By MALIK MERCHANT

Shukran Lillah wal Hamdulillah

The Ismaili Muslims have a beautiful Islamic devotional prayer that gives thanks and praise to God in moments of joy, happiness, and success. It also serves as a source of comfort in times of distress and sadness, such as the death of a child, parent, or sibling. The prayer is “Shukran Lillah wal Hamdulillah,” meaning “Thank you, Allah, and all praise is due to Allah.”

But why offer thanks at the time of death? Islam responds to that question through a profound Qur’anic verse, uttered when one passes away: “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un,” meaning “Surely we belong to God and to Him we return” — Holy Qur’an, 2:156.

This verse provides a profound insight into the concept of life and death in Islam. The birth of a child, a moment filled with boundless joy and hope, is a beautiful reminder to all Muslims and peoples of other faiths. It signifies the unique creation of every human being, with a soul that embarks on a journey on earth, culminating in the return of the soul to the hereafter. There, the soul seeks and implores to be ushered into the Abode of Peace. Nothing can be as glorious and deserving of thanks as being close to our Creator.

A Solitary Experience

On the night of February 7, 2025, after a good afternoon rest, I prepared to stay awake from 10:00 PM (MST) until mid-morning. The reason for this was the funeral ceremony of our beloved 49th Imam, Mawlana Shah Karim Al Hussaini, His Highness the Aga Khan. His passing in Lisbon, Portugal, on February 4th, 2025, after a reign of 67 years, was a profound loss that I felt deeply. The live streaming of the event from Lisbon, Portugal, was done on a delayed basis in Ismaili Jamatkhanas in Calgary and other western Canadian cities until after the completion of the morning meditative prayers. However, I needed to witness it live, so I watched it on the Ismaili TV website at 3:00 AM.

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Mawlana Shah Karim’s portrait shone through my screen when I launched the website. The pre-recorded devotional singing of the prayer, Shukran Lillah wal Hamdulillah, in a mellow and beautiful tone, was being played. A short video included a clip where the Imam waves to young volunteers and scouts from years ago. Another beautiful clip showed the respectful recitation of the holy Salwaat (“Allahumm-a Sall-i ‘Ala Muhammad-in Wa Al-i Muhammad,” meaning “O, Allah shower thy choicest blessings upon Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad.”) as the Imam walked through a crowd of Ismailis during an audience in Northern Pakistan during his Diamond Jubilee in 2017-18. The iconic moment during the mulaqat was when he climbed the stage, and before taking his seat as the Commander of the Faithful, the Imam spread his hands widely. A beautiful smile full of love told his tens of thousands of followers that he was present before them. My eyes became tearful because the scene captured his 1964 message in Karachi: “The Imam loves you much more than you can ever love him…and you must be strong in this knowledge.”

After the video, the Emcee for the funeral ceremony read out the translations of the verses from the Qur’an that would be recited during the funeral. She also spoke about the profound notion of the Divine Institution of Imamat, tracing its Divine roots to the Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him and his family). She emphasized that all the forty-nine Ismaili Imams over the past 1400 years have been bearers of the same Light (Nur), a tradition that unites all Shia Ismaili Muslims.

Then, our new Imam, Mawlana Shah Rahim Al Hussaini, and his family came into view, walking through the hallway corridors of the Ismaili Centre. Walking with the Imam was the long-time devout and dedicated Ismaili leader, Vazir Shafik Sachedina. I could see that the Vazir was emotional. The Imam gently stroked the back of Vazir’s coat. Vazir needed no reminding now that he was with his new spiritual father, bearing the same Divine Light of Mawlana Shah Karim he had served under for decades.

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The Salwaat was continuously recited, a unified voice of the community, until the Imam and his family took their seats in the funeral hall. Then, there was a moment of beholding and strong feeling as the casket carrying the body of the deceased 49th Imam came into view. Volunteers of the Jamat, a symbol of our collective strength, carried it into the funeral hall. It was placed in front of the first row where the 50th Imam, Mawlana Shah Rahim, and his family were seated. Draped in white cloth, the historic emblem of Mawlana Shah Karim embroidered in gold was visible on top.

Qur’anic verses, earlier translated into Portuguese and English, were beautifully recited. The invited guests were then requested to pay their last respects to the late Imam by walking past the casket. Hundreds of guests passed by. As a proud Canadian, I was moved to see Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stand respectfully in front of the casket for a few moments. His humble gesture of the sign of the cross, a symbol of his respect for the late Imam, was a poignant moment. During these moments, as the guests paid their respects, Prince Amyn, the late Imam’s younger brother, was steeped in contemplation. Occasionally, family members would be seen wiping tears from their eyes. The whole ceremony was gracious. There was no wailing and no crying.

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After the Imam’s family members had offered their respects, everyone in the hall stood for the Fateha prayer for the deceased. The male family members were then called to carry the janaza; they were joined by other designated community members. The casket was lifted and lowered a few times as per Muslim tradition. The recitation of the Salwaat before the casket was carried to the hearse, with its powerful and moving tone, stirred deep emotions within me. The casket was carried in the front by the new Imam and his uncle, Prince Amyn, who dedicated his life to the service of his brother. Accompanying the janaza was the continuous recitation of the Muslim declaration of faith, “Lā ʾIlāha ʾIllā Allah, Muḥammadun Rasūl Allah,” meaning, “There is no deity but God, and Muhammad is His Messenger,” a unifying declaration for all Muslims, regardless of their religious persuasion, whether they be Shias or Sunnis.

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For those who do not attend the final burial ceremony in any death, the last few minutes as the casket is carried and then placed into the hearse are perhaps the most emotional moments. Tears heavily streamed down my face. Once the casket was in the car, Prince Rahim spent a few moments with Vazir Shafik and his two sons, Prince Irfan and Prince Sinan, who sadly watched their beloved grandfather’s casket in the car. At one point, the older Prince Irfan rose to his father to give him a kiss. As the vehicle moved away to another spot, the video offered a close-up view of the casket, which brought more tears to my eyes. This would be the last scene in the live broadcast.

Lovingly, I complained to Mawlana Shah Karim in Hindi, “Ya Ali Papa tum chale gaye” — O Ali, my father, you have left. Sixty-seven years of a strong physical bond with the Imam had been broken by his passing, leaving a void.

With the Imam’s passing, the Holy Qur’an, the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad, the historical events at the end of the Prophet’s lifetime, and the profound messages of the Imams in subsequent centuries assured the Ismailis of the Eternal Rope of Imamat. While bulbs will change, their power source is steady and constant.

As a community, we want to assure Mawlana Rahim of our unwavering support. He has seamlessly taken on the responsibilities that his father entrusted him during the past few years, and like his father, he is the successor to forty-nine Imams before him — from Hazrat Ali and Imam Hussein to the illustrious Fatimid and Alamut Imams and, of course, the Imams of the last two centuries. We take comfort in the continuity of the Divine Institution of Imamat leadership and are committed to standing firmly behind him during his Imamat.

A Jamati Experience (Care Cente MGH Jamatkhana, Calgary)

After my solitary experience of the funeral ceremony I watched at home, I joined my fellow compatriots who had gathered to watch this singularly historic day at the MGH Care Centre Jamatkhana. It is only 100 meters from the seniors building I live in. The -20C temperature in Calgary made my face cold within seconds. When I reached the main entrance of MGH, the door was locked, and a sign indicated there was no more space in the Jamatkhana hall and that I should go to another Jamatkhana location. As I was about to leave the building, a volunteer came to the door and invited me in as seniors who live across get the highest priority. His warmth and hospitality made me feel appreciated. I joined a couple of hundred Ismailis, including people with wheelchairs and other physical challenges, to watch the entire ceremony on a big screen.

It felt uniquely different to experience the ceremony with brothers and sisters who have the same spiritual bond with the Imam as any of his Murids. We are all blessed equally, with his hand always on our shoulders.

More tears were shed than when I watched the ceremony from home. The love we all held for the departed Imam was palpable, a love that had grown in our hearts during his lifetime. The sound of disciplined crying, a respectful expression of our shared grief, filled the air. As the ceremony concluded, the pre-recording of the Shukran prayer continued, and the image of Mawlana Shah Karim filled the screen. It was a truly iconic moment, a powerful symbol of our collective mourning, especially considering we had seen the closed casket just moments before.

To the 50th Imam Mawlana Shah Rahim, we express our readiness to stand by you in this time of transition. The passing of your beloved father, Mawlana Shah Karim, saddened us deeply. But we are now proudly under your reign. Let all your spiritual children fulfill the promises of Bayat (allegiance) we offered to your beloved father as we move forward under your loving care, protection, and guidance. Ameen.

Date posted: February 8, 2025.

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