The door opened, a man emerged and a crowd of 2,000 people erupted into thunderous cheers, their excitement tangible.
The man was Syedna Aali Qadr Mufaddal Saifuddin, the 53rd leader of the Dawoodi Bohra, a sub-sect of Shia Islam, and he traveled from India to Palo Alto on Saturday evening to officially bless the city’s first-ever freestanding mosque.
High priest travels to bless new Palo Alto mosque (Palo Alto Online)