Zehra Cyclewala Thunderstorms the Dais' Devrhi in Surat
Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 2:51 am
Zehra Cyclewala Thunderstorms the Dais' Devrhi in Surat
In Surat’s Zanpa bazaar there is building 3/913 named as “Saifee Manzil” adjoining old Devrhi where Burhanuddin Sabeb was born, which is opposite to Qubba mubarak and grand masjid and Jamia Saifia on the other side. Syedna Saheb’s brother, Ali Asghar Kalimuddin, Mansoos Mufaddal’s son, Taha bhai Saheb and other members of Qasre-Aali stay in this Saifee Manzil. Zehra ben Cyclewala owns the basement of Saifee Manzil.
On 8th March Zehra ben Cyclewala organised 'International Women's Day' celebration under banner of Surat Mahila Sangh and Fulibai/Zehra Cyclewala Trust in the basement of Saifee Manzil. This basement is owned by Zehra Ben Cyclewala
A very intresting incident that took placed which shows unethical suppression of Syedna Saheb’s administration and outstanding courage of Zehra Ben Cyclewala:-
Sayedna Saheb’s adminis-tration is in great shock and surprise that how could Zehra Cyclewala purchased the basement of Saifee Manzil! There are two paths to reach at the basement. On 6th March 2013 Zehra Ben took the path facing the Saifee Manzil building. As instructed the watchman stopped her from entering, saying that “Front road facing Devrhi has been locked and you can not use this road. Zehra Ben asked the watchman “Who has instructed you to lock the gate and stop me?” Watchman gave her one cell no. 09825409139. Zehra Ben spoke to the person on other side of this nunber and said, “Look Mister! I have purchase the basement and hence as owner I am entitle to use both the road and if you will stop me I will file a case against you and get all your shahzadas arrested.” Zehra Ben went to Salabatpura Police Station to lodge a complaint before legal procedure. A man from Sayedna Saheb’s administration came rushing to the police station and told Zehra Ben “Sorry! We have unlocked the door and henceforth you can please use whichever road you like. “
Zehra Ben organized a celebration on the occasion of ‘International Women’s Day’ on 8th March 2013 under the banner of Surat Mahila Sangh and Fulibai/Zehra Cyclewala Trust. The objective of this event was to make women and children aware regarding their safety, empowerment, and their civil and human rights.
Fulibai/Zehra Cyclewala Trust also distributed garments to poor and needy women and children on this occasion. These garments were donated by Nasreen bahen Rajab ali, Mrs. Khatija bahen Kapasi and Mumtaz bahen, which they had collected by going door to door in Birmingham UK and sent to Zehra ben. The garments were given to poor and needy by Jaya ben Joshi, the vice-chairperson of Surat Mahila Sangh and ex-principle of J.J. Torts School.
More than 300 poor and needy got the benifite of this donation. To make this donation program successful Bilquees Banu, Najmun-nisa Shaikh, Rewa Ben Patel, Sugeet Pathakji, Shabbir bhai Cyclewala, jayshri ben Pachchisgar, Aakuriti Bhandari etc had worked hard and they deserve big thanks.
On this occasion an one-act drama “Aa lash koni?” was staged by Zehra ben, Akiriti Bhandari, Sheetal Patel, Rewa ben Patel and Jayshri Parchigar and it was appreciated by one and all.
Prominent speakers who threw light on legal, civil and human rights of women were Shri Dasbhai Liliawala (Association against superstitions and Blind-faith), Professor Babubhai Desai (President, Satya Sodhak Sabha), Advocate Shenmare, Saifuddin bhai Insaf (Editor Bohra Chronicle), Yunus bhai Baluwala (Treasurer, Central Board of Dawoodi Bohra Community), Yusuf bhai R.G. (Secretary, Dawoodi Bohra Jamaat, Udaipur), Moiz bhai Mediwala (Husaini Marriage Bureau), H.M. Patel (M.D. of Mamma Educational Trust), Smita ben Patel, Dr. Atul Pathakji, Jaymeen Desai, Gustad Wadia, Arvind Bhandari, Jaya ben Joshi and Zehra Cyclewala.
Zulm hi hai jo bagawat ko janam deta hai
(Tyranny gives birth to rebellion)
Zehra was born in an orthodox lower-middle-class Dawoodi Bohra family. Normal Bohra girls are generally shy, timid and suppressed. But Zehra was different, always reasoning and taking a stand. She joined the Bohra Saif Cooperative Society inaugurated by the Syedna Burhanuddin himself. She was soon promoted from clerk to manager. Then came a fatwa by Syedna asking Bohras to leave the Society at once. All the Bohra staff quit but Zehra refused. Enormous pressure was brought on her but she stuck on even when Syedna’s son, Qaid Johar, had to come down to Surat to meet her. A campaign was launched in Surat to excommunicate her and she was excommunicated from the community, but still she refused to take this lying down. Assertive and against injustice, Zehra filed a case in the court and won. However, the majority of Bohra shareholders voted to suspend her despite the high court’s stay order. It was at this time that Zehra began meeting with women of other faiths who had also suffered in their own way and were trying to speak out against their oppression. They formed a support group and tried to help each other cope with their difficult situations. It was these women who inspired her to persist in the struggle. Today Zehra Cyclewala is internationally known fighter against the tyranny of Syedna’s administration.
Now she has made her way in Devdhi and daringly carrying on her activities sitting in Lion’s den.
That is why Professor Babubhai Desai (President, Satya Sodhak Sabha), Shri Dasbhai Liliawala (Association against superstitions and Blind-faith) both described this a “Historical Event” a strategic turn in Bohra Reform Movement.
In the coming month of April 2013 Zehra is planning to hold in her basement:-
1. A women’s Cultural Event in which about 300 Bohra Youth women from Udaipur are likely to participate.
2. Two-days Seminar on “Islam and Human Rights” headed by Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer.
3. And in February 2014 World Dawoodi Bohra Conference ( last two sessions in her basement.)
In Surat’s Zanpa bazaar there is building 3/913 named as “Saifee Manzil” adjoining old Devrhi where Burhanuddin Sabeb was born, which is opposite to Qubba mubarak and grand masjid and Jamia Saifia on the other side. Syedna Saheb’s brother, Ali Asghar Kalimuddin, Mansoos Mufaddal’s son, Taha bhai Saheb and other members of Qasre-Aali stay in this Saifee Manzil. Zehra ben Cyclewala owns the basement of Saifee Manzil.
On 8th March Zehra ben Cyclewala organised 'International Women's Day' celebration under banner of Surat Mahila Sangh and Fulibai/Zehra Cyclewala Trust in the basement of Saifee Manzil. This basement is owned by Zehra Ben Cyclewala
A very intresting incident that took placed which shows unethical suppression of Syedna Saheb’s administration and outstanding courage of Zehra Ben Cyclewala:-
Sayedna Saheb’s adminis-tration is in great shock and surprise that how could Zehra Cyclewala purchased the basement of Saifee Manzil! There are two paths to reach at the basement. On 6th March 2013 Zehra Ben took the path facing the Saifee Manzil building. As instructed the watchman stopped her from entering, saying that “Front road facing Devrhi has been locked and you can not use this road. Zehra Ben asked the watchman “Who has instructed you to lock the gate and stop me?” Watchman gave her one cell no. 09825409139. Zehra Ben spoke to the person on other side of this nunber and said, “Look Mister! I have purchase the basement and hence as owner I am entitle to use both the road and if you will stop me I will file a case against you and get all your shahzadas arrested.” Zehra Ben went to Salabatpura Police Station to lodge a complaint before legal procedure. A man from Sayedna Saheb’s administration came rushing to the police station and told Zehra Ben “Sorry! We have unlocked the door and henceforth you can please use whichever road you like. “
Zehra Ben organized a celebration on the occasion of ‘International Women’s Day’ on 8th March 2013 under the banner of Surat Mahila Sangh and Fulibai/Zehra Cyclewala Trust. The objective of this event was to make women and children aware regarding their safety, empowerment, and their civil and human rights.
Fulibai/Zehra Cyclewala Trust also distributed garments to poor and needy women and children on this occasion. These garments were donated by Nasreen bahen Rajab ali, Mrs. Khatija bahen Kapasi and Mumtaz bahen, which they had collected by going door to door in Birmingham UK and sent to Zehra ben. The garments were given to poor and needy by Jaya ben Joshi, the vice-chairperson of Surat Mahila Sangh and ex-principle of J.J. Torts School.
More than 300 poor and needy got the benifite of this donation. To make this donation program successful Bilquees Banu, Najmun-nisa Shaikh, Rewa Ben Patel, Sugeet Pathakji, Shabbir bhai Cyclewala, jayshri ben Pachchisgar, Aakuriti Bhandari etc had worked hard and they deserve big thanks.
On this occasion an one-act drama “Aa lash koni?” was staged by Zehra ben, Akiriti Bhandari, Sheetal Patel, Rewa ben Patel and Jayshri Parchigar and it was appreciated by one and all.
Prominent speakers who threw light on legal, civil and human rights of women were Shri Dasbhai Liliawala (Association against superstitions and Blind-faith), Professor Babubhai Desai (President, Satya Sodhak Sabha), Advocate Shenmare, Saifuddin bhai Insaf (Editor Bohra Chronicle), Yunus bhai Baluwala (Treasurer, Central Board of Dawoodi Bohra Community), Yusuf bhai R.G. (Secretary, Dawoodi Bohra Jamaat, Udaipur), Moiz bhai Mediwala (Husaini Marriage Bureau), H.M. Patel (M.D. of Mamma Educational Trust), Smita ben Patel, Dr. Atul Pathakji, Jaymeen Desai, Gustad Wadia, Arvind Bhandari, Jaya ben Joshi and Zehra Cyclewala.
Zulm hi hai jo bagawat ko janam deta hai
(Tyranny gives birth to rebellion)
Zehra was born in an orthodox lower-middle-class Dawoodi Bohra family. Normal Bohra girls are generally shy, timid and suppressed. But Zehra was different, always reasoning and taking a stand. She joined the Bohra Saif Cooperative Society inaugurated by the Syedna Burhanuddin himself. She was soon promoted from clerk to manager. Then came a fatwa by Syedna asking Bohras to leave the Society at once. All the Bohra staff quit but Zehra refused. Enormous pressure was brought on her but she stuck on even when Syedna’s son, Qaid Johar, had to come down to Surat to meet her. A campaign was launched in Surat to excommunicate her and she was excommunicated from the community, but still she refused to take this lying down. Assertive and against injustice, Zehra filed a case in the court and won. However, the majority of Bohra shareholders voted to suspend her despite the high court’s stay order. It was at this time that Zehra began meeting with women of other faiths who had also suffered in their own way and were trying to speak out against their oppression. They formed a support group and tried to help each other cope with their difficult situations. It was these women who inspired her to persist in the struggle. Today Zehra Cyclewala is internationally known fighter against the tyranny of Syedna’s administration.
Now she has made her way in Devdhi and daringly carrying on her activities sitting in Lion’s den.
That is why Professor Babubhai Desai (President, Satya Sodhak Sabha), Shri Dasbhai Liliawala (Association against superstitions and Blind-faith) both described this a “Historical Event” a strategic turn in Bohra Reform Movement.
In the coming month of April 2013 Zehra is planning to hold in her basement:-
1. A women’s Cultural Event in which about 300 Bohra Youth women from Udaipur are likely to participate.
2. Two-days Seminar on “Islam and Human Rights” headed by Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer.
3. And in February 2014 World Dawoodi Bohra Conference ( last two sessions in her basement.)