Dawoodi Bohra Al Masjid Al Ezzi Anjuman-e-Burhanee

Hidden Hills, a small gated community in the western reaches of Los Angeles County, shelters within its quiet lanes the Dawoodi Bohra Al Masjid al Ezzi, a prayer complex and community centre serving the Dawoodi Bohra congregation of greater Los Angeles. The Dawoodi Bohras are a Gujarati speaking community whose historical roots reach back to the Fatimid era in Egypt and to the subsequent migrations from Yemen to India in the sixteenth century, and whose spiritual guidance is provided by the office of the Dai al Mutlaq headquartered in Mumbai. Bohra communities around the world share a distinctive visual identity with women wearing the colourful rida and men in white kurta and sherwani, and their mosque complexes are typically organised with a prayer hall, a majlis gathering space, a kitchen for communal meals served through the Faiz al Mawaid al Burhaniyah programme and educational rooms for children and adults. Anjuman e Burhanee is the local administrative body managing each Bohra complex. Architecturally the Ezzi masjid adopts a Fatimid inspired style, with pale plastered walls, a central dome, slender ornamental minarets and carved calligraphy around the entrance recalling the mediaeval mosques of Cairo. Inside, the mihrab is lined with hand cut ceramic, the mimbar is carved from cedar and the carpet is laid in deep crimson marked with medallions. A separate women's section opens from the eastern side. Daily prayers are observed with the community's distinctive style of congregational supplication, Jumu'ah khutbah is delivered in Arabic with Lisan al Dawat Gujarati reflections, and Ramadan evenings bring the generous shared iftar meals characteristic of Bohra communities, with Indian and Arabic dishes prepared by the central kitchen. Eid mornings fill the complex with families in their most elegant dress, and children receive small envelopes afterwards. Visitors should dress modestly, leave shoes on the low racks and respect the community's specific protocols which may include guidance from the local amil. Landmarks within reach include the Pacific coast beaches, the Getty Center art museum, the Santa Monica pier and the Malibu canyon scenic drives. Weekly majlis gatherings in the main hall feature talks in English on the life of the Prophet, on the ethics of business and on parenting within the American context, reflecting the Bohra tradition of combining spiritual guidance with practical wisdom suited to the diaspora's daily working life in southern California.