Yaum Al-Imama – Imamat Day

By: Sadruddin Noorani, Chicago, USA

Yaum al-Imama (meaning  ‘Imamat Day‘) of the Present Imam is celebrated around the world each year on 11th July when our beloved Mawlana Hazar Imam (Imam of the-Time) Shah Karim al-Husayni (Aga Khan lV) assumed the succession as the 49^th Imam of the Ismaili Muslims. Mawlana Hazar Imam was entrusted with a tremendous responsibility, becoming Imam-e-Zaman of the Shi’a Imami Ismaili Muslims.

It is an important occasion for the followers that the lineage of the Imam has continued since the time of the first Imam Ali bin Abu Talib (Alayhis Salaam). It imparts that the earth cannot exist without the physical existence of the Imam, and Divine guidance is continued through the Imam in every age without a moment’s interruption. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) declared Ali bin Abu Talib as his successor in Ghadir al-Khumm on 18th Zilhaj, which was the first Imamat Day in the history of the Ismailis.

Ali bin Abu Talib came into the world in 600 A.D., and passed away in 662 A.D. Hazrat Ali was spiritually an embodiment of the Divine Light, and his son and successor; Imam Husayn (a.s.) was the first to inherit it, who was ostensibly “Imam Husayn”, but spiritually “Ali.” Subsequently, the Divine Light passed from one to another Imam till the present 49th Imam. In other words, the physical bodies of the Imams changed in the descent of Hazrat Ali, but the Divine Light remains the same. Once Ali said, “My body dies, I do not die” (Bihar al-Anwar, 4:445).

The role of the Imam-of-the-Time has been vital in the development of Ismaili Tariqah since the time of Hazrat Ali (a.s.). To understand its significance, we have to ask ourselves, what does the institution of the Imamat mean and what role has Mawlana Hazar Imam played in our lives.

The concept of Imamat can be traced back to the Holy Qur’an. When Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him and his progeny) designated Hazrat Ali (a.s.) as his successor and the first Imam he  also emphasized the importance of his family. Within the Qur’an, the importance of following the guidance of the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet is referred to several times. In Surah Yasin, it is stated:

“And We have vested (the knowledge and authority of) everything in the Manifest Imam” (36:12).

This Surah demonstrates to us, as Shia Muslims and as Ismailis, that the role of the Imam carries with it a special knowledge to help guide us in living our everyday lives. Imam Ali (a.s.) further elaborated on the notion of the importance of Imamat in Nahj al-Balagha. He said:

“Remember that we are the Ahl al-Bayt of the Holy Prophet. We are his true companions; we are trustees and treasurers of the knowledge granted to him and we are the doors through which one can reach this storehouse of wisdom and learning.” 

As Shia Imami Ismailis, we have the understanding that the nass or designation, bestowed from one descendant of the Prophet to the next, is embodied within the Imam-of-the-Time. This nass bestows upon each Imam the knowledge to guide us, to provide us with the Islamic ethics by which we should live our lives and to help us in times of difficulties. When Mawlana Hazar Imam became our 49th Imam, he expressed his desire for the progress and growth of the Jamat and its institutions and said:

“My grandfather dedicated his life to the Imamat and Islam, both of which for him always came first and above all considerations … My aim in the future will be to continue the vast work of my grandfather, to do all in my power for the welfare and betterment of our community and its various institutions… I will do everything possible for your worldly and spiritual upliftment.” Mawlana Hazar Imam (Aga Khan lV), July 11, 1957
As quoted in “25 Years in Pictures” Silver Jubilee Publication Vol. 1

In over six decades since then, the efforts of Mawlana Hazar Imam are apparent. Under the Imam’s guidance, the skills and knowledge of the Jamat are helping Murids in spiritual upliftment, economic growth, health, education, and more. The creation of early childhood development programs and emphasis on knowledge society has given the community opportunities to make wise and informed decisions about their families and professions. More broadly, the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN.Org) has made incredible changes to the quality of life of people of all backgrounds and religions around the world through programs and initiatives in microfinance, education, healthcare, rural development, disaster reduction, and architecture preservation. All through the vision of the Imam.

Through the Imam’s guidance and his unconditional love and support for his Murids, his constant concern and protection is a testament to where we are today as a worldwide global Jamat. This is true now and has been true for the many centuries that have passed since the time of Hazrat Ali (a.s.).

The Imam also guides us in our spiritual search and in our responsibilities to our families, to the Jamat, and to society in general. He does so while constantly emphasizing the need for a balance between the material and spiritual aspects of our lives. We offer our humble gratitude and rejoice with all our brothers and sisters around the world from Syria and Tajikistan to South Asia and East Africa, that we have a living Imam who has dedicated his life to our own betterment and that of the world we all live in.

Every year we celebrate the masnad nashini (sat on the throne) of our beloved Mawlana Hazar Imam. This is a joyous occasion in the life of a murid and an opportunity to reflect upon the continuous guidance of our Imams.

According to Shia belief, the Imam is the inheritor of the authority to guide the community according to the needs of the time. It is Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) who, by the command of Allah, designated Hazrat Mawlana Ali (a.s.), as the first Imam.

Allah says in the Qur’an:

“There has come to you from Allah a Light and a clear Book; whereby Allah guides all who seek His good pleasure, to ways of peace and safety, and leads them out of darkness, by His Will, Unto the light, – guiding them to a Path that is Straight.” (5:15-16)

The Light mentioned in this ayat has been understood by Shi’a Muslims as a reference to the Noor of Imamat through which the Imam guides us to achieve spiritual and worldly happiness.

The basics of the concept of the Imamat was introduced by Ali bin Abu Talib (a.s.) in his speeches and Imam Husayn in his correspondence with the Shi’ites of Kufa and Basra. Soon after the event of Karbala, the political situation changed in Islamic states, therefore, Imam Zayn al-Abidin (a.s.) confined his religious activities to Medina. The followers of the Imam however spread in all Islamic regions.

The Imamat of Mawlana Muhammad al-Bakir (a.s.) and Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s.) coincided with a politically turbulent period in the Islamic states. With the advent of Greek philosophy in the Arabian territories, different schools of thought and sects emerged in Islam due to different interpretations. The Companions of the Prophet were also no longer alive, who had treasured in their memories the knowledge they had acquired from Ahl al-Bayt (Prophet’s family). It was a peak time to impart the followers the doctrine of the Imamat and the philosophical aspect of this belief of Islam. Al-Kashshi writes in Ma’rifat Akhbar al-Rijal (p. 28) that, “Before the Imamat of Muhammad al-Bakir (a.s.), the Shi’ites knew nothing about what was lawful and what was unlawful except what they learnt from the people; until Muhammad al-Bakir became the Imam. He taught and explained to them the knowledge and they began to impart it to other people from whom they were previously learning.” Thus, the small group established after the Karbala event by Imam Zayn al-Abidin (a.s.) began to develop rapidly under Imam Muhammad Al-Bakir (a.s.).

The fundamental principle embodied in the doctrine of the Imamat was the nass, which means the transmission of the Divine Light to the succeeding Imam. Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s.) says, “Each Imam knows the lmam who is to come after him and so he appoints him as his successor” (Bihar al-Anwar, 23:73). The lmam also said “None of us die until God has informed us of the one who is to succeed us”  (Ibid. pp 23:71). Thus, the Imams are considered to be mansus (designated).

In explaining the position of the Imam, Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s.) made repeated declarations in unequivocal terms and proclaimed that “the Imamat is a covenant between God and mankind, and recognition of the Imam is the absolute duty of every believer” (al-Kafi, 1:318). He further said, “Whoever dies without having known and acknowledged the Imam of his time dies as an infidel” (Ibid, 1:462), “The Imams are the proofs of Allah (hujjatullah) on earth and their words are the words of Allah and their commands are the commands of Allah. Obedience to them is obedience to Allah, and disobedience to them is disobedience to God. In all their decisions they are inspired by God, and they are in absolute authority. It is to them, therefore, that God has ordained obedience” (Ibid, pp. 214-220).

Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s.) goes on to declare that:

“The Imam of the-Time is the witness for the people and he is the gate to Allah (Bab Allah), and the road (Sabil) to Him, and the guide thereto (Dalil), and the repository of His knowledge, and the interpreter of His revelations. The Imam of his time is a pillar of God’s unity (tawhid). The Imams are those from whom God has removed all impurity and made them absolutely pure; they possess irrefutable arguments (dala’il); and they are for the protection of the people of this earth just as the stars are for the inhabitants of the heavens. They may be likened in this community to the Ark of Noah: he who boards the Ark obtains salvation and reaches the gate of repentance.” (Ibid. 1:207).

In another tradition, “God delegated to the Imams spiritual rulership over the whole world, which must always have such a leader and guide. Even if only two men were left upon the face of the earth, one of them would be an Imam ” (Ibid. pp. 205, 207, 304).

Through such traditions, Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s.) in his lifetime established for his line of Imams the sanctity of the Ahl al-Bayt “Sacred House” as an inherited quality confined only to those of the children of Hazrat Ali and Bibi Fatima, and their progeny who were ordained to be the Imams, and in this way rejected the claims of all other Hashimites, whether Alids or Abbasids. Hence, the Shi’i community had attained an ideological unity in the period of Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s).

In the first Ismailia Mission Conference held in Dar-es-Salam on July 20, 1945, Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah (Aga Khan lll) said, “When we think of Ali, it is not the man during those sixty years but the eternal (Ali) that came from God and returned to God directly.” This implies further according to the Ismailis that every Imam is Ali in essence and the bearer of his Light. Ali was, and is, and will remain on earth till the day of judgment, meaning the Light of Ali manifested in the dress of one to another Imam. The Prophet also said, “Ali is from the beginning. Ali will be at the end. Ali is in the middle (between beginning and end). All (Imams) are Ali” (Ibid.). In reply to the letter of Qadi Noman as quoted in al-Majalis wal Musayarat, Imam al-Muizz (a.s.) said, “We, the Imams, are the roots and branches of the same tree. If my father has died physically, the line of Imamat shall continue forever. The souls of the Imams are joined like the hooks of a chain.” The Imamat Day of the Present Imam reminds us that the Light of Ali, which was in the 48 Imams manifested in the Present 49th Imam on July 11, 1957.

What thoughts should come to the mind of an Ismaili on this occasion? The first thought should naturally be of the Imam.

This would make every murid think of the origin of Imamat and of the status of the Imam in relation to his followers. When these thoughts come to an Ismaili, his mind goes back 1400 years when the first Imam Ali bin Abu Talib (a.s.) was proclaimed as the successor of the Prophet. From this historic event, two points emerge which deserve to be properly understood. The first is that the first Imam was not chosen by men, but chosen by Allah Himself. On this seat have been enthroned the descendants of Hazrat Ali (a.s.) in an unbroken line of direct succession and the illustrious holder of the seat today is Shah Karim al-Husayni (Aga Khan IV), the present Imam. The second point is that the Muslims of the period of the Holy Prophet had seen him with their own eyes, talked and walked personally with him and had personally heard his eloquent sermons. In spite of all this personal contact with the Prophet, God in His infinite wisdom considered it necessary for the world to have a living Imam and caused Ali bin Abu Talib to be proclaimed the first Imam. It is therefore worth reflecting how much more necessary it is for Muslims of the succeeding generations, who cannot possibly have any personal contact with the Prophet, to have a living Imam. When such an Imam was necessary for the Muslims of the time of the Prophet, then it stands to reason that it is even more necessary for the generations coming after the Prophet to have a living Imam for continuous guidance and interpretation of the Holy Qur’an.

Could it be said that God who has lavished generosity on man for the sake of his physical development might deprive him of the most basic means needed for his spiritual elevation, He might leave him without spiritual guidance, at the time of the death of the Prophet, the Islamic nation had not reached the cultural or intellectual level that would have permitted it to continue its development toward perfection without guardianship and oversight. The program that Islam had established for the development and elevation of man would have remained soulless and incomplete unless the principle of Imamat had been joined to it; Islam would have been unable to play its precious role in the liberation of man and the blossoming of his talents. Fundamental Islamic texts proclaim that if the principle of Imamat is subtracted from Islam, the spirit of the laws of Islam and the progressive, monotheistic society based on them would be lost; nothing would remain but a lifeless form. The Prophet said, “Whosoever dies without recognizing the Imam of his time dies the death of ignorance.” The reason for this is that during the pre-Islamic era of ignorance the people were polytheists; they knew nothing of either monotheism or of prophethood. This categorical declaration by the Prophet shows the importance that he assigned to Imamat, to the degree that if someone fails to place his spiritual life beneath the protective cover of a perfected guide he is equivalent to one whose entire life was spent in ignorance.

Every year Ismailis celebrate Imamat Day with great éclat. They wear new clothes, eat delicious food, illuminate their houses and enjoy themselves in every way. It is of course their right to enjoy and celebrate. Nevertheless, if they merely enjoy and do nothing more, there is no meaning to the celebration. By such celebration they do no good either to themselves or to the community. Their celebration can only have some value if on this auspicious occasion they ponder and ask themselves whether they have been true to their oath of allegiance. They must search their hearts that in the new Imamat year, they will correct their errors and devote themselves to the service of Allah and the community at large in which they live. In short, Imamat Day should be for every Ismaili a day of self-introspection and a day of rededication. In this lies the true and proper observance of Imamat Day.

As we celebrate this memorable Yaum al-Imama, we must also remind ourselves of our duties towards the Imam-of-the-Time. Qadi al-Nu’man, the 10th century Fatimid jurist, describes faith as belief in the Unity of Allah and in His Prophet, as well as the Imam-of-the-Time and to obey him.

Malana Hazar Imam through his guidance has insisted upon unity in our families and in the Jamat, he has urged us to work together and to practice the ethics of our faith, which includes upholding the values of integrity, humility, honesty, and generosity. In leading our lives in accordance with these values and fulfilling our spiritual responsibilities, we are abiding by the Holy Qur’an, Sunnah and we are abiding by the guidance of the Imam of the-Time.

Imamat Day is also an occasion to express our shukrana (thanksgiving) for being blessed with the guidance of a living hereditary Imam. It is also an occasion to express our love and reaffirm our allegiance to our beloved Hazar Imam and offer our gratitude for his guidance and affection.

Today, we live in a world where the values of secularism and individualism are on the rise. We ought to recognize our good fortune to be members of a community which offers us a shared vision, as well as unity of purpose, which are both a privilege and a duty. As members of a larger social group, we have an obligation to help and assist others. The motivation to help others, to share our wealth and knowledge, is a powerful antidote to individualism and selfish materialism. It is vital that we understand the Imam’s commitment to the Jamat’s well-being, and that it is his guidance that alerts us to the challenges of contemporary life.

Imamat Day is also the celebration of Hazar Imam’s grace upon his murids and the love and affection he bestows upon us. It is this mutual love between the murids and the Imam that unites the Jamat across time and space. Reflecting upon our Imam’s aspirations for the Jamat, let us reaffirm our allegiance to our beloved Hazar Imam. On this happy occasion, let us commit to living a balanced life.

Ameen.

Reference/s:

https://ismaili.imamat/#history

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism,

By: Mumtaz Ali Tajddin Sadik Ali

Pakistan, 2006, pp. 230-231 & 641-42

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