Saifi Count is a non-profit organisation working towards the growth, development and welfare of Saifi Community. The community with a long history has a huge population of youths looking forward for opportunities in education and employment needs guidance and support. Responding to their needs, we at Saifi Count, have rolled out several initiatives to provide aid and direction. In our endeavour to help the community youths, we have come up with several programs that cater to their different needs. Our agenda includes: • Career guidance and counselling sessions • Documentation completion • State/Central Government schemes implementation • Education loan up to 10 lakhs • EWS admissions in private schools • Placement of Saifi youths • Business loan up to 5 lakhs The active members of Saifi Count roll out several events and awareness seminars to educate Saifi youths about the existing programs by state and central government regarding job and education. Along with making them aware, we also provide necessary help with documentation that makes them eligible to avail the program benefits. Saifi Count also helps EWS (economically weaker section) to get benefitted from various government programs in education and employment.
This Muslim community of artificers who work on wood and iron is also known as ‘Deshwal’ for being of Indian origin. The community followed the custom of Gotra (equivalent to clan) and they were of same clan as Rajput, Jaat, Gurjar, Brahmin and Kshatriya. In the beginning of Saltanat Era, when people from these castes adopted Islam, then the skilled ones obtained dexterity in construction of buildings and weapons. From 11th to 16th century, weapon makers were equivalent to today’s nuclear scientists. Various social causes led these people to move to villages and find earnings through agriculture and craftsmanship.
In rural areas, people of this community were known as ironsmith, woodworker or mechanics. In cities and towns, they were known as ‘Ahangran’ (who makes articles from iron) and ‘Nazzaran’ (who makes articles from wood), and their colonies were also known by their profession. Socially forward and sensible people had also organised well-ordered, although unrecognised, colonies for them in areas such as Meerut, Gulab Bari, Moradabad, Hasanpur, Amroha, and Bulandshahr.
In 1930, Mr. Hafiz Azeem founded All India Mistri Conference in Syana town (now Tehsil) of Bulandshahr district and announced Mistri as the surname of his community. He also published a monthly magazine by the name of Mistri that was well-accepted among community for years. Hafiz Azeem was proficient in Urdu, Farsi and Sanskrit. He wrote almost 50 books including – Ved ka Bhed, etc.
In 1935, some resourceful people boycotted All India Conference by not accepting Mistri as surname and formed an organisation named ‘Mughal’ and started using it as their surname. People around Meerut area didn’t accept Mughal as their surname, instead started using Daoudi, Noohi, Hizazi, Azmi, Varsi, Siddiqui, etc. as surname.
In 1963-64, during his posting in Amroha, Dr. Mehruddin worked with Ahmed Raees Pahelwan to
unite the names. He organised meetings with revered people of the society and due to his efforts
Mistri, Mueenuddin, Ahmed, Raees, Nazmi, Baksh etc. joined hands with him and pledged to any
one name.
A meeting was held in Khureji, Delhi in 1965, but they couldn’t decide on any one name. Apart from
this, meetings were also organised in Naroli (Daadari) on 26.09.1973 and Secunderabad on
16.12.1973, but people couldn’t agree on one name.
The above Samiti got registered on 29th May, 1973 and Panchayat appointed Abdul Sachar as Sadar, Dr. Mehruddin as Secretary, Abdul Hameed as Treasurer, Kaale Khan as Auditor, and Roshal Ali as Accountant. This committee rolled out awareness campaigns in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.
On 12 January 1975, a big meeting was organised in Dadari and it was attended by J. Kiyamatulla,
Abdul Hafiz Rafiq Ahmed, Babu Hafiz, Babu Khan Daudi, Washir Ahmed Siddiqui, Shekh Washiruddin
Ahmed, Roshan Ali, Kabool Khan, and a lot of other influential people. In this meeting emphasis was
on Azmi, Siddiqui, Saifi, Hizazi, but Shekh Washiruddin (Delhi) emphasised on Warsi Surname. People
from Meerut said that residents from Meerut and nearing areas use Siddiqui as surname so it should
be Siddiqui.
On 2 February 1975, another meeting was organised with the same motto in Muradabad, but
nothing was concluded. In Meerut, a meeting was hosted by Abdul Hafiz on 8 February 1975 where
some people objected on Sadiq and suggested ‘Rahmani’ as surname. Another meeting was held in
Delhi on 30 March 1973 where Warsi was selected and proposed ‘Anzuman-e-Warisam’. Daudi and
Noohi organised a meeting on 31 March 1975 in Bulandshaher and proposed Hashmi surname.
Later it was decided that all the proposals will be send to Amroha.
On 6 April 1975, all the proposals of decided surnames were proposed by Mr. Suleman Sabir Sahab
in front of Maulana Farkalit and ‘Saifi’ was finally selected.
As suggested by Maulana Farkalit, an organisation named Akhil Bharatiya Jamat-e-Saifiya was formed on 6 April 1975.
The organisation had following members:
Mr. Ghulam Zilani (Meerut) – President
Noor Ahmed (Delhi)
Dr. Z. Ahmed (Aligarh)
Wahid Saifi (Muzaffarnagar) – Vice President
Mukhtar Ahmed Vakeel (Muradabad) – General Secretary
Aftab Ahmed (Amroha) – Deputy Secretary
Abdul Wahab (Meerut)
Coordinators:
Hazi Naseeruddin (Aligarh)
Kiyatulla (Meerut)
M. Gaj Jafar (Muradabad)
Suleman Sabir (Delhi)
Master M. Yusuf (Bulandshaher)
Wahar Warni (Delhi)
Members:
M. Akhlaq
Ahmed Saeed Pahelwan
S.M. Iqbal
Noor Mohammad Penter
M. Ali
M. Ehsan
M. Rehman
Kareemuddin
M. Siddiq
Babu Haneef
Ali Hasan
Dr. Mehruddin
After the foundation of Akhil Bharatiya Jamat-e-Saifiya, Mr. Moji Khan (ACP, Delhi) documented important details of reputed personalities from Saifi Society. A directory was published with their names, addresses and contact numbers which helped a lot in finding information about each other. Mr. Moji Khan had collected the information from responsible people posted in different regions. Information was collated from Md. Harim Ali (Judiciary Service), Md. Akhtar (Policeman), Alisher, and Hazi Allahnoor. It was published on 1 August 1988.
During emergency, due to inactivity of Akhil Bharatiya Jamat-e-Saifiya, Saifi Society was in the urgent
need of an organisation. Therefore, Mr. Moji Khan founded Saifi Welfare Education Society with
following officers:
Moji Khan – President
Aji Mulla Khan – Secretory
Shekh Amanatulla – Treasurer
Suleman Sabir – Vice President
Noor Mohammad – Joint Secretary
Members:
Md. Akhtar, Khurshid Alam, M. N. Haameed, Md. Ilias, Shamim Ahmed Saifi, Ali Sher Saifi
In 1991, Saifi Welfare Society published Saifi Khabarnama, a monthly magazine, which had a wider circulation. It was available on 80 railway stations of India. Later, it was discontinued due to a lack of funding.
Shamim Saifi parted ways from Akhil Bharatiya Jamat-e-Saifiya and founded Saifi Welfare
Association Delhi with his supported including Jaan Mohammad, Ali Sher Saifi, and Zameel Ahmed. A
monthly magazine Saifi Ujala and a yearly magazine Saifi Guide was published by Ali Hasan
Chamanwala and Master Ali Sher respectively. While Saifi Guide is being published regularly, Saifi
Ujala has been discontinued.
Choudhary Abdul Satar, Hazi Iqbal, Zameel Ahmed, Shamsher Khan, Zamaluddin and Master Ali Sher
joined this association along with engineer Sameem Saifi.
On 1 November 19–, officers and members of SWAD proposed to form Saifi House. Registration was
done in Ghonda on 15 April 1988.
First Saifi Day was organised on 06 April 1993 in Ghonda.
Saifi Guide was published in 1996 by Ali Hasan Chamanwala.
With the efforts of Shameem Saifi Engineer, SWAD got recognition on National Level. Other officers of the Association were Hazi Iqbal, Chand Mohammad, etc. Members were awarded for significant contribution to the association.
Master Ali Saifi Ghonda founded Seerat Educational and Welfare Association (SEWA) in 2006. Mr. Mundu Khan Jiyala was appointed President whereas Ali Sher was appointed Secretary. The association worked a lot towards the welfare of society.
In 2016, Mr. Umar Saifi organised a meeting with the responsible people of Saifi Society such as Mr. Ilias Saifi, Saleem Sahab, Zafar, Khalid Khureji, and Master Ali Sher and proposed All India Saifi Council. On 6 April 2016, the council celebrated its first Saifi Day in Pyare Lal Bhawan in the presence of all the respectable members of Saifi community. The meeting was a huge success. The Council is working day and night towards welfare of the Saifi Community.
Suhail Saifi, Director of Sofia Educational and Welfare Society (NGO Sofia), founded an organisation named Saifi Count and united youths of the society. The organisation works towards social welfare.