Minneapolis?

[Yasiin]

as-salaamu 'alaikum,

I'm wondering if anyone can provide contact information for any community activity in Minneapolis or St. Paul, Minnesota?

was-salaam,
Yasin

[ShamsB]

as-salaamu 'alaikum,

I'm wondering if anyone can provide contact information for any community activity in Minneapolis or St. Paul, Minnesota?

was-salaam,
Yasin

Ismaili Community?

[Yasiin]

Yes, I'm sorry for not specifying. Since my post I did find an address and phone number too, it was just hard to find at first. If there are any local brothers or sisters that are available for questions in Minnesota, my e-mail is yasin-at-yazl.net (substitute the @). Thank you!

[ShamsB]

Yes, I'm sorry for not specifying. Since my post I did find an address and phone number too, it was just hard to find at first. If there are any local brothers or sisters that are available for questions in Minnesota, my e-mail is yasin-at-yazl.net (substitute the @). Thank you!

That is an incorrect address - as i found out!

There is a sizeable jamat in Minneapolis 300 or was...2 yeara ago.


Shams

[Yasiin]

Thanks for the response. Substitute the -at- part of my address with an @ sign. I was just trying to keep it from being searchable. You can also find my address on my profile. Thanks again for the information I will see if I can get ahold of them.

Peace,
Yasin

[Yasiin]

Greetings,

I come to you humbly asking for advice. I am interested in finding where to learn more about at-Tariqah Ismai'iliyya, inshaa'allah. Like many outsiders, I would like to know more about your Path - more than just the name and wikipedia entries. I've learned various things over time, the history of the A'immah (sa), the general history of the Fatamids and Al-amut. I've been a student of Shadhdhilyyah Sufism for many years and recently I've been much more involved with Twelver Shi'ism. I Love the Prophet (saws) and his family. The occultation of the last Imam of any of the lines of A'immah doesn't make much sense to me. So I am searching for both what logically makes sense and what is in my heart. On a practical level, I'm also looking for a community near where I live (Minneapolis as mentioned in other posts). I realize there is much online, but it is difficult to know what to start with.

I'm aware that many, if not most, are born into the Isma'ili tradition and from reading it seems that conversion can be a time consuming and complicated process which is not taken lightly (which I can completely understand). But it does seem, from what I've read on this forum, that you already have to know why you want to convert and be of eloquent expression of your conviction. My request is for someone to kindly point me in a direction of study or be willing to talk with me to learn enough about the Tariqah to know if I have that conviction within. I feel there is knowing with your head, and logic leads strongly to knowing the living Imam of the Time, and knowing with one's heart which comes from Allah through deeper understanding and insight I believe.

Any contact or help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Yasin
[email protected]

[YaAliYaMowla]

I think its interesting that in many Sufi orders there is the search of the Al-Insan al-Kamil, and that there should be a perfect man in this World at all times. Shiism provides that Insan-i Kamil (the Imam) however most Shia sects believe that he is in occultation. In Ismailism, the Imam can never be in occultation. While in Ismailism there can be periods of hiding, the community or at least hujjats would know about the whereabouts of the Imam.

To believe in an Imam who has been in occultation for 1000 years does not make sense to me either, it begs the question of why have an Imam who brings more worry to the people, rather than bringing mercy to the people as was originally intended? Was the Imam not also intended to guide each people so that in every time we have an Imam who we know to be physically present in this World?

[Yasiin]

Yes, I agree with you here in both accounts. I'm very drawn to Ismailism, though with some questions and reservations. Because of my Sufi involvement I am aware of the idea of transmission from 'Ali (a) and usually 7 or 8 other imams down through the shuyukh. To me this is somewhat logical because there can be many different shuyukh for many different students with the ability of a much closer relationship and matching of teacher to student. I have personally received much benefit in this way. But as for a Qutb - I don't know about that. This is where I believe the in the Imamate, logically leading to the Imam-e-zaman. I believe that the cyclical patterns of the 'anbia' and a'immah make more sense than finite closed systems that probably sounded great 1000 years ago. I feel it can be hard to deal with the reality of an Imam of the Age, who is living with us. That is why some want to keep them as an archetypal idea in the past. I'm dealing with this myself right now to some degree. Its hard to break out of old ways and accept new ideas even as right as they might be. Compound that with the fact that these new ideas aren't even that accessible to outsiders (for understood reasons) and that there isn't any active daw'a makes it hard for someone such as myself to find the truth. Luckily I've had some private contact with people who have helped me with questions - and have found a little to read in various places, alhamdulillah, though reading is just reading.

Be well.
Yasin AZ

[YaAliYaMowla]

Yes, I agree with you here in both accounts. I'm very drawn to Ismailism, though with some questions and reservations. Because of my Sufi involvement I am aware of the idea of transmission from 'Ali (a) and usually 7 or 8 other imams down through the shuyukh. To me this is somewhat logical because there can be many different shuyukh for many different students with the ability of a much closer relationship and matching of teacher to student. I have personally received much benefit in this way. But as for a Qutb - I don't know about that. This is where I believe the in the Imamate, logically leading to the Imam-e-zaman. I believe that the cyclical patterns of the 'anbia' and a'immah make more sense than finite closed systems that probably sounded great 1000 years ago. I feel it can be hard to deal with the reality of an Imam of the Age, who is living with us. That is why some want to keep them as an archetypal idea in the past. I'm dealing with this myself right now to some degree. Its hard to break out of old ways and accept new ideas even as right as they might be. Compound that with the fact that these new ideas aren't even that accessible to outsiders (for understood reasons) and that there isn't any active daw'a makes it hard for someone such as myself to find the truth. Luckily I've had some private contact with people who have helped me with questions - and have found a little to read in various places, alhamdulillah, though reading is just reading.

Be well.
Yasin AZ

I think that the one-on-one relationships/guidance can be found within any tariqah. However, in Ismailism there is great emphasis placed on the intellect and a more individualised search for enlightenment, of course through the guidance of the Imam through his farmans. I see benefits in both approaches.

Coming to grips with the reality of an Imam living amongst us can be a huge change and a challenge to adapt to when coming from a different tradition. The Imam holds complete authority over the followers similarly to how the Prophet (saws) did. It is at Ghadeer e Khum when the Prophet Muhammad (saws) said "Man kunto Maulaho fa haaza Ali-yun Maulahu".

I wish you the best of luck in your search for the truth.