Mustaali

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Main article: Imamah (Shi'a Ismaili doctrine)


The Mustaˤlī (Arabic: مستعلي) group of Ismā'īlī Muslims are so named because they accept al-Mustaˤlī as the ninth Fatimid caliph and the legitimate successor to his father, al-Mustansir. In contrast, the Nizāriyya (presently headed by the Aga Khan) believe the rightful ninth caliph was Mustaˤlī's brother, Nizār.

The Mustaˤliyya are also referred to as the Taiyabi or Tayyibī group (Arabic: طيبي), named after the last Imām recognized by them, Tayyab Abī l-Qāsim. Originally, there was a distinction between Tayyibiyya and Hafiziyya (who recognized the Fatimid rulers of Egypt between 1130-1169 as legitimate Imāms, not Tayyab Abī l-Qāsim).

The Hafizi view lost all support after the downfall of the Fatimid Dynasty; current-day Mustaˤliyya are all Tayyabiyya.

In 1592, a leadership struggle caused the Tayyibiyya to be split into Sulaimanis (sometimes formerly also called Makramis) and Dawoodis. The Sulaimani Bohra - named after their 27th Daˤī, Sulayman ibn Hassan) - are mainly concentrated in Yemen and Saudi Arabia, while Dawoodi Bohras are strongest in Pakistan and India. There is also a community of Sunni Bohra in India.

Later, there was a further split in the Dawoodis and a new subsect formed the Alavis (not to be confused with the Alawis or the Alevis).

Image:BohrasDiv01.JPG

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