I am a follower of Dawoodi Bohra and believe in Syedna`s guidance. I just have a simple question to ask and will hope that the answer will be provided in the guidance of Quran and Sunnah. As a strong follower of Quran and Sunnah, you claim that whoever follows the leader of Dawoodi Bohra (Syedna) are misguided and will be punished by the Allah. I agree that I don`t know much Quran, and can`t challange you, but syedna, I hope you would agree that himself is "Hafiz-Ul-Quran and understand the Quran completely with all meanings and translations. If he (Syenda) leads us to the wrong path then obviously he is also taking himself to the wrong path as well. If we (followers) leading ourselves to the wrong path, then he (Syenda) as a leader, ofcourse is leading himself to the wrong path also. Why would Syedna do that with all the knowledge of Quran and Sunnah?
Answer:
Why Syedna leads astray when he has knowledge?
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
My dear and beloved brother in the deen of Islam, you have asked me a question which had bothered and stopped me from accepting the Truth of the Glorious Quran when I saw it, for many many years! Allah-o-Akbar! Allah Subhanah is indeed Great! Allah Subhanah is indeed Great! Allah Subhanah is indeed Great!
Today, through your question, Allah Subhanah has offered me the chance to answer this question, which might be a determent for many a Bohra brethren from accepting the Truth, in print. May Allah Subhanah bless you with the best of this world and the Hereafter for asking this very important question; and may Allah Subhanah give me the strength, courage, and wisdom to write in print what I know is the Truth in my heart and soul.
Your Question: Why would Syedna do that with all the knowledge of Quran and Sunnah?
When I started reading the Glorious Quran with understanding in my youth, I must have asked this question to myself a million times! Everything I would read from the Quran anything which was against my Bohra beliefs of shirk, I would ask myself: “Why would one, who seems so pious, who has so much knowledge, who has memorized every word of the Glorious Quran, who is so pure in his crisp white clothes, who knows everything there is to know from the Quran, the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws), the Sunnah of the noble Ahle-Bayt, and the History of Islam, and one who is responsible for himself, his family, and a million followers ….why would one like him say and do something which is directly and openly against the Guidance and Teachings of Allah Subhanaha wa Taala???”
Of course, by the time I had read the whole Quran with understanding for the first time, I was left with only two options:
Believe unconditionally in whatever is declared so clearly and openly by Allah Subhanah, the Creator, Lord, and Sustainer of the Heavens and the earth in His Book of Guidance to all mankind: the Al-Quran, or,
Believe in the sayings and promises of the supreme leader of the Bohra sect!
….simply because what Allah Subhanah was declaring in the Glorious Quran was at the absolute other end of what I had learnt from the Bohra school of thought!
The Quran was guiding me to submit unconditionally to only Allah Subhanah and His Messenger (saws); the Bohras were guiding me to submit unconditionally to the Syedna!
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imran verse 31-32:O Prophet, tell the people, “If you sincerely love Allah, follow me. Then Allah will love you and forgive you your sins, for He is All Forgiving, All Merciful.” Also say to them, “Obey Allah and His Messenger.” And if, in spite of this, they do not accept your invitation, warn them that Allah does not love those, who refuse to obey Him and His Messenger.
The Quran was guiding me to invoke and worship Allah Subhanah Alone, and associate absolutely nothing with Him; the Bohras were asking me to invoke the hundreds of deceased and buried pious slaves and ‘auliyaas’ of Allah from the History of Islam!
llah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumur verse 2-3:So worship Allah Alone, making your religion His exclusively. Beware! Religion is the Exclusive Right of Allah. As for those who have taken other ‘auliyas’ (guardians) with Allah (and justify their this conduct by saying): “We serve them only that they may bring us closer to Allah.” Allah will surely judge between them concerning all that in which they differ. Allah does not show guidance to any liar and denier of the Truth.
The Quran was guiding me to read, understand, comprehend and ponder over the Verses of the Glorious Quran; the Bohras were asking me never ever to try to understand the Quran, as it was not for fools like us and could only be understood by the ‘raza-na-sahibs’!
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 18 Surah Kahf verse 1-3:All praise is for Allah Alone, Who has sent down this Book to His Servant (Mohamed (saws), and assigned nothing crooked to it. This Book says everything directly, so that he may warn the people of the severe chastisement of Allah and give good news to the believers, who do righteous deeds, that they will have an excellent reward.
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 16 Surah Nahl verse 89:We have sent down to you this Book, which makes everything plain, and is a guidance, blessing and good news to those who have surrendered themselves entirely.
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 44 Surah Dukhan verse 58:We have made this Book easy in your own tongue so that they may ponder and take good counsel.
The Quran was guiding me to do deeds to seek the Pleasure and Good Will of Allah Subhanah Alone; the Bohras were asking me to do deeds to seek the pleasure and good will of the Ahle-Bayt, the Imaams, and the Dais, etc.
The Quran was guiding me to seek the help of Allah Subhanah by calling upon Him directly; the Bohras were asking me to seek the intercession of the deceased Messengers of Allah, the noble Ahle-Bayt, the noble Imams, and the Dais, etc.
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 186:And if My servants ask you, O Prophet, concerning Me, tell them that I am quite near to them. I hear and answer the prayer of the suppliant, when he calls on Me. So let them respond to My call and believe in Me. (Convey this to them), perhaps they may be guided aright!
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 10 Surah Yunus verse 18:These people serve beside Allah those which can neither harm nor benefit them, and say, “These are our ‘shofa’a’ (intercessors) with Allah!” (O Mohammed), tell them, “Do you wish to inform Allah of that thing which He knows not in the heavens, or in the earth?” He is absolutely free from, and exalted above the shirk that they commit.
The Quran was guiding me to fear Allah Subhanah Alone and the Inevitable Day of Judgement; the Bohras were asking me to fear the displeasure of the Syedna!
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 21 Surah Anbiyaa verses 49-50:
49 Those who fear their Lord in their most secret thoughts, and who hold the Hour (of Judgment) in Awe.
50 And this is a blessed Message which We have sent down: will ye then reject it?
The Quran was guiding me towards belief in Allah Subhanah and the Accounting of the Last Day, and to do righteous good deeds in accordance with the Quran and Sunnah; the Bohras were asking me to believe in the Syedna and do the rites and rituals of wailing, matam, and remembrance of the noble and pious martyrs of Karbala!
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 11 Surah Hud verses 101-103:
101 It was not We that wronged them: they wronged their own souls: the deities other than Allah whom they invoked profited them no whit when there issued the Decree of thy Lord: nor did they add aught (to their lot) but perdition!
102 Such is the chastisement of thy Lord when He chastises communities in the midst of their wrong: grievous indeed, and severe is His chastisement.
103 In that is a Sign for those who fear the Penalty of the Hereafter: that is a Day for which mankind will be gathered together: that will be a Day of Testimony.
The Quran was guiding me to believe that it is Allah Subhanah Alone Who will be the Sovereign King and Master of the Day of Judgement; the Bohras were asking me to trust the tears of Hadrat Fatima (r.a.), and Hadrat Ali (r.a.), who would have complete influence over Allah’s Decisions on the Day of Judgement!
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 1 Surah Fateha verses 2-4:
2 Praise be to Allah the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds.
3 Most Gracious Most Merciful.
4 Master of the Day of Judgment.
The Quran was guiding me that the ‘pivot’ of the deen was the guidance and teachings of Allah and His Messenger (saws); the Bohras were asking me to follow the example of the Syedna, the Bhaisahebs, the aamils, etc.
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imran verse 31-32:O Prophet, tell the people, “If you sincerely love Allah, follow me. Then Allah will love you and forgive you your sins, for He is All Forgiving, All Merciful.” Also say to them, “Obey Allah and His Messenger.” And if, in spite of this, they do not accept your invitation, warn them that Allah does not love those, who refuse to obey Him and His Messenger.
The Quran was guiding me to the Universal Brotherhood of Al-Islam; the Bohras were asking me to believe in the caste system and superiority of the Shahzaadahs, and the Qasre-Aalis, and the Bhaisahebs, and the Aamils, and the Sheikhs, and the Mullahs, and what not!
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 49 Surah Hujuraat verse 10:The believers are but a single Brotherhood: So make peace and reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers: And fear Allah that ye may receive Mercy.
The Quran was guiding me to bow down in complete submission and humility, and do sajdah to none but Allah Subhanah Alone; the Bohras were asking me to prostrate and do sajdah to the Syedna, the graves of his ancestors, and every shrine and tomb they had made over the pious slaves of Allah Subhanah!
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 41 Surah Fusselat verse 37:Do not do ‘sajdah’ to the sun and the moon, but do ‘sajdah’ to that Allah, Who Created them, if you really are indeed His worshippers.
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 22 Surah Hajj verse 77:O you who believe, do ‘rukoo’ and ‘sajdah’ to Allah Alone, worship Allah Alone, and do righteous deeds. It may be that you attain true success.
The Quran was guiding me to submit to the Will of Allah Subhanah Alone; the Bohras were asking me to submit to the will of a human being!
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumur verse 2-3:So worship Allah Alone, making your religion His exclusively. Beware! Religion is the exclusive Right of Allah. As for those who have taken other ‘auliyas’ (guardians) with Allah (and justify their this conduct by saying): “We serve them only that they may bring us closer to Allah.” Allah will surely judge between them concerning all that in which they differ. Allah does not show guidance to any liar and denier of the Truth.
The Quran was guiding me to believe and do righteous deeds, and maybe in His Sublime and Infinite Mercy, Allah might forgive me my sins and grant me a place in His Gardens of Bliss; the Syedna was guaranteeing me the Paradise of Allah if I invoked and worshipped and trusted Hadrat Ali (r.a.), Hadrat Fatema (r.a.), the noble Ahle-Bayt, and the hundreds if not thousands of people in their graves and shrines, and unconditionally obeyed the Syedna!
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 29 Surah Ankabut verse 7:Those who believe and work righteous deeds from them shall We blot out all evil (that may be) in them, and We shall reward them according to the best of their deeds.
The Quran was guiding me to become a humble slave-servant of Allah Subhanah Alone (Abd-Allah); but the Bohras were asking me to become a slave-servant of the Syedna (abd-e-syedna)!
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 29 Surah Ankabut verse 56:O My slave-servants, who believe! Truly spacious is My Earth: therefore serve ye Me (and Me Alone)!
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumar verse 10:Say: "O ye My slave-servants who believe! Fear your Lord: good is (the reward) for those who do good in this world. Spacious is Allah's earth! Those who patiently persevere will truly receive a reward without measure!"
My option was very clear: Believe in the Words and Promises of the Supreme Lord of the Worlds, or believe in the words and promises of some human being. It was nothing but the Grace and Mercy of the Merciful Lord, Who guided me to choose the Quran over heresay; the Divine Words of Guidance over the stories of a mere human being; the Truth over the falsehood; the Promises of Allah over the promises of man!
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah An-Nisa verse 122:The promise of Allah is true, and who can be truer in his word than Allah?
Its been seventeen years to the day I made my decision to choose the Quran over heresay; and I thank my Merciful Lord and Creator every day for having Mercy on me and guiding me to the Truth; for if He did not have Mercy on me, and not guided me to the Truth of the Quran and Sunnah, I would definitely have been utterly and absolutely ruined!
But I could not figure out the question that you have asked me again today: “Why would Syedna do that with all the knowledge of the Quran and Sunnah?”
Please click below to read the complete answer
Wister