The Origin of the Bohras

Question

Who are the Bawahir (Bohras, an Ismaili Shi‘i community of India)? Who laid their foundation, and where? Kindly state their basic beliefs briefly.

Answer

“Bawahir” is a plural formed according to the Arabic pattern from “Bohra”, which comes from “bahwar” (بہوار), meaning “merchant”. That is as far as the language is concerned, as stated in the biographical notice of the author of “Majma‘ al-Bihar”. But it is an independent family or community: some are Sunnis, most are Shi‘a.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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