History of the Dawoodi Bohra Community

Roots in the Fatimid Caliphate (909–1171 CE)

The Ismaili tradition emerged from the succession dispute after the 6th Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq’s death (765 CE), when his follower maintained allegiance to his designated son Ismail (who predeceased his father) through Ismail’s son Muhammad ibn Ismail — against those who followed Musa al-Kazim (the Twelver Shia position). The Ismaili Imams continued through a line of Imams who were largely hidden (mastur) until Abdullah al-Mahdi declared the Fatimid Caliphate in North Africa in 909 CE.

The Fatimid Caliphate established in North Africa, then conquered Egypt in 969 CE and founded Cairo (Al-Qahira — “The Victorious”) as its capital. The Fatimids built Al-Azhar (972 CE) — today the world’s foremost Islamic university — as the center of Ismaili learning. The Fatimid Da’wa actively spread throughout the Islamic world — to India, Persia, Syria, and East Africa — through networks of da’is (missionaries) who taught the Ismaili ta’wil secretly to receptive communities.

The Ismaili-Fatimid inheritance that the Dawoodi Bohra community preserves includes: the Fatimid liturgical calendar, Fatimid du’as and qasidas, the system of ta’wil (esoteric interpretation), the Arabic language of religious practice (Lisan al-Da’wa), and the institutional structure of the da’wa hierarchy.

The Tayyibi Split: 1094 CE

The crucial split that defines the Bohra tradition occurred at the death of the Fatimid Imam-Caliph al-Mustansir in 1094 CE. He had designated his son Nizar as successor, but the powerful vizier al-Afdal ibn Badr al-Jamali bypassed Nizar and installed the younger son Ahmad al-Musta’li. This produced the fundamental Ismaili split:

Nizari Ismailis: Followed Nizar and his descendants. Today the largest Ismaili branch, led by Aga Khan IV (Imam Shah Karim al-Husayni). Concentrated in South Asia, Central Asia, East Africa, and the Western diaspora.
Musta’li Ismailis: Accepted al-Musta’li. The Bohra community is in this line. The Fatimid Caliphate continued under Musta’li Imams until 1171 CE, when Salah al-Din (Saladin) ended the Fatimid Caliphate and the 21st Imam al-Tayyib went into occultation (satr).

From Egypt to Yemen: The Age of the Da’i (1130 CE onward)

Before the Imam’s occultation, the 20th Imam al-Amir designated his Da’i (representative) to lead the community in the Imam’s absence. The center of the Tayyibi da’wa shifted to Yemen, where the Sulayhid dynasty — particularly Queen Arwa al-Sulayhi (the remarkable 11th-century Yemeni queen who was one of the greatest patrons of Ismaili learning) — had accepted the Tayyibi position. Yemen became the administrative center of the da’wa.

From Yemen, the da’wa spread to India — particularly to Gujarat, where a community of traders had already received missionaries. The 24th Da’i, Yusuf ibn Sulayman (d. 1567), moved the da’wa headquarters from Yemen to India, recognizing that the Indian community had become the demographic and financial core.

The Dawoodi-Sulaimani Split: 1591 CE

When the 26th Da’i, Dawood ibn Qutubshah, died in 1591 CE, a succession dispute erupted. Two candidates claimed the position:

Dawood Burhanuddin ibn Ajabshah: Based in India; supported by the majority of the Indian community
Sulayman ibn Hasan: Based in Yemen; supported by the Yemeni community and some Indians

The Indian majority who supported Dawood Burhanuddin came to be known as Dawoodi Bohra (Bohras of Dawood). The Yemeni-supported group became the Sulaimani Bohra (a smaller community today, with their Da’i based in Yemen). There are also smaller branches (Hafizi, Alavi, Atba-e-Malak).

In India: Surat, Ahmedabad, and Community Building

The Dawoodi Bohra community in India was predominantly concentrated in Gujarat — particularly Surat (the historic port city) and Ahmedabad. The community developed a distinctive identity:

Occupational tradition: The name “Bohra” (from vohoru — trade) reflects the community’s historical occupation as Muslim traders in Gujarat. The Bohra merchants were significant figures in the Indian Ocean trade networks of the 16th-18th centuries — trading with East Africa, Persia, Arabia, and Southeast Asia.

The Sycee (China) trade: Bohra merchants were among the earliest Indian Muslim traders to establish networks with China.

Language: The community developed Lisan al-Da’wa — a form of Gujarati written in a modified Arabic script, incorporating Arabic and Farsi vocabulary alongside Gujarati. This remains the liturgical language of the community.

Community structure: The Da’i al-Mutlaq’s seat became central to community governance. The Amil (local Da’i representative), the Masjid (mosque), and the Jamaat (community council) form the three pillars of local community organization.

The Modern Era: The Syedna and Contemporary Bohras

The 51st Da’i al-Mutlaq, Syedna Taher Saifuddin (1915-1965), undertook a major restoration of Fatimid sites in India, Egypt, and Yemen, and led the community through the partition of British India. The 52nd Da’i, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (1915-2014), led the community for 53 years — overseeing extraordinary global expansion, institution-building, and the restoration of the Al-Hakim mosque in Cairo. The 53rd Da’i, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, has led since 2014.

Today, the Dawoodi Bohra community numbers approximately 1-1.5 million worldwide, concentrated in India (Gujarat, Maharashtra), Pakistan, East Africa (Tanzania, Kenya), the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and the Gulf. The community is known for its high literacy rates, educational institutions, commercial success, and strong community cohesion.

History of the Dawoodi Bohra Community — From the Fatimid Caliphate to the Present