Dawoodi Bohra
Encyclopedia
Dawoodi Bohra is a subsect of Ismāʿīlī
Shīʿa Islām
. While the Dawoodi Bohra is based in India
, their belief system originates in Yemen
, where it evolved from the Fatimid Caliphate and where they were persecuted due to their differences from mainstream Sunni Islam. This prompted the shift of Dawoodi Bohras to India.
After occultation of their 21st Imam Tayyib, they follows Dai as representative of Imam which are continued till date. The word Bohra itself comes from the Gujarati word vehwahar ( "trading"), while the term Dawoodi refers to their support for Dawood Bin Qutubshah in the 1592 Dai dispute which divided the Tayyibi sect, creating the Dawoodi Bohra.
They have a very small, tight-knit community made up of approximately one million adherents worldwide, with the majority of adherents residing in India
. There is also a large community in Karachi
, Sindh
. There is also a significant diaspora
population in the Middle East
, Europe
, North America
and the Far East
.
Dawoodi Bohras have a blend of cultures, including Yemeni, Egyptian, African, and Indian. In addition to the local languages, the Dawoodi Bohras have their own language called Lisānu l-Dā‘wat ("language of the Dā‘wat") which is written in Perso-Arabic script and is derived from Urdu
, Gujarati and Persian
. The Dawoodi Bohra community is known worldwide for their various projects, including philanthropic efforts, hospitals, schools, and renovations and restorations of Islamic and Shi'a Islamic landmarks.
The spiritual leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community is the Dāʿī l-Muṭlaq
( "Unrestricted Missionary"), currently Mohammed Burhanuddin
. The Dai serves as the earthly representative of the Imam
, currently believed to be occultation
.
A.S and her husband Ali
A.S. They believe that Muhammad
chose Ali as his successor while he was returning from his first and last Haj(year 632AD), when he stopped at Ghadir Khumm
. While raising Ali's hand in his, Mohammad declared: "For whoever I had been his moula (leader), now this Ali shall be his moula." This is regarded as proof of instituting Ali as his successor (wasi).
Dawoodi Bohra as Shi'a believe that after Muhammad, Ali had been the rightful wasi, Imam and khalifa, but the actual zahir
i ("literalist") caliphate was usurped by other successors, whom the Sunnis accept. However, during 656 to 661 CE, Ali served as the Caliph; the Imamate and Caliphate were united in this period. After Ali, his son Hasan ibn Ali
, the first Imam, struggled for the Caliphate, which resulted in a pact with the Umayyad caliph, Muawiyah I
to recognise Muawiyah as Caliph in order to avoid bloodshed, while Hasan retained the Imamate.
After Hasan, Husayn sacrificed himself, his family and companions in Karbala
but not agreed to abide Yazid
, son of Muawiyah. After the battle of Karbala, Husayn's body was buried near the site of his death. Dawoodi Bohra believe that Husain's head was buried first, in the courtyard of Yazid (the Umayyad Mosque
), then transferred from Damascus to Ashkelon
,
and then to Cairo
.
, are common accepted by all the Shi'a. Bohras count Hasan as the first Imam, whereas Nizari
Ismailis and Twelvers number Ali as the first. The followers of his son, Isma'il ibn Jafar, became Ismailis, from whom the Bohra descend. Some Shi'a sects such as the Twelvers believe that Musa al-Kadhim
was heir to Ja'far instead and that their line diverged at that point. After the death of the Jafar, the Abbasid Caliphate replaced the Ummayad Caliphate, and began to aggressively oppose the belief in the Imamate. Due to strong suppression by the Abbasids, the 7th Ismaili Imam, Muhammad ibn Ismail
, went into a period of Occultation. During this period his representative, the Dai, maintained the community.
The names of the 8th, 9th, and 10th Imams are considered by some traditions to be "hidden", and known only by their nicknames due to threats from the Abbasid caliphate. However the Dawoodi Bohra in their religious text, Taqqarub, claim to have the true names of all 21 imams in sequence including those "hidden" imams: 8th Imam Ahmad al-Wafi, 9th Imam Muhammad at-Taqi, and the 10th Imam, Rabi Abdullah
.
The 11th Imam, Abdullah al-Mahdi Billah
founded the Fatimid Caliphate in 909 CE in Ifriqiya
(present Tunisia), ending the Occultation. In Ismaili eyes this act again united the Imamate and the Caliphate in one person. The Fatimids then extended up to the central Maghreb (now Morocco, Algeria, Libya). They entered and conquered Egypt in 969 CE during the reign of the 14th Imam Al-Muizz Lideenillah, and made Cairo their capital. After the 18th Imam, Ma'ad al-Mustansir Billah, the Nizari sect believed that his son Nizar
was his successor, while another branch, to be known as the Mustaali (from whom the Dawoodi Bohra would eventually descend), supported his other son, al-Musta'li
. The Fatimid dynasty continued with al-Musta'li as both Imam and Caliph, and that joint position held until the 20th Imam, al-Amir bi-Ahkami l-Lah (1132CE).
as both the rightful Caliph and Imam. The al-Hafiz faction became the Hafizi
Ismailis, who were later eliminated during the rule of Saladin
. The supporters of Tayyeb became the Tayyibi Ismailis.
Tayyeb's claim to the imamate was endorsed by the Hurrat ul Maleka, Arwa al-Sulayhi
, the Queen of Yemen. Arwa was designated a hujja, the highest rank in the Yemeni Dawat
, by Al-Mustansir in 1084 CE, and was the first woman to hold that position. Under Queen Arwa, the Dai al-Balagh (intermediary between the Imam in Cairo and local(Yemeni and associate)headquarters) Lamak ibn Malik and then Dai Yahya ibn Lamak worked for the cause of the Fatimid.
Tayyibis (which include the modern Dawoodi Bohra) believe the second and current period of satr began after Imam Tayyeb went into occultation, and Queen Arwa created the office of the Dai-ul-Mutlaque to administer the community in the Imam's absence. Zoeb bin Moosa (d.546 AH/1151 AD) was the first Dai-ul-Mutlaq, and lived and died in Haus, Yemen. His ma'dhūn (assistant) was Khattab bin Hasan. The 3rd Dai Sayedna Hatim
(d. 1191 AD) was prominent among the Du'at of Yemen and wrote many books, both exoteric and esoteric in philosophy on the Ismaili faith.
-ul-Hind ("representative in India") and Moulai Ahmed were sent to Khambhat
, Gujarat, western India, and the Tayyibi community was established in Gujarat in the second half of the 11th century. Moulai Nuruddin (467 AH) was sent to Deccan. Per legend, while he was there two travellers from India went to the court of Imam Mustansir. They were so impressed that they converted and went back to preach. One of them was Rupnath, whose new name was Maulai Nuruddin; his dargah is at Don Gaon, Maharashtra.The another was Moulai Abadullah (formerly known as Baalam Nath).
Upon arriving in Khambhat, Abdullah came across a married couple named Kaka Akela and Kaki Akela. They became his first converts. A well on their farm had dried up, but Abdullah performed a miracle and the well filled with water. Amazed by this, the couple became the first to accept Fatimid Islam in India, and thus the earliest Bohra.
After the death of Maulai Abadullah, Dai Zoeb appointed Maulai Yaqoob as the second wali in India of the Fatimid dawat, the first such wali of Indian descent. He was son of Moulai Bharmal, minister of Rajput king Siddhraja Jaya Singha (Anhalwara, Patan) (487-527 AH/1094-1133 AD). The king sent his soldiers to get Abadullah, but they could not reach him as they saw a wall of fire created around him. The king himself went to Abadullah and was so impressed with his thoughts that he, along with his ministers Moulai Bharmal and Tarmal and their fellow citizens freely accepted Islam and the Imam. Moulai Fakhruddin, son of Tarmal was sent to western Rajasthan
, India for proselytizing. Fakhruddin was killed in Galiyakot, Rajasthan by aboriginal highwaymen (bhil
) while returning from Muharram
lectures on the martyrdom of Imam Husein.
In the generation of Moulai Yaqoob, Moulais Ishaq, Ali, and Hasan Fir continued one after another as Wali-ul-Hind. Hasan Fir Shaeed was the fifth wali in the era of 16th Dai Abadullah (d. 809AH/1406 AD) of Yemen.
). The last three wali were of great help in the era of the 21st to 24th Dai. It was during this time when the Dawat was transferred to India from Yemen, that the 23rd Dai-al-Mutlaq Mohammed Ezzuddin performed nass (transfer of authority) on Yusuf Najmuddin ibn Sulaiman of Sidhpur, Gujrat, India.
Due to persecution by the local Zaydi Shi'a ruler in Yemen, the 24th Dai, Yusuf Najmuddin bin Sulayman (d.1567 AD), shifted the whole administration of the Dawat (mission) to India but continued to live in Yemen and died there. The 25th Dai Jalal Shamshuddin (d.1567 AD) was first dai to die in India; his mausoleum is in Ahmedabad, India. Dai Jalal's tenure as Dai was very short, only a few months, but before that he was Wali-ul Hind (after Moulai Qasim) for about 20 years under 24th Dai Yusuf while the Dai was in Yemen.
Again in the period of the 29th Dai Abduttayyeb Zakiuddin, a small group of Aliya Bohra separated under Ali bin Ibrahim (1034 AH/1634 AD), the grandson of 28th Dai Sheikh Adam Safiyuddin. A further branch broke from the Dawoodi in 1754, with the Hebtiahs Bohra
splicing in a dispute following the death of the 39th Dai.
In the mid-20th century (1970–80), there was another, purely political, fragmentation, as a group of Bohra who stated that the 52nd Dai had overstepped his authority severed from the hierarchy to form the Progressive Dawoodi Bohra
.
rulers. The 32nd Dai Qutubuddin Shaheed was prosecuted and beheaded in 1648 AD under Aurangzeb
.
The 34th Dai Ismail Badruddin (son of Moulai Raj, 1657 AD onward) was the first Dai of Indian Gujrati origin. He shifted the Dawat from Ahmedabad to Jamnagar. During this period Dai also moved to Mandvi and later to Burhanpur. In the era of 42nd Dai Yusuf Najmuddin (1787 AD onward) the Dawat office shifted to Surat
. The educational institute Al-Daarus-Saifee (later renamed Al Jamea tus Saifiyah
) was built in that era by the 43rd Dai Abdeali Saifuddin, who has done extensive work in the literary field also. During the period of 51st Dai Taher Saifuddin
(1915-1965 AD), the Dawoodi Bohra Dawat shifted to Mumbai and continues there to the present day, currently headed by 52nd Dai Mohammad Burhanuddin.
, Michigan
in 1988. Immediately thereafter, the first Canadian masjid was inaugurated by Dr.Sayedna Mohammed Burhanuddin in Toronto
. Mohammed Burhanuddin inaugurated the Houston masjid in 1996, which is now being reconstructed into a larger masjid that is four times the original one.
In June 2001 Masjid-ul-Badri in Chicago was inaugurated. In July 2004 new mosques in New Jersey (Masjiduz-Zainy), Washington DC and Boston were inaugurated.
The following year, August 2005, the Dā‘ī l-Mutlaq inaugurated another new masjid in Fremont, California (metropolitan San Francisco) and was congratulated by various officials and dignitaries from local, state and federal US governments. President George W. Bush also sent a letter from the White House. On July 8, 2007, Mohammad Burhanuddin inaugurated a new masjid in Paris, France.
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall visited the Dawoodi Bohra Mosque in London in 2009, and their web page recognise the Bohra as a "community that has made a major contribution to British business and has patriotism at the heart of its faith".
Dawoodi Bohra believe that the education of women is equally important to that of men, per a hadith from Muhammad: "seeking of knowledge is obligatory for all Muslims, both male and female." Many Dawoodi Bohra women choose to enter the workforce. The founding of Al Jamea tus Saifiyah
, an Arabic Academy for Dawoodi Bohras in Surat
and Karachi
, is a sign of the importance of education in the Dawoodi Bohra community. The Academy's curriculum encompasses religious and secular education for both men and women.
As it is for other Shia Muslims, remembrance of the martyrdom of the Imam Husayn, in Karbala, Iraq, is an essential part of every Dawoodi Bohra community activity. Every year, the head of the Dawoodi Bohra community delivers religious discourses for ten days during Muharram, Ashara Mubaraka|‘Āshārā, culminating in the 10th day of Muharram, ‘Āshūrā
, and these are attended by a large number of community members. The martyrdom of Hussain is remembered with every prayer every day and all the attendees perform matam
(beatings of their chests); matam is especially practiced in the month of Moharram and, also in other Islamic months. One key difference to be noted is that Dawoodi Bohras practice matam using only their hands and their religious practice forbids the use of any implements in matam. This is in stark contrast to other Shia sects that often use knives, blades, and metal chains in their matam.
Imāms of North Africa - 10th to 12th Century CE - from Tunisia to Cairo, Egypt. Al-Quaed Johar
, commander of the Fatimid army under the guidance of Imam Moiz, founded the city of Cairo and built Al-Azhar Mosque. Imam Al-Aziz established the first al-Azhar University
in the world, dedicated to religious studies and other faculties including science, mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, and Islamic jurisprudence of the time. The Fatimid influence is also found in buildings and architecture created by Dawoodi Bohras around the world today, all of which mirror the architectural features of the mosques and buildings of Cairo.
Al Jamea tus Saifiyah
is an Islamic Arabic Academy in the heart of Surat, India and is a leading theological university for Dawoodi Bohras. It was founded in 1814 by the 43rd Dai Abdeali Saifuddin. In 1920, Taher Saifuddin
transformed this institution into a university that also promoted education for Bohra women. Under the present Dai, the university has seen a significant expansion and now has an International Baccalaureate Office (IBO). Students from all over the world are admitted here post-VII standard and are taught economics, politics, cultural tradition, philosophy and other subjects in English as well as Arabic.
52nd Dai His Holiness Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (T.U.S) undertook the complete renovation and restoration of the Masjid of Imām al-Hakīm in Cairo. The site was destroyed by Napoleon, who used is as a horse stable, and was a project UNESCO
had considered and initiated but abandoned, calling it "an impossible task". Some of the most important Fatimid-era mosques were also renovated by the Dai in Cairo as a tribute to the legacy of the Fatimid Imams, including, Masjid Luluwa, Jāmiʻ al-Aqmar
(built in 1125) and Jāmiʻ al-Juyūshī
in Cairo.
Mohammad Burhanuddin renovated the Masjid al-‘Azam in Kūfa
, Iraq
, a place of historical significance in both the Islamic and the Pre-Islamic era. The mosque is also particularly significant to the Shi'a as the place of martyrdom of Ali. Another significant contribution in Iraq is the renovation of the shrines of Husayn in Karbala
and that of ‘Alī in Najaf
.
In June 2005, the Dawoodi Bohra community built Saifee Hospital
in Mumbai
, India. The hospital is one of the most technologically advanced hospitals in the entire country, and was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India
, Dr. Manmohan Singh
on June 4, 2005. At the inauguration, the Dawoodi Bohra community was commended by the Prime Minister during a speech delivered by him. The hospital was built on the land donated by the well known philanthropist Sir Adamji Peerbhoy.
Dawoodi Bohra 52nd Dai Mohammad Burhanuddin has also been involved with several other notable projects of Shi'a Islam including:
Burhanuddin, who is known as Manṣūrul-Yaman, has turned his particular attention to his followers in Yemen. Under his reign, his followers in Yemen constructed the mausoleum of Sayedna Hatim
and a mosque in Hutaib Mubarak. He also undertook projects for providing water and electricity to the faiz(boarding and lodging facility for pilgrims) and town, and to make the roads to ziyarat
s in Yemen more accessible.
which is distinguished from other forms of the veil
due to it often being in color and decorated with patterns and lace. The rida additionally differs from the burqa in that the rida does not call for covering of women's faces like the traditional veil. It has a flap called the 'pardi' that usually hangs on the back like the hood of a jacket but it is not used to conceal the face.
Men and women are encouraged to follow dress codes which include not cutting beards and keeping the hair short. The dress code is supposed to be strictly followed for all social and religious occasions. Ladies' dress code (wearing 'Rida') is meant to be followed at all times when they leave the house to go to school, bazar or business and jobs. For the man dress code is not felt necessary for other places but to wear typical Bohra headgear('Topi') is encouraged.
Dawat: Walayah
(guardianship of the faith), Taharah (purity), Salah (prayer), Zakat
(tithing), Sawm
(fasting), Hajj
(pilgrimage to Mecca), and Jihad
(struggle).
Dawoodi Bohra believes Walaya(t)
as the most important of the seven pillars of Islam. It is the love and devotion for Allah, through their Dai, Imam, ‘Wasi’(Wali) Ali
and Nabi Muhammad
.
There is an incident famous amongst Bohra which confirm how they mean and weigh ‘walayat
’ principle. There was a ‘Farman’ (order) from 19th Dai Syedna Idris
to Wali-ul-Hind (6th) Moulai Adam that he has to follow a person named by "Sakka" (a very pious person but a ‘Bhisti’ (water carrier) by profession, who has accepted Fatemid Dawat but new to its tradition). Everyone was surprised but they did not have any doubt in their mind and prepared "Sakka" ready to perform namaz /prayer, and Moulai Adam along with his associate performed namaz under "Sakka" (Actually there was a second ‘farman’/order to be open after few hours of the first, cancelling the first one and appointing back, Moulai Adam as Wali).
It is further narrated that when Dai Syedna Idris
learnt that his orders had been accepted in this way, he was extremely pleased with 'Ikhlaas' (faith) and 'walayat' of the Indian Fatimid. Syedna Idris called all the ‘Hudud'(the noted pious personnel) of Yemen and told them about the incident and forecasted the possibility of relocating the Dawat to India.
Sawm
, Hajj
and Jihad
are believed as all other Islam but their Salah and Zakat
have some specific points as below.
Salat
(Prayer) as per tradition to be performed five time intervals specified as Fazr, Zohr, Ashr, Magrib and Ishah. Zohr and Ashr are having overlapping period , same is Magrib and Ishah. Hence they are combined together and Bohra perform these five Salat
in three intervals. Fazr in morning, Zohr & Ashr in afternoon, and Maghrib & Ishah in the evening, making convenient to perform.
Zakah is done during Month of Ramzaan. This is organized and collected by central authority Dawat–e-Hadiyah in such a fashion through each town head that no Bohra is left out.
The Dawoodi Bohra utilise the versions of the azaan (call to prayer) and shahada
common to other Mustaali
(may refer), which incorporate mention of Ali,described here also in short.
Mustaalis/Dawoodi Bohra recite the kalema thus:
This is right from Fatemi Imam’s era.In one of the Qiblah of Imam Mustansir of Fatemi era masjid of Qahira (Mosque of Ibn Tulun
) engraved his name and “kalema‐tut‐sahadat" as ‘La ‐ilah‐ ilal‐lah, Mohamad‐un‐ rasul‐al‐lah Ali –un‐ vali ‐ ul –lah’. The same Kalema exist at Gate Bab al-Nasr
built by minister Badr-al-Jamali at northern wall of Fatimid
Cairo(Photos placed right).
The third phrase “Ali-un- vali-ul-lah” ,means “Ali
is his(Mohammad’s) “Wali
" ,"vasi" , the real care taker, stressing the need that for continuation of faith there is requirement of “Wali
” , which is one and only “Imam after Imam ” ,which are really taking care of Islam, hence this is also known as the confession of "Imamat".
Kalema –tut-Shahadat make three Islamic teaching "Tauhid", "Nabuwat" and "Imamate" together. In this devotion to god, his Nabi Mohammad and Imam are so linked together that these can not be viewed separately. One leads to other and finally to God the "Allah" almighty.
Shia/Fatimid
/Ismaili
/Dawoodi bohra's thinking is exactly on same line. Their further downward delegation system explained above from down the Dai fulfill 'Imamate' principle.
/Ismaili
/Dawoodi Bohra Ashhadu ana Moulana Aliyan waliullah ("I testify that Ali
is the vicegerent of God ") is part of Azaan (but not of iqamah) and they recite it twice after third part of the Azaan.
namely 'Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan-rasūlu llāh'
They also recite"Muhammad
un -va- Ali
-un khayr-ul- bashar va itrat-o- homa khayr-ul-itar " (Mohammad and Ali are the greatest of all men and their descendants are the greatest of all progenies ) twice after 7th part "Hayya 'ala-khayril-amal". This is continued from the time of the Aimmat Fatimiyyeen (In the Iqama(h)t they recite 'Qad qamatis Salat" in place of this).
Also ’Hayya ala khairil amal’ which had been dropped from the Azaan since after Rasulullah, is prayed, loud and clear, according to Nabi's sunnat.
, Dawoodi Bohra strongly believe in the Imamate
principle (as do other Shi'a groups) of nass
as done by earlier Imams mentioned above, and think that the Imam need not be ruler, and he is only to safeguard divine authority of God the din from politics of the world (duniya, the "external World"). As evidence of the continuity of the Imamate, the Dawoodi cite the example of the 3rd Imam, Ali ibn Husayn, who was not killed by the army of Yezid in the Battle of Karbala, claiming that even Yezid could not kill the only surviving male of the Imamate line.
Similarly, the Dawoodi cite the miraculous survival of their 33rd Dai, Syedna Feerkhan Shujauddin
, who was arrested by a Mughul ruler Shah Jahan taken to Lahore, and imprisoned in a stable. When a fire broke out in the area, the stable was miraculously spared and the Dai survived. The Moghul ruler was impressed, and believed this was testament to the Dai's holy status, and released him and sent him to Ahmedabad with full honors.
Dawoodi Bohra believe that the office of Dai al-Mutlaq was instituted as the Imam was in occultation, and imamate principle is to be followed in his absence to hand over the imamate to Imam Tayyab’s heir who will again reappear as Imam. They cite as precedent the case of the 11th Imam Abdillah, who appeared 150 years after the death of the 6th Imam Ismail, while the intervening imams were "hidden".
This delegation system is structured so that in the absence of their Imam, the Dai guides the community on his behalf, and further appointed his nominee right up to grass root level. An amil (usually a graduate of the order's institution of higher learning, Al Jamea tus Saifiyah
) who leads a local congregation in religious, social, and communal affairs, is sent to each town where a sizable Dawoodi population exists all over the world. Even for a village with just a few Bohra families nominees can be appointed from amongst themselves also. This is to ensure that the Dai's message reaches each individual, and a direct link to God is established. Walayat reaches up to direct root level, an ordinary Bohra think his village representative as representative of his Dai and all figures above linking god. Each town normally have a mosque and an adjoining jamaatkhanah (assembly hall) where socio-religious functions are held. The local organizations which manage these properties and administer the social and religious activities of the local Bohras report directly to the central administration of the Da'i based in Bombay, called al-Dawah al-Hadiyah and close links are maintained for all Bohra all over the world. They feel world as organization of which god is chief and there is clear cut delegation direct upto last person of community. They feel that this help universal brotherhood amongst them, a same culture, same habits of living, togetherness for the cause of Islam and same time dedication to the land they live(may like to see a web article in reference list below '...being a dawoodi bohra') describing Bohra themselves.
. Following his occultation, the Dai has served as the imam's temporal representatives on earth; the current Dai is Mohammed Burhanuddin 52nd. Successive Imam is still present on the earth guiding the Dai spiritually and will resurface one day.
Dawoodi Bohras believe that the 21st Mustaali Imam, Taiyab abi al-Qasim, is a direct descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad
through his daughter Fatima Zahra. According to this belief, Ṭayyib Abī l-Qāṣim went into occultation
and established the office of the Dā‘ī l-Muṭlaq as the Imām's vicegerent
, with full authority to govern the believing community in all matters spiritual and temporal, as well as those of his assistants, the Ma'dhūn and Mukāsir . During the Imām's seclusion, a Dā‘ī l-Muṭlaq is appointed by his predecessor. The maʾḏūn and mukasir are in turn appointed by the Dā‘ī l-Muṭlaq. A fundamental belief held by the Dawoodi Bohra is that the presence of the secluded Imām is guaranteed by the presence of the Dāʿī l-Muṭlaq. Dr. Mohammed Burhanuddin
is the 52nd and current Dāʿī l-Muṭlaq, and has appointed Khuzaima Qutbuddin as his ma'dhūn and Husain Husamuddin as his mukāsir.
Ailing Dai Syedna Burhanuddin appointed his second son Syedi Mufaddal Saifuddin
as his successor in June, 2011 during his London stay.
, which they believe matches perfectly with the lunar cycle, not requiring any correction. In this calendar, the lunar year has 354 days. Their odd-numbered months have 30 days and the even-numbered months have 29 days, except in a leap year when the 12th and final month has 30 days. This is in contrast with other Muslim communities, which base the beginnings of specific Islamic months on sightings of the moon, with the naked eye, by religious authorities, which often result in differing opinions as to the occurrence of religiously significant dates, such as the start of Ramadan
.
Dawoodi Bohra claims that Imam and his representative are the true moon of Islam, and to see or follow him is same as of honoring or seeing the moon.
(5th Fatimid
Egypt calipha) religious tolerance was given lot of importance. One of the Vazir of Imam Aziz was Christian, and high office were held by both Shia and Sunnis. Imam Aziz
rebuilt the church of Mercurius near Fustat and encouraged public theological debate between Chief Qazi and Bishops in order that the ideas of their religions could merge. The Bishop's visit in England to Dawoodi Bohra religious place and mutual understanding between them gives the same message.
Ismaili
' is a branch of Shia Islam. It is the second largest branch of Shia Islam, after the Twelvers...
Shīʿa Islām
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. While the Dawoodi Bohra is based in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, their belief system originates in Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
, where it evolved from the Fatimid Caliphate and where they were persecuted due to their differences from mainstream Sunni Islam. This prompted the shift of Dawoodi Bohras to India.
After occultation of their 21st Imam Tayyib, they follows Dai as representative of Imam which are continued till date. The word Bohra itself comes from the Gujarati word vehwahar ( "trading"), while the term Dawoodi refers to their support for Dawood Bin Qutubshah in the 1592 Dai dispute which divided the Tayyibi sect, creating the Dawoodi Bohra.
They have a very small, tight-knit community made up of approximately one million adherents worldwide, with the majority of adherents residing in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. There is also a large community in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
. There is also a significant diaspora
Diaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
population in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
.
Dawoodi Bohras have a blend of cultures, including Yemeni, Egyptian, African, and Indian. In addition to the local languages, the Dawoodi Bohras have their own language called Lisānu l-Dā‘wat ("language of the Dā‘wat") which is written in Perso-Arabic script and is derived from Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
, Gujarati and Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
. The Dawoodi Bohra community is known worldwide for their various projects, including philanthropic efforts, hospitals, schools, and renovations and restorations of Islamic and Shi'a Islamic landmarks.
The spiritual leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community is the Dāʿī l-Muṭlaq
Da'i al-Mutlaq
The term Dāʻī al-Mutlaq literally means "the absolute or unrestricted missionary". In Ismā'īlī Islām, the term dāʻī has been used to refer to important religious leaders other than the hereditary Imāms, and the Daʻwa or "Mission" is a clerical-style organisation. "The Daʻwa" was a term for the...
( "Unrestricted Missionary"), currently Mohammed Burhanuddin
Mohammed Burhanuddin
Doctor Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin is the 52nd Dā‘ī l-Muṭlaq of the Dawoodi Bohras. The Dawoodi Bohras are a sub group within the Mustaali, Ismaili Shia branch of Islam.- Biography :Burhanuddin was born in Surat, Gujarat, India...
. The Dai serves as the earthly representative of the Imam
Imamah (Shi'a doctrine)
Imāmah is the Shia doctrine of religious, spiritual and political leadership of the Ummah. The Shīa believe that the A'immah are the true Caliphs or rightful successors of Muḥammad, and further that Imams are possessed of divine knowledge and authority as well as being part of the Ahl al-Bayt,...
, currently believed to be occultation
The Occultation
The Occultation in Shia Islam refers to a belief that the messianic figure, or Mahdi, who in Shi'i thought is an infallible male descendant of the founder of Islam, Muhammad, was born but disappeared, and will one day return and fill the world with justice. Some Shi'is, such as the Zaidi and...
.
History
As Shi'as, Bohras believe that their Imāms are descendants of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) by way of his daughter FatimaFatima
-People:* Fatima , a female given name of Arabic origin* Fatima bint Muhammad, daughter of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad* Fatima Jinnah, the younger sister of Muhammad Ali Jinnah...
A.S and her husband Ali
Ali
' |Ramaḍān]], 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600 or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661).His father's name was Abu Talib. Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam...
A.S. They believe that Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
chose Ali as his successor while he was returning from his first and last Haj(year 632AD), when he stopped at Ghadir Khumm
Ghadir Khumm
Wadi Rabigh is a wadi situated inland of the town of Rabigh, extending along the border of the Al Madinah and Makkah provinces of Saudi Arabia....
. While raising Ali's hand in his, Mohammad declared: "For whoever I had been his moula (leader), now this Ali shall be his moula." This is regarded as proof of instituting Ali as his successor (wasi).
Zahir
-Philosophy:*Zahir , in Islam, the exterior, surface, or apparent meaning of things*Ẓāhirī, a school of thought in Islamic Jurisprudence-Artistic works:...
i ("literalist") caliphate was usurped by other successors, whom the Sunnis accept. However, during 656 to 661 CE, Ali served as the Caliph; the Imamate and Caliphate were united in this period. After Ali, his son Hasan ibn Ali
Hasan ibn Ali
Al-Hasan ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib is an important figure in Islam, the son of Fatimah the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and of the fourth Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib. Hasan is a member of the Ahl al-Bayt and Ahl al-Kisa...
, the first Imam, struggled for the Caliphate, which resulted in a pact with the Umayyad caliph, Muawiyah I
Muawiyah I
Muawiyah I was the first Caliph of the Umayyad Dynasty. After the conquest of Mecca by the Muslims, Muawiyah's family converted to Islam. Muawiyah is brother-in-law to Muhammad who married his sister Ramlah bint Abi-Sufyan in 1AH...
to recognise Muawiyah as Caliph in order to avoid bloodshed, while Hasan retained the Imamate.
After Hasan, Husayn sacrificed himself, his family and companions in Karbala
Karbala
Karbala is a city in Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, and has an estimated population of 572,300 people ....
but not agreed to abide Yazid
Yazid
-Given name:* Yazid I , second Umayyad Caliph upon succeeding his father Muawiyah* Yazid II, Umayyad caliph* Yazid III, Umayyad caliph* Yazid Kaïssi, French-born Moroccan footballer* Yazid Mansouri, French-born Algerian footballer...
, son of Muawiyah. After the battle of Karbala, Husayn's body was buried near the site of his death. Dawoodi Bohra believe that Husain's head was buried first, in the courtyard of Yazid (the Umayyad Mosque
Umayyad Mosque
The Umayyad Mosque, also known as the Great Mosque of Damascus or formerly the Basilica of Saint John the Baptist , is located in the old city of Damascus, is one of the largest and oldest mosques in the world...
), then transferred from Damascus to Ashkelon
Ashkelon
Ashkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
,
and then to Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
.
Shia schisms and the Fatimid Dynasty
The first through the fifth Imam, who was Ja'far al-SadiqJa'far al-Sadiq
Jaʿfar ibn Muhammad al-Sādiq was a descendant of Muhammad and a prominent Muslim jurist. He is revered as an Imam by the adherents of Shi'a Islam and as a renowned Islamic scholar and personality by Sunni Muslims. The Shi'a Muslims consider him to be the sixth Imam or leader and spiritual...
, are common accepted by all the Shi'a. Bohras count Hasan as the first Imam, whereas Nizari
Nizari
'The Shī‘a Imami Ismā‘īlī Tariqah also referred to as the Ismā‘īlī or Nizārī , is a path of Shī‘a Islām, emphasizing social justice, pluralism, and human reason within the framework of the mystical tradition of Islam. The Nizari are the second largest branch of Shia Islam and form the majority...
Ismailis and Twelvers number Ali as the first. The followers of his son, Isma'il ibn Jafar, became Ismailis, from whom the Bohra descend. Some Shi'a sects such as the Twelvers believe that Musa al-Kadhim
Musa al-Kadhim
' was the seventh of the Twelve Imams of Twelver Shi'a Islam. He was the son of Imam and his mother was Hamidah Khātūn, a student and former Zanjiyyah slave...
was heir to Ja'far instead and that their line diverged at that point. After the death of the Jafar, the Abbasid Caliphate replaced the Ummayad Caliphate, and began to aggressively oppose the belief in the Imamate. Due to strong suppression by the Abbasids, the 7th Ismaili Imam, Muhammad ibn Ismail
Muhammad ibn Ismail
Muhammad ibn Ismail was the son of Ismail ibn Jafar and an Ismaili Imam. The majority of Ismaili follow his descendants through his son Wafi Ahmad / Abdullah ibn Mohammad who founded the Fatimid Empire, including the Nizari and Mustaali.- Biography :...
, went into a period of Occultation. During this period his representative, the Dai, maintained the community.
The names of the 8th, 9th, and 10th Imams are considered by some traditions to be "hidden", and known only by their nicknames due to threats from the Abbasid caliphate. However the Dawoodi Bohra in their religious text, Taqqarub, claim to have the true names of all 21 imams in sequence including those "hidden" imams: 8th Imam Ahmad al-Wafi, 9th Imam Muhammad at-Taqi, and the 10th Imam, Rabi Abdullah
Rabi Abdullah
Rabi Abdullah / Husain ibn Ahmed is the tenth Ismaili Imam, surnamed az-Zaki. Tenth imam as per Ismaili/Mustali/Dawoodi Bohra is Imam Husain ibn Ahmed...
.
The 11th Imam, Abdullah al-Mahdi Billah
Ubayd Allah al-Mahdi Billah
Abdullah al-Mahdi Billah , often referred to as Ubayd Allah, is the founder of the Fatimid dynasty, the only major Shi'a caliphate in Islam, and established Fatimid rule throughout much of North Africa.- History :...
founded the Fatimid Caliphate in 909 CE in Ifriqiya
Ifriqiya
In medieval history, Ifriqiya or Ifriqiyah was the area comprising the coastal regions of what are today western Libya, Tunisia, and eastern Algeria. This area included what had been the Roman province of Africa, whose name it inherited....
(present Tunisia), ending the Occultation. In Ismaili eyes this act again united the Imamate and the Caliphate in one person. The Fatimids then extended up to the central Maghreb (now Morocco, Algeria, Libya). They entered and conquered Egypt in 969 CE during the reign of the 14th Imam Al-Muizz Lideenillah, and made Cairo their capital. After the 18th Imam, Ma'ad al-Mustansir Billah, the Nizari sect believed that his son Nizar
Nizar
Abū Manṣūr Nizār al-Muṣṭafá liDīnillāh was a Fatimid Caliph and a Nizāri Ismā‘ilī Imām. He was deposed by his brother, Aḥmad al-Musta‘lī but his son, al-Hādī ibn Nizār, escaped to Alamūt and took refuge with believers there, thereby continuing the Imāmate.The followers of Nizār's descendants...
was his successor, while another branch, to be known as the Mustaali (from whom the Dawoodi Bohra would eventually descend), supported his other son, al-Musta'li
Al-Musta'li
Aḥmad al-Musta‘lī was the ninth Fatimid Caliph, and believed by the Mustaali Ismaili sect to be the 19th imam. Al-Musta‘lī was made caliph by Regent al-Afdal Shahanshah as the successor to al-Mustansir...
. The Fatimid dynasty continued with al-Musta'li as both Imam and Caliph, and that joint position held until the 20th Imam, al-Amir bi-Ahkami l-Lah (1132CE).
Tayyibi-Hafizi schism
At the death of Imam Amir, one branch of the Mustaali faith claimed that he had transferred the imamate to his son at-Tayyib Abi l-Qasim, who was then two years old. Another faction claimed Amir died without producing an heir, and supported Amir's cousin al-HafizAl-Hafiz
Al-Ḥāfiz was the eleventh Caliph of the Fāṭimids Al-Ḥāfiz assumed the caliphate as the cousin of the murdered Al-Amir . Since al-Amir had not named an heir when he died, the succession of al-Ḥāfiz was not uncontested - a group of Shī‘ah recognised al-Amīr's son Ṭayyib Abī al-Qāṣim as rightful...
as both the rightful Caliph and Imam. The al-Hafiz faction became the Hafizi
Hafizi
The Hafizi were a branch of Mustaali Ismailism that believed the current ruler of the Fatimid Empire after the reign of Al-Amir Bi-Ahkamillah, Al-Hafiz was also the Imam of the Time.-See also:*List of extinct Shia sects...
Ismailis, who were later eliminated during the rule of Saladin
Saladin
Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb , better known in the Western world as Saladin, was an Arabized Kurdish Muslim, who became the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria, and founded the Ayyubid dynasty. He led Muslim and Arab opposition to the Franks and other European Crusaders in the Levant...
. The supporters of Tayyeb became the Tayyibi Ismailis.
Tayyeb's claim to the imamate was endorsed by the Hurrat ul Maleka, Arwa al-Sulayhi
Arwa al-Sulayhi
Arwa al-Sulayhi c. 1048–1138,death:22nd Shabaan,532 AH) was the long-reigning ruler of Yemen, firstly through her first two husbands and then as sole ruler, from 1067 until her death in 1138...
, the Queen of Yemen. Arwa was designated a hujja, the highest rank in the Yemeni Dawat
Dawat
Dawat is a 1974 Bollywood drama film directed by B. R. Ishara.-Cast:*Dilip Dutt*Jayshree Gadkar*Satish Kaul*Manmohan Krishna*Sanjeev Kumar*Raza Murad*Sarita*Johnny Walker...
, by Al-Mustansir in 1084 CE, and was the first woman to hold that position. Under Queen Arwa, the Dai al-Balagh (intermediary between the Imam in Cairo and local(Yemeni and associate)headquarters) Lamak ibn Malik and then Dai Yahya ibn Lamak worked for the cause of the Fatimid.
Tayyibis (which include the modern Dawoodi Bohra) believe the second and current period of satr began after Imam Tayyeb went into occultation, and Queen Arwa created the office of the Dai-ul-Mutlaque to administer the community in the Imam's absence. Zoeb bin Moosa (d.546 AH/1151 AD) was the first Dai-ul-Mutlaq, and lived and died in Haus, Yemen. His ma'dhūn (assistant) was Khattab bin Hasan. The 3rd Dai Sayedna Hatim
Sayedna Hatim
Syedna Hatim Bin Ibrahim al-Hamidi was the third Da'i al-Mutlaq of the Taiyabi Musta‘lī Bohra Islam...
(d. 1191 AD) was prominent among the Du'at of Yemen and wrote many books, both exoteric and esoteric in philosophy on the Ismaili faith.
Establishment in India
Representatives of the Du'at like Moulai Abdullah (460 AH/1067 AD), the first WaliWali
Walī , is an Arabic word meaning "custodian", "protector", "sponsor", or authority as denoted by its definition "crown". "Wali" is someone who has "Walayah" over somebody else. For example, in Fiqh the father is wali of his children. In Islam, the phrase ولي الله walīyu 'llāh...
-ul-Hind ("representative in India") and Moulai Ahmed were sent to Khambhat
Khambhat
Khambhat , formerly known as Cambay, is a city and a municipality in Anand district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It was formerly an important trading center, although its harbour has gradually silted up, and the maritime trade has moved elsewhere...
, Gujarat, western India, and the Tayyibi community was established in Gujarat in the second half of the 11th century. Moulai Nuruddin (467 AH) was sent to Deccan. Per legend, while he was there two travellers from India went to the court of Imam Mustansir. They were so impressed that they converted and went back to preach. One of them was Rupnath, whose new name was Maulai Nuruddin; his dargah is at Don Gaon, Maharashtra.The another was Moulai Abadullah (formerly known as Baalam Nath).
Upon arriving in Khambhat, Abdullah came across a married couple named Kaka Akela and Kaki Akela. They became his first converts. A well on their farm had dried up, but Abdullah performed a miracle and the well filled with water. Amazed by this, the couple became the first to accept Fatimid Islam in India, and thus the earliest Bohra.
After the death of Maulai Abadullah, Dai Zoeb appointed Maulai Yaqoob as the second wali in India of the Fatimid dawat, the first such wali of Indian descent. He was son of Moulai Bharmal, minister of Rajput king Siddhraja Jaya Singha (Anhalwara, Patan) (487-527 AH/1094-1133 AD). The king sent his soldiers to get Abadullah, but they could not reach him as they saw a wall of fire created around him. The king himself went to Abadullah and was so impressed with his thoughts that he, along with his ministers Moulai Bharmal and Tarmal and their fellow citizens freely accepted Islam and the Imam. Moulai Fakhruddin, son of Tarmal was sent to western Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, India for proselytizing. Fakhruddin was killed in Galiyakot, Rajasthan by aboriginal highwaymen (bhil
Bhil
Bhils are primarily an Adivasi people of Central India. Bhils are also settled in the Tharparkar District of Sindh, Pakistan. They speak the Bhil languages, a subgroup of the Western Zone of the Indo-Aryan languages....
) while returning from Muharram
Muharram
Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year in which fighting is prohibited...
lectures on the martyrdom of Imam Husein.
In the generation of Moulai Yaqoob, Moulais Ishaq, Ali, and Hasan Fir continued one after another as Wali-ul-Hind. Hasan Fir Shaeed was the fifth wali in the era of 16th Dai Abadullah (d. 809AH/1406 AD) of Yemen.
Transfer of Dawat to India
One Dai succeeded another until the 23rd Dai in Yemen. In India also Wali-ul-Hind were appointed by them one after another until Wali-ul-Hind Moulai Jafer, Moulai Abdul Wahab and Moulai Qasim Khan bin Hasan (11th and last Wali-ul-Hind, d.950AH, AhmedabadAhmedabad
Ahmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
). The last three wali were of great help in the era of the 21st to 24th Dai. It was during this time when the Dawat was transferred to India from Yemen, that the 23rd Dai-al-Mutlaq Mohammed Ezzuddin performed nass (transfer of authority) on Yusuf Najmuddin ibn Sulaiman of Sidhpur, Gujrat, India.
Due to persecution by the local Zaydi Shi'a ruler in Yemen, the 24th Dai, Yusuf Najmuddin bin Sulayman (d.1567 AD), shifted the whole administration of the Dawat (mission) to India but continued to live in Yemen and died there. The 25th Dai Jalal Shamshuddin (d.1567 AD) was first dai to die in India; his mausoleum is in Ahmedabad, India. Dai Jalal's tenure as Dai was very short, only a few months, but before that he was Wali-ul Hind (after Moulai Qasim) for about 20 years under 24th Dai Yusuf while the Dai was in Yemen.
Inter-Bohra schisms
Following the death of the 26th Dai in 1591 CE, there was a dispute as to who was to succeed him. Suleman bin Hasan, the grandson of 24th Dai, was wali in Yemen and claimed the succession, supported by the other Yemeni Bohra. However, the Indian Bohra denied his claim of nass, declaring supporting documentation to be forged. The two factions separated, with the followers of Suleman becoming the Sulemani Bohras, and the followers of Dawood Bin Qutubshah becoming the Dawoodi Bohra.Hebtiahs Bohra
The Hebtiahs Bohra are a branch of Mustaali Ismaili Shi'a Islam that broke off from the mainstream Dawoodi Bohra after the death of the 39th Da'i al-Mutlaq in 1754.-Tree of the Ismāʿīlī Shia Islam:...
splicing in a dispute following the death of the 39th Dai.
In the mid-20th century (1970–80), there was another, purely political, fragmentation, as a group of Bohra who stated that the 52nd Dai had overstepped his authority severed from the hierarchy to form the Progressive Dawoodi Bohra
Progressive Dawoodi Bohra
Progressive Dawoodi Bohra is a movement within the Dawoodi Bohra subsect of Mustaali Ismai'li Shi'a Islam. Their split with the mainstream Dawoodi Bohra is based not on religious beliefs, but on economic and social issues...
.
Persecution in India, and movement of the Dawat
In India the Bohras were persecuted by the MughalMughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
rulers. The 32nd Dai Qutubuddin Shaheed was prosecuted and beheaded in 1648 AD under Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
.
The 34th Dai Ismail Badruddin (son of Moulai Raj, 1657 AD onward) was the first Dai of Indian Gujrati origin. He shifted the Dawat from Ahmedabad to Jamnagar. During this period Dai also moved to Mandvi and later to Burhanpur. In the era of 42nd Dai Yusuf Najmuddin (1787 AD onward) the Dawat office shifted to Surat
Surat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
. The educational institute Al-Daarus-Saifee (later renamed Al Jamea tus Saifiyah
Al Jamea tus Saifiyah
Al Jamea Tus Saifiyah is an Islamic Arabic Academy located in Surat, India. It was founded as a theological University for Dawoodi Bohras in 1814 ADby the 43rd Dai Syedna Abdeali Saifuddin and named it as ‘Daras-e-Saifee”...
) was built in that era by the 43rd Dai Abdeali Saifuddin, who has done extensive work in the literary field also. During the period of 51st Dai Taher Saifuddin
Taher Saifuddin
Syedna Taher Saifuddin was the 51st Dā‘ī l-Muṭlaq and led the Dawoodi Bohras community from 1915 to 1965...
(1915-1965 AD), the Dawoodi Bohra Dawat shifted to Mumbai and continues there to the present day, currently headed by 52nd Dai Mohammad Burhanuddin.
Expansion and recognition
The first Dawoodi Bohra mosque in the West was built in Farmington HillsFarmington Hills, Michigan
Farmington Hills is a community in southeastern Michigan. It is the largest city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Its population was 79,740 at the 2010 census...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
in 1988. Immediately thereafter, the first Canadian masjid was inaugurated by Dr.Sayedna Mohammed Burhanuddin in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. Mohammed Burhanuddin inaugurated the Houston masjid in 1996, which is now being reconstructed into a larger masjid that is four times the original one.
In June 2001 Masjid-ul-Badri in Chicago was inaugurated. In July 2004 new mosques in New Jersey (Masjiduz-Zainy), Washington DC and Boston were inaugurated.
The following year, August 2005, the Dā‘ī l-Mutlaq inaugurated another new masjid in Fremont, California (metropolitan San Francisco) and was congratulated by various officials and dignitaries from local, state and federal US governments. President George W. Bush also sent a letter from the White House. On July 8, 2007, Mohammad Burhanuddin inaugurated a new masjid in Paris, France.
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall visited the Dawoodi Bohra Mosque in London in 2009, and their web page recognise the Bohra as a "community that has made a major contribution to British business and has patriotism at the heart of its faith".
Present activities
While most Dawoodi Bohras have traditionally been traders, currently many are professionals. Within South Asia many are doctors, and in the Far East and the West, a large number now work as consultants or analysts, as well as medical professionals. Dawoodi Bohras are encouraged to educate themselves in both religious and secular knowledge, and as a result, the number of professionals in the community is rapidly increasing.Dawoodi Bohra believe that the education of women is equally important to that of men, per a hadith from Muhammad: "seeking of knowledge is obligatory for all Muslims, both male and female." Many Dawoodi Bohra women choose to enter the workforce. The founding of Al Jamea tus Saifiyah
Al Jamea tus Saifiyah
Al Jamea Tus Saifiyah is an Islamic Arabic Academy located in Surat, India. It was founded as a theological University for Dawoodi Bohras in 1814 ADby the 43rd Dai Syedna Abdeali Saifuddin and named it as ‘Daras-e-Saifee”...
, an Arabic Academy for Dawoodi Bohras in Surat
Surat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
and Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, is a sign of the importance of education in the Dawoodi Bohra community. The Academy's curriculum encompasses religious and secular education for both men and women.
As it is for other Shia Muslims, remembrance of the martyrdom of the Imam Husayn, in Karbala, Iraq, is an essential part of every Dawoodi Bohra community activity. Every year, the head of the Dawoodi Bohra community delivers religious discourses for ten days during Muharram, Ashara Mubaraka|‘Āshārā, culminating in the 10th day of Muharram, ‘Āshūrā
Day of Ashura
The Day of Ashura is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram.It is commemorated by Shia Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala on 10...
, and these are attended by a large number of community members. The martyrdom of Hussain is remembered with every prayer every day and all the attendees perform matam
Matam
Matam may refer to:*Bramham Gari Matham, a pilgrim in India.*Matam, Senegal, a city in Senegal*Matam, Haifa, a business park in Haifa, Israel*Matam, Guinea, a district of the capital Conakr...
(beatings of their chests); matam is especially practiced in the month of Moharram and, also in other Islamic months. One key difference to be noted is that Dawoodi Bohras practice matam using only their hands and their religious practice forbids the use of any implements in matam. This is in stark contrast to other Shia sects that often use knives, blades, and metal chains in their matam.
Education and renovation projects
The Dawoodi Bohras originated from Fatimid Egypt, and their cultural mores are based on the practices of the FatimidFatimid
The Fatimid Islamic Caliphate or al-Fāṭimiyyūn was a Berber Shia Muslim caliphate first centered in Tunisia and later in Egypt that ruled over varying areas of the Maghreb, Sudan, Sicily, the Levant, and Hijaz from 5 January 909 to 1171.The caliphate was ruled by the Fatimids, who established the...
Imāms of North Africa - 10th to 12th Century CE - from Tunisia to Cairo, Egypt. Al-Quaed Johar
Jawhar as-Siqilli
Gawhar al-Siqilli also called al-Rumi main transliteration: Gawhar as-Siqilli al-Rumi was the most important military leader in the Fatimid history...
, commander of the Fatimid army under the guidance of Imam Moiz, founded the city of Cairo and built Al-Azhar Mosque. Imam Al-Aziz established the first al-Azhar University
Al-Azhar University
Al-Azhar University is an educational institute in Cairo, Egypt. Founded in 970~972 as a madrasa, it is the chief centre of Arabic literature and Islamic learning in the world. It is the oldest degree-granting university in Egypt. In 1961 non-religious subjects were added to its curriculum.It is...
in the world, dedicated to religious studies and other faculties including science, mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, and Islamic jurisprudence of the time. The Fatimid influence is also found in buildings and architecture created by Dawoodi Bohras around the world today, all of which mirror the architectural features of the mosques and buildings of Cairo.
Al Jamea tus Saifiyah
Al Jamea tus Saifiyah
Al Jamea Tus Saifiyah is an Islamic Arabic Academy located in Surat, India. It was founded as a theological University for Dawoodi Bohras in 1814 ADby the 43rd Dai Syedna Abdeali Saifuddin and named it as ‘Daras-e-Saifee”...
is an Islamic Arabic Academy in the heart of Surat, India and is a leading theological university for Dawoodi Bohras. It was founded in 1814 by the 43rd Dai Abdeali Saifuddin. In 1920, Taher Saifuddin
Taher Saifuddin
Syedna Taher Saifuddin was the 51st Dā‘ī l-Muṭlaq and led the Dawoodi Bohras community from 1915 to 1965...
transformed this institution into a university that also promoted education for Bohra women. Under the present Dai, the university has seen a significant expansion and now has an International Baccalaureate Office (IBO). Students from all over the world are admitted here post-VII standard and are taught economics, politics, cultural tradition, philosophy and other subjects in English as well as Arabic.
52nd Dai His Holiness Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (T.U.S) undertook the complete renovation and restoration of the Masjid of Imām al-Hakīm in Cairo. The site was destroyed by Napoleon, who used is as a horse stable, and was a project UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
had considered and initiated but abandoned, calling it "an impossible task". Some of the most important Fatimid-era mosques were also renovated by the Dai in Cairo as a tribute to the legacy of the Fatimid Imams, including, Masjid Luluwa, Jāmiʻ al-Aqmar
Aqmar Mosque
The Aqmar Mosque is one of the few remaining mosques in Cairo, Egypt that have been built in the Fatimid era under vizier al-Ma'mun al-Bata'ihi during the caliphate of Imam al-Amir, son of Mustansir. The mosque is located along north Muizz Street, with several significant monuments located next to...
(built in 1125) and Jāmiʻ al-Juyūshī
Juyushi Mosque
The Juyushi Mosque was built in Imam Mustansir era under Badr al-Jamali in 1085 AD. This is one of historical mosque of Egypt of Fatimid Caliphate era....
in Cairo.
Mohammad Burhanuddin renovated the Masjid al-‘Azam in Kūfa
Kufa
Kufa is a city in Iraq, about south of Baghdad, and northeast of Najaf. It is located on the banks of the Euphrates River. The estimated population in 2003 was 110,000....
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, a place of historical significance in both the Islamic and the Pre-Islamic era. The mosque is also particularly significant to the Shi'a as the place of martyrdom of Ali. Another significant contribution in Iraq is the renovation of the shrines of Husayn in Karbala
Karbala
Karbala is a city in Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, and has an estimated population of 572,300 people ....
and that of ‘Alī in Najaf
Najaf
Najaf is a city in Iraq about 160 km south of Baghdad. Its estimated population in 2008 is 560,000 people. It is the capital of Najaf Governorate...
.
In June 2005, the Dawoodi Bohra community built Saifee Hospital
Saifee Hospital
The Saifee Hospital is a State of the art, modern hospital built in Charni Road region of Mumbai, India. It has 33 specialised departments, more than 400 doctors and 295 beds....
in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, India. The hospital is one of the most technologically advanced hospitals in the entire country, and was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
, Dr. Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
on June 4, 2005. At the inauguration, the Dawoodi Bohra community was commended by the Prime Minister during a speech delivered by him. The hospital was built on the land donated by the well known philanthropist Sir Adamji Peerbhoy.
Dawoodi Bohra 52nd Dai Mohammad Burhanuddin has also been involved with several other notable projects of Shi'a Islam including:
- The gold plating of Maulana Ali's Zaree in Najaf.
- The gold plating of Maulana Abbas e Alamdaar's Zaree in Karbala.
- The construction of Rasul Husain(Cairo)Zarih in Egypt.
- The Mukalafat-al-Rasool next to Hussain, where some of the Imams are buried.
- The construction of Maulatena Zainab's Zaree in Egypt.
- The renovation of the masqurah (masoleum) of Hussain
Burhanuddin, who is known as Manṣūrul-Yaman, has turned his particular attention to his followers in Yemen. Under his reign, his followers in Yemen constructed the mausoleum of Sayedna Hatim
Sayedna Hatim
Syedna Hatim Bin Ibrahim al-Hamidi was the third Da'i al-Mutlaq of the Taiyabi Musta‘lī Bohra Islam...
and a mosque in Hutaib Mubarak. He also undertook projects for providing water and electricity to the faiz(boarding and lodging facility for pilgrims) and town, and to make the roads to ziyarat
Ziyarat
Ziyārah is an Arabic term literally means "visit", used to refer to a pilgrimage to sites associated with Muhammad, his family members and descendants , his companions, or other venerated figures in Islām, such as the Prophets, Sufi saints and Islāmic scholars...
s in Yemen more accessible.
Dress Code
Ordinary Bohras are highly conscious of their identities; this is especially demonstrated at religious and traditional occasions by the appearance and attire of the participants. Dawoodi Bohra men wear a traditional white three piece outfit, plus a white and gold cap (called a topi), and women wear the rida, a distinctive form of the commonly known burqaBurqa
A burqa is an enveloping outer garment worn by women in some Islamic religion to cover their bodies in public places. The burqa is usually understood to be the woman's loose body-covering , plus the head-covering , plus the face-veil .-Etymology:A speculative and unattested etymology...
which is distinguished from other forms of the veil
Veil
A veil is an article of clothing, worn almost exclusively by women, that is intended to cover some part of the head or face.One view is that as a religious item, it is intended to show honor to an object or space...
due to it often being in color and decorated with patterns and lace. The rida additionally differs from the burqa in that the rida does not call for covering of women's faces like the traditional veil. It has a flap called the 'pardi' that usually hangs on the back like the hood of a jacket but it is not used to conceal the face.
Other
Dawoodi Bohra have faith in the Dai and commonly ask his opinion and permission when it comes to their profession.Men and women are encouraged to follow dress codes which include not cutting beards and keeping the hair short. The dress code is supposed to be strictly followed for all social and religious occasions. Ladies' dress code (wearing 'Rida') is meant to be followed at all times when they leave the house to go to school, bazar or business and jobs. For the man dress code is not felt necessary for other places but to wear typical Bohra headgear('Topi') is encouraged.
Religion
The Dawoodi Bohras follow the Seven pillars of Ismaili Islam in the tradition of FatimidFatimid
The Fatimid Islamic Caliphate or al-Fāṭimiyyūn was a Berber Shia Muslim caliphate first centered in Tunisia and later in Egypt that ruled over varying areas of the Maghreb, Sudan, Sicily, the Levant, and Hijaz from 5 January 909 to 1171.The caliphate was ruled by the Fatimids, who established the...
Dawat: Walayah
Walayah
Walayah means Guardianship.Walayah or Walaya, in the most literal form of the word, means "a person, community, or country that is under the direction and rule of another". It is an Arabic word derived from the root wly, which carries the basic meanings of “friendship, assistance”, and “authority...
(guardianship of the faith), Taharah (purity), Salah (prayer), Zakat
Zakat
Zakāt , one of the Five Pillars of Islam, is the giving of a fixed portion of one's wealth to charity, generally to the poor and needy.-History:Zakat, a practice initiated by Muhammed himself, has played an important role throughout Islamic history...
(tithing), Sawm
Sawm
Sawm is an Arabic word for fasting regulated by Islamic jurisprudence. In the terminology of Islamic law, Sawm means to abstain from eating, drinking , having sex and anything against Islamic law...
(fasting), Hajj
Hajj
The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
(pilgrimage to Mecca), and Jihad
Jihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
(struggle).
Dawoodi Bohra believes Walaya(t)
Walayah
Walayah means Guardianship.Walayah or Walaya, in the most literal form of the word, means "a person, community, or country that is under the direction and rule of another". It is an Arabic word derived from the root wly, which carries the basic meanings of “friendship, assistance”, and “authority...
as the most important of the seven pillars of Islam. It is the love and devotion for Allah, through their Dai, Imam, ‘Wasi’(Wali) Ali
Ali
' |Ramaḍān]], 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600 or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661).His father's name was Abu Talib. Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam...
and Nabi Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
.
There is an incident famous amongst Bohra which confirm how they mean and weigh ‘walayat
Walayah
Walayah means Guardianship.Walayah or Walaya, in the most literal form of the word, means "a person, community, or country that is under the direction and rule of another". It is an Arabic word derived from the root wly, which carries the basic meanings of “friendship, assistance”, and “authority...
’ principle. There was a ‘Farman’ (order) from 19th Dai Syedna Idris
Syedna Idris
Syedna Idris Bin Syedna Hasan , Shibaam, Yemen) was the Nineteenth Da'i al-Mutlaq of the Taiyabi Musta‘lī Bohra Islam. He succeeded the 18th Dai Sayedna Ali Shamsuddin to the religious post...
to Wali-ul-Hind (6th) Moulai Adam that he has to follow a person named by "Sakka" (a very pious person but a ‘Bhisti’ (water carrier) by profession, who has accepted Fatemid Dawat but new to its tradition). Everyone was surprised but they did not have any doubt in their mind and prepared "Sakka" ready to perform namaz /prayer, and Moulai Adam along with his associate performed namaz under "Sakka" (Actually there was a second ‘farman’/order to be open after few hours of the first, cancelling the first one and appointing back, Moulai Adam as Wali).
It is further narrated that when Dai Syedna Idris
Syedna Idris
Syedna Idris Bin Syedna Hasan , Shibaam, Yemen) was the Nineteenth Da'i al-Mutlaq of the Taiyabi Musta‘lī Bohra Islam. He succeeded the 18th Dai Sayedna Ali Shamsuddin to the religious post...
learnt that his orders had been accepted in this way, he was extremely pleased with 'Ikhlaas' (faith) and 'walayat' of the Indian Fatimid. Syedna Idris called all the ‘Hudud'(the noted pious personnel) of Yemen and told them about the incident and forecasted the possibility of relocating the Dawat to India.
Sawm
Sawm
Sawm is an Arabic word for fasting regulated by Islamic jurisprudence. In the terminology of Islamic law, Sawm means to abstain from eating, drinking , having sex and anything against Islamic law...
, Hajj
Hajj
The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
and Jihad
Jihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
are believed as all other Islam but their Salah and Zakat
Zakat
Zakāt , one of the Five Pillars of Islam, is the giving of a fixed portion of one's wealth to charity, generally to the poor and needy.-History:Zakat, a practice initiated by Muhammed himself, has played an important role throughout Islamic history...
have some specific points as below.
Salat
Salat
Salah is the practice of formal prayer in Islam. Its importance for Muslims is indicated by its status as one of the Five Pillars of Sunni Islam, of the Ten Practices of the Religion of Twelver Islam and of the 7 pillars of Musta'lī Ismailis...
(Prayer) as per tradition to be performed five time intervals specified as Fazr, Zohr, Ashr, Magrib and Ishah. Zohr and Ashr are having overlapping period , same is Magrib and Ishah. Hence they are combined together and Bohra perform these five Salat
Salat
Salah is the practice of formal prayer in Islam. Its importance for Muslims is indicated by its status as one of the Five Pillars of Sunni Islam, of the Ten Practices of the Religion of Twelver Islam and of the 7 pillars of Musta'lī Ismailis...
in three intervals. Fazr in morning, Zohr & Ashr in afternoon, and Maghrib & Ishah in the evening, making convenient to perform.
Zakah is done during Month of Ramzaan. This is organized and collected by central authority Dawat–e-Hadiyah in such a fashion through each town head that no Bohra is left out.
The Dawoodi Bohra utilise the versions of the azaan (call to prayer) and shahada
Shahada
The Shahada , means "to know and believe without suspicion, as if witnessed"/testification; it is the name of the Islamic creed. The shahada is the Muslim declaration of belief in the oneness of God and acceptance of Muhammad as God's prophet...
common to other Mustaali
Mustaali
The Musta‘lī Ismā'īlī Muslims are so named because they accept Al-Musta'li as the nineteenth Fatimid caliph and legitimate successor to his father, al-Mustansir...
(may refer), which incorporate mention of Ali,described here also in short.
Kalema-tut-shahadat(Profession of Faith)
As is the case with the majority of Shi'a Muslims, the followers of the Fatimid school append Aliyun waliallah (Ali is the care taker/ friend of Allah) to their Profession of Faith (kalema‐tut‐ sahadat). This modified phrase has been attested as far back as the Fatimid period.Mustaalis/Dawoodi Bohra recite the kalema thus:
This is right from Fatemi Imam’s era.In one of the Qiblah of Imam Mustansir of Fatemi era masjid of Qahira (Mosque of Ibn Tulun
Mosque of Ibn Tulun
The Mosque of Ahmad Ibn Ţūlūn is located in Cairo, Egypt. It is arguably the oldest mosque in the city surviving in its original form, and is the largest mosque in Cairo in terms of land area....
) engraved his name and “kalema‐tut‐sahadat" as ‘La ‐ilah‐ ilal‐lah, Mohamad‐un‐ rasul‐al‐lah Ali –un‐ vali ‐ ul –lah’. The same Kalema exist at Gate Bab al-Nasr
Bab Al-Futuh
Bab al Futuh is a gate in the walls of the Old City of Cairo, Egypt, facing north. It was finished in the year 1087. It stands at the northern end of Muizz Street....
built by minister Badr-al-Jamali at northern wall of Fatimid
Fatimid
The Fatimid Islamic Caliphate or al-Fāṭimiyyūn was a Berber Shia Muslim caliphate first centered in Tunisia and later in Egypt that ruled over varying areas of the Maghreb, Sudan, Sicily, the Levant, and Hijaz from 5 January 909 to 1171.The caliphate was ruled by the Fatimids, who established the...
Cairo(Photos placed right).
The third phrase “Ali-un- vali-ul-lah” ,means “Ali
Ali
' |Ramaḍān]], 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600 or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661).His father's name was Abu Talib. Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam...
is his(Mohammad’s) “Wali
Wali
Walī , is an Arabic word meaning "custodian", "protector", "sponsor", or authority as denoted by its definition "crown". "Wali" is someone who has "Walayah" over somebody else. For example, in Fiqh the father is wali of his children. In Islam, the phrase ولي الله walīyu 'llāh...
" ,"vasi" , the real care taker, stressing the need that for continuation of faith there is requirement of “Wali
Wali
Walī , is an Arabic word meaning "custodian", "protector", "sponsor", or authority as denoted by its definition "crown". "Wali" is someone who has "Walayah" over somebody else. For example, in Fiqh the father is wali of his children. In Islam, the phrase ولي الله walīyu 'llāh...
” , which is one and only “Imam after Imam ” ,which are really taking care of Islam, hence this is also known as the confession of "Imamat".
Kalema –tut-Shahadat make three Islamic teaching "Tauhid", "Nabuwat" and "Imamate" together. In this devotion to god, his Nabi Mohammad and Imam are so linked together that these can not be viewed separately. One leads to other and finally to God the "Allah" almighty.
Shia/Fatimid
Fatimid
The Fatimid Islamic Caliphate or al-Fāṭimiyyūn was a Berber Shia Muslim caliphate first centered in Tunisia and later in Egypt that ruled over varying areas of the Maghreb, Sudan, Sicily, the Levant, and Hijaz from 5 January 909 to 1171.The caliphate was ruled by the Fatimids, who established the...
/Ismaili
Ismaili
' is a branch of Shia Islam. It is the second largest branch of Shia Islam, after the Twelvers...
/Dawoodi bohra's thinking is exactly on same line. Their further downward delegation system explained above from down the Dai fulfill 'Imamate' principle.
Azaan
According to FatimidFatimid
The Fatimid Islamic Caliphate or al-Fāṭimiyyūn was a Berber Shia Muslim caliphate first centered in Tunisia and later in Egypt that ruled over varying areas of the Maghreb, Sudan, Sicily, the Levant, and Hijaz from 5 January 909 to 1171.The caliphate was ruled by the Fatimids, who established the...
/Ismaili
Ismaili
' is a branch of Shia Islam. It is the second largest branch of Shia Islam, after the Twelvers...
/Dawoodi Bohra Ashhadu ana Moulana Aliyan waliullah ("I testify that Ali
Ali
' |Ramaḍān]], 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600 or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661).His father's name was Abu Talib. Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam...
is the vicegerent of God ") is part of Azaan (but not of iqamah) and they recite it twice after third part of the Azaan.
namely 'Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan-rasūlu llāh'
They also recite"Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
un -va- Ali
Ali
' |Ramaḍān]], 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600 or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661).His father's name was Abu Talib. Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam...
-un khayr-ul- bashar va itrat-o- homa khayr-ul-itar " (Mohammad and Ali are the greatest of all men and their descendants are the greatest of all progenies ) twice after 7th part "Hayya 'ala-khayril-amal". This is continued from the time of the Aimmat Fatimiyyeen (In the Iqama(h)t they recite 'Qad qamatis Salat" in place of this).
Also ’Hayya ala khairil amal’ which had been dropped from the Azaan since after Rasulullah, is prayed, loud and clear, according to Nabi's sunnat.
Caliphate and Imamate
On the view of CaliphateCaliphate
The term caliphate, "dominion of a caliph " , refers to the first system of government established in Islam and represented the political unity of the Muslim Ummah...
, Dawoodi Bohra strongly believe in the Imamate
Imamate
The word Imamate is an Arabic word with an English language suffix meaning leadership. Its use in theology is confined to Islam.-Theological usage:...
principle (as do other Shi'a groups) of nass
Nass
Nass may refer to:in Canada*Nass River in northern British Columbia* People of the Nass, the Nisga'a people of northern British Columbia* Nass, the Nisga'a languageas an acronym* National Asylum Support Service, in the UK...
as done by earlier Imams mentioned above, and think that the Imam need not be ruler, and he is only to safeguard divine authority of God the din from politics of the world (duniya, the "external World"). As evidence of the continuity of the Imamate, the Dawoodi cite the example of the 3rd Imam, Ali ibn Husayn, who was not killed by the army of Yezid in the Battle of Karbala, claiming that even Yezid could not kill the only surviving male of the Imamate line.
Similarly, the Dawoodi cite the miraculous survival of their 33rd Dai, Syedna Feerkhan Shujauddin
Syedna Feerkhan Shujauddin
Syedna Feerkhan Shujauddin , Ahmedabad, India) was the 33 rd Da'i al-Mutlaq of the Dawoodi Bohra sect of Musta‘lī Islam....
, who was arrested by a Mughul ruler Shah Jahan taken to Lahore, and imprisoned in a stable. When a fire broke out in the area, the stable was miraculously spared and the Dai survived. The Moghul ruler was impressed, and believed this was testament to the Dai's holy status, and released him and sent him to Ahmedabad with full honors.
Dawoodi Bohra believe that the office of Dai al-Mutlaq was instituted as the Imam was in occultation, and imamate principle is to be followed in his absence to hand over the imamate to Imam Tayyab’s heir who will again reappear as Imam. They cite as precedent the case of the 11th Imam Abdillah, who appeared 150 years after the death of the 6th Imam Ismail, while the intervening imams were "hidden".
This delegation system is structured so that in the absence of their Imam, the Dai guides the community on his behalf, and further appointed his nominee right up to grass root level. An amil (usually a graduate of the order's institution of higher learning, Al Jamea tus Saifiyah
Al Jamea tus Saifiyah
Al Jamea Tus Saifiyah is an Islamic Arabic Academy located in Surat, India. It was founded as a theological University for Dawoodi Bohras in 1814 ADby the 43rd Dai Syedna Abdeali Saifuddin and named it as ‘Daras-e-Saifee”...
) who leads a local congregation in religious, social, and communal affairs, is sent to each town where a sizable Dawoodi population exists all over the world. Even for a village with just a few Bohra families nominees can be appointed from amongst themselves also. This is to ensure that the Dai's message reaches each individual, and a direct link to God is established. Walayat reaches up to direct root level, an ordinary Bohra think his village representative as representative of his Dai and all figures above linking god. Each town normally have a mosque and an adjoining jamaatkhanah (assembly hall) where socio-religious functions are held. The local organizations which manage these properties and administer the social and religious activities of the local Bohras report directly to the central administration of the Da'i based in Bombay, called al-Dawah al-Hadiyah and close links are maintained for all Bohra all over the world. They feel world as organization of which god is chief and there is clear cut delegation direct upto last person of community. They feel that this help universal brotherhood amongst them, a same culture, same habits of living, togetherness for the cause of Islam and same time dedication to the land they live(may like to see a web article in reference list below '...being a dawoodi bohra') describing Bohra themselves.
Imams and Dais
As Mustaali Ismaili Shi'a Muslims, the Dawoodi Bohra believe that the imamate continued until the 21st Imam, Tayyeb ibn AamirTaiyab abi al-Qasim
aṭ-Ṭayyib Abī l-Qāṣim was, according to Ṭayyibī Musta‘lid Isma‘ili Muslims, the 21st and the last Fatimid Imām, the hereditary leader of the Muslim community in the direct line of ‘Ali). Abī l-Qāṣim was the son of the 20th Fatimid Imām, Mansur al-Amir Bi-Ahkamillah, was the ruler of Egypt from...
. Following his occultation, the Dai has served as the imam's temporal representatives on earth; the current Dai is Mohammed Burhanuddin 52nd. Successive Imam is still present on the earth guiding the Dai spiritually and will resurface one day.
Dawoodi Bohras believe that the 21st Mustaali Imam, Taiyab abi al-Qasim, is a direct descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
through his daughter Fatima Zahra. According to this belief, Ṭayyib Abī l-Qāṣim went into occultation
Occultation
An occultation is an event that occurs when one object is hidden by another object that passes between it and the observer. The word is used in astronomy . It can also refer to any situation wherein an object in the foreground blocks from view an object in the background...
and established the office of the Dā‘ī l-Muṭlaq as the Imām's vicegerent
Vicegerent
Vicegerent is the official administrative deputy of a ruler or head of state: vice + gerere .-Related usage:*The Byzantine Emperors held as a title "God's Vicegerent on Earth"....
, with full authority to govern the believing community in all matters spiritual and temporal, as well as those of his assistants, the Ma'dhūn and Mukāsir . During the Imām's seclusion, a Dā‘ī l-Muṭlaq is appointed by his predecessor. The maʾḏūn and mukasir are in turn appointed by the Dā‘ī l-Muṭlaq. A fundamental belief held by the Dawoodi Bohra is that the presence of the secluded Imām is guaranteed by the presence of the Dāʿī l-Muṭlaq. Dr. Mohammed Burhanuddin
Mohammed Burhanuddin
Doctor Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin is the 52nd Dā‘ī l-Muṭlaq of the Dawoodi Bohras. The Dawoodi Bohras are a sub group within the Mustaali, Ismaili Shia branch of Islam.- Biography :Burhanuddin was born in Surat, Gujarat, India...
is the 52nd and current Dāʿī l-Muṭlaq, and has appointed Khuzaima Qutbuddin as his ma'dhūn and Husain Husamuddin as his mukāsir.
Ailing Dai Syedna Burhanuddin appointed his second son Syedi Mufaddal Saifuddin
Mufaddal Saifuddin
Syedi Aaliqadr Mufaddal Bhaisaheb Saifuddin is the second son of Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin 52nd Dā‘ī l-Muṭlaq of the Dawoodi Bohras. Syedi Aali Qadr Mufaddal Bhaisaheb Saifuddin is also the Mansoos to the office of Da'i al-Mutlaq of the Dawoodi Bohras after Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin...
as his successor in June, 2011 during his London stay.
Tabular Islamic calendar
The Dawoodi Bohra, retain the Fatimid-era Tabular Islamic calendarTabular Islamic calendar
The Tabular Islamic calendar is a rule-based variation of the Islamic calendar. It has the same numbering of years and months, but the months are determined by arithmetic rules rather than by observation or astronomical calculations...
, which they believe matches perfectly with the lunar cycle, not requiring any correction. In this calendar, the lunar year has 354 days. Their odd-numbered months have 30 days and the even-numbered months have 29 days, except in a leap year when the 12th and final month has 30 days. This is in contrast with other Muslim communities, which base the beginnings of specific Islamic months on sightings of the moon, with the naked eye, by religious authorities, which often result in differing opinions as to the occurrence of religiously significant dates, such as the start of Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
.
Dawoodi Bohra claims that Imam and his representative are the true moon of Islam, and to see or follow him is same as of honoring or seeing the moon.
Religious Tolerance
As per Fatimid tradition Dawoodi Bohra feel themselves inclined to be tolerant toward other religions. Under 15th Imam AzizAbu Mansoor Nizar al-Aziz Billah
Al-Aziz was the fifth Caliph of the Fatimids .- History :Since Abdallah, the heir to the throne, had died before his father Ma'ad al-Muizz Li-Deenillah , his brother Abu Mansur Nizar al-Azizbillah acceded to the Caliphate with the help of Jawhar as-Siqilli...
(5th Fatimid
Fatimid
The Fatimid Islamic Caliphate or al-Fāṭimiyyūn was a Berber Shia Muslim caliphate first centered in Tunisia and later in Egypt that ruled over varying areas of the Maghreb, Sudan, Sicily, the Levant, and Hijaz from 5 January 909 to 1171.The caliphate was ruled by the Fatimids, who established the...
Egypt calipha) religious tolerance was given lot of importance. One of the Vazir of Imam Aziz was Christian, and high office were held by both Shia and Sunnis. Imam Aziz
Abu Mansoor Nizar al-Aziz Billah
Al-Aziz was the fifth Caliph of the Fatimids .- History :Since Abdallah, the heir to the throne, had died before his father Ma'ad al-Muizz Li-Deenillah , his brother Abu Mansur Nizar al-Azizbillah acceded to the Caliphate with the help of Jawhar as-Siqilli...
rebuilt the church of Mercurius near Fustat and encouraged public theological debate between Chief Qazi and Bishops in order that the ideas of their religions could merge. The Bishop's visit in England to Dawoodi Bohra religious place and mutual understanding between them gives the same message.
Further reading
- The Dawoodi Bohras: an anthropological perspective, by Shibani Roy. Published by B.R. Publishing, 1984.
- Bin Hasan, Idris, Uyun al-akhbar (Bin Hasan was the 19th Da'i of the Dawoodi Bohra. This volume is a history of the Ismaili community from its origins up to the 12th century CE., the period of the Fatimid caliphs al-Mustansir (d. 487/1094), the time of Musta‘lian rulers including al-Musta‘li (d. 495/1101) and al-Amir (d. 524/1130), and then the Tayyibi Ismaili community in Yemen.)
- Mullahs on the mainframe: Islam and modernity among the Daudi Bohras, by Jonah Blank. University of Chicago Press, 2001. ISBN 022605676.Excerpts
- A Short History of the Ismailis, By Farhad Daftary
- The Ismaili,their history & Doctrine, By Farhad Daftary
- Medieval Islamic Civilisation,By Joseph W. Meri, Jere l.Bacharach
- Sayyida Hurra: The Isma‘ili Sulayhid Queen of Yemen,By Dr Farhad Daftary
- Cosmology and authority in medieval Ismailism,By Simonetta Calderini
- Religion, learning, and science in the ʻAbbasid period,By M. J. L. Young, John Derek Latham, Robert Bertram Serjeant
External links
- Mumineen.org, Mumineen.org hosts accurate and authentic content pertaining to the Dawoodi Bohra muslim community. Bohras adhere to the Shia Fatimi tradition of Islam, headed by the 52nd Dai al-Mutlaq, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (tus).
- City of Brass, blog written by a Dawoodi Bohra muslim
- Malumaat.com, a web-portal for the Dawoodi Bohra community
- DawoodiBohra.org, a community web portal and search engine of Dawoodi Bohra sites