Who are Dawoodi Bohra Muslims? Significance of PM Modi's visit to Egypt's Al-Hakim Mosque explained

In Cairo, Egypt, at the Imam al-Hakim bi Amr Allah Mosque, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a brief halt on his way from the maiden state visit to the US. PM Modi visited Cairo's historic Al-Hakim Mosque, restored with the help of India's Dawoodi Bohra community.

Modi's visit to the mosque holds special significance for India.

The Mosque has been restored with the help of India's Dawoodi Bohra community, the Egyptian government's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said. The latest restoration was completed about three months ago.

The mosque mainly performs Friday prayers and all five obligatory prayers.

"Our Prime Minister will also be visiting the historic Al-Hakim Mosque which was built in the 11th century when the Fatimid dynasty was ruling Egypt," India's Ambassador to Egypt, Ajit Gupte said.

The Bohra community which is settled in India originated from the Fatimids. They renovated the Mosque from 1970 onwards and have been maintaining it since then, he told PTI.

Two to five million Dawoodi Bohras are expected to live in more than 100 countries as of 2021. The majority resides in the Indian state of Gujarat and in the Pakistani city of Karachi. In Europe, North America, the Middle East, and East Africa, there is a sizable diaspora.

"So, the Prime Minister has a very close attachment to the Bohra community who have also been in Gujarat for many years and it will be an occasion for him to again visit a very important religious site for the Bohra community," Gupte said.

The historic Mosque has been named after Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, the 16th Fatimid caliph and is an important religious and cultural site for the Dawoodi Bohra community.

The Dawoodi Bohra Muslims are a sect of followers of Islam who adhere to the Fatimi Ismaili Tayyibi school of thought. They are known to have originated from Egypt and later shifted to Yemen, before establishing a presence in India in the 11th century.

Prime Minister Modi has a long-standing and warm relationship with the Dawoodi Bohras even before he became Prime Minister.

Who are Dawoodi Bohra Muslim? 

A group of Muslims who follow the Fatimi Ismaili Tayyibi school of thought are known as the Dawoodi Bohra Muslims. It is reported that this group first appeared in Egypt before moving to Yemen.

In the eleventh century, Muslims known as the Dawoodi Bohra settled in India. Notably, the sect's headquarters were transferred from Yemen to Sidhpur (Patan district of Gujarat), India, in the year 1539.

In our country, there are 5 lakh Bohra Muslims, according to government statistics. Despite having members in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra as well, the Bohra Muslim community considers Surat in the Gujarati state of Gujarat to be their home.

The Dawoodi Bohras are a well-known close-knit society that adheres to the five pillars of Islam, including reciting the Quran, participating in the Hajj and Umra pilgrimages, keeping the five daily prayers, fasting during Ramadan, and paying Zakat. Although maintaining traditional values is crucial for the community, they are also renowned for their mercantilism and modernist outlook on life. 

(with inputs from PTI)