Simerg is an independent initiative dedicated to Ismaili Muslims, the Aga Khan — their Hereditary Imam — and the Ismaili Imamat, and Islam in general through literary readings, photo essays and artistic expressions
July 11, 2024, marks a significant milestone in the history of Ismaili Muslims worldwide. It’s the 67th Imamat Day of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan. This day symbolizes his succession to the Divine Throne of Imamat as the 49th Ismaili Imam at the young age of 20, a pivotal moment in the continuing spiritual and material journey of the Ismaili Muslim community.
On this auspicious day, we extend our heartfelt felicitations to all our readers and Ismailis worldwide and express our humble gratitude to Mawlana Hazar Imam for his continuous blessings and guidance for his spiritual children. We also appreciate his family members for their contribution to the Institution of Imamat.
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, 49th Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims, pictured at the Diamond Jubilee Darbar in Kenya. Photo: The Ismaili.
On this blessed day, we extend our warmest wishes to all Ismailis worldwide. May this Imamat Day bring you joy, good health, prosperity, and spiritual enlightenment. Let’s find solace in the constant presence of the Imam in our lives. He wishes the best for us, both in our material and spiritual aspects, and we are always in his heart, thoughts, and prayers. As he has said, “You are all constantly in my heart, in my thoughts and in my prayers.”
The Imam’s love for his community is unwavering. As he has said, “No mountains, no river, no desert can separate the Imam from his murids” and “You must remember that Imam loves you more, much more than you can ever love him, and you must be strong in this knowledge.”
Indeed, as murids (followers) of Mawlana Hazar Imam, we must draw inspiration and strength from these messages.
The Rope of Imamat is an everlasting Rope of Guidance, Love and Affection and will stretch out for eternity; the wish and prayer of every murid of the Imam should be to hold fast to the Promised Rope and remain on the Straight Path (Sirat al-Mustaqim).
Earlier this week, Kutub Kassam’s poem and introduction to the poem Mazhar or Theophany made it abundantly clear that the Imam-of-the-Time is the Mazhar par excellence. He is the bearer of the Divine Light in the terrestrial world and the most perfect expression of the underlying divine reality.
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Calligraphy to commemorate the 67th Imamat Day of His Highness the Aga Khan, Mawlana Shah Karim Al Hussaini Hazar Imam. The Quranic verse “Wa Kulla Sha’in Ahsainahu fee Imamim-Mubeen” is in cursive script with the border top and bottom “Shah Karim” in eastern Kufi. Calligraphy and design by Karim Ismail, Toronto, Canada.
As a follow-up, Toronto’s Karim Ismaili has designed a beautiful Imamat Day card bearing the Quranic verse, “Wa kulla shai’in ahsainaahu feee Imaamim Mubeen” (Quran, 36:12), meaning “We have vested (the knowledge and authority of) everything in the Manifest Imam.”
This verse underscores the central role of the Imam in every Ismaili’s spiritual journey and life. Our goal should be to strengthen this belief in our hearts, minds and souls for our spiritual upliftment, happiness, and courage to face any adversity that comes our way. As the 48th Imam, Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah, observed, “You will have no fear in this world if you love the descendants of Muhammad and Ali.”
Much of the inspiration for my paintings comes from Mawlana Hazar Imam His Highness the Aga Khan’s guidance to the Ismaili community on the importance of brotherhood, pluralism, and living a life where we “do not forsake the soul for the material world.” Indeed, I draw continued encouragement from the Imam’s guidance as an artist and in my daily life.
Take Me Away by Shafina Jaffer. Medium: Oil on canvas. Size: 200 x 80 cm (78.7 x 31.5 in). This painting was projected on the facade of Windsor Castle during the Coronation Concert honouring the Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla, on May 7, 2023. Shafina presented the original painting to Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, for the auspicious occasion of Navroz, March 21, 2024. Photograph: Shafina Jaffer collection.
Last year, I curated a painting for King Charles’s coronation, and on the occasion of Navroz — the Persian New Year — on March 21, 2024, the same painting, “Take Me Away,” was gifted to Mawlana Hazar Imam, who graciously accepted it and encouraged me to pursue my talents. His message moved me, and as a show of gratitude to celebrate his 67th Imamat Day on July 11, 2024, I have embarked on a series of Mawlana Hazar Imam portrait paintings that will be presented in the coming months on this website.
Simerg and its sister website, Barakah, share the first painting in this series that captures a very youthful Hazar Imam. When asked about my choice to depict Mawlana Hazar Imam at this age, I explain that it’s the image that has been etched in my mind growing up: a sympathetic, youthful figure radiating with light. This personal connection with the Imam drives my artistic expression and deepens my sense of gratitude.
Delving into mixed-media mediums, I use my heritage and strong affiliation with spirituality to sow the seeds of my creativity. Since completing my Graduate Diploma (Art & Design) and Master’s Degree (Painting) from the Royal College of Art, I have explored the intricacies of nature, human relationships, and spirituality within the field of art and their interrelationship.
Religion and spirituality are not just important themes in my art; they are the essence of my work, reflecting my deep exploration of faith and the human connection to the divine. My canvases are vibrant and alive, filled with a playful mix of colour, form, and texture, with natural mediums playing a pivotal role. Faith pushes me to transcend the physical and visible, uncovering what resides at the core and infusing the outer edges with life. Indeed, with such portraiture of the Imam, the lines between literal and divine interpretation are moving and profound.
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Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, by Shafina Jaffer. Medium: Oil, Gold and Charcoal; Size: 42 x 32 cm. Original photograph for painting: Gary Otte (cover page and page 121 of Depth of Field: The Aga Khan Beyond the Lens).
This portrait of the Aga Khan, painted with meticulous care and deep gratitude, captures his serene and compassionate essence. I have highlighted his gentle smile and thoughtfully intelligent eyes, conveying wisdom and kindness. The subtle use of colours and shading brings out the depth of his character and position in humanity, reflecting his profound impact as a spiritual leader and guide. One can easily see an overarching glow settled upon the canvas — reflecting his holy and elevated demeanour.
The border, crafted in real gold and liquid charcoal, symbolizes his love for nature and adds a unique, elegant touch to the piece. This artwork is a heartfelt tribute, expressing deep appreciation for the Aga Khan’s guidance and positive influence on my life and practice. It stands as a testament to the enduring respect and admiration he commands.
Upon gazing at this painting, one can forget that it is not a photograph. My brush has sought to create a three-dimensional profound effect which makes it appear that the face is emerging from the confines of the page to look into the viewer’s eyes, saying:
“Everybody makes mistakes. Never regret them; correct them. There’s no such thing as a perfect world or perfect life” — His Highness the Aga Khan.
Date posted: July 9, 2024.
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Work in progress, as Ismaili artist Shafina Jaffer paints a portrait of His Highness the Aga Khan in her studio in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The iconic artist was invited to the residence of the US Ambassador to Tanzania on US Independence Day, July 4, 2024, to exhibit her paintings featuring African women.
“The Spiritual Adam is to be identified with the divine Nur (Light) of Imamat, which is symbolised in the poem by the ‘glittering star of glory wrought and beauty spun’. The Mazhar par-excellence is the Imam who bears this Light in the terrestrial world. He is the most perfect expression of the divine hypostasis because in him the theomorphosis is fully realised and the Absolute becomes manifest to mortal eyes.”
Before and after the notion and the conception, after and before the ascent and the descent, before the exhalation and after the inhalation, in the mirror of infinity appears reflected without being effected, an oblique plane of occultation, a formless square of un-differentiated, impalpable darkness, without sense perceived nor by cognition conceived, in dreamless sleep concealed.
II
The darkness radiates a boundless halo of purest light that radiates no colour nor projects a shadow, seeming by degrees luminous and transparent, then radiant and fiery, manifesting to itself its mirrored face, dazzling bright in its own essence, observed by itself, to itself only known the conditioned fullness of the unconditioned abeyance, the circle locked with the square, the curve straining against the tangent.
III
One timeless momentum the bow arched, the string quivered; being by compulsion caught and volition seized, at once is released a speeding shaft of thought, through seven permutations whirling, thrilling the passive womb at the point of impact, irradiating around it instantaneously, an immaculate field of unity, between the centre and the circumference vibrating, from the zenith to the nadir gyrrating.
IV
In the third heavenly circuit, the primordial point generated a continuous horizontal line; crossed vertically from within without, at the intersection of possibility and necessity, there crystallised in the firmament a glittering star of glory wrought and beauty spun, unbegotten born, non-existent known, directionlike converging and dispersing effulgent beams of nine and forty prismatic rays, which hang from it by the finest threads.
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An Introduction to Mazhar
From a stylistic point of view, the poem may be regarded as an experiment in symbolic poetry. A symbol is an image or an idea with multiple levels of significance. The language of symbolism is an essential feature of Ismaili literature, where the principles of tanzil (literal interpretation) and tawil (allegorical interpretation) correspond to the zahir (exoteric) and batin (esoteric) dimensions of meaning respectively. This poem too employs a variety of symbols, ranging from the purely poetic to the geometrical and mathematical, which may be interpreted upon several planes of exoteric and esoteric significance. No single perspective, however, can possibly exhaust the totality of explicit and implicit meaning of the poem.
The title of the poem, Mazhar, which embodies the fundamental idea of the poem, may be translated into English as Epiphany or more accurately as Theophany, that is to say a manifestation of God. The poem describes such a theophanic process in the form of a symbolic cosmology or creation of the universe. This cosmic transformation, which is basically cyclic in execution, is effected through a series of trinary and septenary emanations without upsetting the primordial Unity of Being. It is by means of the dialectical tension generated between the symbols one, three and seven that the poem attempts to capture the sense of dynamic motion inherent in the Cosmogenesis.
It is impossible in this introductory note to explore the multiple levels of symbolic complexity to be discovered in the poem. It may be possible, however, to delineate the conceptual framework within which the poem may be appreciated or criticised. This framework is basically that formulated by Ismaili philosophers such as Abu Hatim ar-Razi, Abu Ya’qub al-Sijistani and Harnid’ud-din al-Kirmani centuries ago, though not entirely conforming to their cosmological schemes, for a certain degree of poetic license has been used to adapt them to the poet’s purpose. Moreover, a number of original symbols employed here have no counterparts in traditional Ismaili cosmological literature.
Part I of the poem conceives of the Absolute in its original, indivisible, undifferentiated and transcendent state of Unity, which is unknowable, ineffable, above all qualities and attributes. The Absolute has not yet initiated the Dawr al-Saar (Cycle of Epiphany), but remains concealed in the Dawral-Kashf (Cycle of Occultation). It is in Part II that the first plane of differentiation is effected with the primordial divine epiphany, the Aql-i-Kull (First Intellect), which is the cosmic rational principle. Unlike the Absolute, the Intellect can be predicated with primary attributes and a potentiality for action. It is the mirror in which the Absolute can behold its own qualities of oneness, knowledge, perfection, etc.
The Intellect is not to be regarded as inbi-‘ath (act of emanation). The identity of the Absolute and the Intellect is aptly summarised in the negative and affirmative poles of the declaration: La Ilaha illa’l-Lah. The theophanic process becomes dynamic in Part III with the imperative Amr (Word) of God: Kun (Be! ). The word is the Logos, the first creative principle, the kinetic agent of the Intellect. Its epiphanic field of activity is the passive Nafs-i-Kull (Universal Soul). Their relationship is symbolically expressed in Ismaili literature by the Quranic designations Qalam (Pen) for the Intellect and Lawh (Tablet) for the Soul. The Intellect is the Sabiq (Precursor) and the Soul its Tali (Successor).
Part IV of the poem completes the theophanic cycle in so far as the meta-cosmic plane of reality is concerned. It is in this phase that the celestial archetype of the universe and mankind is manifested which, in Ismaili terminology, bears the name of Adam Ruhani (Spiritual Adam). Though ranking third in the hierarchy of divine epiphanies, he occupies a unique position in the theophanic order, combining within himself the virtues of the Intellect and the Soul that preceded him, as well as the entire spectrum of hierocosmic epiphanies that is to follow him, corresponding to every plane of existence and order of being in the spiritual and material worlds.
Now the Spiritual Adam is to be identified with the divine Nur (Light) of Imamat, which is symbolised in the poem by the ‘glittering star of glory wrought and beauty spun’. And therefore, the Mazhar par-excellence is the Imam who bears this Light in the terrestrial world. He is the most perfect expression of the divine hypostasis because in him the theomorphosis is fully realised and the Absolute becomes manifest to mortal eyes. It then becomes clear in what manner the Imam represents the macrocosms as al-Isan al-Kabir The Great Man), the microcosmos as al-Insan al-Kamil (The Perfect Man), as well as the Qutb (axis) of the universe, without whom the world would not survive even for an instant.
Although the phases of creation, as narrated in the poem, are basically confined to the world of primal spiritual realities, by implication the theophanic process incorporates in one spontaneous sweep the material world also, right down to the contemporary historical period. This is specified in the conclusion of the poem by reference to the ‘nine and forty prismatic rays’, which identifies the Imam of the Age, Mawlana Shah Karim al-Hussaini, His Highness the Aga Khan, the forty-ninth direct descendant of Prophet Muhammad, the spiritual guide and leader of Ismailis, as the master hierophant of the divine mystery and the Mazhar of our times.
Date posted: July 8, 2024.
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Kutub Kassam
The poem Mazhar and its introduction have been adapted from Kutub Kassam’s original piece, which appeared in Ilm magazine, Imamat Day Issue (July 1977, pages 38-41), published by His Highness the Aga Khan Shia Imami Ismailia Association for the UK (now known as the Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Board or ITREB). Kutub Kassam passed away in 2019 after 40 years of dedicated service to Ismaili Institutions in Africa and the UK as a curriculum developer, editor, writer and researcher. Simerg paid a respectful tribute to Kutub Kassam and his enduring legacy in a special piece published on March 25, 2019.
The author has adapted this article from the March 1982 issue of Al-Misbah Magazine, published by the Ismailia Association for the UK. The original article, which was under the title Navroz, has been edited and improved for clarity and includes additional material.
Navroz, meaning New Day or New Year, marks the start of the Persian spring festival. It occurs on or around March 21 of the March equinox. The United Nations has designated March 21 as the International Day of Nowruz annually (the Secretary General’s 2024 message can be read HERE.)
It is an occasion of great rejoicing among people in Iran, many parts of the Middle East, Central and South Asia, and the Shi’a communities worldwide. Besides being New Year’s Day, it is also celebrated as the Festival of Spring because it is at this period that winter makes its exit for the colourful spring season.
Navroz holds a significant place in history, dating back some 2,500 years to the reign of King Jamshed. Despite a temporary halt after the rise of Islam in Iran, it was reintroduced by the Abbasid Caliph Mansoor in 770 AC (153 AH, or Hijri). Since then, Navroz has been a cherished national occasion and custom, celebrated with zeal by more than 300 million people worldwide.
In Fatimid Egypt, the state ruled by Ismaili Imams, the Spring Festival was a national celebration during the reign of the first eight Fatimid Imams/Caliphs from 969 to 1094 AC (358 to 487 AH). Although the Fatimid Imams ruled over Egypt, this festival was not exclusively Ismaili because the Ismailis, even at that time, were a minority group in the Caliphate.
The actual celebration of Navroz among the Ismailis could be said to have started in Iran during the Alamut Period of Ismaili history. Ismailis living in Alamut were farmers; hence, in the spring season, they would look forward to preparing their farms for a good harvest.
The glorious transformation of nature at the time of Navroz, the start of the spring season, reminds us of Allah’s creative power and the bounties He continually showers on us. The arrival of spring, with its sprouting seedlings, blossoming buds, vibrant colours, and rushing waters, is a vivid reminder of our true inner essence.
Like these elements of nature, we, too, have the potential to bloom and grow under the nurturing care and warmth of Imam-of-the-Time. The Preamble of the Ismaili Constitution proclaims that the Imam’s ta‘lim (guidance/teaching) lights the each follower’s path to spiritual enlightenment and vision.
Born as Ismailis, with the recognition of the Imam, this life is the spring season of our souls. The Divine Noor shines brightly over our souls. We must cleanse ourselves of unrighteousness and cultivate an original, spontaneous, and permanent relationship with the Noor (Light) of Imamat so that every breath and activity of our life becomes the worship of the Merciful. The festival of Navroz should result in a spiritual rebirth for each of us and inspire greater love for our Imam.
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This is a signed photograph, dated March 24, 1960, of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, 49th Imam of the Shia Imami Ismailis, pictured in a Burmese traditional dress during his visit to Burma in March 1960 when he celebrated the Persian New Year, Navroz, which falls on March 21st, with his Ismaili followers. The signed photograph contains his blessings. Photo: Anwar Virani Archives, Ottawa.
Navroz is an auspicious time to initiate self-improvement because nature, so to speak, is turning a new page in the book of life. It is a time to review our lives and determine necessary improvements. In a detached, objective way, we should analyze our positive and negative traits and then resolve to change bad habits into good ones.
Our covenant with Mawlana Hazar Imam is a promise we have given him to endeavour to achieve a proper balance between our material and spiritual lives. When choosing our resolution, one idea should always loom before the rest: ask ourselves, “What do we want from life, and what will earn Mawlana Hazar Imam’s divine pleasure?” A straightforward answer to this question should be: “To govern our lives by his deep desire for us to live within the Islamic concepts of unity, justice, tolerance, goodwill, generosity and the regularity by which we practice our faith.”
Mowlana Hazar Imam’s message spells out the meaning and significance of this auspicious day for us. He says: “I say to you all on Navroz, ‘Navroz Mubarak,’ and I want you, at the beginning of this New Year, to try to think a bit ahead in your future. Each Navroz, say to yourselves, ‘Have we done our work?’ If you have, then I will be very happy indeed. I say Idd Mubarak to all of you and give you most affectionate blessings.” — Rangoon, Burma, March 21, 1960.
By steeping our consciousness in love for the Imam-of-the-Time and wisely directing our activities, we shall make our lives one unending act of worship. Therefore, let this Navroz be a New Day on the path of spiritual glory, material well-being, and progress. Let each New Day be a Navroz to strengthen our spiritual bonds with Imam-e-Zaman, reminding us that his blessings are always with us.
We conclude with our beloved Imam’s final words spoken in Rangoon: “On this day of Navroz, I say to each and every one of you, Idd Mubarak, and I pray that in this New Year, your worldly and spiritual happiness should progress tenfold and that this will be the case every year.” — Rangoon, Burma, March 21, 1960.
Date posted: March 18, 2024. Last updated: March 20, 2024 (inserted link to UN Secretary General’s 2024 Nowruz message in 1st paragraph).
Conceived and created by Dr. Nurin Merchant, this Navroz greeting incorporates the rose and jasmine flowers which are extremely popular in Iran during the celebration of Navroz. The base of the picture shows shoots of wheat grass signifying robust evergreen health throughout the year.
Abstract: The auspicious occasion of Navroz generates immense happiness and makes our hearts jump with joy as we receive blessings from Mawlana Hazar Imam together with roji and Ab-e-Shifa and recite the traditionally Ginan Navroz na din Sohamna. This post includes two beautiful recitations of the Ginan by Shamshudin Bandali Haji (full Ginan) and Mumtaz Bhulji (selected verses) followed by an explanation by Sadruddin Hassam. In the Ginan, Sayyid Fatehali Shah relates the combined experience of the zahiri deedar (exoteric or physical glimpse or meeting) that he was granted by the 45th Ismaili Imam, Shah Khalilullah (peace be on him), and the inner joy of contentment and ecstasy that he experienced with the bestowal of Noorani (spiritual or esoteric) grace.
Navroz Ginan recitation by Shamshu Bandali Haji
Recitation of Navroz Ginan by Late Shamshudin Bandali Haji. In his opening remark, the reciter mistakenly attributes the Ginan to Pir Shamsh. The clarification about the composer is provided in the article below.
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Navroz Ginan recitation of selected verses by Mumtaz Bhulji
Recitation of selected verses of Navroz Ginan by Mumtaz Bhulji
An attempt is made in this article to give an interpretation of the devotional Ginan Navroz na din Sohamna, which is recited by Ismaili Jamats in many parts of the world on the occasion of the celebration of the Persian New Year which falls on March 21st. In this ginan the composer, Sayyid Fatehali Shah, relates the combined experience of the zahiri deedar (exoteric or physical glimpse or meeting) that he was granted by the 45th Ismaili Imam, Shah Khalilullah (peace be on him), and the inner joy of contentment and ecstasy that he experienced with the bestowal of Noorani (spiritual or esoteric) grace. At the same time, he gently persuades the mu’min (a believer) to always strive for esoteric understanding as well as to develop a lasting spiritual relationship with the Imam of the Time. It may be noted that in Shia Imami Ismaili theology each Imam is the bearer of the same Divine Light (Noor). The Divine Institution of Imamat has its origins in the first Shia Imam, Hazrat Ali (peace be on him), who was declared as the successor to Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him) at the famous historical event at Ghadir-e-Khumm.
As the composer has to narrate the exoteric experience as well as the ineffable esoteric relationship, the ginanic diction that he uses has to resort to the traditional and familiar imagery and symbolic expressions in order to convey his message. The words, the imagery and the symbolic expressions, however, blend beautifully in this ginan. This beauty, unfortunately, cannot be recreated in this prosaic interpretation. Nor can we go into the prosody of the ginan.
In this reading we shall first address a common held misunderstanding about the identity of the composer. We shall then make an attempt to describe the exoteric experience of the composer’s meeting with the Imam, as so wonderfully narrated in the ginan, and finally we shall examine and interpret some of the key words and expressions to convey the ineffable spiritual experience as well as the composer’s gentle persuasion to the mu’mins. One hopes that this brief reading will heighten the reader’s appreciation and understanding of this ginan.
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A clarification about the composer and the period of composition
The composition of this ginan is sometimes wrongly attributed to Pir Shams al-Din who lived more than four centuries before the actual composer of this ginan, Sayyid Fatehali Shah. This mistake may have arisen because of the pen-name he has used in the second line of the last verse which reads:
Bhane Shamsi tamme sambhro rookhi.
It was a normal practice for the composer to mention his own name in the concluding verses of the ginan. But Shamsi here does not refer to Pir Shams al-Din – rather it was the pen-name of Sayyid Fatehali Shah.
He, like a number of other Sayyids, who did the work of da’wa (propagation and teaching) in India, may have been a descendant of Pir Hassan Kabirdin. Sayyid Fatehali Shah himself preached among the communities in Sind. He eventually died there and was buried near Jerruk which is south of Hyderabad in Pakistan.
The first two lines in verse seven give us the clues as to the period when this ginan was composed as well as validate the real name of the composer. These lines read:
Eji gaddh Chakwa ne kille Shah Khalilullah ramme Tiyaan Fatehali ne mayya karine bolaawiyya
Shah Khalilullah here refers to the forty-fifth Ismaili Imam, whose Imamat was from 1780 to 1817 A.C. He lived in Iran in the town of Mahallat, which is located approximately 362 kilometers from Tehran. The town is situated on the slope of a mountain. Mahallat is also amongst the most ancient residential areas in Iran and was an important base of the Ismailis; hence the many references to the 46th and 47th Imams (Aga Khan I and II) as Aga Khan Mahallati. Sayyids and murids of the Imam from various parts used to come to Mahallat to pay their respects. This ginan is therefore fairly recent, having been composed either towards the end of eighteenth century or early in the nineteenth century.
It appears that like many other murids, Sayyid Fatehali Shah travelled from Sind to Iran to meet Hazrat Imam Shah Khalilullah.
On arriving in Mahallat on the day of Navroz, he learns that the Imam has gone to the woods on a hunting expedition. The Sayyid naturally feels disappointed that having come all the way, he did not have the opportunity for the deedar. This feeling of sadness is lamented in the first stanza of the ginan. Despite this, there is an undercurrent of inner hope at the prospect of having the deedar by the mercy of the Imam.
The pangs of separation from the beloved and the yearning for reunion are a recurrent theme in Ismaili ginans and also in Sufi mystical poetry. In this ginan, there is the lament of this separation, but in keeping with the traditional ginanic function, there is also gentle persuasion and hope of spiritual union.
We shall now examine how Sayyid Fatehali Shah relates his zaheri deedar of the Imam and how this blends with his esoteric experience.
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The meeting with the Imam of the Time in the woods and at the fort
In the following four verses (1, 2, 3 and 7), Sayyid Shamsi relates his quest for the Master which leads to his meeting with Imam Shah Khalilullah. The meetings (deedar) fulfilled his intense yearning.
Transliteration:
Eji Navroz na din sohamna, Shah Ali Qayam shikaar ramwa vann gaya, Sevak na mann thaya oodassi, Praan Ali charne rahiya…..1
Interpretive Translation and Explanation
On a beautiful day of Navroz, Imam-e-Zaman had gone to the woods to hunt. (I) His murid (disciple) became sad at heart (for missing my Master), as my soul was yearning to be at the feet of the Imam. (An expression of respect and – obedience to the Imam)….1
Navruz (Navroz – Gujrati variation) is a Persian word meaning ‘New Year’s Day’ (twenty-first March). This is the first day of spring, hence the day is beautiful (sohamna). Shah Ali Qayam refers to Imam-e-Zaman (Imam of the Time) because Noor-e-Imama is everpresent (qayam). Shikaar ramwa gaya means ‘went hunting’ and vann means ‘woods.’ Sevak is ‘one who is ready to serve or obey,’ in this case a ‘disciple’ or a ‘murid.’ Praan means ‘inner life’ or ‘soul.’
VERSE 2
Transliteration
Eji Shah Qayam preete jo chint baandhi Nar ne preete amme vann gaya Eva vann sohamna Nar Qayam ditha, Dela dai devanta rahiya …..2
Interpretive Translation and Explanation
Impatient because of my ardent and deep loving desire to meet the Imam, I also went into the woods, which in the presence of the Imam unfolded like heavenly gates looking angelically beautiful….2
The expression preete jo chint baandhi literally means ‘with love when (one) focuses on the remembrance (dhikr).’ Dela dai devanta rahiya is an idiomatic expression implying ‘the unveiling of angelic (devanta) beauty with the opening of gates (dela).’ When the murid (devotee) searches inwards for the murshid (master), spiritual insight keeps on unveiling the gates with ever-increasing beauty.
VERSE 3
Transliteration
Eji bhalu thayu Saahebe soomat aali, Shah Ali Qayam saathe ramwa amme vann gaya. Anant aasha poori amaari Shah dil bhaave gamya….3
Interpretive Translation and Explanation
It was a blessing that the Master inspired in me the wisdom so that I went into the woods. My intense yearning was fulfilled because true bliss had blossomed in my heart…..3
Saahebe soomat aali means ‘the Master inspired in me the wisdom.’ Anant asha poori amaari means ‘my intense yearning (for deedar, both zahiri and batini) was fulfilled.’
VERSE 7
Transliteration
Eji gaddh Chakwa ne kille Shah Khalilullah ramme, Tiyaan Fatehaline mayya kari ne bolaawiya, Anant aasha poori amaari Neet Ali Noore oothiya….7
Interpretive Translation and Explanation
Shah Khalilullah, pleasantly relaxing at the fortress in Chakwa, graciously summoned me (Fatehali) in his presence; then with the constant overflowing of His Noor, fulfilled my many ardent wishes (for spiritual growth)….7
The expression Neet Ali Noore oothiya implies ‘the mystical experience of the overflowing of the Noorani Deedar of Ali (The Imam Eternal) which was granted (to him).’
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The inner search and experience
In the remaining four verses (4, 5, 6 and 8 ) of the ginan, Sayyid Shamsi, touches upon his own inner yearnings and gently persuades the listener to seek out the spiritual vision through the love and grace of the spiritual lord.
VERSE 4
Transliteration
Eji hette Alisu hirakh baandho, Avichal ranga Sahebse girahiya, Evi chint baandhi Nar Qayam saathe, Sat bhandaar motiye bhariya….4
Interpretive Translation and Explanation
Be joyfully bound in the love of Ali And attain the unfading spiritual color (the state of bliss) from the Master; When my mind was bound to the Ever-Living Lord in contemplation Reality adorned (the Soul) with priceless treasure of (Noorani) pearls….4
Avichal ranga Sahebse girahiya means ‘the permanent state of bliss from the Lord’ and refers to the nafs-i-mutmainna or ‘the contented self’ (Holy Qur’an, 89:27). It is a state of mind which is serene because the self has understood the Reality. The verse of the Holy Qur’an reads: But ah! thou soul at peace! (translated M. Pickthall).
VERSE 5
Transliteration
Eji amme Saheb saathe sahel kidha, Riddh siddhaj paamiya, Ek mann ginan je saambhre Aa jeev tena odhariya….5
Interpretive Translation and Explanation
I (Fatehali) relished the spiritual journey with the Master (the Imam), and (as a result) I was blessed with spiritual elevation and gnosis (spiritual insight). He who listens to the Ginans attentively (and strives for the contemplative knowledge), his soul finds the path to salvation….5
Here the Sayyid implies that a mu’min should strive for the batini deedar (spiritual reality of the Imam). One may achieve this with the blessing of the Imam.
VERSE 6
Transliteration
Eji jeev jiyaare joogat paame, Praan popey ramm rahiya, Agar chandan prem rasiya, Hette hans sarowar zeeliya…..6
Interpretive Translation and Explanation
When the self understands reality, the soul blends beautifully like a flower and experiences musk and sandalwood-like fragrance. The self floats in ecstasy of love as a swan swims in a lake….6
This verse contains symbolic expressions and imagery to convey the ineffable serenity and the inner joy of the fortunate one who has been graced with the the batini (esoteric) experience. The life of such a person becomes beautiful like a flower.
The fragrance of musk (agar) and sandalwood (chandan) symbolizes good behavior of the gifted one through speech and good deeds.
The swan (hans) represents the soul that is pure. Through esoteric and ecstatic experiences it remains liberated and is in abiding love for the beloved.
VERSE 8
Transliteration
Eji bhai re moman tamey bhaave araadho, Bhane Shamsi tamey saambhro rookhi, Saaheb na goon nahi wisaare, Tena praan nahi thashe dookhi….8
Interpretive Translation and Explanation
O momin brothers! With deep affection remember the Lord. Take heed and listen to what Shamsi says: “They who do not forget the batin of the Imam (realizable through Imam’s grace), their souls will never ever be miserable or unhappy”…..8
Sayyid Shamsi gently reminds his momin brothers (rookhi) always to remember the Lord with affection. Here, rookhi is probably the intimate form of the word rikhisar which is used in the ginans to refer to mu’min brothers. The word has been used thus to rhyme with the last word of the stanza dookhi (miserable).
The last two lines are to remind us not to forget the batin of the Imam but to strive towards it through regular prayers. Those who carry out these responsibilities with dedication and devotion can never be unhappy whatever the worldly life might impose upon them. Thus the souls of the true mu’mins will always be at peace within themselves, knowing that they are under the protection and guidance of a living manifest Imam.
“Remember the Day when we will summon all human beings with their Imam. …” – The Holy Qur’an 17:71
From the above discourse, we can see why the ginan is appropriate for the occasion of Navroz, which marks the commencement of a new year. The glorious transformation of nature in spring reminds us of the creative power of Allah, who continually showers His bounties for us. Thus, the festival of Navroz should effect a spiritual renewal in each one of us. It should inspire greater love for Imam-e-Zaman as is enjoined upon us by Allah and our beloved Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him).
This Navroz ginan by Sayyid Fatehali Shah reminds us of our spiritual obligations for continuous search for enlightenment through the Ta’alim (teachings and guidance) of the Imam of the time.
Date posted: March 19, 2020. Last updated: March 20, 2024 (reformatting.)
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Before departing this website please take a moment to review Simerg’s Table of Contents for links to hundreds of thought provoking pieces on a vast array of subjects including faith and culture, history and philosophy, and arts and letters to name a few.
The piece on Navroz included this post has been adapted by Simerg from the original article, “Eji Navroz Na Din Sohamna – An Interpretation,” by Sadrudin K. Hassam, which appeared in Ilm, Volume 9, Number 2, (March 1985).
At long last, literature counters in Jamatkhanas across Canada have received Dr. Farhad Daftary’s “The Ismaili Imams: A Biographical History” in larger quantities than what was available in 2021-2022 at the height of COVID-19. That inventory sold out quickly, and the new inventory has reached several Jamatkhanas around the country. We request families to visit the literature counters at their respective Jamatkhanas before the book is sold out. Simerg has collaborated with the Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Board (ITREB) for Canada to facilitate the sale and distribution of the The Ismaili Imams by mail to Ismailis in Canada who live remotely or who do not have easy access to Jamatkhana literature counters. The book will be sold at the same price as at literature counters, but postage, packing and shipping costs will be added.
How to Purchase The Ismaili Imams: A Biographical History from Simerg
Cover page of The Ismaili Imams: A Biographical History by Farhad Daftary, Hardback, 260 pp., published October 2020, I.B.Tauris in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies.
Ismaili individuals and families who live remotely or who do not have access to the book at their own Jamatkhana literature counters are advised to order Ismaili Imams through Simerg’s offer before the book is completely sold out.
The book will be sold at the same price as at Ismaili Jamatkhana literature counters across Canada. However, postage, package and handling charges of C$25.00 will be added to the book’s COST PRICE of C$23.00, for a total price of C$48.00. Note that each shipment will be sent via Canada Post’s expedited parcel post. A tracking number will be provided to track the shipment.
To inquire if the book is still available, and to order/reserve the book, please write to Malik Merchant of Simerg, Barakah and Simergphotos at mmerchant@simerg.com. Please provide your full name, phone number and address where you can be reached. Simerg will contact you within 24 hours to verify your address and provide you with payment information. Please note that payments will only be accepted via Interac E-transfer or by cheque. The book will be shipped out within 24 hours upon receipt of the payment.
Each individual/family will be able to order a maximum of 2 copies, as Simerg’s stock is limited.
What arguably should have been among the first publications to be published by the Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) in London was ultimately published in October 2020, 43 years after its founding on December 13, 1977. The book, The Ismaili Imams: A Biographical History, has now reached literature counters in Ismaili Jamatkhanas across Canada in larger quantities than the first stock that arrived in the midst of Covid-19, when the book quickly sold out. The long awaited book, in my humble opinion, should find a place in every Ismaili home and should be read by the youth and professionals in the Jamat.
Simerg is pleased to collaborate with the Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Board (ITREB) for Canada to facilitate the sale and distribution of the The Ismaili Imams by mail to Ismailis in Canada who live remotely or who do not have easy access to Jamatkhana literature counters. The book will be sold at the same price as at literature counters, but postage, packing and shipping costs will be added. See details below.
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Top left: Great Mosque of Mahdiyya; top right: Title page and opening page of a manuscript of the Pandiyat-i javanmardi, a collection of the sermons of Imam Mustansir bi’llah; bottom left: Restored mausoleum of Imam Shah Nizar in Kahak; and Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, delivering a speech at the Global Centre for Pluralism, Ottawa. All Illustrations: The Ismaili Imams: A Biographical History.
The Ismaili Imams: A Biographical History has been authored by Farhad Daftary, a pre-eminent authority on Ismaili Studies, and author and editor of dozens of books and articles on Ismaili history and literature. Dr Daftary, who joined the IIS in 1988, became the head of its Department of Academic Research and Publications, and went on to become its co-director upon the departure of Dr Azim Nanji. Daftary finally stepped down from his management roles in 2022, and was succeeded as IIS director by Professor Zayn Kassam in January 2023.
On January 18, 2023, Dr Daftary was honoured in the presence of Prince Rahim at a special reception held in London. During the event, Prince Rahim announced that Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, had decided to acknowledge Dr Daftary’s contributions to the Institute by attaching his name to PhD Scholarships awarded by IIS. Prince Rahim also recognized Dr Daftary’s central role not only as a leader, but as the IIS’s most respected and productive scholar and author.
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Cover page of The Ismaili Imams: A Biographical History by Farhad Daftary, Hardback, 260 pp., published October 2020, I.B.Tauris in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies.
The Ismaili Imams is the first collection of biographies of all the Ismaili Imams, from the seminal Imams of early Shi’i Islam, through to those of the first ‘period of concealment’ when their public identities remained hidden, to the Imam-caliphs of the illustrious Fatimid dynasty, and those of the Alamut period, up to the Aga Khans of the modern period. The Ismaili Imams draws from the rich scholarship of the developing field of Ismaili Studies, providing a simple and clear resource for both the Ismailis themselves and for general readers, ensuring accessibility for all. This extensively illustrated book offers a snapshot of the lives, events, and legacies of all 49 Ismaili Imams, and through them, the Ismaili community’s storied past.
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The 260 page richly illustrated hardback volume features the 49 Ismaili Imams through the following nine sections: 1.The Ismaili Imamat in History; 2.The Early Imams (from Hazrat ‘Ali to Imam Muhammad b. Isma’il); 3.The Concealed Imams (Imam Wafi Ahmad to Imam Radi al-Din ‘Abd Allah); 4.The Early Fatimid Imam-Caliphs (from Imam al-Mahdi to Imam Nizar); 5.The Imams at Alamut (from Imam al-Hadi to Imam Rukn al-Din Khurshah); 6.The Early Imams after Alamut (Imam Shams al-Din Muhammad to Imam Muhammad b. Islam Shah); 7.The Imam of the Anjudan Period (Imam Mustansir bi’llah to Imam Khalil Allah ‘Ali); 8.The Imams in the Eighteenth Century (Imam Shah Nizar to Imam Shah Khalil Allah); and 9.The Imams in the Modern Age (Imam Shah Hasan ‘Ali Shah, Aga Khan I, to Mawlana Shah Karim al-Husayni, Aga Khan IV). The book ends with a four page glossary, select bibliography, and an index. The full contents page is available on the IIS website HERE.
How to Purchase The Ismaili Imams: A Biographical History from Simerg
SOLD OUT: We do not have any more copies of the book in stock. Please check the availability of Ismaili Imams at the Jamatkhana literature counters in your respective countries, or buy it from Amazon.ca or Amazon.com.
Simerg is pleased to facilitate the distribution of The Ismaili Imams: A Biographical History in conjunction with ITREB Canada, to Ismaili addresses in Canada. Ismaili individuals and families who live remotely or who do not have access to the book at their own Jamatkhana literature counters, should take advantage of this offer before the book is completely sold out.
The book will be sold at the same cost price as at Ismaili Jamatkhana literature counters across Canada. However, postage, package and handling charges amounting to a total of C$25.00 will be added to the book’s COST PRICE of C$23.00, for a total payment price of C$48.00. Note that each shipment will be nicely packaged and sent via Canada Post’s expedited parcel post. A tracking number will be provided to track the shipment.
To order/reserve the book, please write to Malik Merchant of Simerg, Barakah and Simergphotos at mmerchant@simerg.com. Please provide your full name, phone number and address where you can be reached. Simerg will contact you within 48 hours to verify your address and provide you with payment details. Please note that payments will only be accepted via Interac E-transfer or by cheque. The book will be shipped out immediately upon receipt of the payment.
Each individual/family will be able to order a maximum of 2 copies.
Over the past 14 years, Simerg has had the privilege and honour to support Prince Hussain Aga Khan’s books such as Animal Voyage, Diving Into Wildlife and The Living Sea. We are happy to collaborate with ITREB Canada in this new endeavour and look forward to serving members of the Ismaili community in this joint initiative. Ismaili readers should note that the book is available for purchase through online booksellers like Amazon, albeit at a higher price.
Date posted: February 17, 2024. Last updated: August 16, 2025.
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“As you build your lives, for yourselves and others, you will come to rest upon certain principles. Central to my life has been a verse in the Holy Quran which addresses itself to the whole of humanity. It says: ‘Oh Mankind, fear your Lord, who created you of a single soul, and from it created its mate, and from the pair of them scattered abroad many men and women. I know of no more beautiful expression about the unity of our human race — born indeed from a single soul.” — The Aga Khan, excerpt from an address to both the Houses of the Canadian Parliament, February 27, 2014, see featured photo at top of post.
A calligraphy by Toronto’s Karim Ismail depicting the 87th birthday of His Highness the Aga Khan, the 49th Hereditary Imam of the Ismaili Muslims. Please clik on image for special post.
On December 13, 2023, Ismaili Muslims around the world mark the 87th birthday of their Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan. Simerg’s sister website Barakah presents a special post for the birthday. Please click The Benevolent Imam.
At the age of 87, the current Aga Khan is the oldest living Imam in Ismaili history. On July 11, 2023, he celebrated his 66th Imamat Day, still 5 years away from the record breaking 71 years of his predecessor, Aga Khan III (d. July 11, 1957), who began his reign at the age of seven in August 1885. Canada is home to more than 100,000 Ismailis and the Aga Khan’s projects include the beautiful Aga Khan Garden in Edmonton — part of the University of Alberta’s Botanic Garden — and the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, two iconic Ismaili Centres in Toronto and Vancouver, and the Global Centre for Pluralism in Ottawa. In Calgary, the Ismailis host the annual stampede breakfast which is open to the entire public. Thousands attend and enjoy this annual event.
For almost three decades, Princess Zahra Aga Khan has immersed herself in the work of the Ismaili Imamat, a Hereditary Divine Institution which is led by her father, His Highness the Aga Khan, the 49th Imam in direct descent of the Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him and his family). The scope of the work of the Imamat extends to all areas of human endeavour and the entire family of the Aga Khan contributes to Ismaili institutions around the world as well as to the Imamat’s primary development organization, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).
Princess Zahra is one of four children of the Aga Khan. As she celebrates her 53rd birthday on September 18, we bring to our readers her beautiful story through a selection of photographs that we have been able to gather from printed Ismaili community magazines as well as the official websites of the Ismaili Imamat. Please click PRINCESS ZAHRA AGA KHAN.
Albertans and Canadians may note that she was here 12 months ago for the opening of the Diwan Pavilion at the Aga Khan Garden in Edmonton, part of the University of Alberta’s Botanic Garden. The garden was a gift from the Aga Khan to the university.
Please click on photo for story of Princess Zahra Aga Khan.
Featured photo at top of post: A general view of the Imam Husayn (Hussein) Mosque in Karbala, Iraq. The photo was taken between September 26 and October 12, 1932. Photograph: G. Eric and Edith Matson Photograph Collection, Library of Congress, Washingon D.C.
INTRODUCTION: Mawlana Hazar Imam Shah Karim al Hussaini, His Highness the Aga Khan, is the 49th Hereditary Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims, and directly descended from Hazrat Ali and his son Imam Husayn.
Imam Husayn B. ‘Aly began his reign as the 2nd Ismaili Imam* on the death of his father, Hazrat Ali on January 27, 661 CE who, 29 years earlier in 632 CE, had been publicly proclaimed by the Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him and his progeny) to be his successor at Ghadir Khumm.
The succession ended the cycle of the Divine Institution of Nubuwwah and ushered the world into a new era of the Divine Institution of Imamat. Thus, the Imams directly descended from the Prophet Muhammad, from Hazrat Ali to Mawlana Shah Karim, have continued to guide their murids (followers) in the ta’wil (interpretation) and talim (teaching) of the Holy Qur’an for the last 1391 years.
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A 1932 photograph showing the entrance to the great mosque at Karbala, the holy city of e Shia Muslims. Photograph: G. Eric and Edith Matson Photograph Collection, Library of Congress, Washingon D.C.
Imam Husayn was martyred in the Battle of Karbala on the 10th day of the Muslim month of Muharram, or October 10, 680, at the age of 54, and was succeeded to the Hereditary throne of Imamat by Imam Zainul Abideen.
The Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle, and thus shorter than the 365 day solar calendar by roughly 11 days. This year (2023), the 10th day of Muharram falls on or around July 28/29, almost 1343 years since the Imam’s tragic death at the hands of Yazid’s army.
Please download the PDF version of Wilfred Madelung’s excellent piece on Imam Husayn B. ‘Ali published on the IIS website. Note: The eminent German scholar Professor Madelung passed away in May 2023 and the IIS has published an In Memoriam in his honour HERE
Date posted: July 28, 2023 (This post is an update to earlier versions of the article that has appeared periodically on this website over the past few years.)
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*Note: In the Shia Imami Nizari Ismaili tradition Imam Husayn’s brother, Hazrat Hassan, is not counted as an Imam. However, he is regarded as their second Imam by other Shia Muslims, thus making Imam Husayn as their 3rd Imam.
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