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'Nav Nand'
YA ALI,
TUJ TRUTHE NAV NAND PAMU SHAH,
JO HOVE KARIM SHAH NAJAR TAMARI.

'NAV' - means NINE.
'NAND'- was the name of two different important personalities in history. One was a very rich king, NAND RAJA. He was also very generous with his fabulous wealth; he used to make charities of gold, silver, clothing and food to the people. NANDJI also was another most fortunate person, the foster father of Lord Shri Krishna. Our Holy Pir Hassan Kabirdin, in the Ginan verse, is saying that Ya Mowla Murtaza Ali Hazer Imam it is thy absolute wish, thou giveth fortune to any one thou desireth.

'NAV NAND' - The above meanings give the material significance of the words 'NAV' and 'NAND,' but our Holy Pir Hassan Kabirdin has in fact spoken to us in terms of the spiritual significance of 'NAV NAND' as referring to 'SACRIFICE' in the cause of religion - specifically, 'BHAKTI,' 'BANDAGI' or prayers.

There are nine types of 'NANDS' ('BHAKTIS). They are under: -

Nine Types of 'NANDS' ('BHAKTIS' or PRAYERS)

1. SHRAVAN BHAKTI The listening of Holy Ginans and Holy Firmans.
2. KIRTAN BHAKTI The reciting of Holy Ginans and reading of Holy Firmans.
3. SMARAN The remembrance of the Holy Name of:
'NOOR-EN-ALLAH-NOOR'

4. CHARAN SEVAN The offering and submission of oneself as the humble
Servant of our beloved Hazer Imam.

5. ARCHAN The worshipping of the 'NOOR-EN-ALLAH-NOOR'

6. VANDAN The prostration before the 'NOOR-EN-ALLAH-NOOR'

7.DASATVA The rendering of sincere services to the Holy House of
Hazer Imam.

8. SAKHYA The attainment of closeness to Mowla Ali Hazer Imam's
divine 'NOOR.'

9. ATMA SMAR The absolute surrender, with deep love, to Hazer Imam.

Our Holy Pir Mabaap is saying that the fortunate Momin, with the divine grace of Hazer Imam, is graced by these different BHAKITS or mediums of 'SACRIFICE,' by which he can attain the supreme goal of 'Union' with MASHOOQ HAZER IMAM.

In Search of The Mashooq Hazer Imam

In search of the Beloved Mashuq Hazer Imam, the lover ASHIQ MOMIN listens attentively and devotedly to Holy Ginans and Holy Firmans thus performing the 'SHRAVAN BHAKTI.' This is a great spiritual fortune. The Momin with the divine grace of Hazer Imam attains one of the Nav Nands.

In a similar manner, when the ASHQ momin recites Holy Ginans and reads Holy Firmans of Hazer Imam with deep love and affection, he attains 'KIRTAN BHAKTI.'

The ASHIQ Momin also remembers constantly the Mashuq Hazer Imam with the aim of attaining spiritual union with Mashuq Hazer Imam. With the strenghth and power of these three BHAKITS, the ASHIQ momin enters into the divine love of Hazer Imam, consequently the MASHUQ Hazer Imam showers his choicest blessings upon the momin with his most gracious spiritual love and affection.

Mowla Murtaza Ali (S.A.) says in his Mubarak KALAM in respect of his divine grace:

JIS PAR KARAM KARE VOH AAP
USKU AAPOHI AAP BUJAVE,
ELAM OLMA QAMIL MURSHID
BANKAR AAP SUJAVE.

When Hazer Imam Mowla Ali is pleased,
The momin gains knowledge spontaneously
Hazer Imam by his divine grace and mercy
Showers upon his momin a grace of ILM
Or spiritual knowledge. He approaches the
Momin as ULMA or THE PERFECT
TEACHER, as MURSHID QAMIL, as
THE PERFECT GURU or SPIRITUAL
MASTER and inspires the momin spontaneously.

By the favor of all the gains and achievements of spiritual wealth (Love Of Hazer Imam is a supreme spiritual gain) the momin makes more and more effort to go closer and closer, spiritually, to MASHUQ HAZER IMAM'S DIVINE 'NOOR.' The Momin, although deeply thirsty of 'RUHANI LAHAVA' or spiritual benefits and Holy Noorani Didar, because of his status, maintains boundless patience: not only that but Momin is prepared to sacrifice all material ambitions, the ambitions of JANNAT (PARADISE). The momin finds thousand Jannats - Real and true Jannats in the Zaheri and Batuni 'NOORANI' Didar of Mowlana Hazer Imam: to quench the thirst of the soul the momin's craving for Holy Didar become very very intense.

The ASHIQ now becomes strong, for him even hurts or difficulties are actually 'NYAMAT,' 'RUHANI FAIDA' or 'RUHANI GAINS.' He does not take any problems seriously; even in humiliation, the momin experiences glory. For instance, in the act of rendering service to the Holy house of Hazer Imam, if he has to face inconveniences and insults, the momin takes these as a form of spiritual pride and glory. They are only a concern of

the material life and for the spiritual life they are a pride and glory because of the adoption of the high virtue of tolerance. The ASHIQ by the dedication of life, 'SHAHADAT,' experiences a more glorified life in the physical death. Through spiritual vision he is prepared to sacrifice thousand lives for MASHUQ HAZER IMAM because THE MASHUQ grants and graces thousand fold in return upon his momin ASHIQ.

Our Holy Pir Sadardin has said in a Holy Ginan whilst referring to the stage of the ASHIQ momin who has been graced with the spiritual NANDS: the momin becomes FIDA or fully conscious of the divine 'NOOR' of Mowla Murtaza Ali Hazer Imam.

JO GHUR RAH TARIQAT LAAVE,
MAYA PUNJI MOOL LUTAVE;
GHUR DWAR KO RANG LAGAVE,
MAJNU HO LAILI KU DHIAVE.
(BUJ NIRINJAN, 30, 1-4)

The ASHIQ momin, day and night, craves for Holy Zaheri and Batuni Noorani Didar. THE ASHIQ is now in true love with the beloved MASHUQ HAZER IMAM. Naturally, the momin has to undergo certain tests, and it is a great test in itself - the delaying of Holy Didar of Hazer Imam for some time. And when the momin is found perfect in the test, MASHOOQ HAZER IMAM, by his most divine blessings, gives a gift of Ginan or a very deep spiritual knowledge- The knowledge that MOZES sought to obtain from Hazarta Khidar (A.S.)

EJI GINAN BOLORE NIT NOORE BHAREA,
EVO HAIDE TAMARE HARAKH NA MAEJI.

O MOMIN ACHIEVE 'GINAN' BY THE
GRACE OF HAZER IMAM - ACHIEVE
A DEEP SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE.
RECITE GINAN, ACHIEVE GINAN
ALWAYS AND YOU WILL BE SO
DELIGHTED THAT IT WILL BE HARD
TO ESTIMATE THE SPIRITUAL HAPPINESS.

AHIQ MOMIN through GINAN, through the deep spiritual knowledge visualizes Hazer Imam's presence everywhere and also achieves constantly Holy Zaheri and Batuni 'Noorani' Didar: 'EJI GINAN MA TO SAHEB CHHE.'

When in IBADAT, our RUHANI, by the grace of Hazer Imam, makes tremendous progress and reaches beyond the seven stages (SAAT ASMAN). Even the law of Spiritual gravitation changes: the ASHIQ or lover of the highly exalted individual RUHANI. Hazer Imam graces upon him constant, tremendous and undescribable ' LINA LINA LAD' and spiritual love:

TIA ANANT VARANNU SHAHTA CHHATRA DHARE,
SATGUR PIRSADE SHAHTA CHAMAR DHARE.

SHAH DESE JIO DESE RIKHISARNE RAAJ, MOMONE
RAAJ BHAI LINA LINA LAAD KARAVSHE.

Meaning: At this most high spiritual stage there is constant and perpetual
'NOORANI CHHATRA' for the RUHANI. All is due to the
Boundless grace from our beloved Hazer Imam. KHUDAWIND-
E-NOOR Hazer Imam bestows upon the momin the glory of the
Spiritual kingdom. Being the ASHIQ of Momin's Ruhani, Hazer
Imam gives boundless and immense love to the momin.

This is the most glorious period for the momin, whatever sacrifices, sufferings and tolerance the momin had had to undergo during his material life time in the world, he gets RUHANI LAHAVA in thousands and thousands fold from KHUDAWIND NOOR MOWLANA SHAH KARIM HAZER IMAM. Although he had achieved many benefits in the world - in physical and semi-spiritual form - this is the most unique chance given by the SUPREME LORD HAZER IMAM. Momin's ambitions of this life, and of the RUHANI life are all fulfilled by Hazer Imam . . . AMEN.

At some time in the past, during MUBARAK PADHRAMNI of MOWLANA SULTAN MUHAMMAD SHAH at Bombay Jamatkhana, a girl recited Holy Ginan-E-Shariff:

EJI KIRPA KARINE DUKH DARIDRA TADO,
SAMI MARA MAHAV MUKAND MORARI YA
SHAH; TUJ TRUTHE NAV NANDAJ PAAMU,
JO HOVE NAJAR TAMARI.

After recitation of the above verse, Mowla Sultan Mohammed Shah blessed the girl and said to MUKHI and KAMADIA of the JAMATH:

PIR KABIRDINANE BOHOT LOBH KIYA,
JAB IMAM RAJI HOTA HAY, TAB NAV NAND KYA?

SAD NAND BAKSHISH KARTA HAY!

PIR KABIRDIN has reduced - been miserly about the
Gifts from the Holy house of Mowla Ali. When Hazer
Imam is pleased he gives to momins great gifts and
Bounties: they are much more than NAV NANDS.
This means that 'RUHANI KHAJANAS' or spiritual
Treasures of the NOORANI house of Hazer Imam
Are unlimited: Momins are graced all these from Beloved
Hazer Imam the moment momin makes Hazer Imam truly
Happy.

These then, O momins, are the great spiritual 'NANDS' or spiritual gifts that we achieve when we attend JAMATH KHANA regularly.

EJI GATRE SAROVAR MAHE JILANTA MOTI
AMULAKH LAADJAHI JATAN KARINE MOTI
RAKHJO TO MUL ADAKERO AAVEJI . . .
SAT SAMAJINE RAHIE, AVAR DUJANE NA KAHIE.

Jamath Khane is as a 'NOORANI' sea wherein 'NOORANI' pearls 'AMAR,' EVERLASTING PEARLS -- can be obtained. These pearls are the food of the HANS (GOOSE), our soul, and are hard for even angels to achieve because it is in this world that momins can be graced these fortunes of 'BAKSHISH' and 'BOUNTIES' from the Hazer 'NOOR' and his representatives MUKHIS and KAMADHIAS. MUKHI and KAMADIA bestow upon us 'KHANAWADAN,' forgive our sins, impart to us the beautiful gifts of listening to Holy Ginans, reciting Holy Ginans, reading Holy Firmans, listening to Holy Firmans and many more NANDS which we receive by saying prayers and BANDAGI in the holy house of NOOR MOWLANA SHAH KARIM AL-HUSSEINY HAZER IMAM. In Mowla Jo Ghar, 'LINA LINA LAD LADAVESE' - so rejoice! Be happy, O momin, with your spiritual treasures.

IN RECOGNITION OF OUR HOLY
PIR SAHEBS . . . .

Our Holy Pir Mabaaps have showed us momins the holy house of, and the love towards Mowla Murtaza Ali Hazer Imam. We are so fortunate that it is impossible to express our happiness in any worldly manner, however, in the RUHANI voice of our Pir Mabaap:

EJI DHAN DHAN AAJNO DADLORE,
AME HARIVAR PAAYAJI,
CHAR JUGNA KASMAL PAAPJ TALIAJI -

HETNO MELAVDO . . . .

Momin's convictions tend to say billion thanks to our Holy Pir Sadardin, Pir Hassan Kabirdin, and other Pirs who have directed us to 'SATPANTH,' The religion of the 'NOOR' of Mowla Ali: The 'SIRATAL MUSTAQIM': The divine house of Mowla Murtaza Ali and NABI-E-KARIM RASUL (S.A.S.) Our Pir Mabaaps have shown us the UNSHAKABLE, EVERGREEN, EVERLASTING LOVE of MASHOOQ HAZER IMAM.

EJI VARI VARI HIRLIYANI GANTH,
TETO TUTE PANRE CHHUTE NAHI.
EJI PADI PADI PATOLE BHAT,
TETO FATE PANRE FITE NAHI.

Meaning: It is hard, everso hard to open the knot
In a silken thread: the thread can snap but
The knot will not open. Or, in other words,
The momin will pass away from this world
But momin is not separated from the divine
'NOOR' of Hazer Imam. Again, Pir Shams
says, you can tear or damage a SAREE but
it is impossible to remove the fast - print on it.
In the same way, the momin's heart attached
With THE DIVINE LOVE shall never be
Defaced - THE DIVINE LOVE shall never
Vanish.

Our Holy Pirs not only have given us a direction towards the 'NOOR-E-ALI' but also our Holy Pirs meditated for most of their lives so that we would be graced with 'HAKIQATI SHANAKHAT.' As a result of our Pirs' great constant IBADAT, we Ismailis are now in the position of having the true recognition of Hazer Imam. We know, we feel, we experience that it was 'THE ALI,' first and he Mowla Ali shall be the last: The Ali's divine 'NOOR' is ever-present with us: Mowla Ali's 'NOOR' was present in every YUGA, shall remain present until the day of judgement: The 'NOOR-E-ALI' is also in BATIN in HAR SHAY (EVERY PARTICLE).

This is the true SHANAKHATE IMAM, THE SHANAKHATE 'NOOR-EN-ALLAH NOOR.' We Ismailis have achieved 'THE SUPREME' through our Holy Pirs. Truly, we are the most fortunate, both in material and spiritual lives, by the recognition of 'NOOR-E-ALI,' Hazer Imam. AMEN.