His Holiness Syedna Taher Saifuddin, the 51st al-Dai al-Mutlaq and father of the 52nd Dai, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA, and grandfather of the present 53rd Dai, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS, is remembered as a distinguished spiritual leader, scholar and administrator whose legacy continues to shape the Dawoodi Bohra community.
Assuming the mantle of al-Dai al-Mutlaq in 1915 at the age of 28, Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA guided the community through a period of significant global change with wisdom, fortitude and grace. His visionary leadership strengthened the spiritual, educational and organisational foundations of Dawat-e-Hadiyah, and his reforms formalised its administrative structure for future generations.
Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA shared a deep and enduring bond with Karachi and with the people of what is now Pakistan. His association with Karachi began in his youth and continued throughout his life, marked by numerous visits during which he strengthened communal institutions, and offered guidance to community members. Karachi became a centre from which many of his historic initiatives and travels commenced, and where he was received with immense respect by community members, leaders, and government officials alike.
Over the decades, Syedna RA’s presence brought spiritual upliftment and a renewed sense of unity to the Bohras of Karachi and Pakistan. His affection for the city and its people is reflected in his own words, in which he frequently expressed gratitude for their devotion and hospitality. His legacy in Pakistan endures through the flourishing of the community experienced under his successors.
Al-Dai al-Mutlaq
The al-Dai al-Mutlaq is the leader of the worldwide Dawoodi Bohra community and the head of Dawat-e-Hadiyah during the seclusion of the Imam and acts as its sole trustee. Today, His Holiness Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin is the 53rd incumbent to this august office.
Dr Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin was the 52nd al-Dāʿī al-Mutlaq and the spiritual head of the Dawoodi Bohra community worldwide. Over his five-decade leadership beginning in 1965, the Dawoodi Bohra community experienced a renewed sense of mission and devotion to their faith. He reinforced existing institutions and, responding to contemporary needs, launched new initiatives aimed at enhancing the well-being and spiritual life of community members.
His Holiness Dr Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS is the 53rd al-Dāʿī al-Mutlaq and the present spiritual head of the Dawoodi Bohra community worldwide. He assumed office in January 2014 and continues a long tradition of stewardship that emphasises knowledge, compassion and social service.