Bohras
An article on Bohras taken from the OUP Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World.
'Bohras' Article Text
BOHRAS. This Muslim community of Gujarat in western India traces its spiritual ancestry to early conversions to Ismaili Shiism during the reign of the Fatimid caliph-imam al-Mustansir (AH 427-487/1036-1094 CE). When schisms occured in the Ismaili dawah (mission) in the eleventh and twelfth centuries in Egypt, the Ismailis in India followed the Fatimi Tayyibi dawah of Yemen. Subsequently, this community split a number of times to form the Jafari Bohras, Daudi Bohras, Sulaymani Bohras, Aliyah Bohras, and other lesser-known groups.
The word Bohra (also spelled Bohara or Vohra) is derived from the Gujarati vohorvu or vyavahar, meaning "to trade." This has sometimes caused Hindus, Jains, and Muslims of trading communities other than those related to the Tayyibi Ismailis to list themselves on census forms as Bohras. The early Hindu converts of the eleventh century comprised of a single group of Ismaili Bohras owing allegiance to the da'i mutlaq in Yemen. A number of them seceded in 1426 to form the Jafari Bohras, who adopted the Sunni Hanafi school. The modern Jafari Bohra community comprises mainly cultivators residing in Patan, Gujarat, who revere descendents of the sixteenth-century Sunni missionary Ahmad Jafar al-Shirazi. After the Jafari schism, the Ismaili Bohras were subject to severe persecution by local rulers. However, by the late sixteenth century, they had grown strong enough to enable the transfer of the mission's headquarters and the residence of the da'i mutlaq to India. The da'i mutlaq operates as the sole representative of the secluded Ismaili imam, and as such has had a great influence on the history, faith, and practices of the Ismaili Bohras.
The term "Bohra" applies most commonly to the Daudi Bohras, who are reputed to be the best organised and wealthiest of all Bohras. The Daudi Bohra community has largely been molded into its present form by the two da'is who have led the community in the twentieth century. The fifty-first da'i, the celebrated Tahir Sayf al-Din (1915-1965), was an accomplished scholar, a prolific writer and poet, a capable organizer, and a man of vision. During his period of fifty years he revitalized the community, fostered strong faith, modernized the mission's organization, promoted welfare and education in the community, and guided it through the tumultuous period of world wars and independence of nations. A doctrinal dissent that had severely disturbed the community for sixty years prior to his accession was successfully challenged and reduced during his period to a less significant anti-da'i social reform movement. As much as 2 percent of the community belongs to this movement, whose demands are regarded as heretical by the rest of the Bohras. The reformists were particularly active in the 1970s and early 1980s, but their efforts failed to win legal recognition and only amounted to bad press and distress of the Bohra community.
The present da'i, Muhammad Burhanuddin, has continued his predecessor's endeavors with particular emphasis on strengthening the community's Islamic practices and on the promotion of Fatimid heritage.
The religious hierarchy of the Daudi Bohras is essentially Fatimid and is headed by the da'i mutlaq who is appointed by his predecessor in office. The da'i appoints two others to the subsidiary ranks of madhun and mukasir. These positions are followed by the rank of shaykh and mullah, both of which are held by hundreds of Bohras. An ahil (usually a graduate of the order's institution of higher learning, al-Jami'ah al-Sayfiyah) who leads of the local congregation in religious, social, and communial affairs, is sent to each town where a sizable population exists. Such towns normally have a mosque and an adjoining jamaatkhanah (assembly hall) where socioreligious functions are held. The local organizations which manage these properties and administer the social and religious activities of the local Bohras report directly to the central administration of the da'i based in Bombay, called al-Dawah al-Hadiyah.
At the age of puberty every Bohra, or mumin (believer) as sectarians call each other, pronounces the traditional oath of allegiance which requires the initiate to adhere to the shariah and accept the leadership of the imam and the da'i. This oath is renewed each year on the 18th of Dhu al-Hijjah (Id Gadir al-Khumm). The Bohras follow the Fatimid school of jurisprudence, which recognizes seven pillars of Islam. Walayah (love and devotion) for Allah, the Prophets, the imam, and da'i is the first and most important of the seven pillars. The others are taharah (purity and cleanliness), salah (prayers), zakah (purifying religious dues), sawm (fasting), hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca), and jihad (holy war). Pilgrimages to the shrines of the saints are an important part of the devotional life of Bohras, for the facilitation of which resthouses and assisting organizations have been set up. The martydom of Imam al-Husayn is commemorated annually during the first ten days of Muharram. The Daudis use an arabicized form of Gujarati, called lisan al-dawah, which is permeated with Arabic words and written in Arabic script. Another distinctive feature is their use of a Fatimid lunar calendar which fixes the number of days in each month. There is a strong religious learning tradition among the Daudi Bohras, the da'is usually being prolific writers and orators. The Daudi Bohras number about a million and reside in India, Pakistan, the Middle East, East Africa (since the eighteenth century), and the West (since the 1950s). They are easily recognizable by their dress: men wear beards and white gold-rimmed caps, and women wear a colorful two-piece head-to-toe dress called a rida.
Daudi Bohras are named after their twenty-seveth da'i Daud ibn Qutbshah (d. 1612). Sulaymani Bohras acknowledge a different line of da'is ensuing from their twenty-seventh da'i, Sulayman ibn Hasan (d. 1597). Similarly, Aliyah Bohras follow Ali ibn Ibrahim (d. 1637) as their twenty-ninth da'i having seceded from the Daudis in 1625. Neither have significant doctrinal differences with the Daudi Bohras, though their religious organizations are different. The Aliyah Bohras are led by their forty-fourth da'i, Tayyib Diya al-Daimin, residing in Baroda, India and number about five thousand. The Sulaymani leadership reverted to Yemen soon after the Daudi-Sulaymani split and in the main has remained there. Their current leader, Sharaf al-Husayn ibn Hasan al-Makrami, is the forty-ninth da'i in the Sulaymani series; his chief representative in India, called the mansub resides in Baroda. The Sulaymanis number about four thousand in India and about seventy thousand in the Yemenite region of Najran.
[See also Ismailiyah; Jami'ah al-Sayfiyah, al-; and the biography of Burhanuddin.]
Mustafa Abdulhussein
Bibliography
Amiji, Hatim. "The Bohras of East Africa." Journal of Religion in Africa 7.1 (1975); 27-61.
Burhanpuri, Qutb al-Din. Muntaza al-akhbar. Vol. 2. N.p., 1884.
Burhanuddin, Sayyidna. Istifah Zubad al-Maarif. Bombay, 1965.
Constitutions. Governing local Daudi Bohra organizations in India and East Africa, these documents provide a summary of their beliefs and practices.
Daftary, Farhad. The Ismailis. Cambridge, 1992.
Davoodbhoy, T. A. A. Faith of the Dawoodi Bohras. Bombay, 1992.
Fyzee, Asaf A. A. "Bohoras." In Encyclopaedia of Islam, new ed., vol. 1, pp. 1254-1255. Leiden 1960-.
Fyzee, Asaf A. A. Compendium of Fatimid Law. Simla, 1969.
Fyzee, Asaf A. A. Outlines of Muhammadan Law. 4th ed. Oxford, 1974.
Habibullah, Abdul Qaiyum. Syedna Taher Saifuddin Saheb: Da'i-ul-Mutlaq of Dawoodi Bohras. Bombay, 1958.
Hodgson, Marshall G. S. "Da'i." In Encyclopaedia of Islam, new ed., vol. 2, pp. 97-98. Leiden 1960-.
Jhaveri, K. M. "A Legendary History of the Bohoras." Journal of the Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 9 (1933).
Jivabhai, Muhammad Ali ibn Mulla. Mausam-i bahar. Vol. 3. Bombay, 1882.
Khan, Ali Muhammad. Mirat-i Ahmadi. Translated by S. N. Ali. Baroda, 1924.
Khan, Najmulghani. Madhahib al-Islam. Lucknow, 1924.
Lokhandwalla, Sh. T. "The Bohras: A Muslim Community of Gujarat." Studia Islamica 3 (1955): 117-135.
Madelung, Wilferd. "Makramids." In Encyclopaedia of Islam, new ed., vol. 6, pp. 191-192. Leiden 1960-.
Misra, S. C. Muslim Communities in the Gujrat. Bombay, 1964.
Najafali, Abbasali. Law of Marriage Governing Dawoodi Bohra Muslims. Bombay, 1943.
Numan, Qadi al-. Daa'im al-Islam. 2 vols. Edited by Asaf A. A. Fyzee, 2d ed. Cairo, 1963-1965. The principle text of jurisprudence followed by the Bohras.
Poonawala, Ismail K. Bibliography of Ismaili Literature. Malibu, Calif., 1977.
Roy, Shibani. The Dawoodi Bohras: An Anthropological Perspective. Delhi, 1984.
Saifiyah Educational Trust. A Golden Panorama. Bombay, [1961].
Sayf al-Din, Tahir. Rasail al-Ramadaniyah. 48 vols. Bombay, 1912-1963. Along with Burhanuddin above, the most authoritative exposition of the faith and practices of contemporary Daudi Bohras.
Sahifat al-Salat wa-al-ibadaat. Bombay, 1989. Daudi prayer book containing information on religious practices.
Walid, Ali ibn Muhammad al-. Taj al-Aqa'id. Thirteenth-century manuscript. An english summary by W. Ivanov titled "A Creed of the Fatimids" (Bombay, 1936) gives a good summary of the creed of the Bohras.
Source and Credits
This article is reprinted with permission in its entirety from the OUP Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World, John Esposito (ed), Copyright ｩ 1995 and may not be reproduced elsewhere.
In order to make the text of the OUP article more readable for the web medium, most accents have been removed from the original text. The original article with accents is available here: part 1, part 2, part 3, bibliography.
For more information on the Daudi Bohra community, visit Mumineen.org. The contemporary (and most used) spelling of Daudi Bohras is Dawoodi Bohras.
So watts the meaning of Ur name...check out....
PS: If you have double or triple letters, just count the meaning once.
For Example: BILL...
B You are always cautious when it comes to meeting new people.
I You are always smiling and making others smile.
L ove is something you deeply believe in.
Now find yours name.
A You can be very quiet when you have something on your mind.
B You are always cautious when it comes to meeting new people.
C You definitely have a partier side in you, don’t be shy to show it.
D You have trouble-trusting people.
E You are a very exciting person.
F Everyone loves you.
G You have excellent ways of viewing people.
H You are not judgmental.
I You are always smiling and making others smile.
J Jealously
K You likes to try new things.
L Love is something you deeply believe in.
M Success comes easily to you.
N You like to work, but you always want a break.
O You are very open-minded.
P You are very friendly and understanding.
Q You are a hypocrite.
R You are a social butterfly.
S You are very broad-minded.
T You have an attitude, a big one.
U You feel like you have to equal up to people’s standards.
V You have a very good physique and looks.
W You like your privacy.
X You never let people tell you what to do.
Y You cause a lot of trouble.
Z You’re always fighting with someone
Love
I once had a friend who grew to be very close to me. Once when we were sitting at the edge of a swimming pool, she filled the palm of her hand with some water and held it before me, and said this:
"You see this water carefully contained on my hand? It symbolizes Love."
This was how I saw it: As long as you keep your hand caringly open and allow it to remain there, it will always be there. However, if you attempt to close your fingers round it and try to posses it, it will spill through the first cracks it finds.
This is the greatest mistake that people do when they meet love...they try to posses it, they demand, they expect... and just like the water spilling out of your hand, love will retrieve from you.
For love is meant to be free, you cannot change its nature. If there are people you love, allow them to be free beings. Give and don't expect. Advise, but don't order. Ask, but never demand.
It might sound simple, but it is a lesson that may take a lifetime to truly practice. It is the secret to true love. To truly practice it, you must sincerely feel no expectations from those who you love, and yet an unconditional caring."
Passing thought... Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take; but by the moments that take our breath away...Life is beautiful!!! Live it!!!
By Swami vivekananda
Happy National Friendship Week.
Many people will walk in and out of your life.
But only true friends will leave footprints in
your heart.
To handle yourself, use your head;
To handle others, use your heart.
Anger is only one letter short of danger.
If someone betrays you once, it is his fault;
If he betrays you twice, it is your fault.
Great minds discuss ideas;
Average minds discuss events;
Small minds discuss people.
He, who loses money, loses much;
He, who loses a friend, loses much more;
He, who loses faith, loses all.
Beautiful young people are accidents of nature,
Learn from the mistakes of others.
You can't live long enough to make them all
yourself.
Friends, you and me ....
You brought another friend ....
And then there were 3 ....
We started our group ....
Our circle of friends ....
There is no beginning or end ....
Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is mystery.
Today is a gift.
Ur s friend forever ……….abbas.
Birth Test
Your birth date describes who we are, what we are good at and what our inborn abilities are. It also points to what we have to learn and
the challenges we are facing.
To figure out your Birth Number, add all the numbers in the birth Date together, like in the example, until there is only one digit. A
Birth
Number does not prevent you from being anything you want to be, it will
just color your choice differently and give you a little insight.
Example March 20, 1950
3 + 20 + 1950 = 1973
1 + 9 + 7 + 3 = 20
2 + 0 = 2
Keep going until you end up with a single digit number.
2 is the Birth Number to read fo! r the birth date in the example.
#1 THE ORIGINATOR
#2 THE PEACEMAKER
#3 THE LIFE OF THE PARTY
#4 THE CONSERVATIVE
#5 THE NONCONFORMIST
#6 THE ROMANTIC
#7 THE INTELLECTUAL
#8 THE BIG SHOT
#9 THE PERFORMER
=========================================================
# 1 - THE ORIGINATOR
1 's are originals. Coming up with new ideas and executing them is
natural. Having things their own way is another trait that gets them as
being
stubborn and arrogant. 1's are extremely honest and do well to learn
some diplomacy skills. They like to take the initiative and are often
leaders or bosses, as they like to be the best. Being self-employed is
definitely helpful for them. Lesson to learn Others' ideas might be just
as good or better and to stay open minded.
Famous 1's Tom Hanks, Robert Redford,
HulkHogan, Carol Burnett, Wynon! a Judd, Nancy Reagan, Raquel Welch.
#2 - THE PEACEMAKER
2's are the born diplomats. They are aware of others' needs and moods
and often think of others before themselves. Naturally analytical and
very intuitive they don't like to be alone. Friendship and companionship
is very important and can lead them to be successful in life, but on the
other hand they'd rather be alone than in an uncomfortable
relationship. Being naturally shy they should learn to boost their
self-esteem and express themselves freely and seize the moment and not put things off.
Famous 2's President Bill Clinton, Madonna, Whoopee Goldberg, Thomas
Edison, Wolfgang Amadeus, Mozart.
# 3 - THE LIFE OF THE PARTY
3's are idealists. They are very creative, social, charming,
romantic, and easygoing. They start many things, but don't always see
them through. They like others to be happy and go to great lengths! to
achieve it. They are very popular and idealistic. They should learn to
see the world from a more realistic point of view.
Famous 3's Alan Alder, Ann Landers, Bill Cosby, Melanie Griffith,
Salvador Dali, Jodi Foster
# 4 - THE CONSERVATIVE
4's are sensible and traditional. They like order and routine. They
only act when they fully understand what they are expected to do. They
like
getting their hands dirty and working hard. They are attracted to the
outdoors and feel an affinity with nature. They are prepared to wait and
can be stubborn and persistent. They should learn to be more flexible
and to
be nice to themselves.
Famous 4's Neil Diamond, Margaret Thatcher, Arnold
Schwarzenegger, Tina Turner, Paul Hogan, Oprah Winfrey
# 5 - THE NONCONFORMIST
5's are the explorers. Their natural curiosity, risk taking, and
enthusiasm often land them in hot water.! They need diversity, and don't
like to be stuck in a rut. The whole world is their school and they see
a learning possibility in every situation. The questions never stop.
They
are well advised to look before they take action and make sure they
have all the facts before jumping to conclusions.
Famous 5's: Abraham Lincoln, Charlotte Bronte, Jessica Walter,
Vincent Van Gogh, Bette Midler, Helen Keller and Mark Hail.
# 6 - THE ROMANTIC
6's are idealistic and need to feel useful to be happy. A strong
family connection is important to them. Their actions influence their
decisions. They have a strong urge to take care of others and to help.
They are very loyal and make great teachers. They like art or music.
They make loyal friends who take the friendship seriously. 6's should
learn to
differentiate between what they can change and what they cannot.
Famous 6's: Albert Einstein, Jane Seymou! r, John Denver, Merlyn Steep,
Christopher Columbus, Goldie Hawn
#7 - THE INTELLECTUAL
7's are the searchers. Always probing for hidden information, they
find it difficult to accept things at face value. Emotions don't sway
their
decisions. Questioning everything in life, they don't like to be
questioned themselves. They're never off to a fast start, and their
motto is slow and steady wins the race. They come across as philosophers
and being very knowledgeable, and sometimes as loners. They are
technically inclined and make great researchers uncovering information.
They like secrets. They live in their own world and should learn what is
acceptable and what not! in the world at large.
Famous 7's: William Shakespeare, Lucille Ball, Michael Jackson, Joan
Baez, Princess Diana
# 8 - THE BIG SHOT
8's are the problem solvers. They are professional, blunt and to the
point, ha! ve good judgment and are decisive. They have grand plans and
like to live the good life. They take charge of people. They view people
objectively. They let you know in no uncertain terms that they are the
boss. They should learn to exude their decisions on their own needs
rather than on what others want.
FAMOUS 8'S :Edgar Cayce, Barbra Streisand, George Harrison, Jane
Fonda, Pablo Picasso, Aretha Franklin, Nostrodamus, and Ron Connolly
(Bragger!!!!!!!)
#9 - THE PERFORMER
9's are natural entertainers. They are very caring and generous,
giving away their last dollar to help. With their charm, they have no
problem making friends and nobody is a stranger to them. They have so
many different personalities that people around them have a hard time
understanding them. They are like chameleons, ever changing and blending
in. They have tremendous luck, but al! so can suffer from extremes in
fortune and mood. To be successful, they need to build a loving
foundation.
Famous 9's: Albert Schweitzer, Shirley MacLaine, Harrison Ford, Jimmy
Carter, Elvis Presley
Do U Miss Someone............
Have u ever missed someone and felt terrible
because u think that he/she doesn't miss u?
Missing someone is terrible but at the same time,
a sweet feeling.
U will be sitting around wondering if u meant
anything to him/her.
Thinking if he/she ever cares about u.
Rushing to the phone once it rings hoping that
it's him/her.
Looking out of the window hoping that he/she will
surprise u by appearing downstairs.
Sitting in front of the television but thinking of
him/her, missing the final episode of your favourite show.
Laying on your bed, thinking of the last time u
were out together.
Thinking of how nice it will be to sit under the
stars again, talking about everything, your dreams,plans,future.
Logging on to the internet hoping to see him/her online.
When u realise that he/she isn't online and did
not return your mail, U will start worrying if he/she is okay.
Missing someone is a way of growing up i guess.
It exposes u to loneliness.
It teaches u how to cope with being lonely and let u
know that there is actually a feeling known as emptiness.....
Sometimes it feels good to miss someone.
U know that u really care and u indulge in the feeling of
loving/caring for him/her.
But missing someone and not knowing if he/she is
feeling the same is terrible.
U feel as if u are being left alone.
So if u miss someone, tell him/her and let them know.
At the same time, ask if they miss u.
Don't let the feeling of missing someone become jealousy or paranoia.
If u are the one being missed and u know it, let the other party know.
If u miss him/her too, tell them. Don't let them wait.
And if the one you are missing can't/doesn't reciprocate,
MOVE ON!!
Life is short, so instead of being hurt & waiting around-Move on!!
Belive in Urself & life, there's someone out there waiting to miss U too! ***************************************
The moment of joy spent under the willow,
The tear of the eye that wets your pillow,
Sometimes pain and sometimes pleasure,
When given by friends, both are a treasure
***************************************
Work like you don't need the money.
Love like you've never been hurt.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.
Where there is a will, there is a way....
