The Shia Fatimi Ismaili Taiyebi Dawoodi Bohras are a denomination of Islam with a distinct identity, culture and ethos. In common with all Muslims, we affirm the oneness of Allah, believe that the Prophet Mohammed al-Mustafa (S.A.) was the last prophet in a chain of prophets from Allah and revere the holy Qur'an, as the final revelation of Allah.

The Dawoodi Bohras, in common with other Shia Muslims, believe that the Prophet chose his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib (S.A.) as his successor and that an Imam descended from them both through the Prophet's daughter Fatema (S.A.) will always exists on earth as the final interpreter of religion and as a perfect guide to the faithful. The Imams functioned initially from Medina and then later from Egypt, where they led vast areas of the Muslim World as the Fatimid Caliphs. This era produced a unique tradition which is now called Fatimid. From the 21st Imam onwards, all Imams to date have chosen to remain in seclusion. It is an article of faith for the Bohras, that whilst the Imam chooses to remain in seclusion his mission is headed by his representative called al-Dai al-Mutlaq, meaning "absolute caller to the faith". This office, first instituted in Yemen in the 12th century, moved to India in the 16th century and has remained there ever since. Since 1965, the office is held by His Holiness Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (T.U.S.), its 52nd incumbent.

There are about a million Dawoodi Bohras all over the world. We are recognized by a language unique to our community, called Lisaan-ud-Daawat, which draws from Gujarati and Arabic, and by our adherence to Islamic Shariat in our appearance and daily lives. We have close-knit congregations which meet regularly for prayers and periodically to mark religious dates. Beautiful verses from our community's literary treasury are recited and meals are shared, to break bread together in the universal way. Al-Jameatus Saifiyah, the Arabic academy established in 1814, with branches in India and Pakistan, is our community's principal institution for religious education and training. It teaches a curriculum that blends contemporary subjects to traditional Islamic knowledge and custom. Part of its curriculum is taught to younger children in community schools in nine countries.

Traditionally a business community, the Dawoodi Bohras have continued to foster enterprise wherever we live. In recent times, our community has taken a conscious and measured decision to develop a business ethic based upon the Islamic prohibition on borrowing or lending on interest. Concurrently, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (T.U.S.) has institutionalized the Islamic concept of qarzan hasana, which means offering loans on an interest-free basis, and individuals in the community have also been mobilized to offer each other help by means of such loans.

Once a year, our community commemorates Ashura, the day the Prophet's grandson Imam Husain (S.A.) was martyred in Kerbala, Iraq. All over the world, community members meet to recount the narrative that moves hearts fourteen centuries after the event. Thousands of other faithful choose to gather around Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (T.U.S.),wherever he may be, and listen to his discourses which are often relayed live to Dawoodi Bohra congregations all over the world.

Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (T.U.S.) has often said that the restoration of Al-Anwar Mosque in Cairo, Egypt, has engendered an era of unprecedented progress for the body of our community as if attracting a celestial blessing for a humble act of devotion. His focus has always been and still remains on the rebuilding of spirits of men, women, and children along with our sacred mosques.

May Almighty Allah grant Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin a long and healthy life, so that he may continue to guide the Dawoodi Bohra community with his wisdom and love. Ameen.

[Reprinted from 'Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World' (Oxford University Press)]