Rabi’ al-Awwal 1445 – 15th Sept 2023: Ismaili Muslim Jamatkhana

By: Sadruddin Noorani, Chicago, USA

The historical formation of Muslim societies has resulted in diverse communities of interpretation, reflecting rich Intellectual, cultural, spiritual, and institutional pluralism. This diversity is invariably reflected in the formation of Muslim spaces of worship and gathering throughout history.

The term Jamatkhana is derived from the Arabic word jama’a, gathering, and the Persian word khana, referring to a house or place, which together can be translated as ‘a place of congregation’ or ‘assembly house’ or ‘communal gathering place’ or ‘communal house’. The Jamatkhana is a concrete expression of the response to the beliefs that are an integral part of Ismaili school of Islam. It represents the physical space in which the community gathers in a shared process of communication. The thrust of this shared communication is undertaken through collective participation. The Jamatkhana provides the community with a physical frame within which to express and uphold fundamental beliefs. In addition, the Jamatkhana is most importantly a place for congregational worship as well as a center of learning how to lead a life of purity, contentment, tolerance, fraternity, socialization, and balance. In many parts of the world it is also called khana-i khuda or khana-i jamat. In Iran, it is called khanqah panjtani or panjtan-gah, and simply the masjid in Syria. The term has its origins in the Indian subcontinent and has historically been used to refer to the covered outdoor spaces used by Sufis of the Chishti tariqah (tradition) for fraternal discussions, and during the sessions of teaching and counsel conducted by their pir or shaykh. Spaces designated as Jamatkhanas can also be seen in Mughal complexes, such as that of the Taj Mahal in Agra.

In Nizari Ismaili communities throughout the world, we also refer to our congregational spaces as Jamatkhanas which have been designated for the community’s religious and social practices. The Ismaili Centers also belong to this historic category of Jamatkhana. They are symbolic markers of the permanent presence of the Ismaili community in the regions in which they are established.

As we sit together in Jamatkhana under the protective canopy of Allah (swt), let us take a moment to pause and ask ourselves the following important questions: what does this space we call Jamatkhana mean to me? What does it mean to the diverse segments of the Jamat – from toddlers, young adults to the elderly? What role has it played in my life, and lives of my parents and grandparents? And finally, what role do I wish Jamatkhana to play in my children’s and grand children’s lives, within the context of Islamic Ummah?

There are of course no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers to these questions. Jamatkhana means different things to different people, and supports all of us in a variety of ways throughout the course of our lives. Jamatkhana is a place where we (should) come together with moderate outfits and simplicity for congregational prayers, performance of our Tariqah specific practices, expression of piety, personal spiritual search, contemplation, and submission to Allah. When we are facing hardships, pain, and suffering, we come to Jamatkhana and supplicate to Allah (swt) through our Mushkil Kusha – the remover of difficulties – for solace, comfort, and fortitude to overcome our troubles.

The Quran says, “In the houses which God has permitted to be exalted, and His name to be remembered therein, where He is glorified in the mornings and the evenings (24:36).

Through the Jamatkhana space, we educate ourselves to grow intellectually while also reinforcing our ethics and values, thereby reaffirming our identity as Shia Ismaili Muslims. It is also here that we mark important events in our life cycle, such as birth, marriage, and death. Jamatkhanas improve our quality of life and are truly a wonderful grace and blessing from Imam-e-Zaman, touching and impacting all dimensions of our lives.

Congregational Practice and Privacy

As part of our efforts to better understand one of the goals around Jamatkhana, let us explore a very important notion and frequently asked question related to Jamatkhanas, namely, “why the prayer space is limited to only Ismailis during congregational practice times?”

One of the important ways in which we, like many other religious communities and traditions, have maintained, preserved, and transmitted our identity, wherever we have lived, has been through our places of gathering and prayer including most prominently today, the Jamatkhana.

Unlike non-denominational masjids or mosques which are public places, the Jamatkhana is a private Tariqah specific space of gathering under the authority of the Imam of the time. The establishment, development, and usage of the Jamatkhana spaces and the variety of rituals performed in them is the sole prerogative of Mawlana Hazar Imam.

The Ismaili Constitution defines Jamatkhana as “a place designated as such by Mawlana Hazar Imam for the use of Ismailis for Tariqah Practices.” Differentiated as a Tariqah specific space of worship and gathering, the practices within it are inherently linked to the Imam-murid relationship and limited to those who have given their bay’ah to the Imam of the time. “The bay’ah“, as stated in the Preamble of the Ismaili Constitution, “is the act of acceptance by the murid of the permanent spiritual bond between the Imam and the murid. This allegiance unites all Ismaili Muslims worldwide in their loyalty, devotion and obedience to the Imam within the Islamic concept of universal brotherhood.” 

Our relationship with our Imam is deeply personal and intimate. And, like all intimate relationships, some elements of that connection cannot be shared or even understood by someone who is not a part of that relationship. The privacy that we maintain in our Jamatkhana spaces allows for that relationship to be cultivated and to flourish through the multiple esoteric practices which are held in the Jamatkhana prayer hall. For example, when we enter the prayer hall, many of us may recite aloud Hai Zinda, which in itself is an acknowledgement that we are entering into the presence of the Nur-e Ahl al-Bayt (People of the House of Holy Prophet).

It therefore makes logical sense that this context, privilege, experience, and spiritual discourse remain intimate and private. This privacy offers great value to the Jamat: in offering a space where all those who have given their love, loyalty, and allegiance to their Imam-e-Zaman, the Jamatkhana reinforces community solidarity amongst the Jamat.

It is important to note that notions of public and private spaces and restricted participation during the performance of specific practices is not unique to the Jamatkhana and the Ismaili Tariqah. Similar practices and conceptions are common across diverse religious traditions and communities. For example, in many Synagogues, during their religious practices, only members are present. Everyone cannot enter special rooms called oratories and chapels which are built inside the Catholic Churches; nor can anyone enter the monasteries, nunneries, or retreats of Jesuits in Christianity. Furthermore, while the Mormon Churches are open to the public, the Mormon Temple is reserved only for their baptized members. All Buddhist spaces are also not equally accessible to everyone.

In the Islamic context, there are many communities of interpretations – particularly those who, like us, lean towards an esoteric or batini interpretation of faith – who also designate certain spaces, times, thresholds, ritual performances, and contexts as private and confined to those having provided their allegiance to the shaykh, murshid or the Imam. The Jamatkhana is part of this esoteric Muslim tradition wherein spaces used for tariqa practices are kept private during times of congregational prayer.

However, as Ismailis we also acknowledge that we belong to the larger family of humanity, and increasingly, have as part of our families and network of close relations, non-Ismaili members. Many of our Jamatkhanas, therefore, also allow for spaces like social halls, resource centers and occasions, like weddings and other celebrations, in which we welcome our brothers and sisters from other communities of different interpretations to share in our communal home with us.

The Role of Jamatkhana in Community Engagement – The Explorations through the lens of Jamatkhana as a space for the community

Jamatkhana is an important place of worship for Ismaili Muslims. It exists alongside other spaces in the Muslim world such as the Ka’ba in Mecca, the masjid or mosque, the khanqah and the zawiya, the gathering spaces of mystical communities. Likewise, Jamatkhana is a site for devotional acts but also a space for strengthening relationships and building a community.

In literal terms, Jamatkhana is the “home” of the jamat. It is a space where the jamat meets, prays, celebrates, and consoles as a community. While we can offer our prayers anywhere, Jamatkhana holds a special place in our hearts. When we are traveling to a new city and walk into a Jamatkhana where you know no one, you will still be greeted, welcomed, and cared for. In most parts of the world where Ismaili Muslims live, the Jamatkhana is the hub of community life and social engagement, unity, and brotherhood – it addresses the needs for both parts of our lives, din (spiritual) and dunya (worldly life).

It is the space where bay’ah (allegiance) is offered by a new member or newborn and admitted to the Ismaili tariqa. Jamatkhana is a space where we regularly renew our spiritual goals and motivations, where we meet with others who share in our faith, values, and orientations of the world. But Jamatkhana would not be the same without the jamat. For it is the jamat which gives life to Jamatkhana and it is Jamatkhana which allows the jamat to come alive.

Jamatkhana is a space where the social, the ethical, the religious and the educational activities all come together. It is a space with the potential to nourish us in many ways.

Jamatkhana, the Ismaili Khanaqah, originated in the Indian Subcontinent tradition. The Jamatkhana in the Ismaili tradition of Islam, represents a place of worship, which is exclusively reserved for the followers of the Ismaili community.

Jamatkhana is a space which gives us a part of our identity today as Ismaili Muslims and allows us to interact and flourish as a community. It gives us the strength to protect the values that we hold dear, to remind ourselves of the hereafter and to nourish our soul that is eternal.

Let us express our humble thanks for the innumerable blessings of Allah bestowed upon us by Imam-e Zaman including the gift and grace of Jamatkhanas to nurture and strengthen our love, devotion, and spiritual bond with our Murshid.