Salamun Alaykum wr wb

Concerning the ongoing dispute among the Shia  community  in Mumbai regarding the Zainabia  (Baber Ali) Imambargah:

1. This Imambara is well known in Bombay (Mumbai) as Baber Ali Imambara. It was built more than hundred years ago as an Imambara with rooms for travellers. In the said Imambara Majilises and Azadari were conducted regularly.

2. It was registered in the name of an Iranian family until it reached into the hands of a person by the name of Mr. Ali Namazi, who wanted to sell it off in the beginning of 1980s.

3.In order to save and protect the said Imambara, it was decided by Imaan Foundation to take over the said property from Mr. Ali Namazi.  With this aim in 1983 we paid  a huge amount of money to Mr Ali Namazi just to save the Imambara. It was then registered in the name of Imaan Foundation.

4. The building of the Imambara was very old and dilapidated and would have collapsed at anytime unless rebuilt/re-constructed. Potentially  it could have jeopardized the lives of many Momineen residing in the said building. However we could not rebuild it because there were many rooms on the upper floor of the Imambara under let.

5. We had an agreement with Mr Akhtar Rizvi, a builder, to re-build the said Imambara at his own expense. He wanted the Imambara to be transferred to his Trust, The Zainabia Trust, and  promised to pay us all our expenses in saving the Imambara. It was clearly agreed that the activities conducted in the said Imambara should continue for all times after it had been re-built.

6. Mr. Rizvi re-built the Imambara and changed its name from Baber Ali Imambara to Zainabia.

7. However he did not pay us till today the amount which we paid to save the Imambara.

8. My name has been put as one of the trustees of Zainabia Trust, but since the last twenty five years till today, I was never informed about any meetings or accounts or any matter regarding The Zainabia Trust ( Baber Ali Imambara). I did not see any document nor sign on any paper regarding the Imambara since the last 25 years.

9. I had been informed a few years ago by Momineen that there  was talk between Mr Akhtar Rizvi and some Bohras about shifting the said Imambara to another location. However I was never informed by Mr. Akhtar Rizvi about the same and there was no consent from me in this regard in any manner whatsoever. Therefore i have never been a party to the same.

10. I have declared from the pulpit in Moghul Masjid and Khoja Masjid many times that it is not allowed in Islam to shift any Imambara including this particular  Imambara from its location.

11. I have previously written the above (10) in an email replying to a question in this regard.

12. I am bound to follow the Islamic rule which says that it is not permissible to shift any Imambara from its place. This rule has been confirmed by the Marja' of Taqleed.

Wassalam 
Mohammad Al-Musawi

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