As recieved
Fourteen years I have waited
Waited to see my Imam
I yearn for my Mowla
My heart cries out for Him
My eyes longed to see him for so long
But my heart longed for Him even more
For He is the one who gives Mushkil Asaan
Carrying us through the troubles of this world
Three hours I had to prepare
The Intezaari programme then began
My family (physical and spiritual) were in my prayers
Tasbihs, Ginans, Qasidas and Quranic Ayats were recited
Ya Raheman, Ya Raheem
Ya Aale Nabi, Aulade Ali, Ya Mushkil Khusha, Ya Hazir Imam
Ya Ali tu Rahem Kar, Ya Mowla tu Fazal Kar
Ya Allah, Ya Wahab, Ya Ali, Allahu Samad
Ya Wadud, Ya Mawjud
Allahu Akbar, Subhan Allah, Al Hamdulillah
Allahuma Sale Allah Muhammediw Wa Aale Muhammed
Shrukan Lillah Walhamdu Lillah
Hazir Imam came to see us in the evening
Wearing his magnificent white Darbar clothes
How glowing he looked on this happy occasion
The anticipation and wait was finally over
The Salwaat was recited
As He walked through the long magnificent hall
'Khanavadhan', I heard Him say
As he walked past all His murids
My heart danced with joy
My eyes cried tears of happiness
My Imam had finally come to see me
I felt like I was in a dream
Hazir Imam's chain was placed around His neck
A chain that represents the Imamat
The magnificent light of Allah
Since our first Imam, Imam Ali (a.s.)
A Ginan full of love was recited
'Saheba Ji Tun More Maan Bhave'
Surat al Nisaa was partly recited
How serious our Imam looked
The president made an address
He talked about what our Imam has done for us
So much work he does for His murids
But do we even try to do as much in return?
Hazir Imam then made a Firman
How wonderful it was to hear Him speak
How much does He care for us?
It is an unquantifiable amount
He showered us with so many blessings
Each one of us individually
And to each member of our families and Jamats
He truly has spoilt us
But what have I given Him
For the unconditional love He freely gives us ?
What have I done to reciprocate this?
I am not deserving of such love
He gives us so much of His time
So why can't we recognise this?
Why is this relationship so one-sided?
I am not worthy of His love
A fruit offering was made
Then an offering by some of the European Jamats
The Nazrana was given to our Imam
He blessed the water and gave us Niyaz
Once more he blessed us individually
How fortunate we are to receive this
No worldly relation comes close to this kind
It is one of spiritual only
Then it was time for our Imam to leave
An hour had gone by but it felt like a minute
My heart danced at having received his Didar
Shukar Mowla, He blessed us with His presence
He walked through the long hall again
Giving us even more blessings
Just how much He spoils us!
We are not worthy of such kindness
He gave blessings to those who were sick
Blessings of Mushkil Asaan
Tears continued to roll down my face
My Imam had been to visit
He went to His private room
Whilst the Jamat sang a Ginan
We all stood to say Shukar tasbih
For receiving our Imam's didar
My Imam came to visit and left very quickly
But he hasn't left me at all - He's still by my side
Whenever I need Him, He is there for me
And I just have to call Him with my heart
(author anonymous)
UK Didar dates, events and testimonies
Updates from theismaili.org.
http://www.theismaili.org/cms/505/Jamat ... ilee-visit
Jamat rejoices during Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Golden Jubilee visit
A volunteer welcomes an elderly member of the Jamat and offers assistance. Photo: Courtesy of the Ismaili Council for the UK
Mawlana Hazar Imam's recent Golden Jubilee visit to London was a time of celebration for the Jamats of the United Kingdom, Europe, and the global Jamat that came to join in the festivities.
With Jamati members visiting from many countries, ExCeL London became a focal point for a global gathering of murids who rejoiced at the accomplishments of the Imam and the community over the past 50 years.
Prior to the Jubilee visit itself, the volunteers from across the United Kingdom prepared to welcome and accommodate the Jamat from around the world. Some rehearsed for Taarif, a special cultural programme. Others helped to set up the hall, create sustenance packages, operate registration desks and telephone information lines, and greet and orient Jamati members as they arrived.
The hard work, dedication, and preparation of the many volunteers was evident during the visit. The Jamat rejoiced as they played raas, partook in meals together, and got to know their brothers and sisters from around the world.
“This was such a happy occasion, and I must thank the volunteers for all their hard work,” remarked one Jamati member from Canada. “The whole week of celebrations was extremely well-organised, and everyone had a smile on their face.”
These sentiments were echoed by Jamati members from around the world, a testament to the dedication of the many volunteers that made it possible.
One volunteer from London summed it up well: ”It was a lot of hard work, but it was our pleasure to do this kind of service for our beloved Imam, who has done so much for us already.”
Decorations are hung at ExCeL London in preparation for Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Golden Jubilee visit. Photo: Courtesy of the Ismaili Council for the UK
Volunteers prepare food trays for the Jamat during the visit. Photo: Courtesy of the Ismaili Council for the UK
A volunteer smiles as she serves food at ExCeL London. Photo: Courtesy of the Ismaili Council for the UK
Children participate in creative activities such as tasbih-making and face painting. Photo: Courtesy of the Ismaili Council for the UK
http://www.theismaili.org/cms/505/Jamat ... ilee-visit
Jamat rejoices during Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Golden Jubilee visit
A volunteer welcomes an elderly member of the Jamat and offers assistance. Photo: Courtesy of the Ismaili Council for the UK
Mawlana Hazar Imam's recent Golden Jubilee visit to London was a time of celebration for the Jamats of the United Kingdom, Europe, and the global Jamat that came to join in the festivities.
With Jamati members visiting from many countries, ExCeL London became a focal point for a global gathering of murids who rejoiced at the accomplishments of the Imam and the community over the past 50 years.
Prior to the Jubilee visit itself, the volunteers from across the United Kingdom prepared to welcome and accommodate the Jamat from around the world. Some rehearsed for Taarif, a special cultural programme. Others helped to set up the hall, create sustenance packages, operate registration desks and telephone information lines, and greet and orient Jamati members as they arrived.
The hard work, dedication, and preparation of the many volunteers was evident during the visit. The Jamat rejoiced as they played raas, partook in meals together, and got to know their brothers and sisters from around the world.
“This was such a happy occasion, and I must thank the volunteers for all their hard work,” remarked one Jamati member from Canada. “The whole week of celebrations was extremely well-organised, and everyone had a smile on their face.”
These sentiments were echoed by Jamati members from around the world, a testament to the dedication of the many volunteers that made it possible.
One volunteer from London summed it up well: ”It was a lot of hard work, but it was our pleasure to do this kind of service for our beloved Imam, who has done so much for us already.”
Decorations are hung at ExCeL London in preparation for Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Golden Jubilee visit. Photo: Courtesy of the Ismaili Council for the UK
Volunteers prepare food trays for the Jamat during the visit. Photo: Courtesy of the Ismaili Council for the UK
A volunteer smiles as she serves food at ExCeL London. Photo: Courtesy of the Ismaili Council for the UK
Children participate in creative activities such as tasbih-making and face painting. Photo: Courtesy of the Ismaili Council for the UK
As received
I, myself was born a Sunni Muslim and have been married to a Shia Ismaili man for over nine years. We both felt that there was no great need for me to adopt the Ismaili faith as being a Muslim there wouldn’t be a real disruption or clash in our beliefs. We have two children (who thanks to my brother-in-law!) were brought into the Ismaili faith. The children would now and again along with my husband attend Jamatkhane. I, myself would attend on big occasions but always felt a little barrier. I wasn’t able to be with my family in the prayer hall so I kind of stuck out like a sore thumb when I was sat waiting downstairs on my own! With work commitments, and the fact that we lived so far away from Jamatkhane, we didn’t attend regularly so in a sense it was not a main part of our life.
Golden Jubilee celebrations were going to be taking place in London later in the year and months before all I knew was that we would be attending and one day during that week Hazar Imam would be attending. I will be honest with you at this stage to me it was a formality to be there. Again I knew that I would be segregated and my duty was to make sure that my husband and children had a great experience. I was happy for my husband as he had explained what a massive occasion this was for Ismaili’s. I was happy for him but I didn’t think anything else of it.
When the time came for the Deedar we had major work commitments, lots of different things were going on but we knew that dates had been confirmed so we knew when to go. My husband insisted that we completely switch off from work and start to enjoy the experience as this was a once in our lifetime event celebrating 50 years of Hazar Imam’s Imamat. Now switching off from work is hard for us as we both work live and breathe our Business but we both switched off. I became excited for once about the prospect of meeting Hazar Imam, as my husband and sister-in-law had said to me that Hazar Imam always makes a point of speaking to the non Ismaili spouses and I would probably get a chance to speak to Hazar Imam, now being the one who was always left out I felt like the special one. All of a sudden I had a spark inside me, I was excited too, I was happy too.
As many people may have experienced it was very difficult to get hotel rooms in London that week, but small miracles started to happen. My brother-in-law was able to get us a room at a hotel whose website I was on at the time and I knew had no rooms available! The whole journey, the hospitality we were shown by the hotel staff, was so pleasant. We were only 10 minutes away from London Excel. We attended the evening celebrations before the Deedar day and enjoyed being with friends and family. Everything was so well organised. It was a pleasure to be part of the experience.
On Deedar day we got to Excel in good time everything was going smoothly. The night before me and my husband had checked out the Platinum Suite where the non Ismaili spouses would be housed during the Deedar. I had felt slightly disappointed as there were escalators and stairs to go up the two floors, I remember telling my husband and sister-in-law that there was no way that Hazar Imam would see us as they wouldn’t bring Him up the escalators! However, I had to make the effort for my husband and children remembering it wasn’t about me. They were here to celebrate the Golden Jubilee and do Deedar, but the spark had been lit inside me I now wanted more. As time went on my lovely husband came with me to the Platinum Suite, making sure I was okay but now had to leave me to enter the Darbaar Hall with the children, has it was nearing the time of Hazar Imam’s arrival. I decided to walk back down with them. I felt a tinge of sadness when saying our goodbyes but I was also happy for them as I had begun to realise what everything was all about.
As I made my way back up the escalators I spent some time looking at the paintings that were on display but quickly realised that I had seen them before so I didn’t feel like pondering. I had to face the inevitable and make my way up to the Platinum Suite and sit it out. I got myself a drink, they were playing a children’s film I remember thinking great they could have at least put on a Bollywood movie! I decided to ensure I got a seat on the front row as there was a microphone stand and I felt that if Hazar Imam was to visit the Platinum Suite to address us I wanted a front row seat.
Now I believe that everything that took place that day happened for a reason as you will go on to find. I sat on the front row and eventually a lady arrived and sat next to me next to her family. She spoke to me and I conversed with her, a little while later another lady approached us and sat with us who I began chatting to also. I remember feeling a little pressured to continue conversing with the first lady, and trying to involve her in conversations whilst I chatted with my new friend, just to be polite! Now I am a naturally bubbly person I like to say it how it is also and I had met another lady so similar she was lovely. I was really touched by her pureness and want in meeting Hazar Imam. She wasn’t even Muslim and referred to Him has Hazar Imam, now I never did as I felt that being Sunni Muslim He wasn’t my Imam so I would always refer to him as The Aga Khan. We spoke about our disappointment in being upstairs and had both felt that they wouldn’t bring Hazar Imam upstairs.
As time went on a couple of volunteers came to the stand and explained to us that there would be an opportunity for us to see Hazar Imam as He left the building. This was the moment we (me and my friend) had been waiting for! We listened and concentrated so hard to their every word. They said that they would have to wait for a call when they knew Hazar Imam would be leaving the building and we would have only 10 minutes to get down the stairs and to the designated area. They just had to work out the logistics of getting so many people down in a safe and orderly manner. A little while later the volunteers even came back and asked for a show of hands who would actually want to see Hazar Imam. I would say 90% of the people in the room raised their hands so that confirmed it they would have to organise it for us.
That was it from then on me and my friend made it our mission to ensure we were the first to get down those stairs. We joked so much about it I laugh now just thinking of it. We were so alike, just as I had wanted to sit on the front row so had she in fact she later had said to me that when she was looking for a seat she had clocked me and thought that I didn’t look like part of the family who were sat next to me and maybe I to was on my own so she felt comfortable approaching the seats near me. I truly believe that we were both meant to meet as you will realise as you read on.
As time passed we decided now that it was time to start making our way towards the doors leading out to the escalators as we both knew that that would give us a head start to get downstairs. I said goodbye to the other lady sat with me and we went towards the exit. We both got ourselves a drink and tried to act normal as we kept edging more and more towards the escalators!
A little more time passed, whilst we were chatting my friend spots her husband racing up the stairs with their little daughter! He looked stressed and the little girl looked even more stressed knowing her father was leaving her. I remember thinking oh no there’s no chance of us being allowed at the front now as the volunteers would make us stand at the back because they wouldn’t want crying children making noise as Hazar Imam was leaving! I quickly searched my tiny bag (beautiful but highly impractical!) for something to give the little girl to console her. Great, I had found my sons last opal fruit he had asked me to save for him. That had done the trick she had started to calm down. Within minutes of the little girl being dropped to her mother the volunteers started gathering everybody to give instructions. They wanted parents with children to make their way down the escalators first! We couldn’t believe it. I quickly became the little girls Auntie and we made our way down. From that moment on I knew I was going to see and meet Hazar Imam I knew it and I believed it.
Again me and my friend and her lovely daughter found ourselves front of the queue. There was security at the bottom doors and we weren’t allowed to go through until the ok was given. It was still quite away from the actual exit so I knew we would still need to rush to get a good spot. We were so excited we spoke to an elderly lady who briefed us on an experience she had had at a previous Deedar and said how it can get quite messy as people would push and shove you out of the way just to be near or get a glimpse of Hazar Imam. I was taken aback why non Ismailis would be so desperate to see Hazar Imam.
It was time to open the doors, the volunteers said first to be allowed out to make their way to the line up were elderly people, people in wheelchairs and parents with children in pushchairs and then the rest could follow. My friend hesitated as we had no pushchair I looked on as the elderly lady ran towards the designated area she turned back to see if we were following I grabbed my friends arm and pulled her and we ran for it! I was elated the whole way through this was all meant. We got a fantastic spot at the front(…of course!) by the side of us were people in wheelchairs everybody was so excited there was such a buzz, we watched as all the uniformed volunteers were lining up outside. I was trying to look out for my sister-in-law and two nieces as they had been volunteering throughout the Golden Jubilee Celebrations in London.
Whilst waiting I started to feel a mixture of emotions, nervousness, joy, overwhelming feelings. I felt like any second I could burst into tears. I even joked about it with my friend. Me and my friend practised speeches and looked at each other in amazement as we relayed to each other the way we had got to where we were. Her daughter now was as quiet as a mouse. I told my friend that I knew and believed Hazar Imam would address us because of our story, I knew it and felt it in my heart and soul.
I, a Sunni Muslim was about to see the 49th Imam a direct descendant of our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) that was huge. Wow, me I couldn’t believe it that moment onwards I believed. If you do not already understand it is like meeting The Prophet (p.b.u.h) or Hazrat Ali themselves as had I been born 1400 years ago and the Prophet (p.b.u.h) was going to come to the town we lived in you think we wouldn’t have dropped everything to go and see Him or even just being in the surrounding areas that He was in, to feel the Spirit, to feel the Noor and listen to what He told us and what He wanted us to do to stay in God’s Path. Well this was the same thing as I was born in this age in Hazar Imam’s time, so this to me was exactly the same thing. That spark inside me was now glowing brightly.
Hazar Imam was leaving shortly the volunteers came down the line and briefed us on etiquette how to address him not to try and touch him etc. I remember saying to the man I hope He comes towards us and speaks to us and he said if you are blessed He will.
The time was here Hazar Imam appeared. The first section of people were clambering over one another to shake his hand. He spoke to them and then proceeded down the red carpet. This was it, it was our turn Hazar Imam was led down the carpet and came off the carpet and walked straight towards us. My heart was beating so fast I could feel it in my throat!
Hazar Imam was so happy to see us as he approached we all clapped as if it was a natural thing to do and we all did it spontaneously. I was delighted I felt so so happy I was grinning like a Cheshire cat. My Hazar Imam was stood right in front of me He spoke to us with such a kind and gentle voice. He wanted us to be more involved in the things they did as a community and an organisation. He wanted to know if we had any suggestions to put them forward as He wanted people like us to be involved. I was mesmerised I was glued to every word He spoke. He looked at me a few times while speaking to us and I felt electric. I was gleaming I felt I had received. This was it this was my chance to speak I felt this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, my family would be so proud of me. So when the time was right and Hazar Imam was finishing what he said He looked at me as though He knew I was going to speak and I said it would be a great pleasure to be part of it and it was an honour to have met Him. He smiled at me again I felt electric He thanked me and I was gleaming has He left us to speak to others further down, we clapped again we were ecstatic. I was grinning from ear to ear we watched him leave. Although his physical form had left the building I felt that I had received and felt that Noor and Spirit inside of me although He had gone I was still happy I still felt his presence. My friend was ecstatic as while Hazar Imam had addressed us His hand had brushed against her arm, she felt electric, we were so filled with joy and emotion. All we wanted to do then was find our families and share the experience with them we hugged one another and said our goodbyes and left to search for our families.
I had arranged to wait in the Platinum Suite for my husband and children. All I could do was think of how I was going to tell them. They would be so happy and amazed that I had met Hazar Imam I had spoken to Him he had spoken and looked and smiled at me. Wow me the non Ismaili spouse always sat away from everyone, always kept out. I was gleaming still smiling infectiously. I found my husband and children, as I approached my husband and children he was smiling back and I remember saying you are not going to believe what happened to me and he said I know I saw you on the screen! I couldn’t understand we didn’t realise but at the time every thing was being filmed and streamed back live into the screens in the Darbaar hall. I was overjoyed I felt in a way that in that respect my family had experienced what I had experienced too. I relayed the whole story to him, I was on a high even when writing this I feel the same elation as though it happened today.
We went to the celebration hall to meet with other family and friends. My sister-in-law and nieces ran towards me so full of joyous emotions they too had seen me on the screen I hugged them tight. I was so happy, they too had shared my experience with me. All evening I would relay my story again and again. I actually started to edit to a very short and revised version as I had fast realised that I would lose my voice otherwise!
I was still smiling I felt elated I felt different. I was a new person my whole life had changed. I was happy a happiness I had never experienced. I was at peace I was calm I felt wise I felt I had a purpose. This was the start of my journey this was the start of me being on God’s Path. I loved life. That evening the journey home was so spiritual. My husband and I talked and talked about Hazar Imam about Ismailism about God about Religion in such a deep and meaningful way. I told my husband that I felt different so so different. He knew he could see it just by looking at me.
Going back to real life, work commitments were still there, the busy lifestyle we had led was still there. But something had changed, a whole big weight had been lifted off my shoulders I had no worries in the world. How is something going to effect me when I had the Spirit and Noor with me guiding me, protecting me all the time. Remember, I had gone to London as a duty to my husband and children and God had rewarded me with so so much more.
I said to my husband that I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to be more giving. I wanted Hazar Imam to be pleased that we were wanting to help and make a difference to peoples lives whether in a monetary form or in a spiritual form. I had never been a greedy person, but obviously had desires for nice things and wanted to earn money to be able to have those nice things. Now I had changed my principles. My outlook on life had changed I now wanted to earn money to be able to afford to make a difference to a poor family or pay for a sick person’s medicine for example. I would feel much happier in doing that then buying material things for myself. My love for money had disappeared.
I now wanted to be the person in our family that brought us together and united us in our faith. Although if you recall at the start of my story I mentioned we felt that there was no need for me to adopt the Ismaili faith. We now realised that that was what had been missing in our lives for all those years. We needed to become One. I told my husband that I now realised and knew that this was a once in a lifetime occasion and never again would there be a Golden Jubilee Celebration for our Hazar Imam and we must go to the next Deedar. It so clicked to me why my Brother-in-law would drop everything to go and do Deedar in all the different Countries previous to the London Deedar. I so understood the love he felt for the Imam because I felt that same love for the Imam too.
Mine and my husband’s outlook on life changed after the London Deedar. We had all our faith in our God in our Prophet (pbuh) in Hazarat Ali and in all our Imams right up to the present 49th Imam. We believed our prayers would be answered even before saying our prayers. We realised that during the years when times were hard if we had problems in the Business we would pray but when everything was good we weren’t that spiritual. We realised that faith or being an Ismaili did not have an on and off switch, you can’t just switch on when you need help when you need guidance but switch off when you don’t need it. A lot of things happen to us which I would like to keep private, things which only made our faith so much stronger and made us so much happier.
We now were going to make a big change to our lives as this was our Destiny. We dropped everything, we prioritised ourselves for a change and made it our mission to go to the Portugal Deedar. We registered got the dates but soon realised all flights had gone and the ones that were available were extremely expensive. We spent hours on the Wednesday night trying to get flights and hotels but weren’t able to do so. We went to sleep that night knowing that if it is God’s will we would go. The Deedar in Portugal was going to be on Sunday we were on Thursday and we really knew that we were cutting it fine.
As we travelled to work that morning discussing how we could get flights to different areas and then maybe get connecting flights to Lisbon our phone rang it was a travel agent I had called the night before but they hadn’t called me back. I explained to the lady that we had to be in Lisbon on such and such dates and please get us the flights and accommodation. She was lovely I explained that we had scoured the internet and she was our only hope. She said she would look into it and would call me back later that morning.
Now, because we led such busy lives and worked so hard we rarely went abroad for holidays as work commitments didn’t allow us to and in mine and my husband’s heart not once did we look at this as a holiday this to us was like a pilgrimage. I actually remember thinking that I shouldn’t be bothered at the cost of the trip so I wasn’t as the whole experience would be priceless. We knew God would make a way for us to be there.
Many conversations later our flights plus accommodation were booked all we had to do was organise a car, coach or flight to Lisbon on the day of the Deedar. We would be flying the next morning at 6am, we were over the moon we were excited. I was feeling the same sense of elation I had felt in London.
That night I didn’t sleep I spent the whole night ironing our clothes, packing our case and making sure we had everything organised. We were ecstatic, early in the morning at 3am we left for the airport, not happy about going abroad but happy we were going to be able to do Deedar again because we had immense love for our Hazar Imam, Love for our faith - Islam.
When we landed in Portugal we tried to organise ways of getting to Lisbon so had managed to get all the relevant information we needed to make sure we got to the Deedar. If you remember I said that because of heavy work commitments we never got the chance to go abroad for a holiday. We now know and believe that God gave us a gift He knew the way in which we came to do Deedar in Portugal and we truly believe that He rewarded us with a holiday as we got the chance to stay on a wonderful beach resort for two days prior to going to Lisbon for the Deedar. The children were over the moon they loved the whole experience as so did we. The people were so nice to us, I’ll always remember our time there.
The hotel we were staying at the bus stop for the coach leaving to Lisbon only happened to be right outside! We left late Saturday afternoon. We had a fantastic four hour trip in a luxury coach to Lisbon, they even played Spiderman 3 movie, my sons all time favourite superhero! So the whole journey was pleasant. We got a train after that. It was a great adventure for us and we were finally at our destination.
That evening at the Hall we met a man who became our companion for the evening along with his sister we decided to go and eat together, it was late but we wanted to eat Nando’s style chicken being in Portugal and all! We had found a place and believe it or not whilst there met the Mukhi Sahib and his wife. He was the Mukhi Sahib for the Dharkhane Jamat for Lisbon and they would be like the main hosts for Hazar Imam during the Deedar to Portugal. They were so kind to us. We felt quite honoured to have met him the night before the Deedar.
Our Children were now getting quite sleepy and it was time for us to make our way to the Hotel where my husband’s mother, brother and family were staying. On the way to the hotel the taxi in which we were travelling drove into oncoming traffic that was coming from the left of us. Thank God the car that was about to collide into us miraculously braked sharply and stopped within a hairs breadth of us! God had saved us we were quite shocked the poor taxi driver was pretty shaken up too. We slept well that night it had been a long day.
The next morning was Deedar day, we were excited again my husband and children would get a chance to see Hazar Imam and hear Him address them. It really is such a special and auspicious occasion for Ismaili’s, I hope you the reader knows this. I had obviously prepared myself for the fact that I may not see Hazar Imam this time and also if the non Ismaili spouses did get an opportunity maybe this time I wouldn’t be so lucky and may well be right at the back. Honestly I really believe though that just to be in the same Country as Hazar Imam was an honour for me, as I felt his presence always since London.
We got to the Hall and believe it or not we soon realised that I to, like my husband and children had been given an Ismaili card as opposed to a non Ismaili card this gave me entry to the Darbar Hall. It was without saying we would never take advantage of that how could I be there I couldn’t cheat the system, there are reasons why non Ismailis do not enter the Darbaar Hall during prayers and the Deedar and I now had great respect for that. We ourselves, fast realising that the next doors led to the Darbaar, approached volunteers and explained that I needed to be shown where to go as I was a non Ismaili. Eventually after quite a trek we were put on a bus and driven to the area. My husband and children got off a stop before my stop and the bus was now pretty empty I sat looking back waving to my family happy for them but yet again a little sad but realised that I would have to face the inevitable again and sit it out!
The Marquee that we were housed in was lovely a lot of effort had been made. I managed to get a seat on the front row, I was becoming quite good at this don’t forget! A lot more people were coming in and they soon ran out of chairs so a lot of people were stood crowding the entrance. A volunteer spoke in Portuguese and thankfully later came back and spoke in English explaining that there maybe a chance for us to see Hazar Imam. But that was it, I didn’t know how or when or where so I felt a little vulnerable. I really didn’t know what was happening they closed the Marquee entrance and a while later re-opened them then people started to leave, I wasn’t sure what was happening I decided to walk out too.
To my amazement our Marquee was actually right outside the area where Hazar Imam would be exiting. There was a red carpet area and people started to line up, I too lined up I got a space right at the front and pretty level to the path that Hazar Imam would be walking down. I couldn’t believe it, again I was starting to feel exhilarated.
The volunteers came down the line and explained that it may not be for an hour or so before Hazar Imam would be leaving so if we wished we could wait back in the Marquee. I said I would wait as did a few others. I remember a man to the side of me who stood the whole while waiting patiently to see Hazar Imam. I decided to sit on the floor as ladies reading can understand my sandals were getting quite uncomfortable! I had a tasbi and during the time I waited I prayed. I felt so much at peace I felt so spiritual I felt so happy. While I sat there a young lady approached me and sat with me saying she to would join me to sit on the floor as it seemed like a good idea. I told her that I had this spot now and wasn’t going to lose it! Once again I met a lovely person who I became friends with during my wait to see Hazar Imam. We spoke a lot about Faith she was a Christian and I told her of my experiences in London. We shared a laugh and a joke as well and the time passed pleasantly.
Again the volunteers came down the line making sure we all knew the proper etiquette etc when and if Hazar Imam would address us. Now every body was standing back outside waiting for Hazar Imam. The time was near this time I felt so emotional yet I was composed I also knew that I would be seeing Hazar Imam again and He would see me, I knew it I just knew. I remember hearing a helicopter above and the security and bodyguards were all around yet that moment, I knew that if any lunatic or terrorist had tried to do or sabotage this auspicious occasion, I would happily shield or take a bullet for my Imam as I know many of you would too and like many of you I have unconditional love for my Hazar Imam.
The uniformed volunteers and scouts all rushed into position, the doors opened and after a short while Hazar Imam appeared I felt I knew Him so well at this stage I was so happy to see Him again. He went to address the volunteers the camera man was filming this time I knew there was a possibility it was being shown live on the screens inside so I was excited at the prospect of my family seeing what was happening outside. As Hazar Imam was led down the carpet He saw me, He knew me He knew I was there. I am not speaking in a physical sense I mean spiritually.
As He was led away he looked over at me again. I was smiling I was so happy He went to the start of the line and spoke to people and made His way towards us and then stood right in front of me I was in the presence of Hazar Imam again, it was unbelievable. Again I had that Cheshire cat grin on my face I was locked in His every kind and gentle word He looked and smiled at me whilst speaking to us in His beautiful voice. Again I received I was so high I felt I was elevating I listened attentively to His words again I wanted to speak to him as He explained how Islam was a Religion of peace and has He was drawing to a close I said to Him that we could see that what He portrayed was very peaceful and it showed that it was a Religion of peace and that it was a pleasure to be in His presence. He smiled at me and thanked me for my kind words. I looked in His eyes and again I received. I smiled as He went away to meet and greet others He waved at us all and left. We waved back and I felt complete. Again I hugged my friend and said goodbye. We were excited about meeting our families and telling them what had happened. I was walking on air I was smiling so much I couldn’t wait to see my family. I remember thinking if it hadn’t been shown on the screen they would be so shocked to hear me tell them that I had met and spoken to Hazar Imam again!
I had arranged to meet my husband in a certain spot inside so I waited patiently for him as I waited I watched people whilst still gleaming and smiling. My family were approaching me, my husband my children, my bother-in-law and sister-in-law and their children. As I saw them I knew they had seen it on the screen I hugged each and everyone of them there was so much emotion about what had happened they were so happy for me and I for them. I knew that my life would never be the same again.
Coming back to England me and my husband went back to our lives that we had left behind again we were not the same people just as when we came back from London Deedar we had changed this Portugal Deedar had completed our change.
Now we are so much happier both in personal and our Business lives we have so much more spirituality which we share with each other and our children. We love giving Dason we give it with a smile knowing that it will make a difference to people’s lives. My husband and children regularly attend Jamatkhane. We are in the process of moving to a new home which is ironically two minutes from Jamatkhane, we had started to purchase this many months before the London Deedar. We are always listening to beautiful tasbihs and a song cd (which was compiled by volunteers to celebrate the Golden Jubilee), in the home or in the car on journeys and we often all sing a long to them. We have Hazar Imam with us every minute of every day for Guidance we are so fortunate that we have the Noor in us. I hope that you the reader if still searching close your eyes, open your heart, open your soul and receive it because its always been there beside, you just have to Believe.
Our faith is the main foundation in our lives that everything is built on now and we wouldn’t have it any other way. I have had many discussions with my husband about our experiences and with my brother-in-law and sister-in law. I remember my brother-in-law saying to me right now you are the talk of the town it wont always be like this, some people will want to take it away from you, there are a lot of politics and people may offend you and hurt your feelings. I said it would never change me nobody can or could ever take my soul away from me. I would just smile at them.
Now I wake up I smile, I drive I smile, I work I smile, I pray I smile. My journey has begun and I’m loving every minute of it becoming an Ismaili now is a mere formality, I love life and am unafraid of death.
My whole life has changed. I have changed……. I feel I have been Born Again.
For my loving husband and beautiful children who I love and cherish, for my brother-in-law, my sister-in-law my true friend, and for all those people who Believe……
I, myself was born a Sunni Muslim and have been married to a Shia Ismaili man for over nine years. We both felt that there was no great need for me to adopt the Ismaili faith as being a Muslim there wouldn’t be a real disruption or clash in our beliefs. We have two children (who thanks to my brother-in-law!) were brought into the Ismaili faith. The children would now and again along with my husband attend Jamatkhane. I, myself would attend on big occasions but always felt a little barrier. I wasn’t able to be with my family in the prayer hall so I kind of stuck out like a sore thumb when I was sat waiting downstairs on my own! With work commitments, and the fact that we lived so far away from Jamatkhane, we didn’t attend regularly so in a sense it was not a main part of our life.
Golden Jubilee celebrations were going to be taking place in London later in the year and months before all I knew was that we would be attending and one day during that week Hazar Imam would be attending. I will be honest with you at this stage to me it was a formality to be there. Again I knew that I would be segregated and my duty was to make sure that my husband and children had a great experience. I was happy for my husband as he had explained what a massive occasion this was for Ismaili’s. I was happy for him but I didn’t think anything else of it.
When the time came for the Deedar we had major work commitments, lots of different things were going on but we knew that dates had been confirmed so we knew when to go. My husband insisted that we completely switch off from work and start to enjoy the experience as this was a once in our lifetime event celebrating 50 years of Hazar Imam’s Imamat. Now switching off from work is hard for us as we both work live and breathe our Business but we both switched off. I became excited for once about the prospect of meeting Hazar Imam, as my husband and sister-in-law had said to me that Hazar Imam always makes a point of speaking to the non Ismaili spouses and I would probably get a chance to speak to Hazar Imam, now being the one who was always left out I felt like the special one. All of a sudden I had a spark inside me, I was excited too, I was happy too.
As many people may have experienced it was very difficult to get hotel rooms in London that week, but small miracles started to happen. My brother-in-law was able to get us a room at a hotel whose website I was on at the time and I knew had no rooms available! The whole journey, the hospitality we were shown by the hotel staff, was so pleasant. We were only 10 minutes away from London Excel. We attended the evening celebrations before the Deedar day and enjoyed being with friends and family. Everything was so well organised. It was a pleasure to be part of the experience.
On Deedar day we got to Excel in good time everything was going smoothly. The night before me and my husband had checked out the Platinum Suite where the non Ismaili spouses would be housed during the Deedar. I had felt slightly disappointed as there were escalators and stairs to go up the two floors, I remember telling my husband and sister-in-law that there was no way that Hazar Imam would see us as they wouldn’t bring Him up the escalators! However, I had to make the effort for my husband and children remembering it wasn’t about me. They were here to celebrate the Golden Jubilee and do Deedar, but the spark had been lit inside me I now wanted more. As time went on my lovely husband came with me to the Platinum Suite, making sure I was okay but now had to leave me to enter the Darbaar Hall with the children, has it was nearing the time of Hazar Imam’s arrival. I decided to walk back down with them. I felt a tinge of sadness when saying our goodbyes but I was also happy for them as I had begun to realise what everything was all about.
As I made my way back up the escalators I spent some time looking at the paintings that were on display but quickly realised that I had seen them before so I didn’t feel like pondering. I had to face the inevitable and make my way up to the Platinum Suite and sit it out. I got myself a drink, they were playing a children’s film I remember thinking great they could have at least put on a Bollywood movie! I decided to ensure I got a seat on the front row as there was a microphone stand and I felt that if Hazar Imam was to visit the Platinum Suite to address us I wanted a front row seat.
Now I believe that everything that took place that day happened for a reason as you will go on to find. I sat on the front row and eventually a lady arrived and sat next to me next to her family. She spoke to me and I conversed with her, a little while later another lady approached us and sat with us who I began chatting to also. I remember feeling a little pressured to continue conversing with the first lady, and trying to involve her in conversations whilst I chatted with my new friend, just to be polite! Now I am a naturally bubbly person I like to say it how it is also and I had met another lady so similar she was lovely. I was really touched by her pureness and want in meeting Hazar Imam. She wasn’t even Muslim and referred to Him has Hazar Imam, now I never did as I felt that being Sunni Muslim He wasn’t my Imam so I would always refer to him as The Aga Khan. We spoke about our disappointment in being upstairs and had both felt that they wouldn’t bring Hazar Imam upstairs.
As time went on a couple of volunteers came to the stand and explained to us that there would be an opportunity for us to see Hazar Imam as He left the building. This was the moment we (me and my friend) had been waiting for! We listened and concentrated so hard to their every word. They said that they would have to wait for a call when they knew Hazar Imam would be leaving the building and we would have only 10 minutes to get down the stairs and to the designated area. They just had to work out the logistics of getting so many people down in a safe and orderly manner. A little while later the volunteers even came back and asked for a show of hands who would actually want to see Hazar Imam. I would say 90% of the people in the room raised their hands so that confirmed it they would have to organise it for us.
That was it from then on me and my friend made it our mission to ensure we were the first to get down those stairs. We joked so much about it I laugh now just thinking of it. We were so alike, just as I had wanted to sit on the front row so had she in fact she later had said to me that when she was looking for a seat she had clocked me and thought that I didn’t look like part of the family who were sat next to me and maybe I to was on my own so she felt comfortable approaching the seats near me. I truly believe that we were both meant to meet as you will realise as you read on.
As time passed we decided now that it was time to start making our way towards the doors leading out to the escalators as we both knew that that would give us a head start to get downstairs. I said goodbye to the other lady sat with me and we went towards the exit. We both got ourselves a drink and tried to act normal as we kept edging more and more towards the escalators!
A little more time passed, whilst we were chatting my friend spots her husband racing up the stairs with their little daughter! He looked stressed and the little girl looked even more stressed knowing her father was leaving her. I remember thinking oh no there’s no chance of us being allowed at the front now as the volunteers would make us stand at the back because they wouldn’t want crying children making noise as Hazar Imam was leaving! I quickly searched my tiny bag (beautiful but highly impractical!) for something to give the little girl to console her. Great, I had found my sons last opal fruit he had asked me to save for him. That had done the trick she had started to calm down. Within minutes of the little girl being dropped to her mother the volunteers started gathering everybody to give instructions. They wanted parents with children to make their way down the escalators first! We couldn’t believe it. I quickly became the little girls Auntie and we made our way down. From that moment on I knew I was going to see and meet Hazar Imam I knew it and I believed it.
Again me and my friend and her lovely daughter found ourselves front of the queue. There was security at the bottom doors and we weren’t allowed to go through until the ok was given. It was still quite away from the actual exit so I knew we would still need to rush to get a good spot. We were so excited we spoke to an elderly lady who briefed us on an experience she had had at a previous Deedar and said how it can get quite messy as people would push and shove you out of the way just to be near or get a glimpse of Hazar Imam. I was taken aback why non Ismailis would be so desperate to see Hazar Imam.
It was time to open the doors, the volunteers said first to be allowed out to make their way to the line up were elderly people, people in wheelchairs and parents with children in pushchairs and then the rest could follow. My friend hesitated as we had no pushchair I looked on as the elderly lady ran towards the designated area she turned back to see if we were following I grabbed my friends arm and pulled her and we ran for it! I was elated the whole way through this was all meant. We got a fantastic spot at the front(…of course!) by the side of us were people in wheelchairs everybody was so excited there was such a buzz, we watched as all the uniformed volunteers were lining up outside. I was trying to look out for my sister-in-law and two nieces as they had been volunteering throughout the Golden Jubilee Celebrations in London.
Whilst waiting I started to feel a mixture of emotions, nervousness, joy, overwhelming feelings. I felt like any second I could burst into tears. I even joked about it with my friend. Me and my friend practised speeches and looked at each other in amazement as we relayed to each other the way we had got to where we were. Her daughter now was as quiet as a mouse. I told my friend that I knew and believed Hazar Imam would address us because of our story, I knew it and felt it in my heart and soul.
I, a Sunni Muslim was about to see the 49th Imam a direct descendant of our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) that was huge. Wow, me I couldn’t believe it that moment onwards I believed. If you do not already understand it is like meeting The Prophet (p.b.u.h) or Hazrat Ali themselves as had I been born 1400 years ago and the Prophet (p.b.u.h) was going to come to the town we lived in you think we wouldn’t have dropped everything to go and see Him or even just being in the surrounding areas that He was in, to feel the Spirit, to feel the Noor and listen to what He told us and what He wanted us to do to stay in God’s Path. Well this was the same thing as I was born in this age in Hazar Imam’s time, so this to me was exactly the same thing. That spark inside me was now glowing brightly.
Hazar Imam was leaving shortly the volunteers came down the line and briefed us on etiquette how to address him not to try and touch him etc. I remember saying to the man I hope He comes towards us and speaks to us and he said if you are blessed He will.
The time was here Hazar Imam appeared. The first section of people were clambering over one another to shake his hand. He spoke to them and then proceeded down the red carpet. This was it, it was our turn Hazar Imam was led down the carpet and came off the carpet and walked straight towards us. My heart was beating so fast I could feel it in my throat!
Hazar Imam was so happy to see us as he approached we all clapped as if it was a natural thing to do and we all did it spontaneously. I was delighted I felt so so happy I was grinning like a Cheshire cat. My Hazar Imam was stood right in front of me He spoke to us with such a kind and gentle voice. He wanted us to be more involved in the things they did as a community and an organisation. He wanted to know if we had any suggestions to put them forward as He wanted people like us to be involved. I was mesmerised I was glued to every word He spoke. He looked at me a few times while speaking to us and I felt electric. I was gleaming I felt I had received. This was it this was my chance to speak I felt this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, my family would be so proud of me. So when the time was right and Hazar Imam was finishing what he said He looked at me as though He knew I was going to speak and I said it would be a great pleasure to be part of it and it was an honour to have met Him. He smiled at me again I felt electric He thanked me and I was gleaming has He left us to speak to others further down, we clapped again we were ecstatic. I was grinning from ear to ear we watched him leave. Although his physical form had left the building I felt that I had received and felt that Noor and Spirit inside of me although He had gone I was still happy I still felt his presence. My friend was ecstatic as while Hazar Imam had addressed us His hand had brushed against her arm, she felt electric, we were so filled with joy and emotion. All we wanted to do then was find our families and share the experience with them we hugged one another and said our goodbyes and left to search for our families.
I had arranged to wait in the Platinum Suite for my husband and children. All I could do was think of how I was going to tell them. They would be so happy and amazed that I had met Hazar Imam I had spoken to Him he had spoken and looked and smiled at me. Wow me the non Ismaili spouse always sat away from everyone, always kept out. I was gleaming still smiling infectiously. I found my husband and children, as I approached my husband and children he was smiling back and I remember saying you are not going to believe what happened to me and he said I know I saw you on the screen! I couldn’t understand we didn’t realise but at the time every thing was being filmed and streamed back live into the screens in the Darbaar hall. I was overjoyed I felt in a way that in that respect my family had experienced what I had experienced too. I relayed the whole story to him, I was on a high even when writing this I feel the same elation as though it happened today.
We went to the celebration hall to meet with other family and friends. My sister-in-law and nieces ran towards me so full of joyous emotions they too had seen me on the screen I hugged them tight. I was so happy, they too had shared my experience with me. All evening I would relay my story again and again. I actually started to edit to a very short and revised version as I had fast realised that I would lose my voice otherwise!
I was still smiling I felt elated I felt different. I was a new person my whole life had changed. I was happy a happiness I had never experienced. I was at peace I was calm I felt wise I felt I had a purpose. This was the start of my journey this was the start of me being on God’s Path. I loved life. That evening the journey home was so spiritual. My husband and I talked and talked about Hazar Imam about Ismailism about God about Religion in such a deep and meaningful way. I told my husband that I felt different so so different. He knew he could see it just by looking at me.
Going back to real life, work commitments were still there, the busy lifestyle we had led was still there. But something had changed, a whole big weight had been lifted off my shoulders I had no worries in the world. How is something going to effect me when I had the Spirit and Noor with me guiding me, protecting me all the time. Remember, I had gone to London as a duty to my husband and children and God had rewarded me with so so much more.
I said to my husband that I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to be more giving. I wanted Hazar Imam to be pleased that we were wanting to help and make a difference to peoples lives whether in a monetary form or in a spiritual form. I had never been a greedy person, but obviously had desires for nice things and wanted to earn money to be able to have those nice things. Now I had changed my principles. My outlook on life had changed I now wanted to earn money to be able to afford to make a difference to a poor family or pay for a sick person’s medicine for example. I would feel much happier in doing that then buying material things for myself. My love for money had disappeared.
I now wanted to be the person in our family that brought us together and united us in our faith. Although if you recall at the start of my story I mentioned we felt that there was no need for me to adopt the Ismaili faith. We now realised that that was what had been missing in our lives for all those years. We needed to become One. I told my husband that I now realised and knew that this was a once in a lifetime occasion and never again would there be a Golden Jubilee Celebration for our Hazar Imam and we must go to the next Deedar. It so clicked to me why my Brother-in-law would drop everything to go and do Deedar in all the different Countries previous to the London Deedar. I so understood the love he felt for the Imam because I felt that same love for the Imam too.
Mine and my husband’s outlook on life changed after the London Deedar. We had all our faith in our God in our Prophet (pbuh) in Hazarat Ali and in all our Imams right up to the present 49th Imam. We believed our prayers would be answered even before saying our prayers. We realised that during the years when times were hard if we had problems in the Business we would pray but when everything was good we weren’t that spiritual. We realised that faith or being an Ismaili did not have an on and off switch, you can’t just switch on when you need help when you need guidance but switch off when you don’t need it. A lot of things happen to us which I would like to keep private, things which only made our faith so much stronger and made us so much happier.
We now were going to make a big change to our lives as this was our Destiny. We dropped everything, we prioritised ourselves for a change and made it our mission to go to the Portugal Deedar. We registered got the dates but soon realised all flights had gone and the ones that were available were extremely expensive. We spent hours on the Wednesday night trying to get flights and hotels but weren’t able to do so. We went to sleep that night knowing that if it is God’s will we would go. The Deedar in Portugal was going to be on Sunday we were on Thursday and we really knew that we were cutting it fine.
As we travelled to work that morning discussing how we could get flights to different areas and then maybe get connecting flights to Lisbon our phone rang it was a travel agent I had called the night before but they hadn’t called me back. I explained to the lady that we had to be in Lisbon on such and such dates and please get us the flights and accommodation. She was lovely I explained that we had scoured the internet and she was our only hope. She said she would look into it and would call me back later that morning.
Now, because we led such busy lives and worked so hard we rarely went abroad for holidays as work commitments didn’t allow us to and in mine and my husband’s heart not once did we look at this as a holiday this to us was like a pilgrimage. I actually remember thinking that I shouldn’t be bothered at the cost of the trip so I wasn’t as the whole experience would be priceless. We knew God would make a way for us to be there.
Many conversations later our flights plus accommodation were booked all we had to do was organise a car, coach or flight to Lisbon on the day of the Deedar. We would be flying the next morning at 6am, we were over the moon we were excited. I was feeling the same sense of elation I had felt in London.
That night I didn’t sleep I spent the whole night ironing our clothes, packing our case and making sure we had everything organised. We were ecstatic, early in the morning at 3am we left for the airport, not happy about going abroad but happy we were going to be able to do Deedar again because we had immense love for our Hazar Imam, Love for our faith - Islam.
When we landed in Portugal we tried to organise ways of getting to Lisbon so had managed to get all the relevant information we needed to make sure we got to the Deedar. If you remember I said that because of heavy work commitments we never got the chance to go abroad for a holiday. We now know and believe that God gave us a gift He knew the way in which we came to do Deedar in Portugal and we truly believe that He rewarded us with a holiday as we got the chance to stay on a wonderful beach resort for two days prior to going to Lisbon for the Deedar. The children were over the moon they loved the whole experience as so did we. The people were so nice to us, I’ll always remember our time there.
The hotel we were staying at the bus stop for the coach leaving to Lisbon only happened to be right outside! We left late Saturday afternoon. We had a fantastic four hour trip in a luxury coach to Lisbon, they even played Spiderman 3 movie, my sons all time favourite superhero! So the whole journey was pleasant. We got a train after that. It was a great adventure for us and we were finally at our destination.
That evening at the Hall we met a man who became our companion for the evening along with his sister we decided to go and eat together, it was late but we wanted to eat Nando’s style chicken being in Portugal and all! We had found a place and believe it or not whilst there met the Mukhi Sahib and his wife. He was the Mukhi Sahib for the Dharkhane Jamat for Lisbon and they would be like the main hosts for Hazar Imam during the Deedar to Portugal. They were so kind to us. We felt quite honoured to have met him the night before the Deedar.
Our Children were now getting quite sleepy and it was time for us to make our way to the Hotel where my husband’s mother, brother and family were staying. On the way to the hotel the taxi in which we were travelling drove into oncoming traffic that was coming from the left of us. Thank God the car that was about to collide into us miraculously braked sharply and stopped within a hairs breadth of us! God had saved us we were quite shocked the poor taxi driver was pretty shaken up too. We slept well that night it had been a long day.
The next morning was Deedar day, we were excited again my husband and children would get a chance to see Hazar Imam and hear Him address them. It really is such a special and auspicious occasion for Ismaili’s, I hope you the reader knows this. I had obviously prepared myself for the fact that I may not see Hazar Imam this time and also if the non Ismaili spouses did get an opportunity maybe this time I wouldn’t be so lucky and may well be right at the back. Honestly I really believe though that just to be in the same Country as Hazar Imam was an honour for me, as I felt his presence always since London.
We got to the Hall and believe it or not we soon realised that I to, like my husband and children had been given an Ismaili card as opposed to a non Ismaili card this gave me entry to the Darbar Hall. It was without saying we would never take advantage of that how could I be there I couldn’t cheat the system, there are reasons why non Ismailis do not enter the Darbaar Hall during prayers and the Deedar and I now had great respect for that. We ourselves, fast realising that the next doors led to the Darbaar, approached volunteers and explained that I needed to be shown where to go as I was a non Ismaili. Eventually after quite a trek we were put on a bus and driven to the area. My husband and children got off a stop before my stop and the bus was now pretty empty I sat looking back waving to my family happy for them but yet again a little sad but realised that I would have to face the inevitable again and sit it out!
The Marquee that we were housed in was lovely a lot of effort had been made. I managed to get a seat on the front row, I was becoming quite good at this don’t forget! A lot more people were coming in and they soon ran out of chairs so a lot of people were stood crowding the entrance. A volunteer spoke in Portuguese and thankfully later came back and spoke in English explaining that there maybe a chance for us to see Hazar Imam. But that was it, I didn’t know how or when or where so I felt a little vulnerable. I really didn’t know what was happening they closed the Marquee entrance and a while later re-opened them then people started to leave, I wasn’t sure what was happening I decided to walk out too.
To my amazement our Marquee was actually right outside the area where Hazar Imam would be exiting. There was a red carpet area and people started to line up, I too lined up I got a space right at the front and pretty level to the path that Hazar Imam would be walking down. I couldn’t believe it, again I was starting to feel exhilarated.
The volunteers came down the line and explained that it may not be for an hour or so before Hazar Imam would be leaving so if we wished we could wait back in the Marquee. I said I would wait as did a few others. I remember a man to the side of me who stood the whole while waiting patiently to see Hazar Imam. I decided to sit on the floor as ladies reading can understand my sandals were getting quite uncomfortable! I had a tasbi and during the time I waited I prayed. I felt so much at peace I felt so spiritual I felt so happy. While I sat there a young lady approached me and sat with me saying she to would join me to sit on the floor as it seemed like a good idea. I told her that I had this spot now and wasn’t going to lose it! Once again I met a lovely person who I became friends with during my wait to see Hazar Imam. We spoke a lot about Faith she was a Christian and I told her of my experiences in London. We shared a laugh and a joke as well and the time passed pleasantly.
Again the volunteers came down the line making sure we all knew the proper etiquette etc when and if Hazar Imam would address us. Now every body was standing back outside waiting for Hazar Imam. The time was near this time I felt so emotional yet I was composed I also knew that I would be seeing Hazar Imam again and He would see me, I knew it I just knew. I remember hearing a helicopter above and the security and bodyguards were all around yet that moment, I knew that if any lunatic or terrorist had tried to do or sabotage this auspicious occasion, I would happily shield or take a bullet for my Imam as I know many of you would too and like many of you I have unconditional love for my Hazar Imam.
The uniformed volunteers and scouts all rushed into position, the doors opened and after a short while Hazar Imam appeared I felt I knew Him so well at this stage I was so happy to see Him again. He went to address the volunteers the camera man was filming this time I knew there was a possibility it was being shown live on the screens inside so I was excited at the prospect of my family seeing what was happening outside. As Hazar Imam was led down the carpet He saw me, He knew me He knew I was there. I am not speaking in a physical sense I mean spiritually.
As He was led away he looked over at me again. I was smiling I was so happy He went to the start of the line and spoke to people and made His way towards us and then stood right in front of me I was in the presence of Hazar Imam again, it was unbelievable. Again I had that Cheshire cat grin on my face I was locked in His every kind and gentle word He looked and smiled at me whilst speaking to us in His beautiful voice. Again I received I was so high I felt I was elevating I listened attentively to His words again I wanted to speak to him as He explained how Islam was a Religion of peace and has He was drawing to a close I said to Him that we could see that what He portrayed was very peaceful and it showed that it was a Religion of peace and that it was a pleasure to be in His presence. He smiled at me and thanked me for my kind words. I looked in His eyes and again I received. I smiled as He went away to meet and greet others He waved at us all and left. We waved back and I felt complete. Again I hugged my friend and said goodbye. We were excited about meeting our families and telling them what had happened. I was walking on air I was smiling so much I couldn’t wait to see my family. I remember thinking if it hadn’t been shown on the screen they would be so shocked to hear me tell them that I had met and spoken to Hazar Imam again!
I had arranged to meet my husband in a certain spot inside so I waited patiently for him as I waited I watched people whilst still gleaming and smiling. My family were approaching me, my husband my children, my bother-in-law and sister-in-law and their children. As I saw them I knew they had seen it on the screen I hugged each and everyone of them there was so much emotion about what had happened they were so happy for me and I for them. I knew that my life would never be the same again.
Coming back to England me and my husband went back to our lives that we had left behind again we were not the same people just as when we came back from London Deedar we had changed this Portugal Deedar had completed our change.
Now we are so much happier both in personal and our Business lives we have so much more spirituality which we share with each other and our children. We love giving Dason we give it with a smile knowing that it will make a difference to people’s lives. My husband and children regularly attend Jamatkhane. We are in the process of moving to a new home which is ironically two minutes from Jamatkhane, we had started to purchase this many months before the London Deedar. We are always listening to beautiful tasbihs and a song cd (which was compiled by volunteers to celebrate the Golden Jubilee), in the home or in the car on journeys and we often all sing a long to them. We have Hazar Imam with us every minute of every day for Guidance we are so fortunate that we have the Noor in us. I hope that you the reader if still searching close your eyes, open your heart, open your soul and receive it because its always been there beside, you just have to Believe.
Our faith is the main foundation in our lives that everything is built on now and we wouldn’t have it any other way. I have had many discussions with my husband about our experiences and with my brother-in-law and sister-in law. I remember my brother-in-law saying to me right now you are the talk of the town it wont always be like this, some people will want to take it away from you, there are a lot of politics and people may offend you and hurt your feelings. I said it would never change me nobody can or could ever take my soul away from me. I would just smile at them.
Now I wake up I smile, I drive I smile, I work I smile, I pray I smile. My journey has begun and I’m loving every minute of it becoming an Ismaili now is a mere formality, I love life and am unafraid of death.
My whole life has changed. I have changed……. I feel I have been Born Again.
For my loving husband and beautiful children who I love and cherish, for my brother-in-law, my sister-in-law my true friend, and for all those people who Believe……
[quote="kmaherali"]As received
I, myself was born a Sunni Muslim and have been married to a Shia Ismaili man for over nine years. We both felt that there was no great need for me to adopt the Ismaili faith as being a Muslim there wouldn’t be a real disruption or clash in our beliefs. We have two children (who thanks to my brother-in-law!) were brought into the Ismaili faith. The children would now and again along with my husband attend Jamatkhane. I, myself would attend on big occasions but always felt a little barrier. I wasn’t able to be with my family in the prayer hall so I kind of stuck out like a sore thumb when I was sat waiting downstairs on my own!
dear sister !
Yous see that now and undrestand the noor and lights of happiness from MHI and you enjoy it in every moment of your life, that now you have in your daily life a head.
You and your family are more happy for these Darbars visit Because MHI knew that something is disturbing in your heart/mind and by talking to you directly to see into your eyes which is eyes always has a direct contact to the heart now there is no distubing thing in your heart / mind.
But you have to know that you are the one that lucky person had this apertunity of that moment.
don't thing that you were a non ismaily muslim and you are not part of our comunnity or else.
I have to give you an exmple in Portugal Darbar that one ismaily family with kids came from other euroup country for the didar and darbar in Portugal (She was prepared early sunday morning with family and sitting in the Hotel room up to 10:30 / 11:00 o'clock then cames to the Darbar Hall asking what time MHI is coming? OH Mawla it was a difficult answer to give that the Didar is already done She was crying but was too late .)
and we all know that in Portugal around 10 to 20 km any where you go around of Darbar hall you can see all Jamats is walking , and in evey single hotel you stay there were jamats staying and also that person was able to set in the Darbar hall with other Jamats but she wasn't that much lucky as you were on that moment of life.
IN this case you should not worry that or thing that way you are not part of our family as a Ismaily sisters and brothers and when i was reading your notes my eyes were with tears and so happy for you and your family and what your brother-in-law said to you he is right and always gives you good advise for you and your family.
Good luck and YAM
I, myself was born a Sunni Muslim and have been married to a Shia Ismaili man for over nine years. We both felt that there was no great need for me to adopt the Ismaili faith as being a Muslim there wouldn’t be a real disruption or clash in our beliefs. We have two children (who thanks to my brother-in-law!) were brought into the Ismaili faith. The children would now and again along with my husband attend Jamatkhane. I, myself would attend on big occasions but always felt a little barrier. I wasn’t able to be with my family in the prayer hall so I kind of stuck out like a sore thumb when I was sat waiting downstairs on my own!
dear sister !
Yous see that now and undrestand the noor and lights of happiness from MHI and you enjoy it in every moment of your life, that now you have in your daily life a head.
You and your family are more happy for these Darbars visit Because MHI knew that something is disturbing in your heart/mind and by talking to you directly to see into your eyes which is eyes always has a direct contact to the heart now there is no distubing thing in your heart / mind.
But you have to know that you are the one that lucky person had this apertunity of that moment.
don't thing that you were a non ismaily muslim and you are not part of our comunnity or else.
I have to give you an exmple in Portugal Darbar that one ismaily family with kids came from other euroup country for the didar and darbar in Portugal (She was prepared early sunday morning with family and sitting in the Hotel room up to 10:30 / 11:00 o'clock then cames to the Darbar Hall asking what time MHI is coming? OH Mawla it was a difficult answer to give that the Didar is already done She was crying but was too late .)
and we all know that in Portugal around 10 to 20 km any where you go around of Darbar hall you can see all Jamats is walking , and in evey single hotel you stay there were jamats staying and also that person was able to set in the Darbar hall with other Jamats but she wasn't that much lucky as you were on that moment of life.
IN this case you should not worry that or thing that way you are not part of our family as a Ismaily sisters and brothers and when i was reading your notes my eyes were with tears and so happy for you and your family and what your brother-in-law said to you he is right and always gives you good advise for you and your family.
Good luck and YAM
Ismailies in Stockholm
YAM
Currently I am in Stockholm, Sweden for my master studies, I wanted to know the address & timings of Stockholm Jamat Khana and if possible contact no of ismailies already in Stockholm.
Currently I am in Stockholm, Sweden for my master studies, I wanted to know the address & timings of Stockholm Jamat Khana and if possible contact no of ismailies already in Stockholm.
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jeeshanali
- Posts: 86
- Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2008 1:05 am
Saturday nation dated 28 November has an article on page 21 about the Dubai financial fiasco.
I quote here one sentence: "The events in Dubai in recent days are one of the hiccups if you like, one of the difficulties, which affirms that we were right to highlight the uncertainty ahead of us and that the road ahead could be a bumpy one" European Central Bank Governing Council member Athanasiois Orphanides said.
Those who attended the G.J. Didar in London more than a year ago remember the joke our Imam made about the bumpy road ahead
This is how our Imam helps us live in our times, hopefully ahead of our times.
I quote here one sentence: "The events in Dubai in recent days are one of the hiccups if you like, one of the difficulties, which affirms that we were right to highlight the uncertainty ahead of us and that the road ahead could be a bumpy one" European Central Bank Governing Council member Athanasiois Orphanides said.
Those who attended the G.J. Didar in London more than a year ago remember the joke our Imam made about the bumpy road ahead
This is how our Imam helps us live in our times, hopefully ahead of our times.
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Important_Information
- Posts: 60
- Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 8:17 am
Today Unexpected Didar of Hazar Imam at Ismili centre UK
Today unexpected Didar of Mowlana Hazar Imam at Ismili centre London UK 6th Mar 2011 at 3.00pm.
Yes it was a day-time Mijalas today at London Darkhana and after the Biryani and Samosa, suddenly we were told that Hazar Imam is coming to the JK in few mins and within few movements MHI car came and parked in JK parking, MHI came out of the car and wave His hand with smiling face to the Jamat in the side Garden and then MHI entered in the building from side door and went towards the lift where the Jamat were waiting and had an excellent didar, MHI was very happy. The time was about 3.00pm, that time the lunch was already finished but about half of the member where still there.
I understand that many murid may think that it is not a didar; but we all know that this is also a dershan of Murshid and that is blessing for us.
We knew that MHI is in the UK for a few days but we were not expecting this unforgettable happy event so I am just sharing with world jamat and giving mubaraki to all those who were present there.
YAM
Kasim Ali
Yes it was a day-time Mijalas today at London Darkhana and after the Biryani and Samosa, suddenly we were told that Hazar Imam is coming to the JK in few mins and within few movements MHI car came and parked in JK parking, MHI came out of the car and wave His hand with smiling face to the Jamat in the side Garden and then MHI entered in the building from side door and went towards the lift where the Jamat were waiting and had an excellent didar, MHI was very happy. The time was about 3.00pm, that time the lunch was already finished but about half of the member where still there.
I understand that many murid may think that it is not a didar; but we all know that this is also a dershan of Murshid and that is blessing for us.
We knew that MHI is in the UK for a few days but we were not expecting this unforgettable happy event so I am just sharing with world jamat and giving mubaraki to all those who were present there.
YAM
Kasim Ali
congratulations.
Whether it is preprogrammed didar or unexpected/surprised didar like this, didar is didar as long as Jamats are there and MHI give blessing to jamat,
so don't think it is not a didar. Congratulations to you and peoples of that particular jamat khana who were present during this surprised didar.
As per one waez, if you see MHI in his office, in any airport, in shopping mall or any other places where jamat are not involved and if yo see him
then this seeing doesn't count as a didar, but if he give you blessing during this meeting then blessing will benefits you.
so don't think it is not a didar. Congratulations to you and peoples of that particular jamat khana who were present during this surprised didar.
As per one waez, if you see MHI in his office, in any airport, in shopping mall or any other places where jamat are not involved and if yo see him
then this seeing doesn't count as a didar, but if he give you blessing during this meeting then blessing will benefits you.
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shiraz.virani
- Posts: 1256
- Joined: Thu May 28, 2009 2:52 pm
Deedar/Didar = Vision / Glimpse / Meet someone / See someone / Darshan / and soAs per one waez, if you see MHI in his office, in any airport, in shopping mall or any other places where jamat are not involved and if yo see him then this seeing doesn't count as a didar, but if he give you blessing during this meeting then blessing will benefits you.
Who was the waezeen ?? Ill have to have a word with this guy and ask him whether he knows the meaning of Deedar/Didar in 1st place !!!
Code: Select all
Ill have to have a word with this guy and ask him whether he knows the meaning of Deedar/Didar in 1st place !!! There is another concept of Didar. Didar is given, not taken
Imam can decide to give Didar wherever he wants to whichever he want so in a crowd of 100 people looking at the Imam, some will get his Didar and some will not. it will depend on how pure and how charged they are at the moment they see the Imam and most of all it will depend on Imam.
Imam can give Didar in a formal Mulakat or He can give Didar at the horse-race or in the street or at the Ismaili Centre. Nobody can dictate to the Imam where or when to give Didar to His Murid.
Imam can decide to give Didar wherever he wants to whichever he want so in a crowd of 100 people looking at the Imam, some will get his Didar and some will not. it will depend on how pure and how charged they are at the moment they see the Imam and most of all it will depend on Imam.
Imam can give Didar in a formal Mulakat or He can give Didar at the horse-race or in the street or at the Ismaili Centre. Nobody can dictate to the Imam where or when to give Didar to His Murid.
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salimamotani
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Tue Dec 28, 2010 10:56 pm
Re: Today Unexpected Didar of Hazar Imam at Ismili centre UK
really mowla gave a didar and that to unexpected. really suprised that this happened especially with what has been going on. did mowla give a firman talk to any one or anything. if you could share what he said it would be greatly appreciatedImportant_Information wrote:Today unexpected Didar of Mowlana Hazar Imam at Ismili centre London UK 6th Mar 2011 at 3.00pm.
Yes it was a day-time Mijalas today at London Darkhana and after the Biryani and Samosa, suddenly we were told that Hazar Imam is coming to the JK in few mins and within few movements MHI car came and parked in JK parking, MHI came out of the car and wave His hand with smiling face to the Jamat in the side Garden and then MHI entered in the building from side door and went towards the lift where the Jamat were waiting and had an excellent didar, MHI was very happy. The time was about 3.00pm, that time the lunch was already finished but about half of the member where still there.
I understand that many murid may think that it is not a didar; but we all know that this is also a dershan of Murshid and that is blessing for us.
We knew that MHI is in the UK for a few days but we were not expecting this unforgettable happy event so I am just sharing with world jamat and giving mubaraki to all those who were present there.
YAM
Kasim Ali
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salimamotani
- Posts: 20
- Joined: Tue Dec 28, 2010 10:56 pm
shiraz.virani wrote:Deedar/Didar = Vision / Glimpse / Meet someone / See someone / Darshan / and soAs per one waez, if you see MHI in his office, in any airport, in shopping mall or any other places where jamat are not involved and if yo see him then this seeing doesn't count as a didar, but if he give you blessing during this meeting then blessing will benefits you.
Who was the waezeen ?? Ill have to have a word with this guy and ask him whether he knows the meaning of Deedar/Didar in 1st place !!!
no i am sorry shiraz this is wrong. a deedar in ismaili term is just not a glimpse of mowla. it is a spiritual connection. A non ismaili cannot have the didar of mowla. many non ismailis see mowla!! are u saying they got his didar. On the streets mowla's noor (which is the deedar) cannot be seen unless ur a true murid and even at that mowla decides to let u see his noor. Only during a actual deedar does mowla lets out his noor. It is said that if a non ismaili some how was able to see the noor of mowla he would go blind.
Absolutely right, therefore I wrote that if anyone see MHI in any place else besides the deedar hall then it is not a deedar,a deedar in ismaili term is just not a glimpse of mowla. it is a spiritual connection. A non ismaili cannot have the didar of mowla.
in short glimpse of MHI no spiritual connection involved, so it is not a deedar, in deedar hall MHI comes with piratan,
Imamat and Noorani powers, which play big roll in spiritual connection between Murid and Murshid.
Imam is Imam all the time. For those who know Him. he decides to whom to give Didar. He decides the time, He decides the place.
Imam dos not become Imam by putting a Jabo like some magicians or Aladin would get some special power by putting a mantle.
But for people who do not believe in Him and understand Him, even at the Didar Hall, he is just like other people.
Imam dos not become Imam by putting a Jabo like some magicians or Aladin would get some special power by putting a mantle.
But for people who do not believe in Him and understand Him, even at the Didar Hall, he is just like other people.