Salgirah Mubarak 13 December 2021,
A special time to rejoice and to reflect and to renew our love devotion, Niyat & Bayah to Allah & Noor e Imam e Zaman
The meaning & significance of Bayah which Ismaili Muslims declare & renew every day in daily prayers & remembrance, (Ibadat)
Link. http://www.ismaili.net/html/modules.php ... pic&t=9235
A few related Salgirah Farmans from Imam e Zaman
My beloved spiritual children,
You have gathered here today to wish Me a happy birthday and to reaffirm your loyalty and love to your Imam. My happiness at being with you on this occasion is deep and pure; all My thoughts, all My hopes and all My prayers are for you.
Since the 11th of July 1957, all My aims and ambitions have been devoted to help and guide My spiritual children in spiritual and worldly matters. The happiness which I have gained from My work, the encouragement to carry more and more responsibility and undertake more and more projects, the continuous search for truth in all matters, all this has been due to you.
For hundreds of years, My spiritual children have been guided by the Rope of Imamat. You have looked to the Imam of the Age for advice and help in all matters and through your Imam's immense love and affection for His spiritual children, His Noor has indicated to you where and in which direction you must turn, so as to obtain spiritual and worldly satisfaction.
During the next generations, you will be living in a world of increasing material plenty, of the voluminous material activity and where a large part of man's intelligence and thought will be devoted to providing material benefits to you. In the minds of some, there may be one day some confusion as to the meaning and necessity for faith. And if My spiritual children were ever to manage their lives in such a way as to come to believe that their minds create rather than having been created, and that their material comfort is such that spiritual humility is no longer warranted, I can tell you now that the true and real happiness, which I pray it should be your blessing to experience, will never touch your hearts.
Any rapid change in your material surroundings will impose upon you immense unhappiness, immense worry and frustration. You will fail to understand that the material benefits will have produced in your hearts only dissatisfaction and disillusionment, when in fact you have in front of you everyday from sunrise to sunset, from this world to all the others, from the smallest material particle to the creation of life itself, a visual and intellectual proof that as yet, man has succeeded only in a minute manner to influence the world in which he lives. And this influence has been exercised only on what some misguided believed to be the significant aspect of human life on earth and that is the material one. Our concepts has always maintained worldly matters where they belong. And I am convinced that as a whole My Jamat is a great deal happier than many others who have unlimited material wealth but who know not from where this wealth comes, what is its value, and why it is, even in practical terms, tending to become more and more of a burden rather than a blessing.
On this happy day I rejoice in being with My spiritual children and in the knowledge that their spiritual and moral strength is such as to allow them to benefit from many more worldly goods without forsaking the remembrance of, and the submission to, He from Whom we have come and to Whom we will return.
I give on the occasion to each and every spiritual child here and every
spiritual child today living in this world, My most affectionate, paternal maternal loving blessings. Khanavadan, Khanavadan.
(After gracious approval of Pakistan Jamats' humble prayer to accept a house on the site of birth place of our 48th Imam Mowlana Sultan Mohamed Shah):
My beloved spiritual children,
I was most deeply happy to know that the Jamat of Pakistan has made it possible for Me to have a house on the site where My grandfather was born.
I am deeply attached to the site and I look forward very much indeed to live in there and to spending many happy, deeply happy days of My life in a new house there. I would like My Jamats to know that this is a matter of My heart. It has nothing to do with the fact that I will have a house. It has to do with the fact that My love and affection for Jamats is also reflected with the love which I had for My father and grandfather.
On this occasion, I would like to congratulate all those spiritual children who have worked to make today's function such a success and who worked to make My tour so happy for Me.
I hope and pray that you may remain always happy, successful and above all that in all times you should carry in your hearts, light, faith, humility and happiness. Khanavadan, Khanavadan.
I give My most affectionate‑ loving blessings to all spiritual children attending bungalow and serving outside the Pendal and thus have not come here.
Sunday, December 13, 1964.
(Salgirah Darbar)
“ your positions of leadership you have authority. Authority which is given through the appointment by the Imam-of-the-Time to your positions of leadership. But remember that authority has with it duty and the need to serve. There is no authority in My mind which is healthy if it is absolute and it does not take place within a philosophical and a social context. And, therefore, in your leadership to the Jamat, be considerate, be humble, be hard working and share with the Jamat their concerns and their needs. So that they come to you not out of duty and obligation, but they come to you out of affection and respect and love and admiration. And they come to you seeking leadership because the Imam has entrusted leadership to you. So, that is the philosophy in which I wish you to execute the role of leadership which I have given you.”
21 Nov 1987
More related links
http://ismaili.net/heritage/node/10743
http://ismaili.net/heritage/taxonomy/term/3343
http://ismaili.net/heritage/node/36431
http://ismaili.net/heritage/node/36418
http://ismaili.net/heritage/node/25308
https://mobile.twitter.com/theismaili/s ... 0628312064
Salgirah - Birthday of Imams
How Did The Tradition of Birthdays Begin?
It’s been constantly evolving throughout, turning into what we know it to be today. This widely used tradition started somewhere and that’s what we are looking to uncover here today.
We’ve pieced together the hypotheses of several historians, making this one huge piece of our culture a little bit more comprehensible.
Here’s what we know:
1. Birthdays didn’t begin until calendars were created.
Early civilizations had no way to keep track of time other than by using the moon, sun, or some other important event. This made it difficult for them to pay attention to the anniversary of a person’s birth.
As time went on, everyone realized that they all experienced the effects of aging, they just didn’t have a means to mark a special milestone for it.
It wasn’t until ancient people began taking note of the moon’s cycles that they began paying attention to the change in seasons as well. They also noticed this pattern repeated itself over and over again. They began marking these changes in time.
This is what bore the first calendars, which marked time changes and other special days. From this type of tracking system came the ability to celebrate birthdays and other significant events and anniversaries each year.
2. It all started with the Egyptians.
Scholars who study the Bible say that the earliest mention of a birthday was around 3,000 B.C.E. and was in reference to a Pharaoh’s birthday. But further study implies that this was not their birth into the world, but their “birth” as a god.
When Egyptian pharaohs were crowned in ancient Egypt, they were considered to have transformed into gods. This was a moment in their lives that became more important than even their physical birth.
Pagans, such as the ancient Greeks, believed that each person had a spirit that was present on the day of his or her birth. This spirit kept watch and had a mystic relation with the god on whose birthday that particular individual was born.
3. You can thank Greeks for all those birthday candles.
Gods and goddesses were a huge part of Greek culture. Greeks offered many tributes and sacrifices to appease these gods. The lunar goddess, Artemis, was no different.
As a tribute to her, the Greeks would offer up moon-shaped cakes adorned with lit candles to recreate the glowing radiance of the moon and Artemis’ perceived beauty. The candles also symbolized the sending of a signal or prayer. Blowing out the candles with a wish is another way of sending that message to the gods.
4. Birthdays first started as a form of protection.
It is assumed that the Greeks adopted the Egyptian tradition of celebrating the “birth” of a god. They, like many other pagan cultures, thought that days of major change, such as these “birth” days, welcomed evil spirits. They lit candles in response to these spirits almost as if they represented a light in the darkness. This implies that birthday celebrations started as a form of protection.
In addition to candles, friends and family would gather around the birthday person and protect them from harm with good cheers, thoughts, and wishes. They would give gifts to bring even more good cheer that would ward off evil spirits. Noisemakers were also used to scare away the unwanted evil.
5. The ancient Romans were the first to celebrate the birth of the common “man.”
This seems to be the first time in history where a civilization celebrated the birth of non-religious figures. Regular Roman citizens would celebrate the birthdays of their friends and family members. The government, however, created public holidays in honor of more famous citizens.
Any Roman turning 50 years old would receive a special cake baked with wheat flour, olive oil, grated cheese, and honey. But an important thing to note is that only men would experience this birthday celebration. Female birthdays were not celebrated until about the 12th century.
6. Birthdays were first considered to be a pagan ritual in Christian culture.
In Christianity, it is believed that all people are born with “original sin.” That, in combination with early birthdays being tied to pagan gods, led Christians to consider birthdays to be celebrations of evil. This lasted for the first few hundred years of the existence of the Christian Church.
It wasn’t until the 4th century that Christians abandoned that way of thinking and began celebrating the birth of Jesus, also know as Christmas. Celebrating the birth of Jesus was partly enacted to recruit those who already celebrated Saturnalia, the Roman holiday.
7. German bakers invented the birthday cake as we know it today.
At this point, birthdays had been celebrated around the world, even in China, where a child’s first birthday was more special than most.
Kinderfeste, which started in the late 18th century, was the name for a German birthday party that is closest to today’s style of parties. This party was held for German kids, or “kinder,” and featured a birthday cake adorned with candles.
Kids were given one candle atop the cake for each year they had been alive, plus one for the hope of living for at least one more year. Blowing out these candles while making a wish was a big part of these celebrations.
8. The Industrial Revolution made a way for everyone to enjoy sugary cakes.
Sugary cakes were a birthday commodity only wealthy people had access to for quite some time. This was because the ingredients these sugary treats required were considered to be a luxury.
Then, the time in our history known as the Industrial Revolution allowed birthday celebrations in all cultures to proliferate. The required ingredients became more widely available. This, in combination with advances in mass production, allowed bakeries the option of offering customers pre-made cakes.
(This article is for general information how the celebration of birth days started)
https://www.pumpitupparty.com/blog/how- ... ays-begin/
It’s been constantly evolving throughout, turning into what we know it to be today. This widely used tradition started somewhere and that’s what we are looking to uncover here today.
We’ve pieced together the hypotheses of several historians, making this one huge piece of our culture a little bit more comprehensible.
Here’s what we know:
1. Birthdays didn’t begin until calendars were created.
Early civilizations had no way to keep track of time other than by using the moon, sun, or some other important event. This made it difficult for them to pay attention to the anniversary of a person’s birth.
As time went on, everyone realized that they all experienced the effects of aging, they just didn’t have a means to mark a special milestone for it.
It wasn’t until ancient people began taking note of the moon’s cycles that they began paying attention to the change in seasons as well. They also noticed this pattern repeated itself over and over again. They began marking these changes in time.
This is what bore the first calendars, which marked time changes and other special days. From this type of tracking system came the ability to celebrate birthdays and other significant events and anniversaries each year.
2. It all started with the Egyptians.
Scholars who study the Bible say that the earliest mention of a birthday was around 3,000 B.C.E. and was in reference to a Pharaoh’s birthday. But further study implies that this was not their birth into the world, but their “birth” as a god.
When Egyptian pharaohs were crowned in ancient Egypt, they were considered to have transformed into gods. This was a moment in their lives that became more important than even their physical birth.
Pagans, such as the ancient Greeks, believed that each person had a spirit that was present on the day of his or her birth. This spirit kept watch and had a mystic relation with the god on whose birthday that particular individual was born.
3. You can thank Greeks for all those birthday candles.
Gods and goddesses were a huge part of Greek culture. Greeks offered many tributes and sacrifices to appease these gods. The lunar goddess, Artemis, was no different.
As a tribute to her, the Greeks would offer up moon-shaped cakes adorned with lit candles to recreate the glowing radiance of the moon and Artemis’ perceived beauty. The candles also symbolized the sending of a signal or prayer. Blowing out the candles with a wish is another way of sending that message to the gods.
4. Birthdays first started as a form of protection.
It is assumed that the Greeks adopted the Egyptian tradition of celebrating the “birth” of a god. They, like many other pagan cultures, thought that days of major change, such as these “birth” days, welcomed evil spirits. They lit candles in response to these spirits almost as if they represented a light in the darkness. This implies that birthday celebrations started as a form of protection.
In addition to candles, friends and family would gather around the birthday person and protect them from harm with good cheers, thoughts, and wishes. They would give gifts to bring even more good cheer that would ward off evil spirits. Noisemakers were also used to scare away the unwanted evil.
5. The ancient Romans were the first to celebrate the birth of the common “man.”
This seems to be the first time in history where a civilization celebrated the birth of non-religious figures. Regular Roman citizens would celebrate the birthdays of their friends and family members. The government, however, created public holidays in honor of more famous citizens.
Any Roman turning 50 years old would receive a special cake baked with wheat flour, olive oil, grated cheese, and honey. But an important thing to note is that only men would experience this birthday celebration. Female birthdays were not celebrated until about the 12th century.
6. Birthdays were first considered to be a pagan ritual in Christian culture.
In Christianity, it is believed that all people are born with “original sin.” That, in combination with early birthdays being tied to pagan gods, led Christians to consider birthdays to be celebrations of evil. This lasted for the first few hundred years of the existence of the Christian Church.
It wasn’t until the 4th century that Christians abandoned that way of thinking and began celebrating the birth of Jesus, also know as Christmas. Celebrating the birth of Jesus was partly enacted to recruit those who already celebrated Saturnalia, the Roman holiday.
7. German bakers invented the birthday cake as we know it today.
At this point, birthdays had been celebrated around the world, even in China, where a child’s first birthday was more special than most.
Kinderfeste, which started in the late 18th century, was the name for a German birthday party that is closest to today’s style of parties. This party was held for German kids, or “kinder,” and featured a birthday cake adorned with candles.
Kids were given one candle atop the cake for each year they had been alive, plus one for the hope of living for at least one more year. Blowing out these candles while making a wish was a big part of these celebrations.
8. The Industrial Revolution made a way for everyone to enjoy sugary cakes.
Sugary cakes were a birthday commodity only wealthy people had access to for quite some time. This was because the ingredients these sugary treats required were considered to be a luxury.
Then, the time in our history known as the Industrial Revolution allowed birthday celebrations in all cultures to proliferate. The required ingredients became more widely available. This, in combination with advances in mass production, allowed bakeries the option of offering customers pre-made cakes.
(This article is for general information how the celebration of birth days started)
https://www.pumpitupparty.com/blog/how- ... ays-begin/
-
mahebubchatur
- Posts: 734
- Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2014 7:01 pm
Guidance and Blessings Talika 13 December 2021
Salgirah Guidances & blessings from Imam e Zaman 13th December 2021
My summary of Hazar Imam’s Guidance (full text below)
1. The Jamat must follow local health authority guidance & take vaccinations as soon as available
2. Leaders & Jamat must live by the values of our Tariquah; namely of commitment to our faith, of unity, of self-reliance, of care, and of generosity for others
3. Leaders of all the Jamat’s institutions must draw from lessons from the recent adversities. And they must work together to extend support to the Jamat
4. The Jamat in some areas are facing difficult times, Imam has directed Leaders of all the Jamat’s institution’s to extend support to the Jamat in these areas in this difficult time (example is Afghanistan)
5. With the ongoing increase in the workload, Imam informs the Jamat that “my beloved family members, upon my request, have assumed additional responsibilities in order to assist me in a number of important areas of my work” (Is this a start or a sign of change?)
Full Text
My beloved spiritual children,
On the occasion of my birthday, the 13th of December 2021, I send my warmest and most affectionate paternal maternal loving blessings to all my beloved spiritual children throughout the world.
I give my best loving blessings for the souls of all my ruhani spiritual children, and I pray for the eternal peace and rest of their souls.
There has been significant progress around the world in combating COVID-19.
However, given the unpredictability of the mutations and spread of this virus, I reiterate to my Jamat, as I have guided, on a number of occasions, the critical importance of undergoing, without hesitation or delay, the vaccination processes initiated by the respective health authorities, and to continue complying with all recommended safety protocols and guidelines.
The strength and resilience which my Jamat and its institutions have displayed in coping with the damaging consequences of the pandemic have been admirable.
It is my conviction that the traditional values of our Tariqah – of commitment to the faith, unity, self-reliance, care and generosity for others – will serve the Jamat well as we plan for the future.
I look to the Jamati institutions to draw lessons from the recent adversity as they plan for the Jamat’s safety and progress going forward. The Imamat and AKDN institutions will work closely with the Jamati institutions in this process. At this time, my Jamats in some areas are facing a situation of insecurity and conflict.
I have directed the Imamat and AKDN institutions to take all possible measures to assist the Jamati institutions in extending support to my Jamat in these difficult times.
To all my beloved spiritual children in these Jamats, I convey my special loving blessings for mushkil-asan, and for strength and courage.
It gives me great satisfaction to share with my Jamat that, with the ongoing increase in my workload, my beloved family members, upon my request, have assumed additional responsibilities in order to assist me in a number of important areas of my work.
I am most touched that on the occasion of my birthday, senior Jamati leaders have presented a beautiful gift on behalf of my global Jamat, which I accept with appreciation and gratitude.
I send my best loving blessings to all the spiritual children who have sent messages of congratulations and good wishes on this occasion.
I send my most affectionate loving blessings for your good health and happiness, spiritual progress, worldly success, strength of faith, and unity, with best loving blessings for mushkil-asan.
You are all most particularly in my heart, in my thoughts, and in my prayers.
Yours affectionately,
Aga Khan
Latest Guidance on pluralism & inclusive Leadership
http://ismaili.net/timeline/2020/2020-1 ... ociety.pdf
http://ismaili.net/source/chatur-best-practice.pdf
My summary of Hazar Imam’s Guidance (full text below)
1. The Jamat must follow local health authority guidance & take vaccinations as soon as available
2. Leaders & Jamat must live by the values of our Tariquah; namely of commitment to our faith, of unity, of self-reliance, of care, and of generosity for others
3. Leaders of all the Jamat’s institutions must draw from lessons from the recent adversities. And they must work together to extend support to the Jamat
4. The Jamat in some areas are facing difficult times, Imam has directed Leaders of all the Jamat’s institution’s to extend support to the Jamat in these areas in this difficult time (example is Afghanistan)
5. With the ongoing increase in the workload, Imam informs the Jamat that “my beloved family members, upon my request, have assumed additional responsibilities in order to assist me in a number of important areas of my work” (Is this a start or a sign of change?)
Full Text
My beloved spiritual children,
On the occasion of my birthday, the 13th of December 2021, I send my warmest and most affectionate paternal maternal loving blessings to all my beloved spiritual children throughout the world.
I give my best loving blessings for the souls of all my ruhani spiritual children, and I pray for the eternal peace and rest of their souls.
There has been significant progress around the world in combating COVID-19.
However, given the unpredictability of the mutations and spread of this virus, I reiterate to my Jamat, as I have guided, on a number of occasions, the critical importance of undergoing, without hesitation or delay, the vaccination processes initiated by the respective health authorities, and to continue complying with all recommended safety protocols and guidelines.
The strength and resilience which my Jamat and its institutions have displayed in coping with the damaging consequences of the pandemic have been admirable.
It is my conviction that the traditional values of our Tariqah – of commitment to the faith, unity, self-reliance, care and generosity for others – will serve the Jamat well as we plan for the future.
I look to the Jamati institutions to draw lessons from the recent adversity as they plan for the Jamat’s safety and progress going forward. The Imamat and AKDN institutions will work closely with the Jamati institutions in this process. At this time, my Jamats in some areas are facing a situation of insecurity and conflict.
I have directed the Imamat and AKDN institutions to take all possible measures to assist the Jamati institutions in extending support to my Jamat in these difficult times.
To all my beloved spiritual children in these Jamats, I convey my special loving blessings for mushkil-asan, and for strength and courage.
It gives me great satisfaction to share with my Jamat that, with the ongoing increase in my workload, my beloved family members, upon my request, have assumed additional responsibilities in order to assist me in a number of important areas of my work.
I am most touched that on the occasion of my birthday, senior Jamati leaders have presented a beautiful gift on behalf of my global Jamat, which I accept with appreciation and gratitude.
I send my best loving blessings to all the spiritual children who have sent messages of congratulations and good wishes on this occasion.
I send my most affectionate loving blessings for your good health and happiness, spiritual progress, worldly success, strength of faith, and unity, with best loving blessings for mushkil-asan.
You are all most particularly in my heart, in my thoughts, and in my prayers.
Yours affectionately,
Aga Khan
Latest Guidance on pluralism & inclusive Leadership
http://ismaili.net/timeline/2020/2020-1 ... ociety.pdf
http://ismaili.net/source/chatur-best-practice.pdf
-
mahebubchatur
- Posts: 734
- Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2014 7:01 pm
Talika explained & elucidated by an Al Waez
A Leading Ismaili scholar - Alwaez Kamaludin of Pakistan explains and elucidates the Salgirah blessings and guidance(Farman) from Imam
of 13 Dec 2021
https://youtu.be/TdogecgI36M
Imam’s Guidance on best Practices & inclusion
http://ismaili.net/source/chatur-best-practice.pdf
of 13 Dec 2021
https://youtu.be/TdogecgI36M
Imam’s Guidance on best Practices & inclusion
http://ismaili.net/source/chatur-best-practice.pdf