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Dawoodi Bohra

January 01, 1970

The Dawoodi Bohras are a religious denomination within the Ismā'īlī branch of Shia Islam. They number approximately one million worldwide and have settled in over 40 countries around the world. The majority of the Dawoodi Bohra community resides in India, with sizable congregations in Pakistan, Yemen, East Africa, and the Middle East. They also have a growing presence in Europe, North America, and Australia. The present leader is the 53rd al-Dai al-Mutlaq, Mufaddal Saifuddin who assumed office in January 2014.[5]

  • Dawoodi Bohra
  • داؤوْدِي بُهرة
Dawoodi Bohra family in their religious attire.
Total population
1,000,000[1]–2,000,000[2]
2021
Regions with significant populations
 India
500,000–1,000,000[3][4]
Religions
Shi'a Islam
Scriptures
Quran
Languages
  • Predominantly spoken:
  • Historical:
  • Sacred:
Related ethnic groups
Website
thedawoodibohras.com

The Dawoodi Bohras are a close-knit community who follow the tenets of Islam. Their faith is founded on the conviction that there is only one deity, Allah Taʿala, that the Holy Quran is the inspired message of Allah, and that the prophets and their successors have a holy purpose. By abiding by the sharia-mandated religious rituals and pillars of Islam, such as reciting the Quran, performing the five daily prayers, and fasting during the month of Ramadan, they worship Allah in order to be saved in the afterlife.[6] The core of their faith is the belief that the Ahl al-Bayt, members of the Prophet Mohammed's family, are the rightful successors of the Prophet and guides of mankind. Like all Shia Muslims, they hold the traditions that Ali bin Abi Talib, the Prophet Mohammed's legatee, succeeded him and provided an interpretation and explanation of the revelations the Prophet had received. A fundamental tenet of the Dawoodi Bohra faith is that there will always be an imam on earth, descended from the Prophet through his grandson Imam Husain, to carry on the task of leading humanity. When the imam chooses to withdraw from public view, his office is taken over by the Al-Da'i al-Mutlaq (unrestricted missionary) who, like the imam, preserves and protects the faith until the imam's return. The 21st Imam chose seclusion in 1132 AD and Al-dai al-mutlaq first operated from Yemen and subsequently from India, for over the last 450 years. The dais are considered to have played an important role in shaping the lives of Dawoodi Bohras and contributing to the community's progress over the last nine centuries.[5]

Mostly self-reliant, the Bohras are typically well-educated traders, businesspersons, and entrepreneurs. The word "Bohra" comes from the Gujarati word vohrvu or vyavahar, meaning "to trade".[7] Their cultural heritage is in the traditions of the Fatimid imams; direct descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatima, who ruled over North Africa between the 10th and 11th century CE.[8] Whilst adherence to traditional values is important for the community, they are also known for their mercantilism and modernist approach to their lifestyles.[9]

Lisaan ud-Da'wat is the language of the Bohras. The language is based on a Neo-Indo-Aryan language, Gujarati, but incorporates a heavy amount of Arabic, Urdu, and Persian vocabulary and is written in the Arabic script naskh style. The Bohras' religious attire is known as Libas al-Anwar and men usually grow a full beard. The Bohra community during their gatherings, eat in groups of eight or nine people, seated around a particularly big metal plate called thaal. Prominent religious festivals include Eid-e-Milad an-Nabi, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and Muharram. The majlis is an age-old practise of the community in which they congregate on major dates in the Islamic calendar. They also undertake the mandatory Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah and the Prophet's shrine in Medina.[5]

History

Dawoodi Bohras are a subset of the Taiyebi sect of the Musta'li branch of Isma'ilism, itself a branch of Shia Islam.[10]: 1–4  Reverence for the Fatimid Imams and Muhammad's family is fundamental to Bohras' beliefs whose lineage is traces back to Muhammad's daughter Fatima.[11]

Fatimid imams

The Fatimids, descendants of the Prophet Mohammed , ruled over North Africa and Egypt, Hejaz, and Levant between the 10th and 11th centuries.[8] They flourished during what Maurice Lombard called the Golden Age of Islam,[12] and were patrons of arts, learning, and scientific discovery.[10] The 14th Imam, al-Mui’zz, founded the modern-day city of Cairo and established Al-Azhar University, one of the oldest universities in the world.[13]

Before the empire's decline, Al-Amir bi-Ahkam Allah, the 20th Fatimid imam, directed his grand emissary, Arwa bint Ahmad, the Sulayhid queen of Yemen, to establish the office of the Da'i al-Mutlaq (lit. 'unrestricted missionary') to act as vicegerent of his son, the 21st Imam At-Tayyib Abu'l-Qasim while he was in occultation, and to lead al-Da'wah al-Hadiyah.[10] Arwa bint Ahmad appointed Zoeb bin Musa as the first Da'i al-Mutlaq.[11][14]

Succession to the office of al-Da'i al-Mutlaq happens through nass, whereby each Da'i appoints a successor in his own lifetime. As of 2001 the chain of succession was uninterrupted.[15]

Origins in India

 
A Gujarati Bohra pictured wearing white and gold turban with a red top.

The roots of the community's establishment in India go back to the Fatimid era, when Al Mustansir Billah, the 18th Imam, sent a Dai named Abdullah from Yemen to initiate the Da’wah on his behalf. Abdullah arrived in Cambay (modern day Khambhat, Gujarat) in AD 1067/H 460 and soon won many converts, including local rulers. Moulai Abdullah was first Wali ul Hind in India.[16][17]

The seclusion of al-Tayyeb led to the establishment of the office of al-Dai al-Mutlaq in Yemen. Subsequently, the Indian community which had pledged allegiance to the Fatimids continued to remain loyal to the Dais in Yemen. This resulted in a secession with the Hafizis, led by Al-Tayyeb's uncle, Abd al-Majid. Twenty-three Dais operated from their mountain bases in Yemen for nearly four centuries, preserving the faith and authoring seminal works. The 19th Dai, Idris Imaduddin, wrote numerous works, including a comprehensive and detailed history of the Fatimid faith.[10]

Meanwhile, the community in Gujarat had maintained ties with their Dais in Yemen, who closely supervised their affairs and regularly welcomed Bohra delegations from Gujarat. During this time, the community grew in size, especially in Cambay, Patan, Sidhpur, and Ahmedabad.[16][18]

Yusuf bin Sulayman Najmuddin, originally from Sidhpur, a town in Gujarat, was one of the Bohras who travelled to Yemen to seek knowledge from the Dai. Najmuddin arrived in Yemen while still in his youth and first studied under Hasan bin Nuh al-Bharuchi. He was eventually nominated by the twenty-third Dai as his successor and became the first from the Indian community to lead the Tayyibi Da’wa as the twenty-fourth al-Dai al-Mutlaq. When Najmuddin died in CE 1567/H 974, the central headquarters of the Da’wa were transferred from Yemen to Gujarat by his Indian successor, Jalal bin Hasan, who established residence at Ahmedabad.[16]

When the 26th al-Dai al-Mutlaq died in CE 1589/H 997, he was succeeded by his deputy, Dawood Bin Qutubshah. However, three years later, Sulayman bin Hasan, a high-ranking dignitary in Yemen, claimed the succession to the leadership of the community for himself. This succession dispute was brought before the Mughal emperor Akbar in 1597. A special tribunal decided in favour of Dawood Bin Qutubshah. However, this did not dissolve tensions, leading to a schism in the community. A majority of Bohras acknowledged Dawood Bin Qutubshah as the rightful successor and henceforth came to be known as Dawoodis (or Da’udis.)[19]

Major centres

 
A Borah woman, Surat, Gujarat.

Over the next few centuries, the Bohra headquarters moved within India with the changing location of the Dai. The centre of the Da’wah has been in six places: Ahmedabad (eight Dais, from 1567/974 to 1655/1065); Jamnagar in the Kathiawar region of Gujarat (five Dais, from 1655/1065 to 1737/1150); Ujjan in the present-day state of Madhya Pradesh (two Dais, from 1737/1150 to 1779/1193); Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh (one Dai, from 1779/1193 to 1785/1200); Surat in the present-day state of Gujarat (eight Dais, from 1785/1200 to 1933/1351) and Mumbai in the state of Maharashtra, where the current Dai resides.[20]

Starting in the early 19th century, some community members emigrated in search of better livelihoods. The first wave of Bohra traders to migrate to East Africa did so in the aftermath of a severe drought in Kathiawar. The 43rd Dai, Abdeali Saifuddin, invited 12,000 of his followers to Surat, and provided food, work and lodgings for all of them. His only conditions were that they learn and practice vocational skills, and he gave them their earnings when it was time for them to leave Surat. Many from this group decided to use this capital to venture forth to trade in East Africa.[21]

A century on from Abdeali Saifuddin, Taher Saifuddin succeeded him to the office of al-Dai al-Mutlaq as the 51st Dai, and his leadership was challenged almost immediately upon assuming the office. Taher Saifuddin is credited with revitalising the community by restructuring its organisation on modern lines.[22]

He shifted the community headquarters from Surat to Mumbai, which had become a major centre of trade and commerce in India.[16] His emphasis on acquiring higher education across disciplines[23] saw many young Dawoodi Bohras go on to settle in different parts of the world, resulting in thriving new communities.

Faith and belief

Monotheism

 
The word 'Allah' in Arabic calligraphy.

As Muslims, the Dawoodi Bohras believe in Tawhid, Islam's central monotheistic concept of a single, indivisible God (Allah). They recite the Shahada (Islamic holy creed): "there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah."

Seven pillars

Main article: Seven pillars of Ismailism
For an overview of the Mustaali Shi'a denomination of Islam, see Mustaali.

Walayah – devotion to Allah, Muhammad, his family, and his descendants – is the central of the seven pillars of the Dawoodi Bohra faith.

The other six pillars are tahaarat (purity in body and thought), salaat (daily ritual prayers), zakaat (offering a portion of one's income in the cause of Allah), sawm (fasting, particularly in the month of Ramadan), hajj (a ritual pilgrimage to Mecca), and jihad (striving in the way of Allah).[11] The Bohras build mosques wherever they live[24] to congregate for prayers and majalis (religious occasions) for the zikr of Allah and his prophets, imams, and da'is.[25]

Leadership

Further information: List of Dai of the Dawoodi Bohra

During the seclusion of the Imam,his vicegerent, al-Dai al-Mutlaq[16] was appointed to lead the community and administer, with complete authority, its secular and religious affairs.[26]

 
Mufaddal Saifuddin, the 53rd Da'i al-Mutlaq.

The Dai preaches Quranic precepts, which are the foundation of the faith, and guides the community on the path of salvation. Over the nine centuries that this office has existed, each Dai is considered to have played an important role in shaping the community’s social and economic progress. Community members seek and abide by his counsel in different aspects of life.[10]

The 1st Dai, Dhu'ayb bin Musa, was appointed in 1138 (532H) in Yemen by Queen Arwa bint Ahmed when the 21st Imam went into seclusion.[16] Over the next 400 years, 23 Dais established the Dawat in Yemen. The seat of the Dawat then transferred from Yemen to India, where the 24th Dai, Yusuf bin Sulayman Najmuddin, became the first Dai to assume office from this region.[16] Despite territorial and political upheavals through different periods, the Dais persevered and continued to lead the faithful and preserve the faith.[10]

The current leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community is the 53rd al-Dai al-Mutlaq, Aali Qadr Mufaddal Saifuddin, who lives in India.[27][28]

Demographics and culture

As of 2021, there are an estimated 2 to 5 million Dawoodi Bohras living in over 100 countries.[2] The majority reside in the Indian state of Gujarat and in the Pakistani city of Karachi. A sizeable diaspora is spread across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and East Africa.[29]

The Bohras are primarily traders and businesspersons,[30] while some are industrialists and skilled professionals.[31]

Name and etymology

The word Bohra takes root in the Gujarati word vohrvu, in reference to their traditional occupation as traders.[32][33] The prefix Dawoodi is in reference to Dawood Bin Qutubshah, the 27th Da'i al-Mutlaq,[14] who emerged as the leader of the majority following a schism in 1588.[14][1]

Language

Dawoodi Bohras are a blend of Yemeni, Egyptian, African, Pakistani, and Indian cultures.[34] Their common tongue, Lisan al-Dawat, written in Perso-Arabic script, derives from Arabic, Urdu, Persian, Sanskrit, and Gujarati.[35][36][37] Lisan al-Dawat, which takes its basic structure from Gujarati and vocabulary from Arabic, developed as a medium to articulate Islamic values and heritage. Though Arabic remains community's dominant liturgical language, Lisan al-Dawat is its language of sermons and its medium of official and day-to-day communication.[38]

Dress

The Dawoodi Bohras wear a distinct form of attire. The men traditionally dress in a predominantly white, three-piece outfit: kurta, a form of tunic; saaya, an overcoat of equal length; and izaar, loose-fit trousers; with topi, crocheted white cap with a gold design.[39] Men, adhering to the customs of Muhammad, are expected to grow a full beard.[40]

The women wear a two-piece dress called rida, distinct from hijab, purdah, and chador. Its distinguishing features are bright colors, decorative patterns and lace, and the fact that it does not cover a woman's face.[41] The rida is of any colour except black. A flap called pardi is folded to one side to allow a woman's face to be visible, but it can be worn over the face when desired.[42]

Cuisine

 
Bohras seated around a thaal about to commence their meal with a taste of salt.

Joining each other for meals is a well-known Dawoodi Bohra custom. Families and friends gather around sharing the meal from a single large raised circular tray called thaal.[10] The thaal is raised upon a kundali or tarakti made of wood or metal, on top of a safra, a large cloth that covers the floor. Each course of the meal is served one after the other for those at the thaal to share.[43][44]

The meal begins and ends with a taste of salt, traditionally said to cleanse the palette and prevent diseases.[43][44] Bohras usually cover their heads during the meal with a topi, a cap; and eat with their hands.[42] A common etiquette is for the host to offer to wash their guests' hands using a chilamchi lota (basin and jug).[45] At community feasts, the Bohras first eat mithaas (sweet dish), followed by kharaas (savoury dish), and then the main course.[44][46] Leftovers are frowned upon. Those seated at the thaal are encouraged to take smaller portions and expected to finish those.[47]

The Bohra cuisine, influenced by Gujarati,[48] Persian, Yemeni, and Egyptian cuisines,[49][50] is known for its unique taste and dishes such as bohra-style biryani,[51] dal chaawal palidu (rice, lentils, and curry), kheema samosa (minced mutton samosa), dabba gosht (steamed-mutton-in-a-box), and masala bateta (spicy potatoes).[45][50][52]

Traditions and practices

Qardan Hasana

Islam prohibits riba (lit. 'usury') and interest; the Dawoodi Bohras follow the practice of Qardan Hasana[a] (lit. 'good loan'),[54][55] which are interest-free loans.[54] Based on the ideal of benefitting advantageous to the borrower (as opposed to the lender), this model has played an important role in the economic growth within the community.[56]

The contributions from the Bohras are freely made to an institutionally-maintained loan corpus, which is initially funded in large part by the Da'i al-Mutlaq. The office of the Da'i al-Mutlaq has appointed committees at the city level to oversee the management of this corpus. The Bohras use these loans to finance their enterprises, acquire homes, and pursue higher education.[56][57]

Mithaq

The central rite of initiation and adoption for the Bohras is the mithaq. This ceremony is a covenant between the believer and God, effected through God's representative on earth. The mithaq binds a believer to the duties owed to Allah, including an oath of allegiance: a vow to accept the spiritual guidance of the Da'i al-Mutlaq wholeheartedly and without reservation. This ceremony, akin to baptism in Christianity, is mandatory to enter the fold of the faith.

The mithaq is first taken at whatever age a child is deemed to have reached maturity: most commonly, thirteen years for girls, fourteen or fifteen for boys. These vows are renewed over a period of a Bohra's adult life. [58]

Calendar

 
Tazyeen (decoration) of Masjid al-Husaini in Colombo, the host venue of Ashara Mubaraka (2019).

The Dawoodi Bohra follow a Fatimid-era tabular calendar which matches the lunar cycle of 354 days (and hence requires no adjustments).[11]: 318  The odd-numbered months have 30 days and the even-numbered months have 29 days—except in a leap year when the final month, the 12th month Zil Hajj, has 30 days. This contrasts with other Muslim communities, which base the beginnings of specific Islamic months on sightings of the moon crescent.[59]

Occasions

Dawoodi Bohras observe all significant occasions on the Muslim calendar, such as Muharram, Ramadan, Eid al Fitr and Eid al Adha and Mawlid al Nabi. They also observe some occasions particular to their sect, such as the death anniversaries of previous dais and the birthday of the current dai. These occasions typically bring together members of the community for social activities, educational sermons and communal meals.

During Ramadan, the 9th month of the Islamic calendar, the Dawoodi Bohras observe a mandatory fast from dusk to dawn. The Bohras congregate in their local mosques for daily prayers (particularly for the evening prayers), and break the day-long fast with the iftaar (lit. 'fast breaking') meal together. Like in the rest of Islamic world, Ramadan is a month of heightened devotional activity for the Bohras that ends with Eid al-Fitr.

In the month of Zil Hajj al-Haram, the Bohras undertake hajj and celebrate Eid al-Adha at its conclusion. In line with Shia traditions, on the 18th of Zil Hajj, the day Muhammad publicly anointed Ali ibn Abi Talib his successor, the Bohras celebrate Eid al-Ghadir, observe fast, and offer special prayers. Special prayers and congregations are also held during other major events such as the day Muhammad first began his Da'wah (lit. 'mission'), the night of Isra and Mi'raj, the birthday of Muhammad, the urs mubarak (lit. 'remembrance day') of prominent community leaders, and the birthday of the current Da'i al-Mutlaq.

Muharram

Main article: Mourning of Muharram
 
Saifuddin, the 53rd Da'i al-Mutlaq, presides over a Muharram gathering at Mohammedi Masjid, Houston, 2015.

Husayn ibn Ali was martyred along with his family and companions on the plains of Karbala while on a journey from Mecca, through the deserts of modern-day Iraq, to Kufa.[60][61] The Bohras believe that Husayn's sacrifice was foretold by Muhammad, and that he was destined to change the course of Islam as a result of his martyrdom.[62] Remembrance of the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, often linked to the hagiography of John the Baptist[63] and Jesus Christ,[64] is among the most important events of the year for the Bohras.[31]

Known as ʿAshara Mubāraka (lit. 'the Blessed Ten'), a series of ten majālis (lit. 'congregations') that happen in the beginning of the month of Muharram al-Haram,[65] is a source of blessing and a means to spiritual purification for the Bohras.[66][67] For them, Husayn ibn Ali's martyrdom epitomizes the values of humanity, justice, and truth.[68] They consider his stand against tyranny, at great personal cost, to offer lessons in bravery, loyalty, and compassion.[69] These values, they believe, inculcate in them a spirit of self-sacrifice, forbearance, and adherence to their faith.[66][69]

During the ʿAshara Mubāraka, the Bohra communities all over the world host a series of majālis twice a day, one each in the morning and in the evening, recounting Husayn ibn Ali's sacrifice, which forms the central theme of the discourse amidst regular prayers.[68] The majālis led by the Da'i al-Mutlaq on occasion attract hundreds of thousands of followers.[70][71][72]

Traditions

Rasm-e Saifee

 
Taher Saifuddin presides over a Rasm-e Saifee Nikah in Jamnagar.

To subsidize costs and facilitate marriages among the Dawoodi Bohra, Taher Saifuddin, the 51st Da'i al-Mutlaq, started Rasm-e Saifee[73] in Jamnagar c. 1952 and later institutionalised it c. 1963.[74] Rasm-e Saifee is a singular occasion when multiple nikah are solemnized at the hands of the Da'i al-Mutlaq and his representatives.

Saifuddin's son and successor, Mohammed Burhanuddin, founded the International Taiyseer al-Nikah Committee (ITNC),[74] which now organizes Rasm-e Saifee throughout the year at various miqaat (lit. '(religious) events').[75] Burhanuddin's successor, Mufaddal Saifuddin, continues to uphold the tradition.[76][77]

Pilgrimages

 
Raudat Tahera, mausoleum of Taher Sayf al-Din and Mohammed Burhanuddin II.

It is customary among the Bohras to visit mausoleums, mosques, and other places of religious importance in Palestine, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iran, Iraq, and India. In most places, a community-administered complex (mazaar) provides accommodation, business centers, dining, and various recreational activities to the traveling Bohras.[citation needed]

A Bohra mausoleum typically has white exteriors with a golden finial at the apex of the dome. The interior is usually lit up in incandescent light and Quranic verses are inscribed on its walls. These mausoleums embody several meanings in the form of their structure and build.[citation needed] As an example, Raudat Tahera, an austere structure in Mumbai, has a range of intricacies deliberated into its design. The inner height of Raudat Tahera is 80 feet above the plinth: the number signifies the age of Taher Saifuddin, who is buried there. The sanctum of the mausoleum is 51 × 51 feet, which symbolises Saifuddin's position as the 51st Dai al-Mutlaq. The entire Quran is inscribed in gold on its walls, whilst Bismillah is engraved 113 times in precious stones, and four doors, one on each side of the wall, are made of silver.[78] The inner side of the dome proclaims, "Allah holds the sky and earth together which none else can."[79]

Society

Community centers

The office of the Da'i al-Mutlaq, known as Dawat-e-Hadiyah, governs the secular and religious affairs of the close-knit Dawoodi Bohra community through a distributed network of Jamaat committees.[80][35] The Dawat-e-Hadiyah head office is at Badri Mahal in Fort, Mumbai.[81]

Several sub-committees and trusts administer different aspects of a local Bohra community under the purview of respective Jamat (also called Jamaat or Anjuman). Set up anywhere Bohras live and work, a jamat may number from a hundred to tens of thousands of Bohras.[80] A resident Amil, appointed by the dai is the president of a given jamat.[35] The Amil administers and manages the socio-religious affairs of a jamat. At the local mosque or markaz under their jurisdiction, the Amil leads daily prayers, and presides over sermons and discourses.[80]

Masjid

While a Dawoodi Bohra mosque is primarily a place of worship and congregation, it forms an important socio-cultural hub for the community. Besides sermons and discourses, the mosques are also a center for education and special religious lessons, in line with Fatimid traditions. A mosque complex usually houses several administrative offices along with ceremonial halls.[82] The mosques are built in a distinct Neo-Fatimid style,[82][83][84][85] with the names of Allah and verses from the Quran engraved on its walls.[82][86] The mosques are multi-storied structures; the main prayer hall in the ground floor, a voluminous space, is used by men while women congregate in the upper floors. The centre of the prayer hall is left as a void, making it possible for the women to hear and follow religious liturgy and sermons from the floors above.[24][25][87]

The Masjid-e-Moazzam complex in Surat is among the largest in the community.[88][89]

 
Masjid-e-Moazzam, a Bohra cultural and educational hub (Surat), renovated by Mohammed Burhanuddin c. 1997, is a striking example of Neo-Fatimid architecture.[88]

The first Dawoodi Bohra mosque in the Middle East was inaugurated in Dubai, UAE in 1983,[83][84] by Mohammed Burhanuddin.[84] Later, mosques in Sharjah, Abu Dhabi

, and Ajman were opened in 2003, 2004, and 2006 respectively.[84][85][90] The Middle East is home to an estimated 60,000 Bohras who first migrated there in the 1860s.[91]

In 1988, Burhanuddin inaugurated Burhani Masjid in Farmington Hills, Michigan, the first Dawoodi Bohra mosque in North America,[92] and a year later, in 1990, the first Canadian mosque in Toronto.[93]

The Bohras first moved to London in the 1960s from East Africa, settling around Ealing. A community center was later set up at Fulham. Decades later, in 1996, Burhanuddin presided over the opening of the first Bohra mosque in Europe in Northolt.[94] Burhanuddin's wife, Amatullah Aaisaheba, is buried within its premises.[95] On 8 July 2007, the first Bohra mosque in France was inaugurated in Paris.[96]

The Bohras migrated to the erstwhile British colony of Ceylon from Gujarat c. 1830.[97] An estimated 2,500 Bohras live in Sri Lanka and the capital city of Colombo is their largest settlement.[98] In 2000, Burhanuddin inaugurated Masjid al-Hussaini at Glen Aber Place, Colombo, the largest Dawoodi Bohra mosque in Sri Lanka, which was the venue of Ashara Mubaraka in 2008, 2009,[98] and 2019.[99] The masjid is part of a bigger complex called Burhani Park, which has a community centre and a school.[97]

Burhanuddin commemorated the 2001 Ashara in Houston, where the Bohras have been since the 1950s. Burhanuddin's son, Mufaddal Saifuddin, inaugurated Mohammedi Masjid, the largest Bohra mosque complex in North America, at Katy Area, Houston during the 2015 Ashara,[100] which was, at the time, the largest Bohra community event held in the West.[65] The same year, in March 2015, Saifuddin inaugurated four more mosques in California, in Los Angeles, San Jose, Bakersfield, and Orange County.[101]

In 2014, as his first official act as the 53rd Da'i al-Mutlaq, Mufaddal Saifuddin inaugurated Masjid Mansoor al-Yemen in the Haraaz region of Sanaa Governorate. Burhanuddin had built the masjid in memory of Amatullah, his wife.[102]

Markaz

 
Mohammedi Park Complex (Northolt, London), the largest Bohra community center in Europe.

A Bohra community (or jamaat) is centered around a markaz when there is no existing mosque nearby.[citation needed]

Communal meals are served in dining halls called the jamaat khaana, which are generally part of the mosque complex.[82]

FMB community kitchen

In 2012, Mohammed Burhanuddin II, the 52nd Da'i al-Mutlaq, established Faiz al-Mawaid al-Burhaniyah (FMB) community kitchens to deliver at least one meal per day to all Bohra families and to ensure no one goes to bed hungry. FMB proved beneficial to women in particular as household work reduced, freeing up time to pursue other productive activities.[51][103] Meals are delivered in tiffin containers daily, and have a rotating menu.[97] As of 2021, FMB community kitchens, usually built near mosques,[104] are operational in every Bohra community throughout the world.[35][97]

Whilst FMB has substantially increased food security within the Bohra community,[105] in times of wider crisis (such as the flooding in Texas or the COVID-19 pandemic), it has also supplied meals and provisions to the wider society.[106][107] Bohras consider Niyaz, feeding their brethren an obligation.[35]

Education

In line with Islamic traditions,[108] the Bohras seek both religious and secular education.[109][110] Women's education is encouraged,[104][111][112] and in the modern day, higher education is common in the community.[113]

The community-run Madrasah Saifiyah Burhaniyah (MSB) chain of international co-ed schools teach sciences, humanities, and arts, in addition to theological subjects. In 1984, Mohammad Burhanuddin established the first MSB schools in Nairobi and Mumbai.[110] As of 2021, 24 MSB schools in Asia and Africa operate, affiliated to IGCSE and ICSE boards.[114]

Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah (Jamea) is the community's primary educational and cultural institute. Selected students go through rigorous Islamic and Arabic studies for up to 11 years,[115] and are trained to subsequently lead various institutions run by Dawat-e-Hadiyah.[116][117] Dars-e-Saifee precedes Jamea, an Islamic theology school established by the 43rd Da'i al-Mutlaq Abdeali Saifuddin, in 1814 in Surat, Gujarat. A century later, the 51st Da'i al-Mutlaq Taher Saifuddin renovated and institutionalized it as a university.[118] His son and successor, Mohammed Burhanuddin, further expanded its reach and scope, opening campuses in three more cities and establishing a dedicated center for Qur'anic sciences, Mahad al-Zahra.[119] The second campus was founded in 1983 in Karachi, Pakistan. A third campus was established in Nairobi, Kenya in 2011, and a fourth in 2013 in Mumbai, India.[120] The libraries of Jamea preserve some of the oldest known Arabic manuscripts.[119] Other departments of Jamea specialize in the art of Quran recitation, Arabic calligraphy, and Arabesque design.[121]

A significant volume of treatises, discourses, and sermons of the Dua't Mutlaqeen are part of the Jamea curriculum.[122] Per tradition, the current Da'i al-Mutlaq presides over annual examinations (al-Imtihan al-Sanawi) every year. Senior Jamea students additionally undergo a public viva voce examination (Shafahi Imtihan) where they are questioned by rectors of the institute and occasionally by the Da'i al-Mutlaq.[123]

Status of women

Overview

The status of women in the Bohra community underwent a major change in the latter half of the 20th century. According to Jonah Blank, women of the Bohra faith are among the best-educated women in the Indian subcontinent.[124] Female Bohra in the U.S. and Europe have become business owners, lawyers, doctors, teachers and leaders in a range of professions.[125] At an interfaith celebration of Eid al-Fitr hosted by the Bohra community of Detroit, Michigan, United States on 7 June 2019, U.S. Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence (Democrat, Michigan's 14th congressional district) praised the Bohras for having "used their voices to make progress on countless issues including gender equality and the environment."[126]

Bohra women integrate work with their religious practices, inspired by historical figures like Khadija and community principles of gender equality. Traditionally engaged in physical businesses, they have transitioned to digital entrepreneurship, utilizing online platforms to market diverse products.[127] Supported by community institutions, they receive financial aid, training, and access to virtual markets, showcasing how digital ventures empower women while honoring religious beliefs.[128]

Female circumcision

Further information: Female genital mutilation in India

The Dawoodi Bohra practice what they call khatna,[129] khafd,[130] or khafz,[131] a practice critics consider female genital mutilation (FGM). The procedure is for the most part performed without anaesthesia by a traditional circumciser when girls reach their seventh year.[132] Non-Bohra women who seek to marry into the community are also required to undergo it.[133] There are no authoritative studies on the extent of the practice among the Bohra.[130][134] A 1911 Bombay census of unknown reliability noted that they were performing clitoridectomy.[135] According to a 1991 article in Manushi, the Bohra remove either the clitoral hood or the tip of the clitoris.[136][137] Supporters of the practice say that the Bohra remove only the clitoral hood or perform symbolic nicking, and that it should be referred to as "female circumcision", not FGM.[131]

A qualitative study in 2018 carried out by WeSpeakOut, a group opposed to FGM,[138] concluded that most Bohra girls experience Type I FGM, removal of the clitoral hood or clitoral glans.[139][140] A gynaecologist who took part in the study examined 20 Bohra women and found that both the clitoris and clitoral hood had been cut in most cases.[b] According to the Dawoodi Bohra Women's Association for Religious Freedom, the study's conclusions did not reflect the views of most Bohra women.[140] In Australia in 2018, the convictions of three members of the Bohra community, related to performing FGM on two girls, were overturned when the appeal court accepted that the tip of each girl's clitoris was still visible and had not been "mutilated"; the defence position was that only "symbolic khatna" had been performed.[142] The High Court of Australia overturned that decision in October 2019, ruling that the phrase "otherwise mutilates" in Australian law does encompass cutting or nicking the clitoris. As a result, the convictions were upheld, and the defendants received custodial sentences of at least 11 months.[143]

Social work

[Do] not abhor any science or shun any book, and [do] not be unduly biased against any creed; for our philosophy and creed encompasses all creeds and all knowledge; [for] our creed consists of studying all existing things in their entirety, the physical and the intellectual, from their beginning to their end, their apparent and their hidden, their manifest and their concealed, with the aim to grasp their Truth, with the understanding that they emanate from one source, one cause, one world, [and] one soul, which encompasses their different essences, their diverse species, their various types, and their changing forms.

—Excerpt from the Epistles of Ikhwan al-Safa,[144] an encyclopedic work on religion, sciences, and philosophy that permeates the Ismaili school of thought.[145]

The Bohras are considered politically neutral.[146][147][148] The community's stance, in line with sunnah,[149] has been to be loyal to one's country of residence.[150][151][152] A migratory community,[153] they participate in the culture and society they live in,[47] but stay conservative enough to preserve their own identity.[154] The Bohra philosophy and way of life is informed by the Aristotelian and Neo-Platonic Epistles of Ikhwan al-Safa.[155] This leads to their belief that every religion is related to one another,[156] that all of creation shares the same purpose.[157] and that true fulfillment is in achieving balance between religious and societal duties, in resourcefulness and philanthropy.[158][159][160]

Environmental activism

The Bohras generally consider environmental activism is their religious duty participate in it.[c][158][163]

The Burhani Foundation

In 1991, Mohammed Burhanuddin established the Burhani Foundation, a charitable trust for environmental security, conservation of biological diversity, effective utilisation of resources, pollution control, and other related measures.[10] In 2017, Mufaddal Saifuddin, Burhanuddin's successor, initiated a worldwide program to plant 200,000 saplings.[164] In 2018, the Bohras, together with Champion of the Earth, launched Turning the Tide, a campaign to remove plastic from oceans, rivers, and beaches in India.[165][166][167]

Zero food waste

Under the aegis of FMB, the Dana Committee (lit. 'food grain committee') aims to eliminate food wastage. As of 2021, the committee has 6000 volunteers across 40 countries. After congregations, these volunteers collect leftovers and distribute them to the deprived.[168] To prevent wastage of food due to over-cooking or poor turnout, the committee uses custom web and mobile RSVP apps. Before a meal commences, volunteers are on hand to remind attendees of their responsibility as Muslims[d] in ensuring no food goes to waste.[171] The Bohras also participate in the United Nations' annual World Food Day campaigns.[172]

In September 2019 over 24,000 Bohras', who gathered in Colombo to commemorate Ashara Mubaraka with Mufaddal Saifuddin, the 53rd Da'i al-Mutlaq, followed "a zero food waste policy". Dana Committee volunteers helped with portion control and distributed leftover food to the disadvantaged.[173] This policy was first adopted at the 2018 Ashara in Indore, which was attended by over 150,000 people.[174]

On 6 November 2023, ahead of the COP28 World leaders summit, Shahzada Husain Burhanuddin on behalf of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, attended the COP28 Global Faith leaders summit among 28 Faith leaders in Abu Dhabi and signed a joint appeal to take meaningful action in addressing climate crisis.[175][176]

Other initiatives

Project Rise

In June 2018, the Bohra community launched Project Rise, a philanthropy programme focused on the marginalized and the poor. Their first initiative, undertaken in collaboration with Action Against Hunger, sought to address malnutrition among those living in Palghar and Govandi districts of Maharashtra, India.[177][178] During the 2019 floods, volunteers sent aid to the Indian states of Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Gujarat;[179] while during the 2020 lockdown in India, volunteers distributed food packets among the poor.[180][181] In 2020, Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India had acknowledged the community's social service.[182] In 2019 and 2020, volunteers in North America marked United Nations World Food Day by donating to local food banks.[183][172] Since then, based on Islamic traditions of philanthropy,[e] Project Rise has initiated some programs that focus on healthcare, nutrition, sanitation and hygiene, and environmental conservation.[184] As part of these drives, volunteers attempt to raise the standard of living of the elderly and the disadvantaged through revamped housing, access to food, and improved physical and spiritual well-being.[185][186][187]

Bhendi Bazaar cluster redevelopment

In 2009, Mohammed Burhanuddin, the 52nd Da'i al-Mutlaq, founded the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust (SBUT). Its first initiative, the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Project (SBUP), was to rebuild Bhendi Bazaar—a decrepit, under-developed, and dense Bohra-majority locale in South Bombay. Within a year of its formation, the trust had acquired 70% of the identified land. 250 existing buildings, 1250 shops, and 3200 families in over 16.5 acres of land will make way for 13 new buildings, better infrastructure, open spaces, and designated commercial areas. Relocated tenants will own their new premises at no cost to them. Divided into 9 clusters, the project is expected to complete in 2025.[188][189][190] 7 of the 9 clusters, representing over 80% of the project, are reserved for existing tenants and the government-run housing board, MHADA.[191] Due to the scope of SBUP, the largest "cluster redevelopment" project in India at an estimated cost of $550 million (₹4000 crores),[192] it has been subject to logistical and regulatory challenges, resulting in several delays.[189]

Starting in 2010, the trust began building transit homes near Mazagaon. In 2012, the trust relocated tenants and demolished buildings it had acquired.[189] More transit homes were built in Sion, Ghodapdeo, and Sewri.[192] In early 2016, Mufaddal Saifuddin laid foundation for Clusters I and III.[193][194] In 2020, 600 residents and 128 shop owners relocated to the completed twin towers Al Saadah,[195][196][197] marking completion of the project's first phase.[198]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The term Qardan Hasana, in the Islamic context, has been mentioned six times in the Quran.[53]
  2. ^ Sujaat Vali (The Clitoral Hood: A Contested Site, 2018): "Given that most girls are cut at age seven, without anesthesia, by traditional cutters, and the procedure happens in a minute or two, the operator cannot get enough separation between the clitoris and the skin surrounding the clitoris. So, usually they end up cutting the clitoris along with the skin covering the clitoris."[141]
  3. ^ Since Nazafat (lit. 'cleanliness') is an integral component of Islamic faith,[161] the Bohras engage in clean-up drives, tree planting, and other such initiatives wherever they reside.[162]
  4. ^ The Quran and the Hadiths inform Muslims to not be wasteful with food.[169][170]
  5. ^ Project Rise is chartered to help eradicate poverty and hunger, improve health and education, empower women, avoid waste, and preserve the environment – align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Bohras claim to follow this tradition of charity and activism for centuries.[183]

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Further reading

  • Shibani Roy (2007) [1984]. The Dawoodi Bohras: an anthropological perspective. B.R. Publishing. ISBN 9780865903241.
  • Idris Imad al-Din ibn al-Hasan al-Quraishi (1970) [1488]. Uyun al-akhbar wa-funun al-athar fi faḍail al-Aimmah al-aṭhar. Silsilat al-turāth al-Fāṭimī. Vol. 6. Translated by Mustafa Ghalib. Dar al-Andalus. p. 738. LCCN n85038131.
  • Farhad Daftary (1998). A Short History of the Ismailis: Traditions of a Muslim Community. Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 9780748606870. ISSN 0075-093X. {{cite book}}: |journal= ignored (help)
  • Farhad Daftary (1992). The Isma'ilis: Their History and Doctrines. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521429740.
  • Joseph W. Meri; Jere L. Bacharach, eds. (2005). Medieval Islamic Civilization: An Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. Routledge. ISBN 9781135455965.
  • Farhad Daftary. "Sayyida Hurra: The Isma'ili Sulayhid Queen of Yemen" (PDF). Institute of Ismaili Studies. Archived from the original on 23 June 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  • Farhad Daftary, ed. (2001). Mediaeval Isma'ili History and Thought. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521003100.
  • Simonetta Calderini (1996). "Cosmology and Authority in Medieval Ismailism". Diskus. 4 (1): 11–22. Archived from the original on 23 June 2020.
  • Farhad Daftary (2005). Ismaili Literature: A Bibliography of Sources and Studies. I.B. Tauris. ISBN 9780857713865.
  • M. J. L. Young; John Derek Latham; Robert Bertram Serjeant (2006). Religion, learning, and science in the ʻAbbasid period. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521028875.
  • Garry W. Trompf; Gunner B. Mikkelsen; Jay Johnston, eds. (2018). The Gnostic World. Routledge. ISBN 9781317201847.
  • Electricwala, Mohammed Abbas (2015). . inflibnet.ac.in (Thesis). Shri Jagdishparasad Jhabarmal Tibrewala University. hdl:10603/135136. Archived from the original on 18 June 2020 – via shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in.
  • Farhad Daftary (2017). Ismaili History and Intellectual Traditions. Routledge. ISBN 9781351975032.
  • Netton, Ian Richard (May 2011). "In the Age of Al-Fārābī: Arabic Philosophy in the Fourth-tenth Century". Journal of Islamic Studies (Review). 22 (2): 247–248. doi:10.1093/jis/etr005.
  • Peter Adamson, ed. (2006). Women And the Fatimids in the World of Islam. London: Edinburgh University Press. ISBN 9780748626298.
  • Heinz Halm (1997). The Fatimids and Their Traditions of Learning. Ismaili Studies. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9781850439202.
  • James W. Morris, ed. (2020). The Master and the Disciple: An Early Islamic Spiritual Dialogue. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 9780755602629.
  • Farhad Daftary; Shainool Jiwa, eds. (2017). The Fatimid Caliphate: Diversity of Traditions. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9781786733092.
  • John Eberly (2005). Al-Kimia: The Mystical Islamic Essence of the Sacred Art of Alchemy. Sophia Perennis. ISBN 9781597310109.
  • Hill, Geoffrey (2015). . Uppsala: Uppsala University. Archived from the original on 29 June 2020 – via diva-portal.org. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dawoodi Bohra.
  • Official website
  • An Introduction to The Dawoodi Bohras on YouTube

January 01, 1970
dawoodi, bohra, religious, denomination, within, ismā, īlī, branch, shia, islam, they, number, approximately, million, worldwide, have, settled, over, countries, around, world, majority, community, resides, india, with, sizable, congregations, pakistan, yemen,. The Dawoodi Bohras are a religious denomination within the Isma ili branch of Shia Islam They number approximately one million worldwide and have settled in over 40 countries around the world The majority of the Dawoodi Bohra community resides in India with sizable congregations in Pakistan Yemen East Africa and the Middle East They also have a growing presence in Europe North America and Australia The present leader is the 53rd al Dai al Mutlaq Mufaddal Saifuddin who assumed office in January 2014 5 Dawoodi Bohra داؤو د ي ب هرةDawoodi Bohra family in their religious attire Total population1 000 000 1 2 000 000 2 2021Regions with significant populations India500 000 1 000 000 3 4 ReligionsShi a IslamScripturesQuranLanguagesPredominantly spoken Lisan al DawatEnglishGujaratiHindiUrdu Historical Arabic Sacred Classical ArabicRelated ethnic groupsShi a FiversTwelvers Ismailis DruzeNizariQarmati Mustaalis Hafizi Tayyibis AlaviJafariSulaymaniWebsitethedawoodibohras wbr com The Dawoodi Bohras are a close knit community who follow the tenets of Islam Their faith is founded on the conviction that there is only one deity Allah Taʿala that the Holy Quran is the inspired message of Allah and that the prophets and their successors have a holy purpose By abiding by the sharia mandated religious rituals and pillars of Islam such as reciting the Quran performing the five daily prayers and fasting during the month of Ramadan they worship Allah in order to be saved in the afterlife 6 The core of their faith is the belief that the Ahl al Bayt members of the Prophet Mohammed s family are the rightful successors of the Prophet and guides of mankind Like all Shia Muslims they hold the traditions that Ali bin Abi Talib the Prophet Mohammed s legatee succeeded him and provided an interpretation and explanation of the revelations the Prophet had received A fundamental tenet of the Dawoodi Bohra faith is that there will always be an imam on earth descended from the Prophet through his grandson Imam Husain to carry on the task of leading humanity When the imam chooses to withdraw from public view his office is taken over by the Al Da i al Mutlaq unrestricted missionary who like the imam preserves and protects the faith until the imam s return The 21st Imam chose seclusion in 1132 AD and Al dai al mutlaq first operated from Yemen and subsequently from India for over the last 450 years The dais are considered to have played an important role in shaping the lives of Dawoodi Bohras and contributing to the community s progress over the last nine centuries 5 Mostly self reliant the Bohras are typically well educated traders businesspersons and entrepreneurs The word Bohra comes from the Gujarati word vohrvu or vyavahar meaning to trade 7 Their cultural heritage is in the traditions of the Fatimid imams direct descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatima who ruled over North Africa between the 10th and 11th century CE 8 Whilst adherence to traditional values is important for the community they are also known for their mercantilism and modernist approach to their lifestyles 9 Lisaan ud Da wat is the language of the Bohras The language is based on a Neo Indo Aryan language Gujarati but incorporates a heavy amount of Arabic Urdu and Persian vocabulary and is written in the Arabic script naskh style The Bohras religious attire is known as Libas al Anwar and men usually grow a full beard The Bohra community during their gatherings eat in groups of eight or nine people seated around a particularly big metal plate called thaal Prominent religious festivals include Eid e Milad an Nabi Eid al Fitr Eid al Adha and Muharram The majlis is an age old practise of the community in which they congregate on major dates in the Islamic calendar They also undertake the mandatory Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah and the Prophet s shrine in Medina 5 Contents 1 History 1 1 Fatimid imams 1 2 Origins in India 1 3 Major centres 2 Faith and belief 2 1 Monotheism 2 2 Seven pillars 2 3 Leadership 3 Demographics and culture 3 1 Name and etymology 3 2 Language 3 3 Dress 3 4 Cuisine 4 Traditions and practices 4 1 Qardan Hasana 4 2 Mithaq 4 3 Calendar 4 3 1 Occasions 4 3 2 Muharram 4 4 Traditions 4 4 1 Rasm e Saifee 4 4 2 Pilgrimages 5 Society 5 1 Community centers 5 1 1 Masjid 5 1 2 Markaz 5 2 FMB community kitchen 5 3 Education 6 Status of women 6 1 Overview 6 2 Female circumcision 7 Social work 7 1 Environmental activism 7 1 1 The Burhani Foundation 7 1 2 Zero food waste 7 2 Other initiatives 7 3 Bhendi Bazaar cluster redevelopment 8 See also 9 Notes 10 References 11 Further reading 12 External linksHistoryDawoodi Bohras are a subset of the Taiyebi sect of the Musta li branch of Isma ilism itself a branch of Shia Islam 10 1 4 Reverence for the Fatimid Imams and Muhammad s family is fundamental to Bohras beliefs whose lineage is traces back to Muhammad s daughter Fatima 11 Fatimid imams The Fatimids descendants of the Prophet Mohammed ruled over North Africa and Egypt Hejaz and Levant between the 10th and 11th centuries 8 They flourished during what Maurice Lombard called the Golden Age of Islam 12 and were patrons of arts learning and scientific discovery 10 The 14th Imam al Mui zz founded the modern day city of Cairo and established Al Azhar University one of the oldest universities in the world 13 Before the empire s decline Al Amir bi Ahkam Allah the 20th Fatimid imam directed his grand emissary Arwa bint Ahmad the Sulayhid queen of Yemen to establish the office of the Da i al Mutlaq lit unrestricted missionary to act as vicegerent of his son the 21st Imam At Tayyib Abu l Qasim while he was in occultation and to lead al Da wah al Hadiyah 10 Arwa bint Ahmad appointed Zoeb bin Musa as the first Da i al Mutlaq 11 14 Succession to the office of al Da i al Mutlaq happens through nass whereby each Da i appoints a successor in his own lifetime As of 2001 update the chain of succession was uninterrupted 15 Origins in India nbsp A Gujarati Bohra pictured wearing white and gold turban with a red top The roots of the community s establishment in India go back to the Fatimid era when Al Mustansir Billah the 18th Imam sent a Dai named Abdullah from Yemen to initiate the Da wah on his behalf Abdullah arrived in Cambay modern day Khambhat Gujarat in AD 1067 H 460 and soon won many converts including local rulers Moulai Abdullah was first Wali ul Hind in India 16 17 The seclusion of al Tayyeb led to the establishment of the office of al Dai al Mutlaq in Yemen Subsequently the Indian community which had pledged allegiance to the Fatimids continued to remain loyal to the Dais in Yemen This resulted in a secession with the Hafizis led by Al Tayyeb s uncle Abd al Majid Twenty three Dais operated from their mountain bases in Yemen for nearly four centuries preserving the faith and authoring seminal works The 19th Dai Idris Imaduddin wrote numerous works including a comprehensive and detailed history of the Fatimid faith 10 Meanwhile the community in Gujarat had maintained ties with their Dais in Yemen who closely supervised their affairs and regularly welcomed Bohra delegations from Gujarat During this time the community grew in size especially in Cambay Patan Sidhpur and Ahmedabad 16 18 Yusuf bin Sulayman Najmuddin originally from Sidhpur a town in Gujarat was one of the Bohras who travelled to Yemen to seek knowledge from the Dai Najmuddin arrived in Yemen while still in his youth and first studied under Hasan bin Nuh al Bharuchi He was eventually nominated by the twenty third Dai as his successor and became the first from the Indian community to lead the Tayyibi Da wa as the twenty fourth al Dai al Mutlaq When Najmuddin died in CE 1567 H 974 the central headquarters of the Da wa were transferred from Yemen to Gujarat by his Indian successor Jalal bin Hasan who established residence at Ahmedabad 16 When the 26th al Dai al Mutlaq died in CE 1589 H 997 he was succeeded by his deputy Dawood Bin Qutubshah However three years later Sulayman bin Hasan a high ranking dignitary in Yemen claimed the succession to the leadership of the community for himself This succession dispute was brought before the Mughal emperor Akbar in 1597 A special tribunal decided in favour of Dawood Bin Qutubshah However this did not dissolve tensions leading to a schism in the community A majority of Bohras acknowledged Dawood Bin Qutubshah as the rightful successor and henceforth came to be known as Dawoodis or Da udis 19 Major centres nbsp A Borah woman Surat Gujarat Over the next few centuries the Bohra headquarters moved within India with the changing location of the Dai The centre of the Da wah has been in six places Ahmedabad eight Dais from 1567 974 to 1655 1065 Jamnagar in the Kathiawar region of Gujarat five Dais from 1655 1065 to 1737 1150 Ujjan in the present day state of Madhya Pradesh two Dais from 1737 1150 to 1779 1193 Burhanpur Madhya Pradesh one Dai from 1779 1193 to 1785 1200 Surat in the present day state of Gujarat eight Dais from 1785 1200 to 1933 1351 and Mumbai in the state of Maharashtra where the current Dai resides 20 Starting in the early 19th century some community members emigrated in search of better livelihoods The first wave of Bohra traders to migrate to East Africa did so in the aftermath of a severe drought in Kathiawar The 43rd Dai Abdeali Saifuddin invited 12 000 of his followers to Surat and provided food work and lodgings for all of them His only conditions were that they learn and practice vocational skills and he gave them their earnings when it was time for them to leave Surat Many from this group decided to use this capital to venture forth to trade in East Africa 21 A century on from Abdeali Saifuddin Taher Saifuddin succeeded him to the office of al Dai al Mutlaq as the 51st Dai and his leadership was challenged almost immediately upon assuming the office Taher Saifuddin is credited with revitalising the community by restructuring its organisation on modern lines 22 He shifted the community headquarters from Surat to Mumbai which had become a major centre of trade and commerce in India 16 His emphasis on acquiring higher education across disciplines 23 saw many young Dawoodi Bohras go on to settle in different parts of the world resulting in thriving new communities Faith and beliefMonotheism nbsp The word Allah in Arabic calligraphy As Muslims the Dawoodi Bohras believe in Tawhid Islam s central monotheistic concept of a single indivisible God Allah They recite the Shahada Islamic holy creed there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah Seven pillars Main article Seven pillars of Ismailism For an overview of the Mustaali Shi a denomination of Islam see Mustaali Walayah devotion to Allah Muhammad his family and his descendants is the central of the seven pillars of the Dawoodi Bohra faith The other six pillars are tahaarat purity in body and thought salaat daily ritual prayers zakaat offering a portion of one s income in the cause of Allah sawm fasting particularly in the month of Ramadan hajj a ritual pilgrimage to Mecca and jihad striving in the way of Allah 11 The Bohras build mosques wherever they live 24 to congregate for prayers and majalis religious occasions for the zikr of Allah and his prophets imams and da is 25 Leadership Further information List of Dai of the Dawoodi Bohra During the seclusion of the Imam his vicegerent al Dai al Mutlaq 16 was appointed to lead the community and administer with complete authority its secular and religious affairs 26 nbsp Mufaddal Saifuddin the 53rd Da i al Mutlaq The Dai preaches Quranic precepts which are the foundation of the faith and guides the community on the path of salvation Over the nine centuries that this office has existed each Dai is considered to have played an important role in shaping the community s social and economic progress Community members seek and abide by his counsel in different aspects of life 10 The 1st Dai Dhu ayb bin Musa was appointed in 1138 532H in Yemen by Queen Arwa bint Ahmed when the 21st Imam went into seclusion 16 Over the next 400 years 23 Dais established the Dawat in Yemen The seat of the Dawat then transferred from Yemen to India where the 24th Dai Yusuf bin Sulayman Najmuddin became the first Dai to assume office from this region 16 Despite territorial and political upheavals through different periods the Dais persevered and continued to lead the faithful and preserve the faith 10 The current leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community is the 53rd al Dai al Mutlaq Aali Qadr Mufaddal Saifuddin who lives in India 27 28 Demographics and cultureAs of 2021 there are an estimated 2 to 5 million Dawoodi Bohras living in over 100 countries 2 The majority reside in the Indian state of Gujarat and in the Pakistani city of Karachi A sizeable diaspora is spread across Europe North America the Middle East and East Africa 29 The Bohras are primarily traders and businesspersons 30 while some are industrialists and skilled professionals 31 Name and etymology The word Bohra takes root in the Gujarati word vohrvu in reference to their traditional occupation as traders 32 33 The prefix Dawoodi is in reference to Dawood Bin Qutubshah the 27th Da i al Mutlaq 14 who emerged as the leader of the majority following a schism in 1588 14 1 Language Dawoodi Bohras are a blend of Yemeni Egyptian African Pakistani and Indian cultures 34 Their common tongue Lisan al Dawat written in Perso Arabic script derives from Arabic Urdu Persian Sanskrit and Gujarati 35 36 37 Lisan al Dawat which takes its basic structure from Gujarati and vocabulary from Arabic developed as a medium to articulate Islamic values and heritage Though Arabic remains community s dominant liturgical language Lisan al Dawat is its language of sermons and its medium of official and day to day communication 38 Dress The Dawoodi Bohras wear a distinct form of attire The men traditionally dress in a predominantly white three piece outfit kurta a form of tunic saaya an overcoat of equal length and izaar loose fit trousers with topi crocheted white cap with a gold design 39 Men adhering to the customs of Muhammad are expected to grow a full beard 40 The women wear a two piece dress called rida distinct from hijab purdah and chador Its distinguishing features are bright colors decorative patterns and lace and the fact that it does not cover a woman s face 41 The rida is of any colour except black A flap called pardi is folded to one side to allow a woman s face to be visible but it can be worn over the face when desired 42 Cuisine nbsp Bohras seated around a thaal about to commence their meal with a taste of salt Joining each other for meals is a well known Dawoodi Bohra custom Families and friends gather around sharing the meal from a single large raised circular tray called thaal 10 The thaal is raised upon a kundali or tarakti made of wood or metal on top of a safra a large cloth that covers the floor Each course of the meal is served one after the other for those at the thaal to share 43 44 The meal begins and ends with a taste of salt traditionally said to cleanse the palette and prevent diseases 43 44 Bohras usually cover their heads during the meal with a topi a cap and eat with their hands 42 A common etiquette is for the host to offer to wash their guests hands using a chilamchi lota basin and jug 45 At community feasts the Bohras first eat mithaas sweet dish followed by kharaas savoury dish and then the main course 44 46 Leftovers are frowned upon Those seated at the thaal are encouraged to take smaller portions and expected to finish those 47 The Bohra cuisine influenced by Gujarati 48 Persian Yemeni and Egyptian cuisines 49 50 is known for its unique taste and dishes such as bohra style biryani 51 dal chaawal palidu rice lentils and curry kheema samosa minced mutton samosa dabba gosht steamed mutton in a box and masala bateta spicy potatoes 45 50 52 Traditions and practicesQardan Hasana Islam prohibits riba lit usury and interest the Dawoodi Bohras follow the practice of Qardan Hasana a lit good loan 54 55 which are interest free loans 54 Based on the ideal of benefitting advantageous to the borrower as opposed to the lender this model has played an important role in the economic growth within the community 56 The contributions from the Bohras are freely made to an institutionally maintained loan corpus which is initially funded in large part by the Da i al Mutlaq The office of the Da i al Mutlaq has appointed committees at the city level to oversee the management of this corpus The Bohras use these loans to finance their enterprises acquire homes and pursue higher education 56 57 Mithaq The central rite of initiation and adoption for the Bohras is the mithaq This ceremony is a covenant between the believer and God effected through God s representative on earth The mithaq binds a believer to the duties owed to Allah including an oath of allegiance a vow to accept the spiritual guidance of the Da i al Mutlaq wholeheartedly and without reservation This ceremony akin to baptism in Christianity is mandatory to enter the fold of the faith The mithaq is first taken at whatever age a child is deemed to have reached maturity most commonly thirteen years for girls fourteen or fifteen for boys These vows are renewed over a period of a Bohra s adult life 58 Calendar nbsp Tazyeen decoration of Masjid al Husaini in Colombo the host venue of Ashara Mubaraka 2019 The Dawoodi Bohra follow a Fatimid era tabular calendar which matches the lunar cycle of 354 days and hence requires no adjustments 11 318 The odd numbered months have 30 days and the even numbered months have 29 days except in a leap year when the final month the 12th month Zil Hajj has 30 days This contrasts with other Muslim communities which base the beginnings of specific Islamic months on sightings of the moon crescent 59 Occasions Dawoodi Bohras observe all significant occasions on the Muslim calendar such as Muharram Ramadan Eid al Fitr and Eid al Adha and Mawlid al Nabi They also observe some occasions particular to their sect such as the death anniversaries of previous dais and the birthday of the current dai These occasions typically bring together members of the community for social activities educational sermons and communal meals During Ramadan the 9th month of the Islamic calendar the Dawoodi Bohras observe a mandatory fast from dusk to dawn The Bohras congregate in their local mosques for daily prayers particularly for the evening prayers and break the day long fast with the iftaar lit fast breaking meal together Like in the rest of Islamic world Ramadan is a month of heightened devotional activity for the Bohras that ends with Eid al Fitr In the month of Zil Hajj al Haram the Bohras undertake hajj and celebrate Eid al Adha at its conclusion In line with Shia traditions on the 18th of Zil Hajj the day Muhammad publicly anointed Ali ibn Abi Talib his successor the Bohras celebrate Eid al Ghadir observe fast and offer special prayers Special prayers and congregations are also held during other major events such as the day Muhammad first began his Da wah lit mission the night of Isra and Mi raj the birthday of Muhammad the urs mubarak lit remembrance day of prominent community leaders and the birthday of the current Da i al Mutlaq Muharram Main article Mourning of Muharram nbsp Saifuddin the 53rd Da i al Mutlaq presides over a Muharram gathering at Mohammedi Masjid Houston 2015 Husayn ibn Ali was martyred along with his family and companions on the plains of Karbala while on a journey from Mecca through the deserts of modern day Iraq to Kufa 60 61 The Bohras believe that Husayn s sacrifice was foretold by Muhammad and that he was destined to change the course of Islam as a result of his martyrdom 62 Remembrance of the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali often linked to the hagiography of John the Baptist 63 and Jesus Christ 64 is among the most important events of the year for the Bohras 31 Known as ʿAshara Mubaraka lit the Blessed Ten a series of ten majalis lit congregations that happen in the beginning of the month of Muharram al Haram 65 is a source of blessing and a means to spiritual purification for the Bohras 66 67 For them Husayn ibn Ali s martyrdom epitomizes the values of humanity justice and truth 68 They consider his stand against tyranny at great personal cost to offer lessons in bravery loyalty and compassion 69 These values they believe inculcate in them a spirit of self sacrifice forbearance and adherence to their faith 66 69 During the ʿAshara Mubaraka the Bohra communities all over the world host a series of majalis twice a day one each in the morning and in the evening recounting Husayn ibn Ali s sacrifice which forms the central theme of the discourse amidst regular prayers 68 The majalis led by the Da i al Mutlaq on occasion attract hundreds of thousands of followers 70 71 72 Traditions Rasm e Saifee nbsp Taher Saifuddin presides over a Rasm e Saifee Nikah in Jamnagar To subsidize costs and facilitate marriages among the Dawoodi Bohra Taher Saifuddin the 51st Da i al Mutlaq started Rasm e Saifee 73 in Jamnagar c 1952 and later institutionalised it c 1963 74 Rasm e Saifee is a singular occasion when multiple nikah are solemnized at the hands of the Da i al Mutlaq and his representatives Saifuddin s son and successor Mohammed Burhanuddin founded the International Taiyseer al Nikah Committee ITNC 74 which now organizes Rasm e Saifee throughout the year at various miqaat lit religious events 75 Burhanuddin s successor Mufaddal Saifuddin continues to uphold the tradition 76 77 Pilgrimages nbsp Raudat Tahera mausoleum of Taher Sayf al Din and Mohammed Burhanuddin II It is customary among the Bohras to visit mausoleums mosques and other places of religious importance in Palestine Israel Jordan Syria Egypt Saudi Arabia Yemen Iran Iraq and India In most places a community administered complex mazaar provides accommodation business centers dining and various recreational activities to the traveling Bohras citation needed A Bohra mausoleum typically has white exteriors with a golden finial at the apex of the dome The interior is usually lit up in incandescent light and Quranic verses are inscribed on its walls These mausoleums embody several meanings in the form of their structure and build citation needed As an example Raudat Tahera an austere structure in Mumbai has a range of intricacies deliberated into its design The inner height of Raudat Tahera is 80 feet above the plinth the number signifies the age of Taher Saifuddin who is buried there The sanctum of the mausoleum is 51 51 feet which symbolises Saifuddin s position as the 51st Dai al Mutlaq The entire Quran is inscribed in gold on its walls whilst Bismillah is engraved 113 times in precious stones and four doors one on each side of the wall are made of silver 78 The inner side of the dome proclaims Allah holds the sky and earth together which none else can 79 SocietyCommunity centers The office of the Da i al Mutlaq known as Dawat e Hadiyah governs the secular and religious affairs of the close knit Dawoodi Bohra community through a distributed network of Jamaat committees 80 35 The Dawat e Hadiyah head office is at Badri Mahal in Fort Mumbai 81 Several sub committees and trusts administer different aspects of a local Bohra community under the purview of respective Jamat also called Jamaat or Anjuman Set up anywhere Bohras live and work a jamat may number from a hundred to tens of thousands of Bohras 80 A resident Amil appointed by the dai is the president of a given jamat 35 The Amil administers and manages the socio religious affairs of a jamat At the local mosque or markaz under their jurisdiction the Amil leads daily prayers and presides over sermons and discourses 80 Masjid While a Dawoodi Bohra mosque is primarily a place of worship and congregation it forms an important socio cultural hub for the community Besides sermons and discourses the mosques are also a center for education and special religious lessons in line with Fatimid traditions A mosque complex usually houses several administrative offices along with ceremonial halls 82 The mosques are built in a distinct Neo Fatimid style 82 83 84 85 with the names of Allah and verses from the Quran engraved on its walls 82 86 The mosques are multi storied structures the main prayer hall in the ground floor a voluminous space is used by men while women congregate in the upper floors The centre of the prayer hall is left as a void making it possible for the women to hear and follow religious liturgy and sermons from the floors above 24 25 87 The Masjid e Moazzam complex in Surat is among the largest in the community 88 89 nbsp Masjid e Moazzam a Bohra cultural and educational hub Surat renovated by Mohammed Burhanuddin c 1997 is a striking example of Neo Fatimid architecture 88 The first Dawoodi Bohra mosque in the Middle East was inaugurated in Dubai UAE in 1983 83 84 by Mohammed Burhanuddin 84 Later mosques in Sharjah Abu Dhabi and Ajman were opened in 2003 2004 and 2006 respectively 84 85 90 The Middle East is home to an estimated 60 000 Bohras who first migrated there in the 1860s 91 In 1988 Burhanuddin inaugurated Burhani Masjid in Farmington Hills Michigan the first Dawoodi Bohra mosque in North America 92 and a year later in 1990 the first Canadian mosque in Toronto 93 The Bohras first moved to London in the 1960s from East Africa settling around Ealing A community center was later set up at Fulham Decades later in 1996 Burhanuddin presided over the opening of the first Bohra mosque in Europe in Northolt 94 Burhanuddin s wife Amatullah Aaisaheba is buried within its premises 95 On 8 July 2007 the first Bohra mosque in France was inaugurated in Paris 96 The Bohras migrated to the erstwhile British colony of Ceylon from Gujarat c 1830 97 An estimated 2 500 Bohras live in Sri Lanka and the capital city of Colombo is their largest settlement 98 In 2000 Burhanuddin inaugurated Masjid al Hussaini at Glen Aber Place Colombo the largest Dawoodi Bohra mosque in Sri Lanka which was the venue of Ashara Mubaraka in 2008 2009 98 and 2019 99 The masjid is part of a bigger complex called Burhani Park which has a community centre and a school 97 Burhanuddin commemorated the 2001 Ashara in Houston where the Bohras have been since the 1950s Burhanuddin s son Mufaddal Saifuddin inaugurated Mohammedi Masjid the largest Bohra mosque complex in North America at Katy Area Houston during the 2015 Ashara 100 which was at the time the largest Bohra community event held in the West 65 The same year in March 2015 Saifuddin inaugurated four more mosques in California in Los Angeles San Jose Bakersfield and Orange County 101 In 2014 as his first official act as the 53rd Da i al Mutlaq Mufaddal Saifuddin inaugurated Masjid Mansoor al Yemen in the Haraaz region of Sanaa Governorate Burhanuddin had built the masjid in memory of Amatullah his wife 102 Markaz nbsp Mohammedi Park Complex Northolt London the largest Bohra community center in Europe A Bohra community or jamaat is centered around a markaz when there is no existing mosque nearby citation needed Communal meals are served in dining halls called the jamaat khaana which are generally part of the mosque complex 82 FMB community kitchen In 2012 Mohammed Burhanuddin II the 52nd Da i al Mutlaq established Faiz al Mawaid al Burhaniyah FMB community kitchens to deliver at least one meal per day to all Bohra families and to ensure no one goes to bed hungry FMB proved beneficial to women in particular as household work reduced freeing up time to pursue other productive activities 51 103 Meals are delivered in tiffin containers daily and have a rotating menu 97 As of 2021 FMB community kitchens usually built near mosques 104 are operational in every Bohra community throughout the world 35 97 Whilst FMB has substantially increased food security within the Bohra community 105 in times of wider crisis such as the flooding in Texas or the COVID 19 pandemic it has also supplied meals and provisions to the wider society 106 107 Bohras consider Niyaz feeding their brethren an obligation 35 Education In line with Islamic traditions 108 the Bohras seek both religious and secular education 109 110 Women s education is encouraged 104 111 112 and in the modern day higher education is common in the community 113 The community run Madrasah Saifiyah Burhaniyah MSB chain of international co ed schools teach sciences humanities and arts in addition to theological subjects In 1984 Mohammad Burhanuddin established the first MSB schools in Nairobi and Mumbai 110 As of 2021 24 MSB schools in Asia and Africa operate affiliated to IGCSE and ICSE boards 114 Aljamea tus Saifiyah Jamea is the community s primary educational and cultural institute Selected students go through rigorous Islamic and Arabic studies for up to 11 years 115 and are trained to subsequently lead various institutions run by Dawat e Hadiyah 116 117 Dars e Saifee precedes Jamea an Islamic theology school established by the 43rd Da i al Mutlaq Abdeali Saifuddin in 1814 in Surat Gujarat A century later the 51st Da i al Mutlaq Taher Saifuddin renovated and institutionalized it as a university 118 His son and successor Mohammed Burhanuddin further expanded its reach and scope opening campuses in three more cities and establishing a dedicated center for Qur anic sciences Mahad al Zahra 119 The second campus was founded in 1983 in Karachi Pakistan A third campus was established in Nairobi Kenya in 2011 and a fourth in 2013 in Mumbai India 120 The libraries of Jamea preserve some of the oldest known Arabic manuscripts 119 Other departments of Jamea specialize in the art of Quran recitation Arabic calligraphy and Arabesque design 121 A significant volume of treatises discourses and sermons of the Dua t Mutlaqeen are part of the Jamea curriculum 122 Per tradition the current Da i al Mutlaq presides over annual examinations al Imtihan al Sanawi every year Senior Jamea students additionally undergo a public viva voce examination Shafahi Imtihan where they are questioned by rectors of the institute and occasionally by the Da i al Mutlaq 123 Status of womenOverview The status of women in the Bohra community underwent a major change in the latter half of the 20th century According to Jonah Blank women of the Bohra faith are among the best educated women in the Indian subcontinent 124 Female Bohra in the U S and Europe have become business owners lawyers doctors teachers and leaders in a range of professions 125 At an interfaith celebration of Eid al Fitr hosted by the Bohra community of Detroit Michigan United States on 7 June 2019 U S Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence Democrat Michigan s 14th congressional district praised the Bohras for having used their voices to make progress on countless issues including gender equality and the environment 126 Bohra women integrate work with their religious practices inspired by historical figures like Khadija and community principles of gender equality Traditionally engaged in physical businesses they have transitioned to digital entrepreneurship utilizing online platforms to market diverse products 127 Supported by community institutions they receive financial aid training and access to virtual markets showcasing how digital ventures empower women while honoring religious beliefs 128 Female circumcision Further information Female genital mutilation in India The Dawoodi Bohra practice what they call khatna 129 khafd 130 or khafz 131 a practice critics consider female genital mutilation FGM The procedure is for the most part performed without anaesthesia by a traditional circumciser when girls reach their seventh year 132 Non Bohra women who seek to marry into the community are also required to undergo it 133 There are no authoritative studies on the extent of the practice among the Bohra 130 134 A 1911 Bombay census of unknown reliability noted that they were performing clitoridectomy 135 According to a 1991 article in Manushi the Bohra remove either the clitoral hood or the tip of the clitoris 136 137 Supporters of the practice say that the Bohra remove only the clitoral hood or perform symbolic nicking and that it should be referred to as female circumcision not FGM 131 A qualitative study in 2018 carried out by WeSpeakOut a group opposed to FGM 138 concluded that most Bohra girls experience Type I FGM removal of the clitoral hood or clitoral glans 139 140 A gynaecologist who took part in the study examined 20 Bohra women and found that both the clitoris and clitoral hood had been cut in most cases b According to the Dawoodi Bohra Women s Association for Religious Freedom the study s conclusions did not reflect the views of most Bohra women 140 In Australia in 2018 the convictions of three members of the Bohra community related to performing FGM on two girls were overturned when the appeal court accepted that the tip of each girl s clitoris was still visible and had not been mutilated the defence position was that only symbolic khatna had been performed 142 The High Court of Australia overturned that decision in October 2019 ruling that the phrase otherwise mutilates in Australian law does encompass cutting or nicking the clitoris As a result the convictions were upheld and the defendants received custodial sentences of at least 11 months 143 Social work Do not abhor any science or shun any book and do not be unduly biased against any creed for our philosophy and creed encompasses all creeds and all knowledge for our creed consists of studying all existing things in their entirety the physical and the intellectual from their beginning to their end their apparent and their hidden their manifest and their concealed with the aim to grasp their Truth with the understanding that they emanate from one source one cause one world and one soul which encompasses their different essences their diverse species their various types and their changing forms Excerpt from the Epistles of Ikhwan al Safa 144 an encyclopedic work on religion sciences and philosophy that permeates the Ismaili school of thought 145 The Bohras are considered politically neutral 146 147 148 The community s stance in line with sunnah 149 has been to be loyal to one s country of residence 150 151 152 A migratory community 153 they participate in the culture and society they live in 47 but stay conservative enough to preserve their own identity 154 The Bohra philosophy and way of life is informed by the Aristotelian and Neo Platonic Epistles of Ikhwan al Safa 155 This leads to their belief that every religion is related to one another 156 that all of creation shares the same purpose 157 and that true fulfillment is in achieving balance between religious and societal duties in resourcefulness and philanthropy 158 159 160 Environmental activism The Bohras generally consider environmental activism is their religious duty participate in it c 158 163 The Burhani Foundation In 1991 Mohammed Burhanuddin established the Burhani Foundation a charitable trust for environmental security conservation of biological diversity effective utilisation of resources pollution control and other related measures 10 In 2017 Mufaddal Saifuddin Burhanuddin s successor initiated a worldwide program to plant 200 000 saplings 164 In 2018 the Bohras together with Champion of the Earth launched Turning the Tide a campaign to remove plastic from oceans rivers and beaches in India 165 166 167 Zero food waste Under the aegis of FMB the Dana Committee lit food grain committee aims to eliminate food wastage As of 2021 the committee has 6000 volunteers across 40 countries After congregations these volunteers collect leftovers and distribute them to the deprived 168 To prevent wastage of food due to over cooking or poor turnout the committee uses custom web and mobile RSVP apps Before a meal commences volunteers are on hand to remind attendees of their responsibility as Muslims d in ensuring no food goes to waste 171 The Bohras also participate in the United Nations annual World Food Day campaigns 172 In September 2019 over 24 000 Bohras who gathered in Colombo to commemorate Ashara Mubaraka with Mufaddal Saifuddin the 53rd Da i al Mutlaq followed a zero food waste policy Dana Committee volunteers helped with portion control and distributed leftover food to the disadvantaged 173 This policy was first adopted at the 2018 Ashara in Indore which was attended by over 150 000 people 174 On 6 November 2023 ahead of the COP28 World leaders summit Shahzada Husain Burhanuddin on behalf of Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin attended the COP28 Global Faith leaders summit among 28 Faith leaders in Abu Dhabi and signed a joint appeal to take meaningful action in addressing climate crisis 175 176 Other initiatives Project RiseIn June 2018 the Bohra community launched Project Rise a philanthropy programme focused on the marginalized and the poor Their first initiative undertaken in collaboration with Action Against Hunger sought to address malnutrition among those living in Palghar and Govandi districts of Maharashtra India 177 178 During the 2019 floods volunteers sent aid to the Indian states of Kerala Karnataka Maharashtra and Gujarat 179 while during the 2020 lockdown in India volunteers distributed food packets among the poor 180 181 In 2020 Narendra Modi the Prime Minister of India had acknowledged the community s social service 182 In 2019 and 2020 volunteers in North America marked United Nations World Food Day by donating to local food banks 183 172 Since then based on Islamic traditions of philanthropy e Project Rise has initiated some programs that focus on healthcare nutrition sanitation and hygiene and environmental conservation 184 As part of these drives volunteers attempt to raise the standard of living of the elderly and the disadvantaged through revamped housing access to food and improved physical and spiritual well being 185 186 187 Bhendi Bazaar cluster redevelopment In 2009 Mohammed Burhanuddin the 52nd Da i al Mutlaq founded the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust SBUT Its first initiative the Saifee Burhani Upliftment Project SBUP was to rebuild Bhendi Bazaar a decrepit under developed and dense Bohra majority locale in South Bombay Within a year of its formation the trust had acquired 70 of the identified land 250 existing buildings 1250 shops and 3200 families in over 16 5 acres of land will make way for 13 new buildings better infrastructure open spaces and designated commercial areas Relocated tenants will own their new premises at no cost to them Divided into 9 clusters the project is expected to complete in 2025 188 189 190 7 of the 9 clusters representing over 80 of the project are reserved for existing tenants and the government run housing board MHADA 191 Due to the scope of SBUP the largest cluster redevelopment project in India at an estimated cost of 550 million 4000 crores 192 it has been subject to logistical and regulatory challenges resulting in several delays 189 Starting in 2010 the trust began building transit homes near Mazagaon In 2012 the trust relocated tenants and demolished buildings it had acquired 189 More transit homes were built in Sion Ghodapdeo and Sewri 192 In early 2016 Mufaddal Saifuddin laid foundation for Clusters I and III 193 194 In 2020 600 residents and 128 shop owners relocated to the completed twin towers Al Saadah 195 196 197 marking completion of the project s first phase 198 See alsoSuccession to 52nd Dai al Mutlaq List of Dai of Dawoodi Bohra Progressive Dawoodi BohraNotes The term Qardan Hasana in the Islamic context has been mentioned six times in the Quran 53 Sujaat Vali The Clitoral Hood A Contested Site 2018 Given that most girls are cut at age seven without anesthesia by traditional cutters and the procedure happens in a minute or two the operator cannot get enough separation between the clitoris and the skin surrounding the clitoris So usually they end up cutting the clitoris along with the skin covering the clitoris 141 Since Nazafat lit cleanliness is an integral component of Islamic faith 161 the Bohras engage in clean up drives tree planting and other such initiatives wherever they reside 162 The Quran and the Hadiths inform Muslims to not be wasteful with food 169 170 Project Rise is chartered to help eradicate poverty and hunger improve health and education empower women avoid waste and preserve the environment align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Bohras claim to follow this tradition of charity and activism for centuries 183 References a b Lentin Sifra 25 March 2021 The globalised Dawoodi Bohras of Bombay The Gateway House Indian Council on Global Relations Archived from the original on 3 May 2021 a b Schleifer Abdallah Elgawhary Tarek Ahmed Aftab 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original on 17 June 2020 Nearly 200 000 Dawoodi Bohras from all over the world attended the 10 day Moharram observance which culminated here Wednesday as Ashura under the guidance of their 102 year old spiritual head Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin Elaborate arrangements for lodging boarding transportation medical and other requirements of the visitors were made For the benefit of the global community members the discourses were relayed live via internet to over 650 community centres Shelar Jyoti 25 August 2018 Dawoodi Bohras to flock to Indore for Syedna s Muharram sermons The Hindu Archived from the original on 17 June 2020 Attarwala Fatima 12 March 2012 101 years At Rasm e Saifee lucky 41 tie the nuptial knot tribune com pk Karachi Tribune Pakistan Archived from the original on 13 March 2012 a b Raghib Qureish 2006 Rasme Saifee islamvoice com Archived from the original on 22 June 2020 Welcome to International Taiseer un Nikah Committee ITNC taiseerunnikah org Archived from the original on 25 June 2020 Retrieved 25 June 2020 Goswami Vajrasar 29 December 2013 Mass procession organized by Bohra community udaipurtimes com Udaipur Archived from the original on 25 June 2020 Syedna to inaugurate Masjid in Secunderabad teleganatoday com 20 October 2019 Archived from the original on 25 June 2020 Shelar Jyoti 26 June 2019 Raudat Tahera Etched in stone a labour of love The Hindu ISSN 0971 751X Archived from the original on 15 June 2021 Retrieved 27 April 2020 Marfatia Meher 24 February 2018 Meher Marfatia One hundred years behind the bazaar mid day com Archived from the original on 31 August 2020 a b c Abdulhussein 2001 p 97 Abdulhussein 2001 p 142 a b c d The Masjid and its significance thedawoodibohras com 21 April 2021 Archived from the original on 13 June 2021 Retrieved 18 May 2021 a b Head of Dawoodi Bohras arrives in Dubai gulfnews com 23 January 2018 Archived from the original on 13 June 2021 a b c d Bohra leader to open grand Dh 25 million mosque Khaleej Times Archived 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Retrieved 31 October 2020 The Dawoodi Bohras of Detroit usa thedawoodibohras com Archived from the original on 13 June 2021 Retrieved 29 May 2020 Our Community Toronto canada thedawoodibohras com Archived from the original on 13 June 2021 Retrieved 8 May 2021 We are the Dawoodi Bohra community of London uk thedawoodibohras com Archived from the original on 13 June 2021 Retrieved 6 March 2021 Abdulhussein 2001 p 175 Aqa Maula TUS presided over the Urus majlis of Syedna Ismail Badruddin Saheb RA in the new Masjid in Paris which was also inaugurated by Aqa Maula TUS malumaat com Archived from the original on 28 September 2007 a b c d Hussein Asiff 1 February 2018 The Bohras Plucky Business Barons Archived from the original on 22 June 2021 a b Yusuf Mamujee 2017 The Dawoodi Bohras of Sri Lanka In S Pathmanathan B A Hussainmiya Malani Endagama Vajira Narampanawa Kalinga Tudor Silva eds People of Sri Lanka PDF Ministry of National Coexistence Dialogue and Official Languages ISBN 9789557537030 Archived from the original PDF on 18 June 2020 via reliefweb int a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a work ignored help De Alwis Natasha 6 September 2019 Annual congregation of Dawoodi Bohra Community in Sri Lanka newsfirst lk Colombo Archived from the original on 17 June 2020 The Dawoodi Bohra community of Houston usa thedawoodibohras com Archived from the original on 13 June 2021 Retrieved 29 May 2020 The Dawoodi Bohra community of Bakersfield usa thedawoodibohras com Archived from the original on 13 June 2021 Retrieved 6 March 2021 In March 2015 our leader His Holiness Syedna wa Moulana Aali Qadr Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS made an historic visit or safar to California visiting the Dawoodi Bohra communities of Orange County Los Angeles Bakersfield San Jose and Fremont His Holiness TUS performed the iftitah inauguration of four Masajid including Fakhri Masjid in the Bakersfield Jamaat Dawoodi Bohra Leader Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin Receives Warm Welcome from Thousands of his Followers on his Return from Historic First Pilgrimage as 53rd Dai Al Mutlaq businesswireindia com Press release Mumbai 22 March 2014 Archived from the original on 29 June 2020 Parmar Vijaysinh 15 February 2012 Community kitchen gives Bohra women freedom from cooking The Times of India Archived from the original on 5 April 2014 a b V Mithran 19 November 2019 How the Bohras enriched Kozhikode s cultural heritage Onmanorama Kozhikode Archived from the original on 25 June 2021 Sadriwala Maryam November 2019 Fighting world hunger PDF South Asia Magazine Karachi Archived from the original PDF on 6 July 2021 Sapatwalla Mudar 8 March 2012 Food drive for needy by North Texas Bohras India Post Archived from the original on 10 June 2021 Bose Mrityunjay 27 June 2020 Dawoodi Bohras join other volunteers to serve migrants food water during their arduous journey back home Deccan Herald Mumbai Archived from the original on 25 June 2021 Abdulhussein 2001 p 98 Guidance for schools with Muslims pupils Ealing SACRE Government of the United Kingdom September 2014 Archived from the original on 6 July 2021 a b Education 5 February 2018 Archived from the original on 23 June 2020 Retrieved 20 May 2020 via thedawoodibohras com Abdulhussein 2001 p 23 Abdulhussein 2001 p 99 Zaenal Muttaqin 2011 Siti Fauziyah Mohamad Rohman eds Modernity in the frame of Mullah authorities in Dawoodi Bohra denomination PDF Al Qalam Journal Keagamaan dan Kemasyarakatan Vol 28 no 3 Indonesia p 449 doi 10 32678 alqalam v28i3 886 ISSN 1410 3222 Archived from the original PDF on 7 July 2021 via media neliti com About MSB idaramsb net Archived from the original on 23 June 2020 Retrieved 23 June 2020 Abdulhussein 2001 p 19 Abdulhussein 2001 p 22 Izzuddin Tasneem Saify 2016 Chapter 4 The Management System of Dawoodi Bohra for Maximum Literacy Rate Through Quranic Education PDF Conceptual study of the Quranic education system managed under Dawoodi Bohra Spiritual leadership Thesis Shri Jagdishprasad Jhabarmal Tibarewala University hdl 10603 111649 Archived from the original PDF on 24 June 2020 via shodhganga inflibnet ac in From Gurukul to IBO varsity The Times of India 6 November 2009 Archived from the original on 11 August 2011 a b Abdulhussein 2001 p 21 City s Arabic univ now opens campus in Nairobi Times of India Retrieved 28 November 2018 Das Ria At 6 This Youngest Hafiz Ever Is A Child Prodigy On Quran www shethepeople tv Retrieved 6 November 2023 Abdulhussein 2001 p 17 Abdulhussein 2001 p 26 Blank 2001 pp 125 126 Letter Dawoodi Bohra women of Detroit speak up Detroit News 12 December 2018 Dawoodi Bohras of Detroit Share Message of Unity and Peace with Friends and Neighbors 21 April 2017 Archived from the original on 17 June 2019 Retrieved 11 July 2019 Hussain Arwa 4 October 2022 Bohra digital entrepreneurship shows how religious communities can help women thrive The Conversation Retrieved 25 April 2024 Register Deepa Bharath Orange County 21 January 2022 Dawoodi Bohra women organize first ever business expo in U S to showcase female entrepreneurship Daily Bulletin Retrieved 25 April 2024 Ghadially R September October 1991 All for Izzat The Practice of Female Circumcision among Bohra Muslims PDF Manushi 66 17 20 Archived from the original PDF on 1 July 2018 Retrieved 11 July 2019 cited in Female Genital Mutilation Cutting A Global Concern Archived 10 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine New York United Nations Children s Fund February 2016 footnote 2 a b Nair Shalini 28 December 2017 No official data on existence of Female Genital Mutilation in India Centre tells SC The Indian Express a b Dawoodi Bohra women s group defends khafz The Hindu Press Trust of India 26 August 2018 Anantnarayan Lakshmi Diler Shabana Menon Natasha 2018 The Clitoral Hood A Contested Site PDF WeSpeakOut pp 40 42 Archived PDF from the original on 1 September 2018 Anantnarayan Diler amp Menon 2018 p 28 Cole Diana 8 February 2016 UNICEF Estimate Of Female Genital Mutilation Up By 70 Million National Public Radio Blank 2001 p 57 Ghadially 1991 pp 17 19 Baweja Harinder 21 February 2016 India s Dark Secret Hindustan Times Cantera Angel L Martinez 6 March 2018 I was crying with unbearable pain study reveals extent of FGM in India The Guardian Anantnarayan Diler amp Menon 2018 p 2 a b Batha Emma 5 February 2018 Heartwrenching study shows FGM prevalent among India s Bohra sect Reuters Anantnarayan Diler amp Menon 2018 p 37 A2 v R Magennis v R Vaziri v R 2018 NSWCCA 174 10 August 2018 Court of Criminal Appeal NSW Australia Laurence Emily 11 August 2018 Genital mutilation convictions overturned after new evidence showing victims remain intact ABC News Australia The Queen v A2 2019 HCA 35 Judgment summary PDF High Court of Australia 16 October 2019 High Court upholds NSW genital mutilation convictions The Sydney Morning Herald 16 October 2019 Rasa il Ikhwan al Safa in Arabic Vol 4 Beirut Dar Sadir 1957 p 52 Steigerwald Diana Ikhwan al Safa Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy Archived from the original on 30 June 2021 Retrieved 15 August 2020 via iep utm edu Hill 2015 p 6 Mukhopadhyay Nilanjan 25 September 2017 Muslim as chief guest at RSS function Political compulsion or a paradigm shift The Economic Times Nagpur Archived from the original on 7 July 2020 Ingber Hanna 24 April 2011 How Bohra Muslims set themselves apart Global Post Archived from the original on 14 June 2021 via pri org From text to context An exercise in patriotism jameasaifiyah edu 15 August 2018 Archived from the original on 28 June 2020 Abdulhussein 2001 p 95 Abdulhussein 2001 p 141 Indore Work for welfare of humanity says spiritual leader Dr Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin The Free Press Journal Indore 7 September 2018 Archived from the original on 16 June 2021 The Bohras Today thedawoodibohras com Archived from the original on 30 June 2021 Retrieved 14 May 2021 Abdulhussein 2001 p 89 The essence of humanity thedawoodibohras com 26 June 2021 Archived from the 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community launches plantation drive Rawalpindi 11 June 2017 Archived from the original on 6 July 2021 Linah Baliga 24 June 2019 Afroz Shah gives Mithi River a new life manages to clear 1 25 km stretch in Mithi of plastic waste Mumbai Mumbai Mirror Archived from the original on 22 June 2021 Dawoodi Bohras join river clean up The Hindu Mumbai 29 November 2018 Archived from the original on 22 June 2021 Shelar Jyoti 5 March 2019 Dawoodi Bohra women enlist in clean up army The Hindu Mumbai Archived from the original on 22 June 2021 Mistry Rhea 16 June 2018 No food wastage this Eid The Hindu Mumbai Archived from the original on 11 June 2021 Altaher Nada Fahim Omnia 14 June 2016 Islam does not accept food wastage at any time Gulf News Archived from the original on 11 June 2021 Reciting verses from the Quran the Awqaf official said and eat and drink be not extravagant surely Allah does not love the extravagant Jiffry Fadia 2 August 2013 Scholars tell Muslims not to waste food Arab News Jeddah Archived from the original on 11 June 2021 In another Hadith the Prophet Muhammed peace be upon him said The food of one person is sufficient for two the food of two people suffices for four people and the food of four people suffices for eight In holy Ramzan Muslims urged not to waste food The Times of India 27 May 2018 Archived from the original on 11 June 2021 a b Global Dawoodi Bohra faith feeds the hungry on World Food Day Tricuro Press release Washington D C 16 October 2020 Archived from the original on 11 June 2021 via einnews com Deane Ruqyyaha 8 September 2019 Shining lesson on zero food wastage policy at massive Bohra conference The Sunday Times Archived from the original on 11 June 2021 Bohras set world record for largest zero waste religious event indoremirror in Indore 20 September 2018 Archived from the original on 7 July 2021 COP28 UAE COP28 Presidency receives Abu Dhabi Interfaith Statement for COP28 at Global Faith Leaders Summit www cop28 com Retrieved 10 November 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Dawoodi Bohras in North America Support U N World Food Day Press release Global Newswire 24 October 2019 Archived from the original on 8 July 2020 About Project Rise The Dawoodi Bohras 25 March 2019 Archived from the original on 18 June 2021 Dawoodi Bohras offer much needed support to the elderly globalnewswire com Press release Calgary 2 December 2019 Archived from the original on 19 June 2021 Retrieved 29 May 2021 Exordium Networks Inc Involved in Local and Global Charitable Upliftment Initiatives globalnewswire com Press release 26 January 2017 Archived from the original on 19 June 2021 Retrieved 29 May 2021 The Blessings of our elders thedawoodibohras com 22 November 2019 Archived from the original on 13 June 2021 Thakur Pooja Mahrotri Antony Anto 3 October 2016 Biggest Urban Makeover How A Mumbai Trust Is Bringing Free Homes For 20 000 Bloomberg Archived from the original on 22 June 2021 via Huffington Post a b c Sadhwani Yogesh 10 September 2017 What ails the Bhendi Bazaar project India Times Archived from the original on 22 June 2021 Bhargava Anjuli 29 October 2016 Beautifying Bhendi Bazaar Sunday Business Standard Archived from the original on 7 July 2021 Khergamkar Gajanan 7 February 2015 Bhendi Bazaar makeover set to be a global precedent PDF Mumbai Times of India Archived from the original PDF on 23 January 2021 via sbut com a href Template Cite magazine html title Template Cite magazine cite magazine a Cite magazine requires magazine help a b Changing landscape of Mumbai PDF Governance Democracy and Politics May 2016 Archived from the original PDF on 23 October 2020 via sbut com a href Template Cite magazine html title Template Cite magazine cite magazine a Cite magazine requires magazine help Tasees Foundation Laying Ceremony of Sub Cluster 3 sbut com Archived from the original on 25 February 2021 Retrieved 23 March 2021 Tasees Foundation Laying Ceremony of Sub Cluster 1 sbut com Archived from the original on 25 February 2021 Retrieved 23 March 2021 Congested Bhendi Bazaar in Mumbai gets a new spanking look Press Trust of India 9 March 2020 Archived from the original on 22 June 2021 via Rediff Kamath Naresh 6 February 2020 Bhendi Bazaar s home run 550 families move into 2 new towers Mumbai Hindustan Times Archived from the original on 22 June 2021 Mahale Ajeet 23 March 2020 A whole new world The Hindu ISSN 0971 751X Retrieved 16 April 2020 Bhendi Bazaar cluster redevelopment Civic authority issues Mumbai India Times Archived from the original on 27 June 2021 Further readingShibani Roy 2007 1984 The Dawoodi Bohras an anthropological perspective B R Publishing ISBN 9780865903241 Idris Imad al Din ibn al Hasan al Quraishi 1970 1488 Uyun al akhbar wa funun al athar fi faḍail al Aimmah al aṭhar Silsilat al turath al Faṭimi Vol 6 Translated by Mustafa Ghalib Dar al Andalus p 738 LCCN n85038131 First Arabic Edition of Uyun al akhbar in collaboration with IFPO Institute of Ismaili Studies 2 February 2020 Farhad Daftary 1998 A Short History of the Ismailis Traditions of a Muslim Community Edinburgh University Press ISBN 9780748606870 ISSN 0075 093X a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a journal ignored help Farhad Daftary 1992 The Isma ilis Their History and Doctrines Cambridge University Press ISBN 9780521429740 Joseph W Meri Jere L Bacharach eds 2005 Medieval Islamic Civilization An Encyclopedia Vol 1 Routledge ISBN 9781135455965 Farhad Daftary Sayyida Hurra The Isma ili Sulayhid Queen of Yemen PDF Institute of Ismaili Studies Archived from the original on 23 June 2020 Retrieved 23 June 2020 Farhad Daftary ed 2001 Mediaeval Isma ili History and Thought Cambridge University Press ISBN 9780521003100 Simonetta Calderini 1996 Cosmology and Authority in Medieval Ismailism Diskus 4 1 11 22 Archived from the original on 23 June 2020 Farhad Daftary 2005 Ismaili Literature A Bibliography of Sources and Studies I B Tauris ISBN 9780857713865 M J L Young John Derek Latham Robert Bertram Serjeant 2006 Religion learning and science in the ʻAbbasid period Cambridge University Press ISBN 9780521028875 Garry W Trompf Gunner B Mikkelsen Jay Johnston eds 2018 The Gnostic World Routledge ISBN 9781317201847 Electricwala Mohammed Abbas 2015 Intellectual upliftment through memorization of Quran A social aspect inflibnet ac in Thesis Shri Jagdishparasad Jhabarmal Tibrewala University hdl 10603 135136 Archived from the original on 18 June 2020 via shodhganga inflibnet ac in Farhad Daftary 2017 Ismaili History and Intellectual Traditions Routledge ISBN 9781351975032 Netton Ian Richard May 2011 In the Age of Al Farabi Arabic Philosophy in the Fourth tenth Century Journal of Islamic Studies Review 22 2 247 248 doi 10 1093 jis etr005 Peter Adamson ed 2006 Women And the Fatimids in the World of Islam London Edinburgh University Press ISBN 9780748626298 Heinz Halm 1997 The Fatimids and Their Traditions of Learning Ismaili Studies Palgrave Macmillan ISBN 9781850439202 James W Morris ed 2020 The Master and the Disciple An Early Islamic Spiritual Dialogue Bloomsbury Academic ISBN 9780755602629 Farhad Daftary Shainool Jiwa eds 2017 The Fatimid Caliphate Diversity of Traditions Bloomsbury Publishing ISBN 9781786733092 John Eberly 2005 Al Kimia The Mystical Islamic Essence of the Sacred Art of Alchemy Sophia Perennis ISBN 9781597310109 Hill Geoffrey 2015 Dawoodi Bohra implementation of meaning making methods for successful establishment in Western societies Uppsala Uppsala University Archived from the original on 29 June 2020 via diva portal org a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help External links nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dawoodi Bohra Official website An Introduction to The Dawoodi Bohras on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dawoodi Bohra amp oldid 1222662089, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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