HISTORY OF THE KHOJA SHIA ITHNA

ASHERI COMMUNITY

A series of talks on the origins, yearning of faith, current state and future challenges of the Khoja Shia Ithna Asheri Community.

Part 2 of 2

By:Shan E Abbas Hassam

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Khoja Population

• World Population: 6.9 billion • Muslim Population: 1.6 billion• Shia Population (lowest figure): 200 million • Khoja Population (approx): 120,000• % of Shia Community = 0.06%.

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Khoja Population (A Snapshot)• Pakistan: 40,000 (Karachi and Sindh)• India: 21,000 (Kathiawar, Gujarat, Cutch and Mumbai)• Africa: 14,000 (Tanzania, Zanzibar, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, Mozambique, South

Africa, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe). • Indian Ocean Islands: 6,500 (Madagascar, Re-Union, Mauritius) • United Kingdom: 10,000• Canada: 8,000• USA: 3,000• Middle East: 2,000 (UAE, Iran, Oman)• Rest of Europe: 1,000 • Australia: 1,000• Yemen North and South: 700• Misc: 500-750.

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Khoja Origins

• Islam came to India in 12th Century. • Main Religions: Hindu, Buddhism and later Islam. • Indian Class System:• Brahmins (Priest Class)• Kshatriya (Ruling Class or Warriors) • Vaisya (Commoners / Business Class) • Sudra (Lower Class – workers).

• Lohanas – from Vaisya.

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Assassinations

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Lalji Sajan Hirji Alarakhia Abdulla Lalji Kassam Alibhai Lalji Miyani

Karachi Jamaat

• 1871 – 2 groups within Karachi Khoja Community: (1) Followers of Agha Khan and (2) Pirhai Community. • 4 Khoja Ismailis ex-communicated (similar to those ex-communicated

in Mumbai). • 1876 – 4 men donate land to buy a mosque. • 1879 – Lalan Alidina shot dead. • 1905 – KSI Pirhai Jamaat acquired graveyard ‘Hussainibhag’

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Consolidation and Collective Organisation• 1946 – formation of Africa Federation • 1976 – formation of The World Federaton • 1980 – formation of NASIMCO • 1983 – formation of The Council of European Jamaats.• 2011 – formation of The Pakistan Federation • 2013 – formation of The India Federation? • 2013 – formation of Australia Federation? • Associate Members of The World Federation

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Modern Day Challenges

• Khoja Identity• Khoja Community Spirit • Khoja Language• Khoja Institutions • Khoja Progressive Thinking

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Khoja Identity and Community SpiritNeed to reflect on the below:

•What does the Khoja identity mean?•How can our youth connect to this? •How can you connect Khojas from different countries? •What is the ‘added value’ of being a Khoja?

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Khoja Language

• Why is language important? • Khojki extinct.• Cutchi, Gujarati – main languages.• UNESCO – extinct languages – Cutchi! • Advice of Ayatullah Sistani. • How can we revive our use of Gujarati?

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Khoja Institutions

• Khoja Communities that settled in Africa built Imabargha, Mosque and Madrasah. • Can we also be pioneering? • Can we re-look at role of our Jamaats? Residet Aalims? Regional

Federations, World Federation?• Need for The World Federation to focus on community aspects and

‘added value’ for Khoja Community as a priority.

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Khoja Future?

• Inquisitive Minds brought us to the Shia Ithna Asheri Madhab. • Without yearning for progression we too may become extinct within

2-3 generations. • What are we now going to do differently? • Can we retain our culture, our language, our values, our ethos and

most importantly our Madhab in the 21st Century? In the West? • Or will we as predicted simply ‘wither away?’

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Part 2 Bibliography

• ‘The Endangered Species’ by Hassan M Jaffer (recommended reading for every Khoja Home! • Special thanks to Hassan M Jaffer for leading this area, his advise and

continual support.• John Hollister and Farhad Daftary • Foundation for Endangered Languages – www.ogmios.org • Endangered Languages Project – www.endangeredlanguages.com • UNESCO • HRELP – Endangered Languages Centre. www.hrelp.org/languages

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