REMEMBERING THE FAMOUS SUFI OF MUMBAI – HAJI ALI

Culture Houses of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Mumbai and New Delhi in association with Sahyog Cultural Society organized a Seminar in remembrance of great Saints and Sufis of India. The Seminar was attended by the academics and scholars of India apart from Mr. Karim Najafi, Cultural Counselor of the Islamic Republic of Iran, New Delhi, H. E. Mr. Ali Mohammadi, Consul General and Mr. M. R. Mirzaei, Cultural Attache of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mumbai.

Mr. M. R. Mirzaei in his opening speech welcomed the delegates and guests and said that this is first Seminar of its kind. He described the teaching of the Indian saints and said that Haji Ali is glowing like a gem amid the hustle and bustle of Mumbai and people throng to his grave to seek divine intervention. 

H. E. Mr. Mohammadi in his speech said that during my tenure in Mumbai this is the first Seminar which is jointly being hosted by three organizations for tangible issues that everybody feel about and understand. Every tourist who visit Mumbai and even the residents of Mumbai ask questions about Haji Ali but nobody has any convincing reply. This Seminar can provide the replies to the unanswered questions to a certain extent.

Mr. Karim Najafi, while describing the life and time of the Indian Saints including Khwaja Moinuddin Christi, Khawaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiari, etc. quoted Jawahar Lal Nahru’s saying that Iranian Saints have left indelible impression on the Indian society.

Another scholar Mr. Nizamuddin Patel, retired IAS officer elaborated on the teaching of the Indian Saints and said that their names should be taken with respect.

Thereafter other speakers elaborated in their speeches about different Indian saints.

To sum up the Seminar, Mr. Abdus Samee Bubere gave the closing speech and regretted that the literary work of Hazrat Makhdoom Mahimi has not been preserved who have written more than 19 books.