The Key Practice of Personal Spiritual Search

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

Ya Ali Madad, Yawm-e Ali Mubarak! On the occasion of the birthday commemoration of our first Holy Imam, Amir al-mu’minin, Noor Mowlana Murtaza Ali (alayhi salaam) , we would like to extend heartfelt felicitations to the global Jamat.

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 four headings:

1. An ayat from the Holy Quran and a commentary on this verse;
2. Teachings from Kalame Mowla;
3. Teachings of Noor Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.); and
4. The Shahada of Ismaili Muslims.

1. Ayat from the Holy Quran

I have presented the ayat from the Holy Quran translation of S. V. Mir Ahmed Ali in the graphic of this post. Here is the commentary on this ayat:

Footnote 1820

This verse was revealed about the Holy Imam Ali-ibne-Abi Taleb and those of his followers (his Shias) who following his example, sleep only the first two-thirds of the night and in the last one-third they are awake with the eagerness and sincerity to pray to God. The Holy Prophet said “Shall I inform you of the entrance of righteousness—Remember ye that fasting is a shield against the fire of Hell—Giving of alms wipes out sins—and waking up in the night in prayer takes one nearer to God”. The Holy Prophet said that he who thinks lightly of the midnight (Tahajjud) prayer, is not of us (Ahlul-Bait), i.e., he is not the true follower of the Holy Prophet and his Ahlul-Bait.

Footnote 1820, S. V. Mir Ahmed Ali, pp. 1233

2. Teachings From Kalame Mowla

I have selected three verses. Here is the first one and my explanation for this verse:
The mechanism for creating the Light of NOOR Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.) within oneself is the practice of luminous prayer (bandagi) (with a luminous word (bol) if you are blessed with it) at a luminous time (early hours of the morning). The reward of this practice (and of abundant remembrance (dhikr) during the rest of of the day and night) leads to purification of the soul and enlightenment, as described in verse 162 of Kalāmē Mowlā

Badee fajar jagē nē bandagi karē,
to tu(n) nēkee kamāyā
jo ees vērāe jāgyā,
so bandageesē nēkee pāyā
subu sādak jāgo bhāi,
karo zikr ilāhi
namāz tasbi bandagisēthi,
hovē dil safāee ……………………………………………………………………………………. 162

The one who remains awake in the early hours of the morning
and performs his special luminous prayer (bandagi),
has indeed earned for himself purity.
If he remains awake at this time,
he has attained purity through luminous prayer (bandagi).
Remain awake at the early hours of the morning brothers,
and perform the luminous remembrance of God.
Through prayers (namaz, Du’a), divine remembrance
(dhikr, recitation of tasbis), and luminous prayers (bandagi)
the heart is purified. ……………………………………………………………………………. 162

Here is the second one and my explanation for this verse:
The soul is created and given a physical form. Therefore, the living body is a grave for the soul. The great saints struggled day and night to purify their souls and project them from their bodies into the higher world. In verse 167 of of Kalāmē Mowlā, NOOR Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.) explains this concept:

Roshan kar bhāi kabar tēri,
kē neet uth namāz kar beech rēan andhēree
andhēree rēan beech namaz kiasē,
roshan howē sahee kaber tēree
namāz nafal kār ādhee rātku(n),
khudākē been na bujē koye
Mowlā farmāve kē kaber tēri,
ees namāzsē sahee roshan hoye ………………………………………………………. 167

Enlighten your grave (i.e., the soul within your living body), brother,
wake up always and perform luminous prayers in the middle of the night.
In the night, having performed your luminous prayer,
your grave will truly be enlightened.
Perform your prayers (namaz, Dua) and luminous prayer
(bandagi) in the middle of the night
in such a manner that nobody else besides God knows.
Mowlanā Murtazā Ali (a.s.) says that your grave
(i.e., the soul within your living body),
will be truly enlightened by such luminous prayer. ………………………. 167

Here is the third one and my explanation for this verse:
In verse 138 of Kalāmē Mowlā, NOOR Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.) exhorts us to raise our consciousness for the next world because it is greater and permanent compared to this material world.

Duniyā bēch yē fānee hay,
aur mul lē ākbat kām,
duniyā tērē sang na rahēsee,
khub ākbat mukām
duniyā din chār hay,
chēt tu(n) chhod jāyesee,
eesē bēch ākbat besālē,
wey tujē kām ayesee …………………………………………………………………………………… 138

Sell the world, it is perishable
and buy the dwelling of the hereafter.
The world will not remain with you,
and all worthwhile is in the abode of hereafter.
The world lasts four days,
take heed, you will leave it;
sell it and dwell in (the awareness of) the hereafter,
this will be useful to you. ……………………………………………………………………………. 138

3. Teachings of Noor Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.)

The vision of the Divine Throne and the conditions to achieve this have been described by NOOR Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.) as follows:

Remember that for those who fear God, He will find ways and means to keep them out of mischief and troubles, out of vices and impieties and out of temptations and trials. He will guide them out of darkness into light. He will bestow upon them His Bounties in this world and in the Heavens, He will grant them such an exalted place that it will be in the vicinity of His Throne, will be lighted with Divine light, and will have angels, prophets, and saints as visitors and neighbours. Now be ready for this glorious world, make yourself deserving of it and be ready to face death happily and hopefully, for death shall overtake every one of you and when it arrives the door of repentence will be closed and opportunities for good deeds will be lost. Remember that still your are passing through a period towards which those who passed before you have wished to return (i.e. life), but your stay here is ephermeral, you are also a traveller. Be ready to depart from this abode which is not your home and where you are not going to stay eternally. He has clearly informed you that this life is a transitory phase and you must make provisions for the next world before you leave it.

Nahjul-Balagha, Khutba of Hazrat Ali: No. 188. Reza. 1996. Sixth U.S. edition. p.150.

4. The Shahada of Ismaili Muslims

In the second part of our Holy Dua, we recite the following:

Laa ilaahaa il-laahu
Muham-madur-Rasuululahi
‘Aly-yun Amirul-Mu’minin
Mawlana Shah Karimul-Hussaini Al-Imamul-Hadirul-Mawjud

There is no deity except Allah,
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah
‘Aly – the master of believers is from Allah.
Our Lord Shah Karim al-Hussaini is our present living Imam

The first two lines, Laa ilaahaa il-laahu Muham-madur-Rasuululahi, binds us to all Muslims. The third line , ‘Aly-yun Amirul-Mu’minin, binds us to the Shias of Ali. The last line, Mawlana Shah Karimul-Husayni Al-Imamul-Hadirul-Mawjud, binds us to the 49th direct lineal descendant of the Holy Prophet (s.a.s.). We are blessed to have Ali-Zaman to guide us in every aspect of life.

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

Yawm-e Ali 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

Ardent Prayers

May our beloved NOOR Mowlana Hazar Imam, through the knowledge and barakat of the Holy Qur'an, Holy Ginans & Qasidas, Ayatul Kursi and Angelic Salwat, grant the global Jamat luminous (noorani) and spiritual (ruhani) tayid (help) to advance materially, spiritually and intellectually. May Mowla bestow Sunshine in our hearts, light in our foreheads, and the inner vision of the Truth in our intellects. Ameen.

May Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam fill our spiritual hearts with his NOOR and nothing else, and empower us to overcome fear, anxiety and uncertainty as we pass through this calamity! Ameen.

May the Almighty Creator help the whole humanity because we are all created from a Single Soul! Ameen.

Rakh Mowla je Noor te Yaqeen (Certainly, we trust in Mowla's Light only)

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