Muslim Shi'a Isma'ili Musta'alavi Taiyebi Alavi Bohras

The Muslim-Shi'a-Isma'ili-Must'alavi-Taiyebi community of Alavi Bohras strongly believes in the tawheed of Allah The Almighty , nubuvat-risaalat of Ambiya-Mursaleen, wasaayat of Awsiya, imaamat of A'immat, da'wat of Du'aat and traces its origin and spiritual ancestry to Saiyed ul-Ambiya Mohammad ul-Mustafa (SAWA) , his wasi, cousin and son-in-law Saiyed ul-Waseeyin Ali ul-Murtaza (AS) and his daughter Saiyadah Nisaa il-Aalameen Fatemat uz-Zahra (AS) and their noble progeny A'immat il-Ma'sumeen (AS). Alavi Bohras are Isma'ilis because of the fact that they adhered to the imaamat of Imaam Isma'il bin Imaam Ja'far us-Saadiq (AS) when the split occurred in the mainstream Shi'a resulting in Isma'ilis and Ithna-Asharis . During the reign of the Fatimid caliph-imaam, al-Mustansir billah (AS) (427-487 AH/1036-1094 AD), schisms occurred in the mainstream Isma'ili in the eleventh century in Egypt, those who believed in the imaamat of Imaam al-Musta'ali bin al-Mustansir (AS) came to be known as Musta'alavis and thus after the seclusion (satar) of their 21st Imaam at-Taiyeb (AS) from Egypt, they in India followed the Faatemi Taiyebi Da'wat of Yemen, where Da'i-e-Mutlaq acted as the sole religious, spiritual and temporal authority of the believers owing their allegiance to the noble progeny of Imaam at-Taiyeb (AS). Subsequently, the mainstream Bohra community split a number of times during the Da'wat in Gujarat (Ahmedabad) to form the Ja'fari Bohras, Dawoodi Bohras, Sulaymani Bohras, Alavi Bohras and other lesser known groups mainly on the issue of Propagation of 'Nass' .

Bohras generally are peace-loving and trade-loving people as the word ‘bohra or vohra' itself indicates and is derived from the Gujarati vohorvu or vyavahar, meaning "to trade". Their cultural and social upbringing is such that the values of peace and prosperity are in their blood and do not believe in social or religious conflicts. This has sometimes caused certain trading communities in Gujarat other than those related to the Isma'ili-Taiyebis to list themselves as Bohras. The early Indian converts of the eleventh century comprised a single group of Isma'ili Bohras owing allegiance to the Da'i-e-Mutlaq in Yemen . The Da'i operates as the sole representative of the secluded Isma'ili Imaam and as such has had a great influence on the history, faith and practices of the Taiyebi Bohras . The mainstream Bohras are named after their 27th Da'i Saiyedna Dawoodji ibn Qutubshah (d. 1612) at the split of Sulaymani Bohras. After the death of 28th Da'i Saiyedna Shaikh Adam Safiyuddin (d. 1621), a major split occurred in mainstream Bohras and those who adhered to the da'iship of the 29th Da'i-e-Mutlaq Saiyedna Ali Shamsuddin bin Ibraheem ash-shaheed came to be known as Alavi Bohras . This schism divided the mainstream Bohras into two different community viz. Alavi Bohras and Dawoodi Bohras .

The Alavi Bohra community has largely been nurtured into its present form and fame by the endeavors and efforts in various fields by their four du'aat who have led the community in the modern age. The celebrated and learned 41st Da'i, Saiyedna Jivabhai Fakhruddin (1879-1929), was an accomplished scholar, a prolific writer and poet, a capable organizer and a man of vision. During his period of fifty years he re-vitalized the community, fostered strong faith, modernized the mission's organization, promoted welfare and education in the community, and guided it through the irreligious customs, practices and social vices, and emancipated the community from the clutches of ignorance. The 42nd and 43rd Da'i Saiyedna Fidaali Badruddin and Saiyedna Yusuf Nuruddin led the Fatimid mission to the same cause and shaped the life of the believers and their 'aamaal in accordance with the teachings of holy Qur'an and Isma'ili Fiqh.

The present Da'i-e-Mutlaq, H.H. Saiyedna Abu Haatim Taiyeb Ziyauddin Saheb (TUS) have continued his predecessor's endeavors with particular emphasis on strengthening the community's Islamic practices and on the promotion of its Fatimid heritage and Isma'ili legacy. His tenure of Da'iship is marked by the constructions of new mosques, musafirkhanas, mausoleums and community halls.

The religious hierarchy of the Alavi Bohras is essentially and traditionally Fatimid and is headed by the Da'i-e-Mutlaq who is appointed by his predecessor in office. The Da'i appoints two others to the subsidiary ranks of mazoon (licentiate) and mukaasir (executor). These positions are followed by the rank of ra'sul hudood, bhaisaheb, miya-saheb, shaikh-saheb and mulla-saheb, which are held by several of Bohras. The 'Aamil or Saheb-e-Raza who is granted the permission to perform the religious ceremonies of the believers by the Da'i-e-Mutlaq and also leads the local congregation in religious, social and community affairs, is sent to each town where a sizable population of believers exists. Such towns normally have a mosque and an adjoining jamaa'at-khaana (assembly hall) where socio-religious functions are held. The local organizations which manage these properties and administer the social and religious activities of the local Bohras report directly to the central administration of the Da'i.

The Isma'ili faith, unlike mainstream Islam, is based on the concept of hierarchy and each authority at the lower rank has to submit to the one at the higher rank. There cannot be any compromise on that. These religious authorities are known as Hudood in the Isma'ili terminology. The hadd (pl. hudood) at the upper rank demands total obedience from the hadd at lower rank. Thus the Isma'ili faith is religion of obedience and submission to the authorities. No dissent is permitted. There is no permission given to an unauthoritative person of an open and democratic discussion on religious affairs without the consultation of the religious authority, due to the esoteric nature of the Isma'ili faith which stresses on the hidden meaning of holy Qur'an and the allegorical interpretation of the pillars of Islam, a peculiar Isma'ili philosophy on unity, creation, cosmology, eschatology, institution of prophethood and Imaamat. Therefore an Isma'ili believer should submit to the authority of the Da'i and Imaam unquestionably on the discretionary powers and orders on the religious, social and observance of customary obedience to the higher rank of the religious hierarchy. Only those at the advance stage of learning could aspire to know the hidden meaning and the taweel , and due to this reason the Da'i take strict oath of allegiance (mithaq) from his followers so as to pledge their absolute loyalty to the Imaam or the Da'i.

Thus, at the age of puberty every Bohra, or mumin (believer) pronounces the traditional oath of allegiance (misaaq) which requires the initiate to adhere to the shari'ah and accept the religious leadership of the imaam and the da'i . This oath is renewed each year on the 18th of Dhu al-Hajj (Eid-e-Ghadeer-e-Khumm). The Bohras follow Fatimid school of jurisprudence which recognizes seven pillars of Islam.

Pilgrimages to the shrines of the Mawaali-e-Tahereen (saints) is an important role in the devotional life of Bohras, for the facilitation of which musafirkhaanas (rest houses, sanatoria) and assisting charitable organizations and awqaaf have been set up in several cities. Every new year, the first ten days of Muharram is marked by the martyrdom of Imaam Husain (AS) and is commemorated by setting up sabeel and majaalis-e-'azadari. Social gatherings are mainly on the occasions of aqeeqa (naming of the new born child), milaad (anniversary), mithaq (religious oath), waleema (marriage), iftitaah (opening ceremony), urs (commemoration of the deceased Da'i ), and majaalis (in the month of Moharram and Ramazaan ). The traditional dress of Alavi Bohras is kurta, pyjama, topi and sayaa for male and rida for female. On all religio-social occasions they are dressed in the above fashion. They eat in the form of traditional thal.

Alavi Bohras use an arabicized form of Gujarati, called Lisaan ud-Da'wat, which is permeated with Arabic, Urdu and Persian words and written in Arabic script. All the Da'wat affairs are exclusively carried out in Lisaan ud-Da'wat and the sectarian education system is completely based on it. Another distinctive feature is their use of a Fatimid misri lunar calendar which has fixed number of days of each month based on the kabeesa formula. Therefore according to Isma'ili faith, the month of Ramazan always consists 30 days. There is a strong religious learning tradition amongst the Alavi Bohras, their Da'is usually being prolific writers, orators and promoters of education.

Alavi Bohras are scattered in different parts of India apart from the major chunk in Vadodara. They are also settled in Mumbai, Surat, Ahmedabad, Pune, Bangalore, Choota-Udaipur, Borsad, Navsari, Mevli, Nadiad, Halol, Kalol etc. Internationally some of them are settled in U.S.A., U.K., U.A.E., Saudi Arabia, Switzerland and Australia etc. Being bohras, major occupation is business and trading especially production of optical frames, tin containers, tin cupboards, hardware etc. In fact optical market is solely dominated by Alavi Bohras in Vadodara. Now the trend is marching towards professionalism, thus the number of doctors, C.A., teachers, advocates, computer professionals is increasing.

In Vadodara, there is a marvelous mosque called Masjid-e-Nooraani al-Alavi built in 1394 A.H. during the period of the 43rd Da'i-e-Mutlaq Saiyedna Yusuf Nuruddin and the beautiful mausoleum of Du'aat-e-Mutlaqeen where believers come for peace and tranquility of mind. They have other masaajid and musafirkhanas in Surat, Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

Most important feature of the Alavi Da'wat is the library of Arabic MSS that comprises of 450 MSS, some of them around 500 yrs old autograph copies chiefly transcribed by the Alavi Du'aat making it a unique treasure house and a rich traditional heritage. These MSS are mainly on Fatimi fiqh (jurisprudence), akhbaar (history), aqaa'id (doctrines), haqaa'iq (facts and realities), majaalis (lectures), propagation of Nass, refutation of false sects, religious sciences, poetry, biographies, admonitions and prayers and on comparative studies. They all are meticulously preserved, carefully maintained, and periodically copied at the Markaz-e-Da'wat.

With the incessant and untiring efforts of spreading the awareness of acquiring worldly and religious knowledge His Holiness Saiyedna Taiyeb Ziyauddin (TUS) has accomplished his mission and achieved the goal of attaining 99% literacy rate in the community. His Holiness has completed 31 years on the tenure of his Da'iship by guiding and guarding believers on the right path and the way of salvation. His Holiness is now 75 yrs. this day and his elder son Mazoon Hatim Zakiyuddin (DM) holds the second rank in Da'wat hierarchy is to succeed him. Each and every affair of the Da'wat organization and the community is conducted by the prior raza (consent) and riza (willingness) of His Holiness Saiyedna saheb .

Unfortunately, Alavi Bohras are misquoted as Aliyyas Bohras in the pages of history, which is a misnomer. They have their unique social, cultural, financial, educational setup and administration independent of any sectarian influence.