Yemen’s BOHRAS CELEBRATE FATIMID HERALD’s BIRTHDAY [Archives:2000/30/Local News]
The birthday of Sultan of Bohra, Dr. Muhammed Burhan-ul-din, who is the 52nd herald of the Bohra sect, was celebrated at Faid al-Hatemi building in Hadda on Friday July 21.
According to the Hejira calender, the 20th day of the month of Rabi al-Awwal, is marked throughout the world as the Sultan’s birthday.
The celebrations were inaugurated with a reading of verses from the Holy Quran and was followed by poems and songs praising Prophet Muhammed. Speeches highlighted the history and conception of Fatimid herald. Then the well-known local “Buhr’u” dances were performed. Simultaneously, the Ismaelites, followers of Jacob’s son, celebrated the occasion in Haraz area , 90km west of Sana’a.
The Faid al-Hatemi House which was founded ten years ago hosts all Bohra visitors who arrive in Yemen from different parts of the world. It also arranges religious celebrations.
So far about 14,000 male and female Ismaelite Bohras from different parts of the world have arrived here and have visited the tomb of Herald Hatem Bin Ibrahim Al-Hamdi Al-Hamdani who died in the hejira year 596 in Al-Khateeb village of Haraz area. The visitors have other religious sites here. Last year, the Bohra Sultan visited Yemen for the eighth time accompanied by 4,000 out of the 5,000 persons who were permitted to accompany him during this visit.
It is understood that around 112,000 Ismaelite Bohras live in Yemen, with a majority living in Haraz area. Around one million other Ismaelite Bohras live in other parts of the world. Dr. Burhan-ul-din normally celebrates his birthday in Karachi, Pakistan. He meets world leaders who know him as “ambassador of security and peace.”
Bohras are staunch believers of Islam. They learn Quran and Prophet Muhammed’s “Ahadeeth” by heart. They are also well-versed with the memoirs of Prophet’s family. Bohras in Yemen have charitable contributions here remarkably the Kira Water Project in Haraz, an agricultural society in Haraz, linking Moch- Al-Khatib road with Haraz.
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