And Hold Fast To the Rope of Allah

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Ya Ali Madad and Salgirah Mubarak! On the occasion of the 88th birthday of Noor Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazar Imam (a.s.), we extend Salgirah Mubarak to the global Jamat. Let us reflect upon the Institution of Imamat and offer heartfelt gratitude for the guidance and vision of our present and living Holy Imam.

On this day, may Noor Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazar Imam, the 49th direct lineal descendant of the Holy Prophet (s.a.s.), grant peace, prosperity, happiness, barakat, higher spiritual enlightenment, spiritual & luminous tayid (help) and empowerment to the global Jamat as we go through this difficult period. Ameen.

Allâhumâ salli alâ Muhammadin wa âle Muhammad
(O Allah! Bestow Peace on and through Muhammad and his Descendants).

Introduction

This post has six parts:

1. Ayat from Surah Al-e-Imran and Commentary on this Verse;
2. The Inner Meaning of Rope of God;
3. How Does the Noor Come to a Seeker?;
4. How Does a Seeker’s Soul Merge into Nur-e-Imamah?;
5. Noor Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.) Help on the Day of Judgement; and
6. Global prayers and Three Grand Aspirations.

1. Ayat from Surah Al-e-Imran and Commentary on this Verse

Ayat 3:103

This ayat reads as follows:

“And⁴²¹ hold ye fast by the Rope of God All together, and be not divided (among yourselves) and remember the bounty of God bestowed upon you. ”

Holy Quran Ayat 3:103

Explanation of Ayat 3:103

Here is the footnote from S. V. Mir Ahmed Ali’s translation of the Holy Quran:

Footnote 421

‘Hold fast to the Rope (‘Habl’) of God.’ The image is that of a rope down from heavens to the earth so that by holding it, people may climb up to Heaven. In some traditions this is identified with the Book of God, but according to the greater number, it is the Prophet and the Imams. The holding fast to the Book or the Holy Prophet and the Imams, would primarily mean an intense spirit of attachment and devotion to them (from which the rest of goodness will follow) and then the rising to the Presence of God would be facilitated.

Footnote 421 S. V. Mir Ahmed Ali, p.334

2. The Inner Meaning of the Rope of God

The Luminous Rope of God lights up the path of the devoted followers of the spiritual path. Here is an explanation of the journey of the soul:

“Internally the Qur’an and ‘itrat (ahl-i bayt = Imam) are the same one light which is like a rope or ladder between the heaven and the earth, and this is also the straight path. The rope is extended from the supreme heaven to the earth, so that people may reach the Lord of the Throne through this rope or ladder of knowledge and recognition. This is the most marvellous as well as the most understandable example. Thus, when an arif (one who is seeking marifat) gradually progresses upwards, at every level he see the Qur’an and the Imam on the form of one Light. He sees the upper end of this luminous rope even in the presence of God, which is both the great Qur’an and the manifest Imam.”

A Thousand Wisdoms, Tawil No. 418, pp. 228-229

3. How Does the Noor Come to a Seeker?

In the esoteric path of Ismailism, the mechanism is to be pious, pure and practise Ism-i Azam with great rigor, consistency and concentration. This will lead to enlightenment during the ascent of the soul.

“God has sent the rope of His holy light from the higher world to the inhabitants of the lower world for the purpose that they may all together hold it fast so that they may be lifted to the higher world (Holy Qur’an 3:103). Externally the luminous rope of Allah is the holy personality of the Imam of the time and internally it is his ever-reaching light. The holy light of the Imam of the time comes to you specially through the ism-i azam (the supreme Name). Thus the Imam within (batin) you is the rope of Allah in the position of ism-i azam, to which you have to hold fast in such a way that all faculties of the heart and the mind are turned towards and centered upon it.”

A Thousand Wisdoms, Tawil No. 264, pp. 142-143

4. How Does A Seeker’s Soul Merge into Nur-e-Imamah?

Here is an excerpt from the teachings of Noor Mowlana Sultan Muhammad Shah (a.s.):

‘If a pious, true momin passes away from this world in a state of purity, then his soul will merge with the Nur-e-Imamah. But, this is only possible after death. It cannot obtain union while still alive, Just like a river which merges into the ocean and becomes one with the ocean, similarly an individual soul, after death will merge with Nur-e-Imamah. But while still alive, his soul is as far away as the distance between the earth and the sky. Just like the wind that merges with other wind currents, such will be union after death.’

Kalame-Imam-e Mubin, Part 2, p..5. Karachi, January 4, 1912

5. Noor Mowlana Murtaza Ali’s (a.s.) Help on the Day of Judgement

Here is an excerpt from the teachings of Noor Mowlana Sultan Muhammad Shah (a.s.):

‘On the day of Judgement, Murtaza Ali (a.s.) will intercede on your behalf and will hold your hand and escort you to Paradise. There, to the true momins, he will offer the Holy Water from the Well of Kawthar.’

Kalame-Imam-e Mubin, Part 1, p.38 Bombay, April 14, 1893

It is through the Noor of Mowlana Hazar Imam (a.s.) and the Noor of Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.) that we are seeking to come close to He Who Is Above All Else. Let us offer gratitude for being under the umbrella of a present and living Imam in our ascent to Paradise and beyond!

Shukhran Lillah Wal Hamdu Lillah
(All thanks are due to Allah, and all praises are due to Allah)

Salgirah Mubarak!

May Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam fill your spiritual heart (Qalb) with his Noor and nothing else! May this enable you to present Spiritual and Luminous Nazranas described below.

6. Global Prayers and Three Grand Aspirations

Through the barakat of recitation of Holy Quran, Qasidas, Holy Ginans and voluminous prayers and Angelic Salwat by many, many individuals of the global Jamat, O Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam, bless the global Jamat with:

1. Spiritual and luminous tayid (help) to advance materially, spiritually and intellectually;
2. Sunshine in our spiritual hearts and actualization of the inner vision of the Truth;
3. Empowerment to present a Material Nazrana of time, knowledge and financial resources;
4. Empowerment to present a Spiritual Nazrana in the form of a pure heart which is in a state of constant dhikr; and
5. Empowerment to present a Luminous Nazrana in the form of a sound heart (qalb-i salim) which is in a state of constant dhikr and enlightenment.

Al-Hamdu lil-lahi Rab-bil Aalamin (All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds).

Angelic Salwat Supplication

Let us now start supplicating with angelic salwat, Allâhumâ salli alâ Muhammadin wa âle Muhammad (O Allah! Bestow Peace on and through Muhammad and his Descendants) to our beloved NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazar Imam for mushkil aasan for material and spiritual upliftment.

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Haizinda — Qayampaya
(Our Present Imam is Living and His NOOR is Eternal)