Why does it help to understand our Khoja Shia Ithna Asheri Community?

Why does it help to understand our Khoja Shia Ithna Asheri Community?

• Why does it help to understand our Khoja Shia Ithna Asheri Community?

• What sacrifices were made for us to get to where we are today?

• Can we survive as a Khoja Community?

• What are our challenges today?

• What could we do to help face some of these challenges?

World Population: 6.9 billion

• World Population: 6.9 billion

• Muslim Population: 1.6 billion

• Shia Population (lowest figure): 200 million

• Khoja Population (approx): 120,000

• % of Shia Community = 0.06%.

Pakistan: 40,000 (Karachi and Sindh)

• Pakistan: 40,000 (Karachi and Sindh)

• India: 21,000 (Kathiawar, Gujarat, Cutch and Mumbai)

• Africa: 14,000 (Tanzania, Zanzibar, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, Mozambique, South Africa, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe).

• Indian Ocean Islands: 6,500 (Madagascar, Re-Union, Mauritius)

• United Kingdom: 10,000

• Canada: 8,000

• USA: 3,000

• Middle East: 2,000 (UAE, Iran, Oman)

• Rest of Europe: 1,000

• Australia: 1,000

• Yemen North and South: 700

• Misc: 500-750.

Islam came to India in 12th Century.

• Islam came to India in 12th Century.

• Main Religions: Hindu, Buddhism and later Islam.

• Indian Class System:

• Brahmins (Priest Class)
• Kshatriya (Ruling Class or Warriors)
• Vaisya (Commoners / Business Class)
• Sudra (Lower Class – workers).

• Lohanas – from Vaisya.

Armenia – co-incidence or some truth?

• Armenia – co-incidence or some truth?

• Cutch, Kathiawar and Sindh

• Languages: Cuthci, Gujarati and Sindhi (Kojiki).

• Khojas now are either:

• Ismaili (follow Agha Khan – approx. 270,000)
• Sunni (approx. 20,000)
• Shia Ithna Asheri (approx. 120,000)

• History in brief:

• Hindus
• Satpanth
• Nizari Ismaili
• Shia Ithna Asheri Jafferi

• Future: could be any religion! Once a Khoja always a Khoja!

Various Pir came to India and taught faith to the masses.

• Various Pir came to India and taught faith to the masses.

• The most famous – Pir Sadruddin

• Descendent of Imam Jaffer AS Sadiq (AS)
• 14th Century Ismaili Da’I (teacher)
• Founded Khoja Ismaili Sect
• Satpanth (Blend of Hinduism with Islam).
• Developed Khojki.
• Named his followed Khwaja
• Budh Avatar -9th Incarnation of Vishnu.
• Das Avatar (most famous book) – 10 Re-incarnations of Vishnu

18th Century – beliefs more inclined to Nizari Ismaili Faith.

• 18th Century – beliefs more inclined to Nizari Ismaili Faith.

• 1829 – 1st lot expelled.

• 1835 – 1st lot re-admitted.

• 1842 – Aghan Khan 1 – arrives from Iran.

• 1848 – 2nd lot expelled.

• 1848 – ‘Bhar Bhayya’ form their Jamatkhana.

Confused practices in Jamat Khana.

• Confused practices in Jamat Khana.

• Dispute over Dasond (10%)

• All community assets transferred to Ismaili Imam

• Court ruling in favour of Agha Khan.

First Khojas who left the Ismaili faith joined the Ahlul Sunnah Faith

• First Khojas who left the Ismaili faith joined the Ahlul Sunnah Faith

• Known as the Bar Bhayya

• Till today known as the Bar Bhayya Khoja Sunni Community

• Small number worldwide.

Dewji Jamal and others on way to Hajj.

• Dewji Jamal and others on way to Hajj.

• Re-arrange to Karbala after hearing 70 times more Thawab to do Ziyarat.

• Arrange Meeting with Ayatullah Mazandarani

• Tableegh under Mulla Qadir Hussain of Madras.

• Persuade Mulla to travel to Bombay or Zanzibar.

• Note: Only due to Marjae did this change occur. Double affinity towards Karbala.

Khoja owe their faith to this man.

• Khoja owe their faith to this man.

• Persuaded to go back to Bombay by Ayatullah Mazandarani

• Marginalised and isolated.

• Shia Ithna Asheri practices Taqqiya.

• Threats – bribe – poison – assasniation.

• Mulla ejected from his house and attendance decline.

• Major concern: Burial / Social / Economic Boycott.

Social Boycott

• Social Boycott

• Economic Boycott

• Excommunication from Khoja Jamaat

• Public Announcement – Humiliation.

• Refusal to bury in Khoja Qabrasatan

• Physical threats – Murders

• Opposition to Build Mosque – India + Zanzibar.

(Left): Haji Gulamali Haji Ismail (1864-1943)

• (Left): Haji Gulamali Haji Ismail (1864-1943)

• (Right): Dewji Jamal (1820-1905)

Disgrace not to be buried in Khoja Cemetery

• Disgrace not to be buried in Khoja Cemetery

• 1876 Khalfan Rattansi daughter died – refusal to bury her.

• Khalfan Rattansi and Dewji Jamal offered transport to bury in Karbala.

• Mulla Obtains consent to bury in Irani Qabrastan.

Three main places where the early Khoja Population settled.

• Three main places where the early Khoja Population settled.

• Zanzibar – lot of trading with India. Some pioneers settled there such as Dewji Jamal.

• Karachi – sizeable Shia Ithna Asheri Population mixed around a larger Shia Ithna Asheir Populaiton.

• Karachi - Main preacher was Lalan Alidina. He had 4 sons and all 4 followed the footsteops of their father.

1876 – Karachi – Ithna Asheri Lalan Alidina attacked and in 1878 shot and killed. Khojas shocked/gripped with fear.

• 1876 – Karachi – Ithna Asheri Lalan Alidina attacked and in 1878 shot and killed. Khojas shocked/gripped with fear.

• 1877 – Bombay – Hassan Mukhi (Ismaili Killed)

• 1878 – Killi Kathau – convicted / hanged.

• 1901 – Hirki Alarakhia and Lalji Sajan killed.

• 1901 – Abdulla Lalji and Alibhai Nanaji injured.

• Tension – huge!

13th July 1899

• 13th July 1899

• Late Aghan Kan III (Sir Sultan Mohammed Shah) issued Farman Issue in Zanzibar predicted:

• Within ten, twenty or thirty years the Ithna Asheri will be worn out. After 100 years the Ithna Asheri religion will not exist at all. It will not exist in Iran either because the religion’s base is not on Aql. Our religion is based on Aql.

Phase 1: Within Cutch, Gujarat, Sindh

• Phase 1: Within Cutch, Gujarat, Sindh

• Phase 2: (1750) Bombay to Karachi

• Phase 3: (1750-1800) – Iran Coast, Yemen, Oman, Burma.

• Phase 4: (1820 – 1860) – Zanzibar

• Phase 5: (1860) – Mozambique, Madagascar

• Phase 6: (1860) – East Africa

1820 – 450 Khojas sending ‘Dasond’

• 1820 – 450 Khojas sending ‘Dasond’

• 1838 – Khoja Jamatkhana Built

• 1840 – Sultan shifts from Muscat to Zanzibar invites Indians.

• 1844 – Matam Bahraini

Nossibe – 1865.

• Nossibe – 1865.

• Kuwwatul Islam - 1877

• Bagamoyo – 1889

• Karachi – 1892

• Marube - 1896

• Hujjatul - 1898

• Bombay Mosque – 1901

• Majunga – 1906

• Then spread across Cutch, Kathiawar, Sindh, East Africa and Indian Ocean Islands.

External View of the Khoja Shia Ithna Asheri Mosque – Palagali 1901

• External View of the Khoja Shia Ithna Asheri Mosque – Palagali 1901

• Internal View of the Mosque from the Sahan

‘The Endangered Species’ by Hassan M Jaffer

• ‘The Endangered Species’ by Hassan M Jaffer

• Special thanks to Hassan M Jaffer for leading this area, his advise and continual support.

• ‘The Agha Khans’ by Mihir Bose

• Khoja Vrtant: 1892

• History of the Khojas: 1905

• Khoja Kaum ni Tarikh: 1912 (Adelji Dhanji Kaba)

• John Hollister and Farhad Daftary