The Musta'li originated in Fatimid-ruledEgypt, later moved its religious center toYemen, and gained a foothold in 11th-centuryWestern India throughmissionaries.
Historically, there was a distinction between theTayyibi and theHafizi Musta'lis, the former recognizingat-Tayyib Abu'l-Qasim 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.
There is also a community ofSunni Bohra in India. In the fifteenth century, there was schism in the Bohra community of Patan in Gujarat as a large number converted from Musta'li Isma'iliShia Islam to mainstream HanafiSunni Islam. The leader of this conversion movement to Sunni was Syed Jafar Ahmad Shirazi who also had the support of the Mughal governor ofGujarat.
In 1592, a leadership struggle caused the Ṭayyibi Ismailis to split. Following the death of the 26th Dai in 1591 CE,Sulayman bin Hassan, the grandson of the 24th Dai, waswali in Yemen and claimed the succession, supported by a few Bohras from Yemen and India. However, most Bohras denied his claim ofnass, declaring that the supporting document evidence was forged. The two factions separated, with the followers of Suleman Bin Hasan becoming theSulaymanis named after Sulayman ibn Hassan and mainly located inYemen andSaudi Arabia, and the followers of Syedna Dawood Bin Qutubshah becoming the Dawoodi Bohra.Dawoodi Bohra, found mostly in theIndian subcontinent.
A split in 1637 from the Dawoodi Bohra resulted in theAlavi Bohra.
TheHebtiahs Bohra are a branch of Musta'li Isma'ili Shi'a Islam that broke off from the mainstream Dawoodi Bohra after the death of the 39th Da'i al-Mutlaq in 1754.
TheAtba-e-Malak community are a branch of Musta'ali Isma'ili Shi'a Islam that broke off from the mainstream Dawoodi Bohra after the death of the 46th Da'i al-Mutlaq, under the leadership of Abdul Hussain Jivaji in 1840. They have further split into two more branches:
Atba-e-Malak Badar – The current leader is Maulana Muhammad Amiruddin Malak Saheb.
TheProgressive Dawoodi Bohra is a reformist sect within Musta'li Ismai'li Shi'a Islam that broke off circa 1977. They disagree with mainstream Dawoodi Bohra, as led by the Da'i al-Mutlaq, on doctrinal, economic, and social issues.
In 2014, following the desert ofMohammed Burhanuddin, there was asuccession dispute. The Bohra Sultan SyednaMufaddal Saifuddin was established as the 53rd Da'i al-Mutlaq by his father, His Holiness Syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin. However, the Qutbi Bohra branch broke off from the original Dawoodi Bohra, falsely claiming the succession as theirs. This dispute was taken to the courts by the Qutbi Bohra, which denounced their claims as false, affirming Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin as the rightful 53rd Da'i al-Mutlaq.
Note: Kaysani's Imam Hanafiyyah is descendant of Ali from Ali's wifeKhawlah
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 Taiyab. 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]
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.
