Missionary Muhammad Murad Ali Juma, known as Bapu, a term of respect for an elderly man; was born in Bombay in 1878. His mother expired when he was hardly a year old. His father did not marry a second time for the sake of his son.
Nothing is known of his formal education. It however infers from his literary output that he must have acquired higher education. He was in the service of Imam Aga Ali Shah during his small age with his father. His father frequently took him on hunting excursions of the Imam. One day he took the rifle of the Imam and knocked its trigger accidentally, resulting his all ten fingers blown up.
He loved songs and himself was a good singer, and also played harmonium with songs. He won the hearts of multitudes with the virtue of his sweet and polite tongue. He was very cool-minded, soft by nature with a high moral character. None had ever heard him shouting or talking aloud. He was very simple in attire and food. He loved having people over for meals. He would pick up any friend or person from another town, and take him to his house for lunch or dinner.
He joined the Recreation Club Institute as a regular missionary and served the jamat for about 50 years. His attractive eloquence in preaching would move many listeners to tears. He also visited all parts of India, East Africa and Burma. During his African visit, he had a privilege to perform the first hoisting ceremony of the Ismaili Flag in Kindu Bay Jamatkhana on May 25, 1934. He rendered his valuable services to the Ismailia Association, which started the training of the volunteer waezeens in 1950. He was also the Principle of the Mission Centre in Bombay. The Imam invested him the title of Alijah in appreciation of his inestimable services.
He was also a trenchant writer and compiled many useful books. He also wrote many articles for different periodicals.
He was generous, unsparing, humane and charitable to the destitute and infirm. There are so many examples of his philanthropy. One day he was on a tour of waez when an old woman approached, asking him to help her in the wedding of her daughter. She needed some money, which he could not afford. He however did not frustrated her and removed the gold chain around his neck and gave her.
His health shattered for few days before the shadows of death closed upon him. He expired in Bombay on February 4, 1966 after bridging a long span of 88 years. The Imam paid glorious and well-deserved tribute in following message on February 14, 1966 through President Ghulam Ali S. Morani of Ismailia Association for India that: -
I have received your letter of 11th February, and was much grieved to hear of the sad demise of missionary Mohamed Muradali Bapu.
I send my most affectionate paternal maternal loving blessings for the soul of late missionary Mohamed, and I pray that his soul may rest in eternal peace. Late missionary Mohamed's long devoted services to my jamats of India will always be remembered.
Kindly convey my most affectionate loving blessings to the family of late missionary Mohamed for courage and fortitude in their great loss.
I grieve greatly the loss of one of my most devoted spiritual children. His services were above reproach and he was a Candle of Light and example to my jamats. He has my deepest and most loving thoughts and blessings.
Missionary Alijah Muhammad Murad Ali Juma left behind a widow, Rehmatbai. He had three sons, Ramzan, Jaffer and Shamsuddin and a daughter, called Taj Bibi who married to the famous Missionary Abu Aly A. Aziz.
His wife Huzur Mukhiani Rehmatbai extended her full cooperation in the mission of Missionary Muhammad Murad Ali. She also served for several years in the Ladies Volunteer Corps in Darkhana, Bombay as a member, Secretary and the member of the Managing Committee. In appreciation of her meritorious services, she was invested the title of Huzur Mukhiani. She was an active, sincere and zealous worker, and died on Friday, October 4, 1968 at the age of 80 years.