Syed Hassan Naqvi was born in 1955 in Moshi, Tanzania, a town situated in the lower slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro. He is the first son of Marhoom Maulana Syed Ansar Hussein Naqvi, one of the first missionaries to come to East Africa from Lucknow, India to serve in the region.

In 1960 he migrated with his family to Lamu, Kenya’s oldest living town in Lamu Island where he started his preliminary education. He recalls how his late father instilled in him the spirit of serving when he used to ask him to pick up the fallen autumn leaves and place them in the bin to keep the mosque area tidy.

In 1964 at the age of 9 he moved to Dodoma, Tanzania when his late father was posted there, he completed his secondary education and started a job and worked in various places unti1 1980 when he started a restaurant business. He traded in various businesses thereafter from automotive spare parts, sundry items to import and export.

While in Dodoma he lived in the compound of the mosque and learnt the spirit of serving the local community. He fondly remembers cleaning the “Hawz” a small pool where worshippers washed their feet before entering the Masjid, swept the floors of the mosque, opened and closed the doors for the worshippers, headed the volunteers team in serving Nyaz, organising Juloos, recited Quran,dua, marthiya, nawha for the congregation.


“Let’s make a difference”

He believes these seemingly insignificant services have had a major impact in building his personality and character and inculcating the spirit of service in him, and it is that very feeling of pleasure in serving the community for the sake of Allah SWT that is a driving force behind his desire to continue serving. He says it is these little services that have taught him the importance of unity, brotherhood, love and care for the members of the community in particular and humanity at large.

During his domicile in Dodoma he served as a President of Dodoma Jamaat. He was part of Africa Federation delegation in 1988 World Federation Triennial conference in London. Syed Hassan has played an active role in tabligh activities to the indigenous population in the region. He organised various events of tabligh in Dodoma and hosted various dignitaries to these events, amongst them the then President of Tanzania His Excellency Ali Hassan Mwinyi, the prime minister, the ambassador of Iran to Tanzania Seyyid Lawasani to name but a few.

His visit to United Kingdom coincided with the preparations for the silver jubilee grand celebrations of Birmingham Jamaat, where amongst other events was the opening of Seyeda Zainab AS building. His passion to serve led him to offer his services to volunteer. He feels immensely honoured for all the opportunities in the cause of Ahlulbayt and prays to Allah SWT for more such chances. He firmly believes such opportunities to serve are but a gift from these holy personalities.
In 1998 he was appointed to the post of Hon. Secretary of Birmingham Jamaat in United Kingdom and served the position for 2 terms. In his capacity as Hon Secretary, he organised and hosted the visit of Prince Charles to the centre to demonstrate the organisational structure of the local community, and conveyed the message of peace and law abiding nature of the Khoja community.

He is married to Rehana daughter of Rajabali Amersi Alibhai, and has 4 children Ishrat, Zahra, Maitham and Zainul Abideen
Syed Hassan has two brothers Seyed Mohamed Naqvi and Syed Ali Naqvi all three famously known as “Naqvi Brothers” and also known for their tremendous services in the field of tabligh.

Syed Hassan Naqvi also organises spiritual trips of Hajj and Ziyarat every year since 2001 and his group Karavan – Hujjat is very well known to the community. Due to his trips to Ziyarat he has on every occasion met with Ayatullah Seyyid Ali Al Hussaini Al Sistani, Ayatullah Hafiz Bashir Najafi and other maraaj’i and is well known to their offices.

Syed Hassan has travelled the world extensively and has excellent connection with the grass root members of the community he understands and feels the pulse on daily basis due to his dealings with them and feels he can certainly represent them at the world level.

He now runs a successful logistics and transportation company in Dar es Salaam Tanzania and manages his operations between Tanzania and United Kingdom, he frequently travels between these two countries and feels he can spend significant time in the offices of WF in London.

An extract from his interview with Federation Samachar :
“I am here to serve my dear Community and take it forward to great heights so that our children and grand children reap the benefits of our vision and so lead a fruitful and successful life, while maintaining a strong and unflinching bond to the cord of Islam. The progress of any community is highly dependent upon the active participation and contributions of its members, active involvement strengthens the bond, shapes the vision and keeps the focus, and when desired results are achieved gives a collective satisfaction to one and all. Passive and lethargic attitude demonstrate lack of interest or disenchantment and attract undesirable results. My humble message to the community is to actively get involved for survival, protection and preservation of the culture and ethos of this wonderful community. I have made my decision; I offer my all to the community and urge you to come forward and join me in making a difference”

An Extract from his website launch message:
“Collective participation and active involvement is critical for positive development, advancement and evolution of our community. Together we are strong, together we are powerful, together we can make a difference, and together we will see the difference.”