This story was reported by The Times of India
His Holiness Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin delivered a sermon at Masjid e Moazzam on the occasion commemorating his and his late father's birthdays on October 1, 2026. In his address, he drew on the qualities of an artist to guide the community on how to live well. Around 85,000 Dawoodi Bohras from India and abroad gathered in Surat, Gujarat for the occasion.
An artist, Syedna Saifuddin explained, first sees a picture in their mind, works it through with care, and then brings it to life. He went on to speak of the importance of balance and proportion, the qualities that give a work of art its beauty. He drew on these qualities to show how a person should shape their own life with the same clarity and purpose, and strike a balance that enhances its various facets.
Syedna Saifuddin also encouraged the community to live in comfort and harmony, showing love and compassion to their neighbours.
The occasion carries particular significance for Dawoodi Bohras because it commemorates the birthdays of both Syedna Saifuddin and his late father and predecessor, His Holiness Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin.
Following his father’s passing in 2014, Syedna Saifuddin chose to celebrate his own birthday on the day of his father’s birthday, keeping alive his father’s memory and legacy. This year marks the 116th birth anniversary of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin and the 83rd birthday of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin.
For the past several days, the old lanes of Zampa Bazaar have been filled with families, some returning to the historic neighbourhood where their community has had a presence for centuries, and others seeing it for the first time. On the evening before the celebration, community members from different parts of the world participated in a themed procession. Syedna Saifuddin acknowledged the procession from a stage set up at Devri Mubarak, home to his ancestral residence and to Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah, the Arabic academy that has served as the the community’s premier institute of learning for centuries.
The birthday celebrations also mark the conclusion of Istifada Ilmiyyah, the Dawoodi Bohra community’s annual programme of learning and study. Conducted over approximately two weeks and in multiple phases, this year’s programme brought thousands of participants from different countries and backgrounds to Surat.
