NEW DELHI: Syed Shaban Bukhari, the son of the incumbent Shahi Imam (royal cleric) of the historic Jama Masjid in Delhi will be anointed as Syed Ahmed Bukhari's successor on Sunday. According to the office of the Jama Masjid, the Dastarbandi (investiture) ceremony will be held in the iconic mosque with noted Islamic scholars and intellectuals from states in attendance.
Shaban (29), a graduate in social work from Amity University, Noida, has passed two certificate programmes in Islamic studies-- ‘Alim’ and ‘Fazil’—from a madrasa in Delhi. He will be the youngest Imam of the 17th century mosque, which was built by Mughal emperor Shahjahan in the 1650s.
Ahmed Bukhari said that Sunday’s event will just be a religious ceremony with limited attendance of ‘Ulema-e-Deen’ (Islamic scholars). Invites are being sent to dignitaries including top government functionaries, diplomats and eminent residents of the national capital for the formal dinner scheduled on February 27.
“The process to designate the next Imam was initiated two years ago. There is a procedure to propose names and for approval thereafter. This is first discussed in the family and then Ulema-e-Deen are intimated. Subsequently, the management committee deliberates over the name and accords its approval. The anointment of Shaban was cleared six months and the date for the ceremony was decided by us,” said Ahmed Bukhari.
Ahmed Bukhari, the 13th Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, will continue to be head cleric until he decides to pass on the responsibility to Shaban. Shahjahan appointed his ancestor Abdul Ghafoor Shah Bukhari, who had come from Bukhara in Uzbekistan, as the first Imam of the mosque in 1656. Syed Ahmed Bukhari, the 13th Imam, took over reins in October 2000.
Shaban was designated as naib (deputy) Shahi Imam in November 2014. The declaration stoked a controversy as an invitation was extended to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for the anointment ceremony. The decision was also challenged in the Delhi High Court through three public interest litigations (PILs).
On the anointment of an Imam to lead prayers at Jama Masjid during Mughal rule, Ahmed Bukhari said that the announcement was made by the emperor.
“The incumbent Imam would inform the king about his inability to continue because of his health or other reasons; the king decides to designate a new Imam from the family. A ceremony was held at Jama Masjid and Khilat (ceremonial robe), dastar (customary headgear) and Hadiya (gifts) were sent by the royalty,” added Bukhari.