By SHIRAZ PRADHAN

Opening Reflection: The Ginan as Our Guide

Our tradition begins its teachings not with rules, but with reminders of presence. Pir Ṣadardin, in his timeless wisdom, offers us a spiritual imagination that prepares the heart before it prepares the body.

In the Ginan Satgur Sathe Gothadi Kije [1], he evokes a powerful image:

Jyote jagadine jumloji betha…

Translation

The Lord sits with His Light in full blaze.

This is not poetry for the mind alone. It is a vision for the murid. It invites us to imagine the Jamatkhana not as a hall of bricks and lamps, but as a sanctified space where the Divine Light is already present, already radiant. When a murid enters with this awareness, the heart softens, the senses awaken, and the soul becomes receptive.

Another Ginan by Pir Ṣadardin [2] deepens this inner posture:

Eji Gat mahe avine Virabhai sanmukh rahiye,
nida thai tya thi uṭhne jaiye.

Translation

When you enter the Jamatkhana, O chivalrous brother, remain in the presence of the Light; avoid slander and idle talk.

Here the Pir gently redirects us: the Jamatkhana is not a place for distraction, gossip, or worldly chatter. It is a sanctuary of presence. The murid is encouraged to feel, not merely know, that he or she stands before the Light of the Imam.

These verses form the spiritual foundation of our discussion. They remind us that conduct is not merely behaviour; it is an inner state that expresses itself outwardly.

When the Imam Physically Graces the Jamat with Didar

There are moments in the life of a murid that are unlike any other. When the Imam of the time physically graces the Jamat with Didar, the familiar space transforms. What was a sanctuary, becomes a royal court, a sacred, luminous, resplendent space filled with joy, anticipation, and profound gratitude.

For many murids, this moment is the fulfilment of a lifelong yearning: to see the Murshid, to be seen by the Murshid, to feel the warmth of his presence.

But this raises an essential question:

What should be the state, inner and outer, of the murid in the presence of the Imam? This is not a new question. Our tradition has contemplated it for centuries.

Guidance from Qadi Nu‘man: The Adab of the Murid

In the 10th century, Qadi Nu‘man [3], one of the great jurists of the Fatimid tradition, wrote extensively on adab, the etiquette and conduct of the followers of the Imam. His guidance remains deeply relevant.

He reminds us that the physical presence and the Didar of the Imam is not a public spectacle; it is an intense, personal, one-on-one encounter between the murid and the Murshid. Even in a gathering of thousands, the murid stands as though alone before the Imam.

From this understanding flow the essential qualities of conduct:

1. HUMILITY: A heart emptied of pride, ego, and self-importance.
2. RESPECT AND REVERENCE: Speech, movement, and gaze shaped by awareness of sanctity. No rushing to greet the Imam, no physical contact with the Imam, no standing to draw attention to oneself.
3. STILLNESS AND PRESENCE: No distraction. No idle talk. No wandering thoughts.
4. AWARENESS OF LIGHT: Every gesture shaped by the recognition that the Imam bears Divine Light.

At this point, the teaching of Pir Shams in Saloko Moto [4] becomes especially meaningful:

Satgur kaher…Sachi dasond aljo,
ane durthi lagjo pay re…

Translation

Satgur says…Offer your true tithe, and bow at the feet of the Imam
from a respectful distance.”

This verse captures the essence of reverence: devotion expressed with humility, sincerity, and dignified distance.

The Conduct of the Murid and the Awe of the Imam

The conduct of the murid must reflect the essence of the Imam. As the master of ta’wil, the one who unveils the inner reality (batin) of the physical (zahir) universe, the Imam stands at the apex of spiritual authority [5]. In the Ginans, he is described as the sovereign of the fourteen spiritual realms, the one through whom the cosmos is interpreted and harmonized.

Such a station naturally calls the murid into a posture of awe, humility, and respectful distance. This is not distance of heart, but a way of carrying oneself that acknowledges the Imam’s spiritual stature.

In a congregation of thousands, each murid arrives for the Didar with his or her own hopes, burdens, and expectations of grace. It becomes a shared ethical responsibility to preserve the sanctity of the collective space. Any action that draws attention to oneself, disrupts the serenity of others, or creates disturbance, even unintentionally, risks overshadowing the quiet interior work that each soul is undertaking.

Mindfulness, therefore, is not only a personal virtue but a communal obligation. It ensures that the congregation remains a vessel of harmony, not distraction; a place where the murid’s inner orientation toward the Imam can unfold without interruption.

Nasir Khusraw’s Eyewitness Account

The 11th-century Ismaili da’i, traveller and poet-philosopher Nasir Khusraw offers a vivid glimpse of this reverence. In his eye-witness description of the procession of the Festival of the Canal (Fath al-khalij) during the time of Imam al-Mustansir bi’llah in AH 438-39/1047 CE, Nasir Khusraw informs us that when the Imam, wearing a white robe, passed by on a horse, the murids and citizens alike, bowed in devotion and awe, lowering their heads in deep respect, reciting prayers and benedictions [6].

This simple gesture reveals a profound truth: the presence of the Imam evokes spontaneous reverence in the hearts of believers.

A Fatimid Example of Reverent Conduct

Al-Maqrizi’s [7] historical accounts of the Fatimid court illuminate this principle with striking clarity. Audiences with the Imam–Caliph were carefully structured to preserve the dignity and contemplative gravity of the encounter. Visitors approached with measured steps, maintained silence, and observed spatial boundaries that signalled respect for the Imam’s spiritual and temporal authority.

This Fatimid ethos mirrors the ethical expectation placed upon murids today: to uphold the serenity of the communal space, to avoid actions that draw attention to oneself, and to recognize that the Imam’s presence, whether physical or symbolic, requires behaviour aligned with reverence.

The Meaning of Adab (Sabyata, Maryada)

The classical Arabic/Persian term adab, is expressed in Gujarati/Hindi as sabyata (refined behaviour) and maryada (dignified respect). They refer to the graceful, respectful way a murid carries themselves in sacred spaces in the presence of the Imam. In our tradition, adab toward the Imam is not merely social etiquette; it is a spiritual discipline. It reflects an inner recognition of the Imam’s role as the bearer of divine guidance. To act with adab is to let one’s outward behaviour mirror one’s inward understanding.

Concluding Reflection

To stand before the Imam, physically or spiritually, is to stand in the presence of Light. The murid’s conduct, shaped by humility, reverence, and awareness, becomes an offering in itself. When each murid upholds serenity and dignity, the entire Jamat becomes a vessel worthy of the moment of grace.

Date posted: March 19, 2026.

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END NOTES

Gujarati Ginans and Granths

[1] Pir Sadardin, Satgur Sāthe Gothadi Kije. P. 28.

[2] Pir Sadardin, Gat Mahe Avine Sanmukh Rahiye. P.116

English

[3] Qāḍi Nu‘man’s teachings on adab are preserved across Fatimid jurisprudential works; see Halm, Heinz. The Fatimids and Their Traditions of Learning. London: I.B. Tauris.

[4] Pir Shams, Saloko Moto

[5] For the Imām as master of ta’wil, see Daftary, The Ismailis: Their History and Doctrines.

[6] Paula Saunders, Ritual, politics and the city in Fatimid Cairo. Pp. 103-04

[7] Al-Maqrizi, Ittiʿāz al-Ḥunafaʾ, descriptions of Fatimid court protocol.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Gujarati Ginans and Granths

• Mahan Ismaili Sant Pīr Sadardin Rachit Gīnānono Sangrah 1. Bombay 1952
• Pir Shams Rachit Saloko Moto, Ginans Series 2, Ismailia Association for Pakistan, Karachi, -3, 1967

English

• Daftary, The Ismāʿīlīs: Their History and Doctrines.
• Halm, Heinz. The Fatimids and Their Traditions of Learning, London: I.B. Tauris.
• Hunsberger, Alice C, and Institute of Ismaili Studies, London, 2003. Nasir Khusraw, the Ruby of Badakhshan: A Portrait of the Persian Poet, Traveller and Philosopher.
• Maqrīzī, Taqī al-Dīn Aḥmad. Ittiʿāẓ al-Ḥunafāʾ bi-Akhbār al-Aʾimma al-Fāṭimiyyīn al-Khulafāʾ. Cairo: Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs.
• Saunders, Paula, Ritual, politics and the city in Fatimid Cairo, New York, 1994.

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About the author: Shiraz Pradhan is an international consulting engineer, author, and long‑time researcher of the Ginan tradition. He serves as the Chairperson of the Association for the Study of Ginans, an international organisation dedicated to preserving and advancing Ginan scholarship. Shiraz has written extensively on Nizari Ismaili Ginans and Satpanth in Ilm (Ismailia Association UK, 1987) and on Simerg. His interests span the Vedas, Judeo‑Christian history, and Sufism, reflecting his broad engagement with spiritual traditions. His forthcoming book, Amrapuri: Exploring the Evolution of Nizari Ismaili Satpanth through the Prism of Ginan Literature, brings together years of dedicated study.