Succession claims continue in Bombay High Court for Bohri head's post

Taher Fakhruddin Saheb, son of the deceased original challenger to the post of Syedna, which is currently being held by the 53rd Dai Ul Mutlaq and Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, said, "Parents and siblings of my wife, have not given misaq (oath of allegiance) to me on my succeeding as the 54th Syedna and I don't know if they gave it to my father, late Khuzaima Qutbuddin."

Fakhruddin has been testifying in the declaratory suit filed by Qutbuddin before his demise, seeking to declare him as the 53rd Syedna.

On Tuesday, during the cross examination in the Bombay High Court, Fakhruddin replied to the question raised by counsel Iqbal Chagla, appearing for Mufaddal, by saying, "My father appointed me as the 54th Dai. When I succeeded him, I did take misaq from my siblings."

However, to another question he said, "His in-laws, who stay in the United States of America have not given him misaq."

Replying to a question on the way misaq is given, Fakhruddin said, "It is given by people on their own free will and also by the persons who believe in the faith."

Fakhruddin also said that his father (Qutbuddin) had over several occasions, spread over years, bestowed special knowledge and dawat secrets to him which were not disseminated in the many sermons given while his father was alive. He pressed that this knowledge was given so that he could serve the dawat sincerely and with devotion.

Qutbuddin, who passed away pending the trial, in the declaratory suit had claimed that the 52nd Dai Syedna Mohammed Burhanudin had conferred nass on him but told him to keep it secret until his death. However, the incumbent Syedna has claimed that he was conferred the nass by Burhanudin in London. Qutbuddin had publicly challenged the succession after the death of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddinm, the 52nd Syedna, on January 17, 2014. The deposition will continue on Wednesday.