List of Dai of the Dawoodi Bohra

This is a list of Dai of the Dawoodi Bohra. The Dawoodi Bohra are a sect of Shia Islam, whose leader is the Dai.

According to Fatimid (Taiyabi, Mustali, Ismaili) tradition, after the death of Imām Al-Amir, al-Malika al-Sayyida (Hurratul-Malika) instituted the Dā'ī al-Mutlaq to run the da'wah from Yemen in the name of Imām Taiyab abi al-Qasim. This article gives short history and the list of the Dawoodi Bohra Dā'īs, their Mawazeen/Mukasir (associates) and The Walī-ul-Hind (Indian Walīs) ("representatives" or "caretakers" when the Dais were seated at Yemen).

Short History

The Dā'īs

Al-Malika al-Sayyida (Hurratul-Malika) was instructed and prepared by Imām Mustansir and following Imāms for the second period of satr. It was going to be on her hands that Imām Taiyab abi al-Qasim would go into seclusion, and she would institute the office of Dā'ĩ al-Mutlaq.

Syedna Zoeb bin Moosa was first to be instituted to this office, and the line of Taiyabi Dā'ĩs that began in 1132. The second da'i mutlaq, Ibrahim Al-Hamidi (1151–1162), became the real founder of the tayyibi esoteric doctrine, which he elaborated especially in his Kitab kanz Al-walad (Book of the child's treasure). The position remained in his family until 1209, when it passed to Ali ibn Muhammad of the Banu Al-Walid Al-Anf family, which held it for more than three centuries with only two interruptions. The political power of the Yemenite da'is reached a peak during the long incumbency of Idris Imad Al-Din ibn Al-Hasan, the nineteenth da'i mutlaq (1428–1468). He is also the author of a seven-volume history of the Ismaili imams, Kitab uyun Al-akhbar (Book of choice stories) and of a two-volume history of the Yemenite da'is, Kitab nuzhat Al-akhbar (Book of story and entertainment), as well as works of esoteric doctrine and religious controversy.

While the Yemenite da'is had been able to act relatively freely with the backing or protection of various rulers during the early centuries, they usually faced hostility from the Zaydi imams and in the sixteenth century suffered relentless persecution. Until the 23rd Dā'ī, the center of the dawat was in Yemen. In 1539 the twenty-third da'i mutlaq appointed an Indian, Yusuf ibn Sulayman, as his successor, evidently in recognition of the growing importance of the Indian tayyibi community. Yusuf came to reside in the Yemen, he died and was buried there.

Because of the intense persecutions against the dawat by the Zaydi rulers of Yemen, the 24th Dā'ī Yusuf designated Jalal Shamshuddin in India as his successor, and the center of the dawat then moved permanently to India. The 25th Dā'ī also died in 1567 CE, and is buried in Ahmedabad, India, the first Dā'ī to have his mausoleum in India.

After the death of Da'ud b. 'Adjabshah, the 26th da'imutlaq, in 999/1591, the succession was disputed. While in India Da'ud Burhan al-Din was established, his followers were called Dawoodi Bohra there after. The Dawoodi da'is continued to reside in India, where the great majority of their followers live. The da'wa generally was able to develop freely. Their present Dai is 53rd and his residence is now in Bombay. The largest concentration of Bohras is found in Gujarat. Outside Gujarat, Daudi Bohoras live in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya pradesh state and, in many of the big cities of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Burma, and the East Africa. In the Yemen the Daudi community is concentrated in the Haraz mountains

The Walī-ul-Hind

Up to the 23rd Dā'ī, the da'wah center was at Yemen; for India, a "Walī al-Hind" (representative/caretaker for India) was designated by the Dā'ī to run the dawat in India.

The Wali- ul -Hind were champions of the Fatimid dawat in India, who were instrumental in maintaining & propagating it on instructions of the Dā'ī at Yemen, and it is because of them that the Fatimid dawat was able to survive the persecutions in Cairo and Yemen.

Moulai Abadullah was the first Walī al-Hind in the era of Imam Mustansir (427–487 AH). Abadullah (originally named Baalam Nath) and Syedi Nuruddin (originally named Roop Nath) went to Cairo, Egypt, to learn, and went to India in 467 AH. Moulai Ahmed was also their companion.

First Dā'ī Zoeb appointed Maulai Yaqoob (after the death of Abadullah), who was the second Walī al-Hind of the Fatimid dawat. Moulai Yaqoob was the first person of Indian origin to receive this honour under the Dā'ī. He was son of Moulai Bharmal, minister of Hindu Solanki King Siddhraja Jaya Singha (Anhalwara,Patan) (487–527 AH/1094–1133 CE). With Minister Moulai Tarmal, they had honoured the Fatimid dawat along with their fellow citizens on the call of Moulai Abdullah. Moulai Fakhruddin, son of Moulai Tarmal, was sent to western Rajasthan, India, and Syedi Nuruddin went to the Deccan (death: Jumadi al-Ula 11 at Don Gaum, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India).

One Dā'ī after another continued until the 23rd Dā'ī in Yemen. Persons were appointed to the position of Walī al-Hind one after another in India. A list of them is also given below along with the relevant Dā'īs.

In the generation of Moulai Yaqoob, Moulai Ishaq, Moulai Ali, Moulai Hasan fir continued one after another as Wali-ul-Hind. Moulai Hasan Fir was fifth Wali in the era of 16th Dai Abadullah (d.809 AH/1406 AD) of Yemen.

Qur'anic verse 33:33 inscribed at Al-Aqmar Mosque signifying the purity of Ahl al-Bayt [and their Du'at].

Walī -ul-Hind Moulai Jafer, Moulai Abdul Wahab, and Moulai Qasim Khan bin Hasan (11th Walī al-Hind, and who died in 950 AH/1543 CE in Ahmedabad) were last three upto 23 rd Dai. Because of the intense persecutions against the dawat by the Zaydi rulers of Yemen, it was transferred to India from Yemen when the 23rd Dā'ī Syedna Mohammed Ezzuddin designated Syedna Yusuf Najmuddin ibn Sulaiman as his successor (and, thus the 24th Dā'ī) in Sidhpur, Gujarat, India. Yusuf went to reside in the Yemen, he died and was buried there. Before his death 24th Dā'ī Yusuf designated Jalal Shamshuddin as 25th Dai in India as his successor, who was also last Walī -ul-Hind under the 24th Dā'ī Yusuf for 20 years. The center of the dawat then moved permanently to India.

List of Da'i al-Mutlaq of the Dawoodi Bohra

Dua't Yemeniyah (1138 – 1539 CE)

Dua't Mutlaqeen Seated in Yemen

No.	Name	Dai Period CE (AH)	Tenure	Seat of Administration	Mazoon al-Da'wat	Mukaasir al-Da'wat	Walī-ul-Hind
1	Zoeb bin Moosa al-Waade'ee ذويب بن موسى الوادي	1138 –1151 (530 – 546)	13 years, 4 months, 17 days	Huth, Yemen	Syedna Khattaab bin Hasan (d. 1138) Syedna Ibrahim bin Husain al-Haamedi		1. Moulai Abdullah (d. 1141) (Khambat, Gujarat)
							2. Moulai Yaqub bin Moulai Bharmal (Patan, Gujarat.)
2	Ibrahim bin Husain al-Haamedi ابراهيم بن حسين الحميدي	1151 –1162 (546 – 557)	11 years, 7 months, 6 days	Ghayl bani-Haamid, Yemen (Outskirts of Sana'a)	Syedna Husain bin Ali al-Waleed (d.1159) Syedna Hatim bin Ibrahim al-Haamedi	Syedna Mohammad bin Taher Al Haresi
3	Hatim Mohyi'uddin bin Ibrahim al-Haamedi حاتم بن ابراهيم الحميدي	1162 –1199 (557 – 596)	38 years, 5 months	Al-Hutaib Mubarak, Yemen	Syedna Mohammad bin Taher Al Haresi (d.1188) Syedna Ali bin Maula Mohammad bin il-Waleed
4	Ali Shamsuddin bin Hatim al-Haamedi علي بن حاتم الحميدي	1199 –1209 (596 – 605)	9 years, 10 months, 9 days	Sana'a, Yemen	Syedna Ali bin Maula Mohammad bin il-Waleed
5	Ali bin Maula Muhammad bin il-Waleed علي بن محمد الوليد	1209 –1215 (605 – 612)	6 years, 9 months, 2 days		Syedna Ali bin Hanzala
							3. Moulai Ishaq bin Yaqub (Patan, Gujarat)
6	Ali bin Hanzala al-Waade'ee علي بن حنظلة الوادي	1215 – 1229 (612 – 626)	13 years, 6 months, 14 days		Syedna Ahmed bin Mubaarak	Syedna Husain bin Ali bin Maula Muhammad bin il-Waleed
7	Ahmed bin Mubarak Al Walid احمد بن مبارك الوليد	1229 –1230 (626–627)	1 year, 3 months, 16 days		Syedna Husain bin Ali bin Maula Muhammad bin il-Waleed	Syedi Ahmed bin Syedna Ali bin Hanzala
8	Husain bin Ali bin Maula Mohammed bin il-Waleed حسين بن علي صاحب الوليد	1230 –1268 (627–667)	39 years, 7 months, 24 days		Syedi Ahmed bin Syedna Ali bin Hanzala (d.651 AH) Ali bin Husain	Syedi Mohammad bin As'ad bin Mubarak
							4. Moulai Ali bin Ishaq (Patan, Gujarat.)
9	Ali bin Husain علي بن حسين بن علي بن محمد	1268 –1284 (667–682)	15 years, 8 months, and 20 days		Syedi Husain bin Ali bin Hanzala (d.677 AH) Ali bin Syedi Husain bin Ali bin Hanzala	Sheikh Assad Hatim Sanjaani
10	Ali bin Syedi Husain bin Ali bin Hanzala علي بن الحسين بن علي بن حنظلة	1284 –1287 (682 – 686)	3 years, 2 months, and 18 days		Ibrahim bin Husain
11	Ibrahim bin Husain Al Walid ابراهيم بن حسين الوليد	1287 –1328 (686 –728)	42 years, 8 months, 9 days	Hamdan, Yemen	Syedna Mohammad bin Syedi Hatim
							5. Syedi HasanFeer Shaheed bin Ali (d. 795 AH/1392 CE) (Denmal, Gujarat.)
12	Mohammed bin Hatim bin Syedna Husain Al Walid محمد بن حاتم الوليد	1328 –1329 (728 – 729)	1 year, 1 month, and 21 days		Syedna Ali bin Syedna Ibrahim
13	Ali Shamsuddin I bin Ibrahim علي شمس الدين بن ابراهيم	1329 –1345 (729 – 746)	16 years, 7 months, and 17 days		Syedna Abdul-Muttalib Najmuddin
14	Abdul-Muttalib Najmuddin bin Mohammed عبد المطلب نجم الدين	1345 –1354 (746 – 755)	8 years, 11 months, 26 days	Zimarmar, Yemen	Syedna Abbas bin Muhammed
15	Abbas bin Muhammad عباس بن محمد	1354 –1378 (755 – 779)	24 years, 2 months, 24 days		Abdullah Fakhruddin bin Ali
17	Hasan Badruddin I bin Abdullah Fakhruddin حسن بدر الدين بن عبد الله						6. Maulaya Adam bin Sulaiman (Kankariya, Ahmedabad)
18	Ali Shamsuddin II bin Abdullah Fakhruddin علي شمس الدين بن عبد الله	1418 –1428 (821 – 832)	10 years, 3 months, 27 days	Al Shariqa, Yemen	Idris Imaduddin
							7. Maulaya Hasan bin Maulaya Adam (Ahmedabad)
19	Idris Imaduddin bin Hasan Badruddin ادريس عماد الدين بن حسن	1429 –1467 (832 – 872)	40 years, 9 months, 16 days		Syedi Ma'ad Ezzuddin (d.839/840 AH) Al Maula Masad bin Abdullah
20	Al-Hasan Badr al-Din II bin Idris Imad al-Din حسن بدر الدين بن إدريس عماد الدين	1467 –1512	872 – 918	Masar, Yemen	Al Maula Abdullah Fakhruddin	Ali Shamsuddin bin Husain
							8. Moulai Raj bin Hasan
21	Al-Husayn Husam al-Din bin Idris Imad al-Din حسين حسام الدين بن إدريس عمادالدين	1512 –1527	918 – 933		Ali Shamsuddin
							9. Moulai Jafer bin Raj, (Ahmedabad)
							10. Moulai Wahhab bin Firoz
							11. Moulai Sheikh Qasim bin Hasan (d. 950AH) (Ahmedabad)
22	Ali Shams al-Din III bin Husain علي شمس الدين بن حسين	1527 –1527	933 – 933	Zabid, Yemen	Muhammad Izz al-Din I
23	Muhammad Izz al-Din I bin Hasan محمد عز الدين بن حسن	1527 –1539	933–946		Yusuf Najmuddin
24	Yusuf Najmuddin I bin Sulaiman يوسف نجم الدين بن سليمان	1539 –1567	946 – 974	Siddhpur, India	Jalal Shamsuddin	Maulai Miya Musaji
							12. Moulai Jalal Shamsuddin bin Hasan

Dua't Hindustaniyah (1539 - Present)

Dua't Mutlaqeen Seated in India

No.	Name	Dai Period (CE)	Dai Period (AH)	Place of Dai Office	Mazoon al-Da'wat	Mukaasir al-Da'wat
25	Jalal Shamshuddin bin Hasan جلال شمش الدين بن حسن	1567 –1568	974 – 975	Ahmedabad	Dawood bin Ajabshah
26	Dawood Bin Ajabshah Burhanuddin	1568 – 1591	975 – 999		Dawood Bin Qutubshah
27	Dawood Bin Qutubshah Burhanuddin	1591 –1612	999 –1021		Syedi Qazi Aminshah Syedi Aminji bin Jalal Sheikh Adam Safiyuddin	Al Maula Ali Mohammad bin Firoz
28	Sheikh Adam Safiuddin	1612 –1622	1021 –1030		Abduttayyeb Zakiuddin	Syedi Ali Mohammad bin Firoz
29	Abduttayyeb Zakiuddin I	1622 –1633	1030 –1041		Ali Shamsuddin	Qasim Khan Zainuddin
30	Ali Shamsuddin IV bin Moulai Hasan	1633 –1634	1041 –1042	Hisne Afidah, Sana'a Governorate, Yemen	Qasim Khan Zainuddin
31	Qasim Khan Zainuddin bin Feerkhan	1634 –1646	1042–1054	Ahmedabad	Qutub Khan Qutbuddin
32	Qutub Khan Qutbuddin Shaheed	1646 –1648	1054–1056		Feer Khan Shujauddin
33	Feer Khan Shujauddin bin Syedi Ahmedji	1648 –1657	1056–1065		Ismail Badruddin
34	Ismail Badruddin I bin Syedi Moulai Raj Saheb	1657 –1676	1065–1085	Jamnagar	Syedi Najamkhan Syedi Abdutaiyyeb Zakiyuddin	Al Maula Abdul Waheed Al Maula Shams Khan
35	Abduttayyeb Zakiuddin II bin Syedna Ismail Badruddin I	1676 –1692	1085 –1110		Musa Kalimuddin	Sheikh Adam Safiyuddin
36	Musa Kalimuddin bin Abduttayyeb Zakiuddin II	1692 –1711	1110 –1122		Sheikh Adam Safiyuddin Noor Mohammad Nooruddin	Syedi Khanji Pheer
37	Noor Mohammad Nooruddin bin Musa Kalimuddin	1711 –1719	1122 –1130		Syedi Qasimkhan bin Syedi Hamzabhai Ismail Badruddin bin Sheikh Adam	Syedi Hakimuddin bin Bawa Mulla Khan Syedi Esamkhan Sheikh Dawoodbhai
38	Ismail Badruddin II bin Syedi Sheikh Aadam	1719 –1738	1130–1150		Syedi Kassim Khan bin Syedi Hamzabhai Syedi Abdul Qadir Hakimuddin bin Bawa Mulla Khan	Syedi Shams bin Sheikh Hasan Khan
39	Ibrahim Wajiuddin bin Syedi Abdul Qadir	1738 –1756	1150 –1168	Ujjain	Syedi Sheikh Adam bin Nooruddin Syedna Hebatullah al-Moayyed fid-Deen	Syedi Ali bin Phirji
40	Hebatullah-il-Moayed Fiddeen bin Syedna Ibrahim Wajiuddin	1756 –1780	1168 –1193		Syedi Lukmanji bin Sheikh Dawood Syedi Khan Bahadur Sheikh Fazal Abdultaiyyeb Syedi Hamza	Syedi Abde Musa Kalimuddin
41	Abduttayyeb Zakiuddin III bin Syedna Badruddin	1780 –1787	1193 –1200	Burhanpur	Syedi Sheikh Adam Safiyuddin Syedna Yusuf Najmuddin	Syedna Abdeali Saifuddin
42	Yusuf Najmuddin II bin Syedna Abduttayyeb Zakiuddin III	1787 –1799	1200 –1213	Surat	Syedi Sheikh Adam Safiyuddin Syedna Abdeali Saifuddin	Syedi Qamruddin Sheikh Adam
43	Abde Ali Saifuddin bin Syedna Abduttayyeb Zakiuddin III	1799 –1817	1213 –1232		Syedi Sheikh Adam Safiyuddin Syedna Mohammad Ezzuddin	Syedi Qamruddin Syedi Sheikh Adam
44	Mohammed Ezzuddin bin Syedi Jivanjee	1817 –1821	1232 –1236		Syedi Sheikh Adam Bhaisaheb Safiyuddin	Syedna Taiyyeb Zainuddin
45	Tayyeb Zainuddin bin Syedi Jivanjee	1821 –1836	1236 –1252		Syedi Sheikh Adam Safiyuddin Syedi Hebatullah Bhaisaheb Jamaluddin	Syedna Mohammed Badruddin
46	Mohammed Badruddin bin Syedna Abde Ali Saifuddin	1836 –1840	1252 –1256		Syedi Hebtullah Bhaisaheb Jamaluddin	Syedna Abdulqadir Najmuddin
47	Abdul Qadir Najmuddin bin Syedna Tayyeb Zainuddin	1840 –1885	1256 –1302	Ujjain	Syedi Hebtullah Bhaisaheb Jamaluddin Syedna Abdulhusain Husamuddin	Syedi Abdeali Imaduddin Syedi Ismail Bhaisaheb Badruddin
48	Abdul Husain Husamuddin bin Syedna Tayyeb Zainuddin	1885 –1891	1302 –1308	Ahmedabad	Syedi Ismail Bhaisaheb Badruddin	Syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin
49	Mohammed Burhanuddin I bin Syedna Abdul Qadir Najmuddin	1891 –1906	1308 –1323	Surat	Syedi Ismail Bhaisaheb Badruddin	Syedi Hasan Bhaisaheb Zakiuddin Syedi Husain Bhaisaheb Ezzuddin
50	Abdullah Badruddin bin Syedna Abdul Husain Husamuddin	1906 –1915	1323 –1333		Syedi Ismail Bhaisaheb Badruddin Syedi Dawood Bhaisaheb Shehabuddin	Syedi Ibrahim Bhaisaheb Vajihuddin Syedi Taiyyeb Bhaisaheb Zainuddin
51	Taher Saifuddin bin Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin I	1915 –1965	1333 –1385	Mumbai	Syedi Dawood Bhaisaheb Shahabuddin Syedi Fazal Bhaisaheb Qutbuddin Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin	Syedi Eshaq Bhaisaheb Jamaluddin Syedi Saleh Bhaisaheb Safiyuddin
52	Mohammed Burhanuddin II bin Syedna Taher Saifuddin	1965 –2014	1385 –1435		Khuzaima Qutbuddin	Syedi Saleh Bhaisaheb Safiyuddin Syedi Hussain Bhaisaheb Husamuddin
53	Abu Jafar us Sadiq Aali Qadar Mufaddal Saifuddin	2014 – Present	1435 – Present		Syedi Hussain Bhaisaheb Husamuddin Syedi Qasim Bhaisaheb Hakimuddin Syedi Aliasghar Bhaisaheb Kalimuddin Syedi Qaidjoher Bhaisaheb Ezzuddin	Syedi Qasim Bhaisaheb Hakimuddin Syedi Aliasghar Bhaisaheb Kalimuddin Syedi Qaidjoher Bhaisaheb Ezzuddin Syedi Malik ul Ashtar Bhaisaheb Shujauddin

Gallery

Mazar e Noorani, mausoleum of Noor Mohammed Nooruddin in Mandvi, Gujarat.

Mazar e Najmi in Ujjain, final resting place of Moayed Fiddeen.

Mausoleum of Zakiuddin in Burhanpur.

Mausoleum of Qutub Khan Qutb al-Din Shaheed, Saraspur, Ahmedabad

Masjid e Moazzam in Surat originally built by Syd Abde Ali Saifuddin and renovated in 1990s by his successor, Mohammed Burhanuddin II.

Raudat Tahera, Mumbai: Final resting place of Taher Saifuddin and Mohammed Burhanuddin.

Further reading

• Lathan, Young, Religion, Learning and Science
• Bacharach, Joseph W. Meri, Medieval Islamic Civilisation
• Bin Hasan, Idris, Uyun al-akhbar (Bin Hasan was the 19th Da'i of the Dawoodi Bohra. This volume is a history of the Ismaili community from its origins up to the 12th century CE, the period of the Fatimid caliphs al-Mustansir (d. 487/1094), the time of Musta‘lian rulers including al-Musta‘li (d. 495/1101) and al-Amir (d. 524/1130), and then the Tayyibi Ismaili community in Yemen.)