Annual congregation of Dawoodi Bohra Community in Sri Lanka

Colombo (News 1^st): Ashara Mubaraka, the most significant annual congregation of the Dawoodi Bohra Community. is currently being held in Colombo. The Ashara sermons has been held in Colombo five times in the past, in 1970, 1991, 1999, 2007 and 2008, however, this is the first time His Holiness Dr Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin will be conducting it in Sri Lanka. Thousands of Bohra community members have arrived in the country to participate in the ‘Ashara Mubaraka’. The sermon has drawn 21,000 religious visitors from 40 countries including South East Asia, Australia, Middle East, East Africa, Europe, The USA and Canada. Dr Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, the spiritual leader of the international Dawoodi Bohra community, along with thousands of devout Muslims from around the world, gather every year for a 10-day long period in remembrance of the Prophet Mohammed SAW and his Ahle Bayt AS (family and kin), specifically his grandson Imam Husain b. Ali AS who was martyred along with his family members and companions in Karbala. The global convention this year, is being held at the Husaini Masjid in Colombo 4 (Bambalapitiya). This year’s Ashara Mubaraka will amplify the theme of Zero Waste across all activities undertaken in order to make this year’s congregation a success. The Sermon done by the Spiritual Leader Syedna will be conducted in the Husaini Masjid in Bambalapitiya, which accommodates over 15,000 members, meanwhile, for the rest of the devotees preparation have been made in three more centres, which are able to accommodate over 6,000 people, which will project the live telecast of the sermon from the Husaini Masjid.

Preparations in Colombo

Although Dawoodi Bohra centres across the world will host this event locally for members in their cities, the gathering led by His Holiness, which varies from city to city each year, will attract thousands of community members. In Colombo this year, about 21,000 guests have attended the event from over 40 different countries. Hotels and apartments in and around the Bambalapitiya area where the central Huseini Masjid is located are completely booked. Community members in Colombo have opened their homes to foreign guests, many of whom they’ve never met before. Bus companies have been hired to ferry attendees from different parts of the city. Over the course of the nine days, hundreds of thousands of meals will be served. More than 300-500 seasoned volunteers, known as the Nazafat from around the world are also working with the local volunteers to ensure smooth flow of people in the central masjid complex, sermon and dining centres.