Bandagi :: Meditation

Gem No. 1: What is the mechanism for enlightenment of the personal world?

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

Ya Ali Madad! This post has five parts.

Part 1. Knowledge Section on Bandagi:

The practice of bandagi, a luminous prayer at a luminous time with a luminous word, is a key to higher spirituality and luminosity in Ismailism. Bandagi requires time, will, conviction and ability to perform it. Therefore, those murids who have the desire to excel in their search for higher spiritual enlightenment continually purify themselves and attend the prayer session every early morning and practice bandagi. Esoterically, the Holy Imam's Light enters into the personal world of the murid provided the murid centers his focus on the supreme word, ism-i azam. This is vividly described in the following gem of knowledge on the topic of bandagi:

The tawil of Habl Allah (Rope of Allah) is the Imam of the time and the mechanism for enlightenment of the personal world is through Ism-i Azam:

"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 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."

(Source: Tawil number 264, A Thousand Wisdoms: An Encyclopaedia of Tawil, pp. 142-143)

Part 2. Dhikr Section:

The ism-i azam is the door to luminosity, therefore it is a treasure that should be constantly remembered. Here is a humble dhikr to emphasize this point. Let us pray to NOOR Mowlana Hazar to empower us to practice the luminous prayer at a luminous time with a luminous word, i.e., perform bandagi with ism-i azam, the Supreme Name of God, with a greater effort, strength and enthusiasm.

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

Ism-i azam: The Great Divine Name

Recited by Noorallah Juma

Al-hamdu lillahi rabbil 'alamin.
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds!

Part 3. Anant Nâ Nav Chhugâ Verses (Chhugo Number 1, verses 1 to 5):

Recited by Shafiq Rawji

Āshāji	pāchhām disthi narji āvē āvē tē ja(m)pu dipmā(n)hē jānji evo nar māro kāyam āvasē thāyasē tē purakh avtār hari ana(n)t ana(n)t hari anatē(n)jo sāmi shāh anantē(n)jo a(n)t tu(n)hē jānējē Hari ana(n)t ...................................	1
Oh Lord	The respectful Husband (the Lord) comes from the horizons of the west (always spiritually) and He comes to the Indian Subcontinent (our home) Such an eternal Husband of mine will come (materially) and He will become a complete (and perfect) Manifestation Hari You are eternal; ........................	1
Āshāji	evo purakh vira tamē srēvo jē sāchi nārino bharthārji sēvā kartā(n) sarvē māno māno tē ja(m)pudip mi(n)jār Hari ana(n)t ...................................	2
Oh Lord	Brothers worship such a complete entity who is the Husband of the truthful and devoted women Everyone who undertakes to serve Him will enjoy every fruit and they will enjoy it in the Indian Subcontinent Hari You are eternal; ........................	2
Āshāji	amē purakh Sri Islām shāhā lādho anē lādho tē dinno dātārji eni nāri jē thai rahēshē tēnē kā(n)tyo sutar apār Hari ana(n)t ...................................	3
Oh Lord	We (I) have found the complete and perfect Shri Islam Shah and have found the Protector (Saviour) of religion Whoever will remain His (devoted) wife will get the benefits of spinning the cotton-like substance (upon which these verses have been written) in an abundant manner Hari You are eternal; ........................	3
Āshāji	sirba(n)dh sāro amēj ka(n)tyā anē ālyā tē hāthoi hāthji tē dādāti amē nāri thai rahi tē sāchē shāhni jān Hari ana(n)t ...................................	4
Oh Lord	It is only we (I) who have spun the cotton-like substance from which the entire turban was made and took it personally (at His presence) We (I) have remained the wife of that Saviour and indeed, truthfully as the wife of the Lord (Himself) Hari You are eternal; ........................	4
Āshāji	evo nar nārie gotinē lāvyā tē karva jivu(n) nā kāmji eni nāri jē thainē chālshē tē pāmsē amrāpurimā(n) thām Hari ana(n)t ...................................	5
Oh Lord	The woman has found and brought such a Husband who will perform the (liberating) work for the souls Whoever remains a (devoted) wife to Him will attain the abode of paradise Hari You are eternal; ........................	5

Part 4. Angelic Salwat
Let us recite angelic salwats to invoke Divine grace and mercy.

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

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

33 beads recited by Noorallah Juma

101 beads recited by Noorallah Juma

Al-hamdu lillahi rabbil 'alamin.
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds!

Part 5. Global Prayers and Three Grand Aspirations
Through the barakat of spiritual knowledge, tasbis and angelic salwat by many individuals of the global Jamat, O Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam, bless the global Jamat with:

Spiritual and luminous tayid (help) to advance materially, spiritually and intellectually;
Sunshine in our spiritual hearts and actualization of the inner vision of the Truth;
Empowerment to present a Material Nazrana of time, knowledge and financial resources;
Empowerment to present a Spiritual Nazrana in the form of a pure heart which is in a state of constant dhikr; and
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.

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

Bandagi Gems:

Article by Dr. Noorallah Juma