Musta'li Isma'ilism (Arabic:المستعلية,romanized: al-Mustaʿliyya) is a branch ofIsma'ilism named for their acceptance ofal-Musta'li as the legitimate ninthFatimid caliph and legitimate successor to his father,al-Mustansir Billah (r. 1036–1094/1095). TheNizari the other living branch of Ismailism, led byAga Khan V believe the ninth caliph was al-Musta'li's elder brother,Nizar.
The Musta'li originated in Fatimid-ruledEgypt, later moved its religious center toYemen, and gained a foothold in 11th-centuryWestern India throughmissionaries.
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Historically, there was a distinction between theTayyibi and theHafizi Musta'lis, the former recognisingAbu'l-Qasim al-Tayyib as the legitimate heir of the Imamate afteral-Amir bi-Ahkam Allah and the latter followingal-Hafiz, who was enthroned as caliph. The Hafizi view lost all support following the downfall of the Fatimid Caliphate: later Musta'lis are all Tayyibi.
Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin was the 52ndDa'i al-Mutlaq of the Dawoodi Bohra community. After he died in 2014 Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin succeeded him, as the 53rd Da'i al-Mutlaq of The Dawoodi Bohra community.
According to Musta'lī tradition, after the death ofal-Amir bi-Ahkam Allah, his infant son,Abu'l-Qasim al-Tayyib, about two years old, was protected byArwa al-Sulayhi who died in 1138, wife of the chief Fatimid Da'i of Yemen. She had been promoted to the post ofHujjat al-Islam long before by al-Mustansir Billah when her husband died and ran the Fatimid dawah from Yemen in the name ofImam Abu'l-Qasim al-Tayyib. During her leadership Abu'l-Qasim al-Tayyib went into occultation so she instituted the office ofDa'i al-Mutlaq.Zoeb bin Moosa was first to be instituted to this office and the line ofTayyibi Da'is that began in 1132. Arwa al-Sulayhi was the Hujjah in Yemen from the time of ImamAl-Mustansir Billah. She appointed theDa'i in Yemen to run religious affairs.Isma'ili missionaries Ahmed andAbdullah (in about 1067 AD (460 AH))[1][2] were also sent to India in that time. They sentSyedi Nuruddin to Dongaon to look after southern part andSyedi Fakhruddin to EastRajasthan, India.[3][4]
Imams 11–21 were caliphs who ruled theFatimid Caliphate.[citation needed]
The imams from Muhammad ibn Isma'il onward wereocculted by the Musta'li; their names as listed by Dawoodi Bohra religious books are listed above.[5]
Arwa al-Sulayhi was the Hujjah from the time of Imam Mustansir. She appointed Dai in Yemen to run religious affair. Ismaili missionaries Ahmed andAbdullah (in about 1067 AD (460 AH))[1][2] were sent to India in that time. According to Fatimid tradition, after the death of Al-Amir bi-Ahkami'l-Lah, Arwa al-Sulayhi instituted theDa'i al-Mutlaq in place of Dai to run the independentdawah from Yemen in the name of Imam Tayyib. The Dais are appointed one after other in the same philosophy ofnass (nomination by predecessor) as done by earlier imams. It is believed that God's representative cannot die before appointing his true successor. This is being followed from the time of 3rd Imam Ali al-Sajjad, the strong army of Yazid also could not think of killing him, although they did not spare even a child of six months,Ali al-Asghar ibn Husayn.
Under the fifteenth Imam,Al-Aziz Billah, the fifth Fatimid caliph, religious tolerance was given great importance. As a small Shi'i group ruling over a majority Sunni population with a Christian minority also, the Fatimid caliphs were careful to respect the sentiments of people. One of the viziers of Imam Aziz was Christian, and high offices were held by both Shia and Sunnis. Fatimid advancement in state offices was based more on merit than on heredity.[6]
Al-Aziz Billah rebuilt theSaint Mercurius Church in Coptic Cairo nearFustat and encouraged public theological debate between the chief Fatimidqadi and thebishops ofOriental Orthodoxy in the interest ofecumenism.[6]
As is the case with the majority of the Shia, Ismailis conclude theShahada withʿAliyun waliyu l-Lah ("Ali is the successor ofGod"). Musta'lis recite the following shahada:
ʾašhadu ʾan lā ʾilāha ʾillā l-Lāh,
waʾašhadu ʾan Muḥammadun ʿabduhun warasūlu l-Lāh;
ʾanna mawlāna ʿAliyun waṣiyuhu wawazīruhu;
I bear witness that there is no god but God,
and I bear witness that Mohammad is God's servant and His Messenger
and Ali is his successor and minister.[citation needed]
The first part of this shahada is common to all Muslims and is the fundamental declaration oftawhid. The wording of the last phrase is specific to the Musta'li.
The second phrase describes the principle ofProphecy in Shia Islam.
The third phrase describes the Musta'li theological position of the role of Ali.
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