Ontario mosque inaugurated by spiritual leader

Children anxiously await the arrival of Syeda Mufaddal Saifuddin, the religious head and spiritual leader of the Dawoodi Bohra Muslim community, at a mosque in Ontario, Ca, on Thursday, March 12, 2015. (Staff Photo by Sarah Alvarado/ San Bernardino Sun)
Children anxiously await the arrival of Syeda Mufaddal Saifuddin, the religious head and spiritual leader of the Dawoodi Bohra Muslim community, at a mosque in Ontario, Ca, on Thursday, March 12, 2015. (Staff Photo by Sarah Alvarado/ San Bernardino Sun)

Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, religious head and spiritual leader of the Dawoodi Bohra Muslim community, came to Ontario on Thursday evening to inaugurate the new mosque at 1027 E. Philadelphia St. The Dawoodi Bohra community is a sect of Shiite Islam with more than one million members worldwide.

The mosque draws believers from throughout the Inland Empire.

“This was a momentous occasion for us, we’ve been waiting for many years for him to come,” said Taher Bandukwala, 51, from Corona who is a leader in the local community. “There was so much anticipation and the excitement was just amazing, especially for the new generation, it’s very important for them to connect to their roots.”

Ontario mosque inaugurated by spiritual leader (Inland Valley Daily Bulletin)