Protection Through Luminous Guidance

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

Ya Ali Madad, Idd-e-Ghadir and Imamat Day Mubarak. On the occasion of the commemoration of the great spiritually uplifting event of Idd-e-Ghadir, the first Imamat Day of our first beloved Holy Imam, Amirul-Mu’mineen, NOOR Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.), and on the occasion of the 66th anniversary of our beloved NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini’s (a.s.) accession to the masnat of Imamat, we extend our heartfelt felicitations to 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).

In the post, I have organized the content under five headings:

1. The Entry of ‘Mawla’ in the Concordance of the Quran
2. Holy Prophet Muhammad’s Declaration at Ghadir-e-Khum
3. Ayat from Surah Al-Maidah and commentary on this verse;
4. Gems from the Khutbas of Amirul-Momineen Noor Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.); and
5. Global prayers and three grand aspirations.

The Meaning of ‘Mawla’ from the Concordance of the Quran

The book titled, ‘A Concordance of the Qur’an’ by Hanna E. Kassis has an alphabetical list of the principal words which appear in the Holy Quran, listing every instance of each word with its immediate context in the respective ayats. Here is the definition and examples of entries for the word ‘Mawla’:

Definition and selected entries of ‘Mawla’ from the Concordance of the Quran

Mawla n.m. (pl. mawāli)—master, lord, patron; Protector (Divine attribute); a client, a charge, an heir

2:286—have mercy on us, Thou art our Protector
8:40—an excellent Protector, an excellent Helper
22:78—hold you fast to God: He is your Protector
47:11—that is because God is the Protector of the believers
66:2—God is your Protector, and He is the All-knowing, the All-wise

H. E. Kassis. A concordance of the Qur’an. 1983. University of California Press, Berkeley, USA. pp.1276-7

The Declaration Made by the Holy Prophet at Ghadir-e-Khum

Here is an excerpt footnote 702 from S. V. Mir Ahmed Ali’s translation of the Holy Quran:

…He asked if he had conveyed to them the commands of God about the faith and its practice enumerating them one after another. The gathering in one voice replied to each question say ‘Yes’ (O Apostle of God we do acknowledge that thou hast conveyed the commands of the Lord to us). At last, he asked ‘Alasto Aulo bil Momineen min anfosihim?‘ (33:6) i.e., Am I not superior (or Master) to the believers than their own selves? The huge crowd in one voice shouted ‘Certainly O’ Apostle of God!’ Again he asked ‘Alasto Aulo bil Momineen min anfosihim?‘ The huge crowd in one voice shouted ‘Certainly O’ Apostle of God!’

Then the Holy Prophet called Ali son of Abu Taleb to mount the pulpit and raised him with miraculous strength of his apostolic hands so that the whole gathering could see the white under his armpit and declared:

‘Man Kunto Maulaho Fahaza Aliyun Maulahu’
(To whomsoever, I am the Maula (the Lord—the Master) this Ali is his Maula (the Lord—the Master).

Footnote 702 S. V. Mir Ahmed Ali, p. 493

Ayat 5:55

This ayat reads as follows:

“Verily,⁶⁹³ your guardian is (none else but) God and His Apostle (Muhammad) and those who believe, those who establish prayer and pay the poor-rate, while they be (even) bowing down (in prayer).”

Holy Quran Ayat 5:55

Explanation of Ayat 5.55

Footnote 693

Almost all commentators including those of the Sunni School report that his verse was revealed about Amirul Momineen Ali while in prayer giving away a ring to a beggar. While Ali was in prayer in the Holy Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, a man came to the Mosque and appealed for some charity. None attended to him and the poor man was about to go away dejected and disappointed. Ali pointed his finger to him while he was in ‘Ruku” (bowing), in the prayer. The man took away the ring from Ali’s finger. While this was done by Ali in the Mosque, this verse was revealed to the Holy Prophet in his room (Durre Mansur, Baidahvi, and Tafsir-e-Husainy).

This verse clearly lays down that the guardians of the believers are only God, the Holy Prophet and Amirul Momineen Ali, son of Abu Taleb and accentuation by the word ‘Innana‘ renders the meaning—the decision of God is final and fixed, i.e., the decision of God is nothing else but the Guardian of believers should be God, His Apostle (Muhammed) and the believers who gave away charity while praying. The construction of the the sentence and the word ‘Vali‘ being kept in singular for the three persons means that the ‘Vilayat‘ or the guardianship of all the three is essentially one in nature as well as in effect and there is not the least difference between them. Hence the obedience of the Holy Prophet must be, as it should be to God and the obedience of Amirul-Momineen Ali and any of successors in the ‘Imamat‘ must be as it should be to the Holy Prophet.

Footnote 693 S. V. Mir Ahmed Ali, pp.490-1.

Gems from the Khutbas of Amirul-Momineen Noor Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.)

On the auspicious occasion of Imamat Day, let us reflect on the following extracts from three Khutba of Hazrat Ali (a.s.) to clearly understand the position of Aale-e-Muhammad (Descendants of Muhammad, may the peace of Allah be upon them):

The Almighty God has placed His trust in Aale-e-Muhammad (Descendants of Muhammad, may the peace of God be upon them). They are strongholds where His Commandments receive protection and from which they are expounded and interpreted. They are fountain heads of knowledge created by Him, shelters for His teachings, refuges for Heavenly Books, mountain like citadels to defend His religion. Islam in its beginning was weak and helpless, they came to its help and defense. Islam was nervous of the infidels around it, they made it strong and powerful.

Jafery, S.M.A. 1981. Nahjul Balagha: Sermons, letters and saying of Hazrat Ali (Second American edition), Khutba 5, pp. 7-8

I swear by the Lord that I know fully well all the messages of God that the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants) has received, the ways of fulfillment of promises made by God and of all the knowledge that science or philosophy could disclose.

We, the progeny of the Holy Prophet (may the peace of God be upon him and his descendants), are the doors through which real wisdom and true knowledge will reach mankind: we are lights of religion.

Jafery, S.M.A. 1981. Nahjul Balagha: Sermons, letters and saying of Hazrat Ali (Second American edition), Khutba 123, p. 91

Remember that descendants of the Holy Prophet (S.A.S.) are stars in the Heaven, if one sets the other will rise to illumine your path; the Merciful Lord has thus completed His Blessings amongst you.

Jafery, S.M.A. 1981. Nahjul Balagha: Sermons, letters and saying of Hazrat Ali (Second American edition), Khutba 103, pp. 72-73

Over the 66 years of his Imamat, Noor Mowlana Hazar has worked tirelessly to uplift the Ismailis, the Ummah and humanity at large through a large number of institutions under the umbrella of the Aga Khan Development Network. Here I have listed only a few activities from his voluminous work. He has protected, nurtured, empowered millions in the fields of education, health and economic upliftment. He has established three major institutions of higher learning: the Aga Khan University, the University of Central Asia and the Institute for the Ismaili Studies for academic research. Recently, the Aga Khan Museum was established in Canada for creating awareness of Islamic Civilizations globally. He has changed the whole field of Islamic architecture and has built stunning buildings around the world and has energized the Ummah to reflect on the past but build for the present and the future.

From a spiritual point of view, Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam has emphasized the balance of din and duniya; nurturing the soul by increasing its capacity and enlightening it; and to be fully aware that our stay in this world is temporary and make great efforts to prepare for ascent of our soul to the Abode of Eternal Peace, Daras Salaam, while we are physically alive in this world. This is an amazing remedy for living in this hectic, material world and making investments in the spirit world simultaneously! We are indeed blessed to live in the reign of Imamat of our present and living Imam, Noor Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazar Imam.

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

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.

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).

Idd e-Ghadir Mubarak and Imamat Day Mubarak!

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)