Priceless info for east african bohras

[mo]

Mumineen bhaiyo and bheno,

After listening to the aqida of Naama/Aarefa bhensahebs on Taizoon Bhaisaheb’s website ( www.zahirbatin.com <http://www.zahirbatin.com>), one of my close friends in Kenya has out of guilt for holding evidence for so long, found courage (although not as much as Taizoon Bhaisaheb to name himself) to share it with all Mumineen in the hope that one might have the ability to araz this to Aqa Moula (TUS).

 

During the year 1409 Hijri, 14 Years ago, Syedi Mazoon Saheb came to do vaaz in Mombasa for Ashara Mubaraka by Aqa Moula’s (TUS) farman aaliyah. After ashara there was an attempt to deport Mazoon Saheb from Kenya just like the attempt to deport Aqa Moula (TUS) from Tanzania 30 years ago. This event is common knowledge for Mumeneen in Africa, but it is not known as to who did this act of Dushmani in Kenya against Mazoon-e-Dawat. There was talk during Mazoon Saheb’s visit that the Hebatullah brothers (Husain & Saifuddin) were behind the deportation attempt. The purpose for the deportation was obviously to humiliate Mazoon Saheb near Aqa Moula (TUS) and in the eyes of the public and so that he would leave Kenya and they (Hebatullahs) could continue with their misdeeds. Mazoon Saheb had refused to bow under their pressure and this infuriated them and they made every attempt to deport Mazoon Saheb from Kenya. The scan of the official Letter from the President of Kenya’s office is attached, which proves that Shaikh Husain Hebatullah (of Nairobi) was the mastermind who was trying to deport Mazoon-e-Dawat from Kenya in 1989 (1409H). In the letter the President of Kenya himself told Hussein Hebatullah and associates to stop doing their Fitnat against Mazoon Saheb. The letter can also be viewed at ( <http://f_januwala.tripod.com/>).

 

My friend tells me that even after his and other mumineens’ insistence to Mazoon Saheb to name the Hebatullah’s publicly, he refused and said that he will do araz to Aqa Moula (TUS). Baichara Mazoon Saheb did not know that these Hebatullahs had already conspired in Hazrat Imamiyya and took Allah’s Qasam and lied to Aqa Moula (TUS). Thus, they were declared innocent. Mazoon Saheb was branded guilty for putting blame on the Hebatullahs, and all sorts of lies were made up and thrown at his high position by many people, who were conspirers with the Hebatullahs, to do Dushmani of Aqa Moula (TUS)’s Mazoon.

 

So who is actually behind this? Surely someone bigger than the Hebatullahs! The taped conversation on Taizoon bhaisabs website mentions the family and friends of Shehzada Qasim Hakimuddin, Shehzada Aliasger Kalimuddin. Shehzadi Maryam baisaheb. The group also includes the sons and daughters of Shehzada Yusuf bhaisaheb Najmuddin. They held the hands of the Hebatullahs then and still do. They are the ones who cast doubt in peoples minds about Syedi Mazoon Saheb and Sydei Mukasir saheb, saying wrong things about them in private or through their missionaries such as Badrul Jamali and the Ezzi family of Bombay. I know some of them and they are liars and the most insincere people to serve Dawat.  They do all this in hatred and jealousy. I have also attended their sabaq, in which they gave tasawwur of zahir-batin, and degraded the importance of the Rutba. One Shezada and Quasarali Najmuddin even suggested that we should not pray namaaz behind Mazoon Saheb. They are trying to influence us that these Rutba na Sahibs are only in Zahir, and in Batin it is someone else!

 

The above mentioned bhaisahebs have also said that Mazoon Saheb is doing Mushabahat (similar behaviour) of Dai. Who are these bhaisaehbs to say what the Mazoon-e-Dawat and Mukasir-e-Dawat should do or not do? Aqa Moula (TUS) has placed the Mazoon and Mukasir in their positions, and surely has instructed them on what to do and how to do. The fact that one talks ill of Mazoon and Mukasir itself is heretic and goes against Misaaq.

 

Some Shehzadas and other members of the Dai’s immediate family, in history have gone against Dawat-ul-Haq (quite a few as history shows) but no Mazoon or Mukasir in the whole history of Dawat-us-Satr have gone astray (none at all). You will not believe but in one of the sabaq they told us that Syedi Najam Khan was removed from the position of Mazoon for doing wrong. But the fact is that we still call him Syedi because of his Ikhlaas - His ikhlaas that even though he was wrongfully accused, he accepted the Dai’s judgement. Later, as stated in one of the Risalats of Duat-Mutlaqueen, the truth was uncovered and the Dai had decided to re-instate him as Mazoon, but Syedi Najam Khan passed away before the Dai had the opportunity to do so.

 

Now the bigger question after uncovering the evidence is that why did Aqa Moula (TUS) render the Hebatullah’s innocent? How is that possible? I have prayed many Dawat’s Kitabs, and here is an excerpt from Ikhwan al-Safa, translated:

 

Rasulallah (SAW) says: “When you bring your cases before me perhaps one of you is plainer in his proof than another and I rule in his (plainer proof persons) favor. So anyone to whom I have assigned anything that is by rights his brother’s had surely best not take a bit of it, for all I have allotted him is his share in the fire.” Thus, as Rasulallah (SAW) says, that he may rule in favour of the person who does not deserve the favourable ruling. Rasulallah (SAW) is Haq na sahib and he rules with the evidence in front of him for whatever Hikmat, does not always expose the hidden facts although they may not be hidden from him.

 

There is another case in history in which Amir-ul-Mumineen, Moulana Ali (AS) ruled against a person and ordered to have his hands cut as he was accused of stealing. There was another man who had taken Qasam in Allah’s name and lied (like the Hebatullahs) against this innocent man. The innocent man’s hands were cut, but he was a mumin and mohibb, he went away without saying anything except praying Salawaat and accepting Moulana Ali’s (AS) decision. Abdullah Bin Abbas (famous Alim from Ahlul Bait) knew him and was shocked when he saw his hands cut. He knew this man would never do something like this, and took him to Moulana Ali (AS) and testified for him, and Moulana Ali (AS) re-attached the man’s hands by Mojeza.

 

Rasulallah (SAW) said, that the one who will swear by Allah’s name and lie, will go to hell. Rasulallah (SAW) and Moulana Ali (AS) both are Masum, so are the Imam and Dai, but in these and other cases it is not always in their hands neither is it their fault when they are  lied to and the liar swears by Allah name  like the Hebatullahs have done.

 

Imam-uz-Zaman (AS) is the waris of Rasulallah (SAW) and Moulana Ali (AS) and our Aqa, Syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin (TUS) is his Naib and Qaim Maqaam, and he sits in their seat of justice. Is there someone like Abdullah Bin Abbas today who will speak the truth and present the clear non-refutable evidence to Aqa Moula (TUS)??

 

Just for arguments sake, when an attempt was made to deport Aqa Moula (TUS) from Tanzania some 30+ years back, everyone knew who was behind it, the Khabees Karimjiwalas- La’anat on them. They were powerful and had clout in the Tanzanian government. Now the attack is against Mazoon Saheb and it has taken 14 years and still no one has been found guilty for attempting this malicious act? The Hebatullahs, at that time, said that some poor person has written a letter to the government and thus they are going to deport Mazoon Saheb. We all know that governments don’t act on poor peoples’ letters, especially in Kenya. Also the strange part is that Aqa Moula (TUS) has visited Kenya after that many times; then how come no poor man has written any letters!

 

The Hebatullahs have engaged in this kind of propaganda for many years now, but its not going to work any more, for we now have the truth in front of us. The Hebatullahs are the ones who tried to deport Mazoon Saheb, and if they don’t ask for Mafi, they will burn in the deepest corners of hell. Aqa Moula (TUS)has given them only time to do more Gunah, for they are guilty of the crime and will be punished later. Although the Hebatullahs are famous for their atrocities in Kenya and all the places they inhabit, I think this issue is of a much greater importance as it is hurting Dawat and Aqa Moula (TUS) and the second most highest position in Dawat, Mazoon-e-Dawat. Mazoon Saheb is suffering because of this group of bhaisahebs and their evil followers are amongst us.

 

It is about time that we, the mumineen and mumenaat of Africa and all the of Dawat find courage to show their love to Aqa Moula (TUS) and his appointed Mazoon and Mukasir and do true khidmat of Aqa Moula (TUS) by exposing these criminals (Hebatullahs) and prevent them from inflicting any more pain on Aqa Moula’s (TUS) Mazoon. Because, they are really doing Dushmani of Aqa Moula (TUS) and Dawat.  

 

May Allah give Aqa Moula Syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin (TUS) long and healthy life till Qayamaat - Ameen.

 

Abde Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (TUS)

Fazal Januwala

 http://f_januwala.tripod.com

PS. Please forward this email to all the mumineen you know, so that they will know this fitnat and the dushmans of Dawat.

<http://f_januwala.tripod.com/>

[Muslim First]

.

How fascinating the statement:

"He knew this man would never do something like this, and took him to Moulana Ali (AS) and testified for him, and Moulana Ali (AS) re-attached the man’s hands by Mojeza."

Another tall tale for simpleton Bohras.

Wasalaam

.

[MOHD HUSSAIN]

Br Mo -You wrote--"Just for arguments sake, when an attempt was made to deport Aqa Moula (TUS) from Tanzania some 30+ years back, everyone knew who was behind it, the Khabees Karimjiwalas- La’anat on them. They were powerful and had clout in the Tanzanian government. " Br Mo, You should be ashamed of writing this on one of the most distinguished citizen of Africa in his time who has done so much for the community -unlike Syedna who came to africa to drain your money away- Can some of the other African Bohras like Porus can shed some light on the life & works of Karimjis?

[mumineen]

Thanks to the generosity of the East African Karimjee Jivanjee Family, most of these patronage Mulla, Sheikhs, NKDs and MKDs who are now comfortably settled in UK, USA, Canada, Australia and East Africa were given scholarships to have their overseas education fully paid (with no strings attached whatsoever) and hence were able to settle in the West when the going got tough for them to live in East Africa. These same ungrateful ar..holes who are now cursing the Karimjee family, who helped them not only to gain further education but also had given gainful employment to their parents and siblings etc. in the Karimjee enterprises.

If the Karimjee family had instead given help and assistance to dogs, those dogs would be far more loyal than these traitors.

Four of my siblings, once from a very poor family, were all assisted in full to go for overseas professional education and our family will be eternally grateful, obligated and indebted to the Karimjee family for emancipating our respective lives.

In East Africa, the Karimjee family also built and donated community schools, gymkhanas and contributed towards Bohris Musafirkhanas, charitable trust funds such as the medicare funds for the poor and ailing. For their philanthropy and community work, two of the Karimjee brothers Sir Yusufali and Sir Tayebali Karimjee jivanjees were bestowed knighthoods by the British Government. Sir Yusufali's son Mr. Abdulkarim was the Mayor of Dar-es-salaam and a Speaker of the Tanzanian Parliament.

Our prayers to Almighty Allah subhanahu to bless the Karimjee family and their dynasty forever and ever... Amen

[porus]

I have personally heard Sir Yusufali Karimjee giving a lecture to Bohra women's organization (Hizbul Muminaat), which had invited him to congratulate him on his knighthood. Many women there were among my relatives. They were very impressed and they kept singing his praise for a long time. I was too young to remember all that he said but one item of his speech I remember. He said that while he was honored to have been invited, he would rather spend his time to himself without any display of wealth with which he was blessed. His wealth, he said, he intended to spend for the welfare of the community.

I met Sir Abdulkarim on two occasions. Once, when he was inaugurated as the Speaker of Tanganyika Legislative Council, some school children were invited to be with him. Other Indian communities had adopted him as one of their own. He ordered soda and cakes for us.

The second occasion was when he presided over East African Bohra Jamaat assembly in Dar es Salaam. I was one of the volunteers serving tea and biscuits to delegates. At the end of the assembly, only Abdulkarim came to see us to personally thank us and to ask us if he could do anything for us. Nobody else did. Not even Amil Saheb of Dar es Salaam, Sheikh Esmail, who died a few years ago in England. We were suitably impressed and we kept talking about that for a long time.

A large number of scholarships that were given to students to study in England and India is only the most well known act of generosity of that family. I have heard of lots of smaller acts of magnanimity which were performed without any fanfare.

I left East Africa a long time ago and do not know the reason why the family fell foul of Kothar. Any contribution from anybondy will be most welcome.

[MOHD HUSSAIN]

Thank you Brs Mumineen & Porus; I am from India & I used to read a lot about Kaimjees thro the Dawoodi Bohra Bulletin that time-I am sure lot of other Bohras settled in London & USA ,Canada can provide us about some more information on the subject that Br POrus asked for- Br Mo -You need to apologize for insulting & cursing such a noble individual!

[mumineen]

Early History of the Karimjee Jivanjee Family:

In 1825, Mr Jivanjee Budhabhoy, a trader from Cutch Mandvi in India, came to East Africa and settled in Zanzibar. He established a small trading firm that was to become a considerable Merchant Empire.

Mr Budhabhoy was succeeded by his three sons, Pirbhoy, Karimjee and Esmailjee. In 1861 the brothers separated and Karimjee set up his own business exporting commodities such as ivory, copra, groundnuts, cereals, beeswax and cloves from Zanzibar and the East African mainland to India. The business was later handed over to his three grandsons who managed it very successfully. By the time Karimjee died in 1898, the company had established trade connections with Europe.

During the early 1900's the company expanded and invested in agriculture and in the acquisition of various diverse agencies from Deutsche Ost-Afrika, Robin and Holland-Afrika shipping lines, to Texaco, Ansonia clocks, Eagle Star Insurance and Faber pencils amongst many others.

In 1939, Karimjee Jivanjee Estates was formed and in 1943 came a turning point for the family when the parent company, Karimjee Jivanjee & Co Ltd. moved its Head Office from Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam after forming International Motor Mart and Karimjee Jivanjee Properties.

By 1959 Karimee Jivanjee, besides its agricultural and motor interests represented numerous major international manufacturers of industrial and consumer products as well as two major insurance companies and nine international shipping lines.

[mumineen]

Karimjee Agriculture Ltd.
Karimjee Jivanjee Estates Ltd was founded in 1939 to look after agricultural interests. The firm consisted of fifteen plantations growing sisal, coffee, coconuts, kapok, rubber, timber and fruits. However acquisition of estates had commenced in 1921 with the purchase of Derema Coffee Estate in the Usambara Mountains. Derema is the oldest recorded estate in Tanganyika being formed in 1891 by the German East Africa Co. Production on Derema was changed from coffee to tea in 1933 following the damage inflicted by coffee berry disease and the 194o's saw the addition of Monga and Maramba Tea Estates in the Amani Forest. Sisal estate acquisitions commenced in 1922 but the company's original Mtwara sisal estate was acquired by the British Government in order to create Mtwara township and harbour. Karimjee Jivanjee Estates reached its peak in the early 1960's with sisal production at 12,500 tons per annum and tea production at 550 tons per annum. The company was renamed Karimjee Agriculture Ltd in 1991 and today has 25,000 hectares (62,000 Acres) of sisal under cultivation on the following estates:

Alavi Sisal Estate, Kibaha
Fatemi Sisal Estate, Kidugallo
Hasani Sisal Estate, Makanya
Kisingar Sisal Estate, Lembeni
Mikindani Sisal Estate, Mtwara
Tea is still produced in the Usambara Mountains at the Karimi Tea Estates on a gross land area of 4,000 hectares. 900 hectares are under tea and the balance is part of the important Amani Forest ecosystem.
The tea estates are:

Monga Tea Estate and Factory
Maramba and Muhedi Tea Divisions
Derema Tea Estate and Factory
During the last two decades sisal and tea production had fallen dramatically due to adverse trends and lack of foreign exchange for reinvestment. In 1987 the company launched a major plan for the rehabilitation of sisal and tea production and for the diversification into export crops such as cashew nut. Karimjee Agriculture has invested US$8 million in equity and loans since 1992 for this program. The modernisation of the tea factories using the latest technology and the rehabilitation of the tea fields has already been completed. Tea production in 1994 reached 1,500 tons. Sisal replanting is targeted at over a 1,000 hectares per annum and the annual target for 1994 was exceeded. Sisal production is estimated to increase from 1,200 tons in 1992 to 8,500 tons by 2004.

[mumineen]

Excerpts from:

Oriental Language & Culture Contacts on the Swahili Coast

Abdulaziz Y. Lodhi

Dept. of Asian & African Languages, Uppsala University

Box 527, SE-751 20 Uppsala, Sweden.

Abdulaziz.lodhi@afro.uu.se

5.9. Indian contribution to linguistics, literature, music and drama in East Africa. There are only a handful of East Africans of Indian origin who write Swahili poetry, and none who writes prose fiction in Swahili. Towards the end of the nineteenth century and in the beginning of the twentieth century, there was very little Asian intellectual work conducted in East Africa, i.e. the Cutchi-speaking Alidina Somjee Lilani produced a Swahili grammar in Gujarati in 1890, and a Gujarati-speaking Parsee physician, Dr. A. Attani, wrote in Gujarati a history of Zanzibar, commissioned by the Karimjee Jivanjee family in 1911. In the generations born before the advent of World War II, there were only a couple of Asians who wrote poems and only a few of them are extant, viz. Ustaad Ismail Raghi of Tanga, and his nephew Ustaad Mitu (alias Ayoub Ahmed Ayoub Rangooni) of Zanzibar/Daressalaam and Ustaad Mohamoud Rajab Damodar of Ndagoni, Mafia Island - there are fragments of Raghi's poems/songs; one song by Ustaad Mitu, Baba Pakistan, recorded by the 'Umm Kulthum' of East Africa, the Swahili singer Siti binti Saad in the 1940s and rerecorded on video recently by Bi Kidude in Zanzibar;25 Damodar's one surviving poem Sabasaba 1964 is included by Saadani Abdul Kandoro, a founder member of TANU, in one of his collections (Kandoro 1972:127-129). Among the contemporary Swahili writers and poets, there are the prolific artist Ustaad Ahmad Nassir Juma Bhalo of Mombasa (whose paternal grandfather was a Cutchi Badala) and his cousin Ustaad Mohamed Bhalo the singer. Ahmed Nassir has published two poem collections (Poems from Kenya, 1966, with English translation, and several articles and cassette tapes of Taarab music (which is Swahili lyrics, and music influenced much by films from Cairo, Beirut and Bombay; some of the melodies are from Indian films, and a couple of songs are translated from Hindi with original Swahili melodies).

[mo]

hi

the article had been forwared to me ! i actaully have very high regard for the karimjee family infact they were responsible in kenya for making most of the mosques and were true bohras who had the heart of the community in mind . The article is soley been posted to try and open the eyes of east african bohras on the attrocities of the hebetullah family. Recently an old man fell in the mosque and sheikh hussein actaully went up to him and infront of the whole jamat tolled him that he fell coz hes not paying enough wajebaad.
when seyedna comes to nairobi he stays at this families house and they basically run the community with an iron fist.
They also enjoy stopping funerals and weddings and to be honest i think they must be followers of satan as you can't have such an evil heart.

[jinx]

I would agree with Br Mo about Hebatullah’s Family. They are indeed spawn of devil and true follower of Iblis. I’ve heard unimaginable story about this family atrocities. Suffice to say that this lowly despicable family is the Yazid of Bohras. Not sure what Dai Burhanuddin is doing with such satanic people as hebattullah. Perhaps discussing the latest technique in milking the bohras dry??

[mo]

infact the karimjee family if im not misatken was responsible in making the nairobi and mombasa mosque or am i mistaking them for the jivanjee family anyway the hebetullahs then extended the mosque by a mere 2 metres inorder to erase the inscriptions. they have also donated a garden to nairobi and our kabrastan is also in the truse that is why they cannot refuse burial for reformist bohras although they have alllocating a seperate section for them.
when we had adnan baisab in nairobi hebs power was at a threat as the baisab from paris was open minded and actaully drew people to masjid he was also punctaul like a swiss watch and mingled with the rest of the mimineen , anyway he opposed the hebetullahs and was swiftly transferred and so now we have this bafoon juzer who is the devil in disguise.
hey qiyam and the rest of the kother lickers can you name one person who has had the community interest at heart like the karimjees had.

[MOHD HUSSAIN]

Br Porus Or Mumineen: I am confused about "Jivanjees" & Karimjees - Were they different families or they are related Or offshoots of the same family?

[porus]

It is the same family. They are known as Karimjee Jivanjee. Please refer to earlier post by Mumineen on this thread. In DaresSalaam, the family was referred to as Karimjee Jivanjee family.

[mumineen]

The Nairobi Jeevanjee family is NOT the same family as the Karimjee Jivanjee family.

The Nairobi Jeevanjee Gardens and the former demolished Heritage Mombasa Bohri Mosque - Jeevanjee Mosque was donated by Alibhai Mulla Jeevanjee.

His granddaughter Ms Zarina Patel is in Kenya and another granddaughter Ms Batul Jeevanjee has retired in Vancouver BC.

Zarina Patel's book "Challenge to Colonialism" encompasses the struggle of one Bohra Businessman, a philanthropist and a fighter for equal rights in Kenya. She has also used the story of Alibhai Mulla Jeevanjee, her maternal grandfather, to highlight the story of a people. Through her well-researched work, she has demonstrated the important role played by the Indians in the early resistance to the colonial rule in Kenya.

Alibhai Mulla Jeevanjee (AMJ) was born in 1856 in Karachi (now in Pakistan) in a traditional Bohra home where education was almost entirely centered on religion. The Bohra clergy was opposed to the western education and modern sciences restricting the entire community to a narrow intellectual base. It was a time when Industrial Revolution had started bringing dramatic growth in the world trade.

When AMJ was around 20 years old he escaped from Karachi and then, in the school of survival, he learnt to think and act independently. Escaping from the narrow confines of a conservative Bohra society he found a wide world of modern trade opportunities. He was brave enough to take up the challenges of life.

Though not much educated he soon became fluent in English. However, he found two biggest hurdles in his way, first a conscious policy of British government of favoring foreign rather than Indian capital and second the Bohra religious leadership’s desire to dominate and subdue their followers.

After going through various hardships, Jeevanjee’s entrepreneurial ability led him to do business with the Imperial British East African Company and Uganda Railway to built substantial parts of early Nairobi. His success in business can be judged form the fact that at the start of the 20th century he was worth $4,000,00. He was the first non-white appointed to represent the interests of the Indians in the Legislative Council (Legco) which was established in 1905.

Those who appointed him may have expected that a man of his riches would be conservative and protector of the colonial status quo. But he was of a different mettle. The prime objective of this council was to safeguard and champion the interests of the people who emigrated from abroad to settle in Kenya. The racial discrimination denied even to Mr. AMJ the right to live in some parts of the town in which he was greatly instrumental in building.

He entered politics and formed East African Indian National Congress and launched the first important non-white newspaper, The African Standard in 1901, which is present day’s East African Standard.

In her 283 pages book Zarina Patel has narrated the history of struggle of AMJ who moved from rags to riches and again lost it all. The book makes a very interesting reading. The description of events, their intricate details, as well as documented references and the fluent description make you to go through the entire book in one sitting. The book is divided into nine parts and 23 chapters.

Zarina Patel describes the endgame of AMJ’s political career, the Devonshire Declaration, Acceptance of realities and Injection of Radicalism and AMJ’s retirement from politics in Part 6. Part 7 deals with Legal Engagements.

In part 8 in the Social Dimensions of AMJ’s life, Zarina Patel gives an insight of AMJ’s social concern and his philanthropic work. AMJ rebuilt and enlarged the Bohra mosque in Mombasa at a cost of Rs. 50,000 in 1901. But our mindless and revengeful Bohra clergy demolished and leveled this beautiful mosque in1982 which was one of the historical landmark in Mombasa. AMJ’s family could not save it from destruction as UNESCO sponsored “The Old Town Conservation Project” came after three years in 1985.

Strange are the revengeful ways of the Bohra religious leaders. The said mosque in Mombasa that was already existing, was rebuilt by AMJ making it more spacious and a monumental piece of art. The Bohras were offering prayers in that mosque for more than a 100 years, and the prayers were led by the Sayedna’s appointed Amils.

For more than a 100 years no-one found fault with that mosque but in 1982 our present Sayedna Burhanuddin Saheb suddenly found that the Quibla in the mosque was placed wrongly and the whole mosque was razed to the ground. Even if the Quibla was wrongly placed it could have been corrected without leveling down the entire mosque.

The Bohra religious establishment takes no pride in having had AMJ as a member of the community, nor does it recognizes any of his great contributions whether political, economic or philanthropic. Alibhai Jeevanjee has done enormous philanthropic work both for the Bohra community and the general public in East Africa and in India and Pakistan.

Mosques, cemetery lands, community halls, schools, public places like gardens, roads and shops were built by him. Zarina Patel has given a detailed account of his welfare work. His contributed to put the Hakimia Madrasa in Burhanpur on sound financial footing. AMJ was one of the few stalwarts who had publicly stood by the sons of Sir Adamjee Peerbhoy during the trials of Chandabhai Galla case.

Interestingly the second wife of AMJ, Dayambai was from Sir Adamji Peerbhoy’s family. She was bribed and offered a property and large sums of money by Sayedna Taher Saifuddin to take divorce from AMJ but she refused. She was then excommunicated and she and her children were abused and stoned on the streets.

The Ford Foundation had sponsored the researched work and the publication of Zarina Patel’s book and it is partly financed by Sir Yusufali Charitable trust. Zarina Patel has done an in-depth research before taking up the actual writing of the book. She has taken great pains in going through newspaper publications in the early part of the century, National Archives in Kenya and in New Delhi, maps and photographs of early Nairobi, library in Malegaon with the Roshan Khayal Jamat etc.

The printing quality of the book is excellent and the inclusion of the photos and illustrations has made it more attractive. As Zarina says, “In this book I have documented AMJ’s historical contribution and placed it within the context of the Asian struggle in, and it’s significance to, Kenya. As we learn more about our past, we are better able to understand the present and plan for the future.”

Published in 1997 it is marketed and distributed in Kenya by:
Publishers Distribution Services (PDS)
P.O. Box 30080, Nairobi.

[MOHD HUSSAIN]

Br Mumineen: Thank you for the details - I would like to read the book you mentioned- I did have a pleasure to meet MRS Batul Jivanjee in Canada -Did AMJ set up lot of Scholarships like Karimjees?It is a shame the way Syedna treated these noble men incuding Sir Adamjee Pirbhoy!

[jamanpasand]

Quality posts. Why we are missing this quality now?