At Saifee Masjid, the Dawoodi Bohra leader drew on the disciplines of accounting and financial stewardship to speak about accuracy, trust and responsibility in everyday life
His Holiness Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin drew on the disciplines associated with accounting and financial stewardship to deliver a wider message about integrity, accuracy and trust on Friday, as Dawoodi Bohras marked the death anniversary of his father and predecessor, His Holiness Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin.
Addressing the congregation at Saifee Masjid in South Mumbai, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin reflected on qualities expected of those entrusted with accounts and finances. He spoke about the importance of accuracy in what one records, integrity in dealing with what belongs to others, and confidentiality in safeguarding information and responsibilities entrusted to one's care.
He encouraged community members to apply these principles beyond their professions and make them part of their conduct in personal, professional and social life.
More than 80,000 Dawoodi Bohras from Mumbai, other parts of India and overseas took part in the commemoration.
The sermon gave the annual remembrance of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin a distinctly contemporary focus, connecting questions of professional responsibility with the everyday choices through which people earn and retain the trust of others.
For members of the community working in accounting and finance, the message carried particular relevance.
“What stayed with me most was the point on integrity,” said Husain Kothari, 35, a chartered accountant from Mumbai. “The sermon reminded me that the real measure of an accountant is not skill with figures alone. It is the integrity with which those figures are handled. The same principle applies to every part of life.”
Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, the 52nd Dai al-Mutlaq of the Dawoodi Bohra community, led the community for nearly five decades from 1965 until his passing in Mumbai in 2014.
His tenure saw significant institution-building and the expansion of community initiatives in education, social development and welfare. His son and successor, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, continues to lead the Dawoodi Bohra community as its 53rd Dai al-Mutlaq.
Each year, community members commemorate Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin's death anniversary through sermons, prayer and remembrance of his life and teachings.
