Infallibility (ismat) is bestowed only upon the Dai al Mutlaq; no other position below him is infallible. Therefore, it is possible that even the Mazoon or the Mukasir may commit errors that can lead to action, or even worse, renounce the faith altogether and turn dissident, as happened in the time of the 29th Dai, Syedna Abdut taiyeb Zakiuddin (RA). Syedna Abdut taiyeb Zakiuddin (RA) appointed Ali bin Ibrahim, the grandson of his predecessor, Syedna Shaikh Adam Safiuddin (RA), second to him in position. However, two years later, Ali bin Ibrahim betrayed his faith and made false claims of being the successor of Syedna Safiuddin (RA).
Syedi Najam Khan, the son of the 33rd Dai, Syedna Feerkhan Shujauddin (RA), was the Mazoon of Syedna Ismail Badruddin (RA). Syedna Badruddin took away his position as Mazoon when Syedi Najam Khan disclosed secret affairs of Dawat not intended to be revealed. Not only did Syedi Najam Khan accept Syedna’s verdict, he even offered gratitude to Syedna for having retained him as a mumin.
No one can appoint a Dai but the Dai preceding him. The appointment of a successor is an indication of the truthfulness of the preceding Dai: as a Dai cannot die without appointing his successor. Thus the presence of Dai al zaman, – the current Dai validates the nass of all the Doat before him right up to the first Dai, Syedna Zoeb bin Musa (RA). Syedna Zoeb was the first Dai who was appointed by Maulatena Hurrat al Maleka (RA) by the instructions of Imam Taiyyeb, the 21st Imam, who went into seclusion.
Once, the 47th Dai, Syedna AbdulQadir Najmuddin (RA), was travelling in a ship towards Mandvi when a storm threatened to capsize the ship. People aboard feared death, when one of the hudood accompanying Syedna (RA) calmed them saying that it was impossible for the ship to sink as Syedna (RA) had not yet appointed his successor, and he could not die without doing so.
A Dai can never die without appointing his mansoos. Our Aqa and Maula, the 52nd Dai al Mutlaq, with the ilhaam of the Imam appointed his son Syedna Aali Qadr Mufaddal Saifuddin (TUS) as his successor by performing nass on him in the precincts of Raudat Tahera in 2011. Thousands of mumineen were witness to the historic event and hundreds of thousands more saw the recording of the event in their hometowns. A fortnight before this public declaration, Maulana Burhanuddin (RA) had already performed nass on him in the presence of three Shehzadas, one Shehzadi and Dr. Moiz bhai saheb and his son, AbdulQadir B.S. in a hospital in London. Shehzada Ammar bhai saheb, one of the witnesses of that nass, revealed that Aqa Maula (TUS) spoke clearly and loudly and named Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin (TUS) three times and then, after confirming from each witness that he had heard properly, instructed them to inform mumineen the world over about this nass.
Around six years before that, Aqa Maula (RA), had confided to two of his Shehzadas: Shehzada Al Qaid Johar B.S. and Shehzada Malik ul Ashtar B.S. that Syedna Mufaddal was his successor and had pledged them to secrecy.
Years before that in 1967, within three years of his ascension to the throne of Dawat, Syedna Burhanuddin (TUS) confided to three trustworthy mumineen: Miyasaheb Ibrahim Moinuddin Al Yamani, Sh. Abdulhusain Tambawala and Sh. AbdulHusain Ibrahim Shipchandler (Syedna (RA) himself added “AbdulQadir” to the name of Sh. Abdulhusain name. Abdulqadir is the name of the latter’s grandfather) that Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin (TUS) was his successor. This invaluable document of nass bearing the names of these three witnesses and the signature of Syedna Burhanuddin (RA) is present as an irrefutable proof of nass.
May Allah grace Syedna Aali Qadr Mufaddal Saifuddin with long life and may we mumineen continue seeing the noor of the Doat Mutlaqeen in his radiant countenance.
