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Empowering Your Personal Search for Higher Spiritual Enlightenment
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"He it is Who blesseth you, and His angels (bless you), that He may bring you forth from darkness unto light; and He is ever Merciful to the believers." — Holy Qur'an 33:43

 

Fundamental Concepts for Holy Ramadan

Holy Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of Arab and Islamic calendar. Fasting is prescribed for this month according to the following verse of the Holy Qur'an:

"The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the Criterion (of right and wrong). And whosoever of you is present, let him fast the month, and whosoever of you is sick or on a journey, (let him fast the same) number of other days. Allah desires for you ease; He desires not hardship for you; and (He desires) that ye should complete the period, and that ye should magnify Allah for having guided you, and that peradventure ye may be thankful." Pickthall 2:185

 

Teachings of Imam NOOR Mowlana Shah Mustansir bi'l-laah II (a.s.)
In Pir Pandiyat-i Jawanmardi, Imam NOOR Mowlana Shah Mustansir bi'l-laah II (a.s.) teaches us about external and internal ablutions and fasts, and enlightenment:

  1. External and Internal Ablutions
  2. "The ablution of the head means to keep oneself obedient to the Imam. The ablution of the hand is swearing allegiance (bay'at dadan) to the Imam of the time. The ablution of the foot is to advance along Imam's way in obedience to him. The ablution of the heart is to keep steady in affection for the Imam. The ablution of the tongue is to keep on continually remembering (dhikr) the Imam. The ablution of the eye is to have the chance of the didar of the Imam of the time." (p.61)

  3. Fasting as a Lifestyle
    "The whole year you must fast, just as ordinary Muslims (zahiriyan) fast for one month. The meaning of this fast is austerity. Control yourselves, keep yourselves away from bad qualities, evil and indecent actions and devilish acts, so that the mirror of your hearts may be gradually polished.

    ...—you must be patient, persevering in austerities, and keeping your inner self fasting as long as you live." (pp.59-60)

  4. Fasts for Inner Self
    "Here we specify the parts of the fast of the inner self: the fast of the head means to treat one's own head with the same humility as the feet of other people, casting out from one's head the lust of superiority, greatness and pride, because greatness and superiority are only suitable to the all-great substance of the Truth (Haqq), who is eternal, the King of the Authority. The fasting of the eye means that one must keep away coveting looks from the women who are not lawful to one. The fasting of the ear means that one should abstain from listening to slander. The fasting of the tongue means that one should keep one's tongue from uttering abuse or slander. The fasting of the heart means to keep the heart free from doubt. The fasting of the foot is to hold one's foot back from a wrong step. The fasting of the hand is to keep all one's limbs away from treachery so that they may not do evil. This especially applies to one's tongue which must be kept from uttering lies. And there is no greater lie than the denial of (the existence of) the Imam, saying that he has disappeared." (pp.59-60)

  5. Preparing for the Eternal Life
    "Therefore, O believers, if you want to be alive in both worlds, perfect your faith, because (only) by the light of faith may you attain eternal life. And faith comes from and is perfected by the recognition and knowledge (ma'rifat wa shinakht) of the Imam of the time, and obedience and love for his followers. Therefore, follow your Imam, and be happy and united with each other amongst yourselves in order that you may be alive in both worlds, and in the hereafter you may become resurrected with the pious, with prophets and saints in the presence of the Imam, with the greatest joy at meeting each other again. " (Pp.4-5)

 

Teachings of Imam NOOR Mowlana Shah Sultan Muhammad Shah (a.s.)
The following excerpts of two firmans of NOOR Mowlana Shah Sultan Muhammad Shah (a.s.) pertaining to the month of Holy Ramadan were published in a booklet titled 'Laila-Tul-Qadr' by Alwaez Abualy A. Aziz (Page 11, Read Know No. 50; Shia Imami Ismailia Association for Tanzania, Dar es Salaam):

  1. Month of Ramadan
    "Now I am going to tell you about Iba'dat (worship). Always worship God. This is the month of Ramadan. In this month do more iba'dat. Every hour, every minute remember God. Do not forget Him. If you have forgotten Him and have become lazy then take heed that I am reminding you to remember and worship Him." Kalame Imame Mobin Volume 1, p.23.

  2. The True Spirit of Fasting
    "The life in this world is of two days (meaning a short time). So you should think of getting purified through worship of God. A true momin does not fast only during the month of Ramadan but all 365 days of the year. He does not commit any sin during all these 365 days of the year. This is the true spirit of fasting. It is not (the spirit) of fasting not to eat anything and indulge in evil acts at the same time. It is an illusion." Kalame Imame Mobin Volume 1, p.168.

 

Holy Ramadan Activities
Ya Ali Madad and Ramadan Mubarak! The motivation for this 30-day project is to increase the intensity of prayers during the month of Ramadan. For this purpose, 30 posts for each auspicious night of Holy Ramadan have been prepared. Each post consists of five parts:

  1. Enlightenment teachings from the Holy Qu'ran;
  2. Excerpt(s) from 'A Code of Conduct—A Treatise of the Etiquette of the Fatimid Ismaili Mission';
  3. A dhikr tasbi for each night;
  4. Angelic salwat which is the anchor tasbi for the project; and
  5. Global Prayers and Three Grand Aspirations.

The schedule and table of contents are archived on the index page.

 

Objectives of this Project
The objectives of this 30-day project are:

  1. Learn the esoteric aspects of our faith from by studying the inner meaning of knowledge gems;
  2. Recite power prayers and practice our faith with greater intensity and conviction during this month;
  3. Practise sincere repentance and seek forgiveness for our sins;
  4. Prepare for the bountiful Night of Power (Laitul-Qadr); and
  5. Recite Holy Ginans and Qasida for softening and expanding the spiritual heart.

 

Niyat and Noble Wishes
Ya Mowla, Ya Wali, Ya Karim, Ya Ali, Ya NOOR Mowlana Hazar Imam:

  1. bless us with faith by sending the bounty of Ruhu'l-iman (i.e., spiritual and luminous particles of the soul of faith) into our personal worlds from your Pure Soul and Eternal Light;
  2. forgive our sins, mistakes and oversights and make us staunch, obedient (farman bardari) mu'mins;
  3. keep us on the Right Path, the path illuminated by the Light of Eternal Ali;
  4. purify our souls through the blessings derived from our additional dhikr and help us live a balanced life;
  5. make us regular in our morning and evening prayers;
  6. bless us with inspiration, strength, courage and conviction to practise luminous prayer (bandagi) at the luminous time (small watches of the night) with the luminous word (bol, ism-i azam or Ya Ali tasbi);
  7. bestow enlightenment to our souls and manifest Noor in our foreheads;
  8. usher us in the abode of peace (Dar-as-Salaam) and grant us eternal existence. Ameen.

 

Global Prayers and Three Grand Aspirations
Through the barakat of recitation of Holy Ginans, gratitude tasbi and angelic salwat by 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.

 

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

 

Traits of an Ismaili Dai