The Duat Mutlaqeen

Who Is the Dai al-Mutlaq?

The Dai al-Mutlaq (دَاعِي الْمُطْلَق — the Unrestricted Caller) is the representative of the Fatimid Imam during the period of seclusion (satr). When the Imam is in seclusion — as the 21st Imam Imam Tayyib (AS) entered in 524 AH — he appoints a Dai to lead the community, preserve the dawat (the call), and serve as the living link between the believers and the Imam.

The Dai does not claim to be an Imam; he is the Imam’s deputy and representative. His authority is mutlaq — absolute within the sphere of the dawat — because the Imam is inaccessible. He teaches, guides, leads prayer, appoints ranks in the dawat hierarchy, and passes authority to the next Dai before his death.

The Dawoodi Bohra community (al-dawat al-hadiya) follows the line of Duat Mutlaqeen that began in Yemen and continued through India.

The Line of Duat Mutlaqeen

The Duat Mutlaqeen are numbered consecutively. There have been 52 Duat to date, spanning nearly five centuries. Each Dai passed the authority (nass) to his successor.

Origins in Yemen (1st–23rd Dais, 524–946 AH)

The dawat was established in Yemen under the Tayyibi Ismaili tradition. The first Dais led from Yemen, preserving the esoteric teaching (batin) and the structure of the dawat through periods of adversity under Sunni rule.

1st Dai: Syedna Zoeb ibn Musa (RA) — established the Yemeni line (524 AH)
The early Yemeni Dais maintained the dawat in secret (da’wat al-satr) under the Zurayid and later Ayyubid rulers

Transfer to Gujarat, India (23rd Dai onward, 946 AH)

As Yemen became increasingly difficult, the dawat center shifted to India, specifically to Gujarat, where a substantial Ismaili-Bohra community had been established by missionaries from Yemen.

23rd Dai: Syedna Muhammad ibn Ismail ibn Hatim (RA) — first Dai to reside primarily in India
The city of Ahmedabad became a center of the dawat for many generations
Later, Surat became the principal seat of the Dais

Notable Duat in Indian History

Syedna Jalal ibn Hasan (RA) — 30th Dai — known for his deep learning and marsiya poetry in Arabic and Lisan ud-Dawat.

Syedna Qutubkhan Qutubuddin (RA) — 32nd Dai — ruled during a particularly difficult period of Mughal pressure; known for scholarship and diplomatic wisdom.

Syedna Hebatallah al-Moayyad (RA) — 39th Dai — the dawat passed through periods of significant legal challenge in India during the 19th century.

The Modern Era

51st Dai: Syedna Taher Saifuddin (RA) (1915–1965)

One of the most prolific scholars and poets in the history of the dawat. He was born in 1888 (1307 AH) and led the community for 50 years. His legacy includes:

Thousands of Arabic and Lisan ud-Dawat verses in praise of the Ahl al-Bayt
Major legal victories defending the community’s rights in the Bombay High Court and the Privy Council
Extensive construction of masjids, mausoleum architecture, and community infrastructure
Founding of the Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah academy for religious learning
The community’s first international travel gathering for Ashara Mubaraka

52nd Dai: Syedna Burhanuddin (RA) (1965–2014)

Born in 1915, led the community for nearly 50 years. Under his leadership:

The community expanded globally with significant Bohra populations in North America, East Africa, the UK, and the Gulf
Major architectural projects including the restoration of the Fatimid Mosque in Cairo (al-Jame al-Anwar) and others across the Islamic world
Ashara Mubaraka became an internationally attended event with the Dai traveling to cities across the world
The dawat’s educational and social institutions expanded significantly

53rd Dai: Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin (TUS) (2014–present)

The current and 53rd Dai, who received the nass (appointment of succession) from his predecessor. He continues the leadership of the global Dawoodi Bohra community.

The Dai’s Roles

The Dai al-Mutlaq holds several functions simultaneously:

Religious authority: He is the highest living religious authority in the community. His rulings on matters of fiqh (jurisprudence) govern the community’s practice.

Da’wat (Calling): He calls believers to the faith, maintains the chain of apostolic authority from the Prophet through the Imams to the present.

Tawil (Inner interpretation): He is custodian of the esoteric interpretation of the Quran and the haqa’iq (spiritual realities), which are shared with qualified members of the community in a hierarchical manner.

Guardian of the community: He oversees education, social welfare, the physical infrastructure of masjids, the celebration of religious occasions, and the unity of the community.

Wakil of the Imam: He stands in the Imam’s place during the seclusion. The believer’s relationship with the living Dai is understood as the means of connection to the hidden Imam, and through the Imam, to Allah.

The Concept of Satra (Seclusion)

The 21st Imam, Imam al-Tayyib (AS), the son of Imam al-Amir bi-Ahkamillah (AS), went into seclusion in approximately 524 AH (1130 CE) — shortly after his father’s death. According to the tradition, he is in ghayba (occultation) and will return (raj’at) at the end of times.

The period from 524 AH to the present is called the satr — the period of concealment. The entire purpose of the Duat Mutlaqeen is to maintain the dawat through this period, so that when the Imam returns, he will find his community intact, learned, and devoted.

The Urs — Remembrance of the Dais

The anniversary of each Dai’s passing (wafat) is called his Urs (عُرْس — a term of spiritual reunion). Bohras observe Urs dates with gatherings, recitation, and remembrance of the Dai’s life and teaching.

Major Urs celebrations are those of the 51st and 52nd Dais, held globally. The dargahs (shrines) of the Dais — located primarily in Surat (Raudat Tahera, where the 51st and 52nd Dais are buried) and across Gujarat and Yemen — are sites of ziyarat.

The Mazaraat section of this app includes information on the dargahs of the Duat in Surat and Navsari.

The Duat Mutlaqeen — Guardians of the Dawat