Articles in Home | Spiritual | Religion

  • Qarmatians - Decline Of The Qarmatians  By : Farshid
    Meanwhile, Hasan al-A'sam, the son of Ahmad Abu Tahir and a nephew of Abu Tahir, had become the commander of the Qarmatian forces, who was usually selecting to lead the Qarmatians in their military campaigns outside Bahrain.
  • Qarmatians  By : Farshid
    "It is learnt that a group of Mubarakiyya in Kufa among the Ismaili orbit believed in the Mahdism of Imam Muhammad bin Ismail, anticipating his return, which had never been promulgated by the official dawa. Granted that it was the propaganda of the Ismaili dawa, there would hardly be a place left for the Imams for them in the line of Muhammad bin Ismail.
  • Choices and Chances - Does America Know the Difference?  By : Rev Michael Bresciani
    In an era where change is touted it is becoming apparent that most of what is being offered as change is really just taking a chance. Many of the changes offered are being rejected because they seem to be flattening our freedom to make a choice, with one exception. Let’s see.
  • Qadr Or Taqdir - Creation Of Good And Evil  By : Farshid
    Taqdir, meaning the absolute decree of good and evil by God, an idea with which the word is now indissolubly connected by the popular mind as well as thinking writers, is neither known to the Koran, nor even to Arabic lexicology.
  • Qadi Noman  By : Farshid
    "Qadi Noman was a renowned Ismaili jurist in the Fatimid court. He espoused Ismaili faith early in life at Kairwan. His association with the Fatimids however began with his entry into the services of Imam al-Mahdi since 313/925.
  • Yes to Little Spirits in Heaven - No to Little Spirits on Earth  By : Rev Michael Bresciani
    Over four decades ago I had a dream vision of many of the details of the second coming of Christ. It sent me on a lifetime quest to find out all I could about this great coming event. Today more people than ever are having visions, dreams and revelations about this wonderful future event.
  • Poet And Poetry  By : Farshid
    The word sha'ir occurs four times, as-shura and shi'r once in the Koran. The generic term sharru or precentor in Assyria can be traced in the sha'ir or poet-soothsayer of the Arabs. The Assyrian hymn was the shire, and in it we recognize the Hebrew shir (song) and the Arabic shi'r (poetry).
  • Platinum Jubilee  By : Farshid
    Platinum is a soft, ductile and silver-white metallic element. The Spanish scientist Antonio de Ulloa discovered it in gold-bearing deposits in Columbia in 1735. The English chemist William Wollaston first obtained pure platinum in 1803; and was also the first to devise a way to produce platinum in a workable form suitable for commercial purposes. South Africa, Russia and Canada produce almost all of the world's output of platinum.
  • Parable  By : Farshid
    The term parable is derived from the Greek arabolae, which means juxtaposition, the placing of two things or ideas side by side for comparison. In Septuagint, the 3rd century B.C. Greek translation of the Old Testament, the word parable is used as the Greek translation of the Hebrew word mashal.
  • Prophets are not God's PR men - Evangelism is not cheerleading  By : Rev Michael Bresciani
    Andy Warhol may have been slightly off when he said everyone is allowed their fifteen minutes of fame. Sometimes they are allowed a few years or even decades to ride a wave of popularity but even at that another dawn always breaks.
  • Panjtan-I Pak  By : Farshid
    "Panjtan-i Pak (the Blessed Quincunx), Ashbah al-Khmsa (the five shadows) or Ashab al-Kisa (persons of the mantle) is a term coined for the five holy bodies, i.e., the Prophet, Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Hussain.
  • Pandiyat-I Jawanmardi  By : Farshid
    "The Pandiyat-i Jawanmardi (maxims of fortitude) is a collection of the advices of Imam Mustansir billah (d. 880/1475), which had been compiled in the time of Imam Abdus Salam (d. 899/1493). The word pandiyat is the plural of pand means advice, and jawanmardi means manliness.
  • Nizari Kohistani  By : Farshid
    "Naimuddin bin Jalaluddin bin Muhammad Nizari Kohistani was born in Birjand in 645/1247. He got the rudiments of his formal education at home from his father, who was also a poet himself and a devout Ismaili.
  • Niyya  By : Farshid
    "The term niyya does not occur in the Koran. The word ikhlas (sincerity) however is used 17 times in its active participial form, mukhlis, best appropriates the notion of worthy and well directed "intention"
  • Nikah  By : Farshid
    "The Arabic word for marriage is nikah, meaning uniting. The family is the basic social unit in Islamic society, and marriage is the fundamental Islamic institution. The husband and wife are the principals of family formation. Parents are held responsible for the social, cultural and moral growth of children as well as for their physical and health care.
  • Nazrana  By : Farshid
    "The Arabic word nazr (pl. nazur) means an offering, gift or present, occurring seven times in the Koran. The Persian noun word nazrana means a gift offered especially to a prince to pay respect. Nazrana is a "special gift" in the Ismailis to be presented to the Imam mostly during the mehmani or any occasion to earn best blessings. It is presented individually on behalf of the family as well as collectively on behalf of a jamat or the all jamats of a country.
  • Naw Hisar  By : Farshid
    It a traditional pilgrimage of the Ismailis to sacred site at the end of village of Dizbad in Iran, where gushes a spring from a rock called Naw Hisar. This pilgrimage takes place every year during a transition period after the summer, but before the harvest of plums, which is an important source of village income.
  • Naskh Wa Mansukh  By : Farshid
    The word naskh means changing or removing as it is said in Arabic naskhatish shams-azzil meaning the sun removed the shade or nasakhat al-ruhu athar al-qawmi idha adamat meaning the mind obliterated traces of the nation. The word naskh is also used in the law to denote "an order canceling the other order."
  • Nasir Khusaro  By : Farshid
    His full name as cited in his works, was Abu Mu'in Nasir bin Khusaro bin al-Harith al-Marwazi al-Qubadiyani. He was born in 394/1003 in Qubadiyan, a district of Balkh in Khorasan. He belonged to a family of government officials and his brother was a vizir. He, too, entered the government service in the capacity of a finance controller and in time was a successful courtier in the local Ghaznavid court.
  • Nasafi, An-Nasafi  By : Farshid
    "Abu Hatim ar-Razi was followed by Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Ahmad an-Nasafi and Abu Yaqub as-Sijistani staying at Ray. An-Nasafi operated the mission mostly in Khorasan and Bukhara, and gained great success in converting the Sunni ruler,
  • Nandi  By : Farshid
    The word nandi is corrupt form of nadi, whose original form is na'd in Arabic, meaning to call. The word nida means auction. The word na'd is used 29 times in the Koran. Another view suggests that the nandi is a Hindi word meaning blessing.
  • Nahj Al-Balagah  By : Farshid
    The word nahj means road and balagah is derived from baligh means to convey. The Nahj al-Balagah means the way of eloquence or way of rhetoric. It is the collection of 238 sermons (khutba), 79 letters and 478 short sayings of Ali bin Abu Talib, the first Imam. It was compiled by Sharif ar-Radi (d. 406/1015) and his brother al-Murtada Ali bin Tahir (d. 436/1044).
  • Nafs  By : Farshid
    The word nafs (pl. anfus, nufus) is derived from the verb nafusa meaning to be precious or valuable. As is said naffasa (to cheer up, reassure or relieve) and tanaffasa (to breathe, inhale or pause for a rest). The Taj al-Arus (4:260) lists 15 meanings of nafs and adds two other from Lisan al-Arab (8:119). The word nafs is used in no less than 10 connotations in the Koran.
  • Nabi  By : Farshid
    "The word nabi is derived from naba, meaning an announcement of great utility imparting knowledge of a thing. One lexicologist explains the word nabi as meaning an ambassador between God and rational beings from among His creatures.
  • Na de Ali  By : Farshid
    The word na'd means sound, voice or calling, and Na'de Ali means calling upon Ali. It is a sacred invocation uttered in the time of troubles and adversities. Imam Jafar Sadik said, "One who recites Na'de Ali with pure heart, his desires will be accomplished."
  • Muta  By : Farshid
    "The word muta is derived from mata, meaning merchandise or goods. In case of a marriage it means "that which gives benefits, but for a short while" or enjoyment or pleasure. In Iran, this practice is called sigha (lit. form or type) and it is sometimes called nikah al-muwaqqat or izdivaj-i muvaqqat, both mean temporary marriage.
  • Musta alins  By : Farshid
    "Badr al-Jamali, the Fatimid vizir expected the succession of Musta'li but he died in 487/1095, a month before the death of Imam al-Mustansir. The Imam appointed Lawun Amin ad-Dawla as a new vizir, but after few days, al-Afdal, the son of Badr al-Jamali managed to obtain office of vizirate when the Imam was on death-bed.
  • Munajat  By : Farshid
    The Arabic word munajat is derived from najiy, meaning confidential talk The Koran says: "And We called to him from the right side of the Mount (Sinai) and let him come near in order to have a personal talk (najiy) with Him" (19:52)
  • Munafiqun  By : Farshid
    Hypocrite is the word generally used to translate the Koranic term munafiqun, the active participle of the third form of the root n-f-q. Its verbal noun, nifaq is usually translated as hypocrisy.
  • Mujizah  By : Farshid
    The word mujizah is derived from ijaz meaning inability, referring to the miracle. The Koran exhorts miracles in a threefold sense: the sacred history, in connection with the Prophet, and in relation to revelation.
  • Muhkam And Mutashabih  By : Farshid
    The verses of the Koran are stated to be partly muhkam (decisive) and partly mutabshabih (allegorical). The Koran (11:1) explains the first designation by declaring that it is "a book whose verses are precisely, clearly or unambiguously set forth" (uhkimat). Here the purpose of muhkam is to provide clear guidance.
  • The Name Muhammad  By : Farshid
    The name Muhammad (may peace be upon him) is the passive participle of the second form of the verb hamada (to praise or laud), and means "(he who is) worthy of praise" or "(one who is) often praised." Muhammad is the passive participle of the first form of the same verbal root, "(he who is) praised, to whom praised is due."
  • Muhammad, Holy Prophet PBUH (571-632 A.D.)  By : Farshid
    "Ismael, the son of Abraham had a son, Kaidar whose progeny spread over the Arabian province of Hijaz. Adnan, to whom the Prophet traced his descent, was also a scion of Ismael in about the fortieth generations.
  • Muhammad Shah Dullah  By : Farshid
    In India, Syed Ghulam Ali Shah was collecting the religious dues in Kutchh, and after his death in 1797, the Imam Shah Khalilullah Ali, who ascended on May 23, 1792 had appointed him as a vakil in Gujrat.
  • Muhammad Bin Kiya Buzrug Ummid  By : Farshid
    "Muhammad bin Kiya Buzrug was born in 490/1097 probably in the fortress of Lamasar. He was given training by his father, and proved an able and competent administrator. He was assisted by his one young brother Kiya Ali, who led many expeditions and died in 538/1144.
  • Muayyad Fid-Din Ash-Shirazi  By : Farshid
    "Al-Muayyad fid-din ash-Shirazi was born in 390/1000 in Shiraz. He was an outstanding da'i, orator, prolific writer, poet and politician. His father, tracing his link from a Daylami Ismaili family was also a da'i with some influence in the Buwahid orbits of Fars. In one of poems he narrates in his Diwan al-Muayyad (poem no. 4) that,
  • Mirath (Inheritance) Section VIII : Miscellaneous Provisions  By : Farshid
    There were certain miscellaneous questions, which created doubts and difficulties in the minds of certain persons. The decisions reported here purport to resolve these issues:-
  • Varas Karim Kassim  By : Farshid
    Period (1878-1958)

    Karim Kassim was the younger brother of Varas Bandali Kassim (1875-1956). He was born in 1878 in Karachi, where he acquired his formal education from Sind Madresa-tul-Islam School upto fourth class. He held a strong command in English, Gujrati and Sindhi languages. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan was his classmate.
  • Miraj  By : Farshid
    The word miraj is derived from uruj means to ascend. The Koran (70:4) says, "To Him ascend the angels and soul" (taruljul malaikatu war'ruhi ilaihi), and in 97:4: "Angels and soul (from Him) descend (tanz'zalul malaikatu wa'ruhi), and also in 70:3: "Lord of the ways of ascent" (minal'lahi zil ma'arij).
  • Mehmani  By : Farshid
    "The word mehmani means hospitality. When one makes a private audience with the Imam, it is called mehmani, and before that he presents a najwa (offering) to the Imam. There are different words in Persian for the hospitality, viz. mehman-dari, mehman-parwari and mehman nawazi. Thus the proper word mehmani means an entertainment, banquet, feast or hospitality.
  • Honorary Missionary Kassim Ali R.Paroo  By : Farshid
    Varas Karim Ismail Mansawala, the first title holder of Varas among the gupti Ismailis of North Gujrat, was born in 1867 in Mansa, Gujrat and came with his family to Bombay at the age of 6 years in 1873.
  • Mizan  By : Farshid
    The word mizan (pl. mawazin) is derived from the root wazn meaning the knowing of the measure of a thing. It is true that the measure of material things is judged by a pair of scales or by some other implement, but the deeds of man need no scales for their measurement. Raghib writes that by wazn or mizan, in connection with the deeds of men, is meant "the doing of justice in the reckoning of men." He quotes the following examples: "And the measuring out (wazn) on that day will be just." (7:8); "And We will set up just balances (mawazin, pl. of mizan) on the day of resurrection" (21:47), where in fact the meaning is made clear in the Koran itself by the addition of the words "no soul shall be dealt with unjustly in the least." So too elsewhere, a mizan is referred to as working in nature itself: "And the heaven He raised it high, and He made the balance, that you may not be inordinate in respect of the balance, and keep up the measure with equity and do not make the balance deficient" (55:7-9). Here the words used for measure or balance are the same words mizan and wazn. A mizan or balance is first spoken of as existing in connection with the creation of the heavens, and this is followed by an injunction that men should also preserve the balance with equity. Now the balance that is seen working in nature is the law to which every thing is subject, so that, while opposing forces do exist, yet each force is subject to a law and does not nullify the other. Everything works out its destiny according to a measure, and so should man also work out his destiny according to a measure. Hence the injunction not to get inordinate in respect of the measure.
  • Missionary Kassim Ali Muhammad Jaffer  By : Farshid
    Varas Karim Ismail Mansawala, the first title holder of Varas among the gupti Ismailis of North Gujrat, was born in 1867 in Mansa, Gujrat and came with his family to Bombay at the age of 6 years in 1873.
  • Thoughts On Hinduism  By : cdmohatta
    Hinduism has a different concept of God than other religions. In Hinduism God is not something different than the world. According to Hinduism all of us are Gods. The whole world is God. the whole world resides in God. It is surprising to say that we are all Gods, but that is the truth in Hinduism. The difference between God and all of us is that we do not realize our true nature because of maya. The emotions and our karmas make a screen that hides our nature.
  • Stories From The Mahabharata - Part 3  By : cdmohatta
    In Mahabharata the Kauravs invited Pandavas for dice play. Pandavas lost everything including Draupadi in the dice play. After that Dushashana brought in Draupadi to the hall and wanted to disrobe her in front of all. That time Draupadi called upon all the elders sitting in the hall including Bhishma to save her. None of them got up. They all kept quite. That was a sin committed by Bhishma.
  • Stories From The Mahabharata - Part 2  By : cdmohatta
    During the great war of Mahabharata, Dronacharya made the Chakra Vyuha. Only Arjuna knew how to break that. But he had gone away to fight. That time Arjuna's son Abhimanyu tried to break open the Chakra Vyuha. Many Kauravs killed Abhimanyu together. That time after Arjuna returned he vowed that he would kill Jayadratha before the end of the war on the next day. Otherwise he would kill himself by entering fire.
  • Stories From The Mahabharata - Part 1  By : cdmohatta
    Kunti was the wife of King Pandu and mother of the Pandavas. Kunti is considered one of the most respected characters of Mahabharata. Till end of war the Pandavs did not know that Karna was their own brother. Kunti had hidden this truth from her sons. This lie made Kunti suffer tremendously. Along with Kunti, Karna also suffered.
  • Chief Wazir Kassim Ali Hasan Ali Javeri  By : Farshid
    Varas Karim Ismail Mansawala, the first title holder of Varas among the gupti Ismailis of North Gujrat, was born in 1867 in Mansa, Gujrat and came with his family to Bombay at the age of 6 years in 1873.
  • Varas Karim Ismail Mansawala  By : Farshid
    Varas Karim Ismail Mansawala, the first title holder of Varas among the gupti Ismailis of North Gujrat, was born in 1867 in Mansa, Gujrat and came with his family to Bombay at the age of 6 years in 1873.
  • Hinduism And The Cosmos  By : cdmohatta
    Hinduism thought considers everything as God. According to Hinduism the world is created in God and by God. There is nothing that is not God according to this. Everything in this cosmos- good and bad both are made of God element. God is supreme and the only reality. He has no gender. He is beyond life and death. He exists from infinity and will continue to exist till eternity. The world that we see as changing with time is his play.

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