Let the once dead earth be a sign to them. We gave it life, and from it produced grain for their sustenance. We planted it with palm and the vine and watered it with gushing springs, so that men might feed on its fruit. It was not their hands that made all this. Should they not give thanks? Qur'an 36:33-35 Navroz, ...
"...he [Ali ibn Abi Talib] was a prince to whom God gave much knowledge and wisdom."1 Attar "Ali b. Abi Talib, may God beautify his profile, is the secret mystery of the gnostics...and the whole Muslim Community agree that Ali b. Abi Talib represents the breaths of inspiration of all the prophets...He has sayings the like of which no one prior ...
Da'i s were sent to the Indian subcontinent by Imams residing in Persia to teach the Ismaili interpretation of Islam beginning in the late 11th or early 12th century. The Da'is, who were known by the Persian term Pir, composed Ginans to explain the message of Revelation to non-Arabic speaking people. From the Sanskrit jnana meaning 'contemplative knowledge,' Ginans are a ...
![[Mar 7]Today in history: Imam al-Mu'izz succeeded to the Imamat](https://ismailidigest.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/2318422c03-1024x512.jpeg)
Imam Abu Tamim Ma'add succeeded his father to the Imamat and Fatimid caliphate on March 7, 953 1 at age of twenty-one, adopting the regal title of al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah, 'the one who strengthens the religion of God.' Named after the Prophet's daughter, the Fatimids, Mawlana Hazar Imam's ancestors, established their empire in 909 in North Africa when Imam al-Mahdi was ...
![[Mar 5]Today in history: Nasir Khusraw began his seven-year journey](https://ismailidigest.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/6990866175-1024x733.jpeg)
"The passage of a millennium has not diminished Nasir Khusraw's relevance nor dulled the lustre of his poetry. It continues to uplift and inspire..." Mawlana Hazar Imam Born into a noble Twelver Shi'i family in 1004 in Marv in the eastern Iranian province of Khurasan, Nasir Khusraw studied mathematics, medicine, Greek philosophy, astronomy, and the Qur'an. He followed family tradition and ...
In the Shia interpretation of Islam, the role of the intellect is an important facet of faith. "Imam Jafar al-Sadiq reports a hadith which states that the first thing Allah created from His Light was intellect. Alongside the role of the intellect is the responsibility of individual conscience" (Secondary Curriculum, p 148). Having been created by God, humans are accountable to ...
![[Feb 25]Today in history: Firdawsi's Shahnama, was completed](https://ismailidigest.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/1ffbdceb26-1024x733.jpeg)
Abu'l-Qasim Firdawsi (940-1020) completed his epic work, the Shahnama (Book of Kings), on February 25, 1010.1 Fearful that Persia's history would be forgotten, Firdawsi set about composing a poem that integrated existing written accounts and orally transmitted tales. Partly legend, partly historic, the Shahnama comprises more than 60,000 rhyming couplets, telling the story of Persia from the time of creation to ...
![[Feb 20]Today in history: the first Fatimid city was inaugurated](https://ismailidigest.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/19c0d21ba5.jpeg)
Imam al-Mahdi (r. 909-934) was proclaimed caliph in 909 in Raqqada, establishing Fatimid reign (909-1171), governing from Qayrawan, the capital city of Ifriqiyya, today's Tunisia and eastern Algeria. In order to have better access to the Mediterranean and eastern lands, Imam al-Mahdi founded the town of al-Mahdiyya, named after him, on the east coast of Tunisia. The town, which began to ...
![[Feb 16]Today in history: Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah established a research institution](https://ismailidigest.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/a4e36190e6-1024x733.jpeg)
Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III (r. 1885-1957) established a research institution, the Ismaili Society (Anjoman-e Esma'ili), on February 16, 1946 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. According to the Charter, its primary objective was "the promotion of independent and critical study of all matters connected with Ismailism with the stated policy of refraining from all religio-political missionary activities" (Daftary, Anjoman-e ...
"Poetry is the voice of God speaking through the lips of man. If great painting puts you in touch with nature, great poetry puts you in direct touch with God." Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah's interview with the Daily Sketch, November 2, 1931 Source: Ismaili Gnosis In pre-Islamic times, the recitation of poetry was the mark of artistic achievement. The human voice ...
![[Feb]This month in history: The pioneer of Ismaili studies, Ivanow, came into contact with Ismailis for the first time](https://ismailidigest.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/ab81ffff0a.jpeg)
"They [Ismailis] with amazingcare and devotion kept through ages burning that Light, mentioned in the Qur'anwhich God always protects against all attempts of His enemies to extinguish it...I rarely saw anything so extraordinary and impressive as this ancient tradition being devoutly preserved..." Ivanow Ivanow. Source: The Institute of Ismaili Studies The pioneer of Ismailis Studies, Valdimir Ivanow was born in 1886 ...
Imam Aqa Ali Shah Aga Khan II (r.1881-1885) had assigned the task of collecting ginan manuscripts to Lalji Devraj (1842-1930) and his associates, who published the texts through the Khoja Printing Press in Bombay (modern-day Mumbai). Later, the press was re-named to Ismaili Printing Press, which became the official publishing house for Ismaili literature. The Khojki fonts in which the ginans ...
Works of art have made up the visual landscape of Islamic societies for fourteen centuries, playing an important role in the devotional lives of Muslims. Writing the sacred word was considered an act of piety, inspiring the development of diverse calligraphy styles from the Kufic, named after the city in which it is believed to have been developed by Hazrat Ali ...
The foremost Ismali jurist and founder of Fatimid Ismaili legal system, al-Qadi al-Nu'man was born in 903 in Qayrawan, North Africa, into a learned family. He entered the service of Fatimid Caliph-Imam al-Mansur in 925, serving the Fatimids for fifty years until his death in 974. Named after the Prophet's daughter, the Fatimids, Mawlana Hazar Imam's ancestors, established their empire in ...
Following his address to the Portuguese Parliament in Lisbon on July 10, 2018, Mawlana Hazar Imam opened the exhibition titled Ideals of Leadership: Masterpieces from the Aga Khan Museum Collections, hosted at the Parliament building.Mawlana Hazar Imam tours the exhibition hosted at the Parliament building, São Bento Palace in Lisbon. Source: AKDN / Mo Govindji The exhibition, which was on display ...
The Mughals ruled the Indian subcontinent from 1526 to 1857. Muhammad Zahir al-Din Babur (r. 1526-1530) laid the foundation of a dynastic rule which inaugurated the most glorious period in the history of South Asian Islam. Babur's grandson Jalal al-Din Muhammad Akbar (r.1556-1605), who succeed Humayun, is considered the builder of the empire. His territorial expansion, an effective fiscal policy, and ...
Literally meaning "luminous lamp," the Chiragh-i Roshan (or Rawshan) is a ceremony practised by the Nizari Ismailis of Afghanistan, Tajikistan, western China, and northern Pakistan. The ceremony, generally performed on the third night following the death of a family member, is guided by the authorised text Chiragh-nama which comprises poetry, supplication, and verses of the Qur'an, culminating in the kindling of ...
Throughout the ages, and in most faiths and traditions, earthly light is understood as an image of eternal light. It is the most esteemed visible image by which the invisible God can be represented in the temporal world. O Mankind! Certainly a proof (burhan) has come to you from your Lord, and We have sent down to you a manifest light ...
![[Jan 4]Today in history: Imam al-Mahdi was officially proclaimed caliph, establishing Fatimid reign](https://ismailidigest.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/1f7fc59f42.jpeg)
On January 4, 910, the eleventh Ismaili Imam Abu Muhammad Abd Allah, who took on the titles of al-imam al-mahdi bi'llah (the imam rightly guided by God) and amir al-mu'minin (commander of the faithful) was publicly proclaimed as caliph in Raqqada in present-day Tunisia, establishing the Fatimid Caliphate. On the following day, a declaration was read out in the mosques "announcing ...
Qualities of a da'i: piety, humility, generosity, forgiveness, ability to protect the weak The Arabic term 'da'i' literally meaning 'one who summons,' or 'calls for a particular cause,' was applied by several Muslim groups to designate their missionaries, but in the Ismaili tradition, the term referred to an authorised person appointed by the Imam's permission, to teach Ismaili doctrines. Only candidates ...
A prominent Ismaili scholar and writer of the early eleventh century, Ahmad b. Ibrahim al-Naysaburi worked during the time of Imams al-Aziz (r. 975-996) and al-Hakim (r.996-1021). Although not much is know about his life, according to his works, he seems to have come from Nishapur in Khurasan (modern-day northeastern Iran, southern Turkmenistan, and northern Afghanistan); he was well-versed in history, ...
One of the most celebrated of the Persian poets, Shams-ud-din Muhammad, known by his pen-name Hafiz, or Hafez, was born around 1310 in Shiraz in Persia (modern-day Iran). It is believed that he memorised the Qur'an after hearing his father recite the verses, hence the name hafiz, Arabic for 'one who has memorised the Qur'an.' Other theories suggest that it also ...
In the early years of Islam, poetry was largely non-religious, such as praise poems (madih), hunting poems (tardiyyat), and satire (hija') largely in the qasida (or qasideh) form (a long mono-rhyme (aa, ba, ca) similar to an ode). The earliest examples of religious poetry in Islam are to be found in the verses of a small group of poets who were ...
The first set of Rules and Regulations that served as a constitution was issued by Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah in 1905 to the community settled in Zanzibar. The earliest Nizari Ismailis to immigrate to East Africa from the Indian subcontinent established their foothold in Zanzibar in the 1800s although Ismaili merchants and other traders based in western India had been trading ...
![[Dec] This month in history: Imam Hasan Ali Shah established his residence in Bombay](https://ismailidigest.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/81fd22b574.jpeg)
Imam Hasan Ali Shah Aga Khan I, the forty-sixth Nizari Ismaili Imam, settled in Bombay (now Mumbai), India in December 1848, establishing the seat of Imamat there, initiating the modern period in Nizari Ismaili history. Official portrait of Imam Hasan Ali Shah taken after 1847. Source: The Ismailis An Illustrated History In the aftermath of the destruction of their state of ...
![[Dec 1]Today in history: Imam Rukn al-Din Khurshah succeeded to the Imamat](https://ismailidigest.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/e2dc764b8f.jpeg)
The twenty-seventh Nizari Ismaili Imam Rukn al-Din Khurshah succeeded to the Imamat on December 1, 1255 during the turbulent Mongol invasion of Persia. He entered into negotiations with the Mongols who were seizing and destroying Ismaili fortresses. After the last round of negotiations failed, Imam was forced to surrender his residence Maymundiz in 1256, and subsequently Alamut, marking the end of ...
The first revelation to Prophet Muhammad was about knowledge and learning. The value placed on knowledge in the Qur'an and Prophetic Tradition became the foundation for the development of education among Muslims. Initially, mosques were places of learning. However, as the demand for learning grew, new institutions of higher learning emerged, including the madrasah (colleges) and the jamia (universities). Originally teaching ...
One of the most important female figures for the roles of women is Fatima, the daughter of Prophet Muhammad and his first wife Khadija. She was born around 604 CE in Mecca, the youngest of three sisters: Zaynab, Ruqayya, and Umm Kulthum. Fatima was reportedly close to her father. When the Prophet emigrated (hijra) to Medina in 622 CE initiating the ...
Invoking blessings on the Prophet, known as salawat, is an integral part of prayer based on Qur'anic injunction: "Indeed Allah and His angels bless the Prophet! O you who believe, invoke blessing on him (salloo 'alayhi) and greet him with the full greeting of peace" (33:56). Upon receiving the revelation of this verse, the companions of the Prophet asked him how ...
![[Nov 12]Commemorating 40th anniversary of Hazar Imam's first visit to Jamat in Canada](https://ismailidigest.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/a8b3616861.jpeg)
Mawlana Hazar Imam visited the Jamat in Canada for the first time in November 1978, arriving in Ottawa on November 12 as a guest of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Mawlana Hazar Imam met with Jamat in:Ottawa - November 13Vancouver - November 14-16, also visiting the site of the future Ismaili Centre with Council members and Burnaby Mayor Tom Constable.Calgary - November ...
![[Nov 9]Today in history: Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah delivered the inaugural lecture to Iran Society](https://ismailidigest.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/889376970f.jpeg)
"...in this world, we have a soul which has a life of its own in its appreciation of truth, beauty, harmony and good against evil... Anwari, Nizami, Mawlana Rumi, Saadi, Qa'ani and a host of others...each in his own way gave a message to mankind. But the fundamental point of each message if carefully studied is that man's greatest of all ...
"We believe that any educational endeavour must prepare young people for the world that lies ahead and its inherent uncertainties. It is clear that what students know is no longer the most important measure of the quality of their education. The true test is their ability to engage with what they do not know and to devise solutions, using their capacity ...
"Life is a great and noble calling, not a mean and grovelling thing to be shuffled through as best as we can but a lofty and exalted destiny." Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III, Memoirs of Aga Khan: World Enough and TimeImam Sultan Muhammad Shah. Image: The Ismailis An Illustrated History Imam Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan III was ...
On the occasion of the designation of the Seat of the Ismaili Imamat in Lisbon, Portugal, during Mawlana Hazar Imam's Diamond Jubilee, a print depicting Fath Ali Shah was gifted to Mawlana Hazar Imam on behalf of the global Jamat.The print gifted to Mawlana Hazar Imam to mark the occasion of the designation of the Seat of the Ismaili Imamat. Image: ...
""The symbol of the Garden as a spiritual symbol goes back to the Holy Qur'an itself - where the Garden ideal is mentioned many times. Down through many centuries, Islamic culture has continued to see the Garden as a very special place, where the Human meets further proof of the Divine." Mawlana Hazar Imam Aga Khan IVInauguration of Aga Khan Garden, ...
"The chahar-bagh was more than a pleasure garden. In the discipline and order of its landscaped geometry, its octagonal or rectangular pools, its selection of favourite plants and trees, it was an attempt to create transcendent perfection - a glimpse of paradise on earth." Mawlana Hazar Imam Aga Khan IV, New Delhi, India, April 15, 2003 Speech at Aga Khan Development ...
Named after the Prophet's daughter, the Fatimids - Mawlana Hazar Imam's ancestors - established their caliphate in Tunisia, North Africa, in 909. In 973, they transferred their administrative seat to Cairo, founded by the Fatimid Caliph-Imam al-Mu'izz (r. 953-975). Their capital became a flourishing centre of scholarship, sciences, art and culture, in addition to playing a prominent role in international trade ...
Eji Saami raajo aave, jangi dhol vajaave chudise chandruna hua re ho praniya Qaayamji ne aaraadho, alakk purakh ne ma visaaro Shah purakh ne re sambhaaro re ho praaniya, Qaayaam ji ne aaraadho.....1 The Lord King is arriving and royal drums are being beaten There is light all around O man! Obey the Qaim Do not forget the incomprehensible Lord Remember ...
![[Oct 12]Today in history: Fatimid Imam al-Mahdi was proclaimed Caliph](https://ismailidigest.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/4f1935bd50.jpeg)
On October 12, 9091 Imam al-Mahdi was solemnly enthroned as caliph in Sijilmasa (in present-day Morocco), where he had been residing for four years. This marked the end of the dawr al-satr (period of concealment) in early Ismaili history. Following the proclamation, Imam and his entourage set off for Qayrawan, the seat of the fallen dynasty, to officially establish Fatimid Caliphate. ...
The popular board game Snakes & Ladders is believed to have originated in India in the second century, and may have been based on the ancient game of dasapada - dasa a Sanskrit word meaning 10 - and was played on a board of 10x10 squares. The Jains of ancient Indian called their version gyanbazi or gyanbaji which means Game of ...
