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. |
