Facts and Marvels of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (R.A.) Life
Facts and Marvels of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (R.A.) Life
.webp)
Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA was the first Dai among the Fatemi Duat Mutlaqeen RA to complete 102 years of age.
It is a great coincidence that the 52nd Dai was born on Saturday, 20th Rabiul Akhar 1333H, corresponding to 6th March 1915, in Surat, Gujarat, India. This was the very day on which his father, Syedna Taher Saifuddin AQ, officially sat on the pedestal of Dawat. The 20th Rabiul Akhar also corresponds to the day of Zuhoor of Imam Mehdi SA.
Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA’s first Salgirah was celebrated in Surat with great pomp and glory. That day was declared a holiday in Al-Jamea-tus-Saifiyah.
In 1336H, Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA began his Ibtedai Taalim, or kindergarten education, in Udaipur with Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim at the age of three.
At the age of five, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA recited the Quran in a Majlis. Subsequently, Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA wrote in his Risalat Sharifa that when he recites the Quran, he glows for the people of heaven as the stars glow for the people of earth.
Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA completed the recitation of the Quran at the age of six in 1921.
At the age of twelve, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA miraculously emerged safe from a car accident in Colombo, where his vehicle became suspended on one wheel.
At the age of fifteen, in 1347H, Aqa Maula RA’s Misaq was taken in the Iwaan of Al-Jamea-tus-Saifiyah, and Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA bestowed upon him the Laqab Burhanuddin. In the same year, he performed his first Hajj and Ziyarat to Imam Ali SA in Najaf, Imam Husain SA and Abbas Alamdar SA in Karbala.
On 27th Rajab 1349H, corresponding to 7th January 1929, at the age of seventeen, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA was bestowed with the title of Haddiyat by Syedna Taher Saifuddin AQ.
In 1350H, Syedna Taher Saifuddin AQ established the office of Alvazaratus Saifiyah in Mumbai and appointed Mohammed Burhanuddin RA to oversee it, awarding him the Alamat Sharifa.
On 27th Rajab 1352H, at the age of nineteen, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA was raised to the second-highest pedestal in the Dawah with the title of Mazoon by Syedna Taher Saifuddin AQ.
Aqa Maula RA committed the entire Quran to memory in 1353H at the age of twenty-one.
On 27th Zilqad 1354H, corresponding to 19th February 1936, his marriage with Ammatullah Aaisaheba, daughter of Abdul Hussain Bhaisaheb, was celebrated in Surat with great joy and splendour.
Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA conferred upon Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA the titles of Taj ud-Dawat-it-Taiyyebia till-Gharra, Qurrato Ayne Imam-il-Muttaqin and Umdat-ul-Ulama-il-Muwahhidin. He was also conferred the degree of Al-Alim-ur-Rasikh.
When Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA and Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA entered the precincts of the Kaaba, Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA asked, “Where is the Qibla from where I stand?” Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA replied, “You are our Qibla right before us.”
Aqa Maula RA performed his first Waaz on the 19th of Ramadan 1357H and performed his first Ashara Mubarakah in Nasik the following year.
In 1370H, Ashara Mubarak Waaz was performed for the first time in Mumbai by both Syedna Taher Saifuddin AQ and Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA on one Takht. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA delivered the Shahadat Bayan, and Syedna Taher Saifuddin AQ concluded the Shahadat of Imam Husain SA.
Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA and Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA presided together again on the same Takht on the occasion of Syedna Qutbuddin Shaheed’s Urs in Ahmedabad. Aqa Maula RA continued the Waaz from where his father left off.
In 1381–82H, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA undertook a victorious voyage to Yemen after approximately 400 years of the transfer of Dawat from Yemen. On 17th Shaban, Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA bestowed upon him the title of Mansur-ul-Yemen at Saifee Masjid, Mumbai.
In Ramadan 1384H, Lailatul Qadr was observed together by Syedna Taher Saifuddin AQ and Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA in Mumbai.
Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA became the 52nd Dai-al-Mutlaq at the age of fifty-two.
In 1385H, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA performed the Iftetah of the Zarih Mubarak of Rasul Imam-al-Husain SA in Cairo.
In 1386H, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA performed his first Ashara Mubarakah as Dai-al-Mutlaq in Mumbai.
Aqa Maula RA’s first Salgirah after becoming Dai was celebrated in Udaipur.
Al-Azhar University in Cairo presented Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA with the Degree of Doctor of Islamic Sciences.
Aligarh Muslim University presented Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA with the Doctorate of Theology in 1946. Twenty years later, in 1966, the university presented the same degree to Aqa Maula RA.
For the first time in Dawat, Ashara Mubarakah was performed in Mahalle-Saifee, Mecca Mukarramah, in 1389H, and Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA performed Imamat Namaaz at Masjid-un-Nabi SAW.
8th August 1986 was declared His Holiness Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin Day by the Mayor of Houston.
On the completion of 1400 years from the day of revelation of the Quran, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA delivered a speech about the Quran which was heard on All India Radio.
Aqa Maula RA was the first Dai to travel to the North African countries of Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, where the Aimmat Fatemiyeen SA established their kingdom of justice and mercy.
In 1389H, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA initiated the tradition of Ehya on the 30th of Shehre Ramadan.
Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA built Raudat Tahera in Mumbai and performed its Iftetah in 1395H over the Qabr Mubarak of his father. The mausoleum is renowned for having the entire Quran inscribed on its walls.
In 1396H, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA delivered an address in Arabic during The World of Islam Festival at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
The Egyptian President presented Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA with Egypt’s highest civic honour, the Wishah-un-Nil.
In 1399H, the historic conference Al-Multaqa-al-Fatemi-al-Ilmi was held at Al-Jamea-tus-Saifiyah, Surat, to reinforce the community’s identity.
In 1405H, marking 1400 years of the birth of Imam Husain SA and 100 years since the birth of Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA issued five principles known as Miras-ul-Barakat.
Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA’s Milad celebration and the Iftetah of the gold and silver portal, Bab-ul-Mukhallafat-ash-Sharifa, took place in Cairo.
In 1413H, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA performed the Ziyarat of Maulatena Fatema AS.
In 1414H, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA visited Damascus for the Iftetah of Maqame Rasul Imam-al-Husain and the Zarih Mubarak of Ruos-ush-Shohada.
In 1416H, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA performed the Iftetah of Jame-ul-Aqmar, Jame-ul-Lulua, Jame-ul-Juyushi and the Zarih Mubarak of Maulatena Ruqayya in Cairo.
Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA built Mahad-uz-Zahra and inaugurated it in 1419H. It was established as an institution dedicated to the study of the Quran.
Like his father and predecessor, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA was appointed Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University in 1420H.
In 1423H, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA inaugurated the restored Masjid and Mehrab of Amir-ul-Mumineen SA in Kufa.
In 1426H, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA inaugurated Saifee Hospital with the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh.
Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA restored the Masjid of Imam Hakim SA in Cairo, Al-Jamea-ul-Anwar, in a record time of twenty-seven months, a feat for which even UNESCO had hesitated to undertake the project.
A second Al-Jamea-tus-Saifiyah, the Arabic Academy in Karachi, Pakistan, was built by Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA in 1983.
Aqa Maula RA performed Hajj five times.
Aqa Maula RA was the first Dai to perform the Ziyarat of Maulana Ja’far-ut-Taiyar SA.
Aqa Maula RA visited Egypt and England more than fifty times.
Aqa Maula RA fasted for ten years of 6 Rajab-ul-Asab twice: once with Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA and later after becoming Dai-al-Mutlaq.
Twice every year, on the 8th of Moharram-ul-Haram and the 19th of Ramadan-ul-Moazzam, Aqa Maula RA invited each and every Mumin throughout the world for Niyaaz.
During his visit to North Africa, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA confirmed the location of Urf-ud-Deek, literally the Crest of the Rooster, from where Dajjal, the enemy of Imam Mansur SA, is said to have fled.
Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA was the first Dai-al-Mutlaq to visit Europe and America and conduct Ashara Mubarakah in America.
When the Mayor of Houston presented Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA with the Key of Houston, he said, “This is not the Key of the City, it is the key to our hearts.” Aqa Maula RA was also presented with the keys of Lahore, Dallas and Mombasa.
During his visit to Egypt for the dedication of the Zarih Mubarak of Maulatena Zainab SA, the President of Egypt, Mr. Anwar Sadat, appealed to Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA to visit Egypt often, describing it as his ancestral home.
The chief protocol officer in Sydney, while receiving Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA, remarked that he had never seen such a powerful and pious personality.
Dr. Usman Yahya, later Mohammed Yahya, prayed Namaaz with Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA at Fatemi Masjid, Mumbai, and afterwards expressed that the experience felt like praying behind Rasulullah.
On one occasion, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA was travelling on a ship. When the captain learned of his presence, he visited Aqa Maula RA. When asked what he would do if the ship faced the danger of sinking, the captain replied that as long as Aqa Maula RA was on his ship, he had no fear that it would sink.
Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA was known in Arab countries as Azamat-us-Sultan, meaning the Great Sovereign.
Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA became known in Kenya as The Rain Maker. Newspapers in Nairobi used this title after the parched land of Kenya received rain following Aqa Maula’s prayers.
During his visit to Jordan, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA was given the highest civic honour of the country, the Star of Jordan Class 1.
Pakistan President Zia-ul-Haq stated that Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA’s community was highly disciplined and that the world would be a better place if governed by Syedna RA.
The President of Yemen, His Excellency Ali Abdullah Saleh, presented a sword to Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA.
Aqa Maula RA was known as the Ambassador of Peace.
Aqa Maula RA’s 25th and 50th Milad Mubarak were celebrated in Mumbai.
Aqa Maula RA’s 75th Salgirah was celebrated in Surat along with the marriage celebrations of his youngest son, Shehzada Ammar Bhaisaheb Jamaluddin DM.
Aqa Maula RA’s 80th Milad Mubarak was celebrated with the establishment of the Burhani Foundation for the preservation of the environment. Mr. Arjun Singh, then Minister for the Environment, along with other dignitaries and celebrities, gathered at Turf Club, Mumbai, to offer their felicitations.
On the occasion of his 80th Salgirah, the Prime Minister of England, Mr. John Major, offered his wishes and expressed the hope that they would celebrate his 100th birthday.
Aqa Maula RA was an excellent horse rider and a skilled swimmer and shooter.
Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA received hundreds of files and letters requesting blessings or counsel every day. A file remained with Syedna RA for no more than twenty-four hours before being answered.
Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA once told a Mumin who had come to invite him to his house, “Take Bhai Burhanuddin with you; for beneath his feet lies wealth.”
During one of his visits to London, Aqa Maula RA expressed, “I feel like home here.”
Aqa Maula RA’s Milad Mubarak was celebrated in Medina, Karbala, Egypt and Yemen.
Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA’s audience for his community often continued for several hours as he personally listened to individuals, sometimes numbering around 3,000.
Aqa Maula RA was very particular about punctuality and maintained his schedules with clock-like precision.
Aqa Maula RA visited Norway and witnessed the phenomenon of the Midnight Sun.
Aqa Maula RA was the first Dai to visit Mauritius and the Australian continent.
Aqa Maula RA visited Niagara Falls in Canada and Victoria Falls in Zambia.
Never before had so many Masajid been constructed as during the era of Aqa Maula RA.
Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA spoke several languages, including Arabic, Lisan-ud-Dawat, Gujarati, Urdu, Hindi and English.
Aqa Maula RA personally supervised the annual examination of Al-Jamea-tus-Saifiyah, the Arabic Academy in Surat. He personally assigned the marks for Shafahi, the oral examination.
Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA personally tutored his children and grandchildren in religious texts for several hours at a stretch.
Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA performed the Nikaah of Mumineen in trains and even onboard a plane.
Aqa Maula RA travelled in many forms of transport, including the liner Queen Elizabeth, the supersonic jet Concorde and the Eurostar, which was among the fastest trains of its time.
Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA cruised from Rotterdam to Bait-ul-Muqaddas and travelled on the QE II to Singapore.
While travelling to remote villages in India, Aqa Maula RA, accompanying his father, also journeyed on bullock carts.
Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA’s voice at the age of ninety-plus was so clear that a computer analysis in Germany reportedly interpreted it as resembling the voice of a forty-year-old.
Following the injunction of the Quran, Aqa Maula RA strictly prohibited transactions involving interest within the community. To help Mumineen prosper in their businesses, Aqa Maula RA established Burhani Qardan Hasana and contributed crores of rupees to its corpus every year.
Aqa Maula RA established several foundations for the benefit and upliftment of Mumineen, including the Saifee Memorial Foundation, Amatullah Aai Memorial Foundation, Syedna Taher Saifuddin Memorial Foundation and Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust.
Aqa Maula RA also established Faiz Amaaken Anwar to enable Mumineen to purchase homes of their own.
