THE BOHRAS - RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY
By Asghar Ali Engineer
The Bohras are convert from Hinduism to the Shi’ah Isma’ili sect of Islam. The conversion took place mainly in the twelfth century A.D. in Gujrat in India. The converted were mainly from the Hindu middle and upper castes and mainly from the castes engaged in trade and commerce. The conversion was mainly result of the work of some Arab missionaries from Egypt and the Yemen. Also later on the indigenous converts undertook the missionary activities in other contiguous regions like the areas that today constitute Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Thus today the Bohras in India, mainly live in these areas and number around 8 to 9 lakhs. They are mainly engaged in small trade though now a newly educated professional class is also coming into existence. Here in this article we will mainly deal with their religion, belief-system and spiritual practices.
http://www.dawoodi-bohras.com/issues/rel_spirit.htm