Bohra Adab — Rawzat

The Meaning of Adab

The word adab (أَدَب) is one of the most layered words in the Arabic-Islamic vocabulary. It encompasses:

Politeness and courtesy in social interaction
Proper behaviour in sacred spaces
The refined conduct of the educated person
Respect for elders, scholars, and the sacred
The discipline of shaping one’s habits through conscious practice

In the Bohra tradition, adab is specifically rooted in the Dawat’s ‘ilm: the Aamil who has received the Imam’s ‘ilm is the model of adab, because his outward conduct reflects his inner knowledge. The community’s collective adab — its greeting style, its table manners, its masjid behaviour — is itself a form of ta’lim (teaching), a curriculum transmitted through lived example rather than books.

The Prophet (SAW) said: “My Lord taught me adab, and how excellent the teaching.” This Hadith frames adab not as human convention but as divine instruction.

The Bohra Greeting

Al-Salamu Alaykum

The Islamic greeting — “Al-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh” (Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah, and His blessings) — is the foundation of all Bohra social interaction. It is:

The required greeting when entering and leaving the masjid
The opening of every du’a and waaz gathering
The greeting between Bohras meeting each other anywhere in the world
The greeting in written communication

The full form (wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh) earns thirty points of divine merit, compared to ten for the shortened wa alaykum al-salam alone.

The Handshake and Musafaha

Physical greeting in the Bohra tradition is typically the musafaha — a handshake, often held for a moment rather than pumped quickly, accompanied by the salam. Among men, the handshake may be followed by touching one’s hand to the heart as a gesture of sincerity. The Dawat’s adab discourages excessive formality (multiple bows, deep prostrations to humans) while encouraging warm, personal acknowledgment.

Greeting Upon Entering the Home

The Quran instructs: “When you enter houses, greet one another with a greeting from Allah, blessed and good.” (Quran 24:61). Bohras who return home greet the household with salam, and those present return it. This exchange is not social nicety but a moment of barakah: the divine name of peace (al-Salam) being invoked in the domestic space.

Masjid Adab

The Bohra masjid is the central communal space, and its adab is among the most carefully observed:

Entry and Exit

Remove shoes at the entrance, placing them neatly
Enter with the right foot first, reciting: “Bismillah. Allahumma salli ‘ala Muhammad wa ‘ali Muhammad. Allahumma iftah li abwab rahmatik.”
Exit with the left foot first, with a specific du’a of departure

Dress

The Bohra dress code in the masjid is more formal than everyday dress:

Men wear the topi (white cap) and ideally a clean, modest kurta (long shirt)
Women wear the rida (two-piece modest covering, typically with distinctive Bohra patterns in white, coloured border)
Feet are bare once inside; clean socks are appropriate in cold climates
Fragrance (oud, attar) is encouraged — the Prophet (SAW) loved fragrance — but should not be excessive

Behaviour During Waaz

The waaz is the most sacred communal gathering in the Bohra calendar. Its adab is strict:

Complete silence during the Aamil’s discourse
No mobile phones (or phones on silent at minimum; many jamats require phones off entirely)
Sitting attentively, facing the Aamil
Weeping during emotional passages (the narration of Karbala, the Prophet’s qualities) is honoured — it is a sign of a living heart
Distributing water (sharab) during the waaz is considered khidmat

Thaal Adab

The Bohra communal meal from the shared thaal (circular tray) has its own complete adab:

Seating: Everyone around the thaal sits in a circle, closely enough to comfortably reach the centre. The most senior or respected person typically sits in a designated position; the Aamil or his family are seated in the place of honour.

The Bismillah: The meal begins with a collective Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim, often followed by a specific du’a for eating. No one begins before this collective opening.

Using the right hand: Eating with the right hand is the sunna — and the specific Bohra adab — for all food consumed from the thaal.

Eating from one’s section: The thaal’s contents are shared but each person eats from the area directly in front of them, not reaching across to others’ sections. Condiments and salads are shared; main dishes are divided by the person serving.

No wastage: The Dawat teaches against israf (wastefulness) in food. Whatever is placed on your portion of the thaal should be eaten. If one cannot finish, it is polite to indicate this to the server before the portion is given.

The Alhamdulillah: The meal ends with Alhamdulillah — gratitude to Allah for provision. Often a specific du’a of completion follows.

See also: Bohra Thaal

Speaking Adab

With Elders and Scholars

The Dawat’s adab places great emphasis on ikram (honouring) of the elderly and the learned:

Standing when an elder or scholar enters a room
Not interrupting when they speak
Addressing scholars with their titles: Aamil Saheb, Mukaasir, etc.
Maintaining eye contact as a sign of attention (not as confrontation)

In Speech Generally

Bohra adab in speech draws from the broader Islamic tradition:

Speaking bil-haqq — truthfully, not exaggerating or flattering insincerely
Not backbiting (gheebat) — speaking ill of an absent person
Not tale-carrying (namima) — passing harmful gossip
Using gentle language, avoiding swearing or harsh words
Saying Inshallah when speaking about future plans
Saying Alhamdulillah when speaking of blessings

Mobile Phones and Modern Adab

The Dawat has been explicit about the need to apply traditional adab principles to modern contexts:

Phones should not interrupt prayer, waaz, or communal meals
Social media posts about community gatherings should be respectful and not expose private community moments
Communication within the community should maintain the same respectful standards as in-person interaction

Adab with the Aamil

The Aamil is the representative of the Dai (and through the Dai, of the Imam) in the local jamat. Bohra adab with the Aamil is specific:

Standing when the Aamil enters a gathering
Seeking permission before approaching him in a formal context
Addressing requests or questions through the appropriate channels
Receiving the Aamil’s du’a and blessings with both hands cupped
Not speaking loudly or argumentatively in the Aamil’s presence

The Aamil is not treated as a supernatural figure but as the holder of a sacred role — a person who represents something far larger than himself. The adab shown to him is adab shown to the chain that he represents.

Ta’wil of Adab

The zahir of adab is the outward etiquette — the specific actions, words, and postures described above.

The batin of adab is what these outward forms point toward: the soul’s orientation of reverence, humility, and love. A mumin who has genuine reverence for Allah does not need rules to take off shoes at the masjid door or maintain silence during waaz — the reverence naturally produces these behaviours. The zahir adab is the training wheels: it shapes the outer behaviour until the inner reality catches up.

The Dawat’s teaching: practise the adab even when the inner feeling hasn’t yet arrived, because consistent outward practice shapes the inner reality over time. This is the Bohra understanding of tashabuh: by imitating the mumin’s behaviour, the believer gradually becomes the mumin from the inside out.

Bohra Adab — Etiquette and Conduct