The Musta‘lī (Arabic: مستعلي) are a branch of Isma'ilism named for their acceptance of al-Musta'li as the legitimate nineteenth Fatimid caliph and legitimate successor to his father, al-Mustansir Billah. In contrast, the Nizari—the other living branch of Ismailism, presently led by Aga Khan IV—believe the nineteenth caliph was al-Musta'li's elder brother, Nizar. Isma'ilism is a branch of Shia Islam.
The Musta'li originated in Fatimid-ruled Egypt, later moved its religious center to Yemen, and gained a foothold in 11th-century Western India through missionaries.
Historically, there was a distinction between the Tayyibi and the Hafizi Musta'lis, the former recognizing at-Tayyib Abu'l-Qasim as the legitimate heir of the Imamate after al-Amir bi-Ahkam Allah and the latter following al-Hafiz, who was enthroned as caliph. The Hafizi view lost all support following the downfall of the Fatimid Caliphate: current-day Musta'lis are all Tayyibi.
Most Musta'li are Bohras, and the largest Bohra group is the Dawoodi Bohra, who are primarily found in India. The name Bohra is a reinterpretation of the Gujarati word vahaurau "to trade".
Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin was the 52nd Da'i al-Mutlaq of the Dawoodi Bohra community. After his passing in 2014, Syedna Khuzaima Qutbuddin succeeded him and served as the 53rd Da'i al-Mutlaq of The Dawoodi Bohra community, who is now followed by Syedna Taher Fakhruddin, the 54th Da'i al-Mutlaq.
According to Musta'lī tradition, after the death of al-Amir bi-Ahkam Allah, his infant son, At-Tayyib Abu'l-Qasim, about two years old, was protected by Arwa al-Sulayhi who died in 1138, wife of the chief Fatimid Da'i of Yemen. She had been promoted to the post of Hujjat al-Islam long before by al-Mustansir Billah when her husband died and ran the Fatimid dawah from Yemen in the name of ImamAt-Tayyib Abu'l-Qasim. During her leadership At-Tayyib Abu'l-Qasim went into occultation so she instituted the office of Da'i al-Mutlaq. Zoeb bin Moosa was first to be instituted to this office and the line of Tayyibi Da'is that began in 1132 has passed from one Da'i to another up to the present day. Arwa al-Sulayhi was the Hujjah in Yemen from the time of ImamAl-Mustansir Billah. She appointed the Da'i in Yemen to run religious affairs. Isma'ili missionaries Ahmed and Abdullah (in about 1067 AD (460 AH))[1][2] were also sent to India in that time. They sent Syedi Nuruddin to Dongaon to look after southern part and Syedi Fakhruddin to East Rajasthan, India.[3][4]
There is also a community of Sunni Bohra in India. In the fifteenth century, there was schism in the Bohra community of Patan in Gujarat as a large number converted from Musta'li Isma'ili Shia Islam to mainstream Hanafi Sunni Islam. The leader of this conversion movement to Sunni was Syed Jafar Ahmad Shirazi who also had the support of the Mughal governor of Gujarat.
In 1592, a leadership struggle caused the Ṭayyibi Ismailis to split. Following the death of the 26th Dai in 1591 CE, Sulayman bin Hassan, the grandson of the 24th Dai, was wali in Yemen and claimed the succession, supported by a few Bohras from Yemen and India. However, most Bohras denied his claim of nass, declaring that the supporting document evidence was forged. The two factions separated, with the followers of Suleman Bin Hasan becoming the Sulaymanis named after Sulayman ibn Hassan and mainly located in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, and the followers of Syedna Dawood Bin Qutubshah becoming the Dawoodi Bohra. Dawoodi Bohra, found mostly in the Indian subcontinent.
A split in 1637 from the Dawoodi Bohra resulted in the Alavi Bohra.
The Hebtiahs Bohra are a branch of Musta'li Isma'ili Shi'a Islam that broke off from the mainstream Dawoodi Bohra after the death of the 39th Da'i al-Mutlaq in 1754.
The Atba-e-Malak community are a branch of Musta'ali Isma'ili Shi'a Islam that broke off from the mainstream Dawoodi Bohra after the death of the 46th Da'i al-Mutlaq, under the leadership of Abdul Hussain Jivaji in 1840. They have further split into two more branches:
Atba-e-Malak Badar – The current leader is Maulana Muhammad Amiruddin Malak Saheb.
The Progressive Dawoodi Bohra is a reformist sect within Musta'li Ismai'li Shi'a Islam that broke off circa 1977. They disagree with mainstream Dawoodi Bohra, as led by the Da'i al-Mutlaq, on doctrinal, economic and social issues.
According to Musta'li belief, the line of Imams, descendants of Ali and hereditary successors to Muhammad in his role of legitimate leader of the community of Muslim believers, follows:[citation needed]
Arwa al-Sulayhi was the Hujjah from the time of Imam Mustansir. She appointed Dai in Yemen to run religious affair. Ismaili missionaries Ahmed and Abdullah (in about 1067 AD (460 AH))[1][2] were sent to India in that time. According to Fatimid tradition, after the death of Al-Amir bi-Ahkami'l-Lah, Arwa al-Sulayhi instituted the Da'i al-Mutlaq in place of Dai to run the independent dawah from Yemen in the name of Imam Taiyab. The Dais are appointed one after other in the same philosophy of nass (nomination by predecessor) as done by earlier imams. It is believed that God's representative cannot die before appointing his true successor. This is being followed from the time of 3rd Imam Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin, the strong army of Yazid also could not think of killing him, although they did not spare even a child of six months, Ali al-Asghar ibn Husayn.
On the similar belief, the Musta'li think and their Da'i claim, that one day their Imam Tayyib's heir will again reappear as Imam (as happened with the eleventh Imam, Abdallah al-Mahdi Billah, who appeared after period of 150 years since the sixth Imam).
Under the fifteenth Imam, Al-Aziz Billah, the fifth Fatimid caliph, religious tolerance was given great importance. As a small Shi'i group ruling over a majority Sunni population with a Christian minority also, the Fatimid caliphs were careful to respect the sentiments of people. One of the viziers of Imam Aziz was Christian, and high offices were held by both Shia and Sunnis. Fatimid advancement in state offices was based more on merit than on heredity.[6]
As is the case with the majority of the Shia, Ismailis conclude the Shahada with ʿAliyun waliyu l-Lah ("Ali is the successor of God"). Musta'lis recite the following shahada:
ʾašhadu ʾan lā ʾilāha ʾillā l-Lāh, waʾašhadu ʾan Muḥammadun ʿabduhun warasūlu l-Lāh; ʾanna mawlāna ʿAliyun waṣiyuhu wawazīruhu;
I bear witness that there is no god but God, and I bear witness that Mohammad is God's servant and His Messenger and Ali is his successor and minister.[citation needed]
The first part of this shahada is common to all Muslims and is the fundamental declaration of tawhid. The wording of the last phrase is specific to the Musta'li.
The second phrase describes the principle of Prophecy in Shia Islam.
The third phrase describes the Musta'li theological position of the role of Ali.
The Dawoodi Bohras: an anthropological perspective, by Shibani Roy. Published by B. R. Publishing, 1984.
Mullahs on the mainframe: Islam and modernity among the Daudi Bohras, by Jonah Blank. University of Chicago Press, 2001. ISBN978-0-226-05676-0.Excerpts
A Short History of the Ismailis, by Farhad Daftary
The Ismaili, Their History and Doctrine, by Farhad Daftary
Medieval Islamic Civilisation, by Joseph W. Meri, Jere l. Bacharach
Sayyida Hurra: The Isma‘ili Sulayhid Queen of Yemen, by Dr Farhad Daftary
Cosmology and authority in medieval Ismailism, by Simonetta Calderini
Religion, learning, and science in the ʻAbbasid period, by M. J. L. Young, John Derek Latham, Robert Bertram Serjeant
