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
- Democracy in action - Bohras have their say
- One of the prime objectives of the Dawoodi Bohra reform movement is to run jamaat affairs on democratic principles. To abolish the supremacy of few individuals, reformist jamaats everywhere strive to cultivate transparency and accountability through periodic elections and thus make the common members equal partners in decision making. Since its "independence" from Kothar's domination in the early 70's, Udaipur's Bohra Jamaat and its other affiliated units are run on democratic principles and they are an example for the rest of the community. more
Features
- Fearless intellectual activist like no other
- I vividly remember the day, some 30 years ago, when the cover story by Asghar Ali Engineer was published in the Illustrated Weekly of India. With Sayedna Moahammed Burhanuddin’s picture on the cover and the title “A Law Unto Himselfâ€, the article created a sensation. Nobody had dared to challenge Sayedna Saheb so openly so publicly before. It gave us young Turks a new sense of mission and energy. Instinctively, we knew this man was on to something. Bohras, who are generally meek and tend to mind their own business, are not quite used to this kind of dynamic personality rising in their midst. more
Islamic perspective
- The concept of ijtihad in Islam
- Change is inevitable in human life and society. Dr Allama Iqbal, the noted poet, also says that it is only revolution which is permanent and everything else keeps on changing. In the event of constant change, can religion and religious law remain unchanged? more
Bohras and Reform
- Reform and social change among Bohras - Part 2
- The Bohra reform movement, as emphasized, earlier, is mainly directed against misuse of religion and religious authority and not at reforming the basic doctrines of the Shia Ismaili faith, much less reforming the religion out of existence. more
- An open letter to Sayedna Saheb
-
Dear Syedna Muhammad Burhanuddin Saheb
May Allah give you a long life
I am addressing this letter to you not as an individual. It, in fact, represents the point of view of thousands of Bohras, even those who are not formally reformists. The Bohras are going through a great turmoil both social as well as religious, under your leadership as a 52nd Da`i al-Mutlaq. 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
- How can we stop Kothar’s juggernaut?
- I was born in 1939 in a Dawoodi Bohra family. Having been brought up in a traditional Bohra household and later having migrated to North America I ensured that my children were raised in the same tradition. I taught them to read, write and recite Arabic, how to perform wudhu and offer prayers, explained Islam and its sects down to what we are as Dawoodi Bohras. more