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Dr. D.S. Merchant's Articles in Religion

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  • Hasan Bin Ali Bin Abu Talib
    "Abu Muhammad Hasan, or Hasan, the elder brother of Imam Hussain was born in 3/625 in Medina. He was also brought up with Imam Hussain in the household of the Prophet until the latter's death when Hasan was about 7 years old. It emerges from the extant traditions that the Prophet had a great fondness for his two grand-children. Hasan and Hussain, whom he referred to as the "chief of the youths of paradise." Another tradition relates, "Both Hasan and Hussain are for me the fragrance in the world" (Masnad, 2:85).

    Hasan was 37 years old when his father fell at the hands of the assassin at Kufa. Qais bin Sa'd was the first to swear allegiance to Hasan on the day when Ali died, and then it was followed by 40,000 Kufans, acclaiming Hasan as the fifth caliph. Tabari (2:5) writes that the oath of allegiance taken by those present stipulated that, "They should make war on those who were at war with Hasan, and should live in peace with those who were at peace with Hasan." This clearly suggests that the oath sworn by the Kufans was political. Thus, the temporal power that had been with the Prophet, joined with the caliphate of Ali about 24 years, 8 months and 28 days after the death of the Prophet. When Ali died, the same powers, though remained with the Ahl al-Bayt, were separated once again. The temporal authority had gone to the hands of Hasan, and the spiritual authority was inherited by Hussain and in his Hussainid progeny.
  • Hanif
    "The word hanif (pl. hunafa) is derived from hanf, meaning an inclination in the forepart of the foot or inversion of the foot. A person having this distortion of the foot is called ahnaf. The singular word hanif occurs 10 times in the Koran (2:135, 3:67, 95; 4:125, 6:79, 161; 10:105, 16:120,123, 30:30), and the plural hunafa two times (22:31, 98:5). It occurs once as a synonym of muslim (3:67) and also in juxtaposition with the verb aslama (4:125). The exegetes of the Koran say that hanif in the age of ignorance signified an Arab adhering to the religion of Abraham and that title was also claimed by idolaters who only observed certain rites of that religion, such as pilgrimage to Mecca and circumcision. The verb tahannuf means pure exercise of religion in the pagan period.
  • Hamiduddin Kirmani
    "Hamiduddin Kirmani was born most probably in 352/933. His family hailed from Kirman as his name indicates, but it is not known where he was born. He first studied the esoteric science under Abu Yaqub al-Sijjistani (d. 360/971), and then went to Cairo for further studies.
  • Hajj
    "The word hajj literally means repairing to a thing for the sake of a visit (al-qasd li-l ziyara), and in the technicality of law of repairing to the House of God to observe the necessary devotions (iqamat an li-l-nusuk). The word hajj occurs nine times in the Koran in five different verse (2:189), three times in 2:196, three times; and once each in 2:197, 9:3 and 22:27.

    The hajj takes place in Zul Hijja, the last month of the Muslim year. On the 7th day of the month, the pilgrims start the rite of ihram (derived from haram meaning prevention or forbidding, or entering upon a state in which a particular dress is put on. The ihram dress consists of two seamless sheets, a sheet reaching from the navel to below the knees and a sheet, which covers the upper part of the body. Both these sheets must be, preferably, white) from the miqat (a place where a person intending hajj), then enter al-masjid al-haram, preferably through bab as-salam (the gate of peace) and listen to a sermon describing the rites, which they are about to perform. The rites themselves begin on the 8th. After the dawn prayer, the participants perform tawaf (tawaf al-qudum, the making circumambulation of arrival) and sa'y. They then proceed to Mina, which is about three miles from Mecca, where they offer the prayers. After sunrise on the 9th, they proceed to the plain of Arafat, which is nine miles further east, repeating talbiya on the way. The talbiya consists in saying aloud labbaika Allah-umma labbaika means "Here am I, O God! Here am I in Your August Presence." At Arafat, the guide pitches a tent, either on the plain or, if possible, on the adjacent mountain, Jabal Rahma (the Mount of Mercy), the khutba is delivered from the pulpit of Jabal al-Rahma.
  • Haji Ahmed Devji
    Period: (1859-1925)
    He was born in 1859 it Porebandar and came to Bombay at the age of 15 years. He worked in a furniture store and gained sufficient experience to become one of the leading furniture merchants. He maintained the quality and standards of his furniture so well that he received large orders several times from the Indian rulers. The Amir of Afghanistan once ordered for new furniture on February 1907, for the decoration of his newly built palace in Kabul. His firm was known as M/S Ahmed Devji Bros.
  • Hai Zinda - Qaim Paya
    In Ismaili tariqah when one enters the Jamatkhana, he in a bold clear voice utters Hai Zinda i.e., "He (Imam) is living." In reciprocation of which, those assembled within the prayer hall respond by pronouncing Qaim Paya i.e., (We) found (Imam) for ever." When the prayer is in progress, Hai Zinda is not pronounced aloud, but wished in the mind by those who enter the prayer hall. Pir Sadruddin said, "One who says Hai Zinda, he will be rewarded equal to an elephant given away in charity; and he who says Qaim Paya will get reward as if he has given a horse in charity."
  • Hadith
    The word hadith (pl. ahadith), occurring 23 times in the Koran, is a noun formed from the verb hadatha means to be new. The Hebrew hadash carries the same meaning. From this followed the use of the term for a piece of news, tale, story or a report. The story tellers were also called hudath. The Muslims since the very lifetime of the Prophet called the report with regard to his sayings as the hadith.

    The Prophet of Islam was not only the transmitter of the Koran, but he also interpreted it. The only difference between the ordinary expressions of the Prophet and his revelations consists in the fact that the former are Divine in content alone, the latter are Divine in form as well. The ground for the view is afforded by the Koran: "And We have revealed you the exhortation (i.e., the Koran) in order that you may explain to men what has been revealed to them" (16:46).
  • Golden Jubilee Of Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan
    Bombay was the venue for the celebrations in India. Huge crowd in festive and solemn mood had gathered at Hasanabad to attend the unique occasion on January 19, 1936. When the Imam and Begum arrived at 10.35 a.m. to receive one of the most spectacular ovations from a crowd of over 40,000 Ismailis, every inch of space in the Hasanabad ground was taken up. The Imam took his seat on the gadi embroidered in gold with the coat of arms of his family. To his right sat his mother, Lady Aly Shah, and to his left sat the Begum. The Imam was dressed in a purple robe with a great turban, with all the decorations and insignia glittering on his breast.
  • Golden Jubilee Of H.H. Prince Karim Aga Khan
    The 11th July, 2007 is going to mark historically an inauguration of the Golden Jubilee of Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, the 49th Hazar Imam. This is the glorious historical era when the Ismailis are scattered all over the world, not confined to East Africa and British India. The splendor, magnificence and the fidelity with which the Ismaili world celebrates the Golden Jubilee of their beloved 49th Hazar Imam is unparallel.
  • Ghibah
    Ghibah is the verbal noun (masdar) of ghaba and also that of ightiyab means backbiting. Jawahari writes, "It is said ighatabahu ightiyaban when one falls into backbiting. The noun is al-ghibah, and it means saying such things about an absent person. If it is true it is called ghibah and if false, buhtan (slander)." The Koran specifies the varieties of evil speech, which violate the dignity of others and seek to expose their weakness. In the following text the believers are instructed on this theme: "O believers! Let not people ridicule other people, perchance the latter may be better than the former, not let women ridicule other women, perchance the latter may be better than the former. Neither find fault with each other, nor insult one another with derisive nicknames" (49:11). This is immediately followed by another passage, which singles out backbiting (ghibah) and depicts its enormity in particularly striking terms: "Spy not and defame not others behind their backs. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? (Surely) you would abhor it" (49:12). Elsewhere in the Koran is the chapter bearing the title, "The Slanderer" (al-Humazah), begins with a clarion denunciation of every slandering defamer (104:1). The whole of this chapter is devoted to a rigorous condemnation of backbiting.
  • Firqa and Fiqh
    Among the indicative of divisions or distinctions, the words used in the Koran are hizb (pl. ahzab), ta'ifa, shi'a and the derivatives of f-q-r. All can be understood with the general meaning of party, group or faction. The word hizb in its singular, plural and dual forms appears 19 times and the word shi'a and shi'ya occurs 11 times in the Koran. The word ta'ifa and its dual forms appears 23 times, used more or less randomly to refer to groups or parties among the Ahl al-Kitab. Tusi (d. 460/1067) calls the Shi'ites "the group which is right" (al-ta'ifa al-muhaqqiqa).
  • Fidai
    "The Persian word fidai (or fidawi, pl. fidaiyan) means one who offers his life for a cause or sacrifices. Its synonymous Arabic word is fidaiyyun. It is a term for special Ismaili devotees of Iran and Syria, coined for the first time in Alamut period, who risked their lives. The term fidai is the symbol of loyalty and sacrifice - a highest form of virtue.
  • Fatwa
    The word fatwa is derived from the root fata, which includes in its Semanic fields the meaning youth, newness, clarification, or explanation. These connotations have survived in its various definitions. Its development as a technical term originated from the Koran, where the word is used in two verbal forms meaning asking for a definitive answer and giving a definitive answer (4:127, 176). The concept of fatwa in early Islam developed in the framework of a question and answer process of communicating information about Islam.
  • Fatimids
    "North Africa was the land of the lost causes of Islam. The land was mainly inhabited by the Berber tribe, which was practically independent of the Abbasids. The Ismaili dai Abu Abdullah arrived in the Katama land and chose Ikjan as his base, a mountain stronghold that dominated the pilgrimage route, where he began to preach the Ismaili doctrines. While he was preaching in North Africa and consolidating the secular power, Imam al-Mahdi was closely following his activities from his retreat in Salamia. The caravan of Imam al-Mahdi left Salamia and arrived in Raqada on 20th Rabi II, 297/January 6, 910, and laid the foundation of the Fatimid Caliphate. All the notables,
  • Fadak
    "Fadak was a fertile tract in the vicinity of Khaibar under the Jewish occupation, just three miles from Medina, now the modern village of Howeyat. After the victory of Khaibar, the Prophet wiped out the Jewish influence in this area, who were threat to Islam, therefore, he sent his envoy, Muhit to Yusha bin Nun, the chief of the village Fadak. The chief of the Jews preferred peace and surrendered to fighting. A peace treaty was concluded between the Prophet and the local Jews on the terms that 50% yield of Fadak would be surrendered to the Prophet each year by the Jews. It was a gift, and not a booty of war, and according to Islam, the areas which are conquered through wars are the property of all the Muslims, and the lands which fall into the hands of the Muslims without any military operation pertain to the personal property. When the Koranic verse: "Give the kinsman his due, and the needy, and the wayfarer...." (17:26) was revealed, the Prophet summoned his daughter and handed over Fadak to her. Suyuti writes in Dhur-e-Manthur (4:176) that, "The Prophet had bequeathed the ownership of the property of Fadak to his daughter, Fatima, and also executed a deed of gift in her favour, and her two sons."
  • Etiquette of Eating, Drinking and Clothing
    The host should offer water to wash the hands of his guests from the right to the left, washing his own last. When a man has guests with him, he should eat joyfully with them; he should be the last to begin to eat, and he should be the last to lave his hands before, and last to do so after, a meal (Kitab Majmu'at al-Hawashi, p. 59). When the host's relation are present at a meal, the host should wash his hands last, apart from the members of his own family (Daim al-Islam, p. 414)
  • Eid Al-Ghadir
    According to the Shi'ite belief, at the spring (khum) of al-Ghadir, the Prophet as his successor declared Ali bin Abu Talib and the festival commemorated this occasion. The fusion of religion which was characteristic of all religious festivals in Fatimid Egypt, is best exemplified by the festival of Eid al-Ghadir. The festival of Ghadir was celebrated with official sanction in Egypt for the first time in 362/973, when a group of people from Cairo, together with the North African troops (al-maghriba), gathered for invocations (du'a) on the 18th Dhu'l-Hijja, proclaiming that the Prophet had made Ali as his successor on the day of Ghadir al-Khum. It delighted Imam al-Muizz.
  • Eid Al-Adha
    The word eid is derived from aud meaning to return. In Islam, it means a recurring happiness. The word adha, the plural of adhat means a sacrifice. On this occasion, all the Muslims who can afford, sacrifice an animal. In the case of a goat or a sheep, one animal is suffices for one household. In the case of a cow or a camel, seven men may be partners. It may be sacrificed on the day of Eid or during the two or three days that follows, called the tashriq days. The animal sacrificed must be free from apparent physical defects, and full-grown (musinna). The goat or sheep should be a year old, the cow two years and the camel five. The skin of the animal must, however, be disposed of in charity.
  • EASTER The Christian Festival
    The Season of Lent is celebrated in honor of Jesus Christ sacrificing himself to save the people from sins, this season is for 40 days, which is done in prayers and avoiding negative hurdles. This season begins with Ash Wednesday where every Christian is blessed with Holy Ashes. Every Friday Christians attend their Churches for special prayers which go on till Good Friday. On Good Friday special prayers are done at 3:00 pm because at that time Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross and passed away.
  • Druzes
    "In 407/1016, an Iranian da'i, named Muhammad bin Ismail Nashtakin ad-Darazi came in Egypt, who professed the transmigration of souls. He also preached the divinity of Imam al-Hakim. He came from Bukhara to Cairo in 408/1017. Finding no response, he moved to Wadi al-Taymun, at the foot of Mount Hermon in Lebanon and Jabal as-Summaq in Syria. He was first in the public eyes being the founder of the Druze sect. In 410/1019, the Turks soldiers of the Fatimids gathered and moved towards the houses of ad-Darazi and his followers and surrounded them. Ad-Darazi and those with him fortified themselves in a house, fighting the besiegers from the roof and the wall. The besiegers ravaged the house and killed about forty people with az-Darazi. About the same time, another Iranian from Farghana, named Hasan al-Akhram also appeared as using his influence to propagate the deity of Imam al-Hakim, and found a Druze sect about in 409/1018. He was also killed in his house just eight days following his declaration.
  • Dr. Mukhi Ramzan Ismail Datoo
    Period: (d. 1939)

    Mukhi Ramzan Ismail (d. 1910) was a prominent leader. Imam Aga Ali Shah appointed him the Mukhi with Kamadia Hashim for the Kharadhar Jamatkhana, Karachi in 1882. Mukhi Ramzan was also an elected member of Karachi Municipality in 1854. He served the ailing persons in the community with his means and materials during the outbreak of plague in 1897. Mukhi Ramzan Ismail had eight sons, and the best known among them were Mukhi Rehmatullah, Mukhi Teja, Sabzali, Mukhi Nazar Ali or Mukhi Nanda, Ghulam Hussain or Gulu and Dr. Datoo.
  • Dower and Dowry
    The word for dower generally used in the Koran is ajr (pl. ujur), meaning reward or the gift that is given to the bride. The word saduqat (pl. of saduqa) is also once used in the Koran to denote the nuptial gift (4:4), and the other words from the same root, signifying dower are sudaq and sidaq. The verbal root word sadaqa means he was truthful. Another word sometimes used in the Koran to indicate the nuptial gift is fariza means what has been made obligatory or an appointed portion. The word mahr used in the hadith means dowry or nuptial gift. It is a free gift by the husband to the wife at the time of contracting the marriage: "And give women their dowries as a free gift" (4:4).
  • Doctrine Of Imamate
    The rudiments of the concept of the Imamate had been introduced by Ali bin Abu Talib in his speeches and Imam Hussain in his correspondence with the Shi'ites of Kufa and Basra. Soon after the event of Karbala, the political situation was changed in Islamic states, therefore, Imam Zayn al-Abidin confined his religious activities to Medina. The adherents of the Imam however spread in all Islamic regions.

    The Imamate of Imam Muhammad al-Bakir and Imam Jafar Sadik coincided with turbulent period politically in the Islamic states. With the advent of the Greek philosophy in the Arabian territories, different thought of schools and sects emerged in Islam due to different interpretations. The Companions of the Prophet were also no longer alive, who had treasured in their memories the knowledge they had acquired from Ahl al-Bayt. It was a peak time to impart the followers the doctrine of the Imamate and the philosophical aspect of the tenets of Islam. Kashshshi writes in Marifat Akhbar al-Rijal (p. 28) that, "Before the Imamate of Muhammad al-Bakir, the Shi'ites knew nothing what was lawful and unlawful except what they learnt from the people; until Muhammad al-Bakir became the Imam. He taught and explained to them the knowledge and they began to impart other people from whom they were previously learning." Thus, the small nucleus established after the Karbala event by Imam Zayn al-Abidin began to develop rapidly under Imam Muhammad al-Bakir.
  • Didar
    "The Persian word didar is derived from didan means meeting, beholding or seeing. In Ismaili terminology, it denotes the beholding the Imam of the age. It is a means to strengthen the heart, cooling the eyes, refresh the faith and earn guidance and blessings of the Imam. When one is graced with the didar, he feels that he is newly born, and acts what the Imam imparted. The didar does not mean mere an act of looking the Imam. It needs the eyes of the knowledge and faith and without it the purpose does not solve. The Koran says, "And you see them looking towards you, yet they do not see" (7:198). It implies that there was much difference between the looking of the believers and unbelievers to the Prophet. Generally speaking, there are three types of didar: the exoteric (zahiri), esoteric (batini) and spiritual (noorani), but our discussion here covers only the exoteric didar.
  • Diamond Jubilee of Sultan Muhammad Shah Aga Khan
    In a message to “Diamond Jubilee Souvenir Year Book,” the Imam said, “The Ismailia history has passed through several stages of development. My Diamond Jubilee marks such a stage in the present times. With it a phase of consolidation and cooperation has been achieved among my spiritual children in various countries, and now lies ahead a period of goodwill and expansion.
  • Devotional Literature
    "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). The Psalm of David in Assyrian was the zamaru, which equates with the Hebrew zimrah (song) and mizmor (psalm). Certainly the Assyrian shigu or penitential psalm is identical with the shiggaion of the Hebrew and the shajan of the Arabs in origin. Likewise, the allu or wail in Assyrian may be linked up with the Hebrew and Arabic elal and wilwal. Indeed, the Assyrian shidru or recitation may find its cognate in the inshad of the Arabs. Yet scarcely a line has come down to us concerning the hymn of the ancient Arabs, that their songs were appreciated is borne out by an inscription of Ashurbanipal (7th century B.C.), where Arab prisoners toiling for their Assyrian masters whiled away their hours in singing (alili) and music (ninguti), which so delighted the Assyrians that they begged for more.
  • Dawr-I Satr
    "The word satr (pl. satur) is derived from astar, meaning hide, cover or shield. As it is said, masatra (he concealed enmity), or tastir (to hold within a curtain). According to Arabic-English Lexicon (New York, 1872, 4:1304) by Edward William Lane, the word satr means to veil, conceal or hide a thing. The Ismailis had employed the term dawr-i satr (period of concealment) with regards to those periods in their history when the Imams were hidden from the eyes of their followers when the animosity of their enemies reached to its extreme. On that critical moment, the hujjats represented the Imams in the community. The hujjat was a living proof, acting as the custodian until the time of the Imam's reappearance. In contrast, the period following the concealment is known as dawr-i kashf (unveiling period) or the dawr-i zuhur (period of manifestation), when the Imams publicly made their appearance.
  • Dasond
    The culture of decima or tithe (old English teogothian) was common among the Babylon. The discovery of old clay tablets in 1966 however reveals that it was prevalent long before the civilization of the Babylon. Tithe or tenth part was a customary tax in ancient Egypt, Syria and Greece. Cyrus caused his soldiers to devote tenth of their booty to Zeus. Zoroaster imposed tithe on traders and market dealers for the welfare of the priests.
  • Darkhana
    The Persian word darkhana, is composed of two syllables, dar and khana. The preposition dar means in, and khana means house. Thus, the darkhana means in the house. Any specific thing in the house is also called darkhana. Another view suggests that it is derived from darb-i khana means chief place of residence, or dari khana, a residence with big windows being used for the royal meetings. In Ismaili terminology, it represents specific abode of the Imam, or Imam's headquarters.
  • Dajjal
    The Arabic word dajjal likely comes from the Syriac daggal means liar or lying. Hence, al-dajjal literally means one who conceals the truth with falsehood, the liar or a great deceiver. The word al-masih al-dajjal means to cover (a mangy camel) with tar, because the dajjal will in like manner cover the earth with his adherents. One another view suggests that dajjal is derived from dajala meaning to gild because he will deceive the people by covering up the truth. In the Islamic tradition, dajjal is an evil figure who will lead people astray in the last days and whose advent will be one of the signs of the approaching dooms day. Dajjal or al-Masih al-Dajjal is not mentioned in the Koran, but he figures in numerous hadith.
  • Dajjal
    The Arabic word dajjal likely comes from the Syriac daggal means liar or lying. Hence, al-dajjal literally means one who conceals the truth with falsehood, the liar or a great deceiver. The word al-masih al-dajjal means to cover (a mangy camel) with tar, because the dajjal will in like manner cover the earth with his adherents. One another view suggests that dajjal is derived from dajala meaning to gild because he will deceive the people by covering up the truth. In the Islamic tradition, dajjal is an evil figure who will lead people astray in the last days and whose advent will be one of the signs of the approaching dooms day. Dajjal or al-Masih al-Dajjal is not mentioned in the Koran, but he figures in numerous hadith.
  • Conciliation And Arbitration Board (CAB)
    With the imposition of the New Constitution of the Shi'a Ismaili Muslims in 1986, the Conciliation and Arbitration Board (CAB) came into existence for the first time in the Ismaili world. Previously, the Ismaili Councils executed the judicial activities in the community. The judicial activities of the Council thenceforward consigned to the newly formed Conciliation and Arbitration Board.
  • Christmas in Africa, Asia & North America
    In the United States and Canada, many elements of modern Christmas celebrations did not emerge until the 19th century. Before then Christmas had been an ordinary workday in many communities, particularly in New England, where early Puritan objections to Christmas celebrations remained highly influential. Among some groups, Christmas was an especially animated event, characterized by huge feasts, drunkenness, and raucous public partying. In an English tradition that survived in some parts of North America, Christmas revelers would dress in costume and progress from door to door to receive gifts of food and drink. Most holiday gifts were limited to small amounts of money and modest presents passed from the wealthy to the poor and from masters to their servants. Families almost never exchanged Christmas gifts among themselves.
  • Christmas Dinner
    As in most Christian cultures, celebrating Christmas dinner with friends and family is the second priority after attending church. Since Christmas is a public holiday in most countries people take the opportunity to visit friends and family. In East Africa goats are sold out at a blink of an eye at the local markets and roasted on Christmas day. In South Africa the sun is hot and the beaches are full of families enjoying braais (barbeques) or traditional Christmas dinners with paper hats, mince pies, turkey and plum pudding (a vestige of the British colonial legacy.) In Ghana Christmas dinner is not complete without fufu and okra soup and in Liberia rice, beef and biscuits are the order of the day. Zimbabweans make sure there are plenty of bread, jam and tea to eat along with their goat meat.
  • Chhanta
    The word chhanta is an Indian word, means an act of sprinkling (the water). Its synonymous in Arabic is rashash means to sprinkle, and rashash'tun (pl. rashashat) means an act of sprinkle (of water). Its proper word in Persian is pashidan. It is a sin that defiles man and renders him impure. The chhanta is a symbolic rite in Ismaili tariqah to dissipate the sins or forgiveness. It is also an act of the purity of body, soul and intellect, thus the sanctified water is sprinkled three times on the face of the believers in its rite.
  • Chand Bibi
    Lack of material does not enable to give a detailed account of the Ismaili influence after the death of Shah Tahir Hussain Dakkani on 956/1549 in Ahmadnagar, India. We do not have explicit details, whether his descendants continued the Ismaili mission in the cloak of Shi'ism or not. There are however certain strong indications that a lady ruler, named Chand Bibi was secretly an Ismaili, but her faith is shrouded in her political activities.
  • Captain Varas Amir Ali
    Period: (1910-1978)

    Vali, the son of Rehmu Bhagat was a devoted person in Bhuj, Kutchh. He left Kutchh for Sind, and ultimately settled in Karachi. Soon after the retirement of Mukhi Alidina Asani (1793-1881) from the post of the Estate Agent in 1873, Imam Hasan Ali Shah appointed him the second Estate Agent for Karachi and Sind. The Imam also bestowed upon him the title of Varas. His descendant became known as the Valliani family in Karachi and Sind. Varas Vali rendered his services with devotion and died in 1878. The third Estate Agent after him was Varas Basaria, who died in 1918. Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah then appointed Varas Ibrahim, the son of Varas Vali as the fourth Estate Agent. Varas Ibrahim (d. 1924) retired in 1920 and he was followed by Wazir Rahim Basaria (d. 1927) as the next Estate Agent. The sixth Estate Agent was Varas Ghulam Hussain (1938), the son of Varas Ibrahim and he was followed by Karim (1881-1968), the son of Varas Ibrahim as the seventh Estate Agent for Karachi and Sind. In sum, the office of the Estate Agent remained in Asani, Valliani and Basaria families.
  • Brotherhood Key to Universal Peace
    These days His Highness prince karim Aga khan is also working die heartedly to promote peace; He is ambassador of peace and due to His efforts for enhancing good relations among East and West He received tolerance award in 2006. He always brings organizations from West to work with AKDN to promote quality of life of people of East, ultimately the relations among different kinds of people would increase and dislikes among people would diminish.
  • Black Clothes
    The word aswad derived from swd means black, occurring seven times in the Koran (2:187, 3:106, 35:27). In the sense of an original black colour, the word aswad occurs only twice: "When you can tell a white thread from a black on in the light of the approaching dawn" (2:187) and "black mountains" (35:27). The word muswadd (dark-faced) is used in 16:58 and its parallel (43:17) to suggest the darkening of the face in the light of bad news as reflection of grief. Other words generally understood as the colour black or dark hues include ahwa in 87:5. The word hamida in 22:5 means lifeless and is ordinarily taken as black-ended. Another term mudhamm used in 55:64 in the sense of dark green, tending to black.
  • Battle Of Jamal
    "A'isha had long hated Ali, and wished that, when the aged Uthman died, her own kinsman, Zubayr, should become caliph. When Uthman was assassinated, she was not in Medina, having gone to Mecca a few weeks previously to perform the pilgrimage. The news of Uthman's murder reached her when she was on the way back. She returned immediately to Mecca and incited the citizens against Ali. The fiery address set a match to the smouldering fire of discontent. The first to respond to A'isha's call was Abdullah bin Amur, the Uthmanid governor of Mecca. Those Umayyads who had fled from Medina after the ghastly murder of Uthman now also joined A'isha, and when Talha and Zubayr came over to A'isha, many more of the Qoraish clamoured to join in the rebellion. A'isha started march on Basra. Throwing off the veil ordained, A'isha now took command of the army. The money to equip it came from Yamen treasury, brought to Mecca by the governor whom Ali had deposed. It is however clear from the sources that in the battle between Ali and A'isha, the triumvirate was fighting for personal reason rather than for the blood of Uthman, which was a timely and convenient pretext for them.
  • Battle of Ditch
    The enemies of the Muslims created a united front after the battle of Badr and Uhud. This culminated in a solemn pact of alliance among the five principal tribes. When the news of this tremendous mobilization reached the Muslims in Medina, it struck them all with panic. It was Monday, the 1st Shawal, 5/February 24, 627 when a gigantic army under the command of Abu Sufian besieged Medina. The number of this invading force is variously estimated at something between ten and twenty-four thousands, the largest single army ever mustered on Arabian soil.
  • Battle of Badr
    "The first battle fought between the Muslims and the Meccans about 80 miles from Medina was that of Badr, lying on the Arabian Peninsula near the Read Sea coast. The date given for the battle is 17th, 19th or 21st Ramzan, 2 A.H./March 13, 15 or 17, 624 A.D. Badr is mentioned explicitly once in the Koran (3:123), but there are allusions to it in at least 32 other verses.

    The Prophet had hardly breathed a sigh of relief in Medina when he was confronted with the series of military expeditions against the fronts of the heathen Meccans. Attack was apprehended every moment from without and treachery from within. Small detachments of the Qoraish of Mecca used to go out on marauding expeditions and scour the country right up to the outskirts of Medina. Once, one such party lifted camels from the very pastures of the town.
  • Bandali Muhammad Ladha
    Period: (d. 1940)

    Aloobhai, the grandfather of Bandali Muhammad Ladha was a dedicated servant of the Imam in Kutchh. He visited Iran to see Imam Hasan Ali Shah. His son Muhammad Ladha migrated to Karachi with his family, and became the third Mukhi of Garden Jamatkhana in Karachi in 1905. In those days, the Ismailis from Kutchh flocked in Karachi, making the population of Garden area over 1500. The existing premises of the Jamatkhana became too small to accommodate the Ismailis; therefore, Mukhi Muhammad Ladha donated a piece of plot, adjoining the Jamatkhana, where a new Jamatkhana was built. He was also appointed President of the Supreme Council for Karachi on June 1, 1911 till November 30, 1911.
  • Baiyat
    The word baiyat, occurring 14 times in the Koran is derived from ba'ya meaning sale and purchase, bargain or transaction. In Arabic the word yabi'u means to sell, ba'a means he sold, al-bai'u means sale and al-baya means sale and purchase. In Islamic terminology, the term baya refers to an agreement or undertaking between the master and his followers. Other synonymous expressions appearing in the Koran are al-ahd (13:19-20) and al-mithaq (33:7, 5:14). Thus, baya or baiyat means an agreement or spiritual undertaking between the Lord and his followers. When one swears an oath of allegiance (baiyat), he gets guarantee from his Lord.
  • Bai Budhai
    Syed Ruknuddin, the son of Pir Hasan Kabiruddin had a daughter, called Bibi Jeval or Bibi Jivan Khatoon. She married to Pir Hasan Kabiruddin and had five sons and a daughter, called Bai Budhai. The biography of Bai Budhai is not found in early or later sources. We have very brief scrap of the traditions. She is referred simply as the daughter of Pir Hasan Kabiruddin or the sister of Syed Imam Shah (d. 926/1520) and nothing else. Syed Imam Shah was the younger son of Pir Hasan Kabiruddin through Bibi Hurmat Khatoon, and the meager detail of Bai Budhai makes little concern connected with him. She is brought on historical record after the death of Pir Hasan Kabiruddin in 853/1449. Whatever is known about her is derived from her dialogues with Syed Imam Shah in the treatise comprised of 71 ginans, entitled Syed Imam Shah tatha Bai Budhai'no Samvad, in which it infers that she complained to Syed Imam Shah their parents died during their small ages (47:5). The age of Syed Imam Shah was about 19 years during the death of his father in 853/1449. It suggests that Bai Budhai's age would have been 16 to 17 years, and as such she was born most possibly in 835/1432 or 836/1433. Summing up the fragments of the ginans, it appears that the name Budhai was her pen name. It is said that her marriage took place with a rich cotton merchant of Syed family. She led a prosperous life, but did not adhere to the path of her forefathers.
  • Azhar Park
    "Her Excellency Madame Suzanne Mubarak inaugurated the 30-hectare (74-acre) al Azhar Park in the presence of the Present Imam in Cairo on March 25, 2005. The al-Azhar Park Project is a catalyst for social, economic and cultural renewal and improvement and will have far reaching consequences for the 200,000 residents of the neighbouring Darb al-Ahmar district.
  • Ayat Al-Ulul Amr
    "The Koran (4:59) says: "O you who believe, obey God, and obey the Messenger and those of you who holds authority (ulul amr)"

    Some tend to interpret ulul amr as the rulers. This interpretation is irrational as it is solely based on the twists of history. The majority of the Muslims have remained as a vassal of the monarchs and rulers, interpreting and reinterpreting Islam and the Koran to strengthen their own kingdom. The history of Muslims is replete with the names of rulers whose injustice, debauchery and tyranny have tarnished the name of Islam. If God were to order us to obey such kings and rulers, an impossible situation would be created for Muslims. The wretched followers would be condemned to the displeasure of God, no matter what they do. If they obey these rulers, they have disobeyed the Command of God: "Do not obey a sinner" (76:24). And if they disobey such rulers, they have again disobeyed the Command of God: "Obey the Muslim rulers" (if it would mean so). Therefore if we accept this interpretation, Muslims are condemned to eternal disgrace whether they obey or disobey their fallible (sinful) rulers. Also, there are Muslim rulers of different schools and persuasions. There are Shafi'is, Hanbalis, Malikis, Hanafis, as well as the Shi'ites and Ibadis. Now, according to this interpretation the Sunnis residing under an Ibadi king (like in Jordan) should follow Ibadi tenets; and those residing under a Shi'ites ruler (like in Iran) should follow the Shi'ites beliefs. Do these people have the conviction of courage to follow their professed interpretation to its logical end?
  • Ayat Al-Mubahila
    "Sixty Christian priests of Najran, headed by Abu Harith bin Aqamah, the grand bishop of Najran, Abdu Massih and Ayham arrived in Medina on 9/631 to clarify their religious and political stance, which had spread over the Arab peninsula and to engage in discussions with the Prophet to realize the essence and truth of Islam.
  • Ayat Al-Mawaddat Al-Qurba
    According to the Koran: "God chose Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham and the family of Imran above all (His) creatures. Offspring, one from the other"(3:33-34). The word dhurriya means direct descendants, family or lineage. It occurs 32 times in the Koran in the context of the prophets, indicating that their mission was assigned to their direct descendants to carry on.
  • Ayat Al-Kursi
    "The ayat al-kursi (the verse of the throne or sedile), is also known as ayat al-hifz. It is a single verse of the Koran (2:255) of more than average length, consisting ten sentences, is one of the principal verses of refuge and protection. It is the loftiest verse of the Koran, and according to George Sale, "It is a magnificent description of the Divine Majesty and Providence". Wherry writes that it is "one of the grandest verses of the Koran." Ayat al-Kursi is one of the most excellent verses of the Koran, and played a key role in piety. It has as well evoked much mystical thought and feeling through the lyrical beauty of its language. These qualities have no doubt given it the prominent place it occupies in the intellectual life of Muslim society.

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