The Perpetual Guidance For Spiritual Enlightenment

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

Ya Ali Madad, Idd-e-Ghadir 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.), 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 Rahim Al-Hussaini Hazar Imam, the 50th direct lineal descendant of the Holy Prophet (s.a.s.), bless the global Jamat with peace, prosperity, happiness, barakat, higher spiritual enlightenment, spiritual & luminous tayid (help) and empowerment. Ameen.

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

Introduction

This post focuses on the perpetual guidance for higher spiritual enlightenment through the Institution of Ismaili Imamat and ties in beautifully with the celebration of our first Idd e-Ghadir in the reign of our 50th Holy Imam, Noor Mowlana Shah Rahim Al-Hussaini Hazar Imam (a.s.). We will explore this topic through the following headings.

This post has five parts:

1. Ayat from Surah Al-An’am and Its commentary;
2. Sirat Mustaqim: Straight Path, i.e., Mawla Ali;
3. Sirat Mustaqim: Straight Path;
4. Salah: Knowledge and Wisdom; and
5. Madinat al-ilm: The City of Knowledge.

1. Ayat from Surah Al-An’am and Its Commentary

Ayat 6:97

This ayat reads as follows:

And⁷⁸⁶ He it is who made the stars for you that ye may be (rightly) guided^(a) by (observing) them in darkness of the land and the sea; Indeed have We made plain the signs for the people who (can) Know^(b) .

Holy Quran Ayat 6:97

Side Notes to Ayat 6:97

Here are the two side notes for the above ayat from S. V. Mir Ahmed Ali’s translation of the Holy Quran:

(a) Understand

(b) The travellers in the deserts and the seamen even today determine their direction based upon the position of stars. The utility of the Sun, the Moon and the Stars referred to here is [related to us in more than one aspect]. Ali ibne Ebrahim in his commentary takes the term ‘Nujoom‘, i.e., stars, as the Holy Imams, i.e., spiritual guides. … God has not left man in his spiritual progress without Infallible Guiding Stars—the Apostles and the Imams.

Side notes for Ayat 6:97. S. V. Mir Ahmed Ali, p.544

Note to Ayat 6.97

Here is the note for the above ayat from S. V. Mir Ahmed Ali’s translation of the Holy Quran:

Vr. 6:97. (786) The Holy Prophet said that as the stars in the sky are a source of guidance to the travellers, the holy ones from my family (Ahlul-Bait) are the source of guidance for the people. As the stars will remain until the Day of Judgment, the earth will never be without a divinely commissioned guide from my Ahlul-Bait, i.e., a [present and living] Imam.

Footnote 786 S. V. Mir Ahmed Ali, pp.529-530.

2. Sirat Mustaqim: Straight Path, i.e., Mawla Ali

Hazrat Imam Jafar as-Sadiq says: “The straight path is the Commander of the faithful (Ali)” (al-Mizan, I, 41). There cannot be any doubt in this, because the path of true religion cannot be a material path, rather it is a living, rational and luminous path of God, namely the exalted Imam.

A Thousand Wisdoms, Tawil No. 505. pp. 268-269.

3. Sirat Mustaqim: Straight Path

In verse (15:41) it is said: “He (Allah) said: This is the straight path which leads to Me.” It is obvious for the people of knowledge that the ultimate destination of the straight path is God Himself, therefore the people of faith must continue to walk on it until they reach God. Such an absolutely successful journey is possible only in the illumination of the light of guidance.

A Thousand Wisdoms, Tawil No. 500. pp. 266-267.

4. Salah: Knowledge and Wisdom

Before the mention of sending salah upon the mu’mins, it is commanded in verses (33:41-42): “O you who believe, remember Allah abundantly and do His tasbih morning and evening”. Then in the following verse (33:43) it is said: “He it is who sends His blessings on you and His angels also, so that He may bring you out of darknesses (of ignorance) unto light (of knowledge).” That is, God and His great angels (Muhammad (s.a.s.) and the guiding Imams from his progeny) send blessings upon you, in which there is Divine help [tayid], success, guidance, knowledge and wisdom.

A Thousand Wisdoms, Tawil No. 509. p. 270.

5. Madinat al-ilm: The City of Knowledge

It is stated in a hadith: “I am the city of knowledge and Ali is its gate, so whoever wants knowledge let him come through the gate.” (Sharh, I, 89). That is, whoever wants the treasures of the knowledge of certainty, the eye of certainty and the truth of certainty, then it is necessary and imperative for him to enter the city of knowledge of the Prophet by walking in the light of unprecedented guidance of Ali of the time [i.e., Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam].

A Thousand Wisdoms, Tawil No. 804. p. 422.

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

Idd-e-Ghadir Mubarak!

May Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam fill our spiritual hearts (Qalb) with his Noor and nothing else!

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).

May our beloved NOOR Mowlana Shah Rahim Al-Hussaini Hazar Imam send blessings for mushkil aasan, and for material and spiritual upliftment.

Ameen

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)