Book Review: From Dhows to Diaspora

Let me start by saying this:

If you’re looking for a dusty academic tome filled with footnotes and jargon, From Dhows to Diaspora is not it. And thank goodness for that.

This book, penned by Dr. Hasnain Walji - a man whose wit is as sharp as his memory is long - reads more like a fireside chat than a formal history. It’s the kind of book you can imagine flipping through with a cup of chai in hand, pausing every few pages to nod, smile or let out a nostalgic sigh.

It’s personal, lyrical, layered and most of all, deeply rooted in the lived experience of the Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri community.

Launched in June 2025 at the 29th Ordinary Conference of the Africa Federation in Mombasa, this book comes 64 years after the Federation’s last official publication. That’s right! Six decades without a community chronicle. One might say we were overdue. But as Walji reminds us early on, this book is not just a record of events.

It’s a story of identity, belonging, and memory. And frankly, it’s about time someone told it like this.

This landmark publication, almost three years in the making, is the result of a rigorous and collaborative endeavour led by the AFED Archives Sectional Secretary, Dr. Abbasaley Abbas assisted by Zaheera bai Alishan Raza and Ismat bai Khimji. It stands not merely as a compilation of historical data, but as a testament to careful scholarship and communal memory. The work has been significantly enriched by the contributions of seasoned subject matter experts, including Dr. Mohamed Raza Dungersi, Abdulhussein Tejani, Alhaj Ahmed Jaffer, Mustafa Pirmohamed, Zulfikar Vasram, and Munir Daya. Their insights, drawn from decades of experience and study, helped shape the narrative and deepen its authenticity.

Equally important was the role of Alhaj Aunali Khalfan, whose meticulous dedication to accuracy elevated the final manuscript into a polished and trustworthy historical record.

A Community Woven Through Time

The title, From Dhows to Diaspora, is both poetic and precise. It captures the long arc of the Khoja journey; from the dhow boats that carried our ancestors from Gujarat in India to East Africa, to the present-day diaspora scattered across five continents.

But here’s the brilliance: Walji doesn’t just trace a geographic journey. He unpacks the emotional and spiritual migration too. This isn’t just about how we moved. It’s about how we became.

The book opens with a reimagined conversation between a young man and Pirbhai Kaka, a quintessential elder figure who could just as easily be your own grandfather. He’s wise and brimming with stories. Through their dialogue, Walji takes us on a journey through time - one that feels intimate rather than distant, familiar rather than foreign.

Not Just What Happened, But How It Felt.

What makes From Dhows to Diaspora special is its tone. It’s not the kind of history that just lists what happened. It reflects on what those events meant; to the people who lived them, and to those of us still grappling with their legacy.

Walji moves seamlessly from tales of barefoot merchants trekking across crocodile-infested rivers to thoughtful analysis of theological shifts, from Satpanth syncretism to Twelver Shi‘ism. And he does it without ever sounding preachy or pretentious.

His humor is dry, his admiration genuine, and his critique, when it comes, always delivered with compassion.

Take, for example, his reflections on the Africa Federation. He doesn’t just rattle off dates or names of presidents. He paints a picture of how and why the institution mattered; showing us that it wasn’t built in comfort, but in crisis and determination. That its strength wasn’t in hierarchy, but in unity.

Honoring the Unsung

One of the most moving threads in the book is Walji’s tribute to the unsung heroes: the mulyanis, the madrasah teachers, the uncles and aunties who made it all happen behind the scenes.

These are the people who ran Jamaats without budgets and majalis without microphones. They didn’t do it for recognition. They did it because someone had to; and because service was part of their spiritual DNA.

On Tabligh

Another highlight is the chapter on the Bilal Muslim Mission. Walji narrates their story not as a checklist of accomplishments but as an example of humble, sincere tabligh.

No loud fanfare. No flashy marketing. Just quiet, determined work rooted in respect and faith.

It’s a lesson for our times, one that resonates deeply in a world obsessed with visibility.

A Book That Asks You to Belong

What sets this book apart is that it doesn’t end with a neat conclusion. Walji is clear; this isn’t the final word on our history. It’s the beginning of a much-needed conversation.

In fact, the final line of the book reads, “This story doesn’t end with the last chapter. It begins with YOUR next step.”

It’s a call to the younger generation - to see themselves not just as recipients of heritage but as its custodians. And it’s a gentle challenge to all of us to ask: What will we pass on?

Style That Feels Like Storytelling

From a literary perspective, Walji’s writing is a joy.

His sentences are crisp but never cold. He writes like a man who has edited a lot of newsletters and read a lot of poetry. There’s rhythm in the prose, but also restraint. He knows when to be poetic and when to just get to the point.

He weaves in Gujarati, Kutchi, Swahili, Urdu, and Arabic terms, not as exotic tokens, but as authentic reflections of how we speak, think and remember.

It’s a book that feels lived in. And for that reason, it feels alive.

Final Thoughts

In a time when communities are fragmented, when second and third generations are grappling with questions of identity, and when heritage often competes with hashtags, From Dhows to Diaspora arrives not just as a book but as a gift.

It’s not about glorifying the past. It’s about grounding the future.

If you’ve ever sat in a Jamaat hall and wondered how it all began…

If you’ve ever heard your grandmother’s stories and wished you had recorded them…

If you’ve ever felt both rooted and restless at once…Then this book is for you.

So, pick up a copy. Make some chai. Read slowly.

And maybe, like me, you’ll close the final page with a quiet smile and the feeling that you, too, are part of something extraordinary.

Article Written: By Alhaj Mustafa Pirmohamed.

From Dhows to Diaspora

Published by the Africa Federation

Available in print at the Africa Federation Head Office:

AFED Tower, 1st Floor, Jamhuri and Mwisho Street, Dar es Salaam

Price: TShs 12,000/- or US$ 5

For inquiries:

📧 Email: archives@africafederation.org

📞 +255 699 476 010 | +255 652 552 447

SECRETARIAT

ARCHIVES SECTION OF THE AFRICA FEDERATION

18^th July 2025 / 22^nd Muharram 1447 AH