Hello I am outsider, looking for questions

Discussion on doctrinal issues
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sicpit
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Aug 31, 2007 5:35 pm

Hello I am outsider, looking for questions

Post by sicpit »

<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Hello, I am new to this forum and this is my first reply. I found this site while doing some research o&shy;n the Druze of Lebanon. I was wondering what the similarities are and what are the differences?&nbsp; Is this hereditary hence be a descendent of Ishmael, or can anyone converts, providing they go through a conversion process. This looks like an offshoot of Islam, not necessarily Sufi, but let’s says closer to Sufi then orthodox Sunni.&nbsp; This sounds very Christian, Hindu, pre Abraham religions, how is this different than how Christians worship Hazrat Isa, or how Hindus worship Krishna and Ram, or the many other Horus of the Ancient Egyptians and many other religions that have some form of avatar or savior?<BR><BR>From I gather from reading the forums is that you believe in an avatar of Allah, this is far from the strict orthodox approach to Islam, however I wish not to cause trouble or say you guys are not Muslim. <BR><BR>Does the Ismaili have any relations with the Yezidi of Kurdistan, and their reformer Sheikh Adi ibn Musafir(RIP)<BR><BR><BR>What do Ismaili's believe about the Torah and Injeel(Bible) <BR><BR><BR>anyway thank you for you time, and I hope that I am accepted in this e society as an outsider</P>
kmaherali
Posts: 25705
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2003 3:01 pm

Post by kmaherali »

Welcome to this forum!

As you are asking some very fundamental questions about Ismailism, I would recommend that you read the article "Islam the Religion of My Ancestors" by H.R.H. PRINCE AGA KHAN III. This is an authoritative statement of our interpretation of Islam given by the Imam himself. It can be accessed online at: http://www.ismaili.net/Source/0016b.html.

I am sure it will answer most of the questions you have. If you still have further questions, do not hesitate to ask.
SaminaNurali
Posts: 30
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2008 1:55 am
Location: Karachi, Pakistan

Post by SaminaNurali »

Sir, i think this artilce doesnt exist anymore. Can you give us any other article on teh same subject.
aks70seven
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Apr 05, 2006 10:11 pm

Post by aks70seven »

<P>Article not there......</P>
Admin
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Joined: Mon Jan 06, 2003 10:37 am
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Post by Admin »

The link is

http://www.ismaili.net/Source/0016b.html

the previous contains a dot at the end of the link and that is why the link was not working.

Admin
enzuru
Posts: 49
Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2008 11:21 pm

Post by enzuru »

Three very basic facts about the Druze:

1. First and foremost, Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah stated that they are Ismaili Shi'a Muslims who did not follow his ancestors after they left I believe Egypt/Levant. This clarifies that to us Ismailiyya, we neither consider them non-Muslim, non-Shi'a, or non-Ismaili. They are our brothers and sisters in faith. As per the link posted, our Imam states, &#8220;In the mountainous regions of Syria, for example, are to be found the Druzes, in their fastness in the Jebel Druze. They are really Ismailis who did not originally follow my family in their migration out of Egypt but remained with the memory of my ancestor, AI Hakem, the Fatimite Khalif of Egypt, but they established their doctrines on lines very similar to those of the Syrian Ismailis, who, in present times, are my followers.&#8221;

2. I have discussed with a Druze our belief system. As I should have expected from the aforementioned proclamation of our Imam, the Druze and we share a belief system that is 90% the same, which is amazing considering that we have been separated for hundreds of years. There is no doubt in my mind that the Druze faith is one that is close to the Ahl al-Bayt.

3. While I will not go into strenuous detail, I will mention that I am not of the Satpanth (Khoja) tradition, but I am of the Nasiriyya (Afghan) tradition. I am however familiar with the both the Satpanth and Nasiriyya traditions, and when I discussed with the Druze the elements of our faith, their theology was almost completely Nasiriyya. The Druze told me that one of their most important leaders in fact was from Afghanistan, which makes the parallel very important. Unfortunately, I lack extensive knowledge on the Fatimid (Syrian) and Alamut (Iranian) traditions, so I cannot give sufficient feedback in regards to them, however as the Imam said they seem to be closest in theology to the Syrians.
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