To Kmaherali:Ya Ali Madad.
The message of hidayat.
The line
Youth drifting.attendJK.remember Allah....
This words as put up is definitely incomplete.
Can you please if possible what were exact words used & said by MHI,
It could means a lot going forward for Jamat.
Many many a time even leaders fail to understand between the lines wave length of MHI.
GENERAL HIDAYATS FOR JAMATS - Short Quotes
I was not present when the Hidayat was given. I have just relayed what came to me. You are of course free to use your own judgment and interpretation.nuseri wrote:Youth drifting.attendJK.remember Allah....
This words as put up is definitely incomplete.
Can you please if possible what were exact words used & said by MHI,
The following is another one....
Forwarded as received:
The delegation of the UAE/GCC leadership met Mowlana Hazar Imam for review of appointments for institutions as well as Mukhisabeb Kamadisaheb. Mowla Bapa blessed the delegation with the mulaqaat
on Dec 1st and communicated the following guidance.
NOTE - This is the gist of the advice as given out by the GCC President Amiru Thanawalla in his speech at Ismail Centre Dubai on 13th Dec. The essence of his 13 minute speech has been captured as below and should NOT be treated as VERBATIM.
Take care of your health and fitness. Ignore it at your own peril. Exercise is a MUST on a daily basis.
Setup fitness groups such as cycling and walking.
Go for regular COMPLETE BODY health checkups as it is the only way to detect onset of any health issues. The new set of diseases are insidious and can manifest itself anytime. Have ADEQUATE medical
coverage for your entire family.
You should own a house and have your OWN roof over your head.
This should be one of the prime goals.
Go for quality education. Select EXCEPTIONAL & HIGH STANDARD quality educational schools/colleges/institutes of excellent reputation globally or having international standards.
Families are getting smaller and smaller and smaller and age span is increasing.
Hence financial planning and literacy is a must right from early age to create resources
for the person's autumn. Create quality social programs for the elderly and ensure Quality of Life
for their well being.
MHI was also concerned about Quality of Life for the entire Jamat and he wanted the Quality to go
upwards in the North direction.
Exhorted the Council to ensure this is one of their prime goals.
Early Childhood Development is VERY VERY critical and should NOT be ignored at any costs.
It is Mowla's desire that 100% of the target group of our Jamat should get themselves enrolled
for ECD right from age when child is of 12 months; no one should ignore this aspect.
Lead an ethical life. Balance din and duniya. Attend JK regularly.
Build bridges with other communities, pluralism is essential and should be respected.
Parents should also refer to STEP books for an overview of the religious education.
This will also help them stay abreast of what is happening in the lives of their children.
At the conclusion of the mulaqat, MHI praised the efforts of the Council and said -
WELL DONE with a huge smile on his face.
The Council also shared the roadmap for the next term and set the targets which was approved
by Mowla albeit with changes on the targets as he deemed fit.
During the conclusion of the speech, President Amiru Thanawalla thanked all the volunteers
and called himself and his team as the Servant Group (Servant Volunteerism)
of his Jamat whose responsibility, duty and aim is to serve the Jamat unconditionally 24x7.
He also thanked all the youngsters, senior citizens, present Jamat for their support to the Council.
Concluding his speech, he also encouraged Jamati members to contribute ideas and
innovative concepts for smart execution and efficacy of the programs to ensure Mowla's
vision is taken to its logical conclusion with 100% success.
Some quotes from various Farmans
(1),(2):MHI Farmans:: Islam;brotherhood,generosity,caring,peace,harmony
Pakistan
October 18,2000
(1)Hunza,Northern areas,Pakistan
October 18,2000
""Remember, Islam is a faith of brotherhood. It is a faith of generosity. It is a faith of caring. And it is important, therefore, that you work with other communities and that they should work with you to improve the quality of your lives, that they improve the quality of their lives, and that there should be peace and harmony and warm affection amongst people in this area and,generally,indeed, throughout Pakistan.""
.....
(2)Gahkooch, Hunza, Northern areas Pakistan
Oct 18,2000
""Since I lastly visited the Northern Areas,there have been changes that have taken place,and I believe that progress has been made,and I think that it is important that the premises on which this progress has been made, should be reconfirmed and that you should recomit to them. First,it is essential that amongst all the communities in the Northern Areas, there should be peace and respect, and I hope my Jamat will go out of its way to build peaceful and cordial relations with all the communities with whom you are in contact. Remember that Islam is a faith of peace. It is a faith of harmony.It is a faith of brotherhood. So practice these principles in everyday life.""
*******
MHI Farman::respect your history,keep the traditions alive in theJamat
MHI. Farman
Hunza,Northern areas,Pakistan
October 18,2000
""My beloved spiritual children,
Since I have last been in Hunza, many changes have occurred,and maybe,you may not know this,but just a few days ago, the restoration of the Baltit Fort gave recognition to the history and people of Hunza due to this extraordinary building,being bestowed with one of the world's leading prizes,for conservation and restoration.
This is a compliment to the history and the people of Hunza. And this gives me the opportunity to say to the people of Hunza, that it is important that you remain true to your traditions, respect your history,keep traditions alive in the Jamat, keep your historic buildings in good care and make sure that your culture and your traditions move forward into the future as the bedrock of continuity in the Jamat in Hunza.
.....MHI. Farman
.....Hunza, Northern areas,Pakistan
.....October 18,2000
*******
MHI Farman:: Longevity (Longevity is getting longer)
MHI. Farman: Longevity (Longevity is getting longer)
Darkhana Jamatkhana
Karachi Pakistan
October 25,2000(P.M.)
""LONGEVITY has increased.But with it,it is important to make sure that the QUALITY of that longevity is what it should be.Not just that individuals and families live longer lives but that they live better lives.This is an important message,an important issue for my Jamat to consider.
What is it that you define as a better quality of lives for yourself, in your work, in your families, in the service which the institutions render. If longevity increases,then plan for the increase. PROTECT YOUR HEALTH BY REGULAR CHECK-UPS. Keep resources or develop resources for FUTURE GENERATIONS of the family. And remember that those future generations in the family are likely to live LONGER THAN YOU DO,because longevity is GETTING LONGER.""
*******
MHI Farman ::Jamat which is at RISK in any part of the world
MHI. Farman ::Jamat which is at RISK
Darkhana Jamatkhana
Karachi Pakistan
October 25,2000(P.M.)
""Every day in life there are issues that must be addressed.And I simply want my. Jamat not to be disappointed that life on our globe is not totally peaceful. We have to have the CAPACITY and the WILL to respond to these issues and to PROTECT, as one BIG BROTHERHOOD around the world, to PROTECT ANY JAMAT which is at RISK in any part of the world. That is what we should be doing as ONE BROTHERHOOD of men and women who work together for the SAME PRINCIPLES.""
(1),(2):MHI Farmans:: Islam;brotherhood,generosity,caring,peace,harmony
Pakistan
October 18,2000
(1)Hunza,Northern areas,Pakistan
October 18,2000
""Remember, Islam is a faith of brotherhood. It is a faith of generosity. It is a faith of caring. And it is important, therefore, that you work with other communities and that they should work with you to improve the quality of your lives, that they improve the quality of their lives, and that there should be peace and harmony and warm affection amongst people in this area and,generally,indeed, throughout Pakistan.""
.....
(2)Gahkooch, Hunza, Northern areas Pakistan
Oct 18,2000
""Since I lastly visited the Northern Areas,there have been changes that have taken place,and I believe that progress has been made,and I think that it is important that the premises on which this progress has been made, should be reconfirmed and that you should recomit to them. First,it is essential that amongst all the communities in the Northern Areas, there should be peace and respect, and I hope my Jamat will go out of its way to build peaceful and cordial relations with all the communities with whom you are in contact. Remember that Islam is a faith of peace. It is a faith of harmony.It is a faith of brotherhood. So practice these principles in everyday life.""
*******
MHI Farman::respect your history,keep the traditions alive in theJamat
MHI. Farman
Hunza,Northern areas,Pakistan
October 18,2000
""My beloved spiritual children,
Since I have last been in Hunza, many changes have occurred,and maybe,you may not know this,but just a few days ago, the restoration of the Baltit Fort gave recognition to the history and people of Hunza due to this extraordinary building,being bestowed with one of the world's leading prizes,for conservation and restoration.
This is a compliment to the history and the people of Hunza. And this gives me the opportunity to say to the people of Hunza, that it is important that you remain true to your traditions, respect your history,keep traditions alive in the Jamat, keep your historic buildings in good care and make sure that your culture and your traditions move forward into the future as the bedrock of continuity in the Jamat in Hunza.
.....MHI. Farman
.....Hunza, Northern areas,Pakistan
.....October 18,2000
*******
MHI Farman:: Longevity (Longevity is getting longer)
MHI. Farman: Longevity (Longevity is getting longer)
Darkhana Jamatkhana
Karachi Pakistan
October 25,2000(P.M.)
""LONGEVITY has increased.But with it,it is important to make sure that the QUALITY of that longevity is what it should be.Not just that individuals and families live longer lives but that they live better lives.This is an important message,an important issue for my Jamat to consider.
What is it that you define as a better quality of lives for yourself, in your work, in your families, in the service which the institutions render. If longevity increases,then plan for the increase. PROTECT YOUR HEALTH BY REGULAR CHECK-UPS. Keep resources or develop resources for FUTURE GENERATIONS of the family. And remember that those future generations in the family are likely to live LONGER THAN YOU DO,because longevity is GETTING LONGER.""
*******
MHI Farman ::Jamat which is at RISK in any part of the world
MHI. Farman ::Jamat which is at RISK
Darkhana Jamatkhana
Karachi Pakistan
October 25,2000(P.M.)
""Every day in life there are issues that must be addressed.And I simply want my. Jamat not to be disappointed that life on our globe is not totally peaceful. We have to have the CAPACITY and the WILL to respond to these issues and to PROTECT, as one BIG BROTHERHOOD around the world, to PROTECT ANY JAMAT which is at RISK in any part of the world. That is what we should be doing as ONE BROTHERHOOD of men and women who work together for the SAME PRINCIPLES.""
Quotes from various Farmans
MHI Farman::No Constraints in the Usage of Intellect
Karimabad, Karachi, Pakistan
Navroz
March 21,1989
""Remember that the intellect of man is changing in society, is changing in knowledge, is changing of the understanding of the world in which man lives and if you constrain the intellect of man, you constrain his ability to understand and partake and fulfill, gain fulfillment from the benefit that his faith brings, and if you constrain the intellect of man, you constrain it, to a time and a place and a certain position of society, and Islam is for eternal as it is indeed our belief, our conviction.
.....
And this sustenance (of AKU) is a reaffirmation of the conviction in our tradition that the intellect of man must never be divorced from his faith and must never be constrained in time because that cannot be allowed in our Tariqah.""
*****
MHI::Ethics
Mehmani submitted by European Delegation
Aiglemont, Gouvieux,France
July 8,1999
""There are other aspects of the same issue. There are aspects which concern ethics in life, and it is important that the Jamat should understand what are the traditions of ethics we bring forward from generation to generation into the times in which younger generations will live- ethical principles which keep a community united,which keep them respected in the societies in which they live, which allow them to anchor their concepts not in fashion, but in solid belief in practice which are strong against the influence of fashion , and things of this sort.""
*****
MHI. Farman:: Continuous Education
Dar-es-salaam, Tanzania
July 17,2002
"".....also for good health, unity in your families and success in your education, continuous education,even when you're 90, or a 100, or a 110. Keep educating yourself because the domain of human knowledge is expanding every second, and you must not lose the opportunity to benefit from that knowledge and make it serve you in your lives.Khanavadan.""
MHI Farman::No Constraints in the Usage of Intellect
Karimabad, Karachi, Pakistan
Navroz
March 21,1989
""Remember that the intellect of man is changing in society, is changing in knowledge, is changing of the understanding of the world in which man lives and if you constrain the intellect of man, you constrain his ability to understand and partake and fulfill, gain fulfillment from the benefit that his faith brings, and if you constrain the intellect of man, you constrain it, to a time and a place and a certain position of society, and Islam is for eternal as it is indeed our belief, our conviction.
.....
And this sustenance (of AKU) is a reaffirmation of the conviction in our tradition that the intellect of man must never be divorced from his faith and must never be constrained in time because that cannot be allowed in our Tariqah.""
*****
MHI::Ethics
Mehmani submitted by European Delegation
Aiglemont, Gouvieux,France
July 8,1999
""There are other aspects of the same issue. There are aspects which concern ethics in life, and it is important that the Jamat should understand what are the traditions of ethics we bring forward from generation to generation into the times in which younger generations will live- ethical principles which keep a community united,which keep them respected in the societies in which they live, which allow them to anchor their concepts not in fashion, but in solid belief in practice which are strong against the influence of fashion , and things of this sort.""
*****
MHI. Farman:: Continuous Education
Dar-es-salaam, Tanzania
July 17,2002
"".....also for good health, unity in your families and success in your education, continuous education,even when you're 90, or a 100, or a 110. Keep educating yourself because the domain of human knowledge is expanding every second, and you must not lose the opportunity to benefit from that knowledge and make it serve you in your lives.Khanavadan.""
Farman of Mowlana Sultan Muhammad Shah on the Opening of Batuni Eyes and Ears
Farman No. 17, (Manjevaadi 28-12-1893)
Saari duniyaa ni lijjat thi dur rahey evo rojo raakhey, tou baatuni aankh aney kaan chhe, tey khuley.
Insaan paasey etli kudrat nathi ke maanas ney pedaa kari shakey, pun evi ritey juvey ke jethi, khudaa na bhed aney karaamat ni khabar padey.
Translation:
If a pesron keeps such a fast that he stays aloof from the taste of the entire worldly existence, then his batuni eyes and ears will open.
A human being does not have the capability of creating a man, but he may see in such a manner that he gets to know God's mysteries and wonders.
Farman No. 17, (Manjevaadi 28-12-1893)
Saari duniyaa ni lijjat thi dur rahey evo rojo raakhey, tou baatuni aankh aney kaan chhe, tey khuley.
Insaan paasey etli kudrat nathi ke maanas ney pedaa kari shakey, pun evi ritey juvey ke jethi, khudaa na bhed aney karaamat ni khabar padey.
Translation:
If a pesron keeps such a fast that he stays aloof from the taste of the entire worldly existence, then his batuni eyes and ears will open.
A human being does not have the capability of creating a man, but he may see in such a manner that he gets to know God's mysteries and wonders.
Quotes from various Farmans
MHI Farman:: Zahir is Zahir, Batin is Batin
Leaders of Syrian Jamat
Sheraton Hotel
Damascus Syria
May 8, 1980
""When you return to your homes, I would like you to take back with you My Farman concerning unity, friendship and brotherhood. Keep in mind the Farman that I have sent you, either in writing or this afternoon. Remember also that with regard to the interpretation of our faith, that which is Batin is Batin, that which is Zahir is Zahir. Remember that this is fundamental. And this is the Farman which I have given you today. And I wish that there should be no confusion.""
********
MHI Farman: Knowedge and Wisdom Sharing
Reliant Center
Houston Texas USA
June 24, 2002
""I am looking into the future and I am relying, I am relying on the Jamat of the United States to share its knowledge, its wisdom, its capacities with your brothers and sisters in other parts of the world. And it is My hope that one day these Jamats will live in peace, that they will live in unity, they will live with genuine hope and trust that their future can be good. And I convey to you for all the help that you have given, My most affectionate loving blessings. Khanavadan.""
MHI Farman:: Zahir is Zahir, Batin is Batin
Leaders of Syrian Jamat
Sheraton Hotel
Damascus Syria
May 8, 1980
""When you return to your homes, I would like you to take back with you My Farman concerning unity, friendship and brotherhood. Keep in mind the Farman that I have sent you, either in writing or this afternoon. Remember also that with regard to the interpretation of our faith, that which is Batin is Batin, that which is Zahir is Zahir. Remember that this is fundamental. And this is the Farman which I have given you today. And I wish that there should be no confusion.""
********
MHI Farman: Knowedge and Wisdom Sharing
Reliant Center
Houston Texas USA
June 24, 2002
""I am looking into the future and I am relying, I am relying on the Jamat of the United States to share its knowledge, its wisdom, its capacities with your brothers and sisters in other parts of the world. And it is My hope that one day these Jamats will live in peace, that they will live in unity, they will live with genuine hope and trust that their future can be good. And I convey to you for all the help that you have given, My most affectionate loving blessings. Khanavadan.""
Farman on Respect and Admiration for the Jamat
My Beloved Spiritual Children,
I would like you to know the happiness I have today upon receiving the material Nazarana and the Nazrana in "Time and Knowledge" and of the marvelous gift that you offered me, which is a text of very, very great importance for us in our great tradition of the interpretation of Islam. I would like to take this occasion to say to my Jamat in the world that the occasion of the Golden Jubilee is an occasion for us to work together to consolidate our institutions, to prepare future generations to come and that the generosity of ` time and knowledge' is absolutely essential because if we want to build institutions of high caliber, we must mobilize all our knowledge from wherever it may come, and in any field because the world is a world in competition.
And I observe during these visits in various countries something which pleases me immensely is that the Jamat is respected, the Jamat is admired. The Jamat is welcomed and everywhere where I go, I am told: bring your Jamats to us. What would please a father more than to hear comments such as these? Imagine the joy which I have! Thus, we must try everywhere in the world to continue to build this understanding of what is a Shia Ismaili Muslim, it is the premise of our Tariqa which must be understood. And I believe that in time, we will see that this Tariqa is respected and understood. And we do not need to explain this, one has only to wait and watch others observe. And you will realize that I myself refuse to explain. And I say to those who would wish that I explain it, see for yourself! To see is much better than to explain. And I believe that we will now start to see the fruits of this labour which you have undertaken over the centuries, to build institutions, an understanding of what is life and faith. I give to each one of you my best blessings so that your wishes are realized and for Mushkil Asaan.
( FARMAN MUBARAK MADE BY MAWLANA HAZAR IMAM, GOLDEN JUBILEE DARBAR – ANTANANARIVO, MADAGASCAR 29TH NOVEMBER 2007)
My Beloved Spiritual Children,
I would like you to know the happiness I have today upon receiving the material Nazarana and the Nazrana in "Time and Knowledge" and of the marvelous gift that you offered me, which is a text of very, very great importance for us in our great tradition of the interpretation of Islam. I would like to take this occasion to say to my Jamat in the world that the occasion of the Golden Jubilee is an occasion for us to work together to consolidate our institutions, to prepare future generations to come and that the generosity of ` time and knowledge' is absolutely essential because if we want to build institutions of high caliber, we must mobilize all our knowledge from wherever it may come, and in any field because the world is a world in competition.
And I observe during these visits in various countries something which pleases me immensely is that the Jamat is respected, the Jamat is admired. The Jamat is welcomed and everywhere where I go, I am told: bring your Jamats to us. What would please a father more than to hear comments such as these? Imagine the joy which I have! Thus, we must try everywhere in the world to continue to build this understanding of what is a Shia Ismaili Muslim, it is the premise of our Tariqa which must be understood. And I believe that in time, we will see that this Tariqa is respected and understood. And we do not need to explain this, one has only to wait and watch others observe. And you will realize that I myself refuse to explain. And I say to those who would wish that I explain it, see for yourself! To see is much better than to explain. And I believe that we will now start to see the fruits of this labour which you have undertaken over the centuries, to build institutions, an understanding of what is life and faith. I give to each one of you my best blessings so that your wishes are realized and for Mushkil Asaan.
( FARMAN MUBARAK MADE BY MAWLANA HAZAR IMAM, GOLDEN JUBILEE DARBAR – ANTANANARIVO, MADAGASCAR 29TH NOVEMBER 2007)
Farmans on the Various Aspects of Knowledge
The farman of this morning is simply to convey to my Jamat in Pakistan but elsewhere also, that there is ahead of us a revolution in human knowledge, and that that revolution in human knowledge must be of benefit, not just to the people in one part of the world, but to the people around the globe. It must be made available to them to improve their quality of lives, and it must be set into moral and ethical parameters which are acceptable to the Islamic World and to our tariqah. That is the future that I look towards and Inshallah, the next generation of the
Jamat will have access to new knowledge which will be a new opportunity to improve your qualities of life, and it is to the younger generation of the
Jamat that I am looking to make this new knowledge available around the world. Khanavadan, Khanavadan, Khanavadan.
FARMAN MUBARAK OF MAWLANA HAZAR IMAM
MADE IN DARKHANA JAMATKHANA, KARACHI, PAKISTAN
ON THE MORNING OF OCTOBER 26, 2000
******
In the last days, I have in several Farmans, mentioned to you what is the meaning, what is the purpose of education within the Islamic context. And I want to try to relate in this Farman that notion of education in the Islamic context to service for your brothers and sisters. If you have had the good fortune to receive a good education then it means that intellectually you have been privileged. It means that intellectually you have been given access to the wherewithhall to improve your knowledge? What do you do with that knowledge. But the question is how do you use that knowledge? Islam says: use knowledge to learn more about Allah’s creation. That means that you observe society, you observe the universe, all of that is Allah’s creation. And therefore, serve that creation, serve in the context of Islam which teaches generosity, it teaches caring for the weak, it teaches humility, it teaches caring for the weak, it teaches forgiveness. So I hope that as my Jamat gets more and more educated, its service to its institutions and to the Jamat worldwide will grow because that is the proper use of education. It is to put education to the use of people, to the use of society, and not in a mean, selfish manner to the use of oneself only. And I hope that this Farman will be well understood in the Jamat and that in the decades ahead, in Pakistan and everywhere else, this proper use of education will become a pillar, is a pillar, will remain a pillar, will become a stronger pillar for the improvement in the quality of the lives of the Jamat in Pakistan and throughout the world. So my Farman to my spiritual children today is: get education, seek knowledge, but don’t misuse it for a mean purpose. Use it for the purpose which Islam teaches.
Farman of Mowlana Hazar Imam from Pakistan. Following Farman was made in Karachi -Pakistan on Tuesday Oct. 24th, 2000 P.M. Darkhana
******
The reality of our world is that education, knowledge, is becoming the single most important driving force in human society. Never before in human society has so much good knowledge, mediocre knowledge and bad knowledge been available to people. You, therefore, have to make judgements, careful judgements, as to what knowledge is good, what knowledge is mediocre, and what knowledge is simply not knowledge - it is simply information which is not good for society. Choose wisely, and choose that knowledge in such a way that it can serve the balanced purpose of your lives. Therefore, the knowledge must be drawn, not only from the secular, but also from the spiritual. In seeking knowledge, remember that this knowledge will continue to be increasingly important in your lives. Some societies, which, 25 years ago, accepted a secondary education degree in order to consider themselves an educated society, today require a baccalaureate or even a Masters. This will happen in Pakistan. This will happen throughout the Third World in the decades ahead, and therefore, I say to the young children, young boys and the young girls in the Jamat, use your time, as young people, to educate yourselves. Do not truncate your education. Complete your education. But remember that education in Islam, the best of education, is education which is contained within the ethical principles of our faith.
FARMAN MUBARAK OF MAWLANA HAZAR IMAM
MADE IN KHARADAR JAMATKHANA, KARACHI, PAKISTAN
DATED OCTOBER 24, 2000
The farman of this morning is simply to convey to my Jamat in Pakistan but elsewhere also, that there is ahead of us a revolution in human knowledge, and that that revolution in human knowledge must be of benefit, not just to the people in one part of the world, but to the people around the globe. It must be made available to them to improve their quality of lives, and it must be set into moral and ethical parameters which are acceptable to the Islamic World and to our tariqah. That is the future that I look towards and Inshallah, the next generation of the
Jamat will have access to new knowledge which will be a new opportunity to improve your qualities of life, and it is to the younger generation of the
Jamat that I am looking to make this new knowledge available around the world. Khanavadan, Khanavadan, Khanavadan.
FARMAN MUBARAK OF MAWLANA HAZAR IMAM
MADE IN DARKHANA JAMATKHANA, KARACHI, PAKISTAN
ON THE MORNING OF OCTOBER 26, 2000
******
In the last days, I have in several Farmans, mentioned to you what is the meaning, what is the purpose of education within the Islamic context. And I want to try to relate in this Farman that notion of education in the Islamic context to service for your brothers and sisters. If you have had the good fortune to receive a good education then it means that intellectually you have been privileged. It means that intellectually you have been given access to the wherewithhall to improve your knowledge? What do you do with that knowledge. But the question is how do you use that knowledge? Islam says: use knowledge to learn more about Allah’s creation. That means that you observe society, you observe the universe, all of that is Allah’s creation. And therefore, serve that creation, serve in the context of Islam which teaches generosity, it teaches caring for the weak, it teaches humility, it teaches caring for the weak, it teaches forgiveness. So I hope that as my Jamat gets more and more educated, its service to its institutions and to the Jamat worldwide will grow because that is the proper use of education. It is to put education to the use of people, to the use of society, and not in a mean, selfish manner to the use of oneself only. And I hope that this Farman will be well understood in the Jamat and that in the decades ahead, in Pakistan and everywhere else, this proper use of education will become a pillar, is a pillar, will remain a pillar, will become a stronger pillar for the improvement in the quality of the lives of the Jamat in Pakistan and throughout the world. So my Farman to my spiritual children today is: get education, seek knowledge, but don’t misuse it for a mean purpose. Use it for the purpose which Islam teaches.
Farman of Mowlana Hazar Imam from Pakistan. Following Farman was made in Karachi -Pakistan on Tuesday Oct. 24th, 2000 P.M. Darkhana
******
The reality of our world is that education, knowledge, is becoming the single most important driving force in human society. Never before in human society has so much good knowledge, mediocre knowledge and bad knowledge been available to people. You, therefore, have to make judgements, careful judgements, as to what knowledge is good, what knowledge is mediocre, and what knowledge is simply not knowledge - it is simply information which is not good for society. Choose wisely, and choose that knowledge in such a way that it can serve the balanced purpose of your lives. Therefore, the knowledge must be drawn, not only from the secular, but also from the spiritual. In seeking knowledge, remember that this knowledge will continue to be increasingly important in your lives. Some societies, which, 25 years ago, accepted a secondary education degree in order to consider themselves an educated society, today require a baccalaureate or even a Masters. This will happen in Pakistan. This will happen throughout the Third World in the decades ahead, and therefore, I say to the young children, young boys and the young girls in the Jamat, use your time, as young people, to educate yourselves. Do not truncate your education. Complete your education. But remember that education in Islam, the best of education, is education which is contained within the ethical principles of our faith.
FARMAN MUBARAK OF MAWLANA HAZAR IMAM
MADE IN KHARADAR JAMATKHANA, KARACHI, PAKISTAN
DATED OCTOBER 24, 2000
Quotes From Various Farmans
Avoid Theological Debates
"But I don't want to hear the accusation ever from anybody about who is a Muslim or who is not, because only Allah has the right to judge. So we should not become involved in theological discussions and when others get involved in theological discussions we should tell them that Quran says "Lakum Dinakum Wali Dini You have your faith, and I have mine."
So let us not get involved in theological discussions. Let each community practice its faith in peace. But what we should do is work with every community for specific projects and programmes that would lead to improvement in better quality of life. It means better education, better health, better housing, clean water. These are the things we want for everybody. This is what I want you to concentrate on. I don't want people in Northern Areas fighting each other. Work with everybody for the common good. That is the objective and that is the only way we can achieve results in Northern Areas. If we start fighting in the Northern Areas we come back 25 years, because all our efforts, all our time will be for fighting each other. So I ask you, you have confidence in the Imam. You may have total confidence in the Imam. This is the direction for us to go. Don't get involved in theological debate. Let us work towards the common good, towards common practical good of the people who live there today and their children who will live in future. That is what I want to work for."(Rawalpindi, Pakistan, March 23,1983,To leaders from Northern Areas.)
******
Importance of Culture
"The Award for Architecture is now part of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture which will be responsible, increasingly in the years ahead, for Sustaining and articulating cultural issues within the Islamic World. And I have taken a decision to do this because it is My deep conviction that it is of the greatest importance for the Jamat world wide and the Ummah world wide that our faith should no longer be presented exclusively in political or in theological terms. And that people should understand who are not Muslims that we have a cultural dimension to our faith and to our society, a dimension which has existed for centuries and which is powerful, which must be sustained and in which all the Murids, whether they are in Muslim countries or non Muslim countries, can live with happiness, with confidence and with pride.(Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.Wednesday, October 12,1988)
*******
MHI Farman: Unity
Chief Jamatkhana
Mombasa Kenya
Dec 14, 1973
"""Live in unity" I do not want division in My Jamat and I warn you that division is the greatest possible weakness.""
*****
MHI Farman: your children will feel as they grow up
MHI Farman
Dar es salaam
Oct 2, 1959
""I have also said to you, and so did My late Grandfather, that there is only one source from which you can take these ideals, these principles, and that is your religion. I am convinced that if you follow the way of some other countries and you discard your religion, you will treat it as something which is of the past, then you will surely come up and run into major failures all along your life. Because though this is not something which you will perceive, it is something which your children will feel as they grow up. If you have faith, if you are able to teach them the principles of your religion, then they will feel it. And often you cannot teach a child his religion by drumming it in his head. He learns just as much by feeling, by interpretation, as by listening to lectures.""
******
Presence of Institutions Where the Jamat Does Not Reside.
"Thus, I hope that the Golden Jubilee will enable these institutions and activities to strengthen and consolidate themselves, thereby assisting the shift of numerous countries to move to become countries of opportunity. This process needs to be applied to countries not only where the Jamats reside today, but where the Jamat might reside tomorrow. I seek to create areas of opportunity for the Jamat in the largest number of countries where there is a probability that the Jamat might want to reside." (11th July, 2007)
******
MHI Farman: ethics
Farman to Youths
Nairobi Kenya
Oct 13,1959
""There is only one warning I have,which is a warning which anyone of My predecessors would have given His spiritual children at a time of change. You cannot, if you want to keep your values, change everything. The values, the principles, the morals must remain and I know and I have seen in Jamats that they do remain.
...............
I wish for you that you should have the best of both the worlds, the moral world and the physical world. That, I want to assure you, that today, if you abandon one of the two, you will make it impossible for your children and for the oncoming generations to live in the sort of times they will face.
............
.....our foundations -and these are foundations which most of you will have learnt about and will know about, which have gone on for centuries and centuries - the basic ethics, will remain the same.""
Avoid Theological Debates
"But I don't want to hear the accusation ever from anybody about who is a Muslim or who is not, because only Allah has the right to judge. So we should not become involved in theological discussions and when others get involved in theological discussions we should tell them that Quran says "Lakum Dinakum Wali Dini You have your faith, and I have mine."
So let us not get involved in theological discussions. Let each community practice its faith in peace. But what we should do is work with every community for specific projects and programmes that would lead to improvement in better quality of life. It means better education, better health, better housing, clean water. These are the things we want for everybody. This is what I want you to concentrate on. I don't want people in Northern Areas fighting each other. Work with everybody for the common good. That is the objective and that is the only way we can achieve results in Northern Areas. If we start fighting in the Northern Areas we come back 25 years, because all our efforts, all our time will be for fighting each other. So I ask you, you have confidence in the Imam. You may have total confidence in the Imam. This is the direction for us to go. Don't get involved in theological debate. Let us work towards the common good, towards common practical good of the people who live there today and their children who will live in future. That is what I want to work for."(Rawalpindi, Pakistan, March 23,1983,To leaders from Northern Areas.)
******
Importance of Culture
"The Award for Architecture is now part of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture which will be responsible, increasingly in the years ahead, for Sustaining and articulating cultural issues within the Islamic World. And I have taken a decision to do this because it is My deep conviction that it is of the greatest importance for the Jamat world wide and the Ummah world wide that our faith should no longer be presented exclusively in political or in theological terms. And that people should understand who are not Muslims that we have a cultural dimension to our faith and to our society, a dimension which has existed for centuries and which is powerful, which must be sustained and in which all the Murids, whether they are in Muslim countries or non Muslim countries, can live with happiness, with confidence and with pride.(Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.Wednesday, October 12,1988)
*******
MHI Farman: Unity
Chief Jamatkhana
Mombasa Kenya
Dec 14, 1973
"""Live in unity" I do not want division in My Jamat and I warn you that division is the greatest possible weakness.""
*****
MHI Farman: your children will feel as they grow up
MHI Farman
Dar es salaam
Oct 2, 1959
""I have also said to you, and so did My late Grandfather, that there is only one source from which you can take these ideals, these principles, and that is your religion. I am convinced that if you follow the way of some other countries and you discard your religion, you will treat it as something which is of the past, then you will surely come up and run into major failures all along your life. Because though this is not something which you will perceive, it is something which your children will feel as they grow up. If you have faith, if you are able to teach them the principles of your religion, then they will feel it. And often you cannot teach a child his religion by drumming it in his head. He learns just as much by feeling, by interpretation, as by listening to lectures.""
******
Presence of Institutions Where the Jamat Does Not Reside.
"Thus, I hope that the Golden Jubilee will enable these institutions and activities to strengthen and consolidate themselves, thereby assisting the shift of numerous countries to move to become countries of opportunity. This process needs to be applied to countries not only where the Jamats reside today, but where the Jamat might reside tomorrow. I seek to create areas of opportunity for the Jamat in the largest number of countries where there is a probability that the Jamat might want to reside." (11th July, 2007)
******
MHI Farman: ethics
Farman to Youths
Nairobi Kenya
Oct 13,1959
""There is only one warning I have,which is a warning which anyone of My predecessors would have given His spiritual children at a time of change. You cannot, if you want to keep your values, change everything. The values, the principles, the morals must remain and I know and I have seen in Jamats that they do remain.
...............
I wish for you that you should have the best of both the worlds, the moral world and the physical world. That, I want to assure you, that today, if you abandon one of the two, you will make it impossible for your children and for the oncoming generations to live in the sort of times they will face.
............
.....our foundations -and these are foundations which most of you will have learnt about and will know about, which have gone on for centuries and centuries - the basic ethics, will remain the same.""
Quotes From Various Farmans
MHI Farman:He(Imam) always seeks to return the happiness to you when you make the Imam happy and you abide by His Farman.
Rawalpindi, Pakistan
March 30, 1979
""Yesterday, when My wife and I arrived, we found the leaders of the Jamat at the airport and My Jamats had abided by My instructions to My leaders that I do not wish that the Jamats should come to the airport. And I am most happy to see that My Jamats had fulfilled the Imam's instructions. And because you had fulfilled the Imam's instructions, when President Merchant placed a request for Didar on your behalf, I said that My Jamats have made Me happy, very happy, and therefore I will willingly come and give Didar to My Jamats.
I would like My spiritual children to remember that when you fulfill the Farman of the Imam, you make the Imam happy and He always seeks to return the happiness to you when you make the Imam happy and you abide by His Farman.
..........
This visit to Pakistan is very short. It is a private visit to call on the President and I take this occasion to thank the President for all the courtesy and the kindness which has been extended to My wife and to Me.
..........
This evening by going directly from having given you all Didar, My wife and I will go to the airport and we will be making a long journey to return to France.""
*******
MHI Farman: take that as an example
Pacific Coliseum
Vancouver British Columbia
November 16, 1978
""The Mukhi has asked that when I return to Vancouver, I should seek to bring My children with Me, My physical children. If it is possible for Me to do so, I wish you to know that I will bring them but I will not let them use that as an excuse to stay away from school; so My spiritual children here, those who are parents amongst you, take that as an example. No excuse is good enough to stay away from school.""
****
MHI Farman : first permanent Jamatkhana in Canada and on this continent.
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
November 18, 1978
""My beloved spiritual children,
It is a very, very happy day for My wife and I to have been able to come to Winnipeg to see My Jamat and I want to congratulate you for the excellent arrangements that you have made, for the decoration of the Jamatkhana and just to tell you that this is the first permanent Jamatkhana that I have entered in Canada on this journey. So this, for My Winnipeg Jamat, is as they say on this continent, quote - unquote, " a first ".
********
MHI Farman: Khuda Hafiz
Olympia Hall
London, U.K.
September 7, 1979
""It is time for My wife and Me to say to the Jamat of Britain Khuda Hafiz but you know that in fact at all times your Imam is with you and you are with Him and you are in His heart and in His thoughts and in His prayers. And though this may be a time of physical parting, I would not wish it to be a time of sadness for My spiritual children because you have made My wife and Me deeply happy. When My children make Me happy, then they should also be happy. This has been a very happy visit and I want My spiritual children of the United Kingdom to know the admiration I have for you,for the work you have done and for the way in which you have organized this visit.""
*******
MHI Farman: I used to participate in Dandiya Raas
National Exhibition Hall
Birmingham, United Kingdom
September 4, 1979
""My President tells Me that there is a program organized for the Jamat now here in this hall; and I would like that you should rejoice like I have rejoiced being with you, that you should be happy and as you know I have an official function and that function should be orderly and well disciplined.
While you are rejoicing, I will be thinking of you. Many years ago, I used to participate in Dandiya Raas; now I don't think it is possible any more, but many of you are young and I hope you will enjoy yourselves.""
MHI Farman:He(Imam) always seeks to return the happiness to you when you make the Imam happy and you abide by His Farman.
Rawalpindi, Pakistan
March 30, 1979
""Yesterday, when My wife and I arrived, we found the leaders of the Jamat at the airport and My Jamats had abided by My instructions to My leaders that I do not wish that the Jamats should come to the airport. And I am most happy to see that My Jamats had fulfilled the Imam's instructions. And because you had fulfilled the Imam's instructions, when President Merchant placed a request for Didar on your behalf, I said that My Jamats have made Me happy, very happy, and therefore I will willingly come and give Didar to My Jamats.
I would like My spiritual children to remember that when you fulfill the Farman of the Imam, you make the Imam happy and He always seeks to return the happiness to you when you make the Imam happy and you abide by His Farman.
..........
This visit to Pakistan is very short. It is a private visit to call on the President and I take this occasion to thank the President for all the courtesy and the kindness which has been extended to My wife and to Me.
..........
This evening by going directly from having given you all Didar, My wife and I will go to the airport and we will be making a long journey to return to France.""
*******
MHI Farman: take that as an example
Pacific Coliseum
Vancouver British Columbia
November 16, 1978
""The Mukhi has asked that when I return to Vancouver, I should seek to bring My children with Me, My physical children. If it is possible for Me to do so, I wish you to know that I will bring them but I will not let them use that as an excuse to stay away from school; so My spiritual children here, those who are parents amongst you, take that as an example. No excuse is good enough to stay away from school.""
****
MHI Farman : first permanent Jamatkhana in Canada and on this continent.
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
November 18, 1978
""My beloved spiritual children,
It is a very, very happy day for My wife and I to have been able to come to Winnipeg to see My Jamat and I want to congratulate you for the excellent arrangements that you have made, for the decoration of the Jamatkhana and just to tell you that this is the first permanent Jamatkhana that I have entered in Canada on this journey. So this, for My Winnipeg Jamat, is as they say on this continent, quote - unquote, " a first ".
********
MHI Farman: Khuda Hafiz
Olympia Hall
London, U.K.
September 7, 1979
""It is time for My wife and Me to say to the Jamat of Britain Khuda Hafiz but you know that in fact at all times your Imam is with you and you are with Him and you are in His heart and in His thoughts and in His prayers. And though this may be a time of physical parting, I would not wish it to be a time of sadness for My spiritual children because you have made My wife and Me deeply happy. When My children make Me happy, then they should also be happy. This has been a very happy visit and I want My spiritual children of the United Kingdom to know the admiration I have for you,for the work you have done and for the way in which you have organized this visit.""
*******
MHI Farman: I used to participate in Dandiya Raas
National Exhibition Hall
Birmingham, United Kingdom
September 4, 1979
""My President tells Me that there is a program organized for the Jamat now here in this hall; and I would like that you should rejoice like I have rejoiced being with you, that you should be happy and as you know I have an official function and that function should be orderly and well disciplined.
While you are rejoicing, I will be thinking of you. Many years ago, I used to participate in Dandiya Raas; now I don't think it is possible any more, but many of you are young and I hope you will enjoy yourselves.""
Quotes from Various Farmans
Subject: MHI Farman: Imam never gives guidance about voting
""First of all, in the months ahead, you will be called upon as citizens of Pakistan, to exercise your duties to elect a new Government for this country. You know that each one of you must vote according to the dictates of his conscience. This is a matter on which the Imam never gives guidance. But one thing is essential, that this process of election should take place peacefully, and I, therefore, emphasize that I wish My spiritual children of Chittagong, and for that matter all throughout Pakistan, to observe the greatest discipline and the greatest order in the process of these elections which will take place later this year.""
.....MHI Farman
.....Chittagong
.....January 30, 1970
******
Subject: MHI Farman:Any form of racialism is detestable
MHI Farman: Any form of racialism is detestable.It is fundamentally opposed to the concept of the brotherhood of man, which is the brotherhood of Islam.
Alexandra Palace
London, United Kingdom
August 3, 1969
*****
MHI Farman:(2)I used to come to Jamatkhana and participate in Dandia Raas Myself
New York, U.S.A.
November 11, 1986
""I know this evening you will be having Dandia Raas. And when I was much younger, much younger, I used to come to Jamatkhana and participate in Damdia - Raas Myself. But tonight it is unfortunately impossible, because I have an engagement. But I would like you to know that while you will be having Dandia - Raas, I will be with you, participating in your happiness, in your joy, and I hope that that happiness and that joy will be with you always.""
.....MHI Farman
.....New York, U.S.A.
.....November 11, 1986
Subject: MHI Farman: Imam never gives guidance about voting
""First of all, in the months ahead, you will be called upon as citizens of Pakistan, to exercise your duties to elect a new Government for this country. You know that each one of you must vote according to the dictates of his conscience. This is a matter on which the Imam never gives guidance. But one thing is essential, that this process of election should take place peacefully, and I, therefore, emphasize that I wish My spiritual children of Chittagong, and for that matter all throughout Pakistan, to observe the greatest discipline and the greatest order in the process of these elections which will take place later this year.""
.....MHI Farman
.....Chittagong
.....January 30, 1970
******
Subject: MHI Farman:Any form of racialism is detestable
MHI Farman: Any form of racialism is detestable.It is fundamentally opposed to the concept of the brotherhood of man, which is the brotherhood of Islam.
Alexandra Palace
London, United Kingdom
August 3, 1969
*****
MHI Farman:(2)I used to come to Jamatkhana and participate in Dandia Raas Myself
New York, U.S.A.
November 11, 1986
""I know this evening you will be having Dandia Raas. And when I was much younger, much younger, I used to come to Jamatkhana and participate in Damdia - Raas Myself. But tonight it is unfortunately impossible, because I have an engagement. But I would like you to know that while you will be having Dandia - Raas, I will be with you, participating in your happiness, in your joy, and I hope that that happiness and that joy will be with you always.""
.....MHI Farman
.....New York, U.S.A.
.....November 11, 1986
Quotes from Various Farmans
MHI Farman: My deepest conviction that this is a passing phase; it is not a permanent misperception.
London, UK
July 5, 1983
""And for those who settle here, I would like to emphasize that it is absolutely fundamental that you should remain strong on the path of our faith, of our Tariqah. And I say this because at the present time there is substantial misperception in much of the Western World about Islam. And I do not want that My Jamat should be concerned by this misperception because it is My deepest conviction that this is a passing phase; it is not a permanent misperception. And each one, by remaining strong on the path of our faith, can contribute to correcting the misperception about Islam generally in the Western World. And remember that there is nothing fundamentally different, between - nothing fundamentally contradictory, nothing which creates conflict - between the Christian world and the Muslim world. And the emphasize that particularly as I want to draw your attention to the meaning of Ahl al-Kitab, the People of the Book, that is, of Allah's revelation to man, through His prophets, and through the last prophet, Prophet Muhammad. It is essential, therefore, that My young Jamat newly settled in the Western World should build upon strong foundations.
********
MHI. Farman: Islam is a faith, it is not a political party, it is not a political attitude, it is not a social philosophy, it is not an economic philosophy. It is a faith which each individual practices.
.....Colinie Hill
.....New York, USA
.....June 14, 1983 (Silver jubilee)
"".....but remember that Islam is a faith, it is not a political party, it is not a political attitude, it is not a social philosophy, it is not an economic philosophy. It is a faith which each individual practices. And it is not to be associated with modern movements in the Developing World whose origins are totally different from the basic premises of Islam and therefore if the perception in the Western World of Islam is one which is erroneous, let us stand up to that error, let us correct that error, but let us not make the mistake of finding differences where they do not exist, and between Christianity, Islam and Judaism, the principles of monotheism which is fundamental to Islam is absolutely clear and cannot in any way be discussed, debated or challenged. ""
********
Subject: MHI Farman: Islam was not revealed in the name of politicalphilosophy
MHI Farman: but do not mistake this interpretation for the truth, do not believe that political movements can be assimilated with Islam. Islam was not revealed in the name of political philosophy
O'Hara Exposition center
Chicago Illinois USA
June 13, 1983 (Silver jubilee)
"".....and therefore on the contrary there is every reason to be strong, to be outspoken and to be courageous in your response to questions of faith but do not mistake this interpretation for the truth, do not believe that political movements can be assimilated with Islam. Islam was not revealed in the name of political philosophy and if the Western World seeks to present Islam at times within a political garb, remain strong in your explanations, in your understanding, in your conviction that Islam is a faith not a political philosophy and therefore your first premise in living in the Western World is if there is nothing in conflict between the faith of the Western World which is primarily Christianity and the faith of Islam."
*********
MHI Farman: magnifying glass
O'Hare Exposition Center
Chicago Illinois U.S.A.
June. 13, 1983(Silver Jubilee)
"".....gratitude for the lovely gifts which you have offered us on the occasion of My Silver Jubilee and just to give you an example of how well you have chosen the gifts that you have offered, there is a magnifying glass that was offered to Me by Zul (Alijah Dr Zul Esmail) and just yesterday while I was traveling I asked for a magnifying glass so I wanted you to know this, I do not want My to offer important gifts in terms of size but the intelligence, the thought with which you have chosen these gifts really have given Me and My wife and My children the greatest happiness, I think also that I saw a high tech game for My children and this is simply confirmation that you are living in an advanced society and even the children must gain happiness from this. ""
MHI Farman: My deepest conviction that this is a passing phase; it is not a permanent misperception.
London, UK
July 5, 1983
""And for those who settle here, I would like to emphasize that it is absolutely fundamental that you should remain strong on the path of our faith, of our Tariqah. And I say this because at the present time there is substantial misperception in much of the Western World about Islam. And I do not want that My Jamat should be concerned by this misperception because it is My deepest conviction that this is a passing phase; it is not a permanent misperception. And each one, by remaining strong on the path of our faith, can contribute to correcting the misperception about Islam generally in the Western World. And remember that there is nothing fundamentally different, between - nothing fundamentally contradictory, nothing which creates conflict - between the Christian world and the Muslim world. And the emphasize that particularly as I want to draw your attention to the meaning of Ahl al-Kitab, the People of the Book, that is, of Allah's revelation to man, through His prophets, and through the last prophet, Prophet Muhammad. It is essential, therefore, that My young Jamat newly settled in the Western World should build upon strong foundations.
********
MHI. Farman: Islam is a faith, it is not a political party, it is not a political attitude, it is not a social philosophy, it is not an economic philosophy. It is a faith which each individual practices.
.....Colinie Hill
.....New York, USA
.....June 14, 1983 (Silver jubilee)
"".....but remember that Islam is a faith, it is not a political party, it is not a political attitude, it is not a social philosophy, it is not an economic philosophy. It is a faith which each individual practices. And it is not to be associated with modern movements in the Developing World whose origins are totally different from the basic premises of Islam and therefore if the perception in the Western World of Islam is one which is erroneous, let us stand up to that error, let us correct that error, but let us not make the mistake of finding differences where they do not exist, and between Christianity, Islam and Judaism, the principles of monotheism which is fundamental to Islam is absolutely clear and cannot in any way be discussed, debated or challenged. ""
********
Subject: MHI Farman: Islam was not revealed in the name of politicalphilosophy
MHI Farman: but do not mistake this interpretation for the truth, do not believe that political movements can be assimilated with Islam. Islam was not revealed in the name of political philosophy
O'Hara Exposition center
Chicago Illinois USA
June 13, 1983 (Silver jubilee)
"".....and therefore on the contrary there is every reason to be strong, to be outspoken and to be courageous in your response to questions of faith but do not mistake this interpretation for the truth, do not believe that political movements can be assimilated with Islam. Islam was not revealed in the name of political philosophy and if the Western World seeks to present Islam at times within a political garb, remain strong in your explanations, in your understanding, in your conviction that Islam is a faith not a political philosophy and therefore your first premise in living in the Western World is if there is nothing in conflict between the faith of the Western World which is primarily Christianity and the faith of Islam."
*********
MHI Farman: magnifying glass
O'Hare Exposition Center
Chicago Illinois U.S.A.
June. 13, 1983(Silver Jubilee)
"".....gratitude for the lovely gifts which you have offered us on the occasion of My Silver Jubilee and just to give you an example of how well you have chosen the gifts that you have offered, there is a magnifying glass that was offered to Me by Zul (Alijah Dr Zul Esmail) and just yesterday while I was traveling I asked for a magnifying glass so I wanted you to know this, I do not want My to offer important gifts in terms of size but the intelligence, the thought with which you have chosen these gifts really have given Me and My wife and My children the greatest happiness, I think also that I saw a high tech game for My children and this is simply confirmation that you are living in an advanced society and even the children must gain happiness from this. ""
GENERAL FARMANS TO STUDENTS IN WESTERN COUNTRIES
MHI Farman: much depends on the integrity with which you look to that future
Mulaqat with students
Edmonton Alberta Canada
April 24, 1983 (Silver Jubilee)
""I hope that today I will have been able to give My Jamat, My student Jamat a sense of direction as well as a sense of confidence in your future. I strongly believe in your future, I strongly believe that you can make a success of it, but much depends on the integrity with which you look to that future. There are areas where you can benefit and benefit substantially from education in the Industrialized World and living in the Industrialized World. But there are areas of compromise, that it is My advice that you should lay aside and on the contrary encourage the Industrialized World to understand our precepts of life and what Islam says because I think that much has to be learned. And I am convinced that this is true not only of the Ismaili Tariqah, it's true of all Tariqaha in Islam so long as we do not present to the Western World, political activity in the name of our faith. This is a very important aspect..""
*******
MHI Farman: few hours of service for the Jamat is very, very strong tradition
Mulaqat with students
Vancouver British Columbia Canada
April 22, 1983 (Silver Jubilee)
""There is just one word I want to say to My spiritual children before leaving. I just had a Mulaqat with people whom the leaders of the Jamat here, define as retired leaders. And I want to point out to you that these men and women served in an exemplary manner in many parts of the world. And I hope that their example of service will be an example which My spiritual children throughout the world will follow. I am well aware that the industrialized World calls for commitments which are difficult to fulfill. Your studies keep you busy, your professional lives keep you busy, but where you can, a few hours of service for the Jamat is a very, very strong tradition which I wish to see continued in My Jamat in Canada. Remember that I, too, was a student in the industrialized World, so I have lived through a lot of the considerations and situations, which you have lived through. And, I know that ice hockey is fun, skiing is fun, that the television is fun, that movies are fun, etc. etc., but ultimately a constant sense of direction is going to serve you well and serve the Jamat. Khanavadan.""
********
MHI Farman : in the years ahead you will find actually happening
Mulaqat with students
Vancouver British Columbia Canada
April 22,1983(Silver Jubilee)
"".....and remember the principles that guide your lives must be principles which are part of our faith, part of our attitude to life and on those areas there can be no compromise simply because you are living in the Western World. It is My belief that on the contrary, the Western World will substantially benefit from exposure to a better understanding of our concepts of life, and I think that in the years ahead you will find that actually happening.""
********
MHI Farman : sense of direction and a personal commitment
Mulaqat with students
Vancouver British Columbia Canada
April 22, 1983 (Silver Jubilee)
""I think it is important to underline, that this freedom has a concomitant necessity which is individual responsibility, a sense of direction and a sense of direction which each individual must find for himself or herself in their lives. That sense of direction is perhaps the single most important factor to enable you to benefit in the most extreme, in the most substantial manner of western education. This is a commitment which is a personal commitment. Your families cannot take it for you, your friends cannot take it for you, only each one of you individually can take that commitment, and I hope that My Jamat will have the wisdom and the personal courage to make that commitment and to remain constant to that commitment. Because I think that you will find that as you grow up and you develop in your professions or your activities, that will be a tremendous source of strength for you and ultimately for your families and as you grow up, for your children.""
********
Subject: MHI Farman: motivation can only come from each one of youindividually
MHI Farman
Mulaqat with students
Vancouver British Columbia Canada
April 22, 1983 (Silver Jubilee)
""There has been a tradition in the Jamat to attach importance to education; it is something which My grandfather has insisted upon and which I have insisted upon also.
..........
I believe it will be very important for you not only to go through the educational process in the Western World but to seek excellence and that motivation can only come from each one of you individually.""
MHI Farman: much depends on the integrity with which you look to that future
Mulaqat with students
Edmonton Alberta Canada
April 24, 1983 (Silver Jubilee)
""I hope that today I will have been able to give My Jamat, My student Jamat a sense of direction as well as a sense of confidence in your future. I strongly believe in your future, I strongly believe that you can make a success of it, but much depends on the integrity with which you look to that future. There are areas where you can benefit and benefit substantially from education in the Industrialized World and living in the Industrialized World. But there are areas of compromise, that it is My advice that you should lay aside and on the contrary encourage the Industrialized World to understand our precepts of life and what Islam says because I think that much has to be learned. And I am convinced that this is true not only of the Ismaili Tariqah, it's true of all Tariqaha in Islam so long as we do not present to the Western World, political activity in the name of our faith. This is a very important aspect..""
*******
MHI Farman: few hours of service for the Jamat is very, very strong tradition
Mulaqat with students
Vancouver British Columbia Canada
April 22, 1983 (Silver Jubilee)
""There is just one word I want to say to My spiritual children before leaving. I just had a Mulaqat with people whom the leaders of the Jamat here, define as retired leaders. And I want to point out to you that these men and women served in an exemplary manner in many parts of the world. And I hope that their example of service will be an example which My spiritual children throughout the world will follow. I am well aware that the industrialized World calls for commitments which are difficult to fulfill. Your studies keep you busy, your professional lives keep you busy, but where you can, a few hours of service for the Jamat is a very, very strong tradition which I wish to see continued in My Jamat in Canada. Remember that I, too, was a student in the industrialized World, so I have lived through a lot of the considerations and situations, which you have lived through. And, I know that ice hockey is fun, skiing is fun, that the television is fun, that movies are fun, etc. etc., but ultimately a constant sense of direction is going to serve you well and serve the Jamat. Khanavadan.""
********
MHI Farman : in the years ahead you will find actually happening
Mulaqat with students
Vancouver British Columbia Canada
April 22,1983(Silver Jubilee)
"".....and remember the principles that guide your lives must be principles which are part of our faith, part of our attitude to life and on those areas there can be no compromise simply because you are living in the Western World. It is My belief that on the contrary, the Western World will substantially benefit from exposure to a better understanding of our concepts of life, and I think that in the years ahead you will find that actually happening.""
********
MHI Farman : sense of direction and a personal commitment
Mulaqat with students
Vancouver British Columbia Canada
April 22, 1983 (Silver Jubilee)
""I think it is important to underline, that this freedom has a concomitant necessity which is individual responsibility, a sense of direction and a sense of direction which each individual must find for himself or herself in their lives. That sense of direction is perhaps the single most important factor to enable you to benefit in the most extreme, in the most substantial manner of western education. This is a commitment which is a personal commitment. Your families cannot take it for you, your friends cannot take it for you, only each one of you individually can take that commitment, and I hope that My Jamat will have the wisdom and the personal courage to make that commitment and to remain constant to that commitment. Because I think that you will find that as you grow up and you develop in your professions or your activities, that will be a tremendous source of strength for you and ultimately for your families and as you grow up, for your children.""
********
Subject: MHI Farman: motivation can only come from each one of youindividually
MHI Farman
Mulaqat with students
Vancouver British Columbia Canada
April 22, 1983 (Silver Jubilee)
""There has been a tradition in the Jamat to attach importance to education; it is something which My grandfather has insisted upon and which I have insisted upon also.
..........
I believe it will be very important for you not only to go through the educational process in the Western World but to seek excellence and that motivation can only come from each one of you individually.""
AS RECEIVED:
Subject: Fw: Gist of M. Talib's presentation
>
>
> > Sharing Herewith some notes on the
> > presentation at Meadowvale JK
> >
> > Imamat does not want Syrian to leave Syria - this is
> > government activity and not imamat.. Imam has given
> > 200 million to help issues in Syria.
> >
> > Shift in diversity and values in our jamat.
> >
> > As we establish ourselves we accept the value of our
> > environment.
> >
> > Adopt not accept.
> >
> > Jamat has been individualistic. Need to stand above.
> >
> > Loosening of community bonds.
> >
> > Objectives are poverty elimination, jamati health, and
> > knowledge of our own history.
> >
> > usage of cell phones adults not only kids in jk.
> >
> > Purpose of JK is a place where those who don’t have - have
> > an entitlement over who have.
> >
> > 2400 families in canada (not including seniors) living
> > poverty line (under $40,000 family income)
> >
> >
Subject: Fw: Gist of M. Talib's presentation
>
>
> > Sharing Herewith some notes on the
> > presentation at Meadowvale JK
> >
> > Imamat does not want Syrian to leave Syria - this is
> > government activity and not imamat.. Imam has given
> > 200 million to help issues in Syria.
> >
> > Shift in diversity and values in our jamat.
> >
> > As we establish ourselves we accept the value of our
> > environment.
> >
> > Adopt not accept.
> >
> > Jamat has been individualistic. Need to stand above.
> >
> > Loosening of community bonds.
> >
> > Objectives are poverty elimination, jamati health, and
> > knowledge of our own history.
> >
> > usage of cell phones adults not only kids in jk.
> >
> > Purpose of JK is a place where those who don’t have - have
> > an entitlement over who have.
> >
> > 2400 families in canada (not including seniors) living
> > poverty line (under $40,000 family income)
> >
> >
Farman on Bad Social Habits
March 10, 1997
Kampala
My beloved spiritual children,
There are, as society evolves, good and less good habits. This has been part of human history. It is not part of human history exclusively at the end of the twentieth century. In making choices in life, remember that you build not only for yourselves, but you build for future generations of your family. What you leave to those future generations, should be the wherewithal, the capacity for those future generations to develop themselves happily and successfully.
Don’t bring into your families bad habits. Don’t compromise yourselves and future generations of your families, through these bad habits. And whether it is substance abuse, or alcohol or other forms of bad habits, social bad habits, leave them aside. Make the wise choice, because that wise choice is not one that you make just for yourselves. You make it for the future generations of your families also. So I hope that My Jamat will be wise in making its choices. I am sure it will be. But seek to be wise.
*******
Subject: MHI Farman:not living within the context of our Tariqah.
MHI (BK) Farman
Calgary Alberta Canada
November 17,1978
""In our Tariqah, Baitul Khayal is not obligatory. Du'a is obligatory. Any spiritual child, who doesn't perform his Du'a regularly, is not living within the context of our Tariqah.""
********
Subject: MHI Farman:strong institutions are pillars
MHI Farman:
Paris,France
July 9,1983
"" And strong institutions are pillars on which to bring...to build a strong Jamat.""
*********
Subject: MHI Farman:(faith),full and complete understanding
MHI Farman: full and complete understanding
Chicago Illinois USA
November 5, 1986
""Let Me begin by saying that the regular practice of your faith, its full and complete understanding, is a matter essential to your future and to the future of the Jamat, to the future of your unity, to the future of your individual happiness, and your individual peace.""
*********
Subject: MHI Farman:: Personal search & initiative
MHI Farman:his own initiative
Houston Texas USA
Mulaqat with students
November 8, 1986
"".....but I want to remind you that our Tariqah is not only exoteric, it is also esoteric .That means that each individual who practices our faith can,through his own initiative, his own search, seek for happiness.""
********
Subject: MHI Farman:: Change for better .That is My objective.
MHI Farman:: Change for better. That is My objective.
Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Leaders from Northern Areas
March 23, 1983
""Look at your plants, your children, they grow up, they change so you have to accept change and I accept change. But I always want to see change for better. That is My objective.""
March 10, 1997
Kampala
My beloved spiritual children,
There are, as society evolves, good and less good habits. This has been part of human history. It is not part of human history exclusively at the end of the twentieth century. In making choices in life, remember that you build not only for yourselves, but you build for future generations of your family. What you leave to those future generations, should be the wherewithal, the capacity for those future generations to develop themselves happily and successfully.
Don’t bring into your families bad habits. Don’t compromise yourselves and future generations of your families, through these bad habits. And whether it is substance abuse, or alcohol or other forms of bad habits, social bad habits, leave them aside. Make the wise choice, because that wise choice is not one that you make just for yourselves. You make it for the future generations of your families also. So I hope that My Jamat will be wise in making its choices. I am sure it will be. But seek to be wise.
*******
Subject: MHI Farman:not living within the context of our Tariqah.
MHI (BK) Farman
Calgary Alberta Canada
November 17,1978
""In our Tariqah, Baitul Khayal is not obligatory. Du'a is obligatory. Any spiritual child, who doesn't perform his Du'a regularly, is not living within the context of our Tariqah.""
********
Subject: MHI Farman:strong institutions are pillars
MHI Farman:
Paris,France
July 9,1983
"" And strong institutions are pillars on which to bring...to build a strong Jamat.""
*********
Subject: MHI Farman:(faith),full and complete understanding
MHI Farman: full and complete understanding
Chicago Illinois USA
November 5, 1986
""Let Me begin by saying that the regular practice of your faith, its full and complete understanding, is a matter essential to your future and to the future of the Jamat, to the future of your unity, to the future of your individual happiness, and your individual peace.""
*********
Subject: MHI Farman:: Personal search & initiative
MHI Farman:his own initiative
Houston Texas USA
Mulaqat with students
November 8, 1986
"".....but I want to remind you that our Tariqah is not only exoteric, it is also esoteric .That means that each individual who practices our faith can,through his own initiative, his own search, seek for happiness.""
********
Subject: MHI Farman:: Change for better .That is My objective.
MHI Farman:: Change for better. That is My objective.
Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Leaders from Northern Areas
March 23, 1983
""Look at your plants, your children, they grow up, they change so you have to accept change and I accept change. But I always want to see change for better. That is My objective.""
Date: Saturday, March 26, 2016, 11:58 AM Forwarded as received:
Recently MHI had meeting with LIF leaders - Our president of DRC also attended the meeting he shared some of the things which Hazar Imam wants us to do.
1. Hazar Imam is worried about Syrian Jamat and He said:
"every individual should ask "dua in personal tasbih".
2. Be prudent.
3. Save money, time will change and the world will get more expensive.
4. Learn English and have Computer knowledge it's very important,
Europe n Portugal is facing crisis so their educated youth will come to Africa to compete with our youth in Africa.
5. Social media like Facebook BlackBerry, whatsapp should be used in a
constructive way and not for the sake of fun or time pass...
Recently MHI had meeting with LIF leaders - Our president of DRC also attended the meeting he shared some of the things which Hazar Imam wants us to do.
1. Hazar Imam is worried about Syrian Jamat and He said:
"every individual should ask "dua in personal tasbih".
2. Be prudent.
3. Save money, time will change and the world will get more expensive.
4. Learn English and have Computer knowledge it's very important,
Europe n Portugal is facing crisis so their educated youth will come to Africa to compete with our youth in Africa.
5. Social media like Facebook BlackBerry, whatsapp should be used in a
constructive way and not for the sake of fun or time pass...
Life is not fortuitous
It is a source of very great happiness that I have spent this time with my spiritual children from Pakistan and elsewhere. And it gives me great joy to be able to share with you some important thoughts of the future of the Jamat in Pakistan and indeed elsewhere. Over the past decades, life in the developing world changed significantly. Inshallah, there will continue to be qualitative improvements. But those qualitative improvements don’t depend on fortuity. They depend on hard work, on institutions, on intelligent response to identify problems. Good economic management of the individual and the family, good care for the proper use of education, good care of your health, these are all aspects which each individual and the Jamat and every family should think of carefully as time goes by.
Longevity, that is the average span of life that each individual has, longevity has increased. But with it, it is important to make sure that the quality of that longevity is what it should be. Not just that individuals and families live longer lives but that they live better lives. This is an important message, an important issue for my Jamat to consider. What is it that you define as a better quality of lives for yourself, in your work, in your families, in the service which the institutions render. If longevity increases, then plan for that increase. Protect your health by regular check-ups. Keep resources, or develop resources for future generations of the family. And remember that those future generations in the family are likely to live longer than you do, because longevity is getting longer. So I am saying to my Jamat in Pakistan, think clearly ahead of what it is that you wish from your lives, and then seek to find the institutional support, introduce into your family activities regular checkpoints to make sure that you are achieving the result that you want to achieve.
To my Jamat in Pakistan, this may seem a strange farman. You may say to yourselves, it is difficult for us to think and work in a way such as the Imam of the time has suggested. But I want to leave in your minds, the men in the Jamat and the women in the Jamat, that life is not only fortuitous. It is not only accidental. That with careful and questioned thinking, you can build better futures for yourselves. And I would like you to keep this in mind today.
(Karachi -Pakistan on Oct. 25th, 2000, P.M. Darkhana)
It is a source of very great happiness that I have spent this time with my spiritual children from Pakistan and elsewhere. And it gives me great joy to be able to share with you some important thoughts of the future of the Jamat in Pakistan and indeed elsewhere. Over the past decades, life in the developing world changed significantly. Inshallah, there will continue to be qualitative improvements. But those qualitative improvements don’t depend on fortuity. They depend on hard work, on institutions, on intelligent response to identify problems. Good economic management of the individual and the family, good care for the proper use of education, good care of your health, these are all aspects which each individual and the Jamat and every family should think of carefully as time goes by.
Longevity, that is the average span of life that each individual has, longevity has increased. But with it, it is important to make sure that the quality of that longevity is what it should be. Not just that individuals and families live longer lives but that they live better lives. This is an important message, an important issue for my Jamat to consider. What is it that you define as a better quality of lives for yourself, in your work, in your families, in the service which the institutions render. If longevity increases, then plan for that increase. Protect your health by regular check-ups. Keep resources, or develop resources for future generations of the family. And remember that those future generations in the family are likely to live longer than you do, because longevity is getting longer. So I am saying to my Jamat in Pakistan, think clearly ahead of what it is that you wish from your lives, and then seek to find the institutional support, introduce into your family activities regular checkpoints to make sure that you are achieving the result that you want to achieve.
To my Jamat in Pakistan, this may seem a strange farman. You may say to yourselves, it is difficult for us to think and work in a way such as the Imam of the time has suggested. But I want to leave in your minds, the men in the Jamat and the women in the Jamat, that life is not only fortuitous. It is not only accidental. That with careful and questioned thinking, you can build better futures for yourselves. And I would like you to keep this in mind today.
(Karachi -Pakistan on Oct. 25th, 2000, P.M. Darkhana)
Leaders never retired
And I want My spiritual children tonight, to remember what I have said to you: that trees hold the soil firm, whether those trees are alive or not, and this is something very important. Because, when My program was given to me, I saw the word "retired" in front of the word "leaders" and leaders are never retired. In the eyes of the Imam, in the heart of the Imam, in the affection of the Imam, in the mind of the Imam, in the memory of the Imam, leaders are never retired; and I don't want that word to be part of your vocabulary. Use it for other people if you want, but not for yourselves; in business, in politics, but never in the eyes of the Imam - because the young need this guidance, need this permanency of the practice, of the understanding, of the attitudes; and don't forget that perhaps in the Western World more than ever, that leadership is necessary. So don't use that word "retired." And on the contrary, remember that everyday, your example, your practice, your wisdom is and should be there - for the young of My Jamat to learn from, to benefit from, to pattern their future work on what you have done in the past.
(Toronto, Canada. Tuesday, April 26, 1983.Mulaqat with Past Leaders)
And I want My spiritual children tonight, to remember what I have said to you: that trees hold the soil firm, whether those trees are alive or not, and this is something very important. Because, when My program was given to me, I saw the word "retired" in front of the word "leaders" and leaders are never retired. In the eyes of the Imam, in the heart of the Imam, in the affection of the Imam, in the mind of the Imam, in the memory of the Imam, leaders are never retired; and I don't want that word to be part of your vocabulary. Use it for other people if you want, but not for yourselves; in business, in politics, but never in the eyes of the Imam - because the young need this guidance, need this permanency of the practice, of the understanding, of the attitudes; and don't forget that perhaps in the Western World more than ever, that leadership is necessary. So don't use that word "retired." And on the contrary, remember that everyday, your example, your practice, your wisdom is and should be there - for the young of My Jamat to learn from, to benefit from, to pattern their future work on what you have done in the past.
(Toronto, Canada. Tuesday, April 26, 1983.Mulaqat with Past Leaders)
Significance of the D.I.I. building in Ottawa
I am particularly happy, on this visit to Canada, to be able to establish the Delegation Building in Ottawa which will represent the most important institutions of the Aga Khan Development Network and which will be located in the capital of Canada. That choice has been made with much thought, for it is in Canada that the values of pluralism are best respected, best protected in the industrialized World. And it is My hope that the Jamat in Canada will internalize these values and then bring them, and the new knowledge that you have gained in this part of the world, to serve the Jamat in other parts of the globe, where knowledge and competence in all fields of human endeavour are deeply needed in order for the Jamat and others to be able to live with hope and trust in the future.
On this occasion I would also like to say how happy and honoured I have been, in the way I have been received by the Government of Canada, and the recognition they have given to My work. But it is really the Jamats work, not My work that is recognized in this honour that they have bestowed upon Me.
So I think that while the Delegation Building in Ottawa will have the purpose of being a representational building, each murid who lives and works in Canada is, in his or her way , an ambassador of the Jamat in Canada.
( Vancouver, Friday, June 10, 2005, P.M.)
I am particularly happy, on this visit to Canada, to be able to establish the Delegation Building in Ottawa which will represent the most important institutions of the Aga Khan Development Network and which will be located in the capital of Canada. That choice has been made with much thought, for it is in Canada that the values of pluralism are best respected, best protected in the industrialized World. And it is My hope that the Jamat in Canada will internalize these values and then bring them, and the new knowledge that you have gained in this part of the world, to serve the Jamat in other parts of the globe, where knowledge and competence in all fields of human endeavour are deeply needed in order for the Jamat and others to be able to live with hope and trust in the future.
On this occasion I would also like to say how happy and honoured I have been, in the way I have been received by the Government of Canada, and the recognition they have given to My work. But it is really the Jamats work, not My work that is recognized in this honour that they have bestowed upon Me.
So I think that while the Delegation Building in Ottawa will have the purpose of being a representational building, each murid who lives and works in Canada is, in his or her way , an ambassador of the Jamat in Canada.
( Vancouver, Friday, June 10, 2005, P.M.)
Management of knowledge
The younger generation of the Jamat is living in a world where knowledge is totally different from what it was fifty years or more ago. Some decades ago, human knowledge seemed, in a strange way, to be finite. Today, human knowledge is growing extremely rapidly. Therefore, the management of knowledge has become an essential aspect of the lives of young people in the Industrialized World and elsewhere. It is not the quantity of knowledge you have - it is how you seek out that knowledge and use it in your lives as you move forward in your careers.
So I would say to My spiritual children, keep in mind that lesson number one is how to manage knowledge. What do you need in your lives in order to be successful on the assumption that you will change careers several times during your lifetimes? I would add also that, sometimes, I hear that the search for knowledge is 'un-Islamic'. I have to tell you that, in Shia Islam, it is an expression of faith to seek out knowledge, because knowledge is a reflection of faith, and Islam is very clear on this issue. Islam says: use your knowledge to understand better the creation of Allah. And, therefore, searching out knowledge is, as I have said, part of faith. Islam also says: use that knowledge to the benefit of the community. And, therefore , I hope that , in this search, you will keep in mind that knowledge is an act of search of faith and, you use your knowledge in the way of faith.
(Vancouver, Friday, June 10, 2005, A.M.)
The younger generation of the Jamat is living in a world where knowledge is totally different from what it was fifty years or more ago. Some decades ago, human knowledge seemed, in a strange way, to be finite. Today, human knowledge is growing extremely rapidly. Therefore, the management of knowledge has become an essential aspect of the lives of young people in the Industrialized World and elsewhere. It is not the quantity of knowledge you have - it is how you seek out that knowledge and use it in your lives as you move forward in your careers.
So I would say to My spiritual children, keep in mind that lesson number one is how to manage knowledge. What do you need in your lives in order to be successful on the assumption that you will change careers several times during your lifetimes? I would add also that, sometimes, I hear that the search for knowledge is 'un-Islamic'. I have to tell you that, in Shia Islam, it is an expression of faith to seek out knowledge, because knowledge is a reflection of faith, and Islam is very clear on this issue. Islam says: use your knowledge to understand better the creation of Allah. And, therefore, searching out knowledge is, as I have said, part of faith. Islam also says: use that knowledge to the benefit of the community. And, therefore , I hope that , in this search, you will keep in mind that knowledge is an act of search of faith and, you use your knowledge in the way of faith.
(Vancouver, Friday, June 10, 2005, A.M.)
Significance of Protocols
The Protocol that was signed with regard to the Aga Khan Development Network and relations with the Government of Mozambique is a highly important Protocol which follows on previous Protocols signed with other governments in other parts of the world. These Protocols formalize the relations between the Ismaili Imamat, the agencies of the Imamat and the governments concerned. And this formalization is important in that it establishes a permanency and a structure in which relations can take place and continue in the decades ahead. That formalization is an important aspect of the institutional and the Jamati development in the decades ahead. It is not a formalization that I will seek everywhere. In some cases, it is not necessary. In some cases, it is not even appropriate to seek it because it is not necessary to establish a formal relationship because the Jamat already has its direct relations with political decision makers in the countries concerned.
( Maputo, Mozambique, Wednesday, August 12, 1998)
The Protocol that was signed with regard to the Aga Khan Development Network and relations with the Government of Mozambique is a highly important Protocol which follows on previous Protocols signed with other governments in other parts of the world. These Protocols formalize the relations between the Ismaili Imamat, the agencies of the Imamat and the governments concerned. And this formalization is important in that it establishes a permanency and a structure in which relations can take place and continue in the decades ahead. That formalization is an important aspect of the institutional and the Jamati development in the decades ahead. It is not a formalization that I will seek everywhere. In some cases, it is not necessary. In some cases, it is not even appropriate to seek it because it is not necessary to establish a formal relationship because the Jamat already has its direct relations with political decision makers in the countries concerned.
( Maputo, Mozambique, Wednesday, August 12, 1998)
Positive role of women
Over the years, I have encouraged My Murids to take special steps, to give access to education to the women in the Jamat and to have them participate fully in the development of the Jamat. I wish today to encourage you in this direction and to make them more and more part of the intellectual and thinking dimension of the future of the Jamat.
(Gupis, Northern Areas, Pakistan, October 1, 1996)
Over the years, I have encouraged My Murids to take special steps, to give access to education to the women in the Jamat and to have them participate fully in the development of the Jamat. I wish today to encourage you in this direction and to make them more and more part of the intellectual and thinking dimension of the future of the Jamat.
(Gupis, Northern Areas, Pakistan, October 1, 1996)
Dual purpose of education in Islam
So education in Islam has a dual purpose - it is not only a worldly context but it is also a spiritual context. And in our Tariqah, the intellect is a fundamental component of the faith that we practise. So I say to my spiritual children: do not look at education only in terms of what it brings you in worldly opportunity, but what it does to assist you to understand the blessings that Allah has given our Jamat and others. (Mumbai, India, 25 September, 2013)
So education in Islam has a dual purpose - it is not only a worldly context but it is also a spiritual context. And in our Tariqah, the intellect is a fundamental component of the faith that we practise. So I say to my spiritual children: do not look at education only in terms of what it brings you in worldly opportunity, but what it does to assist you to understand the blessings that Allah has given our Jamat and others. (Mumbai, India, 25 September, 2013)
Need for discretion and tact in our institutional work
"I have attempted in the past 50 years to build institutional capacity within the Jamat in various parts of the world and in such a way that the Imamat itself has the ability to achieve goals which seem to be important. That I think has made good progress, we have got capacity today, capacity to act nationally, capacity to act regionally, capacity even to act globally if and when it is necessary. But that capacity needs to be handled with great care, very great tact, very great discretion. We do not need to be on the front, in the front of the scene. It is much more effective that we work effectively, quietly, discreetly, and not brag about results. Let institutions achieve results. Let people demonstrate that institutions of certain. But let us not become vain and self-promoting in an environment where we don't need that, as members of the Jamat we don't need that, I don't need that, I don't need that, let us move together, in peace, discretion, and effectiveness." ( At Institutional Banquet with leaders, The Leela Hotel, Mumbai, India, Sunday May 18, 2008)
"I have attempted in the past 50 years to build institutional capacity within the Jamat in various parts of the world and in such a way that the Imamat itself has the ability to achieve goals which seem to be important. That I think has made good progress, we have got capacity today, capacity to act nationally, capacity to act regionally, capacity even to act globally if and when it is necessary. But that capacity needs to be handled with great care, very great tact, very great discretion. We do not need to be on the front, in the front of the scene. It is much more effective that we work effectively, quietly, discreetly, and not brag about results. Let institutions achieve results. Let people demonstrate that institutions of certain. But let us not become vain and self-promoting in an environment where we don't need that, as members of the Jamat we don't need that, I don't need that, I don't need that, let us move together, in peace, discretion, and effectiveness." ( At Institutional Banquet with leaders, The Leela Hotel, Mumbai, India, Sunday May 18, 2008)
There will be no change in the essence of our faith
"And I wish it to be clear therefore that in Tariqah matters, I am aware and there will be no change in the essence of our faith. But there will be nonetheless a search to enable the Murids to come together in an ever wider Jamat practising their faith together even if they don't speak the same language. There will be an attempt to take account of the pressures of modern life. There will be an attempt to make sure that traditions are understood within the Jamat and outside and that they do not give offence." (Dar es Salaam, Oct 6th, 1988)
*****
Never forsake the remembrance of faith
"I have spoken to you extensively now on matters of the world, but I have repeatedly said to my jamat: do not forsake matters of faith. And it is important that you be regular in the practice of your faith. It is important that you apply in your lives the ethics of your faith. It is important that in, your lives, your faith be permanently present in the way you live, and this is easy to achieve because most of you have a tasbih with you. You can call on the name of the Prophet: Salla Allahu alayhi wa alihi wa sallam. You can call on the name of Hazrat Ali. You can call in the names of the Imams. You can call on the name of the Imam of the Time. You have the possibility to practise in a simple manner, unbeknownst even to others, your faith by remembering-remembering, remembering, remembering. Remember, and never forget. If you forget, you have given away the world of the soul and you have let it be totally replaced by the material world around you, and this is not acceptable. So I am saying to my spiritual children, whatever the pressures of your lives when you are young, middle aged, older, never forsake the remembrance of your faith."(Kampala, March 20, 2005)
"And I wish it to be clear therefore that in Tariqah matters, I am aware and there will be no change in the essence of our faith. But there will be nonetheless a search to enable the Murids to come together in an ever wider Jamat practising their faith together even if they don't speak the same language. There will be an attempt to take account of the pressures of modern life. There will be an attempt to make sure that traditions are understood within the Jamat and outside and that they do not give offence." (Dar es Salaam, Oct 6th, 1988)
*****
Never forsake the remembrance of faith
"I have spoken to you extensively now on matters of the world, but I have repeatedly said to my jamat: do not forsake matters of faith. And it is important that you be regular in the practice of your faith. It is important that you apply in your lives the ethics of your faith. It is important that in, your lives, your faith be permanently present in the way you live, and this is easy to achieve because most of you have a tasbih with you. You can call on the name of the Prophet: Salla Allahu alayhi wa alihi wa sallam. You can call on the name of Hazrat Ali. You can call in the names of the Imams. You can call on the name of the Imam of the Time. You have the possibility to practise in a simple manner, unbeknownst even to others, your faith by remembering-remembering, remembering, remembering. Remember, and never forget. If you forget, you have given away the world of the soul and you have let it be totally replaced by the material world around you, and this is not acceptable. So I am saying to my spiritual children, whatever the pressures of your lives when you are young, middle aged, older, never forsake the remembrance of your faith."(Kampala, March 20, 2005)
Trampoline Dynamics Between Islamic World And Christian World
Many of you know the history of the Islamic World and the way the Islamic World evolved, and the way in which the Christian World in fact used the Islamic World, the capacity of the Islamic World as a trampoline to develop itself. Inshallah, the time is changing. And we will have the capacity in the decades ahead to use the Western World as a trampoline and to make it work for us, instead of the other way round. But in order to be successful in doing that, we have to keep true to a number of principles. We have to keep true to our faith, we have to keep true to the ethics of our faith, the way we view social and other relations in society and in our Jamat. We have to have trust and confidence in pluralism. We have to have trust and confidence in the human mind, in the development of human intellect, and sometimes when that occurs, there are accidents, and society has to be strong enough to bring those accidents back into the mainstream, but not let them damage the future of the Jamat or the society in a given country.
You here represent the majority of the Jamat in the Western World, and therefore it is to you that I look, and have looked in the past, and will continue to look in the future, to provide men and women who will become the trampolines of the future to give our Jamats around the world the capacity to move ahead and be significant players for their own benefit, but also for the benefit of the countries in which they live. I have watched the Jamat establish itself in the Western World. I well remember when there was practically no Jamat in North America whatsoever, and there were a handful of students, isolated individuals in London, who were doing studies in British universities, and at that time there was an extraordinary gulf between the Western World and the world where most of the Jamat was living. And of course as that has changed, the big question has been how will the Jamat adapt to the Christian West? Will it have the wisdom to draw from that Christian West what is useful for us, and the wisdom not to bring on board that which is not good, which is damaging, which is contradictory, which is not for the benefit of society, and particularly our Jamat? (Aiglemont, Friday, June 25, 1999, Mulaqat to the Canadian and USA Delegation )
Many of you know the history of the Islamic World and the way the Islamic World evolved, and the way in which the Christian World in fact used the Islamic World, the capacity of the Islamic World as a trampoline to develop itself. Inshallah, the time is changing. And we will have the capacity in the decades ahead to use the Western World as a trampoline and to make it work for us, instead of the other way round. But in order to be successful in doing that, we have to keep true to a number of principles. We have to keep true to our faith, we have to keep true to the ethics of our faith, the way we view social and other relations in society and in our Jamat. We have to have trust and confidence in pluralism. We have to have trust and confidence in the human mind, in the development of human intellect, and sometimes when that occurs, there are accidents, and society has to be strong enough to bring those accidents back into the mainstream, but not let them damage the future of the Jamat or the society in a given country.
You here represent the majority of the Jamat in the Western World, and therefore it is to you that I look, and have looked in the past, and will continue to look in the future, to provide men and women who will become the trampolines of the future to give our Jamats around the world the capacity to move ahead and be significant players for their own benefit, but also for the benefit of the countries in which they live. I have watched the Jamat establish itself in the Western World. I well remember when there was practically no Jamat in North America whatsoever, and there were a handful of students, isolated individuals in London, who were doing studies in British universities, and at that time there was an extraordinary gulf between the Western World and the world where most of the Jamat was living. And of course as that has changed, the big question has been how will the Jamat adapt to the Christian West? Will it have the wisdom to draw from that Christian West what is useful for us, and the wisdom not to bring on board that which is not good, which is damaging, which is contradictory, which is not for the benefit of society, and particularly our Jamat? (Aiglemont, Friday, June 25, 1999, Mulaqat to the Canadian and USA Delegation )
Taking photographs inside Jamatkhana
"From time to time, I have given you Farmans about worldly matters, and I will begin with this today. Some of My spiritual children have taken a bad habit of walking into Jamatkhana and spending their time taking photographs. This is not the correct behavior in Jamat and I do not like this. "(Hoima Road Jamatkhana, Kampala, Uganda, October 8, 1962)
"From time to time, I have given you Farmans about worldly matters, and I will begin with this today. Some of My spiritual children have taken a bad habit of walking into Jamatkhana and spending their time taking photographs. This is not the correct behavior in Jamat and I do not like this. "(Hoima Road Jamatkhana, Kampala, Uganda, October 8, 1962)
Need to preserve global image and reputation of the Jamat
And the first issue that I would mention to my spiritual children is the importance as you move through your lives, to be regular in the practice of your faith, not only in attendance in Jamatkhana, but also in keeping to the ethics of the faith rigorously and truthfully. Because, the image, the reputation of the Jamat is no longer as issue of national frontiers, today, it is a global system of communications and any Jamat which is well-respected, is a Jamat which contributes to the global reputation of the Jamat around the world. And this is very, very important because if something happens in one part of the world which is undesirable, it affects the Jamat around the world.(Singapore, April 1st, 2012)
And the first issue that I would mention to my spiritual children is the importance as you move through your lives, to be regular in the practice of your faith, not only in attendance in Jamatkhana, but also in keeping to the ethics of the faith rigorously and truthfully. Because, the image, the reputation of the Jamat is no longer as issue of national frontiers, today, it is a global system of communications and any Jamat which is well-respected, is a Jamat which contributes to the global reputation of the Jamat around the world. And this is very, very important because if something happens in one part of the world which is undesirable, it affects the Jamat around the world.(Singapore, April 1st, 2012)
Preconditions for facing and overcoming crisis situations by the Jamat
And although this is My birthday and therefore a day of rejoicing, I think it is also a day on which each and everyone of you should keep in mind that the Jamat has an Imam to guide them in their spiritual lives. And it is important that you should reflect upon these matters, because I want My spiritual children to be physically, materially, morally and spiritually strong. And if this is the case, I believe that My spiritual children can face practically any problem that you might have to face. And if you think of the problems My Jamat has faced in Uganda, is facing in Zaïre, has faced in Rwanda, might face in Madagascar, has faced in Bangladesh, you will remember that My spiritual children during recent years have had to face many difficulties and many problems. But I am certain that if you are strong educationally, if you are strong morally and spiritually, there will always be a correct and a sound place for My spiritual children here on this earth. And it is My greatest concern that My Jamat should always be able to find happiness, strength, good health and success. (Nairobi, Kenya, Thursday, December 13,1973, To the University Jamat)
And although this is My birthday and therefore a day of rejoicing, I think it is also a day on which each and everyone of you should keep in mind that the Jamat has an Imam to guide them in their spiritual lives. And it is important that you should reflect upon these matters, because I want My spiritual children to be physically, materially, morally and spiritually strong. And if this is the case, I believe that My spiritual children can face practically any problem that you might have to face. And if you think of the problems My Jamat has faced in Uganda, is facing in Zaïre, has faced in Rwanda, might face in Madagascar, has faced in Bangladesh, you will remember that My spiritual children during recent years have had to face many difficulties and many problems. But I am certain that if you are strong educationally, if you are strong morally and spiritually, there will always be a correct and a sound place for My spiritual children here on this earth. And it is My greatest concern that My Jamat should always be able to find happiness, strength, good health and success. (Nairobi, Kenya, Thursday, December 13,1973, To the University Jamat)
Essential aspects for the future
As we look to the future: what is essential? What is essential for all murids around the world?
The first is regular practice and understanding of the Shia Ismaili Tariqah of Islam, and within that Tariqah, the role that is played by intellect, knowledge, understanding, wisdom, the capacity to analyse and think ahead. So that is a particularly important aspect -- whether you are living here or anywhere else in the world -- that is central to the continuum of happiness in the practice of the faith.
The second thing that I believe is essential is the ability for families to move. Mobility in the modem world is essential. That is not something you need to take advantage of, but it does create opportunity. And what does mobility mean? It means carrying with you the wherewithal to be successful in whatever society you choose to live. And that is conditioned basically by two tlrings: education and the English langnage. And any murid who has good education and has control of the English language, is a murid who can move in any part of the world, speaking his own or her own national language plus the global language of English, and the education that is necessary to prepare yourselves and the future generations of your families for the future. (SINGAPORE, 31 MARCH 2012)
As we look to the future: what is essential? What is essential for all murids around the world?
The first is regular practice and understanding of the Shia Ismaili Tariqah of Islam, and within that Tariqah, the role that is played by intellect, knowledge, understanding, wisdom, the capacity to analyse and think ahead. So that is a particularly important aspect -- whether you are living here or anywhere else in the world -- that is central to the continuum of happiness in the practice of the faith.
The second thing that I believe is essential is the ability for families to move. Mobility in the modem world is essential. That is not something you need to take advantage of, but it does create opportunity. And what does mobility mean? It means carrying with you the wherewithal to be successful in whatever society you choose to live. And that is conditioned basically by two tlrings: education and the English langnage. And any murid who has good education and has control of the English language, is a murid who can move in any part of the world, speaking his own or her own national language plus the global language of English, and the education that is necessary to prepare yourselves and the future generations of your families for the future. (SINGAPORE, 31 MARCH 2012)