Mustali

Mustali, also spelled Mustaʿli, refers to a sub-branch of Ismaili Shia Islam that emerged in the 11th century after a Fatimid succession dispute. The Mustali followed the line believed to be descended from Imam Al-Mustaʿli and Mother Fatimah, distinguishing them from other Ismaili groups such as the Nizaris. The split occurred as followers of different claimants to the Fatimid Imamate formed distinct communities with shared overarching Ismaili beliefs but divergent leadership lines.

In the 12th century the Mustali further divided into two main sub-branches, Hafizi and Tayyibi. The Hafizi accepted the continuation of the Imam’s authority under the Fatimid caliphs in Cairo, while the Tayyibi branch developed a system in which a Da’i al-Mutlaq acts as the appointed representative of the hidden Imam and leads the community. This Tayyibi lineage gave rise to several contemporary communities, notably in the Indian Ocean world, the Indian subcontinent, and the Yemeni-Yemeni diaspora.

Today the Mustali designation is most often associated with the Tayyibi sub-branch. The largest Tayyibi communities are the Dawoodi Bohras, who have a global diaspora centered in India, Pakistan, East Africa, and the Middle East, along with other Tayyibi groups such as the Alavi Bohras and Sulaymani Bohras, each maintaining distinct religious leadership and institutional structures while sharing core Ismaili beliefs, including the central authority of a living Imam through a Da’i system. The Hafizi sub-branch, once a significant line, largely ceased to function as a distinct community in the modern era.