Bahrain Bohra Community — Manama

Bahrain has been a centre of Bohra settlement for centuries, rooted in the island's position as one of the most important entrepôts of the Persian Gulf. Bohra merchants arrived in Bahrain as early as the 18th and 19th centuries, drawn by its thriving pearl-diving industry — for centuries, Bahrain's pearls were among the finest in the world and formed the backbone of Gulf trade. The Bohra community in Manama established itself in the mercantile heart of the city and built enduring institutions: the Bohra masjid in Manama stands as a physical anchor of the community's centuries-old presence. Pearl diving gave way to oil in the 20th century, and Bahrain became one of the region's first petrostates and a financial hub. The Bohra community adapted, with members moving into trade, banking, and professional services while maintaining their Bohra identity, Lisan ud-Dawat, and walayah with the Dai al-Mutlaq in Mumbai. Bahrain's unique position as the most cosmopolitan of the Gulf states — with a long tradition of merchant communities from India, Iran, and Arabia coexisting — made it a natural home for the Bohra Dawat in the Gulf. The Syedna's Ashara Mubaraka waaz has been held in Bahrain on multiple occasions, a mark of the community's importance in the global Dawat network. Today the Bahrain Bohra community is active, educated, and closely connected to both the Mumbai Dawat and the broader Gulf diaspora.