Revolt in Toronto Jamaat by Bohri Women

[mumineen]

From: Dawoodi Bohra Women in Toronto
>
>Date: September 12, 2006
>
>
>
>
>We are asking you to come and witness some of the un-islamic events committed by our priest in our mosque on 8929 Bayview Avenue.
>
>For over a decade, we, the Bohra women, have been praying in this mosque. We go on a first come forst served basis, read Koran and
>wait for our priest to lead the prayers. This has been the norm since the mosque was constructed.
>
>Now our current priest, who is from India, and not a Canadian Citizen, has started taking bribes, such as 2 plasma TV’s and huge
>amounts of monies from new members of our community, and is being dictated by these people to not allow us inside the mosque. Our
>priest is in agreement with these people that the spots that we were praying upon, should be gambled away.
>
>We are no longer allowed in the mosque to pray. If we even attempt to sit in our spot, we will be forcibly thrown out. We are asked
>randomly to pay huge amounts of money, just to be members of this community. At the moment, our priest is asking for $21,000 as a
>donation. By the 22nd of Ramadhan, we will have to fork out $5,000 per family. There is so much pressure to pay this money that we
>cannot concentrate in our prayers in the Holy month of Ramadhan.
>
Every night in Ramadhan, we are hammered through the sermons to pay huge amounts of money to the priest. Then there will be individual
>meetings where each member will be forced out of his wits to make donations. If we don’t pay this money, we will not be allowed in
>the mosque to pray. We have decided to tape some of these meetings so that you can air them on your channels. We need to expose these
>people who are not doing their duty as a priest, and other office bearers, but extorting money and bribes, left, right and centre.
>There is rampant corruption and suppression.
>
>We are asking you to help us expose these people. We will take audio and video footage of all the conversations so that you can air
>the same on your TV channel(s). We are also asking you to visit us on Friday, September 22nd at the Mosque on 8929 Bayview Avenue, from
>5pm to 7:30pm and tape live, and see for yourself how we are thrown out of our mosque.
>
>We will also take pictures of the fights that will occur in the mosque.
>
>Thank you,
>Dawoodi Bohra Women

[mbohra]

http://www.torontojamat.ca/Ntorontojamat/

Ladies Masella Spaces allocation in Masjid
Anjumane Burhani(Toronto) Trustees have organised a program for Ladies Masella Spaces allocation in Masjid for muminat baheno of Toronto Jamaat during the month of Sherullah 1427H.

The Allocation will be done by a Draw to be held on Thursday night, 14th September,2006 at Al-Masjidus Saifee during the Urs Majlis Of Maulatena Hurrat-ul Maleka R. A. One space will be allocated to each eligible sabeel paying family whose Jamaat ID number is picked during this Draw.

Each Sabeel paying family whose Sabeel payment is up to date and who has eligible Baheno in the family are requested to pick up their Draw entry cards from Jamaat Office during the following times:

Friday 8th September, 2006 7pm to 9 pm Saturday 9th September,2006 9am to 2 pm Monday 11 th September, 2006 7pm to 9 pm Tuesday 12th September, 2006 7pm to 9 pm

You are requested to pass this information to relatives and friends so that all mumineen families are aware of this programme and can participate in this Draw.
For those families whose Sabeel is not paid, you can make arrangements with Jamaat office to do so at any time including the above mentioned times.

[anajmi]

The Amil should be stripped naked and paraded in the town square by the women.

[Humsafar]

...and beaten with high-heel shoes.

This reminds me of a similar episode in the aftermath of the Galiakot atrocity (1972?) when the mob in Udaipur caught one of the Kothar's collaborators, blackened his face and paraded him on a donkey through the mollah - much to the cheer and amusement of us children who joined the procession shouting reformist slogans. But I remember feeling sorry for the donkey, for the man was quite heavy and it deserved a more worthy burden.

[writer]

i am sorry to hear whats happing in toronto jammat for women tell your indian prist that the mosque is god houses.there is no name written on a place in the mosque that where you have to pray and you shoud throw the prist in the street or in big gutter.and i ask the man to support the brave women for this cause and more to come in future

[SBM]

Why don't they report to this CAIR-Canada unit and they can use this as a violation of civil rights of Canadian Citizens. If anyone needs information they should visit www.cair.org and a civil right investigation will be initiated.
They can also ask other Muslim organziation to look into this matter organizations like ISNA

[SBM]

Correction, Following is correct website address for Council on American Islamic Relation, largest Muslim Civil Right Organization

http://www.caircan.ca

[mumineen]

As Zakavi Bhai Saheb (BS), Toronto's priest, is presumably NOT a Canadian citizen, but either a landed resident or on work permit, the Canadian ladies and the Bohri victims of extortion and torture and emotional and mental blackmail and terrorism, should report him to the Minister of Immigration and get his visa withdrawn fortwith. Tell the Immigration that they don't any foreign Bohri priests in Canada, (breaking families and extorting) they have too many - numerous patronage local Sheikhs and Mullas.

Same with the new Sheikh in Ottawa. He was a resident Aamil in Boston. As soon as the new mosque was built there, a Kothari BS was parachuted in Boston and this Sheikh Mufy (not Nufy) was imposed on Ottawa. There are already three local Sheikhs and numerous Mullas here, who did the job up to now. The new Sheikh is costing the Ottawa Jamaat members double the waajebaats now - and more! to keep Sheikh Mufy living in style - an apartment, a stipend (so that he can also afford his school fees to the local university) , a car, a cell and land phone etc. He has already started sowing the seeds of discontent and disharmony among families with inter racial and inter-caste married couples - although he portrays himself as a "nice guy" to the gullible flock.

Similar thing happened to the Sheikh Saifudin "Kapadia" of Australia and NewZealand. As soon as the new mosque was built there, a Kothari BS was parachuted in Australia and the Sheikh was moved to Sweden . He now lives in a villa and sponging the few ex-Uganda refugees in Sweden.

The immigration authorities in the respective countries and the national press have to be told about these abuses by these so-called Muslim priests as Kothars have high priced lawyers and politicians (being paid generous political donations) to hoodwink the authorities.

[jamanpasand]

This mussala allocation policy has a malice intention. They want to bring out in open those bohra families who have not paid the hefty donation of $21000. This is another form of barat.
Dear Bohra behano --- it is time to wake up ! You are the ones forcing your male members to obey Kothar at all cost. Believe me a revolt from you will be more damaging to Kothar than your male counterpart.

[Final Destination]

Looks like all you PDB's have gone blind! Dont you see MBohra's message with a proof? Ive not read anything about your so called plasma tv or extortion... Please provide some concrete proof before you accuse the system.
Admin pls you need to educate your immatured group of PDB.
Again stop using foul language. It only shows how sick you ppl have become out of hatred.

[accountability]

On the one hand the real message on torontojamat website does not say anything about any price for the massala place. But on the other hand this Genius idea was and is also doomed to fail. This will only add to the resentment that is already there.

now and then they come up with such ideas, to force members to pay sabeel etc, which in my opinion is very cruel parctice, they do not take into account the difficulties faced by the people, sometimes modern day life is so tense, that it becomes unbearbale, on top, this mental torture and disgrace adds on.

I will suggest, that jamat administration should behave humanely and try not to add to the miseries.

I should repeat, what I once said, "the worst tyrant is one, who bears it.".

[tahir]

Originally posted by Final Destination:
Looks like all you PDB's have gone blind! Dont you see MBohra's message with a proof? Ive not read anything about your so called plasma tv or extortion... Please provide some concrete proof before you accuse the system.
Admin pls you need to educate your immatured group of PDB.
Again stop using foul language. It only shows how sick you ppl have become out of hatred.

Please provide some concrete proof about the validity of the nass of your con mullah. I'v not read anything about the so called kadam bosi, phook, and sajda to a human in sharia..

[Al-Muizz]

O.K. How can the women claim they cannot even concentrate on Sherullah prayers when Ramzaan has not yet begun?

And the masellahs are always an issue among Bohri ladies...what's new there? This reeks of some privileged ladies who have lost their front row to some other ladies who are bribing more than they did...now, the corruption they begun is biting them, and it hurts!

[mumineen]

Dahod, Rajessthan, India

2000 Dawoodi Bohra women against selling of musallah site in Saifee mosque

The Cassandra Kothar's castle stands on the blind belief of their women followers. And if they start defying its dictates the dooms day for Kothar is not far off. It is heartening to note that more than 2000 Dawoodi Bohra women openly protested against Aamil and Jamaat Committee at Saifee mosque in Dahod.

It all happened with the reopening of Saifee mosque, which was not used for a long time under the pretext of repairing and repainting. The Jamaat Tanzeem Committee headed by Shaikh Najmuddin Gangdiwala decided to reopen the mosque for Namaz and tax women worshippers for the musallah site in order to raise funds for repairs. They issued a circular stating that only those women that have paid the annual fee of Rs. 5,200, Rs. 7,200 or Rs. 9,000 would be allowed to pray in the mosque. As the leader of the protesters, Juzar Kasidwala rightly said 'this means only rich who can afford this amount can pray in the mosque and the poor can't. This has never happened before in the Dawoodi Bohra history."

Dahod incident is not the first of its kind. Protest demonstrations were earlier held in Rajkot and Madras on the same issue. The only difference this time is that the more than 2000 Dawoodi Bohra took up the courage to come out in defiance.

As the Committee's circular created ferment among the locals, a meeting was called in the mosque in the evening where the women who protested against the Committee's decision were abused and mistreated. This further antagonised the women who wanted a serious and healthy discussion on the subject. But there is no room for democracy and open discussion in Kothar's scheme of things. They reserve the right to decide and impose their dictates on the community. The women of Dahod were left with no choice but to show their resentment in public and get public support.

The brave women of Dahod, greatly inspired by Maimoona bahen Sanchawala and Zehra Cyclewala, protested. Though many women later withdrew their support as they feared excommunication but the fact that they confronted the Aamil and Jamaat Committee members to the extent that the police had to interfere, is in itself an achievement.

Reconstruction of old mosques on a grand scale, selling of musallah sites, organising mega shows of Mohrram vaiz etc has become an easy and prospective sources of income for the Kothar which survives on the exploitation of religious sentiments of its blind followers. There is no need for anyone's permission in order to fulfill one's religious obligations. The concept of raza had been introduced during the reign of late Sayedna Taher Saifuddin. Unless Dawood Bohras learn to live without this nothing can change.

------------------------------------------------

2000 Muslim Women Face Ostracize Threat

Courtesy: http://www.hinduonnet.com and PTI

Ahmedabad, April 5. (PTI): Close to 2000 Muslim women were "threatened to be ostracized from the Dawoodi Bohra community" and thronged a mosque to protest against the trust's decision to charge annual fees amounting to thousands of rupees to offer prayers or be removed from the sect in Dahod district of Gujarat here on Sunday.

The incident occurred at the Saify masjid in Dahod town when 2000-odd Muslim women gheraoed the premises and demanded a respite from this order from the masjid management. Police had to rush to the spot to ensure that the incident did not worsen and managed to disperse the crowd.

"The Masjid Tanzim Committee issued a circular saying that if women wanted to come and offer namaz in the mosque then they must pay annual fees and had announced separate packages of Rs 5200, Rs 7200 and Rs 9200. Since when has a devotee to pay to offer prayers at a mosque?" Juzar Kasidwala, a local social activist, who led the women to protest told PTI over phone.

He said the Masjid Committee also said those who could not pay for the upkeep of the mosque would not be able to enter and offer prayers and the circular was also distributed among the community.

Kasdiwala said after they left the masjid premises, one of its office bearers Najmuddin Gangdiwala confronted him and threatened to kill him if he did not dismantle the protest and concede with the trust's demands. Gangdiwala was unavailable for comment in spite of repeated attempts. He said he would file a police complaint against the trust and Gangdiwala.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[tahir]

Originally posted by Al-Muizz:
...now, the corruption they begun is biting them, and it hurts!

So who is the "they" here ?

[Al-Muizz]

Come on, Tahir! You know as well as I do that those very women who are now complaining about their spaces were buttering up to the Bensahebs and the Sheikhs wives to get their masellah space!

So, obviously they started the corruption cycle, and now they are caught up in it!

[-Laila-]

Obviously the building of mosques do not consider the size of the bohra population ! They have details of all the names and how much money they need to collect for various taxes, but cant build a big/more mosques. Its disgraceful. I grew up in Fort and every Lai-latul-Qadr, there was a mass sale of "passes" for praying in the adjoining properties. The mental torture of whether we would get enough (as we were six women in our household) was unbearable, plunging my mother in to bouts of depression ! The worry about whether we could afford six passes even if we were lucky enough to get them. Disgraceful! Utterly disgraceful. And to see all those bensaabs in their designer ridas and expensive shoes traipsing in......so unfair !

[Al-Muizz]

Laila,

That's a valid issue. Having the open area certainly takes away floor space. I think it'd be great if the ladies would have TV screens at the top, and have the top floor totally built, so it would increase space.

[-Laila-]

Al is this some kind of rhetoric ! I am not complaining about lack of space for god's sake !

[tahir]

Originally posted by Al-Muizz:
Come on, Tahir! You know as well as I do that those very women who are now complaining about their spaces were buttering up to the Bensahebs and the Sheikhs wives to get their masellah space!

So, obviously they started the corruption cycle, and now they are caught up in it!

Right but what is the source of corruption? Who actually commodified the spiritual realm (including namaz) for getting their asses buttered up? The values system of those women is a direct outcome of a system put in place by someone.

What do they teach in the Harward MBBS program - to cure the symptoms or the cause?

[Al-Muizz]

Well, here the the situation. The Amil arrives, the maShaikhos begin their buttering process, and the cycle of corruption begins.

Let me ask you this. How come the Jamaat Committee in Toronto does not stop this kind of behaviour? The Committee has the jurisdiction to tell the Amil that this is unacceptable! They do not stand up for the folks, so the only one to be blamed here are the Committee members who condone such behaviour!

[tahir]

Are you kidding? The jamaat committees have long been emasculated. They are taught never to raise a whimper....again by the system. Don't tell me you haven't witnessed the intolerance and hostility of kotharis on this board towards any uncomfortable questions raised. We can go on in circles over this unless you acknowledge the root.

[accountability]

Tahir Muizz

Tahir furthering your point, "A" person was co opted in jamat committee by the incumbent amil, in karachi pakistan in 80's. Soon after the amil was transferred, and the new amil came in.

the new amil was a bhaisaheb. In the 2nd meeting, amil raised the point of his inconvinience in sharing office phone at home. He wanted a seperate phone in his home, at that time, in pakistan, there was scheme going on, that if you pay Rs 20000, you will get the immediate connection, otherwise the que was 5 years. So he wanted an immediate connection in that scheme. A pointed out, that total jamat budget for the year is 25000, and if we pay for phone alone 20000, then how can we run the whole year in 5000, we have to pay the salary of khadim, electric bill, etc.

All other members agreed with amil, and advised A not to speak. Anyways, amil got the phone by paying Rs 20000. Next year when the jamat committee was re organized, A was not in there.

Muizz, i am talking almost 23 years back, all the A's are gone. so in toronto jamat no one speaks up is not an abnormal phenomenon. During this time, it is made sure, that people who are in jamat should have one quality above all, unfaltering and blind following without asking question.

[Al-Muizz]

Well, I agree with you that the "phenomenon" of Aamils getting huge Projects offset by the entire Jamaats is everywhere. BUT, here is the problem. The Jamaat Committee is made up of the richest of the community, and when they pass a "decree" that every household must volunteer so-and-so amount, you as individuals have the right to say,"NO!" We've done that! We donated what we could...it is a donation afterall. Yes, there was pressure, but if you can't do it, and can't see why they need the cash, then stand your ground! They'll play the game of giving you 2 yrs to pay off, give you "karzan", but YOU know what you can bear, so STAND FIRM! Unless you fall into their trap and begin the guilt trip, they cannot force you!

They even threatened me saying they won't take my zakaat/wajebaat, but I told tem that was their issue and my conscience is clear....eventually they grudgingly took it. I agree, it should never be like pulling teeth. We all ought to support our Jamaats, and ambitious Projects like Masjid building, etc. To do this sometimes, sacrifices are neede. BUT, eventually, you have to realize what you can afford.

[jamanpasand]

We are asking you to help us expose these people. We will take audio and video footage of all the conversations so that you can air
>the same on your TV channel(s). We are also asking you to visit us on Friday, September 22nd at the Mosque on 8929 Bayview Avenue, from
>5pm to 7:30pm and tape live, and see for yourself how we are thrown out of our mosque.
>
>We will also take pictures of the fights that will occur in the mosque.

What is the latest ? No news, No pictures !!!!

[accountability]

JP: I was in the mosque last night for maghrib prayer. I specifically inquired about it. I found out that, there were some instances in ladies masjid space, where ladies had their spaces reserved for years, and no body was allowed to pray on there.

In my opinion Toronto's amil did a courageous thing, by ending this monopoly, and allotting them by ballot. I have no input that any money or otherwise was taken to allocate the massalla space, all they needed was sabeel clearance, that too was facilitated by just a promise to pay it.

Even the better scenario would have been, if this allocation was not made, and striclty abide by the rule of first come first serve basis. whoever enters first, has the right in front saf.

We would be better off, if we practice the same, as is done in all non bohri mosques, that they have a massalla spread, which is a permanent fixture, and whoever enters can pray on it without reservation. But then they have to do away with elite class in front.

[Muslim First]

.
Br.AC
I have been reading posts on this forum with much amusement.

I have been to many Sunni Masjids and nowhere there is reservation of prayer space. High and mighty pray in back if they come late. Few weeks ago Saudi ambassador and secret service pulled in Burlington, MA Masjid. He came in the middle of Khutba and sat in back rows and prayed there. As soon as Fird Namaaz was over he hightailed out.

Other thing is that we do not carry our own Musallas with us. We pray of Masjid carpets so more people can fit in one row. Remember Prophet always told people to pray shoulder to shoulder and toe to toe together. Never to leave gap for Shaitan to squeeze in.

BTW Jews sell seats on their High Holidays.

Wasalaam
.

[Anwar]

why all this hangama about fixed/booked masalla place?
Has it got to do with being first to enter jannat? or may be book a place there too?
In any (muslim)masjit no empty place to be left, in front row,everybody stands shoulder to shoulder, what happens in a bohri masjit? What happens if the one who has the place allotted does not come in time, would it be left empty?

[accountability]

Brother MF You are right. I see no logical or intelictual reason behind this. But again, religion, if used as a tool of manipulation, serves better the manipulator.
I had been to sabaqs. They never gave any reason for this arrangment. If asked, They might come up with one hikaya from past, that so and so said so, or did so.