Ahmad Bukhari

April 26: From floating “Adam Sena” to issuing an appeal to Muslims to consider voting for Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Ahmad Bukhari has come a long way.

The appeal by the shahi imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid for a softer stand on the BJP needs to be seen in the context of bitter family feuds, succession row and property disputes — all happening behind the majestic walls of the masjid.

These factors — apart from political exigencies and “other considerations” — have heavily weighed on Ahmad for him to embark on the path that has evoked a bitter response from Muslims, sources said.

Ahmad’s father, an ailing former Imam Abdullah Bukhari, is helplessly watching the events unfold. He passed the baton to his eldest son on October 14, 2000, in a ceremony that smacked of a royal coronation, amid fireworks and “dastarbandi (tying of turban)”. But within minutes, family relations had soured as Bukhari’s second son, Yahya, laid claim to the post of naib (deputy).

Yahya said his brother had married twice and the male child from his second marriage was not suited to hold the coveted but ceremonial post, once held by Ahmad.

According to masjid insiders, Ahmad, under pressure from his second wife, is determined to name their young son his deputy, a move that has met with resistance from almost all quarters.

If it happens, it would be a departure from the Mughal tradition that envisages the eldest son of the presiding imam as his successor. Ahmad’s eldest son from his divorced wife — now studying at Darul Uloom, Deoband — is also vying for the job.

And Yahya, too, continues to be a claimant. As the tug of war has turned into a protracted battle, Yahya is demanding more and more.

Ahmad initially resisted, then offered him a hefty share in ancestral property; but Yahya was keen on a more active role inside Jama Masjid. Since then, Yahya’s rise has been phenomenal, often embarrassing the current and former shahi imams.

So this time, when BJP leaders began scouting for Muslim support, Yahya was an easy prospect. If some prominent community leaders are to be believed, Ahmad’s compulsion to please his brother played an important role in his move to support Vajpayee.

Ahmad — the 13th direct descendant of the first imam, Abdul Ghafoor Shah Bukhari — even explored the possibility of fielding Yahya from the prestigious Chandni Chowk constituency, where the Congress’ Kapil Sibal is locked in a direct contest with the BJP’s Smriti Irani aka Tulsi.

The shahi imam sounded out close associates and prominent residents from Urdu Bazar, Meena Bazar and Matia Mahal, but the response was far from satisfactory.

The Bukharis are very proud of their lineage. They say Emperor Shahjahan had invited Abdul Ghafoor from Bukhara in Central Asia for the job. His 12th descendant, Ahmad’s father Abdullah Bukhari, was anointed the shahi imam in 1973.

Some Old Delhi residents are critical of Ahmad, both on political and religious grounds. According to Hafiz Usmani of Matia Mahal, all the imams so far have been either Qari or Hafiz (religious degrees based on structured knowledge of the Quran); but the current shahi imam is neither Qari nor Hafiz.

He also has a knack of making news for all the wrong reasons. As Bukhari’s deputy in 1990-91, Ahmad had tried to raise “Adam Sena”, a militant volunteer-based organisation that did not take off but gave a handy excuse to those behind the rise of fringe groups such as the Bajrang Dal.

On several occasions, Delhi police registered cases, charging him with treason and sedition for his fiery speeches but somehow the charges were never pressed.

After the Gujarat carnage, Ahmad had virtually covered the walls of Jama Masjid with black flags, but these were removed as time passed.

He also jumped into the Kashmir problem, claiming to be the Centre’s interlocutor. Nobody took him seriously but his meetings with PMO officials became frequent, culminating in a statement of support now.