Abdullah Bukhari

Abdullah Bukhari
Shahi Imam
Jama Masjid, Delhi
In office
8 July 1973 – 14 October 2000
Preceded byHameed Bukhari
Succeeded byAhmed Bukhari
Personal details
Born1922
DiedJuly 8, 2009 at age 87
New Delhi, India
NationalityIndian
OccupationShahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Delhi

Abdullah Bukhari (Sayyid ʿAbdu l-Lāh Buxārī; 1922–2009) was the 12th Shahi Imam of the Jama Masjid, Delhi.[1][2][3][4]

Early life and career[edit]

He was born in Rajasthan and completed his Senior Cambridge from New Delhi and was appointed Naib-Shahi Imam in 1946. He was appointed to the office of the Shahi Imam on Sunday, 8 July 1973 AD after the Eleventh Shahi Imam Maulana Syed Hameed Bukhari.[1][5]

Association with politics[edit]

India's Prime minister Morarji Desai offered to him the position of Vice President of India after he won the 1977 elections defeating Indira Gandhi.[6] "He was one of the strong voices that opposed the Emergency in 1975. He protested against the targeting of Muslims when they were asked to undergo 'nasbandi' (vasectomy)."[1]

Death[edit]

Syed Abdullah Bukhari was hospitalized with breathing difficulties, as well as heart and kidney issues, on 9 June 2009. He died a month later, on 8 July, of a heart attack and was buried the same day in the family burial ground in the Walled city of Delhi. He was survived by four sons and two daughters. His son, Ahmed Bukhari, is the current Shahi Imam of the Jama Masjid.[7][8]

The Hindu said "He is believed to have risked his life to rescue Muslims from rioters following Partition and made arrangements for their relief and rehabilitation. He also encouraged them to remain in the country."[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Profile and obituary of Syed Abdullah Bukhari in The Hindu newspaper
  2. ^ Ex-Shahi Imam of Delhi Jama Masjid dies at 87 on Dawn newspaper
  3. ^ "Abdullah Bukhari, the legend of JAMA Masjid, is dead". 8 July 2009.
  4. ^ "Shahi Imam Abdullah Bukhari passes away". 8 July 2009.
  5. ^ "Jama Masjid". Archived from the original on 2011-11-17. Retrieved 2013-06-20.
  6. ^ "The Rediff Interview/Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari". rediff.com website.
  7. ^ "Abdullah Bukhari, 87, dead". 9 July 2009.
  8. ^ Smith, R. V. (27 April 2014). "Imams of Delhi's royal mosque". The Hindu.


Religious titles
Preceded by
Hameed Bukhari
Shahi Imam
Jama Masjid, Delhi

8 July 1973 – 14 October 2000
Succeeded by