-Mutlaq Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin upon his successor the 53rd Da'i al-Mutlaq Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin .
*The nas was hinted by the 51st Da'i al Mutlaq Syedna Taher Saifuddin when he gave the name 'Aali Qadr Mufaddal' Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin.
*The private nass was performed 5 years back before 3 shahids, who were given an oath to keep it to themselves till further instruction.
*The explicit nass was performed before 5 shahids and they were asked to make it explicit. This was done on 4th June 2011 (3rd Rajab 1431 H) in London
*Again explicit nass was done on 20th June 2011 (19th Rajab 1431 H) where Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin came down from London to Raudat Tahera just to prove that nass was done. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin again reiterated the nass over Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin before the tomb of his father Syedna Taher Saifuddin and under the glory of the Quran e Majeed written on the walls of the Raudat Tahera and in front of 5000 people present in Raudat Tahera who became the shahid to the nass. This was also telecast live the world over such that each and every member of Dawoodi Bohra sect became shahid to the nass.
*A repeat telecast was kept in all the masjids such that any member who would have missed it could see the nass done at Raudat Tahera and become shahid to the nass. So each and every member of the Dawoodi Bohra sect became shahid to the nass.
*The letter from the office of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin bearing the official stamp and signature, confirming the nass was sent to each and every place where members of the Dawoodi Bohra sect resided and it was read out to them and each person confirmed to accept the same.
*Further all the Amils (priests) all over the world were called and they took a pledge (misaq) to honour the nass and the Amils in turn went to their respective places and took the pledge (misaq) from the members of Dawoodi Bohra sect to honour the nass.
*Thereafter during the period of three years the nass was reiterated by the presence of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin in the religious functions along with His successor Syedna Mufaffal Saifuddin
*During this period of three years all the necessary paper work legal and otherwise for transfer of the office from the 52nd Da'i al-Mutlaq to the 53rd Da'i al-Mutlaq was done duly to prevent any ambiguities.
Thus one can see that even the common man belonging to the Dawoodi Bohra sect does not have any doubts in their minds regarding their leader the 53rd Da'i al-Mutlaq Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin
The Truth
So what is this succession issue all about. It is the brainchild of the late leader of the Progressive Dawoodi Bohra PDB sect, a breakaway faction of the Dawoodi Bohra sect which seperated in 1977. The reason that the leader of the PDB gave to break away from the Dawoodi Bohra sect is that he did not agree with the economic and social policies of the Dawoodi Bohra sect. But due to this contention of his only a few rich patrons followed him to form this new sect. The leader of the PDB sect soon realised that even though seperated from Dawoodi Bohra sect, his sect the PDB does not have a spiritual leader, a Dai, to lead the community like other sects (Alavi Bohra, Sulaimani Bohra, Hebtiahs Bohra etc.) that had separated from the Dawoodi Bohra sect in earlier years. This would mean that PDB along with its progressive factions had nobody as the spiritual head of their sect.
With an aim to get a Dai, spiritual head, for his sect the leader of the PDB sect offered a deal to the so called unofficial (but known to all concerned) leader (notice the mention of PDB on his article and the support for him by members of PDB and its progressive factions in newspapers referenced in this article) of the Qutbi Bohra sect, who also shares a similar progressive thought process and also was in a position of advantage, that would give the PDB and its progressive factions, a new Dai, that too of their leader's choice.
It was decided that the leader of the Qutbi Bohra sect, by virtue of his position of being in the second most highest position in the Dawoodi Bohra sect and also the son of 51st Da'i al-Mutlaq Syedna Taher Saifuddin, brother of 52nd Da'i al-Mutlaq Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin and uncle of the 53rd Da'i al-Mutlaq Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, the leader of the Qutbi Bohra sect claim that he is the successor of the Dawoodi Bohra sect after Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin. Then whether any member of the Dawoodi Bohra sect joins him or not, the members if the PDB along with its progressive factions will join him; such that in one way or the other the leader of the Qutbi Bohra will become a Dai, which otherwise he can never become.
During all this planning the leader of PDB passes away leaving the leader of Qutbi Bohra clueless as to what to do. But the rich and affluent members of the PDB and its progressive factions asked the leader of Qutbi Bohra sect to move on in the predecided direction.
Such that the unfortunate day in the lives of members of the Dawoodi Bohra sect came when Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin left for his heavenly abode . This filled the lives of all the members of the Dawoodi Bohra community with sorrow and grief.
But the same day proved to be a fortunate day for the leader of the Qutbi Bohra sect, who was so excited that he couldnt even wait for the funeral of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin to take place and loaded his website with his claim for succession as per the masterplan. The leader of the Qutbi Bohra sect did not approach the members of the Dawoodi Bohra community to express his claim but he did so in the newspapers, which as discussed earlier is well against the principles of Dawoodi Bohra sect.
With money power behind the leader of Qutbi Bohra the newspapers began publishing his version of his story . From that day one can see the news of a community that never even made it to any news print began to gain front page publicity. Such that even any news that is against the claims of the leader of the Qutbi Bohra sect will have a mention of his claim by members of PDB or its progressive factions in it towards the end of the news article. (How can the members of a rival sect the PDB and its progressive factions support a person who is claiming to be the successor of Dawoodi Bohra sect without having the hidden agenda as mentioned in this article.) Such is the power of money in twisting the facts even in news reports . Soon the leader of the Qutbi Bohra and his family members started to appear on news channels giving interviews and quotations in newspapers.
So started a non existent dispute in the name of Dawoodi Bohra succession which was actually not connected to the Dawoodi Bohra at all.
All this is only being done so that PDB along with its progressive factions get a spiritual leader, a Dai, just like the other break away factions from the Dawoodi Bohra have. This can be seen clearly by the fact that on the day of the so called misaq (pledging ceremony) of the Qutbi Bohra only eighty people showed up, they were not from the Dawoodi Bohra sect but belonged to PDB and its progressive factions.
Furthermore the leader of the PDB had stated in an article (para 15) in the early 2000 stated that prominent judges, lawyers etc. belonging to the Dawoodi Bohra sect have joined the PDB or its progressive factions. Now these prominent people will come out and claim alligence to the leader of Qutbi Bohra.
How is all this going to end? The leader of the Qutbi Bohra and members of the PDB along with its progressive factions, with their money power will put on a huge act, create a big hue and cry in trying hard to prove that the leader of the Qutbi Bohra is the successor of Dawoodi Bohra sect but they will lose both under Islamic Law and the law of the land as both the laws will not support their story. Then they will put on an act of giving up.
During the mean time PDB sect along with its progressive factions will gather under Qutbi Bohra sect. The leader of the Qutbi Bohra will officially declare himself 'Dai' of the Qutbi Bohra sect such that the PDB and its associate factions will get a new Dai just as the leader of PDB had planned and the leader of the Qutbi Bohra will become a Dai, at last, which would have been never possible otherwise.
So a win win situation in which everybody wins. But the leadership and members of Dawoodi Bohra sect will face some difficulties for sometime but at the end everything would be settled.
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