Shahzada Syedi Husain Burhanuddin (), also known as Husain Mufaddal Saifuddin, is the third and youngest son of

Mufaddal Saifuddin Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin () is the spiritual leader, the 53rd Da'i al-Mutlaq of more than one million Dawoodi Bohras, a subgroup of the Tayyibi, Musta'li, Ismaili Shia branch of Islam. He is the second son of the 52nd Da'i al-Mutlaq, M ...

, the incumbent

53rd 53 may refer to: * 53 (number) * one of the years 53 BC, AD 53, 1953, 2053 * FiftyThree, an American privately held technology company that specializes in tools for mobile creation and visual thinking * 53rd Regiment Alabama Cavalry * 53rd Regiment ...

Da'i al-Mutlaq (; pl. , ) is the most senior spiritual rank and office in Tayyibi Isma'ilism. The Da'i al-Mutlaq has headed the Tayyibi community since the occultation (Islam), seclusion of the 21st Tayyibi Imamate in Ismaili doctrine, Imam, at-Tayyib Abu'l-Q ...

. He is a

Qāriʾ A qāriʾ (, plural ''qurrāʾ'' or ''qaraʾa''; feminine form: qāriʾa ) is a person who recites the Quran with the proper rules of recitation ('' tajwid''). Although it is encouraged, a qāriʾ does not necessarily have to memorize the Qura ...

and an honorary member of ''Naqabāt Qurrāʾ al-Quran'' () in

Cairo Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...

. He is the Chairman of

Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust (SBUT) is a non-profit organization established in 2009 to undertake one of urban India's largest makeover projects of sheer magnitude and impacting around 20,000 people. The redevelopment project was, envisioned ...

. Burhanuddin is a provost of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah and heads Mahad al-Zahra, a Quranic sciences institute run by his father. He also administers other socio-economic institutions of the

Dawoodi Bohra The Dawoodi Bohras are a religious denomination within the Ismā'īlī branch of Shia Islam. They number approximately one million worldwide and have settled in over 40 countries around the world. The majority of the Dawoodi Bohra community re ...

community. Burhanuddin is a recipient of All India Council for Human Rights' ''Ambassador for Peace Award.'' He is widely revered as the ''Qari-e-Hind'', a title that holds significant meaning and respect. Shahzada Husain Burhanuddin reciting from the holy Quran

Shahzada Husain Burhanuddin reciting from the holy Quran

Career

Early life

Burhanuddin was born on 24 December 1977 (15 Muḥarram al-Ḥarām 1398H) to

and Jawaharatusharaf (). He received his schooling at MSB Educational Institute in Mumbai graduating at the top of his class with high distinction.

Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah

Burhanuddin is a senior member of the executive board of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah. He oversees the academic and administrative affairs of the academy. He also teaches at the academy.

Mahad al-Zahra

Husain Burhanuddin has led the Mahad al-Zahra's development. He focuses on Quranic science,

recitation A recitation in a general sense is the act of reciting from memory, or a formal reading of verse or other writing before an audience. Public recitation is the act of reciting a work of writing before an audience. Academic recitation In a ...

, and

exegesis Exegesis ( ; from the Ancient Greek, Greek , from , "to lead out") is a critical explanation or interpretation (philosophy), interpretation of a text. The term is traditionally applied to the interpretation of Bible, Biblical works. In modern us ...

with a view to benefiting today's society. In order to foster a better understanding of Quranic arts and sciences, he has directed that Mahad al-Zahra distribute guides and booklets to Dawoodi Bohra community centers worldwide, among them seven installments of ''Khazāʾin Maʿānī al-Qurʾān al-Fāʾiqah'', a series for the non-Arabic speaking audiences to gain an insight into the meanings of the Quran. Burhanuddin's emphasis on audio-visual teaching to facilitate learning has accelerated Quranic education within the community: through its e-learning program, Mahad al-Zahra has reached thousands around the world, who participate in virtual classes along with one-to-one recital sessions through video-conferencing, aiding ''huffaz'' as young as 6 years old. As of 2024, more than 8 branches of Mahad al-Zahra have been established at

centers in

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

Kuwait Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...

the United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, and

Yemen Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. Located in South Arabia, southern Arabia, it borders Saudi Arabia to Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, the north, Oman to Oman–Yemen border, the northeast, the south-eastern part ...

. As the head of the Mahad al-Zahra, Burhanuddin personally conducts the final oral examinations for the ''Huffaz'' ().

Community Outreach

Under Burhanuddin's leadership, Mahad al-Zahra has become Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah's largest avenue of community outreach. Over the past two decades, the department has extended access to Quranic education to members of the Dawoodi Bohra community through educational institutions established across the globe. Burhanuddin frequently visits global Dawoodi Bohra community centers to encourage accurate recitation of the Quran and facilitate its memorization. Between 2007 and 2011, Burhanuddin conducted 3-day workshops designed to motivate and teach participants Quran memorization techniques. Burhanuddin has initiated an annual outreach where ḥuffāẓ are sent all over the world during the month of Ramadān al-Muʿazzam, to conduct classes that help adults and children recite and memorize the Quran. Burhanuddin called on

Narendra Modi Narendra Damodardas Modi (born 17 September 1950) is an Indian politician who has served as the Prime Minister of India, prime minister of India since 2014. Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and is the Member of Par ...

in August 2019 and November 2020, at the Prime Minister's office to discuss on various projects and initiatives by the Dawoodi Bohra community. During the

's visit to Egypt in June 2023, Burhanuddin welcomed him to the Al Hakim Mosque, the renovation of which was led by his father,

Quranic studies

Burhanuddin dedicated his entire teenage years to rote-memorizing the

Quran The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...

. By 1995 (1416H), when he was 18 years old, he had completed memorizing the Quran. Three years later, in 1998, he graduated from Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah with the degree of ''al-Faqih al-Jayyid'' (). Burhanuddin frequented

to study the art of recitation as well as the sciences of Quranic readings. He has released an audio recording of the entire Quran in the ''murattal'' style of recitation, certified by

al-Azhar University The Al-Azhar University ( ; , , ) is a public university in Cairo, Egypt. Associated with Al-Azhar Al-Sharif in Islamic Cairo, it is Egypt's oldest degree-granting university and is known as one of the most prestigious universities for Islamic ...

, Cairo. Burhanuddin has been delivering 30-minute

mujawwad Mujawwad is an adjective that comes from the noun tajweed which means pronouncing the words and letters of the Quran correctly and according to the classic Arabic. Mujawwad is a melodic style of Quran recitation which is known throughout the Musl ...

recitations of the Quran which precede the sermons delivered by his father

, during ''Ashara Mubarāka'', since 2012. On 29

Dhu al-Hijja Dhu al-Hijjah (also Dhu al-Hijja ) is the twelfth and final month in the Islamic calendar. Being one of the four sacred months during which war is forbidden, it is the month in which the '' Ḥajj'' () takes place as well as Eid al-Adha (). T ...

1439H (9 September 2018), he received certification in the

Ten recitations The ten recitations or ten readings are ten Qira'ats and recitations of the Quran approved by scholars in their research to determine the frequent recitations. History The Quran was revealed in seven '' ahruf'' or letters, and the letters are n ...

al-Sughra from the recitations of al-Shatebiya and al-Durra. On 25 July 2022, he published a book on the

titled قراءات زاهرة لكتاب الله which was endorsed by the 'Muṣḥaf Revision Committee' of

Al-Azhar University The Al-Azhar University ( ; , , ) is a public university in Cairo, Egypt. Associated with Al-Azhar Al-Sharif in Islamic Cairo, it is Egypt's oldest degree-granting university and is known as one of the most prestigious universities for Islamic ...

Other Accomplishments

He has been conferred both of the highest degrees of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah; the degree of "''Thiqah al-Da'wah al-Taiybiyyah''" (; translation: The Trusted of the Taiyebi Da'wah) and the degree of "''al-'Aleem al-Baare''' " (; Translation: The Outstandingly Learned) on 3 May 2016 (27 Rajab 1437 Hijri). He was appointed as the Chairman of the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust and as the Syedna's representative to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi and at Imam al-Hakim Mosque in Cairo. On April 17, 2025, accompanied by a delegation of Dawoodi Bohra community members, Burhanuddin again met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his official residence in New Delhi. The delegation expressed gratitude for the enactment of the Waqf Amendment Act. In his remarks, the Prime Minister praised Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin for his active involvement in shaping the Act, including providing detailed input during its drafting. Community members also explained how the new legislation would ease their daily affairs, particularly in managing a recently acquired property in Mumbai’s Bhendi Bazaar.

Lineage

Burhanuddin's ancestors include Mir Mahamad Ali,

Fakhr al-Din Shaheed Syedi Fakhruddin Shaheed is the 11th-century holy Ismaili, Fatimid, mustaali saint who was first Ismaili martyr, martyred during missionary work among Bhils local tribal in Rajasthan and buried in Galiakot, India. The mausoleum is the most ve ...

Abd al-Qadir Hakimuddin Syedi Abdul Qadir Hakimuddin (1665-1730 AD) was a Dawoodi Bohra saint. He is buried in Burhanpur, India. His tomb complex 'Dargah-e-Hakimi' includes mosques, gardens, and visitor accommodations. Early life He was born in the period of 34th Da ...

Khanji Pheer Syedi Khanji Pheer was an Indian Ismaili Dawoodi Bohra saint. He lived in the 17th century. His family settled in Udaipur, coming from Gujarat during Udaipur's establishment. He was titled Saheb-e-Hiqmatul-Marefat (master of religious philosophy an ...

and Syedi Lukman who were direct descendants of

Ja'far al-Sadiq Ja'far al-Sadiq (; –765) was a Muslim hadith transmitter and the last agreed-upon Shia Imam between the Twelvers and Isma'ilis. Known by the title al-Sadiq ("The Truthful"), Ja'far was the eponymous founder of the Ja'fari school of Isla ...

Works

Burhanuddin has authored several audio and text books on Quran recitals, some are: * Al-Taysīr fī Hifz al-Quran al-Karīm (): A practical guide for memorizing al-Quran al-Kareem. * Al-Muṣḥaf al-Murattal (): Audio recording of the complete Quranic text in

murattal The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...

( tartīl) style. * Al-Muṣḥaf al-Muʿallim (): A digital aid for the memorization of the 30th Juzʾ of al-Quran. * Al-Muṣḥaf al-Mujawwad (): Audio recording of the 30th juzʾ of al-Quran in mujawwad (

tajwīd In the context of the recitation of the Quran, or (, ) is a set of rules for the correct pronunciation of the letters with all their qualities and applying the various traditional methods of recitation, known as . In Arabic, the term is deriv ...

) style. * Qira'aat Zahira le Kitab Allah (Arabic: قراءات زاهرة لكتاب الله)

Personal life

Burhanuddin has two elder brothers,

Jafar us Sadiq Imaduddin Shahzada (title), Shahzada Syedi Ja'far us Sadiq Imaduddin () or Jafar us Sadiq Mufaddal Saifuddin, is the eldest son of Mufaddal Saifuddin, the current incumbent of the office of the 53rd Dawoodi Bohra Da'i al-Mutlaq. He is a poet, scholar, aut ...

and Taha Najmuddin and two sisters, Ummehani A. Nooruddin and Ruqaiyah M Saifuddin. Husain's wife, Naqiyah, daughter of Mukasir al-Dawat Syedi Malik ul Ashter Shujauddin, is known for her elegance, poise and charm. She runs the Rawdat al-Quran al-Kareem school of Quranic sciences in Mumbai. She is the most followed woman from the Dawoodi Bohra community on Instagram, with an audience exceeding 130,000 followers. She completed her postgraduate education at

D'Youville University D'Youville University (D'Youville or DYU) is a private university in Buffalo, New York. It was founded as D'Youville College in 1908 and named by the Grey Nuns after the patroness saint Marie-Marguerite d'Youville. As of fall 2022 D'Youville C ...

, a nationally-ranked

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

college located in upstate New York. An American citizen raised internationally in

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

and

Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...

, she has a deep understanding and expertise in online media presence - her personal website showcased her contemporary and refined approach, particularly on teaching and leadership.

Recognition and awards

* : On 15 May 2015 ( 27 Rajab 1436 H) Mufaddal Saifuddin, the 53rd Dai al-Mutlaq, bestowed upon him the

cognomen A ''cognomen'' (; : ''cognomina''; from ''co-'' "together with" and ''(g)nomen'' "name") was the third name of a citizen of ancient Rome, under Roman naming conventions. Initially, it was a nickname, but lost that purpose when it became hereditar ...

of ''Burhan al-din'' (). * : Burhanuddin was conferred one of the highest degrees of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah; ''al-ʿAlīm al-Bāriʿ'' () on 3 May 2016 ( 27 Rajab 1437 H). * : Burhanuddin was conferred one of the highest degrees of ''Dawat-e-Hadiyah''; ''Thiqat al-Daʿwat al-Ṭayyibīyyah'' () on 3 May 2016 ( 27 Rajab 1437 H). * : Burhanuddin was a recipient of All India Council of Human Rights, Liberties, and Social Justice's ''Ambassador for Peace Award'' on 9 December 2019 "for protecting and promoting human rights, peace and harmony." * : Honorary member of ''Naqabāt Qurrāʾ al-Quran'' () in

. * : On behalf of

Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin () is the spiritual leader, the 53rd Da'i al-Mutlaq of more than one million Dawoodi Bohras, a subgroup of the Tayyibi, Musta'li, Ismaili Shia branch of Islam. He is the second son of the 52nd Da'i al-Mutlaq, Moha ...

, Shahzada Husain Burhanuddin attended the COP28 Global Faith leaders summit in

Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. The city is the seat of the Abu Dhabi Central Capital District, the capital city of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the UAE's List of cities in the United Arab Emirates, second-most popu ...

and signed a joint appeal to take meaningful action in addressing climate crisis.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Burhanuddin, Husain 1977 births Living people Indian Quran reciters