Tanzania’s Nizari Ismailis: The Khojas

Origins of the Nizari Ismailis

When Jaʿfar al-Sadiq, the sixth Imam of Shiʿa Islam, passed away, the majority of Shiʿa (known as the Twelvers, Ithnāʿashariyya) recognized his son Musa al-Kazim as the rightful successor. A smaller group, however, accepted Jaʿfar’s other son, Ismaʿil, as the seventh Imam, thus giving rise to the Ismaili branch.

Centuries later, the Ismailis themselves split into two groups: the Mustaʿlis (Tayyibis) and the Nizaris. (In my previous article, I introduced the Mustaʿli Ismailis, also known as the Dawoodi Bohras.)

The Nizaris rallied around Hasan Sabbah (1050–1124), rejecting the authority of the Fatimid caliph and insisting that Nizar was the only legitimate Imam. His successor, Hasan ʿAla Zikrihi’s-Salam, declared himself the Nizari Imam and introduced radical changes to Shiʿa jurisprudence. He proclaimed the end of time (qiyama) and announced that paradise would be experienced on earth, thereby abolishing all religious duties such as prayer, fasting, and pilgrimage.

After the Mongol invasion destroyed their state centered around Alamut, the Nizaris remained in hiding for nearly 700 years. By the early 19th century, with the appointment of their 46th Imam, the community began using the title “Aga Khan” for their spiritual leader.

For Nizaris, the Imam possesses the full authority once held by the Prophet Muhammad himself. His words are regarded as God’s words, and he is believed to embody divine powers.

Politically, the Aga Khans have been closely associated with Britain and the West. The 48th Imam, Aga Khan III (Sultan Muhammad Shah), supported Britain during World War I and, according to some sources, even served as a British agent.

Arrival in Tanzania

Like other Shiʿa groups, the Nizari Ismailis crossed the Indian Ocean to East Africa primarily for trade. Their significant presence in Zanzibar began in 1840 when Sultan Seyyid Said invited both Hindu and Muslim Indian merchants to settle in his dominion.

Following the 1964 Zanzibar Revolution, many Indian-origin residents—including Nizaris—moved to Dar es Salaam. Later, under the socialist policies of Tanzania’s founding leader Julius Nyerere, sections of the community migrated to other countries. The return of liberal economic policies in the 1990s, however, drew Indian-origin populations back to Tanzania in greater numbers.

Dar es Salaam became the gateway to Africa for Nizari Ismailis, who then spread into Uganda, Kenya, and the Congo, continuing to focus on commerce.

The Nizari Ismailis in Tanzania Today

Globally, the Nizari Ismailis are estimated at around 20 million, mostly in India and Pakistan. In Tanzania, with a population of 63 million, their numbers are roughly 40,000. Despite their relatively small size, they are among the country’s most affluent and influential communities.

Institutions such as the Aga Khan Foundation, Aga Khan International Schools, Aga Khan University, Aga Khan Hospital, Diamond Trust Bank, and the Serena Hotel chain are all associated with the community.

Unlike other Muslim groups, the Nizaris call their houses of worship jamaʿatkhanas. In addition, Ismaili Centers exist in various parts of the world, featuring libraries, meeting rooms, and gardens to facilitate dialogue with other faiths and communities.

However, jamaʿatkhanas are strictly reserved for Nizari Ismailis. Even the spouses or children of Nizari members who belong to other sects or religions are not allowed to enter. The sacred relationship between the murid (disciple) and murshid (spiritual guide) is considered too holy to be witnessed by outsiders.

Similarly, visits of the Imam—whether didar, darbar, or private mulaqat—are events exclusively for Nizari Ismailis.

To become a Nizari Ismaili, one must take the oath of allegiance (bayʿah), a tradition dating back to the Fatimid period. Without the Imam’s acceptance, a person cannot be recognized as a member of the community. The pledge involves a written declaration of the shahada along with the recognition of the living Imam—today, Prince Karim al-Husseini—as one’s spiritual authority.

Distinctive Beliefs and Practices

The Nizari Ismailis differ from other Muslim sects in many ways.

• Dress and modesty: As early as the 12th century, during Hasan ʿAla Zikrihi’s-Salam’s era, Nizari women abandoned veiling. Later, Aga Khan III further emphasized women’s freedom and education, declaring that no Nizari woman should wear the veil.
• Prayer: Unlike other Muslims, Nizaris reject the standard five daily prayers. Based on Qur’an 11:114, they observe three daily prayer sessions—morning, evening, and night—in the form of devotional supplications, disregarding related hadith.
• Pilgrimage: They interpret the Hajj spiritually rather than physically. Looking upon their living Imam is considered equivalent to performing the pilgrimage.
• Obligatory giving: Members must donate 12.5 percent of their income (dasond) directly to the Imam. Giving charity elsewhere, even to the poor, is prohibited.
• Finance: Interest (riba) is not regarded as forbidden. According to Aga Khan IV’s statements, all forms of earnings and foods are deemed lawful (halal) as long as dasond is paid.

Aga Khan IV: Shah Karim al-Husseini

The current Imam, Aga Khan IV (Shah Karim al-Husseini), assumed leadership on June 11, 1957, succeeding his grandfather. That date is celebrated annually as Imamat Day.

Born in Switzerland, he is a British citizen and a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, according to Nizari belief. He spent part of his childhood in Nairobi, Kenya. His mother was British, and both of his ex-wives were European—one English, the other German.

With an estimated fortune of around 12 billion USD, the Aga Khan family is among the world’s ten wealthiest dynasties. The family owns the Serena Hotel chain, numerous thoroughbred racehorses, and extensive philanthropic and business enterprises. The Aga Khan distinguishes between his personal fortune, inherited from his father and grandfather, and the institutional wealth of the community.

For Nizari Ismailis, the Aga Khan is both religious and political leader, empowered to grant bayʿah and even absolve followers of their sins.

Criticism and Controversy

From the perspective of other Muslims, Nizari Ismailis are often criticized for deifying their Imam, altering the fundamental tenets of Islam, creating sectarian divisions, and practicing taqiyya (religious dissimulation). The question of whether they should be regarded as Muslims remains a matter of debate in broader Islamic discourse.

 

Sources:

https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/2580967

Prasad, Y. D. “THE AGA KHAN AS A BRITISH IMPERIAL AGENT DURING WORLD WAR I.” Proceedings of the Indian History Congress, vol. 39, 1978, pp. 946–53. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/44139444. Accessed 7 Aug. 2023.

Nanji, Azim. “Modernization and Change in the Nizârî Ismaili Community in East Africa: A Perspective.” Journal of Religion in Africa 6, no. 2 (1974): 123–39. https://doi.org/10.2307/1594884.

(1)– Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III, 'The Memoirs of Aga Khan -- World Enough and Time', Chapter 2: Islam, The Religion of My Ancestors, 1954

Identity,Citizenship and Transnationalizm: Ismailis in Tanzania and Burundians in the Diaspora /Rose M.Kadende-Kaiser and Paul J. Kaiser

A History of Ismaili Community in Tanzania  /Shirin Remtula Walji 1974 /The University of Wisconsin

https://ask.ismailignosis.com/category/59-rituals

This article was originially published in Independent Türkçe, on December 13, 2023.