A Survey of the Formation and Educational Structure of Jami'ah Al-Sayfiyah: Educational Center of Davoodi Bohras

Subject Areas : The Journal of Islamic History and Civilisation

mohsen masumi ¹ ( استادیار دانشگاه تهران، گروه تاریخ و تمدن ملل اسلامى، تهران، ایران )
farhad hajari ² ( MA Student of History and Civilization of Islamic Nations, University of Tehran, Iran )

Received: 2015-01-05 Accepted : 2015-05-15 Published : 2015-08-23

Keywords: Jami'ah Al-Sayfiyah, Bohras, Ismailia educaiton, Indian, smailies,

Abstract :

Sayfiyah Educational Center that officially called Jami'ah Al-Sayfiyah, is the center of education and training  of Bohras, a branch of Davoodi Ismailis. This educational center, from the formation up to now, has been considered as an important institution for training of the members of Bohra Community across the world and responsible for training and teaching the forces required in Daavat, the an organization of this group of Ismailis. The main center of Jami'ah Al-Sayfiyah is located at Surat  a city in Gujarat state in the west of India. In addition,  three branches of this educational center are active in Mumbai, Karachi, and Nairobi. Davoodi Bohras were intended from 17th century AD to provide their traditional educational activities in the form of ordered and regular organization which was consistent with new needs. Their educational center was later, at the time of the evolutions of modern era, freshened and then new sciences were involved together with old sciences of Islamili religion in education. Du’at Mutlaqeen, (Absolute Daies) as the leaders of Davoodi Bohras, play the main role in educational changes and new pathway of Jami'ah Al-Sayfiyah. Today, those people who believe in Davoodi religion, goes into the different branches of this educational canter from all over the world, after finishing academic period and learning new and old sciences, would have important roles whether in Daavat organizational structure or in the protection of their cultural heritage. The article first investigate the history of establishment and development of Jami'ah Al-Sayfiyah, and then explain its educational structure and the role of this center in the community of Davoodi Bohras in India and other regions where Bohra lived.   References Ali Zamani Alavijah, A Survey of Ismaili Literature As Reflected In Persian and Arabic Contexts, in Asian Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, Vol.2, No.3. Daftary, Farhad, The Ismā'īlīs: Their History and Doctrines, Cambridge, 1992. Idem, Historical Dictionary of the Ismailis, United Kingdom, 2012. EI3 2013, Vol. 2, S. V. Bohras, (by TaheraQutbuddin). Engineer, Asghar Ali, Bohra Reformists and Galiakot Struggle, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol.22, No.18, May 2, 1987, pp.782-783. Idem, DawoodiBohra Reform Movement, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol.16, No.15, Apr.11, 1981, pp.652-653. Idem, Human Rights and DawoodiBohras, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol.29, No.31, Jul. 30, 1994, pp.1998-2001. Idem, Intra-Community Violations of Rights: Case of the Bohras, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 32, No. 30, Jul. 26-Aug.1, 1997, pp.1881-1883. Hatim Amiji,“The Bohras of East Africa”,in Journal of Religion in Africa, Vol.7, Fasc.1, 1975. IR, S. V .Ismailism, XVI. Modern Ismaili Community, (by Azim Nanji). Jonah Blanc, Mullahs on the Mainframe, Islam and Modernity among The Daudi Bohras, The University of Chicago Press, Chicago and London, 2001. Lokhandwalla, Sh.T, The Bohras a Muslim Community of Gujaratr, StudiaIslamica, No. 3, 1955, pp.117-135.  Mehta, Makrand, Gujarati Business Communities in East African Diaspora: Major Historical Trends, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol.36, No.20, May 19-25, 2001, pp.1738-1747. Nasr, Seyyed Hossein, Islamic Life and Thought, Georg Allen Knwin (publishers) Ltd, Landon, 1981. Sharma, Kalpana, DawoodiBohras: Struggle for Control, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol.17, No.37, Sep. 11, 1982, p.1486. Schacht, Joseph, Notes on Islam in East Africa, StudiaIslamica, No.23, 1965, pp.91-136. Sikand, Yoginder, Bastions of the believers, Madrasa and Islamic Education in India, New York, 2005, August 2013, Google book. Tahera Qutbuddin,“The Da'udi BohraTayyibis: Ideology, Literature, Learning and Social Practice”, in A Modern History of the Ismailis: Continuity and Change in a Muslim Community, ed. Farhad Daftary, London and New York, I.B. Tauris, 2011. The Oxford Encyclopeadia of The Modern Islamic World,ed. Johan L.Esposito, NewYork, 1995, S. V. Jamiah al-Sayfiyah, AL-, by Mustafa Abdulhusein. Tritton, A. S, Notes on Some Ismaïli Manuscripts, Bulletin of the School of Oriental Studies, University of London, Vol.7, No.1, 1933, pp.33-39. http://jameasaifiyah.edu

References:

دفتری، فرهاد، تاریخ و عقاید اسماعیلیه، ترجمه فریدون بدره­ای، نشر فرزان، چاپ دوم، تهران، 1376ش.

Ali Zamani Alavijah, A Survey of Ismaili Literature As Reflected In Persian and Arabic Contexts, in Asian Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, V.2, No.3.

Daftary, Farhad, The Ismā'īlīs: Their History and Doctrines, Cambridge, 1992.

Idem, Historical Dictionary of the Ismailis, United Kingdom, 2012.

EI3 2013, Vol.2, S. V. Bohras, (by TaheraQutbuddin).

Engineer, Asghar Ali, Bohra Reformists and Galiakot Struggle, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol.22, No.18, May 2, 1987, pp.782-783.

Idem, DawoodiBohra Reform Movement, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol.16, No.15, Apr.11, 1981, pp.652-653.

Idem, Human Rights and DawoodiBohras, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol.29, No.31, Jul. 30, 1994, pp.1998-2001.

Idem, Intra-Community Violations of Rights: Case of the Bohras, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 32, No. 30, Jul. 26-Aug.1, 1997, pp.1881-1883.

Hatim Amiji,“The Bohras of East Africa”,in Journal of Religion in Africa, Vol.7, Fasc.1, 1975.

IR, S. V .Ismailism, XVI. Modern Ismaili Community, (by Azim Nanji).

Jonah Blanc, Mullahs on the Mainframe, Islam and Modernity among The Daudi Bohras, The University of Chicago Press, Chicago and London, 2001.

Lokhandwalla, Sh.T, The Bohras a Muslim Community of Gujaratr, StudiaIslamica, No. 3, 1955, pp.117-135.

 Mehta, Makrand, Gujarati Business Communities in East African Diaspora: Major Historical Trends, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol.36, No.20, May 19-25, 2001, pp.1738-1747.

Nasr, Seyyed Hossein, Islamic Life and Thought, Georg Allen Knwin (publishers) Ltd, Landon, 1981.

Sharma, Kalpana, DawoodiBohras: Struggle for Control, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol.17, No.37, Sep. 11, 1982, p.1486.

Schacht, Joseph, Notes on Islam in East Africa, StudiaIslamica, No.23, 1965, pp.91-136.

Sikand, Yoginder, Bastions of the believers, Madrasa and Islamic Education in India, New York, 2005, August 2013, Google book.

Tahera Qutbuddin,“The Da'udi BohraTayyibis: Ideology, Literature, Learning and Social Practice”, in A Modern History of the Ismailis: Continuity and Change in a Muslim Community, ed. Farhad Daftary, London and New York, I.B. Tauris, 2011.

The Oxford Encyclopeadia of The Modern Islamic World,ed. Johan L.Esposito, NewYork, 1995, S. V. Jamiah al-Sayfiyah, AL-, by Mustafa Abdulhusein.

Tritton, A. S, Notes on Some Ismaïli Manuscripts, Bulletin of the School of Oriental Studies, University of London, Vol.7, No.1, 1933, pp.33-39.

http://jameasaifiyah.edu