Hope for the needy as global Bohra leader starts Coast tour

Mnazi Moja Primary School headteacher Joseph Mwalimu (second left) receives donations from Anjuman-e-Burhani’s Secretary Sheikh Zoeb Ezzi, who delivered them on behalf of the Dawoodi Bohra Community Global Spiritual Leader His Holiness Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin s (inset). The Spiritual leader arrived in Mombasa last evening. [Gideon Maundu, Standard]

The Dawoodi Bohra community global leader jetted into the country yesterday on a goodwill mission to urge his congregants to support charity and fight hunger.

His Holiness Dr Syedna Abu Jaffer Us Sadiq Aaliqadr Mufaddal Saifuddin is expected to address more than 6,000 faithful during a sermon tomorrow and conduct mass weddings at the Old Town Bohra mosque in Mombasa.

He will be in the country for a week to pray for peace and well-being of all Kenyans.

It is yet another time for the more than 10,000 members of the Dawoodi Bohra community in Kenya and East Africa to receive blessings from their world spiritual leader.

Invested in health sector

Every year, the spiritual leader’s visits are fashioned with a theme and charity activities whose impact transcends beyond the Bohra community. The theme for this year’s visit is to support charity and feeding the poor and hungry.

Last year, the theme was taking care of the environment. The spiritual leader blessed 5,300 seedlings for planting across the Coast by the faithful, and prayed for prosperity in the country.

The community has also invested heavily in health and education sectors as well as philanthropic activities across the country.

In a statement, Mombasa Bohra community Secretary Sheikh Zoeb Ezzi said the spiritual leader is on a goodwill mission and urges the faithful to feed the hungry and the poor.

“His Holiness will donate foodstuff during his stay in the country. He will also conduct mass weddings and bless the congregants and the country,” he said.

The spiritual leader urges faithful to pray and be faithful to their countries of abode. This, perhaps, is what informs the many acts of charity by the Dawoodi Bohra Community.

Dr Saifuddin is the community benefactor who gives followers direction and inspiration throughout the world.

The Bohra community operates a hospital, Saifee Foundation, that offers free medical camps from time to time, and subsidises treatment regularly.

Seven years ago, Saifuddin started a free lunch programme for the faithful from Monday to Friday to stress the virtue of unity and being mindful of one another.

The secretary noted that the programme has been a success and the leader now wants charity gestures to be extended to needy Kenyans.

Further to the mission on education, the spiritual leader plans to build and donate for public use a primary school for the locals with a capacity of 500 pupils. Sheikh Ezzi said that the building plans and resources are ready and only waiting for the location of the school to be confirmed for the construction work to start.