Women's Vows, Roles and Household Ritual in a South Asian Muslim Sect

Abstract

This paper describes and analyzes a household group religious ritual among the Bohra women of the Ismai'li Shi'i sect of South Asian Muslims. Bohras are a Gujarati speaking, endogamous group involved principally in petty trading. The sect has a well-organized cleric class which oversees the spiritual and often temporal concerns of the sect members. Bohra women engage in a variety of religious gatherings and rituals that often involve the fulfillment or anticipated fulfillment of a vow. A commonly observed ritual, performed in the name of Fatema Zehra—the daughter of the Prophet—and known as Mitthi Sitabi, focuses around motherhood and the vows of marriage. This paper highlights the role of this ritual in validating women's traditional roles and women's culture within Bohra society. From the women's point of view, these gatherings serve not only a religious but also an important social function within the community. From the perspective of the cleric class, these rituals establish boundaries for the structure and content of the practice of women's ritual gatherings. As such, they are an instrument by which the community traditions are preserved, community cohesiveness reinforced and a unique Muslim sub-identity maintained. Through an analysis of such religious ceremonies, this paper comments on and draws conclusions about some gender perceptions of religious practices. It discusses the Bohras' unique interpretation of the Sitabi as an example of both the diversity and homogeniety that exists in South Asian Muslim religious life.