Your Self Preservation VS. the Sirat of Moulana Ali AS?

Site of the Battle of Khandaq Near Medina – Source Wikipedia commons

Map delineating the area where the Battle of Khandaq took place outside of Medina. The green line indicates the trench.

Dear Mr. Qutbuddin,

You have openly alleged that for the three years following the mild stroke of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA that his entire family, especially his own Shehzadas, had taken advantage of his medical condition to basically lay waste to everything he had sown and reaped in the Dawat for the last fifty years as the 52nd Dai of the Dawoodi Bohra community. During this time, if you believe it to be true since you have purported this on your Fatemidawat.com, not you or one member of your family or followers stood and tried to support Burhanuddin Moula RA. No one rose to try and rectify what you and your eminent learned children have considered a critical moment in Dawat. You have maintained that you did this for the preservation of yourself, and your children said in a press conference that you were silent because you hoped that Syedna’s health would get better. But in other places you have said that Syedna was so ill and his family, for lack of a better word, masqueraded Burhanuddin Moula RA and literally brandished him around to try and falsely demonstrate that Nass was done on Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS. I hope you do understand how this allegation, in itself, is so very offensive to every Dawoodi Bohra, although it has become a fundamental belief in establishing the legitimacy of your Qutbi Dawat. In fact, you say this deception and chicanery went on for three years and you labeled it as something like ‘drama baazi’ on your official website Fatemidawat.com. You said that the reason for your silence and inaction to protect Burhanuddin Moula RA was because he had told you not to reveal to anyone that nass was done on you until the ‘right time’ because had you done so before his demise – your life would be in danger. In other words, your silence, your retreat, your decision not to help Burhanudidn Moula RA while his children were doing this was because of your need for your own self-preservation. You have quoted Marhoom Mukasir Saheb as saying “talwaar chali jaate,” etc. With all of your exuberant claims, the fact that 1 million Dawoodi Bohras have been led astray because of your alleged secret and self preservation is inconsequential to you. The fact that Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin’s RA legacy of preparing so many nufus for Imamuz Zaman’s Zuhur is now in shambles because only the 300 people or so who follow you remain as the only true believers, means nothing in comparison to your own life. This defeats logic on its own terms – but okay – let’s say you’re right for a brief second. Let’s say you did all of this to preserve your own life. You didn’t come to the janazah because of the safety of your life. You led one million people astray because of an alleged secret which was kept to protect your life.

The action of self-preservation at the detriment of Haq na Sahib and the well-being of the nufus of Mumineen makes little sense logically and theologically. It is uncharacteristic of someone who would claim to be Moulana Ali’s Dai. Here is a breakdown of what I am trying to say.

• When Shaikhun Najdi got members of the Quraish to come and assassinate Rasullullah SAW while he slept, it was Moulana Ali AS who slept in his bed in his place. He thought of Rasullullah SAW and not his own self-preservation at the time and Ameerul Mumineen has said that this incident was one of the seven of his greatest trials in his life.
• In the Battle of Uhud, Rasullullah SAW suffered many losses and he himself was wounded on the battlefield. When the Muslimeen thought they had won, the army dispersed and went to collect the war booty. Rasullullah SAW was left alone and the disbelievers returned and then lead an attack on Rasullullah SAW. During that time, Moulana Ali stayed and said that he would protect Rasullullah SAW. Rasullullah SAW told Moulana Ali to also go and leave- and in reply he said, “Shall I become a kafir after bringing Islam?” Moulana Ali SA defeated the enemies and did not leave Rasullullah alone, an act of such bravery and loyalty that the riwaayats say that Jibra’il came from the skies and said, “This is the true meaning of loyalty,” and “There is no fata (young man) like Ali.” May I remind you – you have alleged that the title of fata also belongs to you.
• Another example – during the Battle of Khandaq, ‘Amr bin Abde Wadd crossed the khandaq dug to protect the people of Medina in which the Muslimeen were quite worried of what would happen next and if they might lose the battle. Burhanuddin Moula RA always called this event “a critical moment” in Islam because ‘Amr bin Abde Wadd was such a fierce warrior and enemy. At that time again, when everyone was worried about their own self-preservation, it was Moulana Ali who stood and said that I will go and fight him. He protected Rasullullah even though it meant his life was in danger. There were others present there at that time who decided not to go and fight ‘Amr bin Abdewadd during this ‘critical moment’ and decided to indulge in their own self-preservation. We all know who they are and there is no need for me to mention that here and on which side of the analogy you fall. I am just not understanding your actions because I for one, would never let my Moula suffer for the thought of my own self-preservation. However, according to your own testimony and allegations against Burhanuddin Moula’s RA family this is exactly what you have done.
• There are not just examples of Moulana Ali which exist- countless Hudood of Dawat sacrificed themselves for Haq na Sahib. For example, Syedi Feerkhan Shujauddin went to the Qayd Khana with Syedna Qutbuddin Shahid RA even though doing so might cause him harm or even death. There was eminent danger there too, no? How about Syedi Musanjee bin Taaj, from my own watan of Baroda. He was put in burning oil while he was protecting his Dai. The first thought of Mumineen has always been to protect Sahib uz Zaman. This is our history and this is our tradition. These are our natural feelings as a community – Moula par fida thawu – not just in words but in reality. It is considered an honor. You might say that your actions were for the preservation of the nufus of Mumineen through your own preservation. However, how does the loss of a million followers equate that? It does not make any sense, Mr. Qutbuddin.

So in light of these well-known historical events recording Moulana Ali’s protection of Rasullullah SAW, I want to ask you, Mr. Qutbuddin, whose Dai are you? Why did you let Moula suffer so much if indeed you really believe what you have said officially on your website and elsewhere? Would anyone look at your actions and say that you are truly Moulana Ali’s Dai? I think we all deserve an explanation of what was going in your head during this time since you are claiming to be the Fatemi Dai. What does fidaayat actually mean in your ideologies? You said in your Ashura sermon this year that you are the ‘sacrifice of Imamuz Zaman.’ How so, if you weren’t even willing to sacrifice yourself for Burhanuddin Moula in his critical moment while his children supposedly did what you openly have alleged. Please answer soon as I think this is very fundamental to the veracity of all your claims.

Yours truly,

Alefiya Ujjainwala

Mandsaur, UP.