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How Bohras and Aga Khans are different?

Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

it is believed that bohras and followers of prince karim agha khan and many others are part of mulism community but in what ways are they different or what actions (if any) makes them go out of the boundry line made by Allah Almighty.

I liked ur idea of not being a sunni or shia but only a muslim(which is a must) please describe in simple words where exactly these people are standing.

 

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Answer:

 

How Bohras and Aga Khans are different?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Any person who declares and testifies His belief in the Oneness of Allah Subhanah, and the appointment of Prophet Mohamed (saws) as Allah’s Last and Final Messenger; he will be regarded as a legal muslim in the sight of the Shariah or Islamic Law, and all the rights that are due to a muslim will be accorded to him in full. It would be legal for him to marry amongst the believers, visit the Sacred House of Allah, inherit from his believing parents, his believing children will inherit from him, he will be given a muslim burial, etc. Regardless of his beliefs and acts, he will be considered a legal muslim and all the rights that are due to a muslim will be accorded to him in full.

 

Your Question: it is believed that bohras and followers of prince karim agha khan and many others are part of mulism community but in what ways are they different or what actions (if any) makes them go out of the boundry line made by Allah Almighty.

The Bohra or the Ismaili community amongst others are indeed legal muslims, for they indeed testify that none has a right to be worshipped except Allah Alone, and they testify that Prophet Mohamed (saws) was indeed the Last and Final Messenger of Allah. Thus they will be considered part of the muslim community and all the rights that are due to a muslim will be accorded to them in full.

 

Because you have particularly and specifically asked about the Bohra and the Aga Khani (or Ismaili) community, we will restrict our comments and observations to these communities; for unfortunately many amongst the ‘Muslim’ Ummah have chosen to disobey the direct command of Allah Subhanah and break themselves away from the mainstream Ummah and form their own sects, creeds and cults with their own set of peculiar beliefs, rites, and rituals.

 

Allah says in Chapter 30 Surah Rum aayat 31-32: "This (Islam) is the right and true faith, but most people do not know. (Be steadfast on this) turning wholly and sincerely towards Allah Alone, and fear Him, and establish the Salat, and do not be like the mushriks, who have set up their separate creeds and divided themselves into sects, each sect rejoicing in what it has."

 

Allah says in Chapter 45 Surah Al-Jathiyah aayat 17: "Then they differed amongst themselves after the knowledge (of Islam) had come to them, only because they wanted to wrong one another. Your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning the matters in which they have been differing."

 

Just look at the Anger and Wrath of Allah described on those who break up their religion into sects:

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 23 Surah Mu’minoon verse 52-55: And you all belong to one and the same Ummah, and I(Allah) am your Lord; so fear Me Alone! Yet afterwards the people divided themselves into different sects, and each sect rejoicing in what it has. Well, leave them deeply involved in their heedlessness up to an appointed time. What? Do they think that, by continuing to provide them with wealth and children, We are solicitous for their welfare? Nay, they do not understand the reality of the matter!

 

Although there are several differences in their performance of the deen, the one that should be of serious concern is their belief and practice of ‘shirk’ or associating and invoking others with Allah Subhanah. If one confronts a Bohra or Ismaili scholar and tells them that their beliefs are closer to ‘shirk’ than to ‘tawheed’, they will vehemently deny that they practice ‘shirk’!; but anyone who has even basic knowledge of the Glorious Quran will swear that their practices and beliefs are full of the heinous and unforgivable sin of ‘shirk’.

 

Here are a few examples of their practices and beliefs which would qualify them to be guilty of ‘shirk’ in light of the guidance of the Glorious Quran and the Sunnah:

 

Major Difference #1: They bow down in Sajdah to their High Priests

Bowing down in Sajdah, whereby the knees, hands, and forehead are laid upon the ground is considered an integral act of worship in Islam, and all acts of worship are due to none save Allah Subhanah. If one bows down in Islamic Sajdah to anyone other than Allah Subhanah, it would constitute a clear case and manifestation of the abomination of ‘shirk’!

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 22 Surah Hajj verse 77: O you who believe, do ‘rukoo’ and ‘sajdah’ to Allah Alone, worship Allah Alone, and do righteous deeds. It may be that you attain true success.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 41 Surah Fusselat verse 37: Do not do ‘sajdah’ to the sun and the moon, but do ‘sajdah’ to that Allah, Who Created them, if you really are indeed His worshippers.

 

Major Difference #2: They believe that Allah can only be invoked through a ‘middleman’ or ‘Shafaa’ or intercessor.

Allah Subhanah has guided and commanded the believers in the Quran to invoke Him directly, without any middleman or intercessor in between. The sects like the Bohras and the Ismailis have appointed their own ‘intercessors’ and invoke them constantly to seek the favors of Allah Subhanah. This act of invoking the non-existent ‘shofaa’ or intercessors is declared as a clear and manifest act of ‘shirk’ all over the Glorious Quran.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 10 Surah Yunus verse 18: These people worship beside Allah those which can neither harm nor benefit them, and say, “These are our ‘shofa’a’ (intercessors) with Allah!” O Mohammed, tell them, “Do you wish to inform Allah of that thing which He knows to be neither in the heavens nor in the earth?” He is absolutely free from, and exalted above the shirk that they commit.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumar verses 44: What! Have they taken besides Allah others as ‘shofa’a’ (intercessors)? Say to them, “Will they intercede even if they have no power whatever nor understanding?” Say, “Shafa’a is wholly in the Power of Allah Alone!”. His is the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth. Then to Him you will be returned.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anam verse 94: (And Allah will say), “So, you have come before Us all alone, as We created you at first. Now, you have left behind all that We gave you in the world. Now We do not see with you those ‘shufa’a’(intercessors), who, you believed, had a share in moulding your destinies! All the relations between you and them have been cut off, and all those, in whom you trusted, have left you in the lurch.”

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumur verse 2-3: So worship Allah Alone, making your religion His exclusively. Beware! Religion is the exclusive Right of Allah. As for those who have taken other ‘auliyas’ (guardians) with Allah (and justify their this conduct by saying): “We serve them only that they may bring us closer to Allah.” Allah will surely judge between them concerning all that in which they differ. Allah does not show guidance to any liar and denier of the Truth.

 

Major Difference #3: They believe unconditionally in every ‘farmaan’ or decree from their High Priests; regardless of whether or not the command is in accordance with the Quran and Sunnah.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verse 31: They have made their scholars and their monks as their Rabbs besides Allah!

 

It is reported in an authentic narration that Hadrat Adi bin Hatim Tai (r.a.), who was a convert to Islam from Christianity, came to the Messenger of Allah (saws) and when he heard the above verse of the Holy Quran, “They have made their scholars and their monks as their “Rabbs” besides Allah!”, said, “O Messenger of Allah (saws), we never worshipped our scholars and our monks in Christianity.” The Messenger of Allah (saws) asked him, “Did you not consider ‘haraam’ what they say ‘haraam’, and ‘halaal’ what they say ‘halaal’?” Hadrat Adi bin Hatim (r.a.) said, ‘yes indeed, we did!’. The Messenger of Allah (saws) then declared, “What is this, other than worshipping them and making them your Rabbs besides Allah!!”

 

Just to relate a simple example of how the Bohras unconditionally follow the ‘farmaans’ and edicts of their Syedna above the guidance of Allah and His Messenger (saws). Fish that do not have scales have been declared haraam by the Bohra leadership and you will never find a Bohra eating fish that does not have scales; whereas Allah and His Messenger (saws) have made no such restriction upon the believers in Islam.

 

There are hundreds, if not thousands of small differences in the practice of the deen; but the one that should be of the biggest concern is their beliefs and practices that revolve around their invocation of their self-appointed ‘awliyaas’ and thus the abomination of the heinous and unforgivable sin of ‘shirk’! If only they could realize the enormity of this concept of ‘shirk’ from the Quran, 99% of their differences with the believers of the Islamic Ummah would disappear!

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 72: Whoever commits ‘shirk’ (invoking anything with Allah), Allah shall forbid for him Paradise, and Hell shall be his abode. And for such wrong doers there will be no one to help.

 

Allah says in the Quran: Chapter 4 Surah An-Nisa Verse 48: Shirk (associating other deities with Allah) is the only sin that Allah does not forgive, and He forgives, whomsoever He pleases, sins other than this, for whosoever associates any other partner with Allah, does indeed forge a big lie and commits the most heinous sin.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your Brother in Islam,

 

 

Burhan

 


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