KHAJA or Khoja is a titular appellation of a sect of Muhammadans, who say that they emigrated from Persia. They are a sect of Ismaili Muhammadans, are therefore heterodox Shiahs ; for, while the Ismaili believes only in seven Imam, the Khaja continues the line down to the present day. Aga Kba,n, who was a pensioner of the British Government at Bombay, was their Imam. He died April 1881, aged 81, and was succeeded by his son. They reject Abuhakr, Umar, and Usinan, and reverence Ali, Hasan, Husain, Zain ul-Abidin, Muhammad-i-Bakr, and Imam Jafar i-Sadiq. They are in general illiterate, but have invented a written character for themselves, in which they have transcribed the Koran. Sir Erskine Perry, however, says the Khaja race, by their own traditions, were converted from Hinduism about 400 years ago by a Pir named Sudr Din (Qu. Sadr-ud-Din), and it is stated that the Bhattya is the Hindu clan from.which they were converted. Aga Khan, who claimed to be head of the tribe, was a pretender to the throne of Persia, and afterwards headed a body of free lances, with whom he did good service along with the troops under Sir Charles Napier. When he claimed tribute as head of the Khajas, ho had to show his pedigree and prove his descent. It was men of this sect who so kindly assisted Mr. Stanley when on his search for Livingstone.
The Shiah branch of the Muhammadan creed, whenever settled amongst anti-religionists, always hold its a tenet, and rigidly adhere to the practice called Takeyyah, i.e. the systematic concealment of everything that concerns their faith, history, customs, and, in a word, any peculiarities the dis closure of which might be attended with un pleasant consequences. In Bombay they are, generally speaking, wealthy traders, and their in fluence is not to be measured by their numbers, which are only estimated at 1400 families in and around the city of Bombay. In Kattyawar they have some 5000 families, in Sind 3000. Catch is another great Khaja centre. They have 800 or 900 families at Zanzibar, the trade of which thriving island is mainly in their hands; and all along the seaboard of Eastern Africa, Eastern Arabia, and on both sides of the Persian Gulf, the Khaja have established themselves in regular colonies. The
book which from the beginning has been their accepted scripture, was given them by Pir Suds Din, through whom they were converted, and contains in its ten chapters an account of ten in carnations. The first nine treat of the incarnation of Vishnu, the tenth of the incarnation of the Most Holy Ali. Their religion is consequently a strange jumble of creeds, and it is said that the majority of Khaja refuse to believe in the efficacy of prayer. The idea of the incarna tion of Aga Khan had of late years been almost entirely confined to the women of the com munity, and had led, it is rumoured, to curious customs.
The annual tribute Aga Khan received from his followers in Bombay alone amounted to a lakh of rupees. From time to time an effort to escape this heavy tax has been made by the more venturesome members of the community. About 1850, four Khojas, who disputed the supremacy of the Aga. were murdered in the streets of Mahim. But the murderers were hanged, and since then the Khoja people have fought for their rights only with such weapons as bills in the English Supreme Court of Bombay, replications and rejoinders drawn up by English counsel learned in the law, caste meetings and out-castings after the orthodox Hindu fashion. In a famous trial of 1866 the rights of Aga Khan as spiritual head of the Khaja community were established, as well as his power to initiate sen tences of excommunication. But the question was revived with reference to a Khaja murder case of 1878, and a Commission was then ap pointed by Govermnent to examine the claims of the increasing body of dissentients, and to draw up fresh rules and regulations for the guidance alike of the ruler and the ruled. The Commission had no very practical result. Aga Ali Shah suc ceeded to the anomalous position occupied by his father. —Barton's Sciatic ; Bird's Eye