Here is an interesting situation concerning the future of the community. WHO WILL BE THE NEXT IMAM? Rahim and Hussein - the sons of Prince Karim Agha Khan and his divorced wife Sally, have not been seen by the Jamat for the last several years. It is reported that the elder is not interested and is leading a different lifestyle. The younger is physically handicapped since last several years without any cure. Daughter Zahrah, who was taking interest in the social affairs of the Jamat and was considered until recently as the likely candidate by many ismailis, has recently got engaged to a non-Muslim European Prince Karim Agha Khan has no other sons or grandsons. Even if its Zahrah, then who wud be inherit imamat after her? her son or daughter? but wudnt a question be raised: Would you recognize a child, having a Christian Father, as the descendant of the Prophet (s.a.s.) and a direct descendant of Hadhrat Ali (a.s.)
and in regard to Zahrah gettin married with a Non-Muslim European.. dont you think that other Ismailis be allowed to marry out of their own community? y do Ismailis find it so difficult to accept the marriage of a Ismaili with a Non-Ismaili when Prince's own daughter got engaged with a Non-Muslim European?
no offence.. thank you...
Who would be the next Imam?
Thanks brother for expressing your concerns about Imamat. You must realize that this institution is an eternal institution and it is ordained by God and will be protected by HIM.
When Imam Sultan Muhammed Shah became the Imam at the age of eight years, we was the only suriving heir with a delicate chance of survival. Yet he lived to the ripe age of 80 years and you only need to read about what he accomplished in his life!
This is what he says in his memoir.
"I was the only surviving heir, for my two full brothers both died in infancy, and my two half-brothers in their young manhood. I was known to be delicate - a succession of English doctors had prophesised, with sombre unaminity, that I would not live to be twenty-five..."
When Imam Sultan Muhammed Shah became the Imam at the age of eight years, we was the only suriving heir with a delicate chance of survival. Yet he lived to the ripe age of 80 years and you only need to read about what he accomplished in his life!
This is what he says in his memoir.
"I was the only surviving heir, for my two full brothers both died in infancy, and my two half-brothers in their young manhood. I was known to be delicate - a succession of English doctors had prophesised, with sombre unaminity, that I would not live to be twenty-five..."
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ThisWorldSucks
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Truly Allah will protect it because YES it is eternal.... but would anyone accept him/her who inherit Imamat from Zahrah? knowing that she is engaged to a Non-Ismaili European.... Would anyone even accept their marriage? coz if Ismailis marry out of their community they just have to go through many problems in the marriage process...
my friend got married to a non-ismaili guy... but then she was disowned by her parents.... Y? isnt that wrong?
my friend got married to a non-ismaili guy... but then she was disowned by her parents.... Y? isnt that wrong?
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malik.merchant
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With respect to the statement by thisworldsucks specifically "..the sons of Prince Karim Agha Khan and his divorced wife Sally, have not been seen by the Jamat for the last several years. It is reported that the elder is not interested and is leading a different lifestyle..." I wonder whether any of the prophets new in advance about the the mission they were entrusted with. Won't one say that many of them were thrust into their repective roles of Nabuwaat which they nobly and dutifully carried out. When the first revelation dawned on our Holy Prophet he wondered what he should read when he was himself illiterate. When Moses was asked by Allah to become His messenger he wondered whether he was the right person for the job (assuming the Ten Commandments and other movies have portrayed his life correctly).
Whether a son is interested or not, the Imamate as Karim Maherally has so rightfully pointed out is a Divine Institution just as Nabuwwat was. Allah would protect it and preserve it, and inspire the spark for it to be nobly fulfilled.
Whether a son is interested or not, the Imamate as Karim Maherally has so rightfully pointed out is a Divine Institution just as Nabuwwat was. Allah would protect it and preserve it, and inspire the spark for it to be nobly fulfilled.
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ThisWorldSucks
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Imam's never marry their murids generally unless the murid is from the progeny of the Prophet. In our history it has happened only twice; first Imam Hazarat Aly with Hazarat Bibi Fatima and 45th Imam Khalilulllah with Hazarat Bibi Maryam Khatun the daughter of Pir Mirza Muhammad Baqir ( who was the progeny of the Prophet).ThisWorldSucks wrote:so indeed i said YES Allah will protect it... He is Supreme....
well but can anyone answer my other question regarding the marriage issue?
I think the reason is that, marrying a murid can complicate/obscure the relationship/bond between a murid and a murshid.
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ThisWorldSucks
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maher i got ur point.... but Imam's own daughter got married to a practising Christian....!!! if i go for a non-ismaili, wud i be regarded as a person with weak ismaili belief? am i goin to be blamed to ruin the image of the community? i guess i shudnt be coz if Zahrah had a heart to love someone whos a non-ismaili the same way i can have a heart which have a desire to get the person who i love... or shud my feelings be burried alongwith me one day only coz i will be told to sacrifice for my belief... and just to pose a respectable name of my family infront of the community....
Princess Zahra is our potential Pir (Murshid). She cannot therefore get married to her potential murid. This applies to the sons of the Imam as well.ThisWorldSucks wrote:maher i got ur point.... but Imam's own daughter got married to a practising Christian....!!! if i go for a non-ismaili, wud i be regarded as a person with weak ismaili belief? am i goin to be blamed to ruin the image of the community? i guess i shudnt be coz if Zahrah had a heart to love someone whos a non-ismaili the same way i can have a heart which have a desire to get the person who i love... or shud my feelings be burried alongwith me one day only coz i will be told to sacrifice for my belief... and just to pose a respectable name of my family infront of the community....
Princess Zahra has a great heart and she loves us Ismailis more than her husband in my opinion.
Let Divine Ordinance decide this...
hello all,
In my humble opinion, it is best to leave this matter to Divine Prerogative...
However, I notice quite a bit of mention (and misconceptions) about Princess Zahra -- please refer to the Ismaili Consitution.
In the preamble, ARTICLE C, it is ordained that:
"Succession to Imamat is by way of Nass, it being the absolute prerogative of the Imam of the time to appoint his successor from amongst any of his male descendents whether they be sons or remoter issue"
The keyword here is 'male descendents'
regards,
RaDawo.
In my humble opinion, it is best to leave this matter to Divine Prerogative...
However, I notice quite a bit of mention (and misconceptions) about Princess Zahra -- please refer to the Ismaili Consitution.
In the preamble, ARTICLE C, it is ordained that:
"Succession to Imamat is by way of Nass, it being the absolute prerogative of the Imam of the time to appoint his successor from amongst any of his male descendents whether they be sons or remoter issue"
The keyword here is 'male descendents'
regards,
RaDawo.
This worldsucks:
well but can anyone answer my other question regarding the marriage issue?
Prophet's daughter Zainab and other female relatives were married to Kafirs who fought against the Prophet. Princess Zahra, at least has married some one from Ahle al-kitab.
As for our community people giving hard time to people marrying outside our community, they are worried about the children that will be born and what religion they would follow. Some intermarriages are a great success and others fail because of religious differences. In spite of it all, there are lot of inter-marriages not only among Ismailis but all other immigrant communties in the West.
Virgo2
Re: Let Divine Ordinance decide this...
Hello RaDawo.radawo wrote: "Succession to Imamat is by way of Nass, it being the absolute prerogative of the Imam of the time to appoint his successor from amongst any of his male descendents whether they be sons or remoter issue"
The keyword here is 'male descendents'
regards,
RaDawo.
In our tradition there are two offices; Imamat and Piratan. While only the male descendants can hold the office of Imamat, the female descendants can hold the position of Piratan. At present the Imam holds both offices but in our history these offices were held by different individuals.