2 min readSuratSep 22, 2026 08:24 AM ISTHis Holiness Dawoodi Bohra global religious leader.The University of Kufa in Iraq conferred an honorary doctorate on His Holiness Dawoodi Bohra global religious leader, 53rd al Dai al-Mutlaq Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, in Surat, for contributions to academic excellence, cultural preservation, social welfare, etc.Surat city is bustling with Ganesh Utsav celebrations; and at the same time, a large number of members of the Dawoodi Bohra community from across the country have been assembling here daily for the past few days to attend spiritual speeches and prayers led by their religious leader, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin. A large number of people from the Dawoodi Bohra community were seen walking through the walled city to reach Zampa Bazaar to attend prayers at the mosque.A distinguished Iraqi delegation, led by Prof Dr Hayder Abed Dhahad, Senior Undersecretary of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and Prof Dr Alaa Naji Almawla, President of the University of Kufa, conferred the degree upon Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin at a ceremony held in Surat on Monday.“The Diamond City of Surat serves as a fitting venue to honour His Holiness,” said Prof Dr Haider Abed Dhahad. “As his ancestral home and the principal seat of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah, which for centuries has stood as the premier educational hub of the Dawoodi Bohra community, Surat embodies a rich legacy of scholarly excellence. Conferring this honorary doctorate here underscores our shared dedication to knowledge, culture and humanitarian values.”© The Indian Express Pvt LtdStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:IraqAdvertisementLoading Recommendations...Sep 22: Latest News01Tea stall owner killed, 11 injured as SUV ‘runs into’ pilgrims, pedestrians in Gujarat, crowd sets vehicle ablaze02Chess Olympiad: Nihal blunders from a winning position, takes India down with him03Chess Olympiad: With 5 wins in 5 games, Savitha Shri emerges as backbone of women’s team04How ‘kaata wash’ helps preserve the delicate Dhakai jamdani sari05‘India not lowering themselves by playing Japan’: Head coach Dhugal BedingfieldAdvertisementAdvertisement