Ismaili.NET - Heritage F.I.E.L.D.

"The Persian word dastbos or dastbosi means the kissing of hands. It is an act of reverence. The Koran says, "Surely, those who swear allegiance to you do but swear allegiance to God, the hand of God is above their hand" (48:10). It clearly means that the hand of the Prophet was the hand of God. One can understand that the hand of the Prophet or the Imam is a blessed one for the believer, and kissing it is an act of reverence. The Koran says: "That you may believe in God and His apostle and may aid him and revere him" (48:9).

Salmah b. Akua reports: I have pledged my allegiance to God with my both hands. Having heard this, we the hearers kissed his (Prophet) both hands and he did not object to it (Sa'id al-Haithami, 8:42). Once Umar kissed the hands of the Prophet and stated before the inhabitants of Musid that he did it very softly (Abu Daud). Ka'b bin Malik reports: When the verse about his excuse was revealed, he held the hands of the Prophet and kissed them (Sa'id al-Haithami, 8:42). Waza b. Amir reports: I came and was told, "This is the Prophet". I thus held his hands and feet and kissed them (Bukhari, 144). Abdur Rehman b. Rajin reports: Once I arrived at Rubdhah, where I was informed that Salmah bin Akua is present here. I came and saluted him. He extended his both hands and said: "I have pledged my allegiance to the Prophet with these hands". His palm was very thick like the lower part of a camel's feet. But I hurriedly bent towards him and kissed his palms (Tabaqat, 4:39).

The dastbosi can be done for more than once by followers and others, but the baiyat is an obligatory between the Imam and his followers, which is performed once in life.

Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah said, "When you come to my presence for perfoming dastbosi, no one should bow down with head on the ground. Bow the head and look at the face of the Imam, and I will put my hand on his head" (Mombasa, 31.3.1926).