Ya Ali Madad! On the occasion of the birthday commemoration of our first Holy Imam, Amir al-mu'minin, NOOR Mowlana Murtaza Ali (alayhi salaam) and in preparation of Imamat Day 2009, let us reflect upon the following verses of ginan: Part 1: Teaching of Sayyad Imam Shah (r.a.) In the third verse of ginan written by Sayyad Imam Shah entitled "Eji Piyu piyu kijiye", there is explicit mention of reciting the name 'Ali', i.e., invoke the Light of Noor Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.). As this light is manifested in the present and living Imam, we are also invoking NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazir Imam (a.s.) when we perform the dhikr of 'Ya Ali'. Eji Chheh na dijê sâchâ sâiyânku Ane dehi jo tukdâ thây Damo dam Alinê jampiyê Bhâi ek dam ere na jây   O Brother Do not forsake the true beloved Even if your body is hacked to pieces. Keep remembering Ali in every breath and not a breath should be wasted 3 Part 2: Teaching of Sayyada Imambegum's (r.a.) The following lines are at the beginning of the ginan written by Sayyada Imambegum's entitled "Eji Hardam Japo Pirshahnu(n) Jaap" in which there is explicit mention of reciting the name of 'Pir Shah'. In our Tariqah, the tasbi of 'Pir Shah' is also equivalent to reciting the 'Ya Muhammad, Ya Ali' tasbi because the Light of the Holy Prophet (s.a.s.) continues through the Light of the Pirs and the Light of NOOR Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.) continues through the Light of Imamat. At the present time, NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazir Imam (a.s.) is the Imam and the Pir of the Shia Imami Ismaili Nizari Muslims. Therefore, we are invoking NOOR Mowlana Hazir Imam when we perform the dhikr of 'Pir Shah'. Eji Hardam japo Pir Shahnu(n) Jaap Japta rahiye   O Brother Recite the name of Pir Shah abundantly. Just keep on reciting.   Part 3: The Powerful combination of Ya Ali and Pir Shah The lights of Allah, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s.), NOOR Mawlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.), all the Holy Imams, all the Holy Pirs, Noor Mowlana Hazir Imam who is the Ali of this time, the Holy Qur'an and Holy Ginans are just one Light. Therefore, it is possible to call upon this all encompassing Light in innumerable ways. In order to clearly demonstrate this concept, let us imagine a mother who has a husband, a few children, extended family and friends. She could be addressed in a number of ways: by her first name, by her last name, by a nick name, or as mummy, mom, ma, aunt, auntie, grandma, etc. However, the love that she has for all her contacts is just one because she is just one reality with multiple names. Similarly, the all encompassing Light has innumerable names. We could call upon this Light by reciting the 'Ya Allah, Ya Ali, Ya Muhammad' tasbi. Another powerful option is to use the combination of 'Ya Ali' and 'Pir Shah'. We will use the latter combination for today's dhikr.   Click here to play and right click here to save the mp3 track to your computer.   Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. Yâ Ali, Pir Shah; Yâ Ali, Pir Shah;          (2)   Yâ Ali, Pir Shah; Yâ Ali, Pir Shah;          (4)   Yâ Ali, Pir Shah; Yâ Ali, Pir Shah;          (6)   Yâ Ali, Pir Shah; Yâ Ali, Pir Shah;          (8)   Pir Shah, Pir Shah, Pir Shah, Pir Shah   (10)   (I call upon the Light of Ali (Ya Ali) and the Light of Pir and Shah which in presently in Noor Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazir Imam (a.s.) through this prayer) Links for Further Research on Related Topics: Audio.SalmanSpiritual.com :: More dhikr tasbis in mp3 format SalmanSpiritual.com :: New index page & navigation system   Rakh Mowla je Noor te Yaqeen (Certainly, we trust in Mowla's Light only), Noorallah Juma (noor-allah@salmanspiritual.com) SalmanSpiritual.com Sunday, July 5, 2009

 
:: Candle Posting #52 :: The Ultimate Dhikr :: Tuhi Tu (O Mowla, Only You are You) ::

Ya Ali Madad! There is a great sequence of events for spiritual upliftment in the months of August and September, 2009. The Baitul-Khyal Satado will start on Friday, August 14, 2009 and end on Thursday, August 20, 2009 in Canada. Friday, August 21, 2009, is Shukrawari Beej, a special day of fasting because Chandraat falls on a Friday evening. This also coincides with the commencement of Holy Ramazan. Thus, we will be praying intensely in the last 8 days of the month of Shaban to welcome the Holy Ramadan.   For Ismailis in Canada, the first night of Holy Ramazan starts on Friday evening and the first fast will be on Saturday, August 22, 2009. The 24-hour clock in the Muslim calandar begins at sun-set or in the evening around 6.00 pm, therefore the night is counted before the day.   In expectation of these great spiritually uplifting events, SalmanSpiritual.com would like to present a special dhikr mp3 track titled 'Tuhi Tu' which means 'Only You are You'. In order to understand the depth of the title, let us first explore the following concepts:   Part 1: Teaching of Pir Nasir-i Khusraw (r.a.) In his book entitled 'Six Chapters' or 'Shish Fasl', Pir Nasir-i Khusraw (r.a.) has made the following profound statement on page 71:   "..in this world, the Aql-i Kull ('the Rational Harmony of Existence') is the true Imâm (Imam-i Haqq), while the faithful believers (mu'minân) are in possession of individual (human) reasons (aql-ha-y-i juzwi)."   This means that we have a partial intellect while our Holy Imam has perfect intellect. This is the reason that we have performed the baiyat of the Holy Imam and have made a pledge to follow his firmans in all material and spiritual matters.   Part 2: Teaching of Pir Shihabu'd-Din Shah Al-Husayni (a.s.) Our Holy Pirs have taught us to submit our partial intellects to the True Imam's Perfect Intellect. The reason for doing this is very simple. The partial intellect is very limited and is incapable of understanding higher spiritual realities, therefore it is necessary to resort to the Perfect Intellect. This has been eloquently described by Pir Shihabu'd-Din Shah Al-Husayni (a.s.) as follows:   "And if you realize the difference between the intellects and personalities of different people, you may listen to some imbeciles, who, having no means of understanding this, talk pretentiously about ma'rifat, or higher religious wisdom. It is said to them:   "O ye, mud, mixed with mud, and never rising above mud, and with face covered with mud, ye, whose nature is mud, who are born and living in mud, what can you understand in the world of purity? Yes, the body of dust, which in its every atom consists of dust, composed of dark and solid elements, even conceiving a very great idea, can only imagine things that are connected with the body of dust, i.e. physical self. Everything that he imagines above this, also belongs to the created world, like himself. He cannot imagine or know anything beyond this."   Only those people who have purified their reason, heart, and imagination, by a long struggle with their nafs, or lower self, may attain more vision for their inner eye, may make their ears capable of listening to what others do not hear, and may see, understand and hear (what ordinary people cannot). How can one say things to everybody, and how can they all listen to, see, and understand everything? Only those can do this who could witness this by the 'eye of Truth' ".   Source: True Meaning of Religion (Risala Dar Haqiqat-i-Din translated into English by W. Ivanow), pp. 17-18.   Part 3: Teaching of Pir Sadardin (r.a.) Now let us read about the attributes of Noor Mowlana Hazir Imam (a.s.) and our relationship with his NOOR:   Eji Tu(n)hi gur tu(n)hi nar tu(n)hi ebi âshâ srevâ tamâri ham kije ho sâmi ji     You are the Guide, You are the Master and You are also our hope. It is to You that we worship as our Lord. 1 Eji Tuj vinâ hamku(n) neend na âve na bhâvê an na pâni ho sâmi ji     We can neither sleep nor enjoy the taste of food or drink without You. 2 Eji Ek andhârê ne ek didàri ek ne mârag na sujê ho sâmi ji     In this world there are two kinds of people; there are those who are blind to the spiritual life and those who enjoy the Spiritual Vision(constantly). Those who ignore the spiritual life cannot find the way to our Lord. 3 Eji Asht karod bhirmâ âge tâ(n) upâyâ tênê târo ant na jâni yo ho sâmi ji     The Creator created 80 million souls in the beginning, but none understood your limits O Lord. 5 The key message from the above verses of the ginan is that higher spiritual enlightenment is only possible through complete obedience, bandagi, and spiritual & intellecual submission to the Imam of the time. It is only through his grace, guidance, and mercy that the inner senses of seeing, hearing and understanding are developed and enabled. From this we can see that there is a tight connection between these verses of ginan and the teachings of Pir Nasir-i Khusraw (r.a.) and Pir Shihabu'd-Din Shah Al-Husayni (a.s.). Thus, in order to go from the world of mud to the world of NOOR, it is necessary to first internalize the concept of 'Tuhi Tu' ('Only You are You'). Another way of describing this journey is from the 'i' in soil to the 'U' in Soul! Notice how the 'i' simply disappears into the You! Part 4: The Tuhi Tu Dhikr   Click here to play and right click here to save the mp3 track to your computer.   Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. Yâ Ali Madad, Mowlâ Ali Madad      (02) Yâ Ali Madad, Mowlâ Ali Madad      (04) Rab tu, Rahêmân tu      (06) Rahim tu, Karim tu      (08) Tuhi tu, Tuhi tu      (10) Tuhi tu, Tuhi tu      (12) Tuhi tu, Tuhi tu      (14) [O Ali help us (Ya Ali Madad), Mowla Ali help us (Mowla Ali Madad) for only You are our Lord (Rab), You are the Most Beneficent (Raheman), You are the Most Merciful (Rahim), You are the Most Bountiful One (Karim). Only You are You (Tuhi Tu), Only You are You (Tuhi Tu), Only You are You (Tuhi Tu)]   Links for Further Research on Related Topics: Audio.SalmanSpiritual.com :: More dhikr tasbis in mp3 format SalmanSpiritual.com :: New index page & navigation system Rakh Mowla je Noor te Yaqeen (Certainly, we trust in Mowla's Light only), Noorallah Juma (noor-allah@salmanspiritual.com) SalmanSpiritual.com Thursday, July 30, 2009

 
:: Candle Posting #53 :: Greater Insights into the Concept of Tuhi Tu ::

Ya Ali Madad! In this posting, I would like to further explore the concept of 'Tuhi Tu' which means 'Only You are You'. When a person says 'Tuhi Tu' with real understanding, he/she is naughting himself/herself. The person is saying that 'I am nothing'. Thus, the 'I' and 'You' relationship changes, because the 'I' is nothing. Only 'You' remains.   To understand this more clearly, let us give 'I' a value of one (1). Then we have to reduce its value to zero. The great Prophets, Pirs and mu'mins were the true lovers of the soul and were able to do this. Thus, true lovers just addressed Noor Mowlana Hazir Imam of their time as 'Tuhi Tu'.   Part 1: Excerpt from the Usul-e Din firman made by Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah (a.s.) in Dar-es-Salaam on 29-9-1899 Let us reflect on the following excerpt from a 'Tuhi Tu' point of view:   "Those who have only superficial knowledge of the faith have fantastic notions about me. They believe my job is to heal the sick. This is not my task. My task is to show you the Way to the Truth (Haqqiqat), so that you may achieve your real destiny, which is the state of fanâfillâh. Fanâ stands for 'annihilation', fi meaning 'in' and Allah being 'God'. To be fanâfillâh is to lose oneself in God's Essence."   Please note: 'Tuhi Tu' is actualized only after fanâfillâh.   Part 2: Example of Pir Hasan Kabirdin (r.a.) Pir Hasan Kabirdin (r.a.) was elevated with the knowledge of marifat because he performed bandagi, giriyau-zari (supplication) and tremendous service to the Imam of the time. He is the Pir in the time of Imam Islam Shah (a.s.), and was given the responsibility of uplifting countless millions (Anant Karod) souls. Yet, in spite of his tremendous knowledge and ibadat, he says in the varaani of Anant Akhâdo: Hari ana(n)t ana(n)t Hari anatêjo svâmi shâh anatê jo a(n)t tuhi jânê ji Hari, You are eternal and unlimited, Hari You are the Lord of unlimited souls or eternity, You are the only Knower of the limits of the unlimited. Please note: The Pir bows in humility and supplicates to the Holy Imam as the one who is the only Knower of the limits of the unlimited. This is another example of 'Tuhi Tu'.   Part 3: Teachings of Mowlana Rumi The following quatrains from Mowlana Rumi's Divan-e Shams-e Tabrizi have been translated by Sharam Shiva and published in a book entitled, "Rumi, Thief of Sleep: quatrains from the Persian/translations", 2000. Hohm Press, Presscot, AZ, USA. ISBN 1-890772-05-4 (alk. paper). These are presented below because they shed more light on the topic of 'Tuhi Tu'.   "At times we seem disturbed on the path of union. At times we scorch in the fire of the pain of separation. When this illusion of you-and-I disappears from me-and-you Then me-and-you, without the veil of you-and-I, will live in bliss together." (1301 AK) (Page 71)   "When your chest is free of your limiting ego, Then you will see the ageless Beloved. You can not see yourself without a mirror; Look at the Beloved, He is the brightest mirror" (1552 UT)(Page 77)   "One day I said our souls are one— I will never be without you again. I know you win everything I lose— I lose, so that I can stay with you." (1526 UT)(Page 76)   Part 4: The Tuhi Tu Dhikr   Click here to play and right click here to save the mp3 track to your computer.   Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. Yâ Ali Madad, Mowlâ Ali Madad      (02) Yâ Ali Madad, Mowlâ Ali Madad      (04) Rab tu, Rahêmân tu      (06) Rahim tu, Karim tu      (08) Tuhi tu, Tuhi tu      (10) Tuhi tu, Tuhi tu      (12) Tuhi tu, Tuhi tu      (14) [O Ali help us (Ya Ali Madad), Mowla Ali help us (Mowla Ali Madad) for only You are our Lord (Rab), You are the Most Beneficent (Raheman), You are the Most Merciful (Rahim), You are the Most Bountiful One (Karim). Only You are You (Tuhi Tu), Only You are You (Tuhi Tu), Only You are You (Tuhi Tu)]   Links for Further Research on Related Topics: Audio.SalmanSpiritual.com :: More dhikr tasbis in mp3 format SalmanSpiritual.com :: New index page & navigation system Rakh Mowla je Noor te Yaqeen (Certainly, we trust in Mowla's Light only), Noorallah Juma (noor-allah@salmanspiritual.com) SalmanSpiritual.com Monday, August 10, 2009

 
:: Candle Posting #54 :: Should I Incorporate Bandagi Into My Daily Routine? ::
 

Ya Ali Madad! The Baitul-Khyal Satado will start on Friday, August 14, 2009 and end on Thursday, August 20, 2009 in Canada. In order to understand the importance of bandagi, let us reflect deeply on the following gems of knowledge and then address the ultimate and fundamental question: "Should I incorporate bandagi into my daily routine?".   Part 1: Teaching of Missionary Nasserbhai Abdullah The following excerpt is from the book entitled 'Flowers of Divine Knowledge' by Bahadurali Jamal Manji, Ph.D. This book is a translation of the Gujrati book entitled 'Marifat Na Phool'. Here is an vivid description of our state and suggestions on how to be spiritually alive in a materialistic world (p. 144):   "A human being has been an earthling and is affected by the ebbs and high tides of desires and cravings for the worldly pleasures which, in turn, carry him away from his original goal of finding himself. But if he keeps on practicing meditative prayers (bandagi) and keeps in his heart the remembrance of the Imam of the time, then through the power of meditation (bandagi) he has a better chance of advancing towards the goal without being affected by worldly desires. Under the circumstances, if the meditative prayer (bandagi) is performed as prescribed, it would create a nectar of love within the heart which the person feels through every throbbing of his heart. Therefore, there always remains the memory of God. If he is constantly engrossed in meditative prayers everyday, then his worldly desires will diminish day by day and these desires which pull him to the worldly attractions will not be able to subdue him in the least. As such, the lower desires and feelings having been subjugated through the power of meditative prayers, have gradually been assimilated with the higher spiritual contents of the heart. They thus are overcome by the firmness of the mind through meditative power."   Please note that to control the lower desires and feelings through the power of bandagi is the first practical step of our spiritual journey towards 'Tuhi Tu'.   Part 2: Teaching of Grand Missionary Al-Muayyad-Fid-Din Al-Shirazi The following excerpt is from Lecture 8, The Meaning of Six Days in Which God Created the Heavens and Earth, from the book entitled 'Life and Lectures of the Grand Missionary Al-Muayyad-Fid-Din Al-Shirazi' (p. 90). Please study it carefully because it shows the potential power of the human soul and actual power of the Holy Imam's soul:   "In some of our 'majlis' I have pointed out to you that from a physical point of view heavens surround human beings but from the point of view of spiritual development through knowledge, human beings surround these bodies.   In short, just as our souls surround the heavens, the souls of the Imams surround our souls and are the heavens of heavens on whom alone we look for the nutrition for our spirits.   May God make you profit from their philosophy and may He give you the moral strength to thank them for this."   Please note that the source of all help and nutrition for our souls is only from our Holy Imam. This, too, is a practical application of the concept of 'Tuhi Tu'.   Notice also how nicely this ties with the the fourth ayat of Suratul Faatihah: "'Iyyaaka na'-budu wa 'iyyaaka nasta-'iin.'(1:4)" [(Thee (alone) we worship; Thee (alone) we ask for help. (1:4)]. The 'Tuhi Tu' concept is so encompassing that it also appears in Suratal Faatihah!   Part 3: The Tuhi Tu Dhikr   Click here to play and right click here to save the mp3 track to your computer.   Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. Yâ Ali Madad, Mowlâ Ali Madad      (02) Yâ Ali Madad, Mowlâ Ali Madad      (04) Rab tu, Rahêmân tu      (06) Rahim tu, Karim tu      (08) Tuhi tu, Tuhi tu      (10) Tuhi tu, Tuhi tu      (12) Tuhi tu, Tuhi tu      (14) [O Ali help us (Ya Ali Madad), Mowla Ali help us (Mowla Ali Madad) for only You are our Lord (Rab), You are the Most Beneficent (Raheman), You are the Most Merciful (Rahim), You are the Most Bountiful One (Karim). Only You are You (Tuhi Tu), Only You are You (Tuhi Tu), Only You are You (Tuhi Tu)]   Links for Further Research on Related Topics: Eighteen Bandagi Gems Bandagi :: Creation of Light within the Personal World through Ism-i Azam Baitul Khyal Satado Postings from 2005 Candle Postings :: Volume 1 Candle Postings :: Volume 2 Rakh Mowla je Noor te Yaqeen (Certainly, we trust in Mowla's Light only), Noorallah Juma (noor-allah@salmanspiritual.com) SalmanSpiritual.com Thursday, August 13, 2009

 
:: Candle Posting #55 :: The Blessing of Shukr-vaari Beej ::
 

Ya Ali Madad! The practice of fasting for a spiritual cause has a very, very long history. This can be traced from the 'Hasna Puri' granth composed by Pir Hasan Kabirdin (r.a.). Pir says that in the first age (Karta Jug), fasting was observed on Tuesday (Verse 13); in the second age (Tetra Jug), it was observed on Sunday (Verse 51); in the third age (Duapur Jug), it was observed on Monday (Verse 121); and in this fourth age (Kal Jug), it is being observed on Friday (Verse 144). Shukr-vaari Beej is observed when the night of the new moon (Chandraat) falls on Friday. Ismaili Muslims fast on this day and observe Chandraat with special prayers. The basis of this practice can be found in the following verses of ginan from Saloko Moto composed by Pir Shams (r.a.).   Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. Satgur Kahere Satnu vrat shukr-vaari beej chhe Ane baar pahor pura jaan Ardho aahaar kari je raakhshe Te paamshe amar thaam re 178   The True Guide says The vow of Truth is to observe shukr-vaari beej. The fast is for 12 pahor, i.e., 36 hours*. Start your fast with a half filled stomach For this vow of Truth, you will gain the Eternal Abode 178   *The fast is compulsory for all able bodied persons and, at present, the period of fasting is 12 hours instead of 36 hours.     Satgur Kahere Saheja daanaj dijiye Ane dije gat gur mukhe jaan Vari gat maa(n)he shukr-vaaru beej chhodsho To paamsho moksh didaar re 179   The True Guide says Offer charity and submit tithe from pure incomes Break the fast in Jamat Khana* For this act of piety, you will attain salvation and didar 179   *At the present, the fast is broken at 6.00 pm in some parts of the world. The latitude to break the fast at 6:00 pm rather than with aab-e shifa in Jamatkhana is not automatic and has only been instituted in some Jamats and even then, only with the permission of the Mukhi saheb. In many of the world jamats, roza continues until broken in Jamatkhana, as has always been the traditional practice.     Satgur Kahere Chaar murate dhramaj thaapiyo Te satgur Brahmaji aapohi aap Shukr-vaari beej je thaapshe Tene moksh moogatnu(n) thaam re 183   The True Guide says The True Guide has established the order of religion throughout the four corners of the world It is indeed the True Guide, the Universal Soul, who has established this act of piety Those who observe Shukr-vaari beej will attain salvation 183   Satgur Kahere Shukr-vaari beej je koi kal maa(n)he thaapshe Ane thaapshe pure vishvaas Te jivne moogataj thaashe Ane sahi thaashe amaaro didaar re 184   The True Guide says If you observe and believe in shukr-vaari beej in this day and age, and if you fast with a clean and pure faith, then your soul will be freed from the bondage of this earth and you will be blessed with our didar 184   Links for Further Research on Related Topics: Download the following PDF documents: Holy Ginan Verses Pertaining to Shukr-Vaari Beej from Pir Shams's Saloko Moto Dasond :: Qazi Noaman in Code of Conduct for the Followers of Imam Dasond :: Imam Mustansir bi'l-laah II (a.s.) in (Pir) Pandiyat-i Jawanmardi Dasond :: Pir Hasan Kabirdin in Anant Akhado Supplication: Ya Ali, Ya NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazir Imam, create Sunshine in our hearts, light in our foreheads, and bless us all with the inner vision of the Truth on the auspicious occasion of upcoming Shukr-vaari Beej, Ameen.   Rakh Mowla je Noor te Yaqeen (Certainly, we trust in Mowla's Light only), Noorallah Juma (noor-allah@salmanspiritual.com) SalmanSpiritual.com Tuesday, August 18, 2009

 
:: Candle Posting #56 :: Spiritual Educational Resources For Holy Ramadan ::
 

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.   Ya Ali Madad! In preparation of Holy Ramadan, SalmanSpiritual.com has developed a wide variety of spiritual educational resources to meet the diverse needs of the global Jamat. These are organized under the following headings on the Ramadan Resources page: Holy Qur'an On-line Resources; Holy Ramadan Past Project Resources; Qur'anic Treasures; Dhikr Tasbis; and Pearls and Rubies. May I take a moment of your time and suggest the following articles to begin the preparations for your spiritual activities during this holy month: Haqqaqati Fasting and the True Spirit of Fasting :: Teachings of Imam NOOR Mowlana Shah Mustansir bi'l-laah II (a.s.) and NOOR Mowlana Shah Sultan Muhammad Shah (a.s.) True and Sincere Repentance :: Teaching of NOOR Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.) Nobal Wishes (Niyat) The following is a list of noble esoteric wishes for fruition during Holy Ramadan and the basis of our ardent supplications to our beloved NOOR Mowlana Hazir Imam: Ya Mowla, Ya Wali, Ya Karim, Ya Ali, Ya NOOR Mowlana Hazir Imam: 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; forgive our sins, mistakes and oversights and make us staunch, obedient (farman bardari) mu'mins; keep us on the Right Path, the path illuminated by the Light of Eternal Ali; purify our souls through the blessings derived from our additional dhikr and help us live a balanced life; make us regular in our morning and evening prayers; bless us with inspiration, strength, courage and conviction to practise luminous prayer (bandagi) at the luminous time (small watches of the night) with the luminious word (ism-i azam or Ya Ali tasbi); bestow enlightenment to our souls and bless us with a 'golden noorani didar'; usher us in the abode of peace (Dar-as-Salaam) and grant us eternal existence. Ameen. Ardent Supplications: Ya Ali, Ya NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazir Imam, create Sunshine in our hearts, light in our foreheads, and bless us all with the inner vision of the Truth!   Ya Ali, Ya NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazir Imam, grant the global Jamat luminous (noorani) and spiritual (ruhani) tayid (help) to advance materially, spiritually and intellectually. Ameen.   Haizinda — Qayampaya (Our Present Imam is Living and His NOOR is Eternal)   Links for Holy Ramadan Educational Resources: Resources for Holy Ramadan & Idd-ul Fitr SalmanSpiritual.com Rakh Mowla je Noor te Yaqeen (Certainly, we trust in Mowla's Light only), Noorallah Juma (noor-allah@salmanspiritual.com) SalmanSpiritual.com Thursday, August 20, 2009

 
:: Candle Posting #57 :: Foundational Teachings of NOOR Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.) ::
 

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.   Ya Ali Madad! Shukr-vaari Beej and Ramadan Mubarak! In preparation of Holy Ramadan, let us reflect deeply on the following sayings of NOOR Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.) which have been extracted from a book entitled 'Peak of Eloquence NAHJUL BALAGHA'—Sermons, Letters and Sayings of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib, published by Tahrike Tarsile Qur'an, Sixth U.S. Edition 1996:   Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said describing a believer: "A believer has a cheerful face, a sorrowful heart, a very broad chest (full of generosity), and a very humble heart. He hates high position and dislikes renown. His grief is long, his courage is far reaching, his silence is much and, his time is occupied. He is grateful, enduring, buried in his thoughts, sparing in his friendship (with others), of bright demeanour and of soft temperament. He is stronger than stone and humbler than a slave." Quotation number 343, page 650.   Please note that if our aim is swim across the ocean of materialism (maya) and be enlightened by Mowla's Light, then the attibutes of a real believer have to cultivated within ourselves. The list of personal traits listed by NOOR Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.) also points to the mechanisms which undertaken by a murid who is in a constant search for higher spiritual enlightenment. For each minute that passes by, we have one less minute to reach our destination!   Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said describing a believer: "If you have a need from Allah, the Glorified, then begin by seeking Allah's blessing on His Messenger, may Allah bless him and his desendants, then ask your need, because Allah is too generous to accept one (seeking His blessing on His Messenger) of the two requests made to Him and deny the other." Quotation number 371, page 655.   Please note that it is important to recite angelic salwat before presenting a list of noble wishes. In our Holy Dua, we first recite an extended form of angelic salwat in the third paragraph of the first part and then present our supplications in the second, fourth, fifth and the sixth parts.   Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: "The believer's time has three periods: The period when he is in communion with Allah; the period when he manages his livelihood; and the period when he is free to enjoy what is lawful and pleasant. It does not behove a wise person to be away (from his house) save for three matters, namely the purposes of earning, or going for something for the next life or for enjoying what is not prohibited." Quotation number 400, page 660.   Please note the clarity in NOOR Mowlana Murtaza Ali's (a.s.) definition of the balance between din and duniya in the above quotation. Ardent Supplications for Holy Ramadan: Ya Ali, Ya NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazir Imam, create Sunshine in our hearts, light in our foreheads, and bless us all with the inner vision of the Truth!   Ya Ali, Ya NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazir Imam, grant the global Jamat luminous (noorani) and spiritual (ruhani) tayid (help) to advance materially, spiritually and intellectually. Ameen.   Haizinda — Qayampaya (Our Present Imam is Living and His NOOR is Eternal)   Links for Holy Ramadan Educational Resources: Please bookmark these pages and create you own set of activities: Resources for Holy Ramadan & Idd-ul Fitr SalmanSpiritual.com Rakh Mowla je Noor te Yaqeen (Certainly, we trust in Mowla's Light only), Noorallah Juma (noor-allah@salmanspiritual.com) SalmanSpiritual.com Friday, August 21, 2009

 
:: Candle Posting #58 :: The Door of Salvation :: Seeking Forgiveness ::
 

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.   Ya Ali Madad! Ramadan Mubarak! On this third night of Holy Ramadan which started on Sunday evening, August 23, 2009, let us reflect deeply on the following sayings of NOOR Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.) which have been extracted from a book entitled 'Peak of Eloquence NAHJUL BALAGHA'—Sermons, Letters and Sayings of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib, published by Tahrike Tarsile Qur'an, Sixth U.S. Edition 1996:   Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: "Allah has placed on you some obligations which you should not ignore, has laid down for the limits which you should not transgress, has prohibited you from certain things which you should not violate, and has kept quiet about certain things, but He has not left them out by mistake so that you should not find them." Quotation number 105, page 592.   Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: "Fear! Fear! By Allah, He has hidden your sins so much so as though He has forgiven." Quotation number 30, page 576.   Imam Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir, peace be upon both of them, has related from Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, that he said: "There were two sources of deliverance from Allah's punishment, one of which has been raised up, while the other is before you. You should therefore adhere to it. The source of deliverance, which has been raised up is the Messenger of Allah (may He bless him and his descendants), while the source of deliverance that remains is the seeking of forgiveness. Allah, the Glorified, has said: "And Allah is not to chastise them while you are among them, nor is Allah to chastise them while yet they seek forgiveness. (Holy Qur'an, 8:33) " Quotation number 88, page 588.   Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: "The Day of Judgement is near and our mutual company is short." Quotation number 168, page 606.   In this month of reflection, let us think of all our actions in the context of the above quotations and the following excerpt from a firman made by NOOR Mowlana Hazir Imam (a.s.) in Mumbai on November 27, 1973, in which he said:   "There are certain things which must be done in a physical sense and there are other things which must be done in a spiritual sense, and our Faith is quite clear as to what are the responsibilites, both in a physical and a spiritual sense, on our spiritual children... and at the end of your lives you must ask yourselves the question: "Have I fulfilled during my lifetime my physical and material responsibilites, as well as my spiritual responsibilites?". And remember that you will be judged on both." Ardent Supplications for Holy Ramadan: Ya Ali, Ya NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazir Imam, create Sunshine in our hearts, light in our foreheads, and bless us all with the inner vision of the Truth!   Ya Ali, Ya NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazir Imam, grant the global Jamat luminous (noorani) and spiritual (ruhani) tayid (help) to advance materially, spiritually and intellectually. Ameen.   Haizinda — Qayampaya (Our Present Imam is Living and His NOOR is Eternal) Links for Holy Ramadan Educational Resources: True and Sincere Repentance :: Teaching of NOOR Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.) Please bookmark these pages and create you own set of activities: Resources for Holy Ramadan & Idd-ul Fitr SalmanSpiritual.com   Archives: Candle Posting Index Vol. 1, Candle Posting Index Vol. 2 Postings: 1-10, 11-20, 21-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60 Rakh Mowla je Noor te Yaqeen (Certainly, we trust in Mowla's Light only), Noorallah Juma (noor-allah@salmanspiritual.com) SalmanSpiritual.com Sunday Evening, August 23, 2009 :: Third night of Holy Ramadan

 
:: Candle Posting #59 :: The Relationship between Knowledge, Conviction and Action ::
 

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.   Ya Ali Madad! Ramadan Mubarak! On this fifth night of Holy Ramadan which started on Tuesday evening, August 25, 2009, let us reflect deeply on the following sayings of NOOR Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.) which have been extracted from a book entitled 'Peak of Eloquence NAHJUL BALAGHA'—Sermons, Letters and Sayings of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib, published by Tahrike Tarsile Qur'an, Sixth U.S. Edition 1996. In today's posting, let us examine the following gems of wisdom on the topics of knowledge, action and conviction:   Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: "One who is on search of something will obtain it, at least a part of it." Quotation number 396, page 660.   Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: "The most humble knowledge is that which remains on the tongue and most honourable one is that which manifests itself through (the action of) the limbs and the organs of the body." Quotation number 92, page 590.   Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: "Knowledge is associated with action. Therefore, he who knows should act, because knowledge calls for action; if there is a response well and good, otherwise it (i.e., knowledge) departs from him." Quotation number 367, page 654.   Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: "Do not turn knowledge into ignorance or your conviction into doubt. When you gain knowledge act (upon it) and when you acquire conviction proceed (on its basis)." Quotation number 284, page 638.   In this month of reflection, let us also think about the relationship between information, knowledge and wisdom. NOOR Mowlana Hazir Imam (a.s.) has shed light on this topic in the following excerpt from his convocation address to the Aga Khan University in 2006:   "Priority setting will be a particularly important challenge. One of the problems of the Knowledge Society is that it produces too much information. I recall President Nixon acknowledging publicly more than 30 years ago his dismay at the sheer volume of information that the President was expected to absorb daily. In such a world we can easily lose track of the forest by seeing only the trees. As a poet lamented: "Where is the Wisdom we have lost in Knowledge. Where is the Knowledge we have lost in Information?" As we work our way back again from Information to Knowledge and from Knowledge to Wisdom, a rigorous sense of priorities will be a central requirement."   A consistent and rigorous effort has been made at SalmanSpiritual.com to bring higher spiritual knowledge and wisdom to a global audience in a manner that it can be acted upon. May Mowla enlighten the path of your journey towards higher spiritual enlightenment in innumerable ways! Ameen! Ardent Supplications for Holy Ramadan: Ya Ali, Ya NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazir Imam, create Sunshine in our hearts, light in our foreheads, and bless us all with the inner vision of the Truth!   Ya Ali, Ya NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazir Imam, grant the global Jamat luminous (noorani) and spiritual (ruhani) tayid (help) to advance materially, spiritually and intellectually. Ameen.   Haizinda — Qayampaya (Our Present Imam is Living and His NOOR is Eternal) Links for Holy Ramadan Educational Resources: Please bookmark these pages and create you own set of activities: Resources for Holy Ramadan & Idd-ul Fitr SalmanSpiritual.com Rakh Mowla je Noor te Yaqeen (Certainly, we trust in Mowla's Light only), Noorallah Juma (noor-allah@salmanspiritual.com) SalmanSpiritual.com Tuesday Evening, August 25, 2009 :: Fifth night of Holy Ramadan

 
:: Candle Posting #60 :: Precious Gems On Death and Eternal Spiritual Life ::
 

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.   Ya Ali Madad! Ramadan Mubarak! On this seventh night of Holy Ramadan which started on Thursday evening, August 27, 2009, let us reflect deeply on the following sayings of NOOR Mowlana Murtaza Ali (a.s.) which have been extracted from a book entitled 'Peak of Eloquence NAHJUL BALAGHA'—Sermons, Letters and Sayings of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib, published by Tahrike Tarsile Qur'an, Sixth U.S. Edition 1996. In today's posting, let us examine the following gems of wisdom on the topic of death and eternal spiritual life:   Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: "Every human being has to meet the end, sweet or sour." Quotation number 151, page 603.   Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: "Every comer has to return and after returning it is as though he never existed." Quotation number 152, page 603.   Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: "The departure from this world is imminent." Quotation number 187, page 609.   Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: "For the man who has eyes the dawn has already appeared." Quotation number 169, page 606.   Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: "O people, fear Allah Who is such that when you speak He hears and when you conceal (a secret) He knows it. Prepare yourself to meet death which will overtake you even if you run away, catch you even if you stay and remember you even if you forget it." Quotation number 203, page 612.   Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: "The breath of a man is a step towards his death.*" Quotation number 74, page 585.   *This is just as each step makes way for the other and this exercise by steps is the means of nearing the goal, similarly each breath of life serves as, death-knell for the previous one and carries life towards death, as if the breath whose motion is regarded as a sign of life is in fact the sign of passing away of one moment of life and a means of nearing the goal of death, because each breath is death for the previous one, and life is the name of those very death-carrying breaths.   Every breath is the dead body of the life that passed by. Life is the name of living by facing successive deaths. In this month of reflection, let us put these wisdoms in context of current teachings of NOOR Mowlana Hazir Imam (a.s.): "I do not want my spiritual children to forget life on earth is but a very short passage to eternity, and you must not believe that you are here for what is one existence and that thereafter you have to account for nothing." Lahore, November 25th, 1964.   "I want you to remember that every time you look at a watch, every time you look at a clock, every time you see a hand move by one second or one minute, this means that you have one second or one minute less in which to fulfil this Farman. It is only the spiritual life which is eternal, not the material life." Bombay, November 27th, 1973. Ardent Supplications for Holy Ramadan: Ya Ali, Ya NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazir Imam, create Sunshine in our hearts, light in our foreheads, and bless us all with the inner vision of the Truth!   Ya Ali, Ya NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini Hazir Imam, grant the global Jamat luminous (noorani) and spiritual (ruhani) tayid (help) to advance materially, spiritually and intellectually. Ameen.   Haizinda — Qayampaya (Our Present Imam is Living and His NOOR is Eternal) Links for Holy Ramadan Educational Resources: Please bookmark these pages and create you own set of activities: Resources for Holy Ramadan & Idd-ul Fitr SalmanSpiritual.com Rakh Mowla je Noor te Yaqeen (Certainly, we trust in Mowla's Light only), Noorallah Juma (noor-allah@salmanspiritual.com) SalmanSpiritual.com Thursday Evening, August 27, 2009 :: Seventh night of Holy Ramadan