As-salaam Alaikum,
I used to be a catholic and 16 years ago became a Muslim. From what I have read about Ismailism, it is very different to what I have practiced since 1990! As Ismailis, how am I regarded by your beliefs?
I have great difficulty in reconciling how so much of Muhammad's (PBUH) teachings are aborogated by the teachings of the Aga Khan? It seems that Ismailis place too much importance o­n the Aga Khan, when the o­ne we should follow is Muhammad... I don't think Ismailis can blame non-Ismailis for feeling uncomfortable about a great deal of things in Ismaili aqeedah.
With respect, how do you as Ismailis deal with; the many questions, views and perhaps misconceptions held about Ismailism and the Aga Khan?
Views on Ismailism
The teachings of all of the prophets are still important. Allah has sent messengers in all times and all parts of the world to guide people according to their time. This is the proof of his immense love for his creation.
Prophet Muhammad, our last prophet, PBUH, is no exception, he has been truly sent as a Mercy to all nations.
I am always sad when Muslims do not follow his teachings and Allah's message that was sent through him.
One important message was to be the children of the times. Ibnul Waqht. But many Muslim have chose to live in the past, they do not have the chance of having the Imam of the Time to guide them through their time, hopefully ahead of their time.
There is no reason for Ismailis to be on the defensive. Thanks to the guidance of our Imam of the Time who tells us how to keep Allah's message alive in our time, we can walk head high and with dignity.
We just have to say: Go and look what we are doing for mankind, look what we are: the reflection of our beloved Prophet's teaching, well alive in our Times.
Instead of keeping Islam a faith for the past for people of the past, by our actions and our behaviour we Ismailis have made of Islam an ever living faith, a faith of the present and a faith of the future.
Prophet Muhammad, our last prophet, PBUH, is no exception, he has been truly sent as a Mercy to all nations.
I am always sad when Muslims do not follow his teachings and Allah's message that was sent through him.
One important message was to be the children of the times. Ibnul Waqht. But many Muslim have chose to live in the past, they do not have the chance of having the Imam of the Time to guide them through their time, hopefully ahead of their time.
There is no reason for Ismailis to be on the defensive. Thanks to the guidance of our Imam of the Time who tells us how to keep Allah's message alive in our time, we can walk head high and with dignity.
We just have to say: Go and look what we are doing for mankind, look what we are: the reflection of our beloved Prophet's teaching, well alive in our Times.
Instead of keeping Islam a faith for the past for people of the past, by our actions and our behaviour we Ismailis have made of Islam an ever living faith, a faith of the present and a faith of the future.
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asifmomin1
- Posts: 36
- Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 9:00 am
- Location: Sugar Land, Texas
"O' apostle! deliver what has been revealed upon you from your Lord, and if not, you have not delivered His message. And surely God will protect you from men."
"Whose Master (mawla) I am, Ali is his Master (mawla)."
"O God, be the friend of him who is his friend, and be the enemy of him who is his enemy."
The above three revelations are the basis of Shiism and we Ismailis are a sub-sect of the Shia branch of Islam.
Our present Imam bears the same Noor that Hazrat Ali (A.S.) did. By following the farmans of our Imams we are actually following what Rasullulah (P.B.U.H) asked us to. By suspecting or belittling the authority of the Imam of the time, a true Shia is infact, suspecting and belittling the great prophet of Islam himself.
"Whose Master (mawla) I am, Ali is his Master (mawla)."
"O God, be the friend of him who is his friend, and be the enemy of him who is his enemy."
The above three revelations are the basis of Shiism and we Ismailis are a sub-sect of the Shia branch of Islam.
Our present Imam bears the same Noor that Hazrat Ali (A.S.) did. By following the farmans of our Imams we are actually following what Rasullulah (P.B.U.H) asked us to. By suspecting or belittling the authority of the Imam of the time, a true Shia is infact, suspecting and belittling the great prophet of Islam himself.
The Last and the Greatest Prophet
The Holy Prophet of Islam is to us Muslims, the last and greatest messenger from the Creator, and through him man is to find salvation in both this world and the next. The great religious teachers before and since Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s.) have all limited the area of truth by excluding either some or all of their predecessors. Prophet Muhammed, on the other hand, by a full recognition of all his predecessors and by admitting that no people, race or nation had been left without some kind of divine illumination, gave his Fatih universality in the past, and in fact made it coexistent with human history.
If, now we turn from its historic background to its doctrine and to its possibility of development in the future, we will find the potential universality. Take the central principle of 'Allah-o-Akbar'. Here we find on one side divinity, on the other side infinity. For what is, the greater time, space, the starry heavens, intelligence, knowledge – whatever existence goes there His greatness extends. Greatness here, means that everything else is within the womb of the greater – everything else is maintained and sustained by Divine Power, including the furthest spaces of imagination.
Prophet Muhammed (s.a.s.) told mankind first that the infinite sustainer and container of all existence had justice, mercy, and love as well; secondly, that man through these qualities and through gentleness and kindness, prayer, awe or wonder could get, in howsoever infinitesimal proportion, direct communion with the all-embracing power in which he lived and moved and had his being.
I submit that this doctrine will have a universality that can be accepted as long as man is man and as long as intelligence as we understand it services on earth. We maintain that the Prophet only ordered prayer, fasting, and gentleness in all human relations, kindness and consideration for all beasts and animals from the smallest worm to the largest mammal.
By the institution of the 'Ulu'l-Amr', who can be interpreted as Imam and Caliph, and by placing obedience to 'Ulu'l-Amr' immediately after that to God and Prophet, he ensured that the Faith would ever remain living, extending, developing with science, knowledge, art and industry.
-Hz. Imam Sultan Muhammed Shah Aga Khan III (Sept. 1934)
The Holy Prophet of Islam is to us Muslims, the last and greatest messenger from the Creator, and through him man is to find salvation in both this world and the next. The great religious teachers before and since Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s.) have all limited the area of truth by excluding either some or all of their predecessors. Prophet Muhammed, on the other hand, by a full recognition of all his predecessors and by admitting that no people, race or nation had been left without some kind of divine illumination, gave his Fatih universality in the past, and in fact made it coexistent with human history.
If, now we turn from its historic background to its doctrine and to its possibility of development in the future, we will find the potential universality. Take the central principle of 'Allah-o-Akbar'. Here we find on one side divinity, on the other side infinity. For what is, the greater time, space, the starry heavens, intelligence, knowledge – whatever existence goes there His greatness extends. Greatness here, means that everything else is within the womb of the greater – everything else is maintained and sustained by Divine Power, including the furthest spaces of imagination.
Prophet Muhammed (s.a.s.) told mankind first that the infinite sustainer and container of all existence had justice, mercy, and love as well; secondly, that man through these qualities and through gentleness and kindness, prayer, awe or wonder could get, in howsoever infinitesimal proportion, direct communion with the all-embracing power in which he lived and moved and had his being.
I submit that this doctrine will have a universality that can be accepted as long as man is man and as long as intelligence as we understand it services on earth. We maintain that the Prophet only ordered prayer, fasting, and gentleness in all human relations, kindness and consideration for all beasts and animals from the smallest worm to the largest mammal.
By the institution of the 'Ulu'l-Amr', who can be interpreted as Imam and Caliph, and by placing obedience to 'Ulu'l-Amr' immediately after that to God and Prophet, he ensured that the Faith would ever remain living, extending, developing with science, knowledge, art and industry.
-Hz. Imam Sultan Muhammed Shah Aga Khan III (Sept. 1934)
Dear ex-catholic,
"It seems that Ismailis place too much importance on the Aga Khan, when the only one we should follow is Muhammad".
I think during your conversion to Islam you were not fully informed about the 73 sects of Islam who all have different interpretation of Islam and no one sect can claim to be following the "one true path".
If you tell us what sect you belong to, may be we can understand your belief and explain to you our interpretation better.
Ismailis are followers of Shi'a Islam who, after the Prophet followed Hazarat Ali and the subsequent Imams. So a lot Muslims have emphasised the importance of Hazarat Ali and their own respective Imams.
Since His Highnesss the Aga Khan is the only Living Imam as the Imams of other Shia Muslims are in occultation, you will find that Ismailis follow the teachings Of their Imam, as the others would have done, if their Imams were present.
Since, the Prophet of Islam is not with us, some follow what was followed during the Prophet's time.
Likewise other Shia's whose Imams went into hiding, follow what was followed up until their last Imam's time.
Ismaili Imams have always been present and as the world changes so does the guidance.
You will have noticed how Allah's religion changed from the time of Hazarat Adam to the Prophet of Islam.To support this, I quote Qur'an: Sura VII C.87
"With the advent of the Holy Apostle,
The light and guidance which he brought For allmankind from God Superseded the earlier Law for the Jews.
The good and the upright among them Followed the new Light, but
The rest were scattered through the earth."
Do you believe the "new Light" (Prophet S.A.W.) is still present in the world, or Allah S.W.T. has left the Ummah in the dark?
It is wrong of you to say that Ismailis have abrogated Islam. Your teachers have not taught you well, otherwise you would not pass such an ignorant judgement on fellow Muslims, who have and are contributing a lot to humanity, to Islamic architecture, to literacy, etc. to enhance Islam in the world. In order to understand Islam better, Aga Khan has endowed many Universities who have agreed to promote research on Islam, and better understanding of Islam.
Aga Khan is the only leader in Muslim world who is trying to create a better image of Islam in the world. Show me another Muslim who is working equally hard to promote Islam?
Islam means peace. You have not done justice to Islam by pointing an accusatory finger at another Muslim. This is a "No" "No" in Islam and a sin.
Do you know that the 9/11 hijackers, 7/11 subway bombers, suicide bombers, all claim to follow Prophet S.A.W. only. Do you think Muslims should be such? Afterall, they did, and others who are committing such atrocities are, following the Prophet of Islam only.
I wonder why you came to Ismaili forum, when you have established that they are not right Muslims. Did you come here to point fingers, and tell us what other Muslims think about us? Do you really believe we care?
I suggest you invest in some good books, instead of relying on your Mullas to educate you about Ismailism because most of them don't know about Islam much less about Ismailism. All they know is point fingers at people who are faring better in the world.
Good Luck with your new found religion! Tell me how many schools, hospitals and universities they have built. How many people they have fed with their billions of dollars in oil revenues!
Virgo2
"It seems that Ismailis place too much importance on the Aga Khan, when the only one we should follow is Muhammad".
I think during your conversion to Islam you were not fully informed about the 73 sects of Islam who all have different interpretation of Islam and no one sect can claim to be following the "one true path".
If you tell us what sect you belong to, may be we can understand your belief and explain to you our interpretation better.
Ismailis are followers of Shi'a Islam who, after the Prophet followed Hazarat Ali and the subsequent Imams. So a lot Muslims have emphasised the importance of Hazarat Ali and their own respective Imams.
Since His Highnesss the Aga Khan is the only Living Imam as the Imams of other Shia Muslims are in occultation, you will find that Ismailis follow the teachings Of their Imam, as the others would have done, if their Imams were present.
Since, the Prophet of Islam is not with us, some follow what was followed during the Prophet's time.
Likewise other Shia's whose Imams went into hiding, follow what was followed up until their last Imam's time.
Ismaili Imams have always been present and as the world changes so does the guidance.
You will have noticed how Allah's religion changed from the time of Hazarat Adam to the Prophet of Islam.To support this, I quote Qur'an: Sura VII C.87
"With the advent of the Holy Apostle,
The light and guidance which he brought For allmankind from God Superseded the earlier Law for the Jews.
The good and the upright among them Followed the new Light, but
The rest were scattered through the earth."
Do you believe the "new Light" (Prophet S.A.W.) is still present in the world, or Allah S.W.T. has left the Ummah in the dark?
It is wrong of you to say that Ismailis have abrogated Islam. Your teachers have not taught you well, otherwise you would not pass such an ignorant judgement on fellow Muslims, who have and are contributing a lot to humanity, to Islamic architecture, to literacy, etc. to enhance Islam in the world. In order to understand Islam better, Aga Khan has endowed many Universities who have agreed to promote research on Islam, and better understanding of Islam.
Aga Khan is the only leader in Muslim world who is trying to create a better image of Islam in the world. Show me another Muslim who is working equally hard to promote Islam?
Islam means peace. You have not done justice to Islam by pointing an accusatory finger at another Muslim. This is a "No" "No" in Islam and a sin.
Do you know that the 9/11 hijackers, 7/11 subway bombers, suicide bombers, all claim to follow Prophet S.A.W. only. Do you think Muslims should be such? Afterall, they did, and others who are committing such atrocities are, following the Prophet of Islam only.
I wonder why you came to Ismaili forum, when you have established that they are not right Muslims. Did you come here to point fingers, and tell us what other Muslims think about us? Do you really believe we care?
I suggest you invest in some good books, instead of relying on your Mullas to educate you about Ismailism because most of them don't know about Islam much less about Ismailism. All they know is point fingers at people who are faring better in the world.
Good Luck with your new found religion! Tell me how many schools, hospitals and universities they have built. How many people they have fed with their billions of dollars in oil revenues!
Virgo2
Dear ex-catholic,
Hope you understand Hindi otherwise get a translation and see the importance of following Hazarat Ali after the Prophet S.A.W.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ob7WMzmR ... re=related
Hope you understand Hindi otherwise get a translation and see the importance of following Hazarat Ali after the Prophet S.A.W.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ob7WMzmR ... re=related