Bohra community leader arrives in Karachi for Muharram sermons

The vibrant city of Karachi welcomed Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, the leader of the worldwide Dawoodi Bohra community, as he arrived on Thursday for Ashara Mubaraka, the annual Muharram congregations to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Husain, grandson of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), a significant event in the Islamic calendar.

Syedna was warmly received by Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Chief Secretary Syed Asif Haider Shah, IGP Ghulam Nabi Haider and other government officials along with senior members of the Dawoodi Bohra community.

The CM said on the occasion that the Dawoodi Bohra community leader had come to Karachi at the special invitation extended to him by President Asif Ali Zardari. He said that it was an honour for his government to host the Dawoodi Bohra community leader in the city.

The CM presented a bouquet of flowers to the Bohra community leader on behalf of President Zardari and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. He said Sindh was a bastion of peace where people belonging to different schools of thought lived peacefully having fraternal ties with each other.

As Dawoodi Bohras from around the world gather in Karachi to observe Ashara Mubaraka, they bring with them traditions and values that complement Pakistan’s rich socio-cultural mosaic. This convergence is a testament to the dynamism that defines both the Dawoodi Bohras and the country of Pakistan.

Following an invitation extended by the government of Pakistan and the local Dawoodi Bohra community, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin has chosen Karachi to host the Ashara Mubaraka congregations this year. Over 80,000 Dawoodi Bohras from Pakistan and around the world are expected to attend the events and benefit from the sermons and discourses.

Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin will deliver a series of sermons over nine days, starting from the 8th of July at Taheri Masjid, Saddar, and there will be a live telecast to over 21 centres in other parts of Karachi as well as the neighbouring city of Hyderabad.

Media coordinator for the Dawoodi Bohras in Karachi Shabbir Harianawala said, “Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin chooses a different city each year as the venue for Ashara Mubaraka for the Dawoodi Bohra community. We feel particularly blessed that this year Karachi has been chosen by Syedna to host the Ashara Mubaraka congregations.”

He added, “This year’s Ashara Mubaraka event in Karachi is a manifestation of the unity in diversity that defines both the Dawoodi Bohras and our country as the local Bohra community hosts thousands of members from diverse geographies, professions, and walks of life, all converging for a common cause: the remembrance of Imam Husain. This spirit of unity and selflessness is mirrored in the Ashara Mubaraka observance in Pakistan.”

Various committees have been set up to handle accommodation, transport, food, and provide other necessary facilities to ensure that guests coming from all parts of the world are able to participate fully and in the best possible manner.

Harianawala continued, “We’re grateful to the government and local authorities for their support and assistance in hosting thousands of attendees, and ensuring that they have a comfortable stay in the city.”