by Yusuf M Adamjee, member of the Saifee Scouts Group and Saifee Band
There is a universal saying that music is food for soul and is therefore necessary as part of our life. While providing entertainment, it livens up a social function. It is this criteria that led to the formation of our community band section called The Saifee Band, named after the 51st Dai al-Mutlaq Syedna Taher Saifuddin Saheb (AQ), initially in 1961 by a Mr Bharmal. The Saifee Band is under the umbrella of the Saifee Scouts Group 3rd Mombasa and all its members are also members of the Scouts group.
The first impression given by this band was during the historic visit to East Africa of Syedna Taher Saifuddin Saheb (AQ) in 1962. It was during this visit that the band really showed itself by performing in various community functions as well as participating in processions and playing marching band. At this time the band-master was Mr Asger Kamruddin and the band membership numbered to about twenty.
The band was again in the limelight during the historic visit in 1968 of the 52nd Dai al-Mutlaq Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin Saheb (TUS) his first visit to Kenya after becoming the 52nd Dai. The Saifee Band was present in every function performed by Syedna Burhanuddin Saheb, entertaining the mumineen who were equally overjoyed with the deedar mubarak of their Dai. In one such unforgettable function, the Saifee Band led in a procession where Aqa Moula was present and riding in an open car. the procession started from Saifee Masjid to Burhani Masjid a distance of approximately 3 kms. This was a very memorable event for those members who took part in the procession and they still chrish the memories of this very special visit of Aqa Moula to Mombasa and one of the members was Mr Zulfiqar Jivanjee then a very young boy in Cub section who in the future was going to become the new band master.
In 1976 Mr Asgerali Kamruddin retired and stepped down from his position as band master - and at a very young age of nineteen, Mr Zulfiqar Jivanjee was appointed the new band master. Due to some internal squabbling and financial constraints, the Saifee Band got closed down for a year. The following year, in a meeting called by the then Group Scout Leader, Late Mohammedali Master, Mr Zulfiqar Jivanjee was re-appointed as the band master and he started this new Saifee Band with an initial membership of 10 members only. In the following years he went on recruiting new members till the membership grew to 30 members which included scouts from the Cub, Junior and Rover sections of the Scouts Group.
Saifee Band played in the presence of Aqa Moula during his visit to Kenya in 1980. They performed khidmat by playing in various ziyafats held in Mombasa and with the doa mubarak of Aqa Moula, the band grew stronger and stronger. In the 1984 visit of Aqa Moula, when he performed Ashara in Nairobi, the band were priviledged to extend their boundaries as they played in Nairobi in various ziyafats and hence won admiration of many mumineen including foreigners who had come to Nairobi for Ashara. With all this publicity, the Saifee Band became the best community band in the whole of East Africa. All this was possible with the good leadership of Mr Zulfiqar and due to his strong commitment to take the band to greater heights. He bore the fruits of his hard work when Aqa Moula presented him with Mufsiyat in Mombasa during the Scout Group's ziyafat on a ferry in 1984.
In 1990, the Saifee Band took a big step as it changed itself from a full marching band to an orchestral band with the purchase of new musical instruments which included melodicas, a new set of orchestral drums, an accordion and two new keyboard players. New members were again recruited as previous members resigned while others went fot further studies - and most of them were young boys with vast talents and today they are the ones forming the present membership.
With all these new changes the band became more renowned for their exploits in the field of music and they really shone wherever the band played. Whether in ziyafats or in weddings, they left a very big impression and won the hearts of many community members. The real challenge for the new and young looking band came during Aqa Moula's 1993 and 1995 visits to Mombasa to perform the Asharas of 1414h and 1416h. There was not a single ziyafat in Mombasa that missed the music of Saifee Band and as such the band once again got the chance to perform the khidmat of Aqa Moula and all the members were showered with the barakaat and blessings as well as doa mubarak of Aqa Moula.
With the barakaat of the two Asharas performed in Mombasa, the band acuired a new sound and lightning system and bought a new drum set replacing the older ones as well as two new larger keyboard players. With all the doas and blessings of Aqa Moula (TUS) the band members in 1996 made a historic decision to perform band in the khushi of Aqa Moula during his Milaads held anywhere in the world.
In reaching a historic milestone, the Saifee Band for the first time in its history went to play their music beyond the borders of Kenya when in September 1996, they defied all the odds and went to Cairo, Egypt (Misr), to play band on the auspicious occasion of Aqa Moula's 85th Milaad. There they played band at Jamea al-Anwar on the day of Milaad in front of Aqa Moula and they won the hearts of all the mumineen who were present there. They were also invited to play in some ziyafats, and it was one of these ziyafats that Aqa Moula stood in full attention infront of the band while its members played the Kenyan National Anthem and Aqa Moula was very happy with their performance and showered on them doas and lots of brakaats.
The Saifee Band on reaching and playing in Misr in front of Aqa Moula established themselves as one of the best community band in the world and their popularity had grown very high. 1997 was no exception as the Saifee Band travelled all the way to Hong Kong to commemorate Aqa Moula's 86th Milaad and they got the chance to lead the procession on the day of Milaad. With such commitment and dedication to play band in the khushi of Aqa Moula, the band members on both Milaad got a chance of kadambosi and received Aqa Moula's doas and brakaat.
All the band members have come a long way in reaching where they are today. A recruit first undergoes a training in playing the flute. Once a recruit successfully passes the flute stage, he is given a melodica and hence becomes a full member of the Orchestra band. A mamber is given a chance to play keyboard when he premiers a new tune never played before in the band. Practices are held once a week at the Band Master's residence and new tunes as well as old numbers are practiced thoroughly to give out the best music as possible.
Today the band comprises of sixteen members. Four members have lft for further studies, two of whom to Houston, USA - and they have started a small band called Badri Band after having got their experience in playing for the Saifee Band.
With the blessing of Aqa Moula, today the Saifee Band has become a lot stronger and popular than ever before and combined with discipline, commitment and dedication to perform khidmat of Dai and secondly to entertain every member of the community in Mombasa, as well as anywhere they perform around the world as they try to establish themselves as the best community band in the world.