This calligraphy by an Ottoman artist Fakhri ibn Vali el-Brusevi has the following inscription on it: “Call upon Ali who causes wonders to appear, you will find him a help to you in adversity, all anguish and sorrow will disappear through your friendship oh Ali, oh Ali, oh Ali.” Photo Credit: The Trustees of the British Museum. Copyright.
LETTER FROM PUBLISHER
Simerg’s most recent piece A Message to Our Beloved Ismaili Brothers and Sisters in Syria: Our Hearts and Prayers are With You, You are Never Alone! resulted in more than 30 touching responses from readers from around the world. We also heard from various members of the Syrian jamat, who have appreciated the readers’ good wishes and prayers for their jamat. Indeed, one teacher went on to state that prayers was all that they needed.
Over the centuries, wars against enemies who are definitely at fault, has not been won by prayers alone. But there are examples which illustrate that a righteous show of resistance against any intruding enemy, such as the one that we may witness in Salamiyah, can be aided by prayers.
When the Sino-Japanese war broke out in August 1894, Tanaka Giichi, an officer in the Imperial Japanese Army — who then became Japan’s Prime Minister in 1927 — and several of his followers went to a small deserted island called Sakurajima located near Osaka. They built a two-stories platform and enshrined a sword in front of a statue of Nichiren (a Japanese monk in the 13th century) on an altar set to face Peking. The cutting edge of the sword was also made to face the Chinese capital.
Three times a day for over a month, they prayed for the defeat of the enemy, and on the day they concluded the services, word was received that Pyongyang had fallen to the victorious Japanese army. This was powerful vindication of the invocation prayer which called for the wisdom of the Buddha to be brought to bear upon the evil sphere of China.[1]
Centuries earlier, according to a story in the Islamic tradition narrated by Hussain Rashid in a piece for this website, [2] the Prophet Muhammad laid siege to the fort of Khaybar, but the walls were so well-fortified that the army could not break through. The Angel Gabriel came to the Prophet Muhammad and told him to recite the Naad-e Ali:
“Nade Ali, Nade Ali, Nade Ali
Nade Aliyyan mazhar al-ajaib
Tajidahu awnan lakafin-nawaib
Kullu hammin wa ghammin
sayanj-i Ali Bi wilayatika,
Ya Ali! Ya Ali! Ya Ali!”“Call Ali call Ali call Ali,
the manifestation of marvels
He will be your helper in difficulty
Every anxiety and sorrow will end
Through your friendship.
O Ali, O Ali, O Ali.”
Hazrat Ali came to the Prophet’s aid, and in an act of heroism he tore down the gate of the fort, and the army of the Prophet crossed over and successfully ended the siege. Ali, of course, was a valiant fighter within the fort and when victory was achieved, the Angel Gabriel appeared to Prophet Muhammad again and said to him:
“There is no hero but Ali; there is no sword but Dhu’lfiqar.”
The prayer of Naad-e-Ali is a very strong Shia tradition, and can be recited today under different circumstances, such as the one we have today in Syria and other parts of the Muslim world. It can be recited when one is surrounded by enemies, as well as when one is facing personal troubles and tribulations. Like the power of prayer witnessed during the Sino-Japanese war, Naad-e-Ali’s recitation even 3 to 5 times daily, will empower those engaged in resisting the enemy, and Inshallah avert the grave crisis from children, women and men who remain close to the frontline.
The constant and regular recitation of Naad-e-Ali, particularly at this difficult time, will infuse within us a deeper commitment to prayer, and a selfless awareness of the needs and struggles of thousands of our brothers and sisters in Syria and other parts of the world.
Date posted: Thursday, April 9, 2015.
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[1] Episode quoted from “The Lotus Sutra in Japanese Culture”, page 206, originally mentioned in Tanaka Chicagu Jide.
[2] See Rashid’s Historical Images: The Naad-e-Ali, “Call Upon Ali….oh Ali, oh Ali, oh Ali,” in Ottoman Calligraphy, and Other Shia Inscriptions in the British Museum’s Islamic Collection
YOUR FEEDBACK: We invite our readers to offer their solidarity with the Ismaili jamat in Syria and the people of Syria by conveying their heartfelt prayers by clicking on LEAVE A COMMENT or in the comment box below. If you encounter any difficulty in submitting your comment, please email your comment for publication to Simerg@aol.com, subject “Syria.”
Simerg - Insights from Around the World 
Dear brothers and sisters:
Every moment holds love if we connect inside. Like the sea’s calm beneath, God’s strength rules if we submit the tides and ripples of pain to Him in total surrender and say Salwaat or His name in jaap continuously. Ali bolo Munivar jan Ali ke charan chint lao ek man. Solace and peace come from knowing that we are always in His sight even though we may not be able to see Him. This pain is necessary to awaken. Just submit all pain to Him aape uthi shah ne besan dije vira, sohi tamara dharam likhaiya (You get up and have Him sit at the driver’s seat of your heart, your religion is only that much. Ask Him continuously your next step, tauba shukhar madad).
Jal tu Jalal tu , Kudrat no karnaar tu , Har bala taad tu, Mushkil asaan kar tu Ya Ali Ya Ali Ya Ali
With love, prayers, light
Naaz
PS We are one soul, we suffer with your suffering too. Rest assured that is true.
Dear Malik
Ignorant as I am in Arabic, the English version you have given out of this Prayer with beautiful Arabic script that sadly I cannot read, but can hear it and share it with our afflicted brethren not just in Syria but also in Bahrain, Iran and more currently with Shia in Sana’a in Yemen. This, the most powerful prayer of Nade Ali in its entirety rings in my ears and jogs my memory of times when I have addressed it to Mowla. Since our young days our parents taught us lovingly while comforting us. When any of us face tribulations, for Mushkeel Asaan we privately recite it connecting as if on a direct line, a personal phone call to Ali. He is engraved in our hearts; this supplication is embossed deep down in our soul as the SOS, ultimate call out to help us, to our Mowla Ali present our ‘ghat’ closer than our jugular vein. Ginans: ‘Rome rome maaro Shah vase, jem champa phul manhe vaas…avun Janine bhagatai kijiye …’
Enough. Words fail me as I bow down my head in Sujjud with all his created human kind. Thank you for the beautiful gift of ‘Nade Ali’ to us, the victims of atrocities, pain and suffering. Ameen.
Prayer is the most powerful thing & can change everything. We have to thank Allah for everything He bestows upon us, always hears our thoughts and blesses us when we need anything when we pray with true faith. At this time, it becomes incumbent upon us to remember and pray for those suffering and dying in war zone area. Inshallah, the call to Ali will safeguard those who are facing crisis and trying to survive.
Condolences and prayers for the family members who lost their loved ones and sincere prayers for all those who are in war zone area. Ameen.
Reblogged this on adventuresofsufigirl.
Time and again, in his farmans of recent years, especially during the Golden Jubilee Mowlana Hazar Imam has said to the jamat to say a silent prayer. Calling the names of the imams, or Prophet Mohammed or Ali. Also the most powerful prayer is the Salwat.
The Syrian jamat is going through a lot of difficult times and we pray for peace to be restored for them. Amen.
Ya Ali Tun Reham Kar, Ya Mowla Tun Fazal Kar, Har Bhala Tun Dur Kar, Mushkil ku Asaan, Mowla Ali.
Dearest Ismaili parents, brothers, sisters and children. We are deeply sad for the difficult circumstances you are facing. We might be far but our hearts are heavy with grief. We cannot reach you but we are of the same spiritual parent that makes us pray for you more strongly. InshaAllah Mowla will help you overcome this very difficult moment in your lives. Allah bless all the departed souls in eternal peace Ameen.
Ya Ali Madad
Nade Ali, Nade Ali. Ya Mawla to madat kar, mushkil assan kar, rahem kar.
Shukr Alhamdulillah
Reblogged this on Paderborner 'SJ' Blog.
God: Keep and save Syria and defend its good people, culture and its deep history. Ameen, Ameen Ameen. Ya Allah, Ya Muhammad, Ya Ali, defeat its enemies. “There is no hero but Ali; there is no sword but Dhu’lfaqar”.
I pray to Hazar Imam that whatever sewa that I have done, the benefit of that service should go to my brothers and sisters in Syria. Ameen.
I think that Syria would have fallen down too early if our jamat would not exist in Syria, that’s the miracle of Imam of the time and his blessings. No doubt this is a very hard time for our Syrian jamat, and all our world’s jamat pray for our Syrian jamat for their peace and strength and for them to stay on Siratal Mustaqeem.
Dear Malik Merchant
You are very right; with complete faith if one recites Nad-e-Ali; and Inshallah success will be positive.
Warm Regards
Manji
PS: Wanted to write and say thank you; but this particular piece of writing made my day. Moula always keep you under His blessings.
Please also visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/manji