Alavi Bohra

Alavi Bohra ( _ar. علوی بوہرہ) are a subsect of Ismaili Mustaali. They are mostly concentrated in Pakistan and India. The Mustaˤlī (Arabic مستعلي) group of Ismaili Muslims are so named because they accepted the legitimacy of the Fatimid caliph Al-Musta'li, after Mustansir, and not an-Nizār, whom the Nizārī consider as their Imām. This group is also referred to as the Taiyabi or Tayyibi group (Arabic طيبي), named after the last Imam recognized by them, Taiyab abi al-Qasim. Originally, there was a distinction between Tayyabī Mustaalis and Hafizi Mustaalis (who recognized the Fatimid rulers of Egypt between 1130-1169 as legitimate Imams, not Taiyab abi al-Qasim). However the Hafizi Mustaali view lost all support after the downfall of the Fatimid dynasty in Egypt, and current-day Mustaalis are Tayyabiyya.

History

In 1592, a leadership struggle caused the Tayyabī Mustaalis to be split into Sulaimani (sometimes formerly also called Makramis) and Dawoodis. The Sulaymanis (named after their 27th Dāˤī al-Mutlaq, Sulaiman bin Hassan) are mainly concentrated in Yemen, while the Dawoodi Bohras are strongest in Pakistan and India. Later, there was a further split in the Dawoodi Bohras sect and a new subsect formed the Alavi Bohras. The Dawoodi Bohra has split again as a smaller Progressive Dawoodi Bohra subsect has formed in 1980s.

The Alavi Bohra community has its headquarters at Baroda City, Gujarat, India. The 44th Dāˤī al-Mutlaq, Saiyedna Taiyeb Ziyauddin Saheb, is the head of the community. The religious hierarchy of the Alavi Bohras is essentially and traditionally Fatimid and is headed by the Dāˤī al-Mutlaq, who is appointed by his predecessor in office. The Dāˤī al-Mutlaq appoints two others to the subsidiary ranks of māzūn (Arabic Ma'ðūn مأذون)"licentiate" and Mukāsir (Arabic مكاسر). 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 Dāˤī al-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 Dāˤī al-Mutlaq.

Fundamentals of the Faith

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 Hudūd in the Isma'ili terminology. The hadd (pl. hudūd) at the upper rank demands total obedience from the hadd at lower rank. [Hadd - limit of prohibition; pl. hudūd. A punishment fixed in the Quran and hadith for cromes considered to be against the rights of God. - Oxford Dictionary of Islam] 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 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 Imāma. Therefore an Isma'ili believer should submit to the authority of the Dāˤī al-Mutlaq and Imām 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 tawīl and due to this reason the Dāˤī al-Mutlaq take strict oath of allegiance (mithaq) from his followers so as to pledge their absolute loyalty to the Imām or the Dāˤī al-Mutlaq.

Thus, at the age of puberty every Bohra, or "mu'min" "believer", pronounces the traditional oath of allegiance which requires the initiate to adhere to the Shari'a and accept the religious leadership of the Imāms and Dāˤī al-Mutlaq. This oath is renewed each year on the 18th of Dhu 'l-Hājj (Eid-e Ghadeer-e Khumm).

The Bohras follow Fatimid school of jurisprudence, which recognizes seven pillars of Islam. Walāyat (love and devotion) for God, the Prophets, the Imāms and the Dāˤī al-Mutlaq is the first and most important of the seven pillars. The others are tahārat (purity & cleanliness), salāt (prayers), zakat (purifying religious dues), sawm (fasting), hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) and jihad (holy war).

Pilgrimages to the shrines of the Mawāli-e Taherīn (saints) is an important role in the devotional life of Bohras, for the facilitation of which musafir-khaanas (rest houses, sanitoria) and assisting charitable organizations and awqāf have been set up in several cities. Every new year, the first ten days of Muharram is marked by the martyrdom of Imām Husayn and is commemorated by setting up sabeel and "majālis-e 'azadari". Social gatherings are mainly on the occasions of "aqīqa" (naming of the new born child), "milād" (anniversary), mīthāq (religious oath), walīma (marriage), iftitāh (opening ceremony), urs (commemoration of the deceased Dāˤī al-Mutlaq), and majālis (in the month of Muharram and Ramadan).

The traditional dress of Alavi Bohras is kurta, pyjama, topi and sayā 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.

External links

* [http://www.alavibohra.org Alavi Bohra Official Website]

Notes