51st Dai Al-Mutlaq Syedna Taher Saifuddin (R.A)

Date of Birth : 27th Zilqad 1305H / 5th August 1888 AD
Date of Wafaat : 19th Rajab-ul-Asab 1385/1965 AD
Duration of Dawat : 53 years

Syedna Taher Saifuddin(A.Q) 'Taher' by name and virtue completed reciting Quran-e-Majid at the early age of six. His revered father, the 49th Dai al-Mutlaq Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin Saheb (R.A), conferred him Haddiyat in 1322H and granted him Laqab 'Saifuddin'. Syedna Abdullah Badruddin (R.A) performed Nass upon him on 28th Safarul Muzaffar 1333H. Syedna Muqaddas (R.A) ascended the throne of Dawat at the young age of twenty-eight on 10th Rabiul Awwal 1333H.

A tireless itinerant, Syedna Muqaddas (R.A) traveled to most parts of the world where Mumineen (faithful) were domiciled. Be it in remote villages or metropolitan cities, Syedna Muqaddas' (AQ) visits changed entire lifestyles of Mumineen and uplifted their social and economical status. During the course of these traverses Syedna Muqaddas (R.A) met innumerable world leaders and prominent personalities who held him in high esteem for his benignity and scholarly personality. His charm was such that people of all faiths were attracted towards him.

 

Syedna Muqaddas (R.A), a scholar par excellence who mastered the Arabic language and literature, authored thousands of textual and poetic works which even today are internationally recognized as literal master pieces. In recognition of his erudite scholarly, Aligarh Muslim University unanimously elected thrice as Chancellor till his sad demise.

Initially, Syedna Muqaddas' (AQ) period was one of much adversity and hard ship. Munafiqin (dissidents), influential and affluent as they were, deviously endeavored to misguide Mumineen and vilify and denigrate Dawat and Dai through litigation and media propaganda as to create impediments in his noble causes. Facilitated with the benign Elham and Nazaraat of Imam-uz-Zaman (A.S), Syedna Muqaddas' (R.A) with phenomenal audacity and resolution, humiliated and neutralized all offensives of Munafeqeen with remarkable endurance.

It was during Syedna Muqaddas' (R.A) era that Fatemi art and architecture were revived, restored and adopted with much dynamism. A golden era in the annals of Fatemi history, Syedna Muqaddas (AQ) constructed a large number of Masajid, Madrasas (moral and religious teaching institutes), Qubba (mausoleums) and low finance housing colonies for Mumineen all round the world. The most significant landmarks being the making of gold and silver Zarih Mubarak (sepulchre) of Imam Hussein (A.S) in Qahera, Egypt and of Maulana Ali (A.S) in Najaf, Iraq, building Mahal-us-Saify in Makkah and reconstruction and renovation of Dars-u-Saify in Surat, which he renamed as Al-Jamea-tus-Saifiah.

Apart from these achievements, he also had the opportunity to gift the inner curtains of Baitullah and contributed a large corpus towards the reconstruction of Masjid-e Aqsa in Baitul Maqdis.

Inspite of his extremely busy schedules, Syedna Muqaddas (AQ) was always available to affectionately guide and console Mumineen in their worldly and spiritual aspects. He personally supervised the education and upbringing of his revered successor Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (T.U.S), a Hafiz-ul-Quran (one who has memorized the entire Quran) and declared Nass upon him.

Syedna Muqaddas (R.A) passed away on 19th Rajab-ul-Asab in 1385 H in the serene hill station of Matheran at the age of eighty. His Roza Mubarak (mausoleum), Raudat Tahera, [built by his revered son the 52nd Dai Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (T.U.S)] situated in Mumbai, India is an architectural marvel (the only structure of its kind in the entire Islamic World) . It constitutes the entire Quran-e-Majid inscribed in gold and precious stones.