THE KHOJAS A PEOPLES HISTORY The People, Their Powers, Privilege, Pride and Prejudice.

1
THE KHOJASA PEOPLES HISTORYThe People, Their
Powers, Privilege, Pride and Prejudice.

• Hasnain Walji

2
Life must be lived forward, but understood
backward - Kierkegaard

• People live in the present.
• They plan for and worry about the future.
• History, however, is the study of the past.
• Given all the demands that press in from living
  in the present and anticipating what is yet to
  come
  
• why bother with what has been?
• The answer is because we virtually must, to gain
  access to the laboratory of human experience
  

3
Why study history?

• History Helps Us Understand People and Societies
• Helps Us Understand Change and How the Society We
  Live in Came to Be
  
• Contributes to Moral Understanding
• History Provides Identity
• Develops skills
• The Ability to Assess Evidence.
• The Ability to Assess Conflicting
  Interpretations
  
• Experience in Assessing Past Examples of Change

4
Unique Trait !!Masters of the Understatement

• 'When there is one Englishman, you have a
  gentleman.
  
• When there are two, you have a Club.
• When there are three Englishmen, you have an
  empire.'
  
• When you have one Khoja, you have a lonely
  individual.
  
• When there are two Khoja, you have a Jamat.
• And when there three Khoja, there is a
  'Federation.'

5
Who Cares?

• Why, when and where did we come into existence
• Why, should we concern ourselves to perpetuate
  the existence and development of the Community in
  its present form as we have done so far?
  
• What, if we cease to exist as a Community as
  such?
  
• Are we succeeding in our current endeavours?
• What are our ideals in life and what is our
  vision for the type of society we wish to evolve
  for our progeny?
  

6
History of History

• Khoja Vrattant
• Sachedin Nanjiamni 1892
• History of the Khojas
• Jafferi Rehmtukllah - 1905
• Khoja Kawm ni Taarikh
• Adelji Dhanji Kaaba 1912
• Mulla Qadra Husain nu Jiwan Charitray
• Mulla Qadir Husein

7
Bibliography

• Hollister, J.N. (1953). The Shi'a of India. Luzac
  Company, LondonEngland.
  
• Jaffer, A.M.M. (1989). An Outline History of
  Khoja. Shia Ithna'asheri In Eastern Africa.
  (World Federation) LondonEngland.
  
• Rizvi, S.S.A. (date unknown). The Khoja Shia
  Ithna-Asheriya Community in East Africa
  (1840-1967). (publisher unknown).
  
• Salvadori, C. (1989). Through Open DoorsA view
  of Asian Cultures in Kenya. Kenway Publications,
  Nairobi Kenya.

8
Our ConversionCirca 14th Century CE

• From Hindus to
• Ismaili ?
• Ithna'ashari ?
• Ahle Sunnat ?
• Three divisions of Khojas
• Ismailiya Khojas
• Ithnaasheri Khojas
• Sunni Khojas

9
Who are the Ismailis

• Split occurred over the recognition of the
  Seventh Imam.
  
• Shiites Twelvers, those who accept the first
  Twelve Imams, maintain that the Sixth Imam,
  passed over his eldest son, Ismail, in favor of
  Ismail's brother Musa al Kazim (AS) .
• Ismailis, however, believe that Imam Jafar Sadiq
  (as) appointed Ismail to be the Seventh Imam -
  hence Ismailis are often called Seveners.
  
• Second division took place
• after the death of Mustanser, the commander of
  the troops deposed Nizar, the successor of Imam
  Mustanser and replaced him by his brother
  Al-Musta'li.

10
Aga Khanis and Bohra

• Nizar escaped by the help of his followers in
  Cairo, and went to Syria and then to Iran.
  
• Those Ismailis who followed al-musta'li became
  known first as Musta'lians,- Bohra.
  
• Those who followed Nizar up to present, Karim
  Agha Khan, were known as Ismaili Nizari

11
History of Pirs

• 6-9 Centuries ago Pirs Converted many Hindus
• Pir Satgur Nur d 1094 or 1242 in Gujarat
• Pir Shams d 1356 in Punjab
• Pir Sadr Din (Sahdeva)
• arrived in Sindh 1276 (?)
• most likely person responsible for the
  conversion of our fore fathers
  
• Was he a Ismaili, Ithnaasheri or Sunni?

12
The Beginning

• Some 600 years ago a missionary by the name of
  Pir Sadruddin arrived in Sind in India.
  
• Number of myths about his origins.
• The most common consensus among historians is
  that he was Dai (emissary) of the Nizari branch
  of the Ismaili sect.
  
• That he was a sufi teacher from Iran.
• There is even a story that he was a Hindu priest
  by the name Sahdev who had been caught stealing
  in the temple and hence disgraced and defrocked.
  He then left the temple, changed his appearance
  and took on the name of Sadr Din

13
Mode of Conversion

• Aware of the belief of the Lohanas
• Established Common ground in Faith
• Concept of Das Awtar
• Ali (AS) 10th reincarnation of Vishnu ???
• A case of end Justifying the means

14
Das Avtar

• Pir Sadr-din lived for some time amongst the rich
  Hindu landowners called Thakkers.
  
• studied their way of life and of worship.
• The Thakkers believed that the god Vishnu had
  lived through nine incarnations on this earth.
  They were waiting for the tenth.
  
• Pir Sadruddin managed to convince them that
  Hazrat Ali (AS.) was the Dasmo Awtaar of Vishnu
  (The Tenth Incarnation).
  
• He converted quite a number of the Thakkers into
  a faith called Satpanth (True Path) - a peculiar
  admixture of Sufic/Hindu ideas.
  
• (The main book called Das Awtar was considered a
  primary text for the followers of the Aga Khan
  until very recently.)
  

15

• Over a period of time, several pirs came after
  Sadrudin and gradually, the beliefs crystallised
  to those of the Ismaili Nizari faith
  particularly after the arrival of the Aga Khan 1
  from Iran to India in the first half of the 19th
  Century.
• By this time the Khojas had spread all over over
  Kutch and Gujarat. Some had also moved to Bombay
  and Muscat.
  
• They paid their dues to the Ismaili Jamaat Khaana
  and lived quite harmoniously within their
  society.
  
• The main place of worship was the Jamaat Khaana
  and the (Jamaat) community was organised round
  the Jamaat Khaana - which served as a religious
  as well as a social centre

16
The KSI Today

• With the arrival of the Aga Khan 1 in India,
  greater control was exercised by the Aga Khan in
  the affairs of the community.
  
• This led to certain groups dissenting and being
  ousted from the Jamaat Khaana.
  
• KSI are the decedents of that dissenting group

17
KHOJADescribes cast not faith

• Phonetic Corruption of Word Khwaja
• Original Sanskrit Khoj to seek?
• Khoja Absorbed in remembrance ? Or Lost?
• Inherited the caste ideas from their Hindu
  ancestors.
  
• Khoja label has no connection in Islam.
• A Khoja is a Khoja by birth.
• Remains one even when he adopts a new faith
• You can be a Christian Khoja or a Jewish Khoja
  !!! ???
  

18
Sadr Din to Aga Khan1276 1840 CE

• Few accounts of Connection between Nizari Imams
  and the Aga Khan
  
• Death of 44th Ismaili Imam Abul Hasan passed to
  his son Khalilullah
  
• 1817 Khalilullah killed in Yezd by a mulla
  jealous of his popularity
  
• Shah of Iran Fateh Ali Shahawards Khalilullas
  son Hasan Ali Sha with governorship of Kerman
  
• Fateh Ali Sha dies 1834 Hasan Ali Shah flees to
  Afghanistan and then to India in 1840

19
The First CrackEra of Khoja - Jagruti

• 1829 Habib Ibrahim 50 Families refused to pay
  Dasondh All ousted
  
• 1845 to 1860 turmoil in the Community
• 1861 declaration that Sunni Mullas will not
  conduct nikah and burial rites
  
• Aga Khan asks his followers to put their
  signatures declaring their Shia Affiliation

20
Barbhaya

• In 1829, a rich merchant - Habib Ibrahim refused
  to pay the religious tax known as Dasond (the
  tenth) to the administrators of the Jamaat Khana
  
• The dissenting groups, because of its long
  contact with Sunni Mullas, was inclined towards
  the Sunni school of thought in its religious
  practices.
• In 1830 all those families were ousted from the
  Jamaat Khana

21
Turmoil 1845 - 1861

• The period between 1845 and 1861 marked a
  socio-religious turmoil in the Khoja Community.
  
• 1850 four members of the Habib Ibrahim's group
  were killed by the followers of Agha Khan in
  Mahim Jamaat Khana following which nineteen
  followers of Agha Khan were arrested.
• Four of them were sentenced to death.

22
Not an Easy Entry

• The Khojas did not immediately accept him as
  their religious leader.
  
• The first Agha Khan established his religious
  authority in India after some difficulties,
  records Dr. Daftary
  
• In 1845, Aga Khan I had issued a Circular to
  the Khojas of India, asking them to change their
  religious ceremonies to Shi'ah ritual, to be
  performed by Shi'ah Maulvis and Sayyids instead
  of Sunni Mullahs.  
• Khojas of Kera opposed the Circular.
• Aga 'Ali Shah came to Kutchh in 1858 to settle
  the dispute
  
• Residents of Kera was very strong and did not
  come to terms.
  
• Khojas of Mahuwa opposed the Circular.
• They too refused to obey the order.

23
1851 Declaration of Rights

• As soon as the Aga Khan moved his headquarters he
  aspired to take over the properties belonging to
  the Khoja community of Bombay.
  
• These properties were built long before the
  arrival of the Aga Khan, by the Khoja community
  with their own resources,.
  
• The Khojas had from time to time subscribed money
  for the Jamat's purposes
  
• In 1851, a Declaration of Rights was pronounced
  by Justice Sir Erskine Perry,
  
• ...the property belonged exclusively to the
  Jamat, and that the Jamat and not the Aga Khan,
  could dispose it off as it liked.
  
• Sir Erskine Perry also pronounced that Every
  Khojah be he a Soonee, or a Sheeah, had a right
  to go to the Jamatkhana for worship, and to use
  the utensils and other properties therein.

24
1866 A.D. Khoja case

•  In 1866 complaint against Aga Khan in the High
  Court of Bombay. - known as the Khoja Case.
  
• In the judgement document, it is recorded
• The plaintiffs contend that Pir Sadr-ud-din, was
  a Suni that the Khoja community has ever since
  its first conversion been and now is, Sunni and
  that no persons calling themselves Khojas who are
  not Sunis, are entitled to be considered members
  of the Khoja community, or to have any share or
  interest in the public property of the Khoja
  community or any voice in the management
  thereof.
• The plaintiffs lost the court battle.

25
Turning Point in Khoja History

• This landmark court decision by Justice Sir
  Joseph Arnould in favour of the Aga Khan was a
  turning point in the history of the Khoja
  community,
• Years of exile for the political refugee from
  Iran were over.
  
• At the time of the judgment all the properties of
  the Khoja Jama'at, including the Jama'at khanas,
  burial grounds, etc., stood in the name of the
  Jamaat
• and after that date the properties were
  transferred into the name of Aga Khan. The
  judgment sealed the fate of the Khoja community.
  
• Aga Khan got a Raj (regime) of his own to dictate
  and steer the Khoja Muslims the way he and his
  descendants would decide.
  

26
In the words of an Ismaili Academic

• Diamond Rattansi an Ismaili scholar
• Islamization and the Khojah Isma'ili Community in
  Pakistan (Ph.D. dissertation, Institute of
  Islamic Studies, McGill University, Canada, 1987)
  
• The Nizari Ismailis of Pakistan Ismailism,
  Islam and Westernism viewed through the Firmans
  1936-1980
  
• On the subject of Justice Arnould's verdict
  Rattansi writes
  
• The British not only confirmed the Agha Khan's
  absolute and divine authority but had earlier
  recognized Isma'ili loyalty to the British by
  granting the Agha Khan the title of His
  Highness, and a life pension of Rs. 3,000 per
  annum. In this gesture the British probably
  sought an advantage by rallying support against
  those Muslims who resented the British rule.

27
The Aga Khans

• Aga 1 Hasan Ali Shah 1817 - 1881
• Aga 2 Aga Ali Shah 1881 - 1885
• Aga 3 Sultan Mohamed Shah 1885 - 1957
• Aga 4 Karim Al Husaini 1957 to Present

28
1905 Haji Bibi case

• In 1905, a suit was brought against Aga Khan III
  by Haji Bibi .
  
• The widow was a daughter of Jungi Shah, an uncle
  of Aga Khan III.
  
• The petition was filed in the High Court of
  Bombay
  
• Justice Russell
• The mother of defendant 1 Aga Khan III and some
  of his relatives are Asnasharis.
  
• He himself admitted that he had been present on
  an occasion when the Ziarat to the 3rd, 8th and
  the 12th Imams of the Asnasharis was said but
  he did not repeat it....

29
Shariff Noormohamed questions

• in Savant 1952 (1901) during the month of
  Ramadhan, on the nights of 19th, 21st, and 23rd
  Ramadhan there were gatherings in the main
  Jamatkhana.
• At these gatherings you had placed Qur'an upon
  your head, asked the others to do so and did the
  Amal of Sabe-Qad'r.
  
• During these ritual the names of each of the
  Ithna'ashri Imams were taken ten times and
  thereafter Magfarat (forgiveness) was sought from
  Allah in the name of Fourteen Ma'sums. At that
  time you did not remember the Ismaili Imams.
  Please explain your reasons for this.
• The Aga Khan answers
• Imam Jaffar Sadiq had two sons. One was Musa and
  the other was Ismail. Now please tell me, what is
  the relationship between the sons of Musa and
  Ismail?
• Shariff Noormohamed Cousins
• The Aga Khan rejoins
• They are our cousins Evidently, we should
  remember them. Why should we not remember them?
  Because of you!
  

30
1906 End of Democracy

• Immediately after the Haji Bibi Case of 1905, Aga
  Khan dismissed the jurisprudent committees of the
  Khoja Community.
  
• These committees were operative in India from
  olden days and were known as Khoja Joostis.
  
• The elected members of the Khojah Joostis were
  generally elderly members of the community,
  including Mukhi and Kamadia, and were selected by
  the Jama'at on the merits of their experience to
  resolve Jama'ati problems
• The democratic process of electing community
  leadership was abolished from the Khoja Jama'at.
  
  
• Aga Khan replaced these Joostis with Shi'ah
  Imami Ismaili Councils.. The office-holders of
  the Ismailia Councils were now appointed by the
  Aga Khan. The democratic process was thus
  abolished.
• Since 1906, appointments for the posts of Local,
  Regional, Provincial, National, and World
  Councils have been nominated by the Aga Khan
  

31
1910 A.D. Shia Imami Ismaili Constitution

• In 1910, Aga Khan III promulgated the Shi'ah
  Imami Ismaili Constitution ordained under his
  seal.
  
• He made a strict Farman to his Jama'at,
  commanding them to abide by the promulgated laws.
  
  
• The opening article of this Constitution is
  entitled Power and Authority of Mawalana Hazar
  Imam. The opening clause reads
  
• 1.1 Mawlana Hazar Imam has inherent right and
  absolute and unfettered power and authority over
  and in respect of all religious and Jamati
  matters of the Ismailis.

32
Era of Tabligh

• 1856 Mulla Qader Husain Opens madrasa in Mumbai
• 1872 Dewji Jamal brings Mulla Qader Husain Back
• 1901 Major Conflict and split
• Lalaji Sajan and Hirji Alarakhia Killed
• 1901 Mumbai Jamaat established

33
Mulla Qadir Husain

• Mulla , Qadir Husayn, an Ithna'ashri Alim ,
  settled in Bombay. opened a Madrasa in 1862
  
• Mullah Qadir returned to Kerbala.
• Dewji Jamal visits Karbala
• 1872 Ayatullah Mazandarani in Iraq sent Mullah
  Qadir Husayn to Bombay.
  
• His efforts resulted in more and more Khoja
  families leaving the Ismaili sect and accepting
  the Shia Ithnaasheri faith .
  

34
Shaikh Abul Qasim Najafi

• In 1307 Hijri - 1881 CE another well known Aalim
  Ayatullah Shaikh Abul Qasim Najafi came to Bombay
  from Najaf.
  
• Khoja Ithna'asharis who were associating
  themselves with other Ithna'asharis started
  coming to him for religious dialogues and
  discussions.
• He commenced Namaz-e-Juma, which was so far never
  offered by Shias in Bombay, on Friday 26th
  Jamaadiul Aakhar 1315 Hijri at Shustri Imambara,
  Bhendi Bazaar, in which Khojas who were
  ostensibly in the other Jamaat and had formed
  secret organisation also participated.

35
Haji Ghulam Ali Haji Ismail

• Another prominent student of Mulla Qadir Husain,
  namely Haji Ghulam Ali Haji Ismail (Haji Naji)
  began to preach the Ithnsnaashari faith
  
• launched his monthly journal 'Rahe Najat' (path
  of Salvation) which is now one of the most widely
  read Shi'ite religious monthly in Gujarati
  language, whose first number was published in
  Zilqad of 1310 A.H. (1892.).
• The invaluable service that was rendered by Haji
  Naji was the most critical time in the History of
  the Khoja Shia Isnaashari Community in India and
  elsewhere.

36
Ismaili Leaders react

• Ismaili leaders started to impose restrictions on
  them.
  
• The dissenting group of the Khojas had made up
  their minds.
  
• They met Mulla Qadar Sahab and swore on Quran
  that if any one of their group is outcasted
  every other member following this path would join
  that person.
• Haji Dewji Jamal and Haji Khalfan Ratansi were
  two of the most prominent who persons provided
  the moral as well as financial support for this
  new group, namely.

37
Establishment of Jamat in Mumbai

• In 1901, the splinter group made an announcement
  in the newspapers and established a Khojah
  Ithna'ashri Jamaat in Mumbai.
  
• The group became known as Nani Jamaat, and the
  mainstream was called Moti Jamaat.
  
• When the splinter group decided to build their
  separate Mosque it was rumored that Aga Khan,
  offered to contribute financially.
  
• The group members rejected this offer when they
  learned that Aga Khan wanted to have
  administrative control over the Mosque, similar
  to the one he had over the Jamaat khanas.

38
Shaheeds Hirji Alarkhya and Lalji Sajan

• Two Fidayeen's within the Ismaili community,
  took upon themselves, the recourse to murder Haji
  Allarakia, Laljee Sajjan and Abdullah Laljee,
  
• This murderous attack was instrumental in
  creating a permanent division
  
• Hirji Allarakia and Laljee Sajjan succumbed to
  their injuries.
  
• The third victim, Abdullah Laljee, survived the
  attack because the assailant was prevented from
  making a second stab by Noormohamed Dossal.
  
• Abdullah Laljee was of the founding members of
  the Ithna'ashri Jamat and played a leading role
  in the building of the Pala Gali
  

39
Shahid Killu Khatau Nagarpurwala

• Mullah's favourite student, Killu, was taunted
  and in anger he stabbed the chief Mukhi Mukhi
  Hasan died.
  
• Killu admitted to the killing and was sentenced
  to death by hanging.
  
• The court trials of Killu, as well as his
  subsequent funeral procession and burial, brought
  the dissident Khojas out in the open. Prominent
  among them were Haji Dewji Jamal, Haji Gulam Ali
  Haji Ismail, and Haji Khalfan Rattansi.

40
Khalfan Ratansis Daughter dies

• In the meantime Haji Ratansi's daughter died.
• The Ismaili community required the abandoning of
  the Isnaashari faith as pre-condition for Haji
  Ratansi to attend his daughters funeral but he
  refused to give in and his daughter had to be
  buried in the Iranian cemetery.
• What helped the nani Jamaat' was the support of
  many non-Khoja Ithnasshari Shi'ites in Bombay.

41
Jamat Fever Spreads around the Khoja world

• The success of the Khojas in Bombay to form their
  own group spread throughout the Khoja world at
  that time.
  
• Everywhere a new Jamaat was formed and the
  movement of spreading the Isnaashari teachings
  was symbolized by the construction of mosques
  instead of 'Jamaat Khanas' and the performance of
  regular salat as practiced by all other Shias.

42
Trials Tribulation

• A major schism within the Khoja community
• In its wake, came many trials and tribulations
  for the seceding community resulting in severing
  of family ties and even loss of lives.
  
• Amongst other reasons, like severe economic
  hardships, this split in the Community,
  encouraged many young members of the Community to
  set sail, during the North Eastern Monsoons from
  the ports of Mandvi and Porbandar to venture
  towards East African shores in their dhows.

43
On to new lands

• boundless opportunities,
• Daunting prospect of exploring a vast unexplored
  tract of land within the milieu of African and
  Arab cultures.
  
• To challenge them further,
• these Khoja pioneers were subjected to a variety
  of European influences as they learned to deal
  with German rule in Tanganyika, British rule in
  other parts of East Africa, French rule in
  Madagascar, Italian rule in Somalia, Belgian rule
  in the Congo and Portuguese rule in Mozambique.

44
Dispersal of the KSI Community form India

• The initial stage was the movement from Kutch,
  Kathiawad and Gujarat to Bombay and Karachi.
  
• Phase two was further movement towards the latter
  half of the lastcentury to East Africa, Burma
  and Aden.
  
• After the second World War, 1939-1945 and the
  independence of the Indo -Pak sub Continent in
  1947, in the aftermath of the partition of India,
  a further wave of migration of Khojas took place
  from Cutch, Kathiawad, Gujarat and Bombay to
  Karachi in Pakistan,

45
From Africa to the world

• In the wake of the subsequent liberation of the
  African Colonies in1960's and arising out of the
  ensuing political upheavels,especially in
  Zanzibar, (1964) Uganda,(1972) Mozambique,
  Madagaskar and Congo, another wave of movement
  from the Continent of Africa, and later on, also
  from Aden, took place.
• This resulted in further dispersal of the
  Community to the Four Corners of the Globe.
  
• The latest exhodus took place in 1990, when an
  entire community of 1,100 living in Somalia was
  evacuated in a daring seaborne evacuation
  excersise organised by the Community members
  settled in Kenya, while Mogadishu, the capital
  city of Somalia was rocked with civil war and
  nter tribal strife.

46
The Federations

• In 1945, the Community in Africa resolved to
  unite and organisethemselves collectively by
  forming the Federation of theK.S.I.Jamaats of
  Africa.
• In the aftermath of the Uganda exodus, they took
  a further step to form the World Federation. It
  was only afterthe formation of the World
  Federation in 1976, when some positivelinks with
  the Indo-Pak sub Continent were revived. The
  WorldFederation under the spirited leadership of
  Mulla Asgher played avital role in the formation
  of the Gujrat Federation and in bringingthe
  world community closer to each other.
• In 198? NASIMCO was formed

47
All Over the World

• Within a space of four years after 1972, many
  Khoja Shia Ithna'ashries of Africa found their
  new homes in England, the U.S.A., Canada, other
  European countries, the Middle East - with a
  section of them back home in India or Pakistan.
• Today, members of the Khoja Community are to
  befound in Newzealand, Australia, Japan, Hong
  Kong, Singapore, Eastern and Central Africa, the
  Middle East, Scandinavia, Europe and North
  America.
• Of late, there has also been some movement
  towards South America and Russia.

48
Under 125,000

• Despite this widespread dispersal of the
  Community and the organizedmanner in which they
  endeavor to conduct their affairs, the numberof
  Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslims world wide today
  is estimated ataround 110,000 only. The highest
  figure bandied around is 125,000.

49
The nuances of our history

• Is it any wonder therefore, that this bewildering
  array of influences may well have engendered a
  fear in the minds of the Khoja of losing their
  identity?
• Would this explain the persistent perseverance by
  the Khojas to remain within a well-knit framework
  of the Jamaats and Federations, guarded so
  jealously, resisting any intrusion?

50
Where do we go form here?

• Understandably, the new generation is questioning
  the modus operandi and the insularity of the
  community whilst the old guard insists upon
  retaining what has worked well for the community
  for almost a century. So, where do we go form
  here?

51
Who Cares?

• Now that we have some insight as to why, when and
  where did we come into existence
  
• Should we concern ourselves to perpetuate the
  existence and development of the Community in its
  present form as we have done so far?
  
• What, if we cease to exist as a Community as
  such?
  
• Are we succeeding in our current endeavours?
• What are our ideals in life and what is our
  vision for the type of society we wish to evolve
  for our progeny?