Bohras-India's Most Orthodox/Progressive Muslim Sect.

By K.D.L.Khan Bohra muslim women wear the traditional rida ( a burqa -like coloured embroidered garment), but that does not stop them from riding a scooter.

or wield a surgeon's scalpel.

For all we know behind the rida, there may well be a doctor or a chartered accountant.

Bohra children attend regular Christian convent schools and go to madrasas in the evenings or on weekends to learn about their own religion.

They are low-profile, soft-spoken and a minority population of about a seven hundred thousand in India, but are one of the most industrious communities in India.

Worldwide, there are an estimated twelve lakhs of Bohras, of which seven lakhs are citizens of India and four lakhs are in Pakistan, with the rest in other parts of the world, especially the Gulf States..

Despite the surging of religious terrorism, the Bohras keep away from extremism, as primarily because they are largely a trading community.

The community name, in fact, is derived from the Gujarati word 'Vyavhar' that means trade.

Bohras have been historically, traders.

Even an ethnographic survey published in 1920 AD noted that except for some Bohra farmers in North Gujarat and some members who rose to high government offices, most bohras lived by trade.

They do not want any trouble and just want to carry on their businesses.

Their identity is firmly rooted in Gujarati culture and tradition and their strong commitment to education is another reason why they have stayed away from extremist politics.

Except for businessmen who seek government contracts, the self-sufficient community does not depend on the government for jobs.

As entrepreneurs, they are job givers and not job seekers Over 200 years ago, the community came to Mumbai from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

Today, they have a stake in nearly every major industry.

Among the well-known businessmen are shipping magnate Shabbir Rangwala and tea baron Abid Jaferjee.

Perhaps the best-known leader of Bohras was Justice Badruddin Tyabji, one of the top ranking leaders of the Indian National Congress in the first decades of the 20th century, and the community it had provided Mumbai's first Muslim barrister, solicitor, doctor and engineer.

Even as Muslims, the Bohras do not follow the usual trend of Islam.They believe, that Prophet Mohammed named his son-in-law Maulana Ali ibn Abi Talib as his successor, and Maulana Ali is succeeded by his direct male descendants, the Fatemi Imams.

There are, according to a 1909 gazetteer, also Sunni, Aliya and Sulemani Bohras.

The last, says this source, separated from the community over a leadership dispute.

The ordinary Bohra is highly conscious of his identity and this is especially demonstrated at religious and traditional occasions by the appearance and attire of the participants.

The men wear a traditional white three piece outfit, plus a white and gold cap (called a topi), and women wear the rida, a distinctive form of the commonly known burqa, which is distinguished from other forms of the veil due to it often being in colour and decorated with patterns and lace.

Besides speaking the local languages, the Bohras have their own language called Lis?nu l-D??wat "Tongue of the D??wat".

This is written in Arabic script but is derived from Urdu, Gujarati and Arabic.

Bohras can boast of significant architecture and literature.

The Raudat Tahera mosque in Bhendi Bazaar- Mumbai has the entire Quran -e- Majeed inscribed on its walls in gold, decorated with stones They believe that there is always an Imam present on Earth.

But until he chooses to appear, a representative known as governs the community.

They also believe that when Umar the earliest Islamic compiler was collecting the Quran, he omitted parts of it relating to Ali, the nephew of the Prophet being the real Caliph.

They believe the Bohras alone posess the 'real' Quran, and that it is with their religious head.

He is known as the D??? l-Mutlaq and the present 91 year old Syedna BURHANUDDIN MUHAMMED (b.

AH 1333/1915 CE), is the 52nd D??? in an unbroken chain of D??iyy?n.

This distinguishes Dawoodi Muslims from other Muslim communities.

For orthodox followers, all decisions go through him, including those regarding marriage, the naming of children and business.

He has absolute religious power over all the Bohras and at his command any Bohra can be excommunicated out of the sect, This absolute power is coupled with enormous financial clout, as the Da'I Mutlaq is the sole custodian of all religious taxes levied on the Bohras.

Quite a number of Bohra Muslims feel that like in other religious organizations, the Syedna should publish annually the financial contributions collected and as to the causes for which they are spent.

A group called Progressive Bohra Muslims was formed forty years ago under the leadership of the eminent Islamic scholar Dr.Asghar Ali Engineer to ensure this accounting.

According to these radicals, taking the population of the Bohras of 1.2 million, the Syedna and his and his family yearly collects amounts over Us dollars $30 million ( 140 crores of rupees ) by way of these religious taxes and 'voluntary' payments.

They demand that this income must be subject to law, by an Act on the pattern of Ajmer Dargah Sharif Act and Tirupati Temple Act so that a proper accounting will be given to the Bohra Muslim community.

But the Progressive Bohra Muslim Group were ex communicated by the Syedna.

According to informed circles these radicals as on date number just two percent of Bohras numbering about 20 thousand, although , as secular education advances among the youth of the community ,the sympathizers could be as much as 60 percent, in support of the demands of the Progressive Bohras.

Only time will show as to whether the Bohra community becomes progressive with regard to this challenge.