Khuzaima Qutbuddin Laid to Rest, Body Flown Over Raudat Tahera

Khuzaima Qutbuddin laid to rest, body flown over Raudat Tahera

By: Express News Service | Mumbai | Published:April 11, 2016 1:33 am

Taher Fakhruddin conducts prayers for his father, Khuzaima Qutbuddin, at their Thane residence Darus Sakina on Sunday afternoon. Express

Khuzaima Qutbuddin, claimant to the position of the spiritual head of Dawoodi Bohras, was buried at his residence Darus Sakina in Thane on Sunday afternoon, in a private affair involving a few members from the Dawoodi Bohra community.

Qutbuddin, who passed away on March 31 in California, was 76 and has been succeeded by his son Taher Fakhruddin.

Owing to the feud in the family, Qutbuddin’s body was placed in a hired chopper and flown over — the mausoleum in Bhendi Bazaar where his father Taher Saifuddin and former Dai alMutlaq Mohammad Burhanuddin have been buried — to encircle it seven times.

In a statement, Qutbuddin’s family admitted that he “had been prevented in the last two years from performing ziyarat at Raudat Tahera since the sad passing away of His Holiness the Late Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin”

According to his family, it was Qutbuddin’s wish to perform ziyarats (pay respect to the grave) of his father and brother. With fear of backlash or stonepelting from the members of the community, his family decided to visit the mausoleum in a helicopter and pay respects from directly above the grave. “…and it was fulfilled as he always wanted it, with peace and dignity,” the family stated.

Qutbuddin was in a legal tussle with the former Dai’s son Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin over the succession to the post of Syedna and guardianship of all Bohra properties attached with the community.

Soon after his brother’s death in 2014, Qutbuddin had shifted base to Thane where he was followed by a small section of the Bohra community.

His son Taher Fakhruddin will now fight the case in Bombay High Court as the main plaintiff against Mufaddal. Following Qutbuddin’s death, Mufaddal’s lawyer had filed a petition to quash the case against him.

According to Qutbuddin’s spokesperson, the HC was informed that a response would be filed by Fakhruddin and that he will represent his father in this matter.