Da'i al-Mutlaq

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The term Dāˤī al-Mutlaq (Arabic: الداعي المطلق) literally means "the absolute or unrestricted missionary". In Ismā'īlī Islām, the term dāˤī has been used to refer to important religious leaders other than the hereditary Imāms and the Daˤwa or "Mission" is a clerical-style organisation. "The Daˤwa" was a term for the Ismā'īlī faith itself from early on. They are also called Dāˤī Syednas.

According to Tayyabī Mustaˤlī Ismā'īlī tradition, before the last Mustaali Imam, Taiyab abi al-Qasim went into seclusion, his father, the 20th Imām al-Amīr had instructed Queen Al-Hurra Al-Malika in Yemen to anoint a vicegerent after the seclusion - the Dāˤī al-Mutlaq, who as the Imām's vicegerent, has full authority to govern the community in all matters both spiritual and temporal.

Among the Dawoodi Bohra sect of Mustaˤlī Ismā'īlī, Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin is considered the 52nd Dāˤī al-Mutlaq and vicegerent of the secluded Fatimid 21st Imam. During the Imam's seclusion, the Dāˤī al-Mutlaq is appointed by his predecessor in office. The Madhun and Mukasir are in turn appointed by the Dāˤī al-Mutlaq.

The Dāˤī al-Mutlaq is recognised in English law as a corporation sole, by a private act of Parliament passed in 1993. [1]

This title is also used in the Alavi Mustaˤlī community to refer to their leader (in the Persian form "Da'i-ye Motlæq") for similar reasons.

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These Bohra chieftains have significant power over the Bohra Muslim community which they exploit to their advantage. They collect Zakat in excess of millions to do with as they please, often to further lavish lifestyles while the common Muslim remains poor. Any Muslim who dares to question a Da'i Syedna's lifestyle or the necessity of the Zakat is denounced by the Syedna and subject to excommunication from Muslim society, together with threats of harassment. The combination of this control over the minds of his followers, as well as of their pocketbooks, makes the Da'i Syedna practically invincible. They routinely use their minority status in India to browbeat their way out of demands for social reform from politicians.^[1]

Over the course of the 20th century, the high priest, in order to increase his financial share of his affluent followers, began inventing new taxes to impose on Bohras and started to interfere in secular affairs to tighten their grip over the people. With the rise in Da'i Syedna oppression came dissent within the Bohra world and clarion calls for reform and demands to abolish (or at least reduce) the Zakat system.^[2]. The 50th Da'i Syedna tried to suppress all attempts to reform by imposing rigid reforms and preventing Bohras from education in modern schools so as to keep them in control. Attempts by Bohras to educate the community to this practice resulted in a wave of excommunications. Several Bohras challenged the authority of the Da'i Syedna through litigation in Mumbai courts. Other Da'i Syednas oppressed the community further by marginalising the Bohra Ulema and concentrated power in their hands. They also invented new doctrines that all properties owned by the Bohras belonged to him and that they were mere munims (account keepers) on their behalf.They were shrewd enough to devise some titles which were awarded to the neo-rich Bohras in search of recognition to earn money as well as their much needed support for the Syednas' increasingly authoritarian ways^[2]. The Syednas even adopted rituals that were largely alien to mainstream Islam, such as prostrating (sajda) before them (an act of reverence traditionally reserved only for Allah in Islam). Syednas declared themselves "ilah al-ard" or "Gods of the Earth" and invented oppressive practices that invited condemnation from the ulema. The Syedna's oppression had degenerated into absolute slavery by this time. Several members of the Ulema passed fatwas against them in sheer disgust.

There has been a struggle for reform within the Dawoodi Bohra community for many years, but efforts are constantly scuttled by the power-hungry Bohra clerics, eager to preserve their wealth accumulated at the expense of ordinary Muslims within the community.^[2]The reformists desire a return of the Bohra community to egalitarian Islam and not base their socety on the pretentious claims of the Syedna's. They argue that the Syedna's duty is to provide guidance, not live off of the hard earnings of other people like a social parasite.The reformists have maintained that the Bohra priesthood have been violating the democratic and human rights of Bohras. The reformists are upholders of principles of human rights and civil liberties and respect for human dignity.They also stand for transparency and accountability. The Syedna priesthood, concerned with the resistance from the reforms, frantically reject these principles in a desperate attempt to suppress the people of the Bohra community. They have committed many human-rights violations on the ordinary Bohras in pursuit of their power.^[2]

A major attempt for reform among Bohras was made by a commission headed by justice N.P. Nathwani in 1978.^[1] The commission achieved little success, however, and the Bohra Syednas retain their stranglehold over the community.The conditions have worsened in recent years. The Bohra priesthood continues to be on the offensive to maintain its highly authoritarian grip over the community. The Da'i Syednas, in order to maintain his grip over it, uses a section of the community, to perpetuate violence against the reformists. The Syednas have created a culture of violence in the Bohra community by brainwashing the Bohras to enagge in violence against the reformists.^[2]