About the Mehdavia Community of Sydney
Who the Mehdavia are, how this community came to be, and the volunteers who run it.
A community, not just a congregation
Mehdavia Community of Sydney Incorporated (MCSI) is the Mehdavia — also written Mahdavia — Muslim community of Sydney, based at a musallah in Auburn, New South Wales.
We exist for a simple reason: Mehdavi families who move to Australia arrive in a country where their community is small and scattered. Without somewhere to pray together, teach their children and mark the year’s gatherings, a tradition six centuries old can quietly thin out in a single generation.
MCSI is the answer to that. We hold all five daily prayers in congregation, gather weekly for Ijtema, run a Deeni Academy for our children, observe the Mehdavia calendar together, and look after members who are going through hardship.
Our stated aim, in the community’s own words: let’s build a strong Mehdavia community for the future generation, In’Sha’Allah.
Photo — the Auburn musallahExterior or interior — replace this placeholder
From a hired hall to a registered community
Eighteen years, told through the gatherings that made it happen.
- 2008
The first gathering
About sixty people came together at Harry Todd Band Hall for Dugana Lailatul Qadr, led by Hz Maulana Hazrat Syed Mohammed Sarfaraz Mehdi Miyan. Those who organised it described it as “a stepping stone towards a united community.”
- 2009
A second Ramadan
The community gathered again for Ramadan, this time under the leadership of Afzal-Ul-Ulema Hzt Syed Ashraf Roohi Khundmiri Miyan Qibla.
- 2010–2015
Years of borrowed rooms
Attendance grew steadily. Taraveeh prayers and Ramadan gatherings were held at South Parade in Auburn and later Chisholm Road — wherever space could be found.
- 2016
Weekly Ijtema begins
Sunday Ijtema started on Clarke Street, Berala. For the first time the community met every week rather than only during Ramadan.
- 2019
Registered in New South Wales
On 19 April 2019 Mehdavia Community of Sydney was formally registered with Fair Trading NSW, making it a recognised incorporated association able to hold property, run programs and plan for succession.
- 2020
A musallah of our own
The community opened its own musallah in February 2020. COVID-19 forced a temporary closure within weeks, but it reopened before Ramadan that same year.
- 2021
250 at Dugana Lailatul Qadr
Attendance reached 250 — more than four times the sixty who gathered in 2008.
- 2025
600 years of Imamuna Mehdi AS
The community marked the 600th Jalsa-e-Seerat-e-Imamuna Mehdi Alaihis Salam across 8–9 November 2025.
Photo — early gatheringsArchive photographs from 2008–2016
Have photographs from the early years?
If your family has pictures from the gatherings at Harry Todd Band Hall, South Parade, Chisholm Road or Clarke Street, the committee would like to preserve them. Send them to us.
What the Mehdavia believe
Mehdavis are Muslims who follow the Qur’an and Sunnah and observe the five pillars of Islam. What distinguishes the community is the acceptance of Hazrat Syed Muhammad Jaunpuri as the promised Imam Mehdi Alaihis Salam, and the emphasis placed on a set of practices he taught.
Zikr-e-Ilahi
Constant remembrance of Allah — the practice from which our motto comes: jahan kahin bhi raho, Allah ki yaad mein raho.
Tark-e-Dunya
Detachment from worldliness — holding possessions and status lightly rather than letting them take the place of faith.
Tawakkul
Reliance on Allah for provision, paired with the honest effort a person is obliged to make.
Uzlat-az-Khalq
Withdrawal from distraction — making deliberate space for worship in an over-full life.
Life in a Daira
Living communally rather than individually. The daira is why MCSI is organised as a community with welfare obligations, not simply a place to pray.
Transmission
Teaching the next generation deliberately, which is the reason the Deeni Academy exists.
Want to understand more?
Our Deeni Library holds reference material on Mehdavia teachings, and the Religious Committee is glad to answer questions in person — get in touch.
The committee
MCSI has no paid staff. Every role below is filled by a volunteer who does it around a job and a family.
- PresidentJanab Tabish Noor Sahab
- SecretaryJanab Syed Shahabuddin Sahab
- Vice President — Religious CommitteeJanab Syed Rahil Ateeq Mahdavi Sahab
- Vice President — Religious CommitteeJanab Syed Munawar Mujthedi Sahab
- Vice President — Welfare CommitteeJanab Syed Omer Mehdi (Tadish) Sahab
- Core ExecutiveJanab Syed Jalal Mehdi Sahab
- Core ExecutiveJanab Danish Noor Sahab
- Core ExecutiveJanab Syed Mohammed Bakhtiyar Javeed Sahab
- Core ExecutiveJanab Younus Sahab
- Core ExecutiveJanab Abdul Wahab Mahdavi Sahab
- Admin TeamDilawer Syed
Treasurer
The Treasurer position is listed on the current site without a name. Please confirm who holds this role so it can be published here — a named Treasurer materially improves trust for anyone considering a donation.
How MCSI is run and funded
MCSI is an incorporated association registered with Fair Trading NSW since 19 April 2019. It is governed by an elected committee and answerable to its members.
- All positions are voluntary — no salaries are paid from community funds.
- Income comes from member contributions and donations, not government grants.
- Expenses are dominated by musallah rent, utilities, Deeni Academy materials and welfare support.
- Budget and expenditure are reported to members at general meetings.
Budget & expenses summary
The current site has a Budget and Expenses page. Publishing a short annual summary here — income, major expense categories, and what donations funded — is one of the strongest trust signals a community organisation can offer. Please supply the latest figures and this section will be built out into a proper table.
About MCSI — frequently asked
What does “Mehdavia” mean?
Mehdavia (also spelled Mahdavia or Mahdavi) refers to the community that accepts Hazrat Syed Muhammad Jaunpuri (1443–1505 CE) as the promised Imam Mehdi Alaihis Salam. Mehdavis are Muslims who observe the Qur’an and Sunnah and the five pillars of Islam, with a particular emphasis on constant remembrance of Allah, detachment from worldliness, and living as a community rather than as isolated individuals.
Is MCSI a registered organisation?
Yes. Mehdavia Community of Sydney Incorporated was registered with Fair Trading NSW on 19 April 2019 as an incorporated association. It is run by an elected volunteer committee and reports its finances to members.
When did MCSI start?
The community traces its beginning to 2008, when roughly sixty people gathered at Harry Todd Band Hall for Dugana Lailatul Qadr. Formal incorporation followed in 2019 and the Auburn musallah opened in February 2020.
Do I need to be Mehdavi to attend?
No. Our gatherings and daily prayers are open to all Muslims, and visitors of any background who wish to learn about the community are welcome. Please contact the committee if you would like to arrange a visit or ask questions about Mehdavia beliefs.
How can I see MCSI’s finances?
Budget and expense reporting is presented to members at general meetings and summarised in the monthly community newsletter. Members can request further detail from the Treasurer by emailing the committee.