Ya Ali Madad! This post has two parts.

1. Knowledge Section; and
2. Angelic Salwat Dhikr.

 

Part 1: How to Welcome Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam to our Spiritual Hearts (Houses)

Let us first learn about the major components of our spiritual house:

1. The Foundation of the Spiritual House

   The foundation of the spiritual house is based on the first four items in the list. These are (1) creating staunch faith in Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam (a.s.), (2) being Imam conscious & ethical, (3) submitting dasond in full and on time, and (4) reciting Dua at sacred times in the morning and the evening, preferably in Jamat Khana. We need to be certain that our foundation is strong and if there are any cracks in it, then this is a good time to fix them.
    
   

2. The Walls, Doors and Windows of the Spiritual House

   The walls of the spiritual house are based on the next five items in the list. These are (1) practising bandagi for higher spiritual enlightenment every morning, (2) shedding torrential tears of Love for the Holy Imam (Giryah-u zâri), (3) reciting volumious Angelic Salwat and dhikr tasbis, (4) participating in voluntary service and charity; and (5) performing sincere repentance for the purification of the soul. We need to be certain that the walls of our spiritual house are strong and of even height so that a roof can be placed on the structure. This raises the question of balance and the need of a multi-prong approach so that all the five walls get built simultaneously.

   Our day has to be organized according to an Ismaili lifestyle in which bandagi gets performed first and then the remaining activities follow. As the walls of spiritual house can have doors and windows, it is possible to experience happiness, inner peace and get rays of light inside our spiritual house (personal world). The walls also permit to have a sacred space within ourselves. As we prepare for the darbar, it is important to check and fix for any cracks in the walls.
    
   

3. The Roof of the Spiritual House

   As the final destination of our spiritual journey is the recognition of the Light of Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam in our foreheads, it is important to think about the transparent, colored glass roof with a dome for our spiritual house. This design would fully absorb the luminous rays of the Noor of Mowlana Hazar Imam.

   Spiritual experiences such as tears of love for Mowla, goosepumps, shivering, shaking and fragrances are signs that the soul is being purified. Let us hope some or all of these happen at the Darbars. In addition to this, for the perfected ones, there will be the didar of Light in the forehead. Let us hope and pray that this also happens at the Darbars.

   In his firman to the Canadian Jamat in 2005, NOOR Mowlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini (a.s.) said:

   "I give to you once again, each one of you, my most affectionate blessings, my most affectionate blessings. Take them with you for yourselves, your families, your Jamats and I hope you will have sunshine in your hearts. Khanavadan, Khanavadan, Khanavadan."

    

4. The Expansion of our Spiritual House (Real Heart, Consciousness)

   The great experiences of Holy Prophet (s.a.s.) are an inspiration for humanity. Let us reflect on the concept of expansion of the heart and relate it to spiritual and luminous stature of our Holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s.):

   "Expansion of the Heart (Sharh-i Sadr): Sharh-i Sadr literally means to open the chest, that is, the expansion of the heart, which in turn means the expansion of the human soul, because the centre of the soul is the heart and mind. Although expansion and contraction are the characteristics of the body and not of the soul, yet the world of similitude (mithal), which is subtle and spiritual, is like this world in expansion and breadth, as God says: "And vie one with another for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for those who are righteous." (Holy Qur'an 3:133)

   This verse reveals the wisdom that the above-mentioned Paradise is the spiritual form of this Universe, or it is in the form of soul of this huge universe, namely the Universal Soul. It should be understood that, just as everything has a subtle spiritual form, this huge universe also has a subtle, spiritual form, which is the world of similitude, the Paradise mentioned above, as well as the extremely great expansion of the spiritual kind.

   As the concept of spiritual expansion is established, the expansion of the heart can also be explained. God says: "Is he whose heart Allah has expanded for Islam and follows (the guidance of) a Light from His Lord (equal to the one who has gone astray)? Then woe unto those whose hearts are hardened against the remembrance of Allah. Such are in plain error." (Holy Qur'an 39:22).

   This verse shows that when a mu'min, melting in fire of true love, is engrossed in the remembrance of God in such a way that he forgets everything, save the remembrance of God, to the extent that he does not know whether he is awake or in the world of dream, his soul expands and then the Light starts to appear.

   Regarding the Holy Prophet, the Holy Qur'an says, "Did not We open your heart?" (94:1). This means that the blessed heart of the Prophet, i.e., his pure soul was expanded to the ultimate and as a result he could see the spiritual form of the entire universe in his own pure soul."
   [Source: Pir Nasir-i Khusraw and Spirituality, pages 33-34]

   
    
   

   The fully expanded hearts of the Holy Prophets and the Holy Imams are full of spirituality and luminosity because the whole universe in a subtle form in present in their personal worlds. If a mu'min follows in the footsteps of the Holy Prophets and Holy Imams, then the treasuries of spiritual and luminous worlds also open up. Therefore, a person with an expanded heart experiences a Golden Noorani Didar in the forehead and gets numerous opportunities to present spiritual and luminous nazranas (gifts) to his beloved NOOR Mowlana Hazar Imam. Let us hope that this also happens at the Darbars.

   In preparation for Darbars, Zaheri-Noorani and Batini-Noorani Didars, let us practise our faith with conviction by attending Jamat Khana regularly, submitting dasond, saying three Duas on time, practising bandagi (luminous prayer). reciting angelic salwats, performing abundant dhikr, performing volunteer service (time & knowledge and material contributions), balancing din and duniya, being Imam conscious and ethical. May Noor Mowlana Imam empower the global Jamat with his Noor! Ameen.

 

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

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

 

 

Holy Noorani Didar Preparation Gems

 
 
 

Article by Dr. Noorallah Juma