The Mulla was invited by Dewji Jamal to accompany him to...

The Mulla was invited by Dewji Jamal to accompany him to Bombay and Zanzibar so as to impart the knowledge of true Islam to the Khojas but he was not willing to leave Kerbala. Finally at the insistence of the Mujtahid Sheikh Zainul Abedeen he agreed and left for Bombay where he first stayed with Dewjibhai. In Bombay, Mulla Qader started a Madrassa in which he taught the rules and tenets of true Islam according to Shia Ithnasheri beliefs.

Gradually he also led a congregational prayer which was first attended by 15/20 people later expanding to 50 and more persons. This had to be done secretly inside a house in order to safeguard the lives of the faithful who had separated from the main stream of Agha Khani sect of Ismaili Khojas.

On separation thus of the Khoja community into two different sects of the Ismailis as followers of Agha Khan and Ithnasheris as followers of Twelve Imams, there were repeated incidents of trouble between the two sects. The Ithnasheris were boycotted in matters of business, social contacts, burial, etc. So harsh was the friction between the two that at times criminals were hired to stab the converts and murders took place.

But so firm and staunch were those handful in their faith that they could not be drawn away from the path of truth they had discovered. Their courage is indeed worth appreciating and taking lesson from. Today the Khoja Shia Ithnasheries numbering more than 100,000 are prosperously scattered throughout the world in India, Pakistan, East Africa, Madagascar as well as Europe, USA, Canada.

They not only maintain their Islamic traditions but also contribute their time, energy and money for the propagation of truth. Previous…