The following email has been circulating on the Internet and I felt what better place would it be to post it here and discuss it here rather than elsewhere. This is an Ismaili forum and it is our problem and that we should discuss it here in an elderly fashion. Please do not attack anybody or use bad language etc......:Let us deal with this in a calm manner without hurting anybody. Remember we are only voicing our opinion.
I think we have already discussed this issue here before and how important it is to have light on our Gatpaath.
Readers are strongly requested to FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO OUR ISMAILI BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO HELP PROTECT THEIR FAITH. Our faith has been passed on to us, un-distorted, from our fore-fathers from generation to generation. It is OUR DUTY to protect our faith from distortion for our future generations. Thank you!
Why, without Khudawind Hazar Imam's authority and permission, ITREB USA has ordered Mukhi / Kamadia Sahebaans to remove the Holy Ghatpaat Light?
Who has authorized ITREB USA to change, remove, and reinterpret our Tariqah practices, which is the sole and exclusive prerogative of Khudawind Hazar Imam?
Our investigation and research indicate, clearly, that ITREB USA AND ITS COLLABORATORS HAVE HIJACKED KHUDAWIND HAZAR IMAM'S PREROGATIVE AND ITREB USA CHAIRMAN NAZIR LADHANI HAS TAKEN THE LAW INTO HIS OWN HANDS!!!
ITREB USA has consistently and constantly misled and misguided the jamat by giving false impression that they receive Holy Guidance from Khudawind Hazar Imam to change, remove, and reinterpret Tariqah Principles and Tariqah Practices. THIS IS A BLATANT LIE!!!
WITH RESPECT TO THE REMOVAL OF HOLY GHATPAAT LIGHT, NO SUCH GUIDANCE HAS COME FROM KHUDAWIND HAZAR IMAM TO CHANGE, ABBREVIATE, OR REMOVE THIS SPRITUAL SYMBOL OF OUR TARIQAH.
ITREB USA has forcefully imposed its hijacked authority upon Jamati Mukhi / Kamadia Sahebaans by falsely giving the impression that this authority has come from Khudawind Hazar Imam. ITREB USA is making Jamati and Mandli Mukhi / Kamadia Sahebaans their agents to implement its unauthorized and self-made policy of reforming our Tariqah by misinforming and misguiding them. In a dictatorial manner, these blasphemous reforms by the corrupt ITREB USA Chairman and corrupt members of the Board and corrupt waezeen are being systematically enforced in the jamat through Jamati and Mandli Mukhi / Kamadia Sahebaans. ITREB USA even threatens and enforces punitive measures on Jamati and Mandli Mukhi / Kamadia Sahebaans who question ITREB USA 's hijacked authority.
RAI MOHAMED KESHAVJEE, the International ITREB Coordinator at Aiglemont, failed to immediately ask ITREB USA Chairman NAZIR LADHANI to put back the Holy Ghatpaat Light in all jamatkhanas, despite numerous reminders. RAI MOHAMED KESHAVJEE HAS FAILED TO DO SO AS HE IS INVOLVED IN GUIDING AND SPREADING THIS CONSPIRACY AND BLASPHEMY!!!
MOHAMED EBOO, President of USA National Council, started this unauthorized reform campaign of our Tariqah during his chairmanship of ITREB, which is now continued by his former lieutenant, the new Chairman of ITREB, NAZIR LADHANI, with the endorsement of the International ITREB Coordinator at Aiglemont, RAI MOHAMED KESHAVJEE.
IF THE HOLY GHATPAAT LIGHT IS NOT RE-INSTATED IN ALL JAMATKHANAS BE REST ASSURED THAT KHUDAWIND HAZAR IMAM WILL BE CONTACTED AND MADE PHYSICALLY AWARE OF THIS BLESPHEMOUS REMOVAL OF THIS SPRITUAL SYMBOL!!!
SO FIX IT OR GET FIXED!!!
Below is a summary of significance of the spiritual symbol the Holy Ghatpaat Light:
LAMP
There is a LAMP on the right side of the table of the ghatpaat. It must be put on before the ceremony commences. It is the symbol of the Noor in the House of the Noor of Imamat, the Jamatkhana. It is the symbol of the Lamp that Allah mentions in the Holy Qura'n:
"Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The similitude of His light is a niche wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass. The glass is as shining star. (This lamp is) kindled from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the East nor of the West, whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself) though no fire touched it. Light upon light, Allah guideth unto His light whom He wills. And Allah speaketh to mankind in allegories, for Allah is knower of all things."
"(This lamp is found) in houses which Allah hath allowed to be exalted and that His name shall be remembered therein. Therein do offer praise to Him at morning and evening." (24:35,36)
It is the symbol of the 'Sirajum Munirah', illuminating Lamp (Mohammed), mentioned in the Holy Qura'n:
"O Prophet! Lo! We have sent thee as a witness and a bringer of good tidings and a warner.
And as a summoner unto Allah by His permission, and as a lamp that giveth light" (33:45,46)
Holy Pir Sadaruddin has referred this lamp in his ginan:
Jirey vahla Joth jagadi ne Jumlo ji betha.
(O my dear the jamat has kindled the Lamp of Noor)
Imagine, you are in Paradise at the Pool of Kauser where Mowla Ali is distributing the Holy Water. Next to him is the Holy Prophet showering blessings upon each of the lucky ones. The Paradise is all bright with the Light of Ali and Nabi, the Noor of Allah.
Symbolically, a jamatkhana is Paradise on the earth, in which the Noor of Ali and the Noor of Mohammed dwell perpetually. There is the Pool of Kauser, the Bowl of the ghatpaat from which the momins drink nia'z under the Light (Lamp) and then get the blessing of Mohammed in the form of 'sukreet', consecrated food containing a secret message. Thus our Pirs had lighted a lamp at the ghatpaat ceremony with a purpose and significance. In scores of our ginans we read the word 'joth' or 'jiyot' meaning: Light or Noor. Pir Satgur Noor had kindled it a thousand years ago in the guth jamat, in India .
Thus, the lamp (the symbol of Noor) is a sacred tradition and necessary in the ceremony of ghatpaat. The Holy Hazar Imam wrote to the Ismailia Association for India :
"I am sure you will never forget that our Faith is based on thousands of years of history, and that we should learn from history and not think that our past is of no use to us now and that it can therefore be rejected, abbreviated or altered." MHI.
May Mowla grant us haqiqati samjh.
Ramzanali Adatia
REMOVAL OF GATPAAT LIGHT
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BUIteacher23
- Posts: 22
- Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2006 7:13 pm
YA ALI MADADBUIteacher23 wrote:it's a hindu thing! the khojas kept that tradition, agarbathi has nothing to do with muslims. If it's not relevant I'm glad it's being taken out. The light should be within us not in physical form anyways
with due all respect to u & all other people.. WHO Are U?? & Who I am .. To Decide that "WHAT SHOULD BE DONE & WHAT SHOULD'nt BE" ??
IMAM HAS RIGHTS TO ADD ANY "NEW THINGS" or "REMOVE any Previous things"
WE ARE FOLLOWERS..
OUr today Dua also has nothing to do with other Muslim Sects! .. but we do!
our Chanta, Our Majalis & many thing...
but WE DO, BEC WE ARE ORDERD! ..
regards,
BUIteacher23 wrote:it's a hindu thing! the khojas kept that tradition, agarbathi has nothing to do with muslims. If it's not relevant I'm glad it's being taken out. The light should be within us not in physical form anyways
have you read the memoirs of the agakhan? by MSMS?
or the farmans of the Imam ...
what scares me is that you are a BUI TEACHER....and have failed to see the singular message in MHI's recent farmans - that Diversity is Strength and we should honor our traditions.
And btw..agarbati (lobaan actually) and ghatpat are Traditions practised by the Prophet and his followers...this is a document fact.
Shams