Yusuf Najmuddin

Not to be confused with Yusuf Najmuddin I.

Syedna Yusuf Najmuddin Bin Syedna Zakiuddin (Arabic: يوسف نجم الدين‎) (died on 18 Jumadil Akhir 1213 AH/27 November 1798 AD, Surat, India) was the 42nd Da'i al-Mutlaq (Absolute Missionary) of the Dawoodi Bohra sect of Musta‘lī Islam. He succeeded the 41st Da'i Abduttayyeb Zakiuddin Bin Badruddin, to the religious post.

Mazar e Saifee, Surat, Najmuddin's final resting place.

Family and Early Life

He was born in Jamnagar in 1764 AD and was tutored by his father Syedna Abduttayyeb Zakiuddin Bin Badruddin. His mother was Ratan Aai Saheba binte Syedi Khan Bhaisaheb. He had three brothers: Syedna Abde Ali Saifuddin, Syedi Sheikh Adam Safiyuddin and Syedi Abdul Qadir Hakimuddin.

He married Manak Aai Saheba, daughter of Shaikh Mitha bhai bin Shaikh Adam Safiyuddin bin Syedna Nooruddin. By this marriage, Syedna Yusuf had two daughters, Zainab Baisaheba and Hawwa Baisaheba.

Accession

Syedna Yusuf Najmuddin became Da'i al-Mutlaq in 1200 AH at the age of 23. His period of Dawat was from 1200-1213 AH (1787-1799 AD). In 1204 AH, he visited Ahmedabad and initiated restoration of graves and mausoleums of previous Dais. In 1207 AH, he visited Dongam, where he erected a mausoleum of Syedi Nuruddin. On route to Surat, he briefly stayed in Pune during the tenure of Peshwa Madhavrao II.

During his time in office, the Dawat office shifted from Burhanpur to Surat.

Death

Syedna Yusuf died at the age of 36. He was the seventh Dai from the lineage of Maula Raja bin Maula Ali of the Bharmal clan. His grave is located in Qubba Najmiya in Surat.

Further reading

• Daftary, Farhad, The Ismaili, Their History and Doctrine (Chapter -Mustalian Ismailism- p. 300-310)
• Lathan, Young, Religion, Learning and Science
• Bacharach, Joseph W. Meri, Medieval Islamic Civilisation

Preceded by Abduttayyeb Zakiuddin Bin Badruddin

42nd Dā'ī al-Mutlaq 1200-1213 AH (1787-1799 AD)

Succeeded by Abde Ali Saifuddin