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:

Assalam-o-allikum brothers, I like your website very much and was just about the subscribe for daily sabaks service you provide via email. Masallah that’s very good. But the thing that worries me a lot is the name of your web site, or services “dawoodibohra” . I am a sunni muslim, and I have read many of your answers and the way you use references from Quran and sunna of the Prophet(SAW), make me feel that the scholars and authors you refer to are sunni muslims as well. But the name of your website contains two different group in people, DAWOODI and BOHRA, which as being a true Sunni muslim, believe that these two group of muslims are not the true muslims as they have involved lots of bid’a’ and invented many new things is Islam. Can you please let me know that is your website for Sunni Muslims, or is it being operated my Sunni Muslims, and the material used on this site if supported by Sunni Muslims rewriters and scholars. Jazak-allah-khair

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Why is the site’s name Dawoodibohrahelpline?

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.

May Allah reward you with the best for your kind comments of encouragement. It is our ardent desire that we follow only Allah and His Messenger (saws) and give evidence for everything that we write from the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Messenger (saws).

Your Statement: But the thing that worries me a lot is the name of your web site, or services “dawoodibohra” .

Brother, the reason this site is named ‘dawoodibohrahelpline.com’ is because the reason we originally started this site was to invite our Dawoodi Bohra brethren to the Truth of the Quran and Sunnah, rather than their constant obedience and following of their supposed holy men and priests. Thus brother, we assure you that it is not the name of the site which is important; but rather what should be of importance is the content of our articles from the Quran and Sunnah.

Your Question: I am a sunni muslim, and I have read many of your answers and the way you use references from Quran and sunna of the Prophet(SAW), make me feel that the scholars and authors you refer to are sunni muslims as well. Can you please let me know that is your website for Sunni Muslims, or is it being operated my Sunni Muslims, and the material used on this site if supported by Sunni Muslims rewriters and scholars.

We assure you that all the brothers and scholars who volunteer their time and effort on this forum are neither Shias, nor Sunnis, nor Dawoodi Bohras, nor do they belong to any other sect! They are all honored to be recognized by the name that Allah has chosen for the believers: that is, ‘muslims’!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 22 Surah Hajj verse 77-78:O you who have believed, do ‘rukooh’ (bow down) and do ‘sajdah’ (prostration), and worship your Lord Allah Alone, and do righteous deeds: it may be that you attain true success! Exert your utmost for the cause of Allah, as one should. He has chosen you for His service, and has not laid on you any hardship in your religion. Therefore, be steadfast in the religion of your father Abraham. Allah had named you ‘muslims’ before this, and has named you (muslims) in this Quran also, so that the Messenger may be a witness in regard to you, and you may be witnesses in regard to the rest of mankind.

The Ummah of Islam is one Ummah, and our duty is strive to unite this Ummah of Islam. And true Islam is to obey and follow the commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws); and that is exactly what we intend to do and propagate.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 23 Surah Mu’minoon verse 52-54: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.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale Imran verse 31-32:O Prophet, tell the people, “If you sincerely love Allah, follow me. Then Allah will love you and forgive you your sins, for He is All Forgiving, All Merciful.” Also say to them, “Obey Allah and His Messenger.” And if, in spite of this, they do not accept your invitation, warn them that Allah does not love those, who refuse to obey Him and His Messenger.

Your Statement: But the name of your website contains two different group in people, DAWOODI and BOHRA, which as being a true Sunni muslim, believe that these two group of muslims are not the true muslims as they have involved lots of bid’a’ and invented many new things is Islam.

The truth is that the Dawoodi Bohras are a sub-sect of the Fatimid-Ismaili-Mustaali school of thought. They are not two groups of people, but rather a community of about one million people who indeed have invented a lot of ‘bida’ in their deen, and are heavily involved in acts of shirk; although they claim to believe in Allah and the Last Messenger (saws).

They have their own leader called a ‘dai’ and the followers obey and follow this ‘dai’ and his family unconditionally; whether or not these supposed priests and holy men are guiding from the Quran or not! They are not allowed to question or challenge these priests and holy men in anything; and they are not even allowed to understand the clear guidance and teachings of the Holy Quran… They spend all their lives in the service, obedience, worship, invocation and subservience of these unscrupulous holy men; and they believe that is what Allah has commanded them to do in the Holy Quran!

It is to help these people understand the Truth of Islam that our site was created.

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