Sunni Vohras or Sunni Bohras, are a community from the state of

Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...

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. Sharing the same name as the

Dawoodi Bohras The Dawoodi Bohras are a religious denomination within the Ismā'īlī branch of Shia Islam. They number approximately one million worldwide and have settled in over 40 countries around the world. The majority of the Dawoodi Bohra community r ...

, they are often confused with that community. A few families use the slightly different spelling of "Vora" or "Vahora" as their surname. Another common surname is

Patel Patel is an Indian surname or Indian honorifics, title, predominantly found in the States and union territories of India, state of Gujarat, representing the community of land-owning farmers and later (with the British East India Company) busine ...

. Sunni Bohras have had a large presence in the historical Indian Ocean maritime trade, and the Sunni Bohra merchant Mulla Abdul Ghafur was one of the richest merchants of the 18th Century.

History and distribution

There are multiple Gujarati Muslim communities that use the Vohra name. The community is split into four different sects.

Bharuchi and Surti Sunni Vohras

The Sunni Vohras of South Gujarat are a large community spanning from

Cambay Khambhat state or Cambay state was a princely state in India during the British Raj. The city of Khambhat in present-day Gujarat was its capital. The state was bounded in the north by the Kaira district (Kheda district, Kheda) and in the sout ...

to Valsad. The ones north of the river Narmada are commonly known as Bharuchi Sunni Vohras, and the ones South of Narmada are commonly known as Surti Sunni Vohras. Many Vohras from this community, especially north of the Narmada, use the

surname. Historically this community was involved in farming and trade. Many members of this community have substantial amounts of Middle Eastern ancestry from the large Middle Eastern settlements in ancient South Gujarat (see Origins of Bharuchi and Surti Muslims). Some members of this community were converted from the dominant South Gujarat landowning farmer communities during Muslim rule in Gujarat. This community is now found in towns and villages in South Gujarat, and the diaspora is found in many places around the world, especially in places such as

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, Reunion (known as Zarabes),

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etc. In many places they have played a substantial role in establishing some of the first Sunni Muslim mosques and being a leading part of the Muslim community, as well as pioneering technological and economic advancements. Many prominent figures such as Mufti Menk, Hafiz Patel, Major Atchia, Ahmed Deedat, Ajum Goolam Hossen, Ghulam Vastanvi, Mohsin and Zuber Issa, Alimuddin Zumla and

Ahmed Kathrada Ahmed Mohamed Kathrada OMSG (21 August 1929 – 28 March 2017), sometimes known by the nickname "Kathy", was a South African politician and anti-apartheid activist. Kathrada's involvement in the anti-apartheid activities of the African Natio ...

belong to this community.

Patani Bohras

Patani Bohras or Jafari Bohras are converts of the Ismaili Bohras in Patan during Muslim rule of Gujarat. Some Dawoodi Bohras underwent persecution during Muslim rule after the Muslim conquest of Gujarat and converted from Mustaali

Ismaili Ismailism () is a branch of Shia Islam. The Isma'ili () get their name from their acceptance of Imam Isma'il ibn Jafar as the appointed spiritual successor ( imām) to Ja'far al-Sadiq, wherein they differ from the Twelver Shia, who accept ...

Sunni Islam Sunni Islam is the largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any Succession to Muhammad, successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr ...

. The leader of part of this conversion movement to

was said to be Jafar Patani, himself a Bohra convert to

. In 1538, Syed Jafar Ahmad Shirazi, a missionary from Sindh, convinced Patani Bohras to cease social relations with Ismaili Bohras making the Patani Sunni Bohras a distinct sect.Sunni Vohras
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Kadiwal Vohras

Kadiwal Vohras are located in Kadi and

Ahmedabad Ahmedabad ( ), also spelled Amdavad (), is the most populous city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,570,585 ...

and are traditionally followers of Pir Muhammad Shah.

Charotar Vohras

Charotar Vohras are located in Anand and converted from farming communities in Anand during the Gujarat Sultunate.

References