Qutbuddin claims his anointment was kept secret over threat to life
Khuzaima Qutbuddin, claimant to the title of the Dawoodi Bohra community’s spiritual head, told the Bombay High Court on Tuesday that Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin did not make public the decision to appoint him as the successor as “swords would have come out”.
Qutbuddin, 74, claimed that Syedna had secretly conferred “nass” on him in December 1965 as there was a threat to his life. The word “nass” refers to Qutbuddin’s purported anointment as the 53rd Dai al-Mutlaq (head) of the community.
Qutbuddin made the claim while responding to questions by the lawyers for Mufaddal Saifuddin, the incumbent head of the community.
On Tuesday, he told the court that Syedna had explained his decision not to make public Qutbuddin’s anointment as the successor to Qutbuddin’s uncle, Syedi Saleh. Syedna told Saleh “talwaro chal jati” had he made the decision public, Qutbuddin claimed.
Saleh was the third in command at the time, while Qutbuddin was the second.
Senior advocate Iqbal Chagla, who is representing Saifuddin, asked Qutbuddin if Saleh and other people knew about the “nass”.
Qutbuddin said that he believed that Saleh and one Musab Amatullah Aaisaheb knew about the development. Qutbuddin told the court that the way certain people respected him, he thought they, too, were aware of the anointment.
Syedna’s half-brother, in his deposition before Justice Gautam Patel, revealed details of a rift within the first family. He said that in the early 1960s, his elder step-brother, Yusuf Nijamuddin, told him that he was “very jealous of him as he had attained such a high position at such a young age”.
“Yusuf bhai was scheming against me from that time… Yusuf bhai influenced His Holiness’s family, including the defendant [Saifuddin] and his brother.”
Qutbuddin claimed that Saifuddin’s three brothers, Yusuf’s two brothers and children were also all involved in the alleged ploy against him.
Qutbuddin also told the court there had been attempts to his life in the past. One time, he was attacked by a group of men in Indore, where he was supposed to give sermons during Muharram.
He could not recall the year of the incident, but indicated that underworld elements were involved.
In another incident, shots were fired at a car that was part of Qutbuddin’s convoy. One person was killed.
Qutbuddin said that he was the intended target. When asked if believed that Saifuddin and his brothers were involved in the attack, he said: “I do not know.” MMB
Qutbuddin, 74, claimed that Syedna had secretly conferred “nass” on him in December 1965 as there was a threat to his life. The word “nass” refers to Qutbuddin’s purported anointment as the 53rd Dai al-Mutlaq (head) of the community.
Qutbuddin made the claim while responding to questions by the lawyers for Mufaddal Saifuddin, the incumbent head of the community.
Syedna, Qutbuddin’s half-brother, died in January last year. A few months later, Qutbuddin filed a suit in the High Court, challenging the move by Saifuddin, Syedna’s second son, to declare himself as the community head. Qutbuddin maintains he is the rightful successor.
On Tuesday, he told the court that Syedna had explained his decision not to make public Qutbuddin’s anointment as the successor to Qutbuddin’s uncle, Syedi Saleh. Syedna told Saleh “talwaro chal jati” had he made the decision public, Qutbuddin claimed.
Saleh was the third in command at the time, while Qutbuddin was the second.
Senior advocate Iqbal Chagla, who is representing Saifuddin, asked Qutbuddin if Saleh and other people knew about the “nass”.
Qutbuddin said that he believed that Saleh and one Musab Amatullah Aaisaheb knew about the development. Qutbuddin told the court that the way certain people respected him, he thought they, too, were aware of the anointment.
Syedna’s half-brother, in his deposition before Justice Gautam Patel, revealed details of a rift within the first family. He said that in the early 1960s, his elder step-brother, Yusuf Nijamuddin, told him that he was “very jealous of him as he had attained such a high position at such a young age”.
“Yusuf bhai was scheming against me from that time… Yusuf bhai influenced His Holiness’s family, including the defendant [Saifuddin] and his brother.”
Qutbuddin claimed that Saifuddin’s three brothers, Yusuf’s two brothers and children were also all involved in the alleged ploy against him.
Qutbuddin also told the court there had been attempts to his life in the past. One time, he was attacked by a group of men in Indore, where he was supposed to give sermons during Muharram.
He could not recall the year of the incident, but indicated that underworld elements were involved.
In another incident, shots were fired at a car that was part of Qutbuddin’s convoy. One person was killed.
Qutbuddin said that he was the intended target. When asked if believed that Saifuddin and his brothers were involved in the attack, he said: “I do not know.” MMB
