A Personal Reflection on the Genesis of the World Federation

2017-07-09T16:19:52Z

Asadvirani: Created page with "The official date of the establishment of the World Federation is October 15 1976. However, the genesis is almost a year prior when In October 1975, a delegation from Africa s..."

The official date of the establishment of the World Federation is October 15 1976. However, the genesis is almost a year prior when In October 1975, a delegation from Africa sat down with some elders from Uganda and a group of young Khoja accountants and lawyers on the red carpet of the Hammersmith Imambargah in London.

As the Assistant Secretary of London Jamaat, along with the then Mukhi Saheb Anverbhai Jagani and Anverbhai Pirbhai, our duty, on that dull and damp October day, was to ensure that the delegation were suitably nourished, Khoja style, with steaming hot chai and samosas. As we poured them endless cups of tea, amidst the smoke from Rothmans Cigarettes, I overheard this motley group ponderously reflecting on the predicaments our Community had found itself in the wake of the 1972 Uganda Exodus. Over a thousand souls had now scattered across the globe trying to make a new life in these faraway places. Apart for London and Peterborough, most communities in UK and North America were yet to establish Jamaats and Imambargahs. Yet the Community spirit was strong as mumineen roiled out carpets from the trunks of their cars to sit in rented warehouses, basements or any place that would give them an opportunity and be spiritually uplifted through the recital of Dua e Kumail on Thursday nights. For living in city or town without a Jamaat, a Khoja individual was like a fish out of water and these small gatherings became the oasis of spirituality in the new land we found ourselves.

As I caught snippets of their conversations, an example that has stuck in my mind almost 40 years on, was how Mulla Asgher, then based in Kenya, had to coach volunteers over a crackly landline (No Skype in those days) phone in USA as they attempted to give Ghusle mayyit to a Community member who had the misfortune to die in that remote corner of the world.

Little did I realize then, that history was being repeated. It was just hundred or so years ago when the first lonely migrants had arrived in Lamu and Zanzibar and grappled with similar challenges of making a new life in foreign lands. This time round, the Khojas were once again struggling to settle in Europe and Americas. The challenges were similar as were some occupations. In the UK, the East African ‘dukawalla’ had a new name: “tobacconist”, but the game was the same.

The decades old London based “Ithnaasheri Young Men’s Union” which used to hold Majalis at the East Africa House (Cumberland Place in Marble Arch), had morphed into what we now know as London Jamaat. At the Hammersmith Imambargah, bought with meagre resources, laboriously garnered by elders, championed with extraordinary zeal by the Late Haji Habibbhai Walji, creative tension soon manifested itself between the newly qualified London based young professionals as they engaged with the older and experienced leadership of Uganda Jamaats who longed to recreate the Uganda Experience. But all of us agreed that the sweetest part of it all was the rich condensed milk pink sherbet on Ashura Day after the spicy Khichdo, (Daal Chawal on Ashura came later) as the young and the not so young Jamaat members learnt to accommodate each other. We would still have continued the Khichdo if we knew the egalitarian history of khichdo! It may surprise you to note, that Its origins come from the practice of Jamaats in Kutch and Kathiawad, (in the pre Khoja Pilau era) where Khichdo was a communal meal cooked in the Khoja Dheg. The rich brought the meat and the poor brought the grain. This way everyone felt that they had contributed to Niyaz. It is a vagary of history that the khichdo was elevated to a celebratory meal. But then I could write a ton on the vagaries of Khoja History!

The leaders form Africa, Late Mulla Asgher, Late Abdulrasul Lakha. Murabbi Hassan Bhai Jaffer amongst others impressed upon the UK based leaders in attendance like Late Hasni Bhai Dharamsi, Habib M Habib, Late Husein Nathoo and Nazir Jessa, amongst others, to help replicate the structure of Africa Federation formed in 1946, to form a World body to address the needs and growth of Khoja Shia communities in the USA, Canada, UK, UAE, Far East and elsewhere. The action point that resulted was to form a small team to begin to write a Constitution and then call a constitutional Conference within a year. Soon the London based team led by Habib M Habib in consultation with some leaders in Africa got to work. Of course, armchair critics got to work too. They gingerly opined that Mulla Asgher, the then Chairman of the Africa Federation wanted a bigger ‘Chair’ for himself.

Fast Forward to a year later October 15 1976 - about 40 years ago today - the group met again at the Hammersmith Imambargah. Except this time, they were joined by delegates from Africa Federation and the newly formed Jamaats of Peterborough, Birmingham, Leicester, Toronto Los Angeles and New York. The Vision was lofty. Boldly the 60 dedicated delegates took upon themselves to help and serve this nascent organisation attend to the community’s financial, spiritual and educational needs globally.

'''Beginning at the beginning'''

‘Let me begin at the beginning. The concept of the World Federation dawned upon us by the events in Uganda.’ So began Marhum Mulla Asgherali M. M. Jaffer’s inaugural address at the First Constitutional Conference. (First page of the minutes, on page 4 below) Interestingly, of the three-day Constitutional Conference, almost a day was spent on a noteworthy debate. “To call ourselves Khoja or not - that was the question” Hours of passionate discussions took place on the merits of identity, closed membership and the scope of service.

The seasoned African delegation, joined by similarly pragmatic UK delegates leaned towards keeping it within the Khoja, while the enlightened North American delegation wanted to open it to the entire Shia world.

In the end, the WF Founding Fathers (No females were in sight in those days!) came up with a characteristically pragmatic solution. The word Khoja would be retained in the title, to credit the Khojas for initiating it but the membership and services would be open to all.

The meeting acknowledged that emergence of a Khoja diaspora upon the eviction of Asians from their Ugandan homes under Idi Amin, the Africa Federation was inundated with requests from Khojas globally - for Islamic literature, Aalims, marital advice, educational and other services. This would now be attended to by the newly formed World Federation. The spirit at the conference was optimistic and at the same time awe inspiring. Manzoor Kanani as part the delegation from Africa, who went on to serve as Vice President decades later recalls, “As I sat in the Conference on that Saturday October 16 1976, I wondered how were we going to do this? Where would the money come from? Did we really have the capacity to undertake such a mammoth task?”

Muhsin Dharamsi, then a youthful civil engineer full of vigour, (which remains unabated even today) envisioned the framework of the organization that he as Secretary General a few years later, enshrined in the administrative machinery which served us in good stead for years and established a strong foundation upon which the edifice stands today. His meticulous insistence on the conduct and documentation of conference was legend as was his color coded filing system. Over the many years, his penchant for files was such that any free wall at the humble secretariat at Stanmore would be embellished with shelves and soon one would see files upon files on it. The running joke at the secretariat was: don’t stand still otherwise Muhsin will build a shelf in your back thinking it is another wall. But the current humble secretariat office is grand compared to the first office at Meralis’ in Rayners Lane. Starting from a few box files housed at the residence of the First Secretary General Anwarbhai Jagani, it progressed to the bottom drawer of the filing cabinet in the small back room of my Travel Agency on London’s Holloway Road and subsequently thanks to the generosity of Mahmud P K Merali, offering a whole room at the subsidised rent of 25 pounds a week, which he sometimes forgave as the Secretariat could not afford to pay.

As the saying goes – nature abhors vacuum. No sooner it was established, expectations rose and requests began coming from areas as far off as Vancouver, the Bahamas and Bangkok. Once established, the World Federation faced two immediate if ambitious tasks. One was to raise the balance of funds from zero. Along with Khums monies, donations were the primary source of revenue in the first term, with less than £100,000 received by end of 1979.

Secondly, the Office Bearers realized the need to assess each particular situation and to that end the Late Maulana Syed Amir Husain Naqvi was assigned to tour the Jamaats in America, Europe, Canada and the Far East and produce a detailed report of each area. Thereafter, with limited funds, the unenviable job of prioritising requests began.

Strategically, (without even using the word), the WF’s first two terms (1976-79, 1979-1982) were dedicated to alleviating the abject poverty of the East and the paucity of religious services and Centers in the West. Removing disease, poverty and illiteracy within India was the pressing priority.

The Khojas of Africa, who had hardly ever looked back to where they came from, found two champions whose personal friendship and the passion to serve the Community bridged the chasm across the Indian Ocean. They were none other than Mulla Asgher and Late Gulamali Bhanji (Bapu). Alhaj Aunalibhai Salehmohamed, a rare soul who had migrated from Dar es Salaam to Surat, became the third in this triumvirate to begin the World Federation's journey of service in India, joined by many emerging leaders from Gujarat and Mumbai.

In conjunction with the Masoomeen Trust of Bombay headed by Gulamali Bhanji, housing complexes, madrassahs, masjids, imambarghas and medical treatment camps were funded and run. After attempts to create an All-India Federation floundered, the Gujarat Federation was set up in 1979 with the unified objective to uplift the Khoja community of Kutch and Kathiawad. Initial temporary relief in the form of handouts soon made way for capital schemes of investment in housing, education, agriculture and job creation. To alleviate poverty, the first ‘Samuh Lagna’ was organized in 1978, with painstaking efforts by the then Vice President, Late Haiderbhai Haji. Weddings in a culture steeped in Indian tradition remain crippling burden on poor families and hence, at times prevented marriage altogether. The WF and Gujarat Federation organised ‘Samuh Lagna’ – an event to host multiple weddings at a go at little cost to the wedding parties, arranging as many as 80 weddings at a time during its early years.

Soon, inspired by our Canadian brethren, and in particular Late Gulamabbas Sajan, the Zainabiya Child Sponsorship Scheme was inaugurated in 1981, to sponsor the poor to educate themselves out of dependence. The ZCSS scheme began humbly, sponsoring 9 children at the cost of 50 cents per child/day in 1981. Muhsin Dharamsi, who in his inimitable style has created detailed paperwork for the scheme at the Rayners Lane secretariat was taken aback when Mulla Saheb, wagging £500 challenged us all “Here – Take this and let’s start NOW, and stop just talking about it.”

In spite of limited resources, but with dogged persistence the WF helped fund many imambargha projects in the West with significant financial support from generous donors in East Africa. Even more pronounced was the need to disseminate Islamic education to the youth in the West. Indeed the very first committee of the WF was the Islamic Education Subcommittee, which then became a fully-fledged Islamic Education Board in 1980. Its brief was to enhance Islamic learning in the west through the provision of Islamic literature, correspondence courses, training of Aalims and teachers, reviewing of teaching techniques in madrassahs and utilising of audio-visual aids.

Today, 40 years on, history testifies, that indeed successive leaderships and at least three generations of volunteers continue to be true to the mantra “We exist to Serve”. The World
Federation’s accomplishments are an acknowledgement of the vision of the Founders some 40 years ago. The trajectory has had its successes and challenges as we continue to move on.

 
Penned by Dr. Hasnain Walji, Past President of The World Federation of KSIMC

Main Page

2017-07-09T16:14:55Z

Asadvirani:

{{Quran|O mankind! Indeed We created you from a male and a female, and made you nations and tribes that you may get mutually acquainted. Indeed the most honorable of you in the sight of Allah is the most God wary among you. Indeed Allah is all-knowing, all-aware|49|13}}

 KhojaPedia is an online encyclopedia that details the socio-religious matters of the Khoja Shia Ithna Ashari Muslim community. It seeks to document and preserve the history and rich heritage of this community, including the community’s remarkable spiritual migration from one faith to another through maintaining the spirit of unity and organisation.

The principles of this endeavour are :

• Objective and reliable research through credible sources

• To promote an empathy with the faith, sacrifice, journey, dedication, culture, heritage, identity and unity of the community

This project is an important step in imparting the legacy of the community’s ancestors to its present-day youths, as well as promoting awareness of this community to the wider global community. KhojaPedia predominantly focuses on the Khoja Shia Ithna ‘Ashari community, but where relevant, also comments on other strands of the other Khoja communities.

Our vision is that KhojaPedia will become the virtual hub for all members of the Khoja Shia Ithna ‘Ashari community that wish to appreciate the endeavours of their forefathers, whilst acknowledging their current struggles, and aiming to remain united throughout the forthcoming generations.

<div style="float:right;width:50%;">
[[File:KhojaPedia.png|center|500px|The KhojaPedia Logo]]

</div>

__NOTOC__

== Entries ==

[[#A|A]] | [[#B|B]] | [[#C|C]] | [[#D|D]] | [[#E|E]] | [[#F|F]] | [[#G|G]] | [[#H|H]] | [[#I|I]] | [[#J|J]] | [[#K|K]] | [[#L|L]] | [[#M|M]] | [[#N|N]] | [[#O|O]] | [[#P|P]] | [[#Q|Q]] | [[#R|R]] | [[#S|S]] | [[#T|T]] | [[#U|U]] | [[#V|V]] | [[#W|W]] | [[#X|X]] | [[#Y|Y]] | [[#Z|Z]] |

===A===
[[A Century of Engagement of the Khoja Community with the Maraje by Hasnain Walji]]

[[A Khoja-family graveyard in Wadi al-Salam, Najaf]]

[[A Personal Reflection on the Genesis of the World Federation]]

[[A voice from India being an appeal to the British Legislature by Khojhas of Bombay]]

[[A.S.Hashim]]

[[Aaqa Haiderbadi]]

[[Aasu Gangji]]

[[Aayn Gayn Haji]]

[[Abbas A Kanji]]

[[Abbas Bandali]]

[[Abbas Haider Lalji]]

[[Abbas Ismail]]

[[Abbas Jaffer]]

[[Abbas Lakha]]

[[Abbas Virjee]]

[[Abdalla Datoo Hirjee]]

[[Abdul Aziz Sachedina]]

[[Abdul Husain Marashi Tustari]]

[[Abdul Sheriff]]

[[Abdulhusein]]

[[Abdulla Datoo Pardhan]]

[[Abdulla Kanji (Bapu)]]

[[Abdulla Saleh Sachedina]]

[[Abdullabhai Mawaji]]

[[Abdullah Tahora]]

[[Abdullahbhai Lalji]]

[[Abid Ali Jaferbhai]]

[[Abul Hasan Isfahani]]

[[Abul Hassan Gokal]]

[[Abul Husain]]

[[Abul Qasim Najafi]]

[[Academy for learning Islam (ALI)]]

[[Adelji Dhanji Kaba]]

[[Aden Jamaat]]

[[Africa Federation]]

[[Afshin Rattansi]]

[[Aftab A Rizvi]]

[[Afzal sumar]]

[[Aga Khan]]

[[Aghakhani Khudai]]

[[Ahmad ali]]

[[Ahmad Habib Ibrahim]]

[[Ahmad Hasam]]

[[Ahmad Hassam]]

[[Ahmad Madadi]]

[[Ahmed Daya]]

[[Ahmed Habib]]

[[Ahmedbad]]

[[Akbar Ali Bhai Petha]]

[[Akbar Ali]]

[[Akbar Mithani]]

[[Akbar Shah]]

[[Akbar Tejani (Musawwir)]]

[[Akbarali Hasanlai Mirza]]

[[Akber Ali Mawji]]

[[Akberali A. Khatau]]

[[Akram Majedi]]

[[Al Islam]]

[[Al Itrah (TV)]]

[[Al Mahdi Center]]

[[Al Mahdi Institute]]

[[Al Mahdi School]]

[[Al Muntazir school]]

[[Aladeen Adelji Dhanji Kaba]]

[[Alamdar magazine]]

[[Alarakhia Sumar]]

[[Alarakhia Valji]]

[[Ali Bhai Jan]]

[[Ali Deena]]

[[Ali Din Gulam Husain]]

[[Ali Ebrahim]]

[[Ali Husain Hasan Ali]]

[[Ali Husain Lakhani]]

[[Ali Naqvi]]

[[Ali Nathoo]]

[[Ali Raza T Lakhani]]

[[Ali Shroff]]

[[Ali Solomon Khan]]

[[Aliakbar Mohamed Raza Shroff]]

[[Alims Seminar - Dar es Salaam, 1973]]

[[Aliraza Nanji of Nairobi]]

[[Aliraza Rajani]]

[[Allidina Visram]]

[[Altaf Hussain]]

[[Amanullah Hemani]]

[[Ameen Sayani]]

[[Amena (Maulla Bibi Amena)]]

[[Amine Nassor]]

[[Amir Somji]]

[[Amirs of Talpur]]

[[Amirullah Khan]]

[[Ammar Nakshwani]]

[[Amreli]]

[[An account of the Khoja Sunnat Jamat]]

[[An Outline History of Khoja Shia Ithna Asheri in Eastern Africa]]

[[Ancestors Day]]

[[Anisa Kanji]]

[[Ansar Naqvi]]

[[Antananarivo]]

[[Anwar al Bayan tafsir]]

[[Anwar Dharamsi]]

[[Anwarali R Dharamsi]]

[[Anwer Rajpar]]

[[Araki]]

[[Arif Abdul Husain]]

[[Arif Rizvi]]

[[Armenian Merchants and Khojas]]

[[Arusha conference]]

[[Arusha]]

[[Asad Virani]]

[[Asgar Moledina]]

[[Ashraf Ali Hydari]]

[[Asif Mehrali]]

[[Asliyat e Khoja]]

[[Assassins]]

[[Aunali K. Khalfan]]

[[Aunali Salemohamed]]

[[Australia]]

[[Avtar]]

[[Azadari in Jamatkhana]]

===B===

[[Bab Madina Summer Courses]]

[[Bagamoyo mosque (Tanzania)]]

[[Bage Firdaus Magazine]]

[[Bage Najat]]

[[Bahadur Dalal]]

[[Bahaish Merchant]]

[[Bahar e Majalis Magazine]]

[[Bam]]

[[Barabhai]]

[[Bashir Damji]]

[[Bawa Nazar Ali Karimdad]]

[[Bead Bai]]

[[Berlin wall]]

[[Bhavnagar]]

[[Bibi Sarcar Mata Salamat]]

[[Bilal Mission]]

[[Bombay Samachar]]

[[Bombay]]

[[Bool]]

[[Bujumbura]]

[[Bundally pariani]]

[[Burket Walji]]

[[Burundi]]

[[Bustani (Hayderi) vs Kuwwatul Islam (Husaini)]]

[[Bustani (Mosque Imambara) Mombasa (Now Hayderi Masjid)]]

===C===

[[Caravan e Zuwwar]]

[[Carissa Hickling]]

[[Cassum Ismail]]

[[Chacha Piryani]]

[[Chake Chake Jamaat, Pemba, Tanzania]]

[[Chambo]]

[[Chandraki]]

[[Charat]]

[[Charles Napier]]

[[Chatta]]

[[Chirag e Hidayat]]

[[Chittilesso (Walji Ramji)]]

[[Chungani]]

[[COEJ]]

[[Communal discord in Lamu]]

[[Comore]]

[[Conseil Régional Des Khojas Shia Ithna- Asheri Jamates De L.Océan Indien (CROI)]]

[[Constitution of The Council of European Jamaats (CoEJ) - 2015]]

[[Constitution of The Federation of Khoja Shia Isna Asheri Jamaats of Pakistan - 2009]]

[[Constitution of The World Federation of KSIMC - 2014]]

[[Conversion to Shi‘ism in East Africa]]

[[Council of Gujarat]]

[[Councilors]]

[[CPD]]

[[Crisis of Uganda]]

[[Cynthia Salvadoru]]

===D===

[[Dai]]

[[Damascus (IIPS)]]

[[Dar al Tabligh]]

[[Dar al Zahra]]

[[Dar es Salaam]]

[[Dar es Salaam Jamaat Volunteers - 1979]]

[[Dargah Party Mahuva Jamat]]

[[Das Avtar]]

[[Dasond]]

[[Dasondi khoja]]

[[Dastan]]

[[Daya Kanji]]

[[Daya Mahomad]]

[[Dewani.ca]]

[[Dewji Jamal & Co]]

[[Dewji Jamal]]

[[Dhalla Dr. Micro Biologist]]

[[Dharam]]

[[Dharamsi Gangji]]

[[Dharamsi Khatau & Co]]

[[Dharamsi Khatau]]

[[Dharamsi Punja]]

[[Dhows]]

[[Diamond Rttansi]]

[[Dossa Ladak]]

[[Dost Mohammad Bhojani]]

[[Dubai Jamat]]

[[Durban]]

===E===

[[E. I Howard]]

[[EA Circle]]

[[Ebrahim Haji]]

[[Ebrahim Husein Sheriff Dewji]]

[[Edward Rodwell]]

[[Ek bano nek bano]]

[[ELC]]

[[Elections]]

[[Electrol Committee]]

[[Erskine Perry]]

[[Establishment of The World Federation of KSIMC (Gujarati Article: World Federation Ni Sthapnano Itihas)]]

[[Evacuation from Somalia]]

[[Exco]]

===F===

[[Fahim Ajani]]

[[Faize Ithna-Asheri Night School of Zanzibar (School Faize)]]

[[Farhad Daftary]]

[[Farsi works on Khojas]]

[[Farzande Raza Rizvi]]

[[Fateh Ali Shah Qajar]]

[[Fatema Chand]]

[[Fatema School]]

[[Fath Ali Shah Qajar]]

[[Fatima Manji]]

[[Fatimiyah School Karachi]]

[[Fatimiyah School]]

[[Fazal Alarakhia Khimji – Amongst the Early Pioneers of Tanga (1883-1916)]]

[[Fazal Aloo Muraj]]

[[Fazal Ghulam Hussain]]

[[Fazal Hasham Jivraj – Mogadishu, Somalia]]

[[Fazal Noor Mohammaed]]

[[Fazal Remtulla Virani]]

[[Federation Samachar]]

[[Fidahussein Habib Rhemtulla Kara]]

[[Firdawas e Bari]]

[[Forced Marriage]]

[[Forgett]]

[[Furukh Shah]]

===G===

[[Ghulam Abbas Sajan]]

[[Ginans]]

[[Great work association]]

[[Gujarati language]]

[[Gujaratis]]

[[Gulam Abbas Virjee Sukusuku]]

[[Gulam Abbas Virjee]]

[[Gulam Husainbhai Bhurani]]

[[Gulam Husein]]

[[Gulamabas G. Sivjee]]

[[Gulamabbas Kassamali Bahadurali Mawji]]

[[Gulamabbas Najafi]]

[[Gulamali G.A. Datoo]]

[[Gulamali Haji Ismail (Haji Naji)]]

[[Gulambhai Bhanji (Bapu)]]

[[Gulamhusein Nasser Lakha]]

[[Gulamhusein Valimohamed Dharsi (Salsabil)]]

[[Gulamhussein Remtulla Hansraj]]

[[Gulpaygani]]

[[Gupt Panth ka Shujra]]

[[Guptis]]

[[Gurmali Peer and Hassan Peer]]

===H===

[[Habib High School]]

[[Habib Ibrahim]]

[[Habib Kassam Manji]]

[[Habib Kassamali (H.K.) Jaffer]]

[[Habib M Habib]]

[[Haidar Mukhi]]

[[Haiderali Hassanali Pirbhai - Mauritius]]

[[Haiderali Husain Khaki]]

[[Haiderali Mohammedali Kassam Chinai - Reunion]]

[[Haiderbhai Kassamali Haji (WF president)]]

[[Haideri Madrasa]]

[[Haji Bibi case]]

[[Haji Bibi]]

[[Haji Naji Library]]

[[Hamid Ali Bhojani (Karachi Jamat President)]]

[[Hamid Mavani]]

[[Harichand]]

[[Hasan Ali Shah]]

[[Hasan bin Sabah]]

[[Hasan Kabir al Din]]

[[Hasan Najafi]]

[[Hasan Naqvi]]

[[Hasanabad]]

[[Hasham Ebrahim Mamdani, Moshi]]

[[Hashim Shah]]

[[Hasnain Kassamali (Bilal)]]

[[Hasnain Walji]]

[[Hassan Abdulhussain (Abullo)]]

[[Hassan Ali M Jaffer]]

[[Hassan Bhimji and Hirji Bhimji]]

[[Hassanbhai Gulam Husain (Mukhi]]

[[Hassubhai]]

[[Hemraj Luddha]]

[[Hirji Allahrakhia]]

[[Hirji Allahrakhiya School]]

[[His Highness]]

[[History of Imami Khojas by Liyakat Takim]]

[[History of Khalfan Family]]

[[History of the early settlement of Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri in Arusha]]

[[History of The World Federation of KSIMC]]

[[Homai]]

[[Houssaini Memorial School]]

[[Hujjat Stanmore Jamat]]

[[Hujjatul Islam Jamaat]]

[[Hurreechund]]

[[Husain Habib Kara]]

[[Husain Jiwa]]

[[Husain Shustari]]

[[Husainbhai Merchant]]

[[Husaini Education]]

[[Husaini Nagar]]

[[Husaynis]]

[[Husein Jiwa]]

[[Husein Shustari]]

[[Hussain Datoo]]

[[Hussaini Madressah]]

[[Husseain Mosque]]

[[Hussein A. Walji]]

[[Hussein Abdalla Jaffer Pardhan]]

[[Hussein Abdalla Jaffer]]

[[Hussein Alibhai]]

[[Hussein Day 1979 - Dar-es-Salaam]]

[[Husseinbhai Haji Muraj]]

===I===

[[Ibrahim Haji Hospital]]

[[Ibrahim Shahbaz]]

[[Ibrahim Varteji]]

[[Ibrat-i Afza]]

[[Imam Shahis]]

[[Imami family]]

[[Imamud din]]

[[Imran Jafari]]

[[Imran Panjwani]]

[[India Federation]]

[[India Office]]

[[INISMA]]

[[Innes Boween]]

[[Insight]]

[[Iqbal Akhtar]]

[[Iqbal Asaria]]

[[Iqbal Panju]]

[[Iqbal Panju]]

[[Irshad Manji]]

[[Islam Shah]]

[[Ismail b Jafar]]

[[Ismail Kherraj]]

[[Ismaili fidais and Ismaili soldiers]]

[[Ismailis]]

[[Ithna Ashari magazine]]

[[Ithnaasheri Gymkhana]]

[[Itrah TV & Radio]]

===J===

[[Ja'far A. Tijani]]

[[Jafar Ali Rehmatullah]]

[[Jafar Asil]]

[[Jafar dhadu Badankshi case]]

[[Jafar Dharamsi]]

[[Jafar Lalji]]

[[Jafar Marashi]]

[[Jafar Rehmatullah]]

[[Jafarali Writer]]

[[Jaʿfari and Fatima school]]

[[Jaffer Dewji]]

[[Jaffer Manek]]

[[Jafferali Merali]]

[[Jafferi Centre]]

[[Jaffery Institute of Professional Studies]]

[[Jail Road Kabrastan]]

[[Jalal Shah Miskin Shah]]

[[Jalal shah Miskinshah]]

[[Jamal M moosa]]

[[Jamat Khanas]]

[[Jamat]]

[[Jamkhambalia]]

[[Janmohamed Kermali Murji Rawji]]

[[Javed Shroff]]

[[Jawad Khaki]]

[[Jhangi Shah]]

[[JIBA]]

[[Jivraj Khatau]]

[[Jivraj Meghji]]

[[Jiwan Visram]]

[[John Bull]]

[[John Holister]]

[[John Kirk]]

[[John Outram]]

[[Juma Haji]]

[[Justice Russell]]

[[Justice Sir Erskin Perry]]

[[Justice sir Joseph Arnold]]

===K===

[[Kalbe Sadiq]]

[[Kamadiya]]

[[Kamadiyanis]]

[[Kangan]]

[[Kangua]]

[[Kanji Asani]]

[[Kanji Damani]]

[[Kanodar]]

[[Karachi Jamat]]

[[Karim Goolamali]]

[[Karmali Hansraj Jagani]]

[[Kashmir and Sindh’s Luhana]]

[[Kashmiri Hindus’s one tribe named Chakk]]

[[Kashmiri Khoja]]

[[Kassamali Chandoo]]

[[Kassmabhai Nanji Miyani]]

[[Kathiyawad]]

[[Kausar Abbas Mukhi]]

[[Kawkab e Khidmat]]

[[Kazim Kausari]]

[[Kenya]]

[[Khaki Padamsi (Kamadia)]]

[[Khalfan Ratansi]]

[[Khan Mahomed Habibbhoy]]

[[Khana Khojas]]

[[Kharadahar]]

[[Kharumwa Jamaat]]

[[Khoja Biradari no Itihas]]

[[Khoja Case]]

[[Khoja from the word Khoj]]

[[Khoja Heritage Project]]

[[Khoja Kawm ni Tawarikh]]

[[Khoja Masik]]

[[Khoja Masjid (Palagali)]]

[[Khoja Panth Darpan]]

[[Khoja Prakash]]

[[Khoja qavm no itihas]]

[[Khoja Shia Ithna Asheri Orphanage]]

[[Khoja Shia Ithna Asheris in Lamu and Mombasa 1870-1930]]

[[Khoja Timeline]]

[[Khoja TV]]

[[Khoja Vrattant]]

[[Khoja Zanzibari, Kuchi, Makwa, Somalian , Gujrati, African etc]]

[[KhojaPedia]]

[[Khojas]]

[[Khojki script]]

[[Khuei]]

[[Khuni Khacha]]

[[Kilimeru Gymkhana Wins the League Trophy 1969]]

[[Killu Khatav Nagarpoorwala]]

[[Kilwa]]

[[Kitumba]]

[[KSI Jamat Mahuva]]

[[Kswahili]]

[[Kuchuk Shah]]

[[Kunumbi]]

[[Kutch Federation]]

[[Kutch]]

[[Kutchi]]

[[Kuwwatul Islam Mosque - Juni Masjid Zanzibar - The First Khoja Shia Ithna Asheri Mosque built in the world]]

[[Kuwwatul Islam]]

===L===

[[Labbaik Magazine]]

[[Ladha Meghjee]]

[[Ladies Sports festival]]

[[L'âghâ khân et les khojah. Islam chiite et dynamiques sociales dans le sous-continent indien (1843-1954)]]

[[Lalan Alidina]]

[[Lalji Sajan]]

[[Lallan Ali Dina]]

[[Lamu and Aga Khani Ismailis]]

[[Lamu and Arabs]]

[[Lamu and Bohras]]

[[Lamu and Hindus]]

[[Lamu and Pardah]]

[[Lamu and Parsis]]

[[Lamu and Sunnis]]

[[Lamu Imambara]]

[[Lamu Jamat]]

[[Lamu]]

[[Languages]]

[[Lavatia Khojas]]

[[Lawasani]]

[[Leadership Development Program]]

[[Leicter]]

[[Letter by Mulla Asgharali M M Jaffer to Al Hajj Roshanali Nasser on his release from Saddam's prison]]

[[Light magazine]]

[[Linda S Walbridge]]

[[Lindi]]

[[Liyakatali Haji Bhai Bhimani]]

[[Liyaqat Takim]]

[[Luhana]]

===M===

[[Macfarlance]]

[[Madagascar Territorial Council]]

[[Madagascar]]

[[Madoubhai Samdjee]]

[[Madrasa Party Mahuva Jamat]]

[[Madrasat al Zahra]]

[[Madrasatul waezeen]]

[[Magazine Bage Najat]]

[[Magazine Bahar e Majalis]]

[[Magazine Rafiqul Mumineen]]

[[Magazine Rahe Najat]]

[[Magazines]]

[[Mahboob Rupani]]

[[Mahdi Imani]]

[[Mahdi School & Mahdi Girls’ College]]

[[Mahfil e Ali]]

[[Mahfile Bibi Fatema (Zanzibar)]]

[[Mahfile Murtaza]]

[[Mahila college]]

[[Mahim Khoja Jamat Khana]]

[[Mahmood A. Khatau]]

[[Mahomad Peer Bhai]]

[[Mahomad Saya]]

[[Mahomad Yousuf Murgay]]

[[Mahuva Commission case]]

[[Mahuva]]

[[Makani]]

[[Malek Taj Begum]]

[[Manzoorali Kanani honored by the Government of The Union of Comores]]

[[MARC]]

[[Marjaiyat]]

[[Marriage contract]]

[[Marriages and Divorces]]

[[Masjid Nai (Zanzibar)]]

[[Masjid reza]]

[[Masjid Vali Asr]]

[[Master Gulam Husain Nawha Khan]]

[[Masum Somji]]

[[Masuma Bai]]

[[Masumbhai Bhojani]]

[[Matam e Bahrayni]]

[[Matam e Bushehri]]

[[Mauritius]]

[[Mawkib]]

[[Mazagon]]

[[Mazhar Jumani]]

[[MCE]]

[[Mehfile Muhibbane Husein (as) Zanzibar, A.K.A. Mehfile Private]]

[[Mehjabeen Daya]]

[[Mela of Jamnagar]]

[[Memmories of Mulla Qadar Husain]]

[[Mir of Talpore]]

[[Mirza Abul Kassim]]

[[Mirza Aghasi]]

[[Mirza Husain Mirza Khalil Tehrani]]

[[Miskin Shah]]

[[Mobina Jaffer]]

[[Mogadishu]]

[[Mohamed Ali Jinnah]]

[[Mohamed Khalfan]]

[[Mohamed Khalfan]]

[[Mohamed P Hemani]]

[[Mohamed Rafiq Somji]]

[[Mohamed Virani Excels in the Motor Rally in Dar es Salaam]]

[[Mohamedali Janmohamed Kessani]]

[[Mohamedhussein Bandali Versi]]

[[MohamedJaffer Sheriff Dewji]]

[[Mohamedraza Ahmed Datoo]]

[[Mohamedraza Fazel Meghji – Mogadishu]]

[[Mohamedraza Khamis]]

[[Mohammad Haider]]

[[Mohammad Khaku]]

[[Mohammed Baqir Sahib]]

[[Mohammed Dewji]]

[[Mohammed Murtaza]]

[[Mohammedtaki Rehemtullah Pirbhai]]

[[Mohsin Allarakhia]]

[[Mohsin e Qawm]]

[[Mohsin Jaffer]]

[[Mohsin Mohamedhussein Rajabali Alidina]]

[[Mojiz Khamis]]

[[MOLUBHAI - MAN WITH A GOLDEN HEART By Hassan Ali M. Jaffer]]

[[Mombasa]]

[[Momin Jamat]]

[[Morondava]]

[[Moshi]]

[[Moto punth]]

[[MTP]]

[[Muallim family]]

[[Muchul Shah]]

[[Mugal Masjid]]

[[Muhammad Ali Ismail]]

[[Muhammad Ali Jinnah]]

[[Muhammad Ali R Merchant]]

[[Muhammad Bakir Khan (d. 1296/1879)]]

[[Muhammad Dhalla]]

[[Muhammad Dhirani]]

[[Muhammad Khaki (1870-1956)]]

[[Muhammad Lakha]]

[[Muhammad Naqvi]]

[[Muhammad Raza Habib]]

[[Muhammad Razabhai Vakil (Raza Dost Vakil)]]

[[Muhammad Rizvi]]

[[Muhammad Shahi]]

[[Muhammad Shustari]]

[[Muhammad Walji]]

[[Muhammadhussein Sachoo Lalji (Mzee Lalji)]]

[[Muhammadi Welfare, Australia]]

[[Muhsin Dharamsi]]

[[Muhsin Jafar]]

[[Muhsinali Haji Pyarali]]

[[Mujahid Sheriff]]

[[Mukhi]]

[[Mukhiyanis]]

[[Mulla Abdulrasul Khaki]]

[[Mulla Ahmed Abdulrasul Muhammad Lakha]]

[[Mulla Anu]]

[[Mulla Anverali Valimohamed Walji]]

[[Mulla Asgar (Asghar Ali M.M Jaffer)]]

[[Mulla Asgar - An obituary by TheGuardian.com]]

[[Mulla Gulamhussein Peera (Jomba)]]

[[Mulla Jaffer]]

[[Mulla Musa Jaffer wrote against Ibrahim Varteji]]

[[Mulla Qadir Husain Sahib Karbalai]]

[[Multan]]

[[Mumbai Jamat gives condolence to the Bohra Community]]

[[Mumbai Khoja Shias get back pilgrim shelters in Iraq]]

[[Mumbai]]

[[Munir Datoo]]

[[Munir Daya]]

[[Muraj Premji]]

[[Murawwij (Sayyed)]]

[[Murtaza Bharwani]]

[[Murtaza Lakha]]

[[Musafirkhana Ahmedabad]]

[[Musafirkhana Baghdad]]

[[Musafirkhana Basra]]

[[Musafirkhana Bhavnagar]]

[[Musafirkhana Dar es salam]]

[[Musafirkhana Jumalalaji]]

[[Musafirkhana Kanji Musafirkhana]]

[[Musafirkhana Karbala]]

[[Musafirkhana Mashhad]]

[[Musafirkhana Najaf]]

[[Musafirkhana Qum]]

[[Musafirkhana Tehran]]

[[Musafirkhanas]]

[[Musawat issue]]

[[Mushas e Hali al islam..Adelji Dhanji Kaba]]

[[Mustafa Anwer Alarakhia]]

===N===

[[N.L.Parmar]]

[[Nadir Jaffer]]

[[Nadir Jaffer]]

[[Nadir Sadeqi]]

[[Nadir Sadeqi]]

[[Nairobi]]

[[Najafali Tejani]]

[[Najmul hasan]]

[[Nakuru Camp]]

[[Nandi]]

[[Nanji Abraham]]

[[Nanji Alloo]]

[[Narwhal (Punjab]]

[[Nashir al Islam]]

[[Nasimco]]

[[Nasir Dosani Ahmedabad]]

[[Nasir Husain]]

[[Nasir Mahdavi]]

[[Nasser Dewji]]

[[Nasser Virji]]

[[Navazaly Molou]]

[[Nayab Haider]]

[[Nazarali Devji Jamal]]

[[Nazir Jessa]]

[[Nazma Murtaza Giga]]

[[Nazmina Virjee]]

[[New Moon Association]]

[[NGO]]

[[Nizaris]]

[[Noor e Hidayat Publishers]]

[[Noor e Hidayat]]

[[Noor Muhammad Amersey]]

[[Noor Muhammad Meghji]]

[[Noor, Sheikh Noor]]

[[Noormohamed Jivraj]]

[[Nosybe]]

[[Nur Mahomad Rajpal]]

[[Nur Muhammad Meghji]]

[[Nurali Mukhi]]

[[Nurmohamed Manekia - Kilwa Jamat in Perspective]]

===O===

[[OBs (Office Bearers) of WF]]

[[OBs position in WF]]

[[OIL Trust]]

[[Opening Ceremony of Haji Nazarali Imambargha at Kurla, Mumbai]]

===P===

[[Pakistan Federation]]

[[Panjatan Society, Australia]]

[[Panje Bhai]]

[[Paris]]

[[Parvez Merchant]]

[[Pate Island]]

[[Peer Mahomad Kassim]]

[[Peer Mohammed Cassembhoy]]

[[Persian literature about Khojas]]

[[Petandias Khojas]]

[[Pir Mashayikh]]

[[Pir Nur Satguru (Nuruddin)]]

[[Pir Sadrudin]]

[[Pir Shamsuddin]]

[[Pira Wali]]

[[Pirbhai Visram - Lamu, Tabora, Bukoba, Kampala]]

[[Pirhai Jamat in Karachi]]

[[Pirmohamed Dosani - The Pioneer of Lindi]]

[[Pirs]]

[[Portsmouth]]

[[President Asgar Moledina]]

[[President Haidar Haji]]

[[President Hasnain Walji]]

[[President Mulla Asgar]]

[[Presidents of WF]]

[[Prince]]

[[Pune]]

[[Punjabi Khoja]]

[[Pyarali Hirani]]

===Q===

[[Q Fatima]]

[[Qabrastan]]

[[Qaimshahi]]

[[Qum Office]]

[[Quwwatul Islam Mosque]]

===R===

[[RadhaKrushna]]

[[Rafik Ramji]]

[[Rafiqul Mumenne]]

[[Rahe Najat]]

[[Raipur Jamat]]

[[Rajabali Ghulamhussain]]

[[Rajula]]

[[Ramadan Relief Fund]]

[[Ramzan Akberali Asaria]]

[[Ramzan Nanji]]

[[Ramzanbhai Asaria]]

[[Ramzanbhai Nanji]]

[[Ramzanbhai Vankani(Surat)]]

[[Rassoul-oul-Akr’am Tabligh Centre in Antananarivo]]

[[Raza Aly Hiridjee]]

[[Raza Gulani]]

[[Razabhai Surti]]

[[Razia Jan Muhammad]]

[[Rehmat Trust]]

[[Rehmatbai Habib School]]

[[Relentless Endeavours – A biographical review of the life and times of Mulla Asgharali M. M. Jaffer]]

[[Report on a Mission to Yarkand, Calcutta, 1875]]

[[Resident aalims]]

[[Reunion]]

[[Risalae Ahlebait]]

[[Roshan Fazal]]

[[Roshan R Merali]]

[[Russell]]

[[RVS Radio Madagascar]]

===S===

[[Saberi]]

[[Sabira Kanji]]

[[Sabodo]]

[[Sachedina Najiyani]]

[[Sadak Jivraj Meghji]]

[[Sadat Colony (Mahuva)]]

[[Sadiq Hasan Sahab]]

[[Sadiq Merchant]]

[[Sadique Jaffer]]

[[Sadri]]

[[Saeed Akhtar Rizvi]]

[[Saeeda Jiwa]]

[[Safdar Karmali]]

[[Safdar Razi]]

[[Safdarali Akberali Jaffer]]

[[Safder Jaffer]]

[[Sahdev]]

[[Said Mohamed A.K.A. "Said Nyanya"]]

[[Sajan Meharali]]

[[Sajjad M Rashid]]

[[Sajjad Rashid]]

[[Sajjad Rizvi]]

[[Sajjadiya Trust]]

[[Salam Center]]

[[Salim vice president Burundi Jamat]]

[[Samachar (Gujarati and English Magazine)]]

[[Saniwarias]]

[[Sar Sambar]]

[[Sarbandias]]

[[Sarjan Mir Ali’s case]]

[[Sarkari daftar]]

[[Sarv-i Jahan Begum]]

[[Satpanth]]

[[Savtaye Bilal]]

[[Seceders and Ismailis]]

[[Secretary generals]]

[[Services of The World Federation at Meta Village, Gujarat]]

[[Seyyid Abdulhusein Marashi]]

[[Seyyid Rhemtulla]]

[[Shaban Education Trust]]

[[Shabbar Dhalla]]

[[Shabbir Mismai]]

[[Shabbir Mukadam]]

[[Shabeeb Rizvi]]

[[Shabir Karim]]

[[Shabir Najafi]]

[[Shafi Thanawala (Khoja Sunnat Jamat President)]]

[[Shah Abbas]]

[[Shah Bibi]]

[[Shah Rukh Shah]]

[[Shahnavaz Mahdavi]]

[[Shahzadi Begum]]

[[Shakiti Marg]]

[[Shakti Marg]]

[[Shame E Hayat]]

[[Shame e Hidayat]]

[[Shamsuddin Shah]]

[[Shan e Abbas Hassam]]

[[Sharif Gangji]]

[[Sharif Noormohammaed]]

[[Shaukatali Sultanali Mewawala]]

[[Sher e Kuctch]]

[[Shihab Rattansi]]

[[Shiraz Khoja]]

[[Shiraz]]

[[Shivji Alarakhia Khimji - The Pioneer of Lushoto]]

[[Shudras]]

[[Shushtari]]

[[Sibtain Panjwani]]

[[Sibtein Asaria]]

[[Sind]]

[[Sindhi Khoja]]

[[Sindhi]]

[[Sir John Outram]]

[[Sir Sayyed Ahmad Khan na lekho…Adelji Dhanji Kaba]]

[[Sistani]]

[[Siyu]]

[[Soldier Bazar]]

[[Solidarity Day]]

[[Solidarity letter from WF to Aga Khan on Ismaili massacre in Karachi]]

[[Somalia]]

[[Songea]]

[[South Africa]]

[[South Asia]]

[[Spellman]]

[[Stanmore Jamat]]

[[Stanmore WF]]

[[Subhaniyah]]

[[Sufro]]

[[Suhrawardi Sufi order]]

[[Sukarwadis]]

[[Sulayhids]]

[[Suleman Walji - Kilwa]]

[[Sultan Muhammad Shah]]

[[Sultan Somjee]]

[[Sumra dynasty]]

[[Sunni Khojas]]

[[Supreme Council Meeting of Afed]]

[[Sweden Camp]]

[[Sweden]]

[[Syria (IIPS)]]

===T===

[[Tabora KSI Community]]

[[Tahqiq Husain]]

[[Tahrif e Quran]]

[[Talaja]]

[[Tanganyika]]

[[Tantanpura Masjid: Sunni Khojas]]

[[Taqi Hidayati]]

[[Thakkar]]

[[Thakor]]

[[Thal]]

[[The Aga Khan Case: (Khoja Case)]]

[[The awakening Project]]

[[The Community Sports Legends]]

[[The Early Pioneers of Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri of Somalia - Muraj Ukera (1838-1932)]]

[[The Endangered Species]]

[[The Isma'ilis: Their History and Doctrines,, Farhad Daftary]]

[[The Khojas a Journey of faith]]

[[The Legacy of Sports in Zanzibar]]

[[The Makings of a Transnational Khoja Business Community]]

[[The Sowing and Reaping of Destiny – With ABCD Syndrome: Wither Khoja? (2008)]]

[[The World Federation of Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Communities]]

[[Thomas Douglas Forsyth]]

[[Through open doors (A view of Asian Cultures in Kenya) by Cynthia Salvadoru edited by Andrew Fedders]]

[[Tony Blair]]

[[Toronto Jamat]]

[[Triennial Conference 2014]]

[[Trusts]]

[[Tulear]]

[[Tunduru Jamat]]

[[Two Community Members Invited to Obama’s Final State of The Union Address]]

===U===

[[Ucch, South of Multan]]

[[Uganda Exodus in 1972]]

[[University of Winchester and MTP]]

[[Usama Abdulghani]]

===V===

[[Vancouver Jamat]]

[[Vartej Imam Kuwo]]

[[Vartej]]

[[Varuses]]

[[VazirAli F Vazir Advocate]]

[[Vedic Islam]]

[[Vigils]]

===W===

[[Waheeda Rahim]]

[[Waljee Hirjee]]

[[Walji Bhanji]]

[[Walji Ramji (Chittilesso)]]

[[Waqf Board in Gujarat]]

[[We Came in Dhows: Cynthia Salvadori]]

[[Wessex]]

[[Wete Jamaat, Pemba, Tanzania]]

[[WF]]

[[WIPAHS]]

[[Witu, Kenya]]

===Y===

[[Yasin Rahim]]

[[Yazdi]]

[[Yemen and Khojas]]

[[Yusuf Ahmed Karim]]

[[Yusuf Jigar]]

[[Yusuf Nafsi]]

===Z===

[[Zafar Abbas Mavlana]]

[[Zafarul hasan]]

[[Zaheer Bhallo]]

[[Zahra (Mulla Bibi Zahra)]]

[[Zainabiyya Islamic Center]]

[[Zainul Abedeen Mazandarani]]

[[Zaire]]

[[Zakir Husein Faruki]]

[[Zanzibar Boy Scouts]]

[[Zanzibar]]

[[Zanzibar]]

[[Zayn al-Abidin Shah]]

[[ZCSS]]

[[Zengish shah]]

[[Zoulfiqar Vasram]]

The Makings of a Transnational Khoja Business Community

2017-07-09T15:52:36Z

Asadvirani:

==Background==
The genesis of the Khoja Community dates back to late fourteenth century, in the desert of Sind, (in present day Pakistan) bya missionary named Pir Sadr Din who arrived to live among them. Myths about his origins are many. Some historians maintain that he was one amongst many emissaries of the NizariImam of the Ismaili sect. Others suggest that he was a Sufi teacher from Persia. Pir Sadr Din came to live among the rich Hindu landowners called Thakkars, who believed that the Hindu deity Lord Vishnu has had nine incarnations on this earth. They were waiting for the tenth. Pir Sadr Din is reported to have presented them with the notion that he had come to give them the glad tidings of the tenth incarnation of Lord Vishnu and that was Imam Ali (as), the first Imam of the Shia Muslims. Thus, he was successful in converting quite several Lohana Thakkars into an indigenous faith called Satpanth (True Path) – a peculiar admixture of Sufi/Hindu beliefs. This doctrine is encapsulated in a famous ginan entitled DasaAvatara, a primary text for the followers of the Aga Khan until very recently.

To fit into the neatly organised Gujarati Society based on trade or vocations, these converts needed to have a new identity. They could no longer be called Thakkars. Pir Sadr Din obliged and gave them the title of Khwaja, a Persian word closest to the meaning of the word Thakor(i.e. noble). This title morphed into the term Khoja – a phonetic corruption of the word Khwaja. Over a period, several Pirs came after Sadr Din, and gradually, the beliefs crystallised to those of a pluralistic Satpanthi faith. These converts seemed to live a tolerant and syncretic lives without any sectarian conflict until the first half of the 19th Century. It was after the arrival of the Aga Khan from Persia to India that the Satpanthi beliefs gradually crystallised into the exclusive Nizari Ismaili tradition.By this time, the Khojas had spread all over Kutch and Gujarat. Some had also moved to Mumbai and Muscat. The main place of worship was the Jamaat Khana (community centre) and the community life revolved around the Jamaats a socio-religious unit of a particular area.

With the arrival of the Aga Khan in India, greater control was exercised in the affairs of the community. This led to certain groups dissenting and being ousted from the tightly knit Khoja Community. An influential business family by the name of Habib Ibrahim refused to accept the dictate (firman) by the Aga Khan that all the property that belonged to the Jamaat would now vest in the Aga Khan, joined the mainstream Sunni Islam to be later named as Sunni Khojas.

In the wake of this turmoil, a group led by Haji Dewji Jamal visited Ayatullah Shaykh Zayn al-Abedeen Mazandarani in one of their pilgrimages to Karbala. Having introduced to the mainstream Shia beliefs, they requested Ayatullah to send a preacher to disseminate the true tenets of Shia faith. Soon after, at the behest of Ayatullah Mazandarani, an Indian student in Karbalaby the name of Mulla Qadar Husayn joined Dewji Jamal in India to promulgate the teachings of Shiism. The second schism took place when some Khoja families left the Ismaili sect having been schooled by Mulla Qadar. Thus, began this journey of the nascent Khoja Shia IthnaAsheri Community, as it contained its faith in the vessel of Khoja culture.

==The Khoja Wanderlust==

Along with their Gujarati compatriots, Khojas sailed across the torturous Indian Ocean braving the monsoon winds in single sailed dhows to the unexplored East African coast. New to the land, novices in their faith and as a minority amongst a minority, these Khojas began to find their place in East Africa. Their Gujarati penchant for belonging to a ‘nat’ (a closely-knit society) stood them on good stead as they availed of limitless opportunities in the new lands. With an instinct for survival, coupled with a sense of business adventure, Khojas settled all over Eastern Africa. With help from each other they progressed and prospered. Wherever they settled they soon formed themselves into a Khoja Shia IthnaAsheri Community, commonly known as the Jamaat, guarded by a sense of pride and belonging. They counselled each other and invited their families, and fellow men from India to join them and share in their venture.From these few families, the community has now grown to well over 150,000 Khoja Shia IthnaAsheris. The Ismaili Khojas number some 450,000 and there are still a few thousand of Sunni Khojas. It is no mean feat that over five generations the Khoja Shia IthnaAsheri, have spread over five continents, excelling in education, trade, commerce and in the professions.

==Retention of identity==

Beginning with the adjustment of engaging with the natives of their new-found home, and the Arab rulers in the coastal areas of Zanzibar and Mombasa, they came under German rule in Tanganyika, British rule in rest of East Africa, French rule in Madagascar, Italian rule in Somalia, Belgian rule in the Congo and Portuguese rule in Mozambique, these early settlers were subjected to a variety of influences and experiences. Despite the overwhelming pressures caused by differing national interests of these colonial powers and the ravages of the World Wars, it is a remarkable feat that the Khojas could maintain their identity and faith by persistently persevering to remain within a well-knit framework of the Jamaats and then the Federations, leading to the formation of the Word Federation and Regional Federation, modelled on the very first regional body, The Africa Federation,formed in 1945.

==A Transnational Community==

In the same manner, as the young Khojas had braved the monsoons in search for better pastures, on the eastern shores of Africa, taking the political storms in Eastern Africa its stride, the Khoja Community further travelled to West and has now spread in almost 40 countries. It continues in replicating their Indian Sub-Continent and African experience wherever they have settled. In addition to organising Jamaats and religious centres, the Community has not held back in sharing its intellectual and financial resources bymakinga significant contribution in business, professions as well as in civic and humanitarian work in everyplace they reside. True to the entrepreneur spirit of their forefathers, the next generation is now taking up the baton of trade and commerce and is greatly expanding its circle of influence by also excelling in academia, the arts and scientific research.

Today the focus of the Community leadership is to enable the future generations to retain the values and teachings as taught by the Ahlul Bait (AS) while remaining connected to the valuable social capital its Khoja Heritage and Culture has created over time. It must never be forgotten that the Community is what it is today, largely because of an integrative locus of Khoja heritage and Islamic faith as per the teachings of Ahlul Bait AS). The two are far from being mutually exclusive; indeed, one without the other would be like mint with a hole.

 
Penned by Dr. Hasnain Walji, Past President of The World Federation of KSIMC 
Edited by Shaykh Komail Rajani 
http://www.khojabusinessleaders.org/our-history/

The Makings of a Transnational Khoja Business Community

2017-07-09T15:52:07Z

Asadvirani:

==Background==
The genesis of the Khoja Community dates back to late fourteenth century, in the desert of Sind, (in present day Pakistan) bya missionary named Pir Sadr Din who arrived to live among them. Myths about his origins are many. Some historians maintain that he was one amongst many emissaries of the NizariImam of the Ismaili sect. Others suggest that he was a Sufi teacher from Persia. Pir Sadr Din came to live among the rich Hindu landowners called Thakkars, who believed that the Hindu deity Lord Vishnu has had nine incarnations on this earth. They were waiting for the tenth. Pir Sadr Din is reported to have presented them with the notion that he had come to give them the glad tidings of the tenth incarnation of Lord Vishnu and that was Imam Ali (as), the first Imam of the Shia Muslims. Thus, he was successful in converting quite several Lohana Thakkars into an indigenous faith called Satpanth (True Path) – a peculiar admixture of Sufi/Hindu beliefs. This doctrine is encapsulated in a famous ginan entitled DasaAvatara, a primary text for the followers of the Aga Khan until very recently.

To fit into the neatly organised Gujarati Society based on trade or vocations, these converts needed to have a new identity. They could no longer be called Thakkars. Pir Sadr Din obliged and gave them the title of Khwaja, a Persian word closest to the meaning of the word Thakor(i.e. noble). This title morphed into the term Khoja – a phonetic corruption of the word Khwaja. Over a period, several Pirs came after Sadr Din, and gradually, the beliefs crystallised to those of a pluralistic Satpanthi faith. These converts seemed to live a tolerant and syncretic lives without any sectarian conflict until the first half of the 19th Century. It was after the arrival of the Aga Khan from Persia to India that the Satpanthi beliefs gradually crystallised into the exclusive Nizari Ismaili tradition.By this time, the Khojas had spread all over Kutch and Gujarat. Some had also moved to Mumbai and Muscat. The main place of worship was the Jamaat Khana (community centre) and the community life revolved around the Jamaats a socio-religious unit of a particular area.

With the arrival of the Aga Khan in India, greater control was exercised in the affairs of the community. This led to certain groups dissenting and being ousted from the tightly knit Khoja Community. An influential business family by the name of Habib Ibrahim refused to accept the dictate (firman) by the Aga Khan that all the property that belonged to the Jamaat would now vest in the Aga Khan, joined the mainstream Sunni Islam to be later named as Sunni Khojas.

In the wake of this turmoil, a group led by Haji Dewji Jamal visited Ayatullah Shaykh Zayn al-Abedeen Mazandarani in one of their pilgrimages to Karbala. Having introduced to the mainstream Shia beliefs, they requested Ayatullah to send a preacher to disseminate the true tenets of Shia faith. Soon after, at the behest of Ayatullah Mazandarani, an Indian student in Karbalaby the name of Mulla Qadar Husayn joined Dewji Jamal in India to promulgate the teachings of Shiism. The second schism took place when some Khoja families left the Ismaili sect having been schooled by Mulla Qadar. Thus, began this journey of the nascent Khoja Shia IthnaAsheri Community, as it contained its faith in the vessel of Khoja culture.

==The Khoja Wanderlust==

Along with their Gujarati compatriots, Khojas sailed across the torturous Indian Ocean braving the monsoon winds in single sailed dhows to the unexplored East African coast. New to the land, novices in their faith and as a minority amongst a minority, these Khojas began to find their place in East Africa. Their Gujarati penchant for belonging to a ‘nat’ (a closely-knit society) stood them on good stead as they availed of limitless opportunities in the new lands. With an instinct for survival, coupled with a sense of business adventure, Khojas settled all over Eastern Africa. With help from each other they progressed and prospered. Wherever they settled they soon formed themselves into a Khoja Shia IthnaAsheri Community, commonly known as the Jamaat, guarded by a sense of pride and belonging. They counselled each other and invited their families, and fellow men from India to join them and share in their venture.From these few families, the community has now grown to well over 150,000 Khoja Shia IthnaAsheris. The Ismaili Khojas number some 450,000 and there are still a few thousand of Sunni Khojas. It is no mean feat that over five generations the Khoja Shia IthnaAsheri, have spread over five continents, excelling in education, trade, commerce and in the professions.

==Retention of identity==

Beginning with the adjustment of engaging with the natives of their new-found home, and the Arab rulers in the coastal areas of Zanzibar and Mombasa, they came under German rule in Tanganyika, British rule in rest of East Africa, French rule in Madagascar, Italian rule in Somalia, Belgian rule in the Congo and Portuguese rule in Mozambique, these early settlers were subjected to a variety of influences and experiences. Despite the overwhelming pressures caused by differing national interests of these colonial powers and the ravages of the World Wars, it is a remarkable feat that the Khojas could maintain their identity and faith by persistently persevering to remain within a well-knit framework of the Jamaats and then the Federations, leading to the formation of the Word Federation and Regional Federation, modelled on the very first regional body, The Africa Federation,formed in 1945.

==A Transnational Community==

In the same manner, as the young Khojas had braved the monsoons in search for better pastures, on the eastern shores of Africa, taking the political storms in Eastern Africa its stride, the Khoja Community further travelled to West and has now spread in almost 40 countries. It continues in replicating their Indian Sub-Continent and African experience wherever they have settled. In addition to organising Jamaats and religious centres, the Community has not held back in sharing its intellectual and financial resources bymakinga significant contribution in business, professions as well as in civic and humanitarian work in everyplace they reside. True to the entrepreneur spirit of their forefathers, the next generation is now taking up the baton of trade and commerce and is greatly expanding its circle of influence by also excelling in academia, the arts and scientific research.

Today the focus of the Community leadership is to enable the future generations to retain the values and teachings as taught by the Ahlul Bait (AS) while remaining connected to the valuable social capital its Khoja Heritage and Culture has created over time. It must never be forgotten that the Community is what it is today, largely because of an integrative locus of Khoja heritage and Islamic faith as per the teachings of Ahlul Bait AS). The two are far from being mutually exclusive; indeed, one without the other would be like mint with a hole.

 
Penned by Dr, Hasnain Walji, Past President of The World Federation of KSIMC 
Edited by Shaykh Komail Rajani 
http://www.khojabusinessleaders.org/our-history/

The Makings of a Transnational Khoja Business Community

2017-07-09T15:51:46Z

Asadvirani: Created page with "'''The Makings of a Transnational Khoja Business Community''' ==Background== The genesis of the Khoja Community dates back to late fourteenth century, in the desert of Sind, ..."

'''The Makings of a Transnational Khoja Business Community'''

==Background==
The genesis of the Khoja Community dates back to late fourteenth century, in the desert of Sind, (in present day Pakistan) bya missionary named Pir Sadr Din who arrived to live among them. Myths about his origins are many. Some historians maintain that he was one amongst many emissaries of the NizariImam of the Ismaili sect. Others suggest that he was a Sufi teacher from Persia. Pir Sadr Din came to live among the rich Hindu landowners called Thakkars, who believed that the Hindu deity Lord Vishnu has had nine incarnations on this earth. They were waiting for the tenth. Pir Sadr Din is reported to have presented them with the notion that he had come to give them the glad tidings of the tenth incarnation of Lord Vishnu and that was Imam Ali (as), the first Imam of the Shia Muslims. Thus, he was successful in converting quite several Lohana Thakkars into an indigenous faith called Satpanth (True Path) – a peculiar admixture of Sufi/Hindu beliefs. This doctrine is encapsulated in a famous ginan entitled DasaAvatara, a primary text for the followers of the Aga Khan until very recently.

To fit into the neatly organised Gujarati Society based on trade or vocations, these converts needed to have a new identity. They could no longer be called Thakkars. Pir Sadr Din obliged and gave them the title of Khwaja, a Persian word closest to the meaning of the word Thakor(i.e. noble). This title morphed into the term Khoja – a phonetic corruption of the word Khwaja. Over a period, several Pirs came after Sadr Din, and gradually, the beliefs crystallised to those of a pluralistic Satpanthi faith. These converts seemed to live a tolerant and syncretic lives without any sectarian conflict until the first half of the 19th Century. It was after the arrival of the Aga Khan from Persia to India that the Satpanthi beliefs gradually crystallised into the exclusive Nizari Ismaili tradition.By this time, the Khojas had spread all over Kutch and Gujarat. Some had also moved to Mumbai and Muscat. The main place of worship was the Jamaat Khana (community centre) and the community life revolved around the Jamaats a socio-religious unit of a particular area.

With the arrival of the Aga Khan in India, greater control was exercised in the affairs of the community. This led to certain groups dissenting and being ousted from the tightly knit Khoja Community. An influential business family by the name of Habib Ibrahim refused to accept the dictate (firman) by the Aga Khan that all the property that belonged to the Jamaat would now vest in the Aga Khan, joined the mainstream Sunni Islam to be later named as Sunni Khojas.

In the wake of this turmoil, a group led by Haji Dewji Jamal visited Ayatullah Shaykh Zayn al-Abedeen Mazandarani in one of their pilgrimages to Karbala. Having introduced to the mainstream Shia beliefs, they requested Ayatullah to send a preacher to disseminate the true tenets of Shia faith. Soon after, at the behest of Ayatullah Mazandarani, an Indian student in Karbalaby the name of Mulla Qadar Husayn joined Dewji Jamal in India to promulgate the teachings of Shiism. The second schism took place when some Khoja families left the Ismaili sect having been schooled by Mulla Qadar. Thus, began this journey of the nascent Khoja Shia IthnaAsheri Community, as it contained its faith in the vessel of Khoja culture.

==The Khoja Wanderlust==

Along with their Gujarati compatriots, Khojas sailed across the torturous Indian Ocean braving the monsoon winds in single sailed dhows to the unexplored East African coast. New to the land, novices in their faith and as a minority amongst a minority, these Khojas began to find their place in East Africa. Their Gujarati penchant for belonging to a ‘nat’ (a closely-knit society) stood them on good stead as they availed of limitless opportunities in the new lands. With an instinct for survival, coupled with a sense of business adventure, Khojas settled all over Eastern Africa. With help from each other they progressed and prospered. Wherever they settled they soon formed themselves into a Khoja Shia IthnaAsheri Community, commonly known as the Jamaat, guarded by a sense of pride and belonging. They counselled each other and invited their families, and fellow men from India to join them and share in their venture.From these few families, the community has now grown to well over 150,000 Khoja Shia IthnaAsheris. The Ismaili Khojas number some 450,000 and there are still a few thousand of Sunni Khojas. It is no mean feat that over five generations the Khoja Shia IthnaAsheri, have spread over five continents, excelling in education, trade, commerce and in the professions.

==Retention of identity==

Beginning with the adjustment of engaging with the natives of their new-found home, and the Arab rulers in the coastal areas of Zanzibar and Mombasa, they came under German rule in Tanganyika, British rule in rest of East Africa, French rule in Madagascar, Italian rule in Somalia, Belgian rule in the Congo and Portuguese rule in Mozambique, these early settlers were subjected to a variety of influences and experiences. Despite the overwhelming pressures caused by differing national interests of these colonial powers and the ravages of the World Wars, it is a remarkable feat that the Khojas could maintain their identity and faith by persistently persevering to remain within a well-knit framework of the Jamaats and then the Federations, leading to the formation of the Word Federation and Regional Federation, modelled on the very first regional body, The Africa Federation,formed in 1945.

==A Transnational Community==

In the same manner, as the young Khojas had braved the monsoons in search for better pastures, on the eastern shores of Africa, taking the political storms in Eastern Africa its stride, the Khoja Community further travelled to West and has now spread in almost 40 countries. It continues in replicating their Indian Sub-Continent and African experience wherever they have settled. In addition to organising Jamaats and religious centres, the Community has not held back in sharing its intellectual and financial resources bymakinga significant contribution in business, professions as well as in civic and humanitarian work in everyplace they reside. True to the entrepreneur spirit of their forefathers, the next generation is now taking up the baton of trade and commerce and is greatly expanding its circle of influence by also excelling in academia, the arts and scientific research.

Today the focus of the Community leadership is to enable the future generations to retain the values and teachings as taught by the Ahlul Bait (AS) while remaining connected to the valuable social capital its Khoja Heritage and Culture has created over time. It must never be forgotten that the Community is what it is today, largely because of an integrative locus of Khoja heritage and Islamic faith as per the teachings of Ahlul Bait AS). The two are far from being mutually exclusive; indeed, one without the other would be like mint with a hole.

 
Penned by Dr, Hasnain Walji, Past President of The World Federation of KSIMC 
Edited by Shaykh Komail Rajani 
http://www.khojabusinessleaders.org/our-history/