Bohras "Banned from Masjid" for questioning leaders.

[ghulam muhammed]

‘Banned from mosque’ for questioning leaders

Bohra Muslims from Mumbra say they face excommunication for raising questions over alleged misappropriation of housing aid promised to poor community members

Several Bohra Muslim families from Mumbra have alleged that they have been threatened with social boycott by their Jamaat or community leaders for questioning corruption in distribution of charity funds.

Nafisaben Rassiwala, one of the women who have filed complaints with the Maharashtra State Commission for Women, had applied for housing aid from the Mumbra Dawoodi Bohra Jamaat. She shifted to Mumbra after her house in Goregaon was burnt down in the 1992 riots; she stays with her husband and five children in a tenement provided by the Jamaat.

Rassiwala told the women’s commission that she was assaulted last month during a visit to the trust office to enquire about the aid she had applied for around three years ago. The aid is given by the Mumbai-based headquarters of the sect, but is distributed by the local Jamaats. “I have been told by the trust headquarters that my aid has been sanctioned. But the local Jamaat has been refusing to release the funds (around Rs two lakh),” she said. On February 19, her husband Mustaq was beaten up by unidentified men who barged into their house and warned them not to complain to the women’s commission.

Community not new to social boycott

Social boycott or excommunication has always been an issue in the closely knit Dawoodi Bohra community. In the 70s, the central government had even appointed a commission led by a retired judge to probe allegations. Though the number of such cases has dropped, there have still been complaints. A few months ago, a family in Wadala was refused entry into the community mosque at Mazgaon because they refused to obey a religious diktat issued by the local religious head.


http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/2/2 ... ng-leaders#

[GreatBarrier]

Please clarify:
The Womens Commission is a governement establishment ?
The Bohra charity is a a bohra setup ? using community funds ? Or does it get funds from the government to distribute aid on the governments behalf ?
I do not know how the governnment commission can help if bohras are misusing bohra funds ? Jamaat can easily claim government interference in private maaters ! Surely there are legal advisors who can help the ladies to direct their griviences to the right escalation points !

[ghulam muhammed]

The Womens Commission is a governement establishment ?
The Bohra charity is a a bohra setup ? using community funds ? Or does it get funds from the government to distribute aid on the governments behalf ?

Bro GB,

The 'Maharashtra State Commission for Women' is a state government body set up for addressing grieviances of women and the bohra charity referred to in the news is some fund created by kothar for the benefit of the community. The funds in the corpus are a miniscule portion of the huge amount extorted by kothar in the name of religous dues which are seldom given to the needy bohras but are mostly used by the rich Sheikhs, Mullas etc. who are partners with the shehzadas/bhaisaabs and also by members of tanzim as pointed out in the article. No government money is involved.

The bohra lady must have approached the Commission to file a complaint for the physical and mental atrocities committed on her and not for embezzlement of funds.

[Al Zulfiqar]

bro. gm.

the word 'masjid' in yr subject title is a misnomer and needs to be changed to 'CLUB'.

when the amils openly say that the masjid and markaz is like a club, pay its dues and follow its rules or get out; then why do you misguide people by using the word masjid?

pls reserve that term for a holy place of worship to one allah, not a rival of allah called syedna burhanuddin.

[GreatBarrier]

GM..therefore the only compliant the lady can hold is physical assualt which should be a police matter and if it was a man assulating a women that can be handled by Womens commission as it touches areas of abuse to women or rape...

embazzzlement or rejection of ther request to funds and ex-communication is a private community matter and the lady has another mosque where she can attend and perfrom her religious rituals and seek help from other charitable establishments like the Progressives or NGOs.

If others are prevented from speaking to her that is also another matter which is probably around defamation of character and will need witnesses and a long litigation. If people are influenced and not speaking to her the community members are protected by freedom of association which also includes freedom to no-association.

[ghulam muhammed]

pls reserve that term for a holy place of worship to one allah, not a rival of allah called syedna burhanuddin.

Bro AZ,

How about "Burhanudin Mahal" as it rhymes well with "Saifee Mahal" and Badri Mahal as bohra Masjids are no more the House of Allah but are the house of Burhanudin saab as its ownership rests with him and he can entertain anyone (Narendra Modi) and kick out anyone (abdes) as per his whims and fancies.

[ghulam muhammed]

the lady has another mosque where she can attend and perfrom her religious rituals and seek help from other charitable establishments like the Progressives or NGOs.

Bro GB,

This is something which can be least expected from the majority of bohras because under no circumstances do they want to alienate themselves from the mainstream bohras as they believe that their life only revolves around the bohra masjids, majlis, jaman, raudat tahera and burhanudin saab. This is the main fear which the kothar encashes on and which is the weapon in their hands.

On a number of occassions you will find that if a bohra doesnt pay wajebat then the amil warns him by saying "Kyaar sudhi hamari thi bhaagso, nikah ane maiyat na waqt to tamare hamara paase aavuj parse, te time par hamein aaglu paachlu badhu vasul karsu". Hence the 2 most dreaded fear in a bohra's mind are marriage and death of a kin as they are made to believe that a nikah is legitimate only if performed by a bohra amil and the flight to jannat takes off only from a bohra kabrastan, the rest of the world is doomed.

[seeker110]

Bullets are cheaper than lawsuits.

[Anwar]

unfortunately and sadely I agree with seeker

[S. Insaf]

Thanks to the corrupt Amil and Jamat Secretaries - Mumbra is Boiling
Mumbra and Kausa Mumbra are the suburbs of Mumbai near Thane. They have been developed as a township in the recent times for low-income and poor people due to cheap houses available there on rent and on ownership. There is a population of more than 40,000 Dawoodi Bohras which indicates the poverty level in this community.
Presently the Mumbra Dawoodi Bohra Jamat, Anjuman-e-Najmi is headed by the Amil, Sheikh Saifuddin Mahowala and controlled by the secretary, Shabbar Yamani and the Joint secretary, Nasir Akolawala. Though there are 26 members in the Jamat Committee but they are only namesake and have no voice in the Jamat affairs. The secretary, Shabbar Yamani has set up an establishment for printing Dawat's write-ups in the posh area of Fort near Badri Mahal in Mumbai and the joint secretary, Nasir Akolawala who was an ordinary plumber has become a builder. Both of them are now constructing their posh houses in Thane. Their sudden prosperity has come through misappropriation of Jamat funds. Amil Sheikh Saifuddin is also a partner in their crime.
This is possible because Shabbar Yamani is supported and encouraged by Abbas Yamani and Joint secretary, Nasir Akolawala by Mustafa Bhujwala sitting in Badri Mahal.
The low character of these high-profile rouges came in to lime-light recently due the desperate move by one Mushtaq Mohammad Husain Rassiwala and his wife Nafeesa who complained to the police and Maharashtra government's women rights commission for justice. Seven members of Rassiwala family were living in a rented house since last 10 years. According to a letter written the Amil Sheikh Saifuddin the family negotiated an owner-ship house by paying initial amount of Rs. 50,000 on their own and Mumbra Jamat sanctioned them Rs. two lakhs and Rs. 1 lakh 40 thousands were sent by Sayedna Saheb, totaling Rs. 3 lakh 40 thousand.
The Builder went on demanding the further payment but the Amil and the two secretaries did not release the sanctioned amount to the family and went on giving excuses. Pressurized by the builder one day Nafeesa Rassiwala went to the Jamat office and requested the secretary and the joint secretary to return her sanctioned amount of Rs. 3 lakhs 40 thousands to be paid to the builder. In response both these usurpers beat her up and she lodged a complaint no. 2399/08 under Indian penal code 323/104 to the Mumbra police on 22nd Sept. 2008. But the police did not take against these secretaries. Obliviously the police was bribed by them.
Then after waiting four months on 5th Feb. 2009 Nafeesa Mohammad Husain Rassiwala lodged a complaint to Maharashtra government's women rights commission at Mahda Road, kala Nagar, Bandra. The commission has send the summons to the Amil and the secretaries.
In an another incident one Sakina Hakimuddin Morbiwala (age 45) staying at room no. 3 Vasant Palace, Anand Koliwada, Mumbra was granted an amount of Rs. One lakh by Saifee Foundation and sent to Mumbra Jamat three years ago to be handed over her. Mumbra Jamat also confirmed it but did not give her that amount. After making various visits to Jamat office in last three years she also has complained to Maharashtra government's women rights commission.
In her complaint she has stated that she went one Sadguru Construction, Mumbra with the secretary and the joint secretary and negotiated the deal for a owner-ship flat and paid Rs. 50,000/- of her own. Thereafter the builder demanded further payment so she went the secretaries to request them to give her or the builder directly the amount of Rs. one lakh sent by Saifee Foundation. The secretaries after scolding and abusing her threw her out of the office.
The Bohras of Mumbra are agitated against the dominated Amil and the secretaries but they can not reach to Sayedna Saheb or higher-ups in Qasre-Aalia as these secretaries have their supporters sitting there. Who immediately inform them and then these secretaries and Amil harass them and ban their entry in Masjid, Madressa and Jamat functions till they apologize and give misaq.
The Amil collects huge amount by the way of Salaam plus free food for his family as he charges salam of Rs. 2152 for him Rs. 1152 and each for his son and daughter-in-law and Rs. 552 for his grandson during every darees, majlis, misaq and other Jamat functions.
This is not limited to Mumbra only. Today Sayedna Saheb's every Shahzada, every Amil and each Jamat member is indulging in these sorts of illegal and inhuman activities and amassing wealth. It needs a mass revolution like Udaipur to get rid of this slavery, harassments and humiliations.

[hanish]

How can we help jointly Husseinbhai and Nafisaben... at least to get the property.
As per the Jamaats letter they are short of RS 160K, Can any true Muslim or Mumin actually do something about this desperate family.... Lets make use of this forum for the benefit of those in need for a change.

[Aqa Moula_Zindabad]

How can we help jointly Husseinbhai and Nafisaben... at least to get the property.
As per the Jamaats letter they are short of RS 160K, Can any true Muslim or Mumin actually do something about this desperate family.... Lets make use of this forum for the benefit of those in need for a change.

Gr8 Idea Hanish!!! Well Done.

Lets do it this way.....someone try and circulate the direct contact details of Husseinbhai and Nafisaben and the individuals who want to help can directly send in there contributions OR

Someone who is close to Mumbai / Mumbra can take the responsibility on this forum and we can send in the contributions to him.

Lets do it for this gr8 cause.....i would call this as a True reform

[hanish]

Excellent AMZ -- At least we are heading somewhere.. However this is "MOASSAT".. pLS LETS NOT PUBLICISE ANY HELP WE DO... Anybody From Mundra.... who can spearhead this noble cause?

[hanish]

Sorry... Its Mumbra not Mundra.

[Humsafar]

If you want to go ahead and help the "victims" do so by all means but please do not call it "true reform". We'll have true reform only when we stop jamaats from creating new victims. Helping these individuals will be a noble act but by itself it won't change anything - the status quo will remain. Unless the perpetrators are made to suffer the consequence of their acts we'll have neither addressed the real issue nor redressed the situation.

[accountability]

Actually if Jamat stops collecting huge funds in the name of wajebat and sabil, and individual philanthropy is allowed we shall have umpteem no of individuals and families helped. First jamat should relinquish charge of all charitable organization, and let it be run by local good men and women. The results will be amazing.

[hanish]

All said and done..... Any volunteers from Mumbai/Mumbra ?????

[Al Zulfiqar]

Actually if Jamat stops collecting huge funds in the name of wajebat and sabil, and individual philanthropy is allowed we shall have umpteem no of individuals and families helped. First jamat should relinquish charge of all charitable organization, and let it be run by local good men and women. The results will be amazing.

that is exactly how it was even 50-60 years ago. in every major city there were atleast a dozen or more private charitable trusts run by prominent bohra families, who provided education, school and college fees, books and other support, monthly home expenses and rations to poor bohras, paid rents or actually rented out rooms to widows and very poor bohras or gave them at almost free cost etc. there were musafirkhanas and sanatoriums built and operated by these trusts, some trusts subsidised fees for promising bohra athletes and some also took care of burial expenses.

we were a very fine, gentle and caring community but everything turned around when syedna taher saifuddin ordered all these trusts to be closed and all moneys spent in these trusts to be handed over to him. all trust properties were taken over by force and transferred to his name under pain of baraat, and the community made to turn inward and bullied into submission. up until then i had never seen a bohra beggar or heard of bohras living in slums. today it is common and heart breaking to see all this. we have become a people full of hatred for all others and label all those who are not fanatic syedna abdes as dushman, kafirs, jaahils etc and have become quite violent in our thoughts.