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{{short description|Sect of Isma'ilism}}
{{Ismailis|Ismaili Imams}}
The '''Musta‘lī''' ({{lang-ar|مستعلي}}) are a branch of [[Isma'ilism]] named for their acceptance of [[al-Musta'li]] as the legitimate nineteenth [[Fatimid Caliphate|Fatimid caliph]] and legitimate successor to his father, [[al-Mustansir Billah]]. In contrast, the [[Nizari Isma'ilism|Nizari]]—the other living branch of Ismailism, presently led by [[Aga Khan IV]]—believe the nineteenth caliph was al-Musta'li's elder brother, [[Nizar ibn al-Mustansir|Nizar]]. Isma'ilism is a branch of [[Shia Islam]].

The Musta'li originated in Fatimid-ruled [[Egypt]], later moved its religious center to [[Yemen]], and gained a foothold in 11th-century [[Western India]] through [[dawah|missionaries]].

== The Tayyibi and the Hafizi ==
Historically, there was a distinction between the [[Tayyibi Isma'ilism|Tayyibi]] and the [[Hafizi Isma'ilism|Hafizi]] Musta'lis, the former recognizing [[at-Tayyib Abu'l-Qasim]] as the legitimate heir of the Imamate after [[al-Amir bi-Ahkam Allah]] and the latter following [[al-Hafiz]], who was enthroned as caliph. The Hafizi view lost all support following the downfall of the Fatimid Caliphate: current-day Musta'lis are all Tayyibi.

Most Musta'li are Bohras, and the largest Bohra group is the [[Dawoodi Bohra]], who are primarily found in India. The name ''Bohra'' is a reinterpretation of the [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] word ''vahaurau'' "to trade". The Bohra comprise two principal groups: a chiefly merchant class Shi'i majority and a [[Sunni Bohra]] minority who are mainly peasant farmers.

[[Mohammed Burhanuddin|Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin]] was the 52nd [[Da'i al-Mutlaq]] of the Dawoodi Bohra community. After his passing in 2014, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin succeeded him and serves as the 53rd Da'i al-Mutlaq of The Dawoodi Bohra community.
{{Nizari-Hafizi-Tayyibi schism}}

==History==
According to Musta'lī tradition, after the death of [[al-Amir bi-Ahkam Allah]], his infant son, [[At-Tayyib Abu'l-Qasim]], about two years old, was protected by [[Arwa al-Sulayhi]] who died in 1138, wife of the chief Fatimid Da'i of Yemen. She had been promoted to the post of [[Hujjat al-Islam]] long before by al-Mustansir Billah when her husband died and ran the Fatimid dawah from Yemen in the name of [[Imam]] [[At-Tayyib Abu'l-Qasim]]. During her leadership [[At-Tayyib Abu'l-Qasim]] went into occultation so she instituted the office of [[Da'i al-Mutlaq]]. [[Dhu'ayb ibn Musa|Zoeb bin Moosa]] was first to be instituted to this office and the line of [[Tayyibi Isma'ilism|Tayyibi]] Da'is that began in 1132 has passed from one Da'i to another up to the present day. [[Arwa al-Sulayhi]] was the Hujjah in Yemen from the time of [[Imam]] [[Al-Mustansir Billah]]. She appointed the [[Da'i]] in Yemen to run religious affairs. [[Isma'ilism|Isma'ili]] missionaries Ahmed and [[Abdullah (Ismaili Mustaali Missionary)|Abdullah]] (in about 1067 AD (460 AH))<ref name="Enthoven 1922">{{cite book |title=The Tribes and Castes of Bombay |volume=1 |first=R. E. |last=Enthoven |page=199 |year=1922 |isbn=81-206-0630-2 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FoT6gPrbTp8C&pg=PA199}}</ref><ref name="The Bohras">[https://books.google.com/books?id=2duQAAAAMAAJ The Bohras], By: Asgharali Engineer, Vikas Pub. House, p.109,101</ref> were also sent to India in that time. They sent [[Syedi Nuruddin]] to Dongaon to look after southern part and [[Syedi Fakhruddin]] to East [[Rajasthan]], India.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0226056767], Mullahs on the Mainframe.., By Jonah Blank, p.139</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?isbn=0521429749 The Isma'ilis: Their History and Doctrines] By Farhad Daftary; p.299</ref>

===Branches===
*There is also a community of [[Sunni 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'ili [[Shia Islam|Shia]] to mainstream Hanafi [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] Islam. The leader of this conversion movement to Sunni was Syed Jafar Ahmad Shirazi who also had the support of the Mughal governor of [[Gujarat]].
*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, was ''wali'' in Yemen and claimed the succession, supported by a few Bohras from Yemen and India. However, most Bohras denied his claim of ''nass'', declaring that the supporting document evidence was forged. The two factions separated, with the followers of Suleman Bin Hasan becoming the [[Sulaymani|Sulaymanis]] named after Sulayman ibn Hassan and mainly located in [[Yemen]] and [[Saudi Arabia]], and the followers of Syedna Dawood Bin Qutubshah becoming the Dawoodi Bohra. [[Dawoodi Bohra]], found mostly in the [[Indian subcontinent]].
* A split in 1637 from the Dawoodi Bohra resulted in the [[Alavi Bohras|Alavi Bohra]].
* The [[Hebtiahs 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.
* The [[Atba-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.
** [[Atba-e-Malak Vakil]] – Their current leader is Tayyebhai Razzak.
* The [[Progressive 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.
* [[Taher Fakhruddin]] is a claimant to the title of [[Dai al-Mutlaq]] since 2016. In 2014 following the death of [[Mohammed Burhanuddin]], there was a [[53rd Syedna succession controversy (Dawoodi Bohra)|succession dispute]] over who became the 53rd [[Da'i al-Mutlaq]]. This dispute has not been resolved and Dr. Syedna [[Mufaddal Saifuddin]] has been claimed as the 53rd Da'i al-Mutlaq.

[[File:Branch of Shi'a Islam.png|800px|thumb|center|Note: Kaysani's Imam Hanafiyyah is descendant of Ali from Ali's wife [[Khawlah bint Ja'far|Khawlah]]]]

==Musta'li Imams==
According to Musta'li belief, the line of Imams, descendants of [[Ali]] and hereditary successors to Muhammad in his role of legitimate leader of the community of Muslim believers, follows:

#[[Hasan ibn Ali]] 625–670 (imam 660–670)
#[[Husayn ibn Ali]] 626–680 (imam 670–680 )
#[[Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin]]m 659–712 (imam 680–712)
#[[Muhammad al-Baqir]] 676–743 (imam 712–743)
#[[Ja'far al-Sadiq]] 702–765 (imam 743–765)
#[[Isma'il ibn Ja'far]] 719/722–775 (imam 765–775)
#[[Muhammad ibn Isma'il]] 740–813 (imam 775–813)
#[[Ahmad al-Wafi|Abadullah ibn Muhammad (Ahmad al-Wafi)]] 766–829 (imam 813–829)
#[[Muhammad at-Taqi (Isma'ili)|Ahmad ibn Abadullah (Muhammad at-Taqi)]] 790–840 (imam 829–840)
#[[Radi Abdullah|Husayn ibn Ahmad (Radi Abdullah)]] (imam 840–909)
#[[Abdallah al-Mahdi Billah]] (909–934)
#[[Al-Qa'im (Fatimid caliph)|al-Qa'im bi-Amr Allah]] (934–946)
#[[al-Mansur bi-Nasr Allah]] (946–953)
#[[al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah]] (953–975)
#[[al-Aziz Billah]] (975–996)
#[[al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah]] (996–1021)
#[[al-Zahir li-i'zaz Din Allah]] (1021–1036)
#[[al-Mustansir Billah]] (1036–1094)
#[[al-Musta'li|al-Musta'li Billah]] (1094–1101)
#[[al-Amir bi-Ahkam Allah]] (1101–1130)
#[[at-Tayyib Abu'l-Qasim]] (1130–1132)

Imams one through five are well-known historical figures in the early history of Islam who are also revered by [[Twelver]]s. The Imams numbered 11–21 are the Imam-Caliphs that ruled the [[Fatimid Caliphate]].

The imams from Muhammad ibn Isma'il onward were [[Occultation (Islam)|occulted]] by the Musta'li; their names as listed by Dawoodi Bohra religious books are listed above.<ref>http://www.ismaili.net/Source/0910.ht{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Quarterly Journal of the AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT Vol. XXI. Nos. 1 2 Edited by MAHMUD GHUL HIDDEN IMAMS OF THE ISMAILIS</ref>

Followers of the Musta'li Imams also recite the names of these imams in ''Dua-e Taqarrub''{{Clarify|date=November 2010}} after [[Salah]] daily. This tradition is reported to have come from the imams of the [[Ahl al-Bayt]] The prayer is as follows in English:
{{quote|O Allah send blessings upon Muhammad and his progeny. O Allah I seek nearness to you not only with your help but also with the good wishes of Prophet Muhammad, the chosen one, Ali al Murtadha, the source of Imamah and the successor of the prophet, and lady Fatimah az-Zahra, the daughter of the prophet, and Imam Hassan and Imam Hussain, the grandsons the Prophet and the masters of the youth of paradise, and the descendants of Imam Hussain from Imam Ali Zayn al-Abidin, Muhammad al-Baqir, Ja'far al-Sadiq,..(so on as listed above).., al-Amir and Imam At-Tayyib Abi l-Qasim.

O Allah indeed I seek nearness to you by my reference to all of them since I love them and keep away from their enemies. O Allah make me steadfast in following their examples and include me in their company on the day of judgement. Bestown honour upon me and success in this world and the hereafter since I am their follower.

I bear witness and sincerely believe that they will undoubtedly lead me unto you. May your blessings be upon them all.{{citation needed|date=June 2016}}}}

The Musta'li consider their imam and Dais as infallible and sinless, and divinely chosen perpetuators of the true form of Islam. Their Dais are keeping the tradition which was instituted by [[Arwa al-Sulayhi]], wife of the Fatimid Da'i of Yemen, who was instructed and prepared by al-Mustansir and the subsequent Imams for the second period of Occultation. However, in the Musta'li branch, the Dai came to have a similar but more important task. The term [[Da'i al-Mutlaq]] ({{lang-ar|الداعي المطلق}}) literally means "the absolute or unrestricted missionary". This da'i was the only source of the Imām's knowledge after the occultation of al-Qasim in Musta'li thought.{{citation needed|date=December 2016}}

=== Their ancestors and descendants according to Ismā'īlī-Mustā'lī Imāmah doctrine ===
{{see also|Imāmah|Imamah (Ismaili doctrine)}}
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{{Tree chart|boxstyle=background:#dfd;| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CFR |y| FHA | | | | | | | | | | |ZYN=[[Zayn al-‘Ābidīn|Ali Zayn al-‘Āb’i-Dīn]]|ÜFV=[[Umm Farwah bint al-Qasim]]|İBZ=Ismā‘il ibn Hassan|MHM=[[Muhammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyya]]|FHA=Fatima bint al-Hussain'l-Athram bin al-[[Hasan bin Ali|Ḥasan]] bin [[Ali]]|CFR=[[Ja'far al-Sadiq|Jāʿfar al-Sādiq]] ''([[Imamah (Shi'a doctrine)|Imamāh‘Shi'ā]])|HRZ=[[Zaydi Revolt#The uprising of .22Hasan ibn Zayd.E2.80.99.C5.ABl-Alav.C4.AB.22|Hasan ibn Zayd]]’ûl-[[Alids|Alavī]] ''([[Tabaristan]])''|ABS='''[[Abbasids]]'''|HBK=[[Hamidah Khatun|Hamīdah al-Barbariyyah Khātūn]]|ABC=[[Abdullah ibn Ja'far|ʿAbd Allāh ibn Jāʿfar]]}}
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{{Tree chart|boxstyle=background:#dfd;| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | AFT | | ISM | | | | | | | | | | |UAA=‘Umar al-Ashraf|MBİ=Muhammed ibn Ismā‘il|ISM='''[[Isma'il ibn Jafar|Ismā‘il]]''' ''([[Ismailiyya|Ismā‘il’īyyah]])''|IDR=[[Idris I|Idris ibn ʿAbd Allāh]]|UBN=Ummul Banīn Najmah|MSK=[[Musa al-Kadhim]] ''([[Athnā‘ashariyyah]])''|YBZ=[[Zayd ibn Ali|Yāhyā ibn Zayd]]’ûl-[[Alids|Alavī]]|İSM=Ismā‘il ibn ʿAbd Allāh|AFT=[[Abdullah al-Aftah ibn Ja'far al-Sadiq|'''Al-Aftāh''']] ''([[Fathiyya|Aftāhīyyah]])''}}
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{{Tree chart|boxstyle=background:#dfd;| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MAT | | MHM | | | | | | | | | | |ALİ=‘Alī|ZBM=Zayyed|IDR='''[[Idrisids]]'''|SKR=Sabīkah Khayzurān|MHM=[[Muhammad ibn Ismail|Muhammed]]|MAT=[[Muhammad ibn Abdullah al-Aftah|Muhammad]]}}
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{{Tree chart|boxstyle=background:#dfd;| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | VAF | | | | | | | | | |HAS=al-Ḥasan|DKH=[[Hasan ibn Zayd|Dā‘ī al-Kabīr]]|IBR=Ibrāhim|VAF=[[Ahmad al-Wafi|Al-Wafi]]|SUM=Sumānah|CVD=[[Muhammad al-Jawad|M. al-Jawād]]|YHY=Yāhyā|HSY=al-Hussayn}}
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{{Tree chart|boxstyle=background:#dfd;| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | TKY | | | | | | | | | |ALİ=‘Alī|TKY=[[Muhammad at-Taqi (Isma'ili)|At-Tāqī]]|HSS=Hadīthah/Sūsan/Savīl|ANK=[[Ali al-Hadi|‘Alī al-Hādī]]|YAH=Yāhyā|DSM=[[Muhammad ibn Zayd|Al-ṣāghīr]]|UMR=‘Umar|FTM=Fatımā}}
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{{Tree chart|boxstyle=background:#dfd;| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | FTM | | | | | | | | |FTM='''[[Fatimids]]''' ''([[Seven pillars of Ismailism|Ismailism]])''|AFT=[[Abdullah al-Aftah ibn Ja'far al-Sadiq|'''Al-Aftāh''']] ''([[Fathiyya|Aftāhīyyah]])''}}
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{{Tree chart|boxstyle=background:#dfd;| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | FTM | | | | | | | | |FTM=[[Al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah|Al-Mu'izz]]}}
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{{Tree chart|boxstyle=background:#dfd;| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | FTM | | | | | | | | |FTM=[[Al-Aziz Billah|Al-Aziz]]}}
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{{Tree chart|boxstyle=background:#dfd;| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | FTM | | | | | | | | |FTM=[[al-Zahir li-i'zaz Din Allah|Al-Zahir]]}}
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{{Tree chart|boxstyle=background:#dfd;| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | FTM | | | | | | | | |FTM=[[Al-Mustansir Billah|'''Al-Mustansir''']]}}
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{{Tree chart|boxstyle=background:#dfd;| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NIZ | | MUH | | MUS | | | | | | | | | |NIZ='''[[Nizar ibn al-Mustansir|Nizār al-Muṣṭafá]]''' ''([[Nizari Isma'ilism|Nizārīyyah]])''|MUS='''[[Al-Musta'li|Al-Mustā‘lī]]''' ''(Mustā‘līyyah)''|MUH=Muhammad}}
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{{Tree chart|boxstyle=background:#dfd;| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |:| | | |:| |,| MAA | | | | |MAA=[[Al-Amir bi-Ahkam Allah|Al-Āmīr]]}}
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{{Tree chart|boxstyle=background:#dfd;| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | HAS | | HAF |'| TAY | | | | |TAY=[[At-Tayyib Abu'l-Qasim|Aṭ-Ṭāyyīb]] ''([[Tayyibi Isma'ilism|Ṭāyyībīyyah]])''|HAF=[[Al-Hafiz|'''Al-Hāfiz''']] ''([[Hafizi Isma'ilism|Ḥāfīzīyyah]])''|HAS='''[[Alamut]] [[Alamut Castle|Castle]]''' ''([[Order of Assassins|Hassasin]])''}}
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{{Tree chart|boxstyle=background:#dfd;| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NİZ |,| MAA |:| DAI | | | | |MAA=[[Al-Fa'iz bi-Nasr Allah|'''Al-Fā'īz''']]|NİZ=[[Imamate in Nizari doctrine|'''Nizārī Imāmah''']]|DAI='''[[Arwa al-Sulayhi|Tayyibi]] [[Da'i|Dā'ĩs]]'''}}
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{{Tree chart|boxstyle=background:#dfd;| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NİZ | | | | | | DAI | | | | |NİZ=[[History of Nizari Isma'ilism|'''Nizārī Ismāilism''']]|DAI='''[[Dawoodi Bohra|Dawoodi]] [[List of Dai of the Dawoodi Bohra|Dā'ĩs]]'''}}
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{{Tree chart|boxstyle=background:#dfd;| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |EYY='''[[Ayyubids]]'''}}
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===Da'is===
{{See also|List of Dai of the Dawoodi Bohra}}
[[Arwa al-Sulayhi]] was the Hujjah from the time of Imam Mustansir. She appointed Dai in Yemen to run religious affair. Ismaili missionaries Ahmed and [[Abdullah (Ismaili Mustaali Missionary)|Abdullah]] (in about 1067 AD (460 AH))<ref name="Enthoven 1922"/><ref name="The Bohras"/> 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 the [[Da'i al-Mutlaq]] in place of Dai to run the independent [[dawah]] from Yemen in the name of Imam Taiyab. The Dais are appointed one after other in the same philosophy of ''[[Nass (Islam)|nass]]'' (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 ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin, 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]].

On the similar belief, the Musta'li think and their Da'i claim, that one day their Imam Tayyib's heir will again reappear as Imam (as happened with the eleventh Imam, Abdallah al-Mahdi Billah, who appeared after period of 150 years since the sixth Imam).

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.<ref name="Mullahs">''Mullahs on the mainframe: Islam and modernity among the Daudi Bohras'', page 29, By Jonah Blank</ref>

Al-Aziz Billah rebuilt the [[Saint Mercurius Church in Coptic Cairo]] near [[Fustat]] and encouraged public theological debate between the chief Fatimid [[qadi]] and the [[bishop]]s of [[Oriental Orthodox Churches|Oriental Orthodoxy]] in the interest of [[ecumenism]].<ref name="Mullahs"/>

===Profession of faith===

As is the case with the majority of the Shia, Ismailis conclude the [[Shahada]] with ''ʿAliyun waliyu l-Lah'' ("Ali is the friend of [[God in Islam|God]]"). Musta'lis recite the following shahada:

{{quote|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|date=June 2016}}}}

The first part of this shahada is common to all Muslims and is the fundamental declaration of [[tawhid]]. The wording of the last phrase is specific to the Musta'li.

The second phrase describes the principle of [[Prophecy (Shia Islam)|Prophecy]] in Shia Islam.

The third phrase describes the Musta'li theological position of the role of Ali.

<gallery widths="200px" heights="160px">
File:kalema-tut-shahadat.jpg|Photo of the [[qibla]] of [[al-Mustansir Billah]] in the [[Mosque of Ibn Tulun]] in [[Cairo]] showing the [[Shahada]]
File:Kalema at Bab al Nasr, Fatimid Cairo.jpg|Photo of the Shahada at [[Bab al-Futuh]] Fatimid Cairo
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* ''The Dawoodi Bohras: an anthropological perspective'', by Shibani Roy. Published by B. R. Publishing, 1984.
* ''Mullahs on the mainframe: Islam and modernity among the Daudi Bohras'', by Jonah Blank. University of Chicago Press, 2001. {{ISBN|978-0-226-05676-0}}.[https://books.google.com/books?id=uDVHN6xkdiMC&q=Bohras Excerpts]
* ''A Short History of the Ismailis'', by Farhad Daftary
* ''The Ismaili, Their History and Doctrine'', by Farhad Daftary
* ''Medieval Islamic Civilisation'', by Joseph W. Meri, Jere l. Bacharach
* ''Sayyida Hurra: The Isma‘ili Sulayhid Queen of Yemen'', by Dr Farhad Daftary
* ''Cosmology and authority in medieval Ismailism'', by Simonetta Calderini
* ''Religion, learning, and science in the ʻAbbasid period'', by M. J. L. Young, John Derek Latham, Robert Bertram Serjeant

==External links==
* [http://www.mumineen.org Dawoodi Bohras (operated by Mufaddal Saifuddin faction)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150623084316/http://www.alavibohra.org/ Official website of Alavi Bohras]
* [http://www.fatimidawat.com Dawoodi Bohras (operated by Khuzaima Qutbuddin/Taher Fakhruddin faction)]
* [https://www.islamawareness.net/Deviant/Ismailis/ismailis.html History of Ismailis]
* [http://www.ismaili.net/Source/0892/postfat.html The post-Fatimid period]

{{Islamic Theology|state=uncollapsed|schools}}

[[Category:Musta'li Isma'ilism| ]]

Musta'li Ismailism - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article