Women in the Congregation

Why do men and woman pray together in the Jamat'at-Khanah?

(a) You should either show or recite that Qur'anic verse in which congregational prayers including both men and women are unlawful or prohibited or disliked, or you should prove that during the blessed time of the Prophet, Muslim women were not going to the Mosque.

 (b) The manners and pillars (Adab-u-Arkan) of Islam are not only for men, but apply to women also. Those who want to keep women away from the place of worship on the grounds that because of their presence carnal soul (Nafs-i Ammarah) becomes more arrogant, then such people should, becoming hermits, abandon society and go to some jungle. For the interruption in prayer is not due only to the presence of women, but there are so many other causes, whose overall remedy is called Mujahada-i Nafs (Struggle againstt the carnal soul) and Taqwa (Fear of God). That means that one should fight against the carnal soul and choose piety and does not mean that one should expel or exclude one or more things from the world and society.

Salat = Nimaz = Du'a

How Far do the Ismailis follow the Salat? What do they mean by Salat. 

Salat means Namaz (ritual prayer), du’a ( prayers ), rahmat (blessings), and durud (benediction). However, wherever,  the word Salat is used, in the sense of du’a, rahmat and durud, there arises no question as to its sense; but wherever it is used in the sense of Namaz it also means the kind of Namaz in which there is no ruku (genuflexion) and sujud (prostration), such as Namaz i Jinazah (funeral prayer  IX:84) and the prayer of the birds (XXIV:41). Thus where Salat means Namaz we have established it not only in the past, but also in the present; its practical example, fruit and wisdom of tawil (esoteric interpretation) exist in our faith and where Salat is used in the sense of du’a, this we always recite in the Jama’at Khanah. In other words, Salat means Namaz as well as du’a, in the same way that the worship and devotion (ibadat u bandagi) which we practice in the Jama’at Khanah is on the one hand du€ and on the other hand Namaz. For ibadat u bandagi contains the spirit and ultimate purpose of Namaz perfectly.

(For further information see “Gulistan i Hadith (The Garden of Traditions)", by Mawlana Ja'far Shah Phulwarwi.

b) For how long can the spirit and purpose of Namaz be maintained ? To understand this one should study the Qur'anic verse (I I:239):

"If you fear, then pray standing (i.e. waking) or riding."

Now in this form of Namaz it is obvious that the originality reality and purpose of Namaz remain the same,  albeit almost all the formal manners Namaz are done away with, for in pray standing or riding neither the condition qiblah (direction of the kabah)is fulfilled are the conditions of genuflexion and prostration, etc. fulfilled. Yes, indeed here is no doubt that this is Namaz i Khawf (prayer of fear), of which it can be said that this is in the case of compulsion. but in fact it is not compulsion, but rather, a form of ease in the practice of religion. Further, it is also a proof of the fact that Namaz is of various kinds and the main part in all these kinds is du’a and dhikr i ilahi (remembrance of God), wherein lies the spirit of worship and the essence of the attainment of the goal. This is the reason for which in the Namaz i Khawf all those things without which the spirit and purpose of Namaz can be maintained, are removed. Now the form of such a Namaz is almost just like du’a, tasbih (glorification of God] and dhikr i ilahi (remembrance of God), and therefore I have said that worship (ibadat) in Jama’at Khanah is not only du'a but is also a kind of Namaz.

The fact should always be kept in mild that Allah, the Most High, desires for Muslims ease and facility and not hardship and difficulty. As He says: "Allah desires for you ease; He does not desire hardship for you." (II:185) But then arises the question that if God, the Most High, desires for us ease and facility and does not like any difficulty in religious matters (dini ahkam) then what can hinder the actualization (Zuhur i Fil) of His will and power (Mashiyat u Qudrat)? And what should His servants do to receive such a great mercy? The answer for this question can also be found in the Qur'an, in this command of God:

'And whosoever fears Allah, He will make his course easy for him." (LXV:4)

You should not forget that this guidance was given during the time of prophet hood {zaminah -i nubu'at), and there are glad tidings in it that those who in complying  with religious commands observe the fear of God will be provided in the future with ease and facility in religion: for the purpose of the difficulty, austerity and hard ship which accompanies ibadat (religious services) and muamalat (transactions) is nothing but the fear of God (taqwa), and the fear of God is everything. In connection with the explanation and illustration of this purpose it is said:

"Allah will vouchsafe after hardship, ease." (LXV:7)

That is to say that God will reveal tariqat from the depth (batin) of shariat, and haqiqat from the depth of tariqat, and He will introduce the wisdom of tawil (esoteric interpretation) after tanzil (revelation). For this is the greatest ease and facility, and proof of this greater facility is those minor facilities which every pious Muslim can experience in his daily life, such as to feel ease after difficulty in fulfillment and regularity of every kind of devotion (ibadat), austerity (riyadat) by the help of God, and to remain gradually more attentive towards goodness and fear of God and son.

c) I like most of by Mawlana Ja'far Shah Phulwarwi views. In h book, “Gulistan i Hadith (The Garden of Traditions)" he says, on p. 5 under the caption, “Chand Kalimat i Namaz (A few words on Namaz), that:

"We usually understand that Namaz a cut-and-dried (bandhi taki) thing whose words are determined and movements are fixed. There is no doubt that the best way for the performance of Namaz is that which the Prophet has taught, but it is not right to say that the other ways are wrong' for not only from Adam until Jesus Christ (peace be upon them) but until Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), all those prophets who used to perform Namaz differed in their ways, but they said the same Namaz”.

That is to say that the form of the Namaz they said was different, but the spirit of all of them was the same, and in fact, the main aim and object of the. Namaz is the spirit and not the form. When this Namaz is performed in a congregational form, then the order and discipline requires necessarily that there should be uniformity in the Namaz of all, but if in an individual Namaz ecstacy and rapture overcome the usual way (formal way) of the performance of Namaz, it is not harmful in fact, sometimes a minor difference is not harmful even in the congregational Namaz.

Religious Rites & Rituals

To what extent are your religious rites correct and valid? Tell me about Nandi in particular.

Zakat

Why is your zakat (Religious Tax different) from the Shar'i zakat, Why is it not distributed among the poor and needy directly?

Dwelling Place of the Imam

How can Shah Karim, the Imam of the Ismailis, truly be the true Imam when in Europe he leads a western way of life?

Jamat'at-Khanah & Non-Ismailis

When any other Muslim brother wants to come to Jamat'at-Khanah, why should he not be allowed to come?

(a) For a detailed answer to this question see also my article entitled "Islam ki bunyadi Haqiqatan (The Fundamental Realities of Islam)" which is published in Panj Maqalah (Five Articles # 01)", Further, the question arises that will the person who wants to come to Jamat'at-Khanah, accept all the condition, manners and rites of the Jamat'at-Khanah, as an Isma'ili does? If it is not possible for him to do so, then there is no benefit in his coming to the Jamat'at-Khanah. So in this case it is better for him not to come to the Jamat'at-Khanah.

(b) In Islam there are certain holy buildings which are common among the Muslims, and there are some which are  common, first come to Ka'bah and then comes the Mosque, for these buildings belong to the period when all Muslims were one. However, in some places there are certain mosques, which owing to either different view or different sects, are private. Similarly, in fact more stringently, Khanqah, Imam Bara, and Jamat'at-Khanah, are private places, for these places are respected only by those who are basically attached to them in faith and thus no other people may share in these holy places.

(c) Mosque, which Arabic is called 'masjid' means the place of prostration or place of worship. Therefore this word invites all the Muslims to go there and bow before God and worship Him. But in the word Jamat'at-Khanah, Ibadat or worship, is not apparent, as Jamat'at-Khanah, in Persian, means the House of Group and not to all. Such is the philosophy intrinsic in the meaning of Khanqah. Khanqah, is the Arabic form of Khangah, or Khanah-gah, which means the place where Sufis and dervishes live. Here also the meaning 'worship' is kept in secret, for otherwise the Sufis would have chosen a word which would have immediately and openly denoted worship (i.e. would have meant a place of worship). But this was done intentionally for there they had to instruct the teaching of Islam in specific way. Also, each Khanqah, was confined to the disciples of a particular Pir or Shaykh (Spiritual Guide). This same example may be applied to the Jamat'at-Khanah, for the  Jamat'at-Khanah, in the begining was the Khanqah, itself. We come acrose the Jamat'at-Khanah, Bakhtyar-i-Kaki in the biographies of the Sufis, and this is later adopted in Isma'ilism. This historical event is a clear proof of the fact that Tariqat, comes from the depth (Batin) of Shari'at, and Haqiqat, emerges from the depth of Tariqat. This whole discussion leads to the conclusion that the   Jamat'at-Khanah, belongs only to the followers of the Hazir Imam. (Present Imam)

Material Sacrifices in Jamat'at-Khanah

Why is money collected in Jamat'at-Khanah under the name of different assemblies (Majalis) and on different occasions? for since Jamat'at-Khanah is the house of God, surely only prayers should be performed there?

(a) It is true that business pertaining to worldly matters cannot be conducted either in the Jama'at-Khanah or in the mosque. On the other hand, Zakat (Religious Tax) Sadaqah (Alms), and every other type of material sacrifices, and in addition, many other good deeds, are such that they are more rewarding if they are performed in the house of God. As Allah says:

"(O Prophet! Remind the people that when we made the house (of God) a place of reward for mankind and a sanctuary" (11:125)"

It is quite obvious that the house of God is a place for all kinds  of rewards. The house of God is foremost the Ka'bah and then the Mosque and the Jama'at-Khanah. Thus the center of reward is the house of God then why should most of the deeds not be performed therein? Since these good deeds are performed for the sake of God, they should be done in the house of God; and since these deeds, these material sacrifices and good deeds are included in religious services (Ibadat) then why should they not be performed in the house of God?


In this way the doers of good deeds will benefit from the prayers of all and at the same time this is a kind of practical teaching, for in observing these deeds, the members of the Jama'at are able to create within themselves the spirit of offering material sacrifices and performing such good deeds. This is the reason why even in the time of Prophet, most material sacrifices were received in the mosque

Women Leading the Prayers

Why do woman sometimes lead the Prayers in Jama'at-Khanah, while there is no such precedent in the Shari'at?

(a) Islam is the right path. It has been ordained to lead towards God. when, as according to the example, true religion is likened to a path, then it also has stations which are called

Shari'at = The Law

Tariqat = The Way = Sufic Path

Haqiqat = The Truth

Ma'rifat = The Knowledge = Gnosis / recognition of God

Just a Sufism is a clear proof of development within Islam from one station to the next, so are the manners and rites of the Jama'at-Khanah a living example of following and spiritually advancing along the same straight path of Islam and progressing to a higher station and it is quite clear that in Sufism there are thousands of things which do not exist in Shari'at, for how can it be possible for such things to be in Shari'at while they pertain to Tariqat? Likewise the things pertaining to Jama'at-Khanah, i.e. the manners and rites therein, belong to Haqiqat and to judge them on a criterion other than of Haqiqat nothing but a proof of oversight and ignorance.

 (b) Furthermore, if on the level or stage of Shari'at, a woman cannot lead men in Shar'i-Namaz, (ritual prayer according to Shari'at), then there is no other apparent reason for this except that this prohibition has a Ta'wil, (Esoteric interpretation or deallegorization) Contrary to this, whatever Ibadat-u-Bandagi (devotional prayers) is performed in Jama'at-Khanah, has no Ta'wil, in fact, it is itself a Ta'wil. Therefore in Jama'at-Khanah, a woman may lead the prayers.

If the question is then asked what the Ta'wil, is of not allowing women to lead Shar'i-Namaz, then the answer is that in religion the Prophet is in the position of a man and all the individuals within the entire community are in the position of a woman. Like-wise the Imam (may peace of God be upon him) is in the position of a man and all his followers are in the position of a woman, and similarly the teachers is like a man and student is like a woman. Thus according to Shari'at, if a woman leads men in Shar'i-Namaz, then  according to Ta'wil, it implies that (God Forbidding) the Prophet should leave his position and become a follower and the community should take the position of the Prophet and lead him; or, that the Imam should become follower and the followers should become the Imam, and the teacher should become the student and vice-versa. So this Ta'wil, shows how the fact of a woman leading the men in Shar'i-Namaz, indicates an impossible matter, i.e. that the Prophet, playing the role of a man, should assume the role of a woman, which is the community; and for this reason women are not allowed to lead men in Shar'i-Namaz, only on the level of  Shari'at,

(c) Islam, in fact, comprises of the teaching and instruction of both the Qur'an and the teacher of the Qur'an, and to travel along the different stages of these teachings and instruction means to walk on the Straight Path (Sirat-i Mustaqim), and to advance from one station to the the next station. In the same context, we can also say that Islam, with respect to its stages of knowledge and practice, is like a university which has various progressive degrees of learning. Now it is clear from this example that just as each of the various  university degrees has its own criteria, similarly for all these different degrees of knowledge and practice in Islam there are ordained different criteria. Thus we say that to judge Ismaili rites on a criterion other than the Ismaili criterion is not logical.


(d) If Islam is the straight path, then one has to accept that Muslim sects or groups are like the travelers who spread on various stations of the path, on which some travelers are following the others, Further, if the true religion, as the Qur'an says, is the rope of God, the Most High, and this rope is between God and His servants, then it also implies that the servants are each the rope in various ascending degrees, one behind the other. Further still, where ascension towards the height of Ma'rifat, (gnosis) of god, according to LXX:3-4 is inferred with a staircase, there it can be inferred likewise that the people of different religions are each on different stairs. Just as the manifest religion (Din-i-Mubin), i.e. Islam can be linked to a university, where the students of the university are in different grades, similarly the believers in Islam with respect to knowledge and practice (Ilm-u-Amal) can be seen to be in different stages. The religion of Nature (i.e. Islam) has been compared with human creation and the different stages of life, such as the child in the mother's womb, the new-born, the sucking-babe, the tyro, youth, the middle aged and the old and similarly there are different stages in religion. This example show that Islam is the religion of Nature and it has to reach to its perfection just as a human-being gradually reaches to perfection. In short, the teachings of Islam are in degrees and as such its instructions are also in gradual form. Thus the objection of one against the other is nothing but ignorance of the stages of the Islamic teaching.

BURUSHASKI GINAN ZAMANA NOOR TAN with translation part 2

Kalam: Prof D.r Allamah N.N Hunzai (S.I)
Urdu Translation by Ghulam Qadir Baig Hunzai
Recited by: Barkat ali and Abid Karim
Album: Ruhani Bahar vol-2
Visual Work by: N.Z Shehzad

BURUSHASKI GINAN ZAMANA NOOR TAN with translation part 1

Kalam: Prof D.r Allamah N.N Hunzai (S.I)
Urdu Translation by Ghulam Qadir Baig Hunzai
Recited by: Barkat ali and Abid Karim
Album: Ruhani Bahar vol-2
Visual Work by: N.Z Shehzad