A novel with a grand sweep of contemporary history
It is no easy task to survey and present a comprehensive view of the contemporary history of a close-knit Shia Muslim community to a broad public audience without compromising on the scholarly rigour demanded by the subtle nuances of that history. In an ambitious endeavour to do precisely that, Shaukat Ajmeri masterfully executes just such a task in his debut novel Keepers of the Faith, setting an exemplary standard that ought to be followed by aspiring writers in the genre of historical fiction. more
A Muslim is identified by action not belief: Dr Aslam Parvaiz
"The Qur'an allows no cherry-picking and he whose knowledge and practice is limited to only 3.5 verses of the holy book is not a Muslim", says Dr Mohammad Aslam Parvaiz who was speaking at a webinar organised by the Central Board of Dawoodi Bohra Community on June 20, 2020. The topic of the webinar was: Current Indian Situation and Muslim Society - A Quranic Perspective. more
Torchbearer of a scholarly legacy
Dr. Abbas H. Hamdani passed away, peacefully and at home, on December 23rd, 2019. He was buried on December 26, 2019. He was predeceased by his cherished wife Zubeda (nee Ladkhawala/Sitabkhan) in 2015, and his beloved daughter Amal in 1994. His passing is full of sadness for his surviving daughter, Sumaiya Hamdani, and his grandchildren Ali Hamdani-Shaw, Anisa Hamdani-Shaw Conde, and Zahra Hamdani. It is a sadness that is mixed with gratitude for having known him, and for being inspired by his example. more
Bohra issues: archive of eye-opening articles and posts

This website and Forum have many interesting and thought-provoking posts submitted by various members over a period of many years, and which are difficult to locate. We have gathered this material in one place to provide easy access, and a starting point. Do yourself a favour, read this today.

  • News & Events
    Orthodox play politics with Moharram procession
    Marsiya procession on the 10th of Mauharram by the Udaipur Bohras is a tradition that is almost a hundred years old and to this day is being continued by reformist Bohras. Every year this procession originates at the Mohiyyadpura masjid at around 2:30PM and finishes at the Wajeehpura masjid at around 4PM. The Mohiyyadpura masjid is shared by both orthodox and reformist groups for their majlises and prayers. For the last few years, it has become an annual ritual of the orthodox Bohras to interfere with the marsiya procession and create all sorts of hurdles for reformists. more
    Features
    Traditional architecture: House form of Bohras in Gujarat
    The history of architecture in India reflects a rich and diversified legacy, not only through the classical examples but also in the display of a rich heritage of vernacular traditions of building. These are spread in several regional environments in the form of a variety of settlement patterns, institutions and dwelling types. more
    Islamic perspective
    Islam and modernity
    What is the relation between Islam and modernity? Generally it is thought to be negative. But it is very superficial approach. In fact one has to go deeper both into Islamic theology and history as well as into the meaning and significance of the term ‘modernity'. more
  • Bohras and Reform
    On the Dawoodi Bohra Reformist Struggle: Interview with Abid Adeeb
    The Dawoodi Bohras, ethnic Gujaratis, are a roughly million strong group of the Mustalian branch of the Ismaili Shia Muslims. They are controlled by an elaborate hierarchy of priests, headed by the dai-e mutlaq, who claims to be the representative of the 21st imam of the community, who is believe to have gone into seclusion or ghayba in the eleventh century. Faced with stern Sunni opposition, the 24th dai of the community shifted to Gujarat in the twelfth century. The present dai, Syedna Burhanuddin, is the 52nd dai of the community, and this year he will celebrate his 100th birthday. more
    How the 51st Dai was undermined by his sons
    The year 1967 was a memorable year for Bohras in East Africa. That was the year when plans hatched by late Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin and his brother late Yusuf Najmuddin were finally enacted. That was the year when they would replace the 1955 Dawoodi Bohra Jamaat of East Africa Constitution with their own. The 1955 Constitution was developed with consultations with Syedna Taher Saifuddin and was adopted at meeting of East African Jamaats on 17 April 1955 in Dar-es-Salaam. The Constitution was subsequently sanctioned by Syedna Taher Saifuddin Saheb (A.Q.) as 51st Dai-el-Mutlaq. In the preamble to the 1967 Constitution, it states: more
    Multimedia
    Interviews and talks
    Few people understand what the reform movement is about. They think reformists are against the Dai. This is not true. Check out a series of long-ranging interviews and talks to understand why reformists are fighting and what they are fighting for. more
    Your story
    › Tell us your story, write to us.
    Victim of Sayedna's diktat
    As kids we were subjected to some sort of confusion at home... there was my Mom telling us to do sajdah and kiss the feet of the Sayedna whenever he was in town and on the other hand, my Dad scoffed at even the thought and reprimanded us for having done so. We wondered why the disparity in thoughts when all we could see around us was an insane sort of worshiping for the High Priest. more