Momin(momna) Ismaili

[alinizar313]

Does any body know about the origion of Momin (Momna) Ismaili.Which Pir covert them into Ismaili

[shamsu]

I think it was Pir Sadardeen.

[star_munir]

There are 2 kinds of mumna [momin] one is those who belongs to sidhpur. I dont know more about it.I will try to find and will tell you.

[alinizar313]

I got few information regarding the background of momin (Momna) Ismaili.
They were converted from Hindu by Syed Imam Shah in North Gujrat India. There were about 500 to 600 families converted to Ismaili. After few years, Syed Mashaik shah, younger brother of Imam Shah and son of Pir Hasan Kabirdin, converted few of them ( almost 100 families ) to Shia Ishnasheri Muslim called Chilyas. Again few of these chilyas converted to Sunni Muslim. They are mostly in India and Pakistan.The spiritual leader of Shia chilyas is called Bawa sahib.

Out of the remaining 500 families, almost 250 families migrated to Kathiyawar. Nowadays these momins are now settled mostly in India, Pakistan, East Africa.Canada and U.S.A.

The remaining 250 families remained settled in Gujrat mostly in about 22 villages in Sidhpur District ( 140 miles from Ahmadabad). Nowadays these are living in India, Pakistan, Canada and U.S.A. It is interesting to know that these Ismailis were told as KUTUNMBI (Family members) by Imam Hasan Ali Shah, Imam ALi Shah, Imam Sultan Mohammed Shah and Hazar Imam.
This is all I know right now. For reference See book " momen qoum no Itihas" by Missionary Miyanji Ruh kesh.

[star_munir]

According to Brief history of Ismailism, Pir Tajdin converted the peasants of Sidhpur,Gujrat and called them momna,the momineen.

[altaf_sunesara]

Book Name " momen qoum no Itihas" by Missionary Miyanji Ruh kesh.

where to find this book is there any soft copy/ on our ismaili website where we can read this book apart from finding in JK?

Thank you and Yaa Ali Madad.

[MR-FORGET]

Why Imam Hasan Ali Shah or Imam Ali Shah (s.a.) called Momin Jamat as a family? this Momin jamats are recognized as "Momna" now a days but they used to live in original 22 villages near Sidhpur and Patan.

- Can any one give me the reason why our Imam called them as a family?
- Does any one have the names of these 22 originals villages?
- Which pir converted them first?
- Are Momnas are superior then Khojas?
May be, Agakhani can give us decent answer of above questions, since he claimed himself as a Momna in his many post.

[agakhani]

- Are Momnas are superior then Khojas?

No, Let me answer your last question first, all Murids of Hazar Imam are equals and same, the status in the eyes of Imam for his different Murids like Momana, Khoja, Shamsi, Gupti, Afghan, Badkshani, Russian, Chinese and Iranian Ismailis are same and equal, Mowla always treat them as his equivalence Murids, no one is superior or better for him, you can find many farmans of MSM and current Imam regarding this, so there is no question arising for superiority for any murids and if someone consider themselves as a superior then that is totally wrong.

Can any one give me the reason why our Imam called them as a family?

I don't know the right reason for your above question, maybe someone else have better answer for that, but here is the answer as per my research,before I give the reason let me clear it here that, I have tried very hard to find out the reason for above question before you asked here but many years ago I started to find the answer of this question for my self but unfortunately I couldn't find the right reason anywhere else in any book, any waez, any ginan or any farmans, so I spend hours and hours in studing and researching all the available literature regarding Momna kom including Ginans, Garbis, granths,, books, waez and many articles not only written by Ismaili authors, pirs and dais but also from non-ismaili authors as well ( please look the list below) but I still don't have the right and appropriate answer for that, I repeat your question here, why Imam Ali Shah (s.a.) called them as a family member?
but my efforts didn't go fruitless,due to my this deep study and research I find out two reasons which are my own, it may be right or it may be wrong and these two reasons are acceptable or not which I don't know but below are these two reason:-


1,Because Momnas were the first and oldest converted Murids in
Satpanth in India before the Khojas, Shamsi and Guptis** in Indo subcontinent, they were first converted in ‘SATPANTH’ by Pir Satgur Noor more than 1000 years ago 400 hundreds before the Khojas 100 hundreds years before Shamshi and that is the main reason Imam Ali Shah (s.a.) referred Momna as a family member. You can find above facts in one waez #381 of Rai Abu Ali and the title of this waez is "PIRS".
(note:- The name Momna was not given at that time of their first conversion by pir Satgur Noor but name ‘Satpanthi” was given),
you can find this story in Pir Satgur Noor’s one ginan ‘PIR SATGURNA PUTALA”
If you still need more detail or want to read the whole story what happened in Hindu temple in Anlwad (Patan) during the Pir Satgur Noor's visit in temple? then please click the links below, there are some interesting information about Pir Satgur Noor.

http://ismaili.net/hero/hero17.html
http://pirsatgurnoor.com/about_pir_more.html#2
http://simerg.com/%C2%BB-special-series ... %E2%80%99/

2,The second reason in my opinion, because of their good behavior and good habits and their Ruhani progress:-
During the time of Imam Hasan Ali Shah and Imam Ali Shah (S.A.) most Momnas didn’t have any bad habbits like smoking, drinking also they were
very punctual in their religious duties , they ddidn't have many bad habbits but one habit Mowlana Sultan Mohammad Shah (s.a.)ofcourse mentioned in his farman, to kidnap someone wife but this bad habits is not persist any more and if this habit still exist then it is not that bad it used to during the time of our 46-47 and 48 Imams.

For above two reasons in my opinion, Imam Ali Shah called Momna as a family member as per my own research and study, this is my person reasons, so if someone don’t agree or don’t believe that these are not right reasons then it is fine with me, I just wrote these reasons after research of many years.

**According Rai Abu Ali’s books " A Short history of Ismailis" he wrote that Pir Tajdin converted the peasants surrounding Sidhpur and Methan areas and gave them a name Momin, the Momin name is given here by Pir Tajdin 'The term momin in Arabic means someone who is true follower of Islam'.
But the word Momin distorted as ''Momana" latter years and now we all recognized them as a Momna now a days.
He also mentioned in his one waez that the pir Satgur Noor converted momnas of surrounding area of
Anhilwad ( call Patan now) and Sidhpur areas but after some time passed they started indolence in their religious duties and some Momans started to go back in their old religions due to tremendous pressure from Hindus
and from one Suba name Aurangzeb of Ahmedabad, he was strict sunny and not only he forced only Momnas but he also forced other shia, Bohras and Hindus to convert in Sunnism, so Hazrat Imam Muhammad bin Islam Shah appointed Pir Tajdin as a pir and pir
Tajdin came there and strengthen momnas faith again on Ismailism and boosted them to stay on right path no matter how hard Aurangzeb do for conversion. Some time latter Aurangzeb ordered Momna families to accept Sunnism or go to prision but this time Momnas remained in same old sect, so Aurangzeb put these 500 families in fort jail of Patan.
Now Pir Kasam Shahcome forward and helped them to release from the prison of Patan and prooved that they were strictly follow the Shariayat life of Pir Tajdin was not long.
Momna were first converted by pir Satgur Noor but Pir Tajdin's roll and his efforts played big roll to reorganized them and gave them strength and boost to stay on the right part and because of Pir Tajdin Momna they are still in Ismailism, we should not forget the important roll Pir Kasamshah who helped them to release from the fort prison of Patan and shifted 250 families in Kathaiwad and settled remaining 250 families in 22 different villages mentioned above.
Please not that Syed Imamshah also converted some Kanabis/Patel they also used to call Momans and they were also practiced same like Momnas but his son Syed NoorMohd Shah and one Syed Mushayak shah started different religion amongst them after the death of Imamshah because they both wanted to keep Dasond with them, right now they are recognized as Imamshahi and "NAVA HATHNA MOMNA" .
This is the brief history of Momna Jamat and I think I honestly answered all your questions, it may possible that some other scholars may have better answer for why Imam Ali Shah (s.a.) called Momna as a family? but above answers are as per own study and research.
The village names are :- Metrana, Methan, Mahii (Mahedi pura), Meta, Mudana, Meloj, Manpura, Dethali, Kayan, Vanasan, Punasan, Diodarda, Lodhpur, Yeshor, Kunvara, Varsila, Alipura, Abadpura, Samoda, Sandesari,Sidhpur e.t.c.
During my last visit to Sidhlur and surrounding villages I show that there are some villages where some Momna families are still living there but there are some villages there you can't find any single family of Momnas! this happened because of a big migration in Mumbai, Sidhpur and other countries.
Now a days Momnas are not living only above villages surrounding Sidhpur but they are spread all over the world, they are living in Pakistan, USA, Newziland Australia, Canada, UK and many other countries and with the grace of Hazar Imam they are well settled there.
Not long ago momna were only relying on farming and cattle farms but right now they are in all kind different businesses. Not long ago they were not give much importance it should on Education but right now they understand the importance of Education and therefore more and more momnas kids are taking much education they can take and so that you can find many Momana students in well known and top universities around the world.

Below is the list of some books which I used for above articles and also some interesting books for your recommendation to read it if you want to know more about Momnas.
1, Nooran Mubin (Urdu & Gujarati)
2, Momna Komno Itihas: Gujarati
3, Gulzar- E-Shams: Urdu
4, Tawarikh-E-Pir 1-2:Gujarati and Urdu
5, Mirat-E- Sikandari : Persian but English, translation available
6, Satpanth Dharam: Gujarati & Hindi
7, Kalam-E-Imam Mubin Farmans of Sultan Mohammad Shah : Gujarati
8, Imam ali Shah na Farmans: Gujarati
9, Pir Padharya Apne Dwar 1-2: Gujarati
10, History of Ahmedabad: Amdavad No ItihasZ: English & Gujarati
11, Some Ginans of Imamshahi Sects: Gujarati
12, Ismaili ginans /garbis/Granths : Gujarati
13, Mushayakhvani : Gujarati
14, Aulia -E- Islam : Urdu
15, The Pirs: by Vladimir Ivanov Englsih
16, Aulia -E-Multan: Urdu
17, Mirat-E-Aashikin: Gujarati
19, Saint of Sind: English
20, Sufi jan to tene kahiye: Gujarati
21, Sufi saints and state power : the pirs of Sind, English
22, Tarikh -e- Farista : Persian translation available in English
23, Sidhpurna survir sitarao: Gujarati & English
24, A Short History of Ismailis by Farhad Dafatary: English & Gujarati
25, A Short History of Ismailis by Abu Ali English
26, Tarikh-E-Ahmadi, originally in Persian but English translation available
27,and of course Ismail.net and other websites.

[MR-FORGET]

Agakhani,

Thanks a lot for a well written and well explained article on 'Momna Kom" I din't know much about Momna Kom but recently I started to come in touch with Momnas and I thought I should know more about them, I ask them same questions but they didn't have right answer for that, so I put my questions here in Ismaili.net hoping that some one may give me answers of my questions and you did it beautifully thanks again.
Your articles is very informative for me and may be for other readers too.
The reasons you give in your articles; why Imam called Momna as a family? seems quiet right but there is no other evidence or proof to make it 100% correct but as you wrote above that you couldn't find the right reasons any where else, so that you give your own reasons as per your own study and research, so that there is nothing wrong if we accept it just for time being until some another scholar come forward and tell us the right reasons with proof.
Your other answers are also great.
It really surprise me that you read more than 20 books to find out the history of Momna kom!! great job.

[agakhani]

Mr-forget,
Thanks for compliment on my article, however I don't think I wrote everything about Momna Kom, there are still plenty information there which I intentionally avoided to keep it in short therefore I believe that the above articles is not complete.
By the way your nice compliments and comments above motivated me to write more on Momna Kom in future.

Mr.-Forget don't forget to e-mail me if you need more information.

[nuseri]

Ya Ali Madad:
Just saw the topic today.
Regarding the farman of Imam Momanas as Kutumbi ( a characteristic classifications.
1.they see each other as brother and sisters.
2.very united to help and upbring each other.
3.Almost 80-90% momanas are blessed to be born as Haqiqat is. ( a level above haqiqat is).
Haqiqatis accepts the status of spiritual father and ruhani maabaap of IMAM with immense faith and spirit ,so hence are closer spiritual children of ALI.
4.one thing ,I have personally observed in my interaction them that the Khojas value and respect among is weighted in a person wealth or jamati post( to have close or distance relations),while in Momnas is very less of that to have distinctions.
5.In this topic Agakhani and MR FORGET are the same person.
they are indeed our blessed brother and sisters in faith.They tend to be inward amongst each other and try less outwardly to mingle with Khojas ( somewhat snobbish).
As an example if there are 5 Khojas as partners in one business ,there would minimum one disagreement amongst them every month,If there are 10 momnas as partners ,there would be maximum 1-2 disagreements amongst them in one year.
7.They have the ratio of attendance for morning baitukhayal among adult Ismaiis ( almost 30-35% of adult jamat DAILY.)