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
    Breaking new ground with Ziyarat tour
    A tour of 40 cities Ziyarat by reformists Bohras is jointly organized by Central Board of Dawoodi Bohra Community (CBDBC), Bombay, Bohra Youth Association (BYA), Udaipur and Fuli Bai and Zehra Cyclewala Charitable Trust, Surat. The Tour includes Ziyarat at Surat, Ahmadabad, Khambat, Jamnagar, Godhara, Sidhpur, Patan, Jawra, Ahmadnagar, Morbi, Rampura, Ujjain, Burhanpur, Aurangabad and Mumbai. On 23rd May 2014 morning Bhai Tayyebi Zamindar, senior reformist and staunch Gandhiwadi from Ahemdabad and I, Saifuddin Insaf, General Secretary of CBDBC, reached Surat in the morning. more
    Features
    Merchant Princes of East Africa
    Gijsbert Oonk, the author, starts the book (The Karimjee Jivanjee Family: Merchant Princes of East Africa 1800–2000) with an insert of a family tree. This becomes a very necessary tool for readers as we weave through the journey of the prominent Karimjee Jeevanji family on the east coast of Africa. The author is a senior associate professor of non-western history at Erasmus University, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. He has published various books and numerous articles on the history of the Indian Ocean region. more
    Islamic perspective
    The Prophet and the terrorist: A dialogue
    The events of 9/11 nine years ago changed the face and character of the world. In retaliation to the Trade Centre attacks, as the US and its allies rained death and destruction on Afghanistan and Iraq, Muslims everywhere were made to feel guilty and Islam was turned into a pariah religion. 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
    Misaq or the oath of allegiance
    One of the most serious complaints made by the reformers is that Misaq or sacred oath which is being administered to young Bohras by the high priest himself in a few cases and by the Amils or sub-Amils (who are representatives or deputies of Sayedna Saheb) in others, is the main instrument of their persecution. 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.
    Walking out of the Bohra falsehood
    I was born in India in a small village more than 40 years ago into a Bohra family. I came with my family to Malaysia when I was only 4 years old. I grew up like any normal Bohra surrounded by the richness of the Bohra culture and rituals. My religion was primarily restricted to namaz and learning to read the Qur’an. more