Where are you originally from and how long have you been living in the U.K.?

I was born in Indore, India, lived in Dar as Salaam from the age of two when my father Sheikh Esmail Mohamedali started his amalat khidmat in the late 1940s.  I have been in the U.K. since 1963.    

Tell us about your credentials…

After doing my my O’ levels in Tanzania, I went to a Polytechnic University in Leicester and attended a textile technology course whereby I qualified after four years as an Associate of Textile Institute.   I returned to Tanzania and worked for a textile mill specializing in dyeing and finishing.   Due to government problems, I returned to England with my son of ten months. 

Your family has always been in khidmet…

My father was fortunate enough to receive ‘ilm at Jamea tus Saifiya and served dawat as an Amilsaheb for 65 years.   He was born and bred in Rampura.    My mother hails from the Yamani family and her father and forefathers have always been in dawat khidmat. 

How have you managed to carry on that legacy while simultaneously venturing into the business world? 

Absolutely, only with our beloved Aqua Maula’s dua mubarak and guidance.   My grandfather was a business man from Rampura who traded goods with the Far East.   Our family members are still in Rampura and are constantly doing khidmat of Bawa Mulla Khansabs roza.   I have naturally been drawn towards khidmat because I feel I am the son of a Talib ul ilm and am very proud of this and will always be proud of it all my life.   Two of my children have been to Jamea and my son was the first child from the whole of the West to attend Jamea tus Saifiya.

Aqa Maula ^(TUS) has travelled to the UK many times and on his last trip given azeem n‘emat of the words “I feel at home”.   This is a big honor indeed for the mumineen.  

Indeed AZEEM N‘EMAT – These words are unforgettable.   Aqa Maula ^(TUS) has bestowed this azeem n‘emat on the mumineen of the U.K. and this is an azeem sharaf for all mumineen living in the U.K.   Aqa Maula’s ^(TUS) several trips to the U.K., starting from the 1970s have changed the way mumineen in the U.K. think and also perform khidmat.   Aqa Maula’s nazarat together with Busaheba’s nazarat and the nazarat of Maula’s Shehzadao, the added bonus of Shahzada Sahebs residing in the U.K. and their guidance on performing Maula’s khidmat has helped to bring this small community of the U.K. to where they are now where Aqa Maula ^(TUS) says “I FEEL AT HOME”.   The onus is now on the mumineen of the U.K. to further increase their josh for tafadi

You are an active member in the jamaat.   Can you share with us some of your personal experiences of what it used to be like in England when you first settled there and what the situation of the mumineen is today? 

When Syedna Taher Saifuddin ^(RA) visited Mombasa I went for qadambosi and asked for raza to come to England for further studies.   He looked at me and asked “Namaaz parse, roza karse, Bawaji ne kagaz likhse?”   I have never forgotten this and these irshadat have stayed with me throughout my life.  

In 1963, when I first arrived in England, mumineen lived only to acquire worldly education.   Many did not understand the meaning of deen in the real sense or the privilege of being born a mumin.   Today with the nazarat of Aqa Maula ^(TUS) the majority lead a life with some purpose, understanding and are proud to be identified as Dawoodi Bohra.  They are living with one purpose only: to acquire deeni and duniyani sa‘adat.   More and more mumineen are becoming business minded, without compromising the values and traditions of our forefathers.    The barakaat of Maulana Husain’s (SA) maatam is visible in the way we lead our lives achieving the best of east and west.     LONG LIVE SYEDNA MOHAMMED BURHANUDDIN ^(TUS).  

My most important memories are of Aqa Maulas’s visits to Leicester…   Maula has been to our humble abode seventeen times out of which twice he resided there with Busaheba.   Maula has bestowed so much that the words “pani mangu ane dudh pilayu” would explain it all.   In the early days, I was fortunate enough to be very close to Muqaddas Sayyedi Yusuf Bhaisaheb Najmuddin Saheb who played a big part in guiding me. He used to say to me “Ibrahim lead a good life, travel, drive a Rolls Royce but never forget khidmat of daawat.”   It was Syyedi Saheb’s and Shehzada Qaid Johar Bhaisaheb’s guidance together with all the Shehzada of Aqa Maula ^(TUS) that has led me through my path of life till today. It is only my adna khidmat of Dai and dawat that has given me and my family prosperity and a sense of satisfaction.