Dawoodi Bohra Ismailiya Shia (Fatimi Daawat)
1.) origination of name "Bohra".
"Bohra" is an Arabic word, meaning: heart, center, middle. (Reference: Al Mawrid Arabic - English Dictionary, page 251, refer photo below this article.)
"Bohra" is neither a Hindi nor a Gujrati word. In entire Hindi and Gujrati dictionary there is no word as "Bohra".
Thus all of those are at mistake who assumes the word "Bohra" belongs to Gujrati/Hindi language.
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Hindu Bohra caste: There is no trace of any caste with name Hindu Bohra in Gujrat, whose converts were called by same name "Bohra". Likewise no caste with name as Hindu Bohra is found in the passage in the Kumarapala'charitra
(Source of above paragraph: Government Gazetteer, vol. IX, part II, year 1899)
(Also refer: Lieutenant-Colonel of the British East India Company and an Oriental scholar: James Tod's Western India, 149-157)
(Kumarapala ruled Gujrat and nearby areas, year 1143-1172 CE, multiple legendary biographies by medieval Jain chroniclers present Kumarapala as the last great royal patron of Jainism. Kumarapala predecessor was Raja Jayasimha Siddharaja, in his era the Bohra sect emerged i.e why we referred to the then era literature: Kumarapalacharitra ).
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Who gave community its name "Bohra": In era of Molana Imam Mustansir'Billah a.s. approx. 1,000 years ago, newly converted Mumineen in Hindustan approached Dai Molae Yaqoob a.q. to give a name to their group so they can recognize their brethren in faith and can distinguish from scores and scores of other sects of Islam. He gave Arabic name: "Bohra". [Reference: Sheikh al Fazil Ahmed Ali Raj sahib].
Bohra are those who pursue the rightful middle path, the siraat-a-mustaqeem, who neither do 'gulu' (exaggerate) nor do 'kulu' (degrade), i.e. those with justifiable approach. Luqman Hakeem (refer: Sura Luqman, Quran) advises his son to pursue the middle path (same meaning as that of word Bohra). Word Bohra also means heart, one is alive only till their heart is alive = a follower can have Islamic body only if his/her heart is Bohra (maslak).
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Word "Bohra" association with other rhyming words & situations: Gujrati word "Vohra" means traders. Because most of the mumins are in business, and both words "Bohra" & "Vohra" are rhyming (sounds same) so many mistakenly assumes that the name "Bohra" came from Gujrati language! There are hundreds of words in different languages which sounds similar, e.g. English word "Come" and Hindi word "कम" (come), though both sounds same but that doesn't mean one has originated from other, and both have different meaning - same applies to word "Bohra" and "Vohra".
Bombay Presidency Gazetteer (Vol. IX, Part II, Gujrat Population, Musalmans and Parsis, Bombay Government Central Press, 1899): "The origin of the name Bohra is doubtful. It is generally traced to the class of Hindu Boharás who are still found in Márwád, Rajpútána, and the North-West Provinces. But as there is no certain record of Hindu Bohrâs in Gujrat, it seems better to derive the word from the Gujrati vohorvu to trade, the occupation followed by the first Hindu converts to Islam. What makes the origin of the word more doubtful is that neither at present nor under the Musalman rulers of Gujrat is its use limited to traders or to converts of the special Ismaili form of faith."
In the footnote, Gazetteer quotes: Malcom's Central India, II.III; Tod's Rajasthan, II. 491, Edition 1831; Elliott's Races, L, 44; The Mirat-i-Ahmedi (Perl. Text, IL 87) confirms the Hindu derivatives of the name Bohra. It says many Brahman and Bania traders being called Bohories retained the name after their convrersion. Many Banias and even Nagar Brahmins to this day bear the surname Bohra.
Gazetteer writes further in footnote on the origination of name Bohra: Other explanations are from Behrinah said to be a town in Yemen the birth-place of the great Bohora missionary Abdullah; from "Behráh" (= the right or good way), because as the Shia Bohoras say, the way to their religion is right; or from "baharul" (= many paths) because according to the Sunni Bohras they were converted from many castes. Of the first there would be no support; the two last the people themselves would probably admit to be puns.
In the very first line Gazetteer declared they don't know / are doubtful from where the name "Bohra" originated. So they did guess work: Assumed the name Bohra is derived from Gujrati word vohorvu, their contention is based on 'guman' (whims / imagination) and not on 'yaqeen' (facts, surety).
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F.L. Farìdi says (Quoted on Page # 345 of book: The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India- Volume II, by R. V. Russell): "The name (Bohra) is probably derived from the Hindi byohāra, a trader." - The authors are not sure on origination of the word "Bohra", only for their convenience they assumed it is derived from Hindi - this they warn us by they using word "probably".
Other interesting events associated with the name Bohra - listen to following audio in the voice of Sabik Ustaad Jamia Saifiya, Surat Sheikh Al Fazil Al Muqaddas Ahmed Ali Raj sahib:
"Bohra" is neither a Hindi nor a Gujrati word. In entire Hindi and Gujrati dictionary there is no word as "Bohra".
Thus all of those are at mistake who assumes the word "Bohra" belongs to Gujrati/Hindi language.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Hindu Bohra caste: There is no trace of any caste with name Hindu Bohra in Gujrat, whose converts were called by same name "Bohra". Likewise no caste with name as Hindu Bohra is found in the passage in the Kumarapala'charitra
(Source of above paragraph: Government Gazetteer, vol. IX, part II, year 1899)
(Also refer: Lieutenant-Colonel of the British East India Company and an Oriental scholar: James Tod's Western India, 149-157)
(Kumarapala ruled Gujrat and nearby areas, year 1143-1172 CE, multiple legendary biographies by medieval Jain chroniclers present Kumarapala as the last great royal patron of Jainism. Kumarapala predecessor was Raja Jayasimha Siddharaja, in his era the Bohra sect emerged i.e why we referred to the then era literature: Kumarapalacharitra ).
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Who gave community its name "Bohra": In era of Molana Imam Mustansir'Billah a.s. approx. 1,000 years ago, newly converted Mumineen in Hindustan approached Dai Molae Yaqoob a.q. to give a name to their group so they can recognize their brethren in faith and can distinguish from scores and scores of other sects of Islam. He gave Arabic name: "Bohra". [Reference: Sheikh al Fazil Ahmed Ali Raj sahib].
Bohra are those who pursue the rightful middle path, the siraat-a-mustaqeem, who neither do 'gulu' (exaggerate) nor do 'kulu' (degrade), i.e. those with justifiable approach. Luqman Hakeem (refer: Sura Luqman, Quran) advises his son to pursue the middle path (same meaning as that of word Bohra). Word Bohra also means heart, one is alive only till their heart is alive = a follower can have Islamic body only if his/her heart is Bohra (maslak).
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Word "Bohra" association with other rhyming words & situations: Gujrati word "Vohra" means traders. Because most of the mumins are in business, and both words "Bohra" & "Vohra" are rhyming (sounds same) so many mistakenly assumes that the name "Bohra" came from Gujrati language! There are hundreds of words in different languages which sounds similar, e.g. English word "Come" and Hindi word "कम" (come), though both sounds same but that doesn't mean one has originated from other, and both have different meaning - same applies to word "Bohra" and "Vohra".
Bombay Presidency Gazetteer (Vol. IX, Part II, Gujrat Population, Musalmans and Parsis, Bombay Government Central Press, 1899): "The origin of the name Bohra is doubtful. It is generally traced to the class of Hindu Boharás who are still found in Márwád, Rajpútána, and the North-West Provinces. But as there is no certain record of Hindu Bohrâs in Gujrat, it seems better to derive the word from the Gujrati vohorvu to trade, the occupation followed by the first Hindu converts to Islam. What makes the origin of the word more doubtful is that neither at present nor under the Musalman rulers of Gujrat is its use limited to traders or to converts of the special Ismaili form of faith."
In the footnote, Gazetteer quotes: Malcom's Central India, II.III; Tod's Rajasthan, II. 491, Edition 1831; Elliott's Races, L, 44; The Mirat-i-Ahmedi (Perl. Text, IL 87) confirms the Hindu derivatives of the name Bohra. It says many Brahman and Bania traders being called Bohories retained the name after their convrersion. Many Banias and even Nagar Brahmins to this day bear the surname Bohra.
Gazetteer writes further in footnote on the origination of name Bohra: Other explanations are from Behrinah said to be a town in Yemen the birth-place of the great Bohora missionary Abdullah; from "Behráh" (= the right or good way), because as the Shia Bohoras say, the way to their religion is right; or from "baharul" (= many paths) because according to the Sunni Bohras they were converted from many castes. Of the first there would be no support; the two last the people themselves would probably admit to be puns.
In the very first line Gazetteer declared they don't know / are doubtful from where the name "Bohra" originated. So they did guess work: Assumed the name Bohra is derived from Gujrati word vohorvu, their contention is based on 'guman' (whims / imagination) and not on 'yaqeen' (facts, surety).
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
F.L. Farìdi says (Quoted on Page # 345 of book: The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India- Volume II, by R. V. Russell): "The name (Bohra) is probably derived from the Hindi byohāra, a trader." - The authors are not sure on origination of the word "Bohra", only for their convenience they assumed it is derived from Hindi - this they warn us by they using word "probably".
Other interesting events associated with the name Bohra - listen to following audio in the voice of Sabik Ustaad Jamia Saifiya, Surat Sheikh Al Fazil Al Muqaddas Ahmed Ali Raj sahib:
2.) Government of India's (Official Gazetteer) on Bohras.
Bombay Presidency Gazetteer (Vol. IX, Part II, Gujrat Population, Musalmans and Parsis, Bombay Government Central Press, 1899):
On page # 24 Government Gazetteer introduces Bohras by using the word "great", Bohras belongs to great Ismaili (shia) sect. Gazetteer has discussed each & every Muslim sects in the Bombay Presidency (now Maharashtra and Gujrat) - the only sect on which the Government Gazetteer bestowed the word "Great" is the sect of Bohras Ismaili Shia. Check the photo below.
Government Gazetteer further writes under the chapter on Bohras, on the same page (#24, check photo below): "...in Gujrāt Shiāhism (Bohras) was spread by the persuasion of the preachers and Sunnism by the power of rulers."
Quran verse says, "Lakum deenukum waliya deen". Prophet Mohammad (s) spread Islam by persuasion and not forcing it on anyone: The Government official Gazetteer in their concluding statement in blue text in above paragraph says: Bohras follows the sunnat of Prophet (s) and vice-a-versa. That is why in true sense Bohras are the real sunni's indeed, the 32nd Dai Mutlak Syyedna Qutbuddin Shaheed a.q. bravely told same on the face of Aurangzeb - Sheikh Sadiq Ali sahib captures this event in his folllowing poetry:
Sher a Khuda na sher wo gurraya aa'kadar,
Na raafzi hume na humara che jad pidar.
Sunni hume che, ain che sunnat ni raah per,
Je humen kahe che gair, te che gair be uzar.
Chahe karo inayat ya chahe karo qatal,
Hakim tame cho, tamne sazawar che amal.
On page # 24 Government Gazetteer introduces Bohras by using the word "great", Bohras belongs to great Ismaili (shia) sect. Gazetteer has discussed each & every Muslim sects in the Bombay Presidency (now Maharashtra and Gujrat) - the only sect on which the Government Gazetteer bestowed the word "Great" is the sect of Bohras Ismaili Shia. Check the photo below.
Government Gazetteer further writes under the chapter on Bohras, on the same page (#24, check photo below): "...in Gujrāt Shiāhism (Bohras) was spread by the persuasion of the preachers and Sunnism by the power of rulers."
Quran verse says, "Lakum deenukum waliya deen". Prophet Mohammad (s) spread Islam by persuasion and not forcing it on anyone: The Government official Gazetteer in their concluding statement in blue text in above paragraph says: Bohras follows the sunnat of Prophet (s) and vice-a-versa. That is why in true sense Bohras are the real sunni's indeed, the 32nd Dai Mutlak Syyedna Qutbuddin Shaheed a.q. bravely told same on the face of Aurangzeb - Sheikh Sadiq Ali sahib captures this event in his folllowing poetry:
Sher a Khuda na sher wo gurraya aa'kadar,
Na raafzi hume na humara che jad pidar.
Sunni hume che, ain che sunnat ni raah per,
Je humen kahe che gair, te che gair be uzar.
Chahe karo inayat ya chahe karo qatal,
Hakim tame cho, tamne sazawar che amal.
3.) Historian Satish Mishra on Bohras unique prestige in Hindustan.
Historian Satish C. Misra in his book 'Muslim Communities in Gujrat', Asia Publishing House, Bombay, 1963, Page# 15 writes:
"The foundation of Ismaili communities in Gujrat is an unique fact in Indian history. Nowhere else was the penetration of Islam as peaceful or the rise of the new communities as imperceptible. No other Muslim community in India suffered more at the hands of the iconoclastic Sunni rulers. And finally, none other has developed a business outlook which is distinct in Muslim communities."
Read each above line carefully.
Why foundation of our community in India is unique fact in gigantic and population bulky Indian history? Because only we Bohras are the unique community who in India got established by appealing to the intellect of the then intellectual people like school teachers (pundits), parliamentarians, king himself, businessmen and alike - on the basis of reasoning and few miracles (mozizaat) exhibited by Bohra Dai's (missionaries), exactly mirroring Prophet Mohammad s.a.w.w., those native Indians left their practicing religion and with free-will became Bohra mumineen by giving Misaaq to Syyedna Imam Mustansir Billah a.s., the Imam-uz-zaman of the then time.
Many Muslim and Hindu kings have looted and attacked the Bohras. Some big Muslim kings on point of sword forcefully converted native Indians into their own sect. Not only those non-Muslim native Indians become the victim of their atrocities, even the Bohra Muslims too were not spared and unjustly were persecuted by tyrants rulers like Aurangzeb, Ahmed Shah Abdali, Temur Lame, etc. Despite all these tyranny we rose up to zenith in the field of theology and business, unmatched in India as correctly summed by historian Satish C. Mishra.
"The foundation of Ismaili communities in Gujrat is an unique fact in Indian history. Nowhere else was the penetration of Islam as peaceful or the rise of the new communities as imperceptible. No other Muslim community in India suffered more at the hands of the iconoclastic Sunni rulers. And finally, none other has developed a business outlook which is distinct in Muslim communities."
Read each above line carefully.
Why foundation of our community in India is unique fact in gigantic and population bulky Indian history? Because only we Bohras are the unique community who in India got established by appealing to the intellect of the then intellectual people like school teachers (pundits), parliamentarians, king himself, businessmen and alike - on the basis of reasoning and few miracles (mozizaat) exhibited by Bohra Dai's (missionaries), exactly mirroring Prophet Mohammad s.a.w.w., those native Indians left their practicing religion and with free-will became Bohra mumineen by giving Misaaq to Syyedna Imam Mustansir Billah a.s., the Imam-uz-zaman of the then time.
Many Muslim and Hindu kings have looted and attacked the Bohras. Some big Muslim kings on point of sword forcefully converted native Indians into their own sect. Not only those non-Muslim native Indians become the victim of their atrocities, even the Bohra Muslims too were not spared and unjustly were persecuted by tyrants rulers like Aurangzeb, Ahmed Shah Abdali, Temur Lame, etc. Despite all these tyranny we rose up to zenith in the field of theology and business, unmatched in India as correctly summed by historian Satish C. Mishra.
4.) All bohra mumineen are "hum nivala aur hum namazi".
Prophet Mohammad s.a.w.w. said, "Mumins are brothers to each other. And irrespective of material, wealth, skin colour, profession differences all mumins are equal in eye of Allah."
Bohra mumin took above spirit to its zenith. They are the only community in the world where its mumineen sits in group (of lets say 6-8 people) and not only they all eat from the single big plate (thaal), but also eat from the same single bowl, use the same spoon to sip. So practically we successfully achieve and promote the brotherhood and community unity spirit among family members and community members as advocated by Prophet Mohammad s.a.w.w. Hum nivala, hum payala.
Congregation prayers is another example to see the equality among all. Whether king or subject, rich or poor, master or servant, black or white, handicap or physically fit, all are equal in eye of Allah and stand shoulder to shoulder like equal.
Unfortunately for past few years Kothar of Burhanuddin / Muffaddal Bohra group has slitted this very jugular-vein of Islam (equality of all mumineen in eye of Allah during congregation namaaz) - In Ramdaan, they draw grid-lines on the mosque carpet and number each grid, equal to one person (tight) praying space. Cards are issued as per discretion of Aamil, from front line to back line in ascending order to those who have paid more in front line. Only card holder can enter mosque, non-card holder mumineen are forcefully stopped at mosque entrance by goons of Burhani Guard, on card verification only pre-approved holders are permitted entry! Principle of Equality is murdered. Right to mosque of every mumin is hijacked by Kothar.
Equality demands, right to mosque is for everyone on first come first serve basis as advocated in the Daimul Islam, which says mosque is like public Market (मेला), whoever comes first occupies that space. Now mosque has become the club of rich! Poorer has no place in mosque even though they might have come for eleven months to pray in the same mosque irrespective of chilling winter or hot summer or rains! Equality in salaat is the way practiced by Prophet Mohammad s.a.w.w., Mola Ali a.s., all Fatimi Imams a.s. and all rightful Dais, and even by the Nazim Dais. But for past few years to facilitate rich comfort, so rich may get lured to pay for facility - for this selfish reason they have tarnished Islam's basic tenet of equality!
Book 'Mirat-i-Ahmadi', observes: Brahmins and Bania traders were also converted to this new faith (Bohra). But - and it was no mean achievement for the missionaries of the new faith - there remained no trace of caste-consciousness among these new converts. It was most probably for this reason that the system of commensality was introduced and strictly adhered to.
Till today the Bohras eat together from a common 'thal', in it use same bowl and spoon for all. Praying together in one line was not, from the caste point of view, as radical a step as eating together from a common vessel.
Bohra mumin took above spirit to its zenith. They are the only community in the world where its mumineen sits in group (of lets say 6-8 people) and not only they all eat from the single big plate (thaal), but also eat from the same single bowl, use the same spoon to sip. So practically we successfully achieve and promote the brotherhood and community unity spirit among family members and community members as advocated by Prophet Mohammad s.a.w.w. Hum nivala, hum payala.
Congregation prayers is another example to see the equality among all. Whether king or subject, rich or poor, master or servant, black or white, handicap or physically fit, all are equal in eye of Allah and stand shoulder to shoulder like equal.
Unfortunately for past few years Kothar of Burhanuddin / Muffaddal Bohra group has slitted this very jugular-vein of Islam (equality of all mumineen in eye of Allah during congregation namaaz) - In Ramdaan, they draw grid-lines on the mosque carpet and number each grid, equal to one person (tight) praying space. Cards are issued as per discretion of Aamil, from front line to back line in ascending order to those who have paid more in front line. Only card holder can enter mosque, non-card holder mumineen are forcefully stopped at mosque entrance by goons of Burhani Guard, on card verification only pre-approved holders are permitted entry! Principle of Equality is murdered. Right to mosque of every mumin is hijacked by Kothar.
Equality demands, right to mosque is for everyone on first come first serve basis as advocated in the Daimul Islam, which says mosque is like public Market (मेला), whoever comes first occupies that space. Now mosque has become the club of rich! Poorer has no place in mosque even though they might have come for eleven months to pray in the same mosque irrespective of chilling winter or hot summer or rains! Equality in salaat is the way practiced by Prophet Mohammad s.a.w.w., Mola Ali a.s., all Fatimi Imams a.s. and all rightful Dais, and even by the Nazim Dais. But for past few years to facilitate rich comfort, so rich may get lured to pay for facility - for this selfish reason they have tarnished Islam's basic tenet of equality!
Book 'Mirat-i-Ahmadi', observes: Brahmins and Bania traders were also converted to this new faith (Bohra). But - and it was no mean achievement for the missionaries of the new faith - there remained no trace of caste-consciousness among these new converts. It was most probably for this reason that the system of commensality was introduced and strictly adhered to.
Till today the Bohras eat together from a common 'thal', in it use same bowl and spoon for all. Praying together in one line was not, from the caste point of view, as radical a step as eating together from a common vessel.
5.) Conversion of upper Hindu caste into Bohras. And non-Bohras background.
Book 'Mausam-i-Bahār', Vol - III, page 343: "Along with the Raja of Pattan so many people were converted to Bohras faith that the weight of sacred thread taken off that day was not less than 260 Arabic Pounds (approx one hundred and twenty five kilograms)."
There are four classes ('varnas' वर्ण) in Hindus: Brahmins, Shatriya, Vaish and Shudra.
In his classic work 'Who Were the Shudras?' (year 1946) Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar lamented: “There is no doubt that excluding the untouchables, the shudras form 75 to 80 per cent of the population of Hindus.”
According to Caravan Magazine: (In year 1931) "When the British last counted caste,
• Brahmins only 6.4% of the population,
• Rajputs 3.7%
• Banias 2.7%
• The backward castes, excluding the Dalits and tribal people, came to 43.7%.
• In 2011, as a block, the Shudras and Untouchables could reach 70 percent of the Indian population."
According to website of Facts & Details "The sacred thread (janai, janeu) is a symbol of highs status in the caste system: only the Brahmin and Kshatriya castes are allowed to wear it."
According to Prospect Magazine (UK) "Brahmins are the highest of all the castes, and traditionally priests or teachers, Brahmins make up a small part of the Indian population." So Brahmins were intelligent and literate people who understand and recognised the truthful message of selfless missionaries of rightful Fatimi Dawat (of Syyedna Imam Mustansirbillah a.s.) and with motivation of their intellect and freewill Brahmins got converted into Mumineen of Fatimi Dawat (Islam).
This negate the false and baseless argument that Bohras were converted only from Shudras. Indeed Bohras, as we seen above (the sacred thread case), Bohras are converted from Brahmins and Kshatriya. Though I cannot say (this article writer have no proof) that no Shudra nor Vaish (Mahajan) got ever converted into Bohraism. One thing with certainty from above facts and proof can be categorically said is: Brahmins (cream-de-la-creame) who were smaller in population but higher in education, sanitation and nutrition did converted to Bohra faith with their internal intellect appeal, with their free will.
There are four classes ('varnas' वर्ण) in Hindus: Brahmins, Shatriya, Vaish and Shudra.
In his classic work 'Who Were the Shudras?' (year 1946) Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar lamented: “There is no doubt that excluding the untouchables, the shudras form 75 to 80 per cent of the population of Hindus.”
According to Caravan Magazine: (In year 1931) "When the British last counted caste,
• Brahmins only 6.4% of the population,
• Rajputs 3.7%
• Banias 2.7%
• The backward castes, excluding the Dalits and tribal people, came to 43.7%.
• In 2011, as a block, the Shudras and Untouchables could reach 70 percent of the Indian population."
According to website of Facts & Details "The sacred thread (janai, janeu) is a symbol of highs status in the caste system: only the Brahmin and Kshatriya castes are allowed to wear it."
According to Prospect Magazine (UK) "Brahmins are the highest of all the castes, and traditionally priests or teachers, Brahmins make up a small part of the Indian population." So Brahmins were intelligent and literate people who understand and recognised the truthful message of selfless missionaries of rightful Fatimi Dawat (of Syyedna Imam Mustansirbillah a.s.) and with motivation of their intellect and freewill Brahmins got converted into Mumineen of Fatimi Dawat (Islam).
This negate the false and baseless argument that Bohras were converted only from Shudras. Indeed Bohras, as we seen above (the sacred thread case), Bohras are converted from Brahmins and Kshatriya. Though I cannot say (this article writer have no proof) that no Shudra nor Vaish (Mahajan) got ever converted into Bohraism. One thing with certainty from above facts and proof can be categorically said is: Brahmins (cream-de-la-creame) who were smaller in population but higher in education, sanitation and nutrition did converted to Bohra faith with their internal intellect appeal, with their free will.
6.) Tyrant rulers forcing Bohras to convert in Sunni's.
Mian Bhai Mulla Abdul Hussain (in book Gulzar a Daudi) writes: "When Muzaffar Shah's (AD 1390-1413) power was established in Gujrat, he noticed with great envy and jealousy the spread of the Ismaili Shias. He being a new Rajput Sunni convert, vigorously encouraged Sunni doctrine, and the Bohras and the Ismili Shias were suppressed, persecuted and forcibly converted to Sunnism. The chief Bohra persecutions during the period or the rule of the Mughal Empires and other bigoted Mohammdan rulers were under Sultan Ahmed (AD 1411-1443) son of Muzaffar Shah, and Mahmud II (AD 1536-1554) rulers of Gujrat.
7.) Mischiefs (fitnat) of Jaffar against bohras.
Book 'Akhbar ad-Duat al-Akramin', Progressive Publication, Surat, 1975: Jafar (who brought the first great schism in the community) came to Ahmedabad and sought the company of King Ahmed Shah's son, Mohammad Shah, who was then governor of that province. The real motive of this visit was to poison the mind of the ruler against the Sayyidna (the Bohra Dai) and his followers and to create an impression that they were all rafdis (one who believe Ali is God). In this way Jafar spread his mission easily with the help of Mahmud Shah and in the bargain got a good opportunity to take the revenge against the Sayyidna.
We will write a separate article on Jaffar. One quick point to note, due to his mischief (fitnat) - According to Abdul Hussain about 80% of the Ismailis separated at this juncture while according to Najm al-Ghani Khan some twelve lakhs became Sunnis (Reference: 'The Shia of India' by John Norman Hollister, Lucaz & Co., London, 1953, Page 271.)
We will write a separate article on Jaffar. One quick point to note, due to his mischief (fitnat) - According to Abdul Hussain about 80% of the Ismailis separated at this juncture while according to Najm al-Ghani Khan some twelve lakhs became Sunnis (Reference: 'The Shia of India' by John Norman Hollister, Lucaz & Co., London, 1953, Page 271.)
8.) bohras clergy earn their own livelihood. only they can fully answer when none have any clue.
Asger Ali Engineer in his book 'The Bohras' on page 111 wrote: Molae Raj became the deputy Dai in India. He earned his living by making and selling soaps. A maulvi fron Iran visited India - no Sunni ālim could reply to his queries. But Molae Raj fully satisfied him and the maulvi from Iran embraced his faith. When this news reached Sultan Muzaffar Shah (1512-1526) he was furious and by his order Molae Raj was arrested and executed in AH 924.
9.) emperor akbar the great issued decree in Gold ink to one & only religious head and that was the bohra dai.
Asger Ali Engineer in his book 'The Bohras' on page 117 wrote: In court of Mughal Emperor Akbar lively debate about the Shia Ismaili faith too place in the presence of Akbar. He was so impressed with Sayydina Dawood, that he readily wrote letter to his officials in Gujrat asking them to ensure peace and security for the Bohras and their head. He is also reported to have written that he should not receive any complaint in this regard in future. The taqiyaa (secrecy) was given up in the ,after of observing religious practices and prayers were said publicly as prescribed by the Shia Ismaili religion.
Historian Satish C. Misra, page# 30: Emperor Akbar himself had desired Dawood bin Qutuab Shah's presence in his court.
Asger Ali Engineer in his book 'The Bohras' on page 121: Ibrahim bin Ajab Shah on behalf of Sulaiman fought case against Sayyedina Dawood. During Akbar stay in Kashmir, Sayyedina Dawood was treated well by the Emperor Akbar. On one occasion he presented Sayyidna a Kashmiri shawl. As the winter began - it was rather hard winter - the emperor left Kashmir hurriedly and constituted a tribunal consisting of Abul Fazl, Aziz Koka (s/o Agtaye Khan - whom Akbar considered as his father), Hakim Ali Gilani and Amir Ghizai to try the case at Lahore, as the name of the members indicate, it was a high-powered tribunal indeed, which shows that the emperor attached great importance to this case. The tribunal subsequently held its meeting at Lahore, Ibrahim bin Ajab Shah could not substantiate his claims and the case against Dawood bin Qutub Shah was dismissed. Sayyidna won the case. The Emperor Akbar granted a gold-lettered firman and allowed him to return to Gujrat with due honour. The Bohra chief was not troubled thereafter during Akbar's region.
Historian Satish C. Misra, page# 30: Emperor Akbar himself had desired Dawood bin Qutuab Shah's presence in his court.
Asger Ali Engineer in his book 'The Bohras' on page 121: Ibrahim bin Ajab Shah on behalf of Sulaiman fought case against Sayyedina Dawood. During Akbar stay in Kashmir, Sayyedina Dawood was treated well by the Emperor Akbar. On one occasion he presented Sayyidna a Kashmiri shawl. As the winter began - it was rather hard winter - the emperor left Kashmir hurriedly and constituted a tribunal consisting of Abul Fazl, Aziz Koka (s/o Agtaye Khan - whom Akbar considered as his father), Hakim Ali Gilani and Amir Ghizai to try the case at Lahore, as the name of the members indicate, it was a high-powered tribunal indeed, which shows that the emperor attached great importance to this case. The tribunal subsequently held its meeting at Lahore, Ibrahim bin Ajab Shah could not substantiate his claims and the case against Dawood bin Qutub Shah was dismissed. Sayyidna won the case. The Emperor Akbar granted a gold-lettered firman and allowed him to return to Gujrat with due honour. The Bohra chief was not troubled thereafter during Akbar's region.
10.) Sulaimani Bohras acknowledged the rightful nuss on Syyedna Dawood bin Qutab Shah r.z..
Asger Ali Engineer in his book 'The Bohras' on page 119 wrote: Sulaimani's case appears a little weak in at least one respect: the Sulaimanis themselves accept that Shaikh Sulaiman had accepted Sayyedina Dawood bin Qutub Shah as Dai for four years though for the sake of taqiyya. But this seems to be an afterthought.
11.) Jahangir studied and derived the rightful Dai mutlak is dawoodi bohra's dai Syyedna Abdul Tayyab r.z. and not Alvi Bohras (Baroda) leader.
Aliya Bohras (Baroda) chief Ali filed suit against rightful Dai of time Sayyedna Abdul Tayyab. Jahangir summoned Sayydna to Lahore to hear him in person. Jahangir decided the case in favour of Sayyedna Abdul Tayyeb and on the emperor's recommendation he forgave Ali. However, according to official Bohras sources Ali didn't honour his words and finally a small number of people owing allegiance to Ali seceded from the community.
12.) prophet mohammad (pbuh) Forecast of "Walidi" progeny having 18 dai's - manifested in dawoodi bohras only, and not in sulaimani or alvi sect
Syyedna Abdul Tayyab was succeeded by Sayyedna Ali Shamsuddin bin Maulai Hasan. Ali Shamsuddin a.q. was a descendent of the 19th Yamani Dai Sayyedna Idris. This way the forecast turned true all the 18 person in the progeny of Walidi became the Dai. This doesn't happened in the line of Sulaimani Sect or Alvi Sect.
13.) Aurangzeb tyranny over Bohras.
Shah Beg took all the books - about six cartloads - belonging to the Dai Qutbuddeen a.q. into his custody. Syyedna Qutbuddin was killed on August 10, 1646.
The Bohras, Engineer Asger Ali, page 124: After the execution of Sayyedna Qutbuddin a.q. his lieutenant Pir Khan Shujauddin and others remained imprisoned and a general campaign of terror was launched against Dawoodi Bohras. The Bohra women were forced to wear ivory bangles and men to smoke huqqa (both are prohibited among Bohras) and trim their beards in the Mughal style. Sunni pest Imams were appointed in the Bohra mosque to lead prayers. The Bohras once again resorted to taqiyya and came to the mosque for prayers after praying at home. Those who did not came to the mosque were publicly lashed. This campaign continued for about four months when Aurangzeb decided to leave Gujrat for Deccan. Mausam-i-Bahar says, he was transferred by the emperor Shah Jahan when he learnt of the martyrdom of Sayyedna Qutbuddin a.q. and the persecution of Bohras.
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Book name: Hindu Culture During and After Muslim Rule: Survival and Subsequent Challenges.
By: Ram Gopal
Page# 36
"The Bohras were divided between Sunni's and Shia's. The Sunni's among them sought state help to bring the Shia's into the Sunni fold. Aurangzeb issued orders that Sunni Imams and Muazzins should be appointed in their (Bohras) mosques."
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Book name: The Shaping of Modern Gujrat: Plurality, Hindutva, and Beyond.
By: Acyuta Yajnika, Suchitra Sheth
Page# 55
"Aurangzeb appointed Sunni Imams and Muazzins in Bohra mosques at Ahmedabad."
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Book name: Mullahs On The Mainframe
By: Jonah Blank
"The 32nd Dai Mutlaq Qutbuddin was killed in Ahmedabad on August 10, 1646; Aurangzeb was governor of Gujrat."
The Bohras, Engineer Asger Ali, page 124: After the execution of Sayyedna Qutbuddin a.q. his lieutenant Pir Khan Shujauddin and others remained imprisoned and a general campaign of terror was launched against Dawoodi Bohras. The Bohra women were forced to wear ivory bangles and men to smoke huqqa (both are prohibited among Bohras) and trim their beards in the Mughal style. Sunni pest Imams were appointed in the Bohra mosque to lead prayers. The Bohras once again resorted to taqiyya and came to the mosque for prayers after praying at home. Those who did not came to the mosque were publicly lashed. This campaign continued for about four months when Aurangzeb decided to leave Gujrat for Deccan. Mausam-i-Bahar says, he was transferred by the emperor Shah Jahan when he learnt of the martyrdom of Sayyedna Qutbuddin a.q. and the persecution of Bohras.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Book name: Hindu Culture During and After Muslim Rule: Survival and Subsequent Challenges.
By: Ram Gopal
Page# 36
"The Bohras were divided between Sunni's and Shia's. The Sunni's among them sought state help to bring the Shia's into the Sunni fold. Aurangzeb issued orders that Sunni Imams and Muazzins should be appointed in their (Bohras) mosques."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Book name: The Shaping of Modern Gujrat: Plurality, Hindutva, and Beyond.
By: Acyuta Yajnika, Suchitra Sheth
Page# 55
"Aurangzeb appointed Sunni Imams and Muazzins in Bohra mosques at Ahmedabad."
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Book name: Mullahs On The Mainframe
By: Jonah Blank
"The 32nd Dai Mutlaq Qutbuddin was killed in Ahmedabad on August 10, 1646; Aurangzeb was governor of Gujrat."
14.) Aurangzeb witnessed & convinced by the miracle of bohra's dai Syyedna Peer Khan r.z..
Sayyedna Pir Khan, along with other Bohra prisoners, were kept in a small hut by the side of the royal stables. One day the stable was destroyed by fire killing many horses, but the hut by its side remained unaffected. When Aurangzeb came to inspect the fire ravaged stable, he happened to pass by the hut, seeing the miraculous status he ordered their immediate release and gave them costly presents along with the horses to travel back to Gujrat. Syyedna Pir Khan a.q. returned to Ahmedabad via Sironj, Dohad, Ujjain, Rampura and Udaipur in A.H. 1058 in the holy month of Ramdan.
15.) Hindustan ke bohra mumineen ke liye Rasoolallah ki dua.
Hidustan ke mumineen ke liye Rasoolalllah s.a.w.w. ki dua aur dua ka natija
Maulai Malak bin Feer sahib a.q. se jab Yemen ke Dai Syyedna Mohammed Ezzudeen ki hazrat e aaliya me tashreef laye tab Syyedna me aap se Hindustan ke akhbar (information) aur tamam mumineen ke halaat pooche to aapne arz kiya Maula ki dua se sb mumineen khush he.
Syyedna ne farmaya ki riwayat me he ki Rasool'allah s.a.w.a. jis waqt hajj ke liye tashreef le gye aur Bailtullah ke tawaf liye aur jab aap Hajar-e-aswad ko choomne lage to us waqt aapne apna poora badan Hindustan ke taraf kar diya aur dua farmai.
Aap ke ashaab ne poocha ki ya Rasool'allah s.a.w. Aap kis ke haq me dua farma rahe he?
To aapne ne farmaya "IKHWANI IKHWANI" yani mere bhaiyo ke liye dua kar raha hoon jo hindustan me akhri zaman m se honge aur mera imaan layenge bhale hi unhone mujhe dekha nai ho. Tab hi ashaab ne irshaad kiya ki kya hum aapke bhai nahi? Aap s.a.w ne farmaya ki nahi tum mere ashaab ho aur wo mere bhai he.
Syedi Khoj bin Malak r.a. apne rislale 'Bazar ul Badaya' me farmate he ki Hindustan me pehle sbhi badshah kuffar the aur buth parasti (idol worshipping) me mashgool the to us waqt ke Imam a.s. ne Allah ta'aala ki ilhaam se Gujraat ki taraf Dai ko bheja jinka naam Maulai Abdullah a.q. tha. Kareeb 600 saal Hijri me aap Khambat tashreef laaye aur phir unke hath pe bahut se log imaan laye aur Islaam ko qabool kiya. Kuch riwayat me unke Khambat aane ka iktilaaf milta he kuch kitaab m yeh riwayat milti he ki Imam Mustansir Billah a.s. ke zaman me dai Abdullah Hindustan aaye, usse pehle aap Yemen gye aur phir Gujarat ki taraf qasd kiya aur Khambaat tashreef laye.
Syyedi Khoj bin Malak r.a. khud hi apne risale 'Bazar ul Badya' me likhte he ki Dai jillat bin shayaban a.q. Ne imam moiz a.s. Ke amar se hindustaan m tashreef laye aur aapke hath pe baadshaah iman laya.
Khambat ke bayan me zikr hota h ki pehle Khambat ka naam Taham Tirat hua krta tha Khambat se hi Duat-e-Taiyaba ka zahoor hua aur Khuda ta'aala ke wali Imam uz Zaman ke iham se Dai ko Gujaat ki taraf bheja aur bahut saal tak Hind me Dawat qayam ki. Duat e kiram ne jab Imam ki hazarat aaliya me tashreef laye tab dai ne imam se arz kiya ki Hindustan ke logo ki boli mushkil he to imam a.s. ne doosre Dai ko Hind m bheja aur farmaya ki "KAZEBAL FU AADU MAA ARAA " yani jo dil pe ilhaam hua h wo sachaa he, fir Aapne farmaya ki Hinduatan me kitne keemti jawahir niklenge aur un sb jawahir ke upar ek azeem khalq ki nijaati hogi yahaan jawahir se murad Dua'at ul kiram a.q. hain.
From book: Kokabe Falak
By: Syedi Khoj bin Malak Kapadwanj r.a.
Maulai Malak bin Feer sahib a.q. se jab Yemen ke Dai Syyedna Mohammed Ezzudeen ki hazrat e aaliya me tashreef laye tab Syyedna me aap se Hindustan ke akhbar (information) aur tamam mumineen ke halaat pooche to aapne arz kiya Maula ki dua se sb mumineen khush he.
Syyedna ne farmaya ki riwayat me he ki Rasool'allah s.a.w.a. jis waqt hajj ke liye tashreef le gye aur Bailtullah ke tawaf liye aur jab aap Hajar-e-aswad ko choomne lage to us waqt aapne apna poora badan Hindustan ke taraf kar diya aur dua farmai.
Aap ke ashaab ne poocha ki ya Rasool'allah s.a.w. Aap kis ke haq me dua farma rahe he?
To aapne ne farmaya "IKHWANI IKHWANI" yani mere bhaiyo ke liye dua kar raha hoon jo hindustan me akhri zaman m se honge aur mera imaan layenge bhale hi unhone mujhe dekha nai ho. Tab hi ashaab ne irshaad kiya ki kya hum aapke bhai nahi? Aap s.a.w ne farmaya ki nahi tum mere ashaab ho aur wo mere bhai he.
Syedi Khoj bin Malak r.a. apne rislale 'Bazar ul Badaya' me farmate he ki Hindustan me pehle sbhi badshah kuffar the aur buth parasti (idol worshipping) me mashgool the to us waqt ke Imam a.s. ne Allah ta'aala ki ilhaam se Gujraat ki taraf Dai ko bheja jinka naam Maulai Abdullah a.q. tha. Kareeb 600 saal Hijri me aap Khambat tashreef laaye aur phir unke hath pe bahut se log imaan laye aur Islaam ko qabool kiya. Kuch riwayat me unke Khambat aane ka iktilaaf milta he kuch kitaab m yeh riwayat milti he ki Imam Mustansir Billah a.s. ke zaman me dai Abdullah Hindustan aaye, usse pehle aap Yemen gye aur phir Gujarat ki taraf qasd kiya aur Khambaat tashreef laye.
Syyedi Khoj bin Malak r.a. khud hi apne risale 'Bazar ul Badya' me likhte he ki Dai jillat bin shayaban a.q. Ne imam moiz a.s. Ke amar se hindustaan m tashreef laye aur aapke hath pe baadshaah iman laya.
Khambat ke bayan me zikr hota h ki pehle Khambat ka naam Taham Tirat hua krta tha Khambat se hi Duat-e-Taiyaba ka zahoor hua aur Khuda ta'aala ke wali Imam uz Zaman ke iham se Dai ko Gujaat ki taraf bheja aur bahut saal tak Hind me Dawat qayam ki. Duat e kiram ne jab Imam ki hazarat aaliya me tashreef laye tab dai ne imam se arz kiya ki Hindustan ke logo ki boli mushkil he to imam a.s. ne doosre Dai ko Hind m bheja aur farmaya ki "KAZEBAL FU AADU MAA ARAA " yani jo dil pe ilhaam hua h wo sachaa he, fir Aapne farmaya ki Hinduatan me kitne keemti jawahir niklenge aur un sb jawahir ke upar ek azeem khalq ki nijaati hogi yahaan jawahir se murad Dua'at ul kiram a.q. hain.
From book: Kokabe Falak
By: Syedi Khoj bin Malak Kapadwanj r.a.
16.) First majlis on the event of Karbala.
Prophet Mohammad s.a.w.w. gave his pious wife Molatina Umme Salma (r.a.) a bottle filled with sand of Karbala. And advised her, should the colour of sand turns red, she may infer the martyrdom of their grandson 2nd Fatimi Imam Hussain a.s.
When 2nd Fatimi Imam Hussain a.s. went away from Medina, everyday out of concern and worries she use to watch that bottle. One day (Ashoor) she saw the colour of sand in bottle turned red! She wept and recited the 1st majlis announcing the martyrdom of 2nd Fatimi Imam Hussain a.s.
Above tradition is noted in Sheikh Ahmed Ali Raj sahib books. Also Tahir Saifuddin sahab has noted same in his book 'Agharul Majlis'.
When 2nd Fatimi Imam Hussain a.s. went away from Medina, everyday out of concern and worries she use to watch that bottle. One day (Ashoor) she saw the colour of sand in bottle turned red! She wept and recited the 1st majlis announcing the martyrdom of 2nd Fatimi Imam Hussain a.s.
Above tradition is noted in Sheikh Ahmed Ali Raj sahib books. Also Tahir Saifuddin sahab has noted same in his book 'Agharul Majlis'.
17.) Only Fatimi Dawat followers are not terrorist.
All terrorist follows Yazeed's line of thought.
Death of Yazeed (L): Yazeed went for hunt and in chase of some animal, he went very far; without escorts and never came back! No trace of Yazeed's grave.
After murdering 2nd Fatimi Imam Hussain (a), Yazeed lived for two more years and committed further two heinous crimes in each year:
1. In the first year after Imam Hussain (a) murder, Yazeed attacked Medina, killed innocent, looted assets, plundered properties, committed atrocities on women and kids to the magnitude of raping women in 'Masjid-a-nabwi'. Yazeed military converted Masjid-a-Nabwi in horse stable, one can imagine the 'behurmati' done by horses urine and dung in the pristine and pious mosque!
2. In second year, Yazeed military lead by commander Muslim ibn Aqbah were on mission to destroy Kaaba, in Mecca. They catapulted fire stone from nearby hillocks and damaged Rukn-a-Yamani, kiswa, other artifacts kept near Kaaba! And murdered several pilgrims!
Observe the sequence of Yazeed escalating attacks -
[1st] Murder Fatimi Imam Hussain (a),
[2nd] Destroy belonging of Prophet Mohammad (s).
[3rd] Damaging house of Allah, the Kaaba.
Yazeed and predecessors in core of their heart have enmity with Allah. After damaging Kaaba, Muslim ibn Aqbah suddenly fell ill and realized his life's end is very near. His soldiers asked him if he has any last will? He replied, "When I will meet Allah, I will demand that I obeyed to command of your Caliph Yazeed - burnt and destroyed Kaaba, hence I must be sent to paradise." See the irony in the statement of Muslim ibn Aqbah: he is burning and destroying house of Allah and demanding paradise for same from Allah!!!
All terrorists are BRAIN-WASHED with ditto line of thoughts as practiced by Muslim ibn Aqbah.
In past 1400 years all sects of Islam have given birth to their own sect terrorist, except Fatimi Dawat, we are the ONLY maslaq in entire history of Islam from whom no terrorist got born till date.
Death of Yazeed (L): Yazeed went for hunt and in chase of some animal, he went very far; without escorts and never came back! No trace of Yazeed's grave.
After murdering 2nd Fatimi Imam Hussain (a), Yazeed lived for two more years and committed further two heinous crimes in each year:
1. In the first year after Imam Hussain (a) murder, Yazeed attacked Medina, killed innocent, looted assets, plundered properties, committed atrocities on women and kids to the magnitude of raping women in 'Masjid-a-nabwi'. Yazeed military converted Masjid-a-Nabwi in horse stable, one can imagine the 'behurmati' done by horses urine and dung in the pristine and pious mosque!
2. In second year, Yazeed military lead by commander Muslim ibn Aqbah were on mission to destroy Kaaba, in Mecca. They catapulted fire stone from nearby hillocks and damaged Rukn-a-Yamani, kiswa, other artifacts kept near Kaaba! And murdered several pilgrims!
Observe the sequence of Yazeed escalating attacks -
[1st] Murder Fatimi Imam Hussain (a),
[2nd] Destroy belonging of Prophet Mohammad (s).
[3rd] Damaging house of Allah, the Kaaba.
Yazeed and predecessors in core of their heart have enmity with Allah. After damaging Kaaba, Muslim ibn Aqbah suddenly fell ill and realized his life's end is very near. His soldiers asked him if he has any last will? He replied, "When I will meet Allah, I will demand that I obeyed to command of your Caliph Yazeed - burnt and destroyed Kaaba, hence I must be sent to paradise." See the irony in the statement of Muslim ibn Aqbah: he is burning and destroying house of Allah and demanding paradise for same from Allah!!!
All terrorists are BRAIN-WASHED with ditto line of thoughts as practiced by Muslim ibn Aqbah.
In past 1400 years all sects of Islam have given birth to their own sect terrorist, except Fatimi Dawat, we are the ONLY maslaq in entire history of Islam from whom no terrorist got born till date.
18.) Caste & tribes of India (in context of Bohras).
The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India - Volume II, by R. V. Russell, Of the Indian Civil Service Superintendent of Ethnography, Central Provinces. Assisted by Rai Bahadur Hira Lāl, Extra Assistant Commissioner, Published Under the Orders of the Central Provinces Administration, In Four Volume, Vol. II., Macmillan and Co., Limited St. Martin’s Street, London. 1916.
"According to the received account of the rise of the Bohras in Gujarāt a missionary, Abdulla, came from Yemen to Cambay in A.D. 1067. By his miracles he converted the great king Sidhrāj of Anhilvāda Pātan in Gujarāt, and he with numbers of his subjects embraced the new faith."
"Gujarāt contains two classes of Bohras: the traders who are all Shias and are the only immigrants into the Central Provinces, and a large class of cultivating Bohras who are Sunnis. The latter may be the descendants of the earliest converts and may have been forced to become Sunnis when this sect was dominant in Gujarāt as noticed above, while the Shias are perhaps descended from the later immigrants from Arabia. The Shia Bohras themselves are further divided into several sects of which the Dāudi are the principal."
"Mr. Farīdi (referring Bombay Gazetteer) writes of them: “They are attentive to their religious duties, both men and women knowing the Korān. They are careful to say their prayers, to observe Muharram as a season of mourning and to go on pilgrimage to Mecca and Kerbala. They strictly abstain from music and dancing and from using or dealing in intoxicating drinks or drugs. Though fierce sectarians, keenly hating and hated by the regular Sunnis and other Muhammadans than those of their own sect, their reverence for Ali and for their high priest seems to be further removed from adoration than among the Khojahs. They would appear to accept the ordinary distinctions of right and wrong, punishing drunkenness, adultery and other acts generally considered disgraceful. Of the state beyond death they hold that, after passing a time of freedom as evil spirits, unbelievers go to a place of torment. Believers, but apparently only believers of the Ismaili faith, after a term of training enter a state of perfection. Among the faithful each disembodied spirit passes the term of training in communion with the soul of some good man. The spirit can suggest good or evil to the man and may learn from his good deeds to love the right; when the good man dies the spirits in communion with his soul are, if they have gained by their training, attached to some more perfect man, or if they have lost by their opportunities are sent back to learn; spirits raised to a higher degree of knowledge are placed in communion with the High Priest on earth; and on his death are with him united to the Imāms, and when through the Imāms they have learnt what they still require to know they are absorbed in perfection. Except for some peculiarities in their names; that they attach special importance to circumcision; that the sacrifice or alsikah ceremony is held in the Mullah’s house; that at marriage the bride and bridegroom when not of age are represented by sponsors or walis; that at death a prayer for pity on his soul and body is laid in the dead man’s hands; and that on certain occasions the High Priest feeds the whole community—Bohra customs do not so far as has been ascertained differ from those of ordinary Muhammadans."
Mr. Thurston notes (Castes and Tribes of Southern India, art. Bohra.) that the Bohras consider themselves so superior to other sects that if another Muhammadan enters their mosque they afterwards clean the spot which he has occupied during his prayers. They show strictness in other ways, making their own sweetmeats at home and declining to eat those of the Halwai (confectioner). It is said also that they will not have their clothes washed by a Dhobi, nor wear shoes made by a Chamār, nor take food touched by any Hindu. They are said to bathe only on Fridays, and some of them not on every Friday. If a dog touches them they are unclean and must change their clothes. They celebrate the Id and Ramazān a day before other Muhammadans. At the Muharram their women break all their bangles and wear new bangles next day to show that they have been widowed, and during this period they observe mourning by going without shoes and not using umbrellas. Mr. Conolly says of them: “I must not omit to notice that a fine of 20 cowries (equally for rich and poor) punishes the non-attendance of a Bohra at the daily prayers. A large sum is exacted for remissness during the Ramazān, and it is said that the dread of loss operates powerfully upon a class of men who are particularly penny-wise. The money collected thus is transmitted by the Ujjain Mullah to his chief at Surat, who devotes it to religious purposes such as repairing or building mosques, assisting the needy of his subjects and the like. Several other offences have the same characteristic punishment, such as fornication, drunkenness, etc. But the cunning Bohras elude many of the fines and daily indulge in practices not sanctioned by their creed; thus in their shops pictures and figures may be purchased though it is against the commandments to sell the likeness of any living thing.”
It has been seen that when a Bohra is buried a prayer for pity on his soul and body is laid in the dead man’s hands, of which Mr. Farīdi gives the text. But other Muhammadans tell a story to the effect that the head Mullah writes a letter to the archangel Gabriel in which he is instructed to supply a stream of honey, a stream of milk, water and some fruit trees, a golden building and a number of houris, the extent of the order depending on the amount of money which has been paid to the Mullah by the departed in his lifetime; and this letter is placed beneath the dead man’s head in the grave, the Bohras having no coffins. The Bohras indignantly repudiate any such version of the letter, and no doubt if the custom ever existed it has died out.
Moor’s Hindu Infanticide, p. 168 - The Bohras, Captain Forsyth remarks, though bigoted religionists, are certainly the most civilised and enterprising and perhaps also the most industrious class in the Nimār District. They deal generally in hardware, piece-goods and drugs, and are very keen traders. There is a proverb, “He who is sharper than a Bohra must be mad, and he who is fairer than a Khatri must be a leper.” Some of them are only pedlars and hawkers, and in past times their position seems to have been lower than at present. An old account says: “The Bohras are an inferior set of travelling merchants. The inside of a Bohra’s box is like that of an English country shop; spelling-books, prayer-books, lavender-water, soap, tapes, scissors, knives, needles and thread make but a small part of the variety.” And again: “In Bombay the Bohras go about the town as the dirty Jews do in London early and late, carrying a bag and inviting by the same nasal tone servants and others to fill it with old clothes, empty bottles, scraps of iron, etc.”
Memoir of Central India, ii. p. 111. - Of their method of living Malcolm wrote: “I visited several of the houses of this tribe at Shāhjahānpur, where a colony of them are settled, and was gratified to find not only in their apartments, but in the spaciousness and cleanliness of their kitchens, in the well-constructed chimney, the neatly arranged pantries, and the polished dishes and plates as much of real comfort in domestic arrangements as could be found anywhere. We took the parties we visited by surprise and there could have been no preparation.” The Bohras do not charge interest on loans, and they combine to support indigent members of the community, never allowing one of their caste to beg. The caste may easily be known from other Muhammadans by their small, tightly wound turbans and little skull-caps, and their long flowing robes, and loose trousers widening from the ankle upwards and gathered in at the waist with a string. The women dress in a coloured cotton or silk petticoat, a short-sleeved bodice and a coloured cotton head-scarf. When they go out of doors they throw a dark cloak over the head which covers the body to the ankles, with gauze openings for the eyes.
"According to the received account of the rise of the Bohras in Gujarāt a missionary, Abdulla, came from Yemen to Cambay in A.D. 1067. By his miracles he converted the great king Sidhrāj of Anhilvāda Pātan in Gujarāt, and he with numbers of his subjects embraced the new faith."
"Gujarāt contains two classes of Bohras: the traders who are all Shias and are the only immigrants into the Central Provinces, and a large class of cultivating Bohras who are Sunnis. The latter may be the descendants of the earliest converts and may have been forced to become Sunnis when this sect was dominant in Gujarāt as noticed above, while the Shias are perhaps descended from the later immigrants from Arabia. The Shia Bohras themselves are further divided into several sects of which the Dāudi are the principal."
"Mr. Farīdi (referring Bombay Gazetteer) writes of them: “They are attentive to their religious duties, both men and women knowing the Korān. They are careful to say their prayers, to observe Muharram as a season of mourning and to go on pilgrimage to Mecca and Kerbala. They strictly abstain from music and dancing and from using or dealing in intoxicating drinks or drugs. Though fierce sectarians, keenly hating and hated by the regular Sunnis and other Muhammadans than those of their own sect, their reverence for Ali and for their high priest seems to be further removed from adoration than among the Khojahs. They would appear to accept the ordinary distinctions of right and wrong, punishing drunkenness, adultery and other acts generally considered disgraceful. Of the state beyond death they hold that, after passing a time of freedom as evil spirits, unbelievers go to a place of torment. Believers, but apparently only believers of the Ismaili faith, after a term of training enter a state of perfection. Among the faithful each disembodied spirit passes the term of training in communion with the soul of some good man. The spirit can suggest good or evil to the man and may learn from his good deeds to love the right; when the good man dies the spirits in communion with his soul are, if they have gained by their training, attached to some more perfect man, or if they have lost by their opportunities are sent back to learn; spirits raised to a higher degree of knowledge are placed in communion with the High Priest on earth; and on his death are with him united to the Imāms, and when through the Imāms they have learnt what they still require to know they are absorbed in perfection. Except for some peculiarities in their names; that they attach special importance to circumcision; that the sacrifice or alsikah ceremony is held in the Mullah’s house; that at marriage the bride and bridegroom when not of age are represented by sponsors or walis; that at death a prayer for pity on his soul and body is laid in the dead man’s hands; and that on certain occasions the High Priest feeds the whole community—Bohra customs do not so far as has been ascertained differ from those of ordinary Muhammadans."
Mr. Thurston notes (Castes and Tribes of Southern India, art. Bohra.) that the Bohras consider themselves so superior to other sects that if another Muhammadan enters their mosque they afterwards clean the spot which he has occupied during his prayers. They show strictness in other ways, making their own sweetmeats at home and declining to eat those of the Halwai (confectioner). It is said also that they will not have their clothes washed by a Dhobi, nor wear shoes made by a Chamār, nor take food touched by any Hindu. They are said to bathe only on Fridays, and some of them not on every Friday. If a dog touches them they are unclean and must change their clothes. They celebrate the Id and Ramazān a day before other Muhammadans. At the Muharram their women break all their bangles and wear new bangles next day to show that they have been widowed, and during this period they observe mourning by going without shoes and not using umbrellas. Mr. Conolly says of them: “I must not omit to notice that a fine of 20 cowries (equally for rich and poor) punishes the non-attendance of a Bohra at the daily prayers. A large sum is exacted for remissness during the Ramazān, and it is said that the dread of loss operates powerfully upon a class of men who are particularly penny-wise. The money collected thus is transmitted by the Ujjain Mullah to his chief at Surat, who devotes it to religious purposes such as repairing or building mosques, assisting the needy of his subjects and the like. Several other offences have the same characteristic punishment, such as fornication, drunkenness, etc. But the cunning Bohras elude many of the fines and daily indulge in practices not sanctioned by their creed; thus in their shops pictures and figures may be purchased though it is against the commandments to sell the likeness of any living thing.”
It has been seen that when a Bohra is buried a prayer for pity on his soul and body is laid in the dead man’s hands, of which Mr. Farīdi gives the text. But other Muhammadans tell a story to the effect that the head Mullah writes a letter to the archangel Gabriel in which he is instructed to supply a stream of honey, a stream of milk, water and some fruit trees, a golden building and a number of houris, the extent of the order depending on the amount of money which has been paid to the Mullah by the departed in his lifetime; and this letter is placed beneath the dead man’s head in the grave, the Bohras having no coffins. The Bohras indignantly repudiate any such version of the letter, and no doubt if the custom ever existed it has died out.
Moor’s Hindu Infanticide, p. 168 - The Bohras, Captain Forsyth remarks, though bigoted religionists, are certainly the most civilised and enterprising and perhaps also the most industrious class in the Nimār District. They deal generally in hardware, piece-goods and drugs, and are very keen traders. There is a proverb, “He who is sharper than a Bohra must be mad, and he who is fairer than a Khatri must be a leper.” Some of them are only pedlars and hawkers, and in past times their position seems to have been lower than at present. An old account says: “The Bohras are an inferior set of travelling merchants. The inside of a Bohra’s box is like that of an English country shop; spelling-books, prayer-books, lavender-water, soap, tapes, scissors, knives, needles and thread make but a small part of the variety.” And again: “In Bombay the Bohras go about the town as the dirty Jews do in London early and late, carrying a bag and inviting by the same nasal tone servants and others to fill it with old clothes, empty bottles, scraps of iron, etc.”
Memoir of Central India, ii. p. 111. - Of their method of living Malcolm wrote: “I visited several of the houses of this tribe at Shāhjahānpur, where a colony of them are settled, and was gratified to find not only in their apartments, but in the spaciousness and cleanliness of their kitchens, in the well-constructed chimney, the neatly arranged pantries, and the polished dishes and plates as much of real comfort in domestic arrangements as could be found anywhere. We took the parties we visited by surprise and there could have been no preparation.” The Bohras do not charge interest on loans, and they combine to support indigent members of the community, never allowing one of their caste to beg. The caste may easily be known from other Muhammadans by their small, tightly wound turbans and little skull-caps, and their long flowing robes, and loose trousers widening from the ankle upwards and gathered in at the waist with a string. The women dress in a coloured cotton or silk petticoat, a short-sleeved bodice and a coloured cotton head-scarf. When they go out of doors they throw a dark cloak over the head which covers the body to the ankles, with gauze openings for the eyes.
19.) Dai Syyedna Abde Ali Saifuddin on breast beating (incorrectly referred as "maatam").
Syyedna Abde Ali Saifuddin a.q. said, "Apni majlis Rasulullah (A.S.) ni majlis, apno darbar Amirul mumineen (S.A.) no darbar, apna Moaseroon (Jamat na loko) sab na sab As’habe-Safinat ane Arbabe-Vaqar howa joiye. Etle majlis per apno roub shaamil rahe. Har aam majlis ma nahi, fakat fazil ane kamil ashra ni majliso ma hee girya (rowa) ni ejazat chhe. Seena-zani (chaatee kutwoo) ane matam haram chhe. Apni seerat auwaliya ni seerat, ane apni aadat Aadate-kiram howi joiye. Koyee lamha shugule-elahi si faarig naa rehwoo joiye."
"Moharram ni majlis maahi saghla mumineen ni aankho ashko thi tar thai. Koyee maatha ya seena per, firqa- Asna-Asharee ni tarah hath na mare. Firqa-mazkoor na misal majlise-Husain (A.S.) maa matam kari beadabee naa kare."
"Moharram ni majlis maahi saghla mumineen ni aankho ashko thi tar thai. Koyee maatha ya seena per, firqa- Asna-Asharee ni tarah hath na mare. Firqa-mazkoor na misal majlise-Husain (A.S.) maa matam kari beadabee naa kare."
20.) Key philosophical difference between Bohras and all others.
Prophet Mohammad (s) is "authorised" by Allah to declare the matter of Shariyat to public.
Allah in verse of Mubahila in Quran declares Mohammad, Ali, Fatima, Hasan & Hussain (a.s.) are the authorised representative of Islam.
This fact is also categorically endorsed by the Sunni's own book 'Sahih Muslim'.
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[1] Bohra maslaq religious practices are given by Allah's authorised representatives of "appointed" Imams and their representatives.
[2] Sunni's derive their religious practices from Awwal, Sani and Salis. In none of their own literature, their is not even a single Hadith that says if Prophet Mohammad (s) has authorised them as Islam's representative after him.
[3] Ithna Asheri's religious practices are derived from their religious head called "Marza" and "Ayatollah" - none of them from inception till date have been authorised by their alleged 12th Imam, which is assumed to be Allah's representative. Hence, Ithna Asheri's religious practices are based on whims and fancies of their Marzas and Ayatullahs, and not per Allah's will.
-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
So the key difference between Bohras maslaq and others is: Bohras follows Allah's will. All others follows their respective sects leaders will.
Allah in verse of Mubahila in Quran declares Mohammad, Ali, Fatima, Hasan & Hussain (a.s.) are the authorised representative of Islam.
This fact is also categorically endorsed by the Sunni's own book 'Sahih Muslim'.
-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[1] Bohra maslaq religious practices are given by Allah's authorised representatives of "appointed" Imams and their representatives.
[2] Sunni's derive their religious practices from Awwal, Sani and Salis. In none of their own literature, their is not even a single Hadith that says if Prophet Mohammad (s) has authorised them as Islam's representative after him.
[3] Ithna Asheri's religious practices are derived from their religious head called "Marza" and "Ayatollah" - none of them from inception till date have been authorised by their alleged 12th Imam, which is assumed to be Allah's representative. Hence, Ithna Asheri's religious practices are based on whims and fancies of their Marzas and Ayatullahs, and not per Allah's will.
-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
So the key difference between Bohras maslaq and others is: Bohras follows Allah's will. All others follows their respective sects leaders will.
21.) Dai Mutlaq = Leadership by meritocracy.
Leadership by meritocracy is nature's first law, as well as is the modus operandi of Allah.
Leadership via democracy or by self appointment is cosmetic & artificial, neither practiced nor prescribed by nature or Allah.
All the Prophets were appointed by Allah. None were elected by democratic mediums, nor they imposed self as leader of community.
Fatimi Dawat v/s rest: In whole world, through out time our leadership structure is in compliance with above. Where else mufti, caliphs, ayatullah, marza, etc are all self-appointed leaders or democratically elected leaders, hence, they all are not in compliance with Allah's and nature's way as described above.
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'Dai Mutlaq' is one of the apparent chain of leadership in Fatimi Dawat. Meritocracy based leadership is only evident in our maslak. Its proof: High majority of time Dai's son has not inherited the seat of Dai Mutlaq but the most meritorious person did.
In Yemen, approx. 17 of 23 Dais were not son of their predecessor.
In Hindustan, approx. 18 of 23 Dais were not son of their predecessor.
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Leadership via democracy or by self appointment is cosmetic & artificial, neither practiced nor prescribed by nature or Allah.
All the Prophets were appointed by Allah. None were elected by democratic mediums, nor they imposed self as leader of community.
Fatimi Dawat v/s rest: In whole world, through out time our leadership structure is in compliance with above. Where else mufti, caliphs, ayatullah, marza, etc are all self-appointed leaders or democratically elected leaders, hence, they all are not in compliance with Allah's and nature's way as described above.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
'Dai Mutlaq' is one of the apparent chain of leadership in Fatimi Dawat. Meritocracy based leadership is only evident in our maslak. Its proof: High majority of time Dai's son has not inherited the seat of Dai Mutlaq but the most meritorious person did.
In Yemen, approx. 17 of 23 Dais were not son of their predecessor.
In Hindustan, approx. 18 of 23 Dais were not son of their predecessor.
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- In Yemen 6 of the 23 Duaat succeeded their fathers(# 3,4,9,17,20,22).
- 2 succeeded their brothers (# 18,21).
- 18 out of 23 Yemeni Duat were sons or grandsons of a previous Dai.
- In India 5 of 23 Duaat succeeded their fathers (# 35,36,37,40,42).
- 2 succeeded their brothers (# 43,45).
- There were 18 Duaats from the line of Muhammad bin Waleed, 17 Yemeni and 1 Indian.
- Of the 23 Indian Duaats there were 9 from the line of Bhaarmal and 2 from the line of Taarmal.
Wa aakhiro daawana anil hamdo lillahe Rabbil aalameen