Progressive Dawoodi Bohras

It is a matter of great pleasure for all of us reformists that this year i.e. the year 2002 is a year of Silver Jubilee for the Central Board of Dawoodi Bohra Community (CBDBC) which was formed in the year 1977 with its first conference in Udaipur - the city of reformists, if I can say so - in February 1977. It was a year of great triumph for us. We could hold our conference in the shadow of guns. The whole city was besieged by the security forces as the Bohra high priest had sent thousands of his followers to break our conference and violate our democratic right to hold a conference. According to the government sources more than 20,000 Orthodox Bohras were sent from different places to attack our conference with arms.

It will be of relevance to this conference if we take stock of some important developments of our movement. In fact the reform movement began with the turn of the twentieth century in Burhanpur and their main focus of the struggle was right to impart modern education to Dawoodi Bohras. The then Dai refused permission to the pioneers of modern education to establish educational institutions for imparting education.

Right to establish institutions

Our engagement with the reform movement began on yet another important issue in 1973. It was about the right to establish institutions like a bank, library, youth association etc. as per the law of the land, which the priestly establishment was disallowing. The high priest had resisted right of the Bohras to establish educational institutions and today there are hundreds of such institutions of modern education in the community. It is for the community to reflect who won and who lost - the reformists or the Bohra priesthood?

Today we are mainly fighting for our democratic and human rights and we have stood firmly for these rights. On this front too it is we who will have moral victory - insha Allah. On both stages of the reform movement very cardinal issues have been involved. The reform movement cannot be taken lightly.

The priestly establishment has never followed the religious spirit and has always been very arrogant and repressive. Religion makes a human being humble and noble but those who politicise and commercialise religion turn arrogant and oppressors. The reformists, on the other hand, have always upheld the true spirit of religion. Their fight is mainly for justice, equality and human dignity.

The Galiakot incident

The first serious incident which showed highly arrogant and repressive nature of the Bohra religious establishment took place on 1st March 1972 in Galiakot when the Bohra women who had gone to visit Galiakot mausoleum of Saiyyadi Fakhruddin Shahid. Since these women were in forefront of struggle for basic rights in Udaipur they were beaten up and molested right in the presence of Saiyyidna Muhammad Burhanuddin. The women expected him to scold those men who were molesting these women. But to the contrary he seemed to be approving of such shameful act and women had to flee from there to save their lives. Since then the reformists observe 1st March every years as Black Day.

The Bohra priestly establishment treats all mausoleums of great Walis, da`is and martyrs as his personal property and allows Bohras to visit or not to visit at his will. The dargahs belonging to all other communities are open to all. Since that day of 1st March the reformists could not visit the Galiakot dargah. Not only this, even mosques, which are dedicated to Allah and are considered as house of Allah, is treated as personal property by the Bohra priestly establishment and reformists are not allowed to enter the Bohra mosques. What is matter of great shame is that the Bohra priesthood uses mosques and mausoleums as money-spinners.

The reformists in Udaipur were determined to challenge the unjust authority of the Bohra priestly establishment and stand up to all repressive measures. The priests went mad with fury and declared war against reformists - ex-communication, violent attacks inside and outside mosques and inciting Bohras against them. It was virtual war against upholders of reforms. Various events were widely covered by the media also, both local as well as national. The community was in great turmoil.

Suffering under Bara'at

The Baraat, social boycott of reformists, was practised quite ruthlessly by the priesthood. Throughout the Seventies and Eighties hundreds were boycotted and made to suffer total isolation in the community. Many long-standing marriages were dissolved just because one or the other spouse was ex-communicated. No other community suffered so much on account of their own priests as the Bohras did.

The priesthood refused to allow burial of reformists and to solemnise their marriages. No one could have turned so inhuman in the name of religion in the 20th century. All that was being done in the name of religion was quite contrary to the religious teachings. Islam infuses in its followers the spirit of truth and fearlessness. The Bohra priesthood makes Bohras quite otherwise. They are afraid to speak truth and lack quality of courage. They are prepared to speak untruth to live within the community and to avoid the possibility of social boycott.

The other great event was mass marriage in Udaipur in March 1975. The Bohra high priest refused to solemnise marriages of more than 100 couples who waited for more than two years for the permission of the high priest for solemnisation. After endless waiting they went to the then Prime Minister of India Mrs. Indira Gandhi seeking her intervention. She was good enough to send her emissary, a Bohra M.P. Saleh Abdul Kader, to Sayedna. But the high priest turned down the request. The reformists after waiting for long decided to get the marriages solemnised in a most secular and inter-religious spirit.

Mass marriage in Udaipur

A grand function was organised and many eminent citizens were invited to attend the mass marriage, which were jointly performed in the presence of priests belonging to various religious traditions. It was thus open declaration of independence by the reformists. The function for the mass marriage on 16th March was attended by more than 25,000 people. It is quite ironical that following the precedence of the reformists the Bohra priesthood also introduced the practice of mass marriage in subsequent years.

The 51st Da`i Saiyyidna Taher Saifuddin had died in mid sixties and was buried in Bhindi Bazar area of Mumbai. He was buried adjacent to a mosque. Subsequently the Bohra priesthood decided to construct a grand marble mausoleum to 'rival' the Taj Mahal and spent more than 40 million rupees on the structure and collected money from the community forcibly. Also, a grand function was held for its inauguration in April 1975 and the then president of India Shri Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed was invited to inaugurate it.

The reformists were opposed to construction of such grand mausoleum spending huge amount while there is so much illiteracy and poverty in the community. Many people do not know that there is acute poverty among Bohras. More than 40 per cent Bohras live in utter poverty in Bombay slums. The Bohra priesthood has never devised any welfare and educational schemes for these poverty-ridden Bohras. To construct such grand mausoleum while thousands are starving is an insult to these people. The reformists argued that this money could have been spent on welfare of the poor. Such ostentation is totally opposed to the spirit of religion, especially the religion of Islam whose Prophet (PBUH) slept on ordinary mat and often wore clothes with several patches.

Millions spent on mausoleum

A deputation of reformists met president of India and drew his attention to these facts and requested him not to inaugurate the mausoleum. However, though the President made promise to consider the request he came and inaugurated the mausoleum. The inaugural ceremony itself was conducted with great pomp and show. Millions of rupees were spent on this ceremony. Throughout the struggle the politicians never publicly supported the reformists despite their verbal sympathy for their cause. On the other hand they unfailingly attended Sayedna's functions and praised him sky high. Also this has been the character of many Muslim religious and political leaders who, despite Sayedna's flagrant violations of Islamic teachings and un-Islamic acts, supported him publicly.

The reformists had long debated about a democratic alternative to the Sayedna's establishment. A decision was taken in 1975 to form a central board of Dawoodi Bohra community to provide this much needed democratic alternative for administering the secular and social affairs of the community. It is important to point out here that the Central Board formed by the reformists is not to provide religious alternative as the Bohra reform movement is not challenging the basic religious tenets of the community. In fact the reformists adhere to these tenets more faithfully than the orthodox Bohra establishment.

The Bohra high priest has been violating these tenets on every step. He has introduced so many practices which are openly violative of the Shi`ah-Isma`ili-Must`alian-Tayyibi faith. No other da`i had ever introduced such religious innovations (bid`ah). The reformists have challenged the high priest on these innovations and also on the question of corruption, transparent governance of community's affairs and upholding individual dignity and human rights.

First conference in Udaipur

The Central Board of Dawoodi Bohra Community was thus formed and its first conference was held in February 1977 as pointed out before and since that conference in which the Constitution was adopted and democratic elections were held, we have completed twenty-five years. The Central Board provides a democratic alternative to the highly authoritarian and centralised system of the Syedna.

This was the constant demand of many Bohras to have an alternative to the highly repressive and centralised administration of the Syedna. It had issued a declaration at the time of mass marriage in Udaipur and was pledged to provide democratic alternative. The declaration which was adopted unanimously said, among other things, "The Central Board makes solemn declaration on this auspicious occasion that it would strive to organise the socio-economic affairs of the community on democratic lines and provide a meaningful alternative socio-economic set up while retaining its loyalty and allegiance to the great institution of the Fatimid Dawat. It would undertake constructive activities to enable the community to play a significant role in the larger interests of its members and that of other fellow countrymen."

The orthodox jamaats are entirely nominated by the Bohra priesthood and remains under its tight control. The members and office bearers of the Central Board, on the other hand, are duly elected at regular intervals as provided in its constitution. The Central Board has stood by its commitment ever since. The Board's constitution has guaranteed complete autonomy to all the affiliated jamaats and we have stood by it. All the reformist jamaats are enjoying their autonomy and there is absolutely no interference in functioning of any local jamaat.

Reformists in control of their institutions

Also, the Central Executive Committee (CEC), which is the executive and decision making organ of the Board, has been meeting every six months as provided for in the constitution. All decisions in the CEC are taken after democratic discussions. Every member of the CEC is completely free to express his/her opinion and support or oppose any proposal put before the committee. The Central Board has also given due representation to women.

Compare this with the functioning of Shi`at-e-Ali, the central organ controlled by the Bohra priesthood and the local jamaats. The Shi`at-e-Ali is chaired by Mukasir Saheb who is nominated, not elected. All the members of Shi`at-e-Ali are nominated. Not a single member is elected. It has to endorse all the decisions previously taken by the high priest and his establishment. No one can show any opposition. He will not only be thrown out but socially boycotted for refusing to endorse decision taken by the inner circle of the high priest. Shi`at-e-Ali has no teeth at all. It does not enjoy any power. It gives no representation to women. Women are considered a taboo.

In the reform movement women have played a very seminal role. But for their courage and determination the reform movement would have simply collapsed in Udaipur. Hence women's role has been highly appreciated by all supporters of the reform movement and their participation in the decision-making process is very vital. They have also participated in great numbers in all the conferences and have taken enthusiastic part in election process and also in decision making process in CEC meetings. Bohra priesthood 'Talibanises' community

As the reformist movement registered success and held its conferences regularly the Sayedna's establishment became more and more repressive. Baraat was enforced even more rigidly and it began to issue one injunction after the other. It made veil compulsory for women and beard and cap for men. Thus the process of Talibanisation had begun much earlier in the Bohra community.

As the Talibans punished the defaulters the Bohra priesthood also resorted to highly oppressive measures against those who defied its orders. All Bohra women thus took to veil and Bohra men started sporting beard and wearing cap. Those who defied were boycotted and harassed and humiliated in all possible ways. Marriages and burials in their families were not permitted and entry to them in mosques and mazars were denied. But the Bohras in general timidly submitted.

After emergency was lifted in 1977 and the first conference of the CBDBC was held in Udaipur a very significant development took place in the reform movement. The reformists had always maintained that their main fight was for human rights and that the priestly establishment was suppressing the human rights of the Bohras in particular and reformists in general.

Histroic inquiry into community's affairs

During the Emergency Shri Jayprakash Narayan had formed Citizens for Democracy (CFD) which functioned underground. It began functioning openly after the Emergency was lifted and elections declared. A delegation of the reformists met Shri. Morarjibhai Desai who became Prime Minister after the elections in 1977. Shri Desai, as former home minister of the then Bombay State was instrumental in getting a legislation against ex-communication passed which was known as Prevention of Ex-communication Act 1948. He had thus intimate knowledge of reformist movement. He advised the delegation to approach CFD chief Jayprakash Narayan and request him to conduct an inquiry.

The delegation met Shri. Narayan and he constituted Justice Nathwani Commission to inquire into allegations of violations of human rights of the Bohras by the Sayedna's establishment. The Nathwani Commission, in the face of great hostility, violence and terror, functioned with courage and recorded evidence of large number of Bohras in various places. It collected great deal of documentary evidence and concluded that there was serious violation of human and democratic rights in the Bohra community and recommended to the Government of India to legislate a law against social boycott and frame an act, on the lines of Ajmer Dargah Sharif Act to control the Bohra priestly finances.

However, by then the Morarji Desai Government fell and these recommendations could not be implemented. But the Nathwani Inquiry Commission turned out to be a landmark in the history of the reform movement. Never before such an impartial inquiry was held by eminent judges and legal luminaries. It greatly strengthened the hands of the reformist leaders and prestige of reform movement in the eyes of human rights activists. The Nathwani Commission Report was released in 1980 in a crowded press conference in Delhi.

Brave reformists of Africa, UK

It was around this period that we came in contact with our reformist friends in the UK who had fought bravely in Uganda against Sayedna's establishment and had then settled down in the UK. Our Ugandan friends had faced many hardships but did not bow down before oppressive and exploitative regime of Kothar. They also came to know of our struggle in India, particularly in Udaipur. The Kothar tried to humiliate them even in the UK and did not even allow them to enter the mosque during Moharram vaez in London. Even then they did not surrender and maintained their dignity. They came to our conferences in India from time to time and also held a conference in the UK in 1986 and formed a trust to help the reform movement.

Our UK friends demonstrated in favour of Nathwani Commission in 1977 before Indian High Commission in London when the Kothar was opposing it vehemently throughout the world. It was quite an impressive demonstration by our UK friends. It boosted our morale. Now they have established reformist centres in London, Leicester and Birmingham. Many reformist friends are found in North America also, particularly in USA and Canada. The Canadian friends have also established a centre in Toronto area. All these reformist centres are functioning with determination despite severe overwhelming challenges.

Besides UK and North America we have reformist movement in East Africa, particularly in Kenya and Mauritius. In Kenya there is reformist presence in Nairobi and Mombasa. These reformist friends in Kenya consistently refused to surrender despite great deal of pressure on them from the orthodox section. Their reformist jamaats are functioning well and they have their mosque, and cemeteries in both the cities.

Injunction against interest - ulterior motive

In Mauritius the Currimjee family has stood steadfastly for the reformist cause. There are about 100 reformists in Mauritius and have their own mosque and cemetery. When Syedna visited Mauritius a few years ago he sent his emissaries to the reformists and wanted to take over the mosque but reformists refused to surrender.

Then, in early eighties another injunction was suddenly issued prohibiting giving and taking of interest. However, rather than religious, it had ulterior motive: to destroy the Bombay Mercantile Co-operative Bank, which was thought to be under the reformist control. Late Zain Rangunwala, the then Managing Director of the Bank, was thought to be a crypto-reformist. The Bohras maintaining account in the bank were asked to withdraw their deposits and closed down their accounts as all interest bearing transactions were declared haram.

However initially no such steps were taken for those having accounts in other banks. The reformists found out that the priestly family itself was having several bank accounts in The Bank of India and were accepting interests. The family also had controlling shares in several companies taking loans on interest and giving interest to those maintaining fixed deposits.

Preisthood changes strategy

Towards the end of the Eighties more friends from Patna, Aurangabad and Hyderabad joined the reform movement and have been consistently with it ever since. Nothing could deter them from their chosen course. In some cities and towns even single families have faced acute harassment and persecution but refused to bow down before the oppressive set up. These families and individuals really make us proud.

In the early Nineties one more inquiry commission headed by retired chief justice of Calcutta Justice D.S. Tewatia was appointed which also included noted writer and journalist and human rights activist Shri. Kuldip Nayar. This commission also recorded evidence for what had happened in post-Nathwani Commission period and submitted its report. We have also filed a review petition in the Supreme Court on the basis of these two inquiry commission reports. The review petition has been admitted in 1987 but has still not come for review as it requires seven judge bench which is constituted very rarely.

Sayedna's establishment when failed completely to break the morale of the reform movement with all their might of power they changed track and tried to adopt another deceptive strategy of luring reformists from Udaipur. They pretended to lift baraat and even allow people from Udaipur to visit Galiakot which was closed for them for all these years.

Reformists stand by their convictions

The CEC met at that time in Udaipur and decided that one should not fall into this trap. However, some handful of people did and surrendered to Kothar. However, their number was quite insignificant and did not make any dent as Kothar had thought. This itself shows our inner strength. Subsequently the Kothar threw its net wider and emissaries were sent to other centres also like Patna, Aurangabad, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bombay and several other places. However, everywhere they drew a blank. Our reformist friends stood firmly by their conviction.

Our first conference in a Western country was held in 1986 in the UK as pointed out. The second such conference took place in Toronto in Canada in August, 2001 which was very successful as about 200 delegates attended from North America, the UK and India. In fact it was conference of western region and a regional committee was also set up to deal with the western regional problems.

We have stood up firmly against the oppressive regime of the Bohra priesthood and carried on our struggle despite great odds. If we examine our strength and weaknesses in last twenty-five years of our struggle it must be said our determination has never been lacking in waging the fight for reforms. We went through many crises but emerged stronger after every crisis. Our functioning also has been quite transparent. We believe in democratic values and have taken all decisions after democratic discussions. We have also been quite faithful in our adherence to our religious tenets and traditions.

Bohras must conquor their fear

However, it is pointed out by our critics that we have not been able to win over people on our side and our movement has not expanded or even shrunk in size. There is definite truth in this criticism. But, if we look at our struggle closely, it is not due to lack of our efforts or determination. The repressive measures adopted by the Sayedna's establishment have created all-round fear psychosis.

We have brought consciousness and awareness among people about various issues involved, we have educated them a great deal but we have not succeeded in dispelling their fears. In fact it is not in our hands. Our number is small and will remain so for quite some time to come. People generally stand by the establishment as it has its own benefits. All such movements in history have suffered this fate. What is important is that we should not despair and carry on our struggle with full determination. That itself is a great success for us.