Modi will visit Egypt’s 1000-year-old mosque…has a special connection with the Bohra community that renovated it

After his three-day state visit to the United States, Narendra Modi has left for Egypt for a two-day visit. First bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to an Arab nation since 1997. In the capital Cairo, the Indian leader will visit the 11th-century Al-Hakim Mosque, named after the sixth Fatimid Caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah. The mosque is an important cultural site for the Dawoodi Bohra community in Cairo. According to reports, the country’s fourth oldest historical mosque was recently renovated by the Egyptian government in collaboration with the Bohra community.

bohra muslim

The Bohras derive their name from the Gujarati word “vahorau”, which means “to trade”. According to the Encyclopædia Britannica “The Bohras included, in addition to the Shia, often merchant class, a Sunni minority who were usually farmers. The Mustali sect which originated in Egypt and later shifted its religious center to Yemen, in the 11th century gained a foothold in India through missionaries. After 1539, by which time the Indian community had grown considerably, the seat of the sect was moved from Yemen to Siddhpur (Patan district of Gujarat), India. Sunni Bohra Hanafi Islamic Follow the law However, they are not much different from the Dawoodi Bohra community of Shias.

Modi’s relation with Dawoodi Bohras

PM Modi has shared a long and warm relationship with the Indian Dawoodi Bohra community over the years. Have met our religious leaders many times both in India and abroad. The Dawoodi Bohra community is a subgroup within the Shia Islamic sect known for their business acumen. Dawoodi Bohras and BJP leader Sajjad Hira had told The Indian Express that many members of the community in Modi’s hometown Vadnagar have long had links with the prime minister’s family. When he (Modi) was in Gujarat, he interacted with the Dawoodi Bohra community and was attracted to them because of their peace-loving nature. This relationship continues till today. After the death of Dr. Syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin, the 52nd midwife, Modi continued his relationship with the current midwife, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin. This is because they both respect each other and value each other, which cannot be described in words.

Bohras support Modi

When Modi launched his bid for the post of prime minister in 2013, Bohra Muslim businessman Zafar Sareshwala was one of the most vocal Muslim faces of the campaign, ThePrint reported. The Indian Express reported that in 2014, after becoming prime minister, Dawoodi Bohras were present at a large number of Modi’s foreign events, including his speech at Madison Square Garden in New York and the Olympic Park Arena in Sydney.