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“Now let me talk about a third matter which is a consequence of the collapse of the communist world. At the time of communism the practices of the faith was not encouraged, it was actively dissuaded.” (Mawlana Hazar Imam: Surat, 10th Nov., 1992)
“The third consequence of the collapse of the communist world is a number of newly independent countries, in some of which a jamat is there. There we have a jamat in Afghanistan, we have a jamat in Tajikistan, and we have a jamat in other countries which after fifty years of imprisonment in a dogma are finding their independence.”
(Mawlana Hazar Imam: Bombay, 23rd Nov., 1992)

MANIFESTATION OR ZAHURAT
By: Mumtaz Ali Tajddin S. Ali
mumtaztajddin@yahoo.com

The history of mankind witnesses that when darkness of sin overshadows earth, when all sorts of transgressions prevail and evil is supreme, when spiritual sensibilities are deadened and earth is growing impure with immoral practices; when love of God being numbed in human hearts and poisonous wind blow, the vice dominates over virtue, the clouds of irreligious are overwhelming and irresistible everywhere, the mercy of God then ordains that life should again be breathed into dead hearts and earth should be quickened afresh for global peace and safety. As there are changes of seasons in the world, so are revolutions in the spiritual world through a Messiah.

The concept of the Promised Messiah is a Divine archetype - a belief in the advent of a Messiah, who acts as a Savior or Redeemer of mankind on earth. The religions with the concept of Messiah include Zoroastrianism (Saoshyant), Judaism (Immanuel), Buddhism (Amid or Maitreya), Hinduism (Kalki or Kalanki), Taoism (Li Hong), Babism (He whom God shall make manifest), Christianity (Jesus) and Islam (Mahdi).

The Messiah, the prophesied redeemer in Islam, who rescues the world from evil is Mahdi. The name Mahdi does not occur in the Koran, but used several times in the ginans of the Ismaili Pirs and Sayeds. The Arabic word mahdiy is derived from mada means to guide aright. Its root is however used in the Koran (2:1) that, “This Book, no doubt is guidance (hudan) for the pious ones The most pivotal point to focus is that this write-up is compiled specifically for the Promised Mahdi to be manifested before end of the world is that very Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, descended in the lineage of Imam Ismail bin Imam Jaffar Sadik; and whose present 49th Imam is Prince Karim al-Husayni Aga Khan IV.

During the study of several years, I have minutely observed myriad variations in the ginans of the Pirs and Sayeds in their narratives regarding Imam’s Manifestation. Most of their verses/quatrains contradict with one another. It contains host of controversies, which cannot be reconciled. In view of pertinent issues, I anticipate, may be my errant, that one following ginan of Pir Sadruddin for a while may be reckoned a standard summary of these insoluble narratives. The other ginanic verses however are quoted wherever is required.

Purakh pa’chham’ thi ho sa’v, jampudeep’e a’awiya ji (1)
“Indeed, the Lord from the west shall arrive in the sub-continent.”
The west (pa’chham) refers to the Asia, Middle East and the Europe. The Imam will lead a large army and halt in region of the sub-continent.
Duldul ghod’e aswa’r, turing palarann’sh’e ji (2)
“(The Lord) will mount on the Duldul horse and lead the army.”

For Duldul vide Appendix (A)
Hanvant va’nar’nu sen, sa’th’e chalawash’e ji (3)

“(The Lord) will be accompanied by the regiment of the righteous ones.”
The word hanvant means a shining illustration of serving the master with absolute fidelity, love, dedication and devotion. While the word va’nar means a man of forest as a person commits sins more than the forest man. This is an epithet of the righteous. In sum, the Lord’s army shall consist of righteous adherents.
Garua’ garua’ parbat kevla’s, phunk’e udadsh’e ji (4)
“(The Lord) will strike countless tedious mountains with a puff.”
Chin nagar maha chin samundar’ma dubavsh’e ji (5)
“The city of China, rather the Great China will sink in the ocean
Pir Sadruddin (1300-1416) branded China as a city of his period, also foretold even the Greater China (maha chin), which we see today. The sinking of China does not mean the land of China, but it refers to an elimination of the communism.
Chin nagar maha chin pa’t dolavash’e ji (6)
“The city of Chine (rather), the Great China wall will be wavered.”
The length of the Chinese wall is 13,170 miles. By walking, it would take 9 months to cross it. Its foundation is so strong that no climate or earthquake ever wavered it, but it shall be wavy during the Manifestation of the Imam.

Ke’ Suraja Ranni hath’e dando lai, Kalinga’ne marsh’e ji (7)
“Taking a club in hand, Queen Suraja will smite Kalinga.”
Kamala kunvar seer bharann bharai, pita nahi jannsh’e ji (8)
“The young Kamala will be crowned, making no concern with his father.”
Em boliya Satgur Pir, eva’ din a’wash’e ji (9)
“Satgur Pir (Pir Sadruddin) exhorts as such that those days shall come.”

Here, three characters are significant, i.e. Kalinga, his wife Surja Ra’nni and their son, Kamala Kunvar, which are metaphoric terms. Speaking from allegorical point of view, these refer to certain categories of the systems instead of individuals. Maulana Mohammad Ali writes in The Antichrist and Gog and Magog (Lahore, 1992, p. 17) that, “If we read the Koran, it becomes quite clear that Dajjal (Kalinga) is not the name of a person but of a nation or rather a group of nations.”

In fact, the Dajjal is not one individual, wielding miraculous power, who would falsely claim to be the Messiah and fight against the true Messiah in a physical battle. The Dajjal refers to that element which travels throughout the land, and possesses great wealth, treasure and resources. In view of these definitions, the Dajjal quite plainly refers to rich and wealthy powers which cover the earth with their influence and promote evil and mislead the masses through falsehood and deception.

Kalinga, Dajjal or Antichrist refers to the communism. It is described variously in the eschatology of world religions. Dajjal, in the Islamic tradition is equally same of an evil figure who will lead people astray in the last days of the world. Communism is a movement built upon blasphemy against God. The influence of the communistic Godlessness rapidly spreads on earth. The corresponding English word Antichrist comes from the Greek antichristos, which is composed of two elements: the preposition anti means “in place of,” and the noun christos means “Messiah.” The Antichrist is not simply a substitute Messiah or Mahdi, he is a false Messiah, the opponent of the genuine one.

Pir Sadruddin says:-

Bhai Kalingo jai sangrame’ malshe’, padata danav Mahdi na’m bhannshe’
“Brothers! Kalinga will go in the fray, and as soon as the demon jumps (in the field) will proclaim name of Mahdi for himself.”

Besides, in the ginans relating to the manifestation, the words Sacho Sa’mi (True Lord) are constantly applied, implying that there shall be a liar claimant like Kalinga stated above.

The Arabic word dajjal is derived from the Syriac daggal which means “the liar.” One fanciful suggestion is that it comes from the verb dajala means “to cover (a mangy camel) with tar,” because the dajjal will in like manner cover the earth with his adherents. It is also said that the dajjal being blind in the right eye is simply a metaphoric expression, which indicates that those powers or group who promote sins and falsehood in the world by deception would be spiritually dead. Hence, one eyed Kalinga or Dajjal denotes the worldly or material, nothing to do with spiritual or religious eye. Thus, one-eyed refers to the materialism.
In short, Kalinga symbolically refers to Communism, Atheism or Materialism in China, also covers the land of Russia predominance of the communism.

Few words must be added for Gog and Magog (Ya’juj wa Ma’juj). The names Ya’juj (Gog) Ma’juj (Magog) are derived according to the Lisan al-Arab from ajj or ajij means flaming of fire. They are mentioned twice in the Koran. These generic names are merely two different names for the same people. They were two groups of Turks. In Islamic eschatology, they were hostile and corrupt forces that will ravage the earth before end of the world. They are counterparts of Gog and Magog in the Old and New Testaments. They are two disbelieving tribes from among the sons of Adam. They used to spread mischief on earth, and according to the Koran, a certain people terrorized by Gog and Magog induced Dhul al-Qarnayn to construct between Gog and Magog a great wall that neither could scale or penetrate (18:94-97), trapping both between two mountains until just before the Last Day of Judgment (18:98-100, 21:96).

It seems that these are too generic names of two wild, unruly, barbaric, uncivilized and irreligious people. They were causing trouble in the past and then again they will cause mischief before the end of the world. When their materialistic tendencies will reach to its peak – the menace of which is destined to root out at the hands of the manifesting Imam.

The scholars claim that both tribes moved to East Asia to the territory we call Mongolia today, the original abode of the Mongol race. The term Mongol, sometimes written as Mongoul, appears to be Magog. The large part of China was known as Mangi. Marco Polo in the 13th century knew that Mongoul was part of the people of Magog. He further understood that Gog and Magog to be the names of Ung and Munu.
Gog and Magog also are the Yao of ancient Chinese history. Their original abode was in northern China, thus Gog is the northern Chinese. Sheikh Ahmed at-Tuwayjiri writes in Idaha wal Bayan fi Akhta’i Tariq (pp. 6-35) that Gog and Magog are the people of China.

In brief, Kalinga, Dajjal, Gog, Magog or Ya’juj, Ma’juj, are the families of the communism, all of them have been identified as one entity in different names. They will be a large multiracial during the Manifestation of the Imam.
Suraja Ranni is portrayed as the better-half of the demon Kalinga. The word suraja means an insightful (society). The Surja refers to a silent class in the communist region, watching their artful devices, who ultimately takes over charge of the state and kick out communism with the help of young emerging class

(Kamala Kunvar).
Kamala Kunvar means the young emerging class to be followed by the communist bloc, who advocates republic or common wealth regime. They are those who take high education and undertake mercantile activities in western countries. When they return homeland, they will emerge as a force against the communism and impose civil liberty like in the western regions they have experienced. Its ample illustration recently is seen in Hong Kong, vide Appendix (B).

Another two characters are also added by Pir Shams, such as Ajiya (invincible) and Wajia (victorious), which are the secret classes and will join the young generation (kamala kunvar).

According to the ginans, a certain Mir Ismail will gather a large Syrian army in Samarkand. He will march towards subcontinent. The Imam will depute him at first in China from westward to challenge Kalinga. It will result grand uprising of the people in Imam’s favour. Later, Mir Ismail will return and report the Imam.
Ultimately, when there would be a mammoth and elephantine rally of the protesters by the silent class and the young emerging class, they will force the communists to flee as the Lord from the west appears soon to crush them. In reprisal, the communists will claim that they are capable to revive to the dead cults (Taoism, Confuciusm, Buddhism, etc.) and make them alike. They would also taunt that they (silent class) eat, drink and expend wealth on the soil of China, even then they remember the Promised Messiah. The communists will also appeal the public to convince the silent class (Surja Ranni) of the society. It allegorically sounds in following dialogues between Kalinga and Surja Ranni in Pir Sham’s ginan:-

Eji na’sar’e tu’n dait kalinga, pa’cham thi dhanni aw’e hoji, khonn navannu ta’ro khuri’ye tar’e jaish’e, na jannu sahen taro si’e mukh’e jaish’e; tab tuj’e konn chhodav’e hoji.

“O’ demon Kalinga! You flee as more as possible since the Lord is coming from the west. Your ninety-nine battalions will be crushed beneath his horse’ heels and I don’t know, by which face your forces retreat. Who will then rescue you?”
Eji ha’re ranni mua’ jivadu’n n’e pirta pujavu’n, n’e kha’nn khawdau’n ka’th ghoda hoji,
Moro t’e lashkar anant karodi, ter’e shah’da lashkar thoda hoji.
“O’ (Surja) Ranni! I can revive the dead, making them revere me like a Messiah (Mahdi), even give cattle-feed to the wooden (strong) horses. My army is equipped with infinite crores. Your Lord’s army is trifle.”

Eji har’e raja mua’ jivadai’e, n’e pirta pujai’e, pann tera lashkar ka’cha hoji
Najar’e chadio shah moro basham karsh’e, n’e ubha te rahesh’e sati sacha hoji.
“O’ King! You revive the dead (class) and force them to revere you as a Promised Messiah, but your army is too weak. My Lord will reduce to ashes one who appears in sight, but righteous and pious ones will stand transfixed.”

Eji har’e ranni khao piyo n’e dhan kharcho hamaro, n’e shaho kari pukaro hoji.
Esa’ hai koi chinab nagari mah’e, je’ surja ranni ku’n samjav’e hoji.
“O’ Queen! You eat, drink and spend my wealth; even then make loud invocation of Ya Shah, Ya Shah (O’Mawla, O’Mawla). Is there such one in the city of China, who can convince Surja Ranni?”

When Imam’s manifestation dawns, the young emerging class (kamala kunvar) will withstand and wage war against communists and overthrow and enforce republic or common wealth in their mother land. With the silent class (surja) they will ultimately succeed and become ruler. The silent class (surja) and young emerging class (kamala kunvar), along with the adherents of world religions and the devotees of the Satpanth are comprised of the Imam’s forces. They altogether will be 480 million (48 crores), also called with the epithet of anant krodi.

It is indicated in the ginan that China will be sunk in the ocean means the communism will be devastated and perished forever as if it sinks in the ocean soon after restoration of the religious liberty. Once the communism decayed, the religious practices of the Sirat al-Mustaqeem will steadily increase. For further reading, vide Appendix (C).

The most striking feature of the Imam’s manifestation is that the Muslims, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Buddhist, Hindus etc. will find and perceive while beholding the Imam as that very Messiah for whom they awaited. Imam Muhammad Bakir said, “The nature of the manifestation of the Imam shall be like the mann and salwa.” vide

Appendix (D).

It is mentioned in the ginans that the communism will also spread in Indo-Pakistan. The Imam’s gigantic forces will begin marching from the West in Khorasan, where other will join from all destinations, even the believers of the Ahel al-Kitab.
According to the ginans, the true adherents of the Imam shall enjoy spiritual and material rule on earth for one hundred and twenty five thousand years (sava lakh varas), and then will dawn the dooms day.

Imam Aga Ali Shah said, “You all ask for the zahurat (manifestation), but Hazar Imam apparently is before you in manifestation, it will come for others. Remember that difficult time, not only you but the great saints shall not remain steadfast and became awful. This is the hour of the manifestation; therefore, you pray that your last breath may cling with the Iman-Salamati.” (Bombay, 1878)
It implies that the manifestation is for others, not for the Ismailis because the Imam is apparent all the time before them. We daily recite our Holy Dua, whose last lines of the 5th part read:

Ya Imamaz-Zaman, Ya Mawlana anta quwwati wa anta sanadi, wa alaika tikali, Ya Hazir Ya Maujud, Ya Shah Karim al-Husayni, antal Imamul Haqqul Mubeen.
“O’ Imam of the Time, O’our Mawla, you are my strength and you are my support and on you I rely. O’Present Living Imam. O’Shah Karim al-Husayni, you are the True Manifest Imam.”
There are four jugs (periods) as under:-
1. Karta Jug 17, 28,000 years (period of truth)
2. Treta Jug 12, 96,000 years (period of three parts truth)
3. Duapur Jug 8, 64,000 years (period of equal truth and untruth

4. Kal Jug 4, 32,000 years (period of untruth)
We are now in the Kal Jug, which is broken into two parts i.e., the period of untruth and truth as under:-
1. Kal Jug (early part) : 3, 07, 000 years (19½% out of 20% is the

era of untruth.
2. Ratan Jug (later part) : 1, 25, 000 years (the spiritual era)

4, 32, 000 years
In short, the early part will be of untruth or full of sins. The later part will be the spiritual era.

The Imam’s manifestation will take place between above stated two parts of the Kal Jug.

According to the astronomer and mathematician, Aryabhatta in his Arbhattiya, compiled in 499 B.C., the Kal Jug started in 3102 B.C. It means that till now 5119 years have passed for Kal Jug. Mehta G.Anand in Modern Interpretation of Gitta (New Delhi, 1898, pp. 204-5) rationally calculated that 8902 years had passed to Kal Jug. This calculation is till the year 1898, and if we add 119 years more (from 1898 to 2017), the figure reached to 9043 years.

The above calculation suggests that there are yet so many years to complete the first part of the Kal Jug i.e. 3, 07,000 years. When and how the major part of the Kal Jug will be completed? Its reply is rationally given by Pir Sadruddin as under:-

Ved tanno’re vichar karo, Kaljug puro kem thash’e?
Pap’e Kaljug puro thash’e, tam’e ma bhulo gemar,
Varas jash’e das dadal’e and din panni’ni rel’eji (ginan)
“Reflect philosophically, how the Kal Jug will be completed? O ’you the ignorant, don’t forget that the Kal Jug will be completed due to the sins. Its year will be minimized in ten days, while its days will pass as if the flow of water.”

While computing above figure, it shows that one year of the early period of Kal Jug will be equal to ten days. If one year shortens to ten days, then 3, 07,000 years will be shortened to 8527 years, 9 months and 10 days or 8528 years. The calculation of Pir Sadruddin was made before 600 years. To update, we must add 600 years with 8528 years, making 9133 years in the year 2022.
The above calculation indicate that the period of the manifestation is almost matured and then the period of the Ratan Jug (age of gem) or the spiritual period will follow for 1, 25, 000 years.

Sava lakh varas rikhisar ra’j karsh’e, pachhi mahadan mandai (ginan)
“The believers will enjoy (spiritual) kingdom (in Ratan jug) for one hundred twenty five thousand years, then will dawn the Day of Judgment.”
****************

APPENDIX (A)
In Arabic, the duldul means a porcupine or hedgehog. It is possible that it derived its name from its gait. It is a name of a gray mule of the Prophet, given to him by Mukawkis. The Prophet presented it to Hazrat Ali, who rode on it in the battle of Camel and Siffin. It is said that on the legs of the duldul, a rope was usually tied by Hazrat Ali’s groom named Qambar, who when accompanying his master, used to tie the rope around his waist. It had three knots, called al-baghi (hand-tie), dil-baghi (tongue-tie) and bal-baghi (rein-tie).

During the manifestation, the Imam is shown on the mount of a horse called Duldul with a sword in hand. What should be its interpretation from a scientific standpoint? This is a space and most advancing age, where intriguing arms and ammunition are prepared, such as explosive and propellant nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles, fighter aircrafts, tanks and so on. Is it possible that the Imam’s encounter with the communism will be taken place when the Imam will be on a horse with a sword? It ostensibly and outwardly seems impossible in this space age, but it is fairly possible, but how?

On January, 1978, Mawlana Hazar Imam attended a function in London to celebrate Birth Centenary of Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah, where some journalists asked, “Your Highness, your grandfather many times predicted on the international politics, but why you don’t?” Thus, the Imam allowed them. They asked, “What would be consequence of the Third World War?” The Imam said, “You put aside consequence of the Third World War, but I will tell you of Fourth World War. On that occasion the people will fight with stones and sticks as their weapons.” Just imagine what does it mean?

It logically suggests that there will be tremendous disaster and complete cataclysm during Third World War on earth. It will result collapse of civilization. It is said that the death toll will be bigger than first and second world wars as 1200 million individuals are supposed to vanish on earth and everything would reduce to ruins. Pir Sadruddin also says:-
Kot girenge’ madiyu’n dhashenge’, sab hoiga jangala’ji;
A’kash ka mehu na barse’, dharati dhan na pa’keji. (ginan)
“(On that juncture), the strongholds will fall down with devastation of the storied houses, resulting all places barren. The rain from sky will cease to fall and as such the grain will not grow on earth.”

Consequently, in the Fourth World War, the people will have nothing, except stones and sticks as their exclusive weapons to fight. On that moment, one (the Imam) riding on a horse (duldul) with a sword in hand beyond a shadow of doubt shall be an outrivaling King.
Duldul ghod’e sacho sa’mi rajo chadshe’ (ginan)
“The True Lord, the King will ride on Duldul horse.”
It is clearly mentioned in the ginans that the Imam will ride on the mount of a horse (duldul). Is it the duldul of Hazrat Ali? Once again, what is its outlook?

The Arabian horse of the desert naturally developed speed and endurance to travel long distance and survive in a harsh environment. The Arabian horse, earliest improved breed of horse, valued for its speed, stamina, beauty, intelligence and gentleness. In religious viewpoint, the duldul is its best example.

I, personally believe, not necessary that you may accede that the duldul of Hazrat Ali (d. 661) was inherited by Imam Hussain (d. 680), who came in Kufa on it during the battle of Karbala. Imam Zain al-Abidin (d. 713) rode on it and returned back to Medina after the event of Karbala. Later, the subsequent Imams looked after its breeding and offspring till Imam Jafar Sadik (d. 765). Imam Ismail (d. 775) rode on a horse, having a blood stock of the duldul, and left Medina for Basra, then in Salamia, Syria.

Imam Mahdi (d. 934) mounted on it from Salamia to Maghrib and founded the Fatimid Caliphate, then Imam Moiz (d. 975) rode on it and came in Egypt. Imam Hadi (d. 1136) came on it from Egypt to Alamut in Iran. It is however sparsely recorded that there had been an open ground inside the castle of Lamasar, where Imam Hadi took interest in horse-riding and its breeding.

Imam Jalaluddin Hasan (d. 1221) left Alamut on the horse, the descendant of duldul and visited Azerbaijan in 1214 for about 18 months.

Imam Shamsuddin Muhammad (d. 1310) safely left Alamut before its destruction in 1256 by Halagu with his uncle Shahanshah and went on horse towards Azerbaijan. Later, as per the saying of Pir Hasan Kabiruddin, Imam Islam Shah (d. 1423) made his safe footing in Kahek on the horse. It was that very horse descended in the lineage of the duldul of Hazrat Ali.

An intrepid horseman and hunter, Imam Hasan Ali Shah (d. 1881) retained the tradition of racing and breeding his horse in Bombay. His stables housed the world’s finest Arabian blood and the stud in the valley of Nejd produced superb animals. No expense was too great to improve the bloodstock; leading trainers and jockeys were engaged. Bombay racecourse was one of the few public places where he showed himself – the stand from which he watched his horses were preserved by Bombay’s leading club.

Later, the interest of Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah in racing was developed in his very early years. As a mere child of three to four years, he was frequently taken to race meetings in a great coach of his grandfather

The Ismaili Imams continued to retain interest of horse-breeding and racing of that duldul race, which they inherited from their ancestors. Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah (d. 1957), the 48th Imam said in his Memoirs of Aga Khan (London, 1954, p. 192) that, “My interest in horses, their breeding, training and racing, has been with me all my life and is of course also part of the tradition that I have inherited, the environment in which I was bred.” He further said, “Neither my grandfather, my father nor I have ever looked on our racing as simply a money-making matter, but as a sport which, by careful attention and thoughtful administration, could become self-supporting and a permanent source of pleasure not only for ourselves, as owners, but for thousands…indeed for million…who follow our colors on the turf; and we have considered our studs and our training stables as sources of wealth for the countries in which they are maintained and of practical usefulness from the point of view of preserving and raising the standard of bloodstock.” (Ibid. p. 189)

His success as an owner and breeder of horses in India was well known. Queen Victoria gave him a Royal Household badge for the enclosure at Ascot race-course. When he went to register his colors he found that this had already been done as a courtesy by one of his English racing friends. The colors turned out to be not green and red, which were not available, but green and chocolate instead. They became so successful that he never changed them although elsewhere his horses raced under green and red colors which his son and grandson adopted.

Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah was not an owner who took but a cursory interest in his actual stables. He displayed the utmost regard for every animal that is called upon to carry his green and chocolate hoops. More frequently than not, it was he who said how a difficult candidate should be ridden, in order that the best might be got out of him. His knowledge of horses was inbred and it was his love for the horse, coupled with a desire to raise the standard of horse-breeding in India, which first drew him to the Turf.

His well-known colors were first carried on the racecourses of India, and one of his first major ventures in that country was an attempt to win the Viceroy’s Cup. His “Beadsman” won for him many races in Calcutta, Bombay and Poona. He however first came into prominence on the English Turf as the owner of the “Tetrarch” filly, “Mumtaz Mahal.”

“Ah!” said Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah sometimes, “is there anything so poetic and beautiful as a man riding a beautiful horse, riding it to perfection; the man and the horse like a centaur, carved out as one?”

This remark fairly sums up his over-riding passion for sports, and explained why he was so devoted to this field. He was also a creative artist glorying in the creation of things of beauty. To plan the mating of finely bred horses and to watch horseflesh grow into a sleek, powerful affair is a source of infinite joy to him and gives him unbounded creative satisfaction. He raced for the love of the game, for the sheer joy of seeing a scientifically trained horse fight its way to victory. He explained his interest in horses in this way: “I am not an artist; I cannot paint pictures or make beautiful poetry. So I asked myself: How can I do some creative work? And found the answer in horses. There you choose and try and mate, and make an artificial creation.” To make a success of his racing industry he soon evolved the theory that scientific breeding was necessary and it was essential to employ the best brains and spare no expense in producing fine horses.

He treated his racing staff, people who helped him raise horses which were the envy of the world, very generously. After his Tulyar won the Derby in 1952, he declared that the 20,000 pounds of prize money would be divided among the winning jockey, the trainers and the stable boys. “They have worked a whole year for this success and deserve the money,” he said. “I am glad just to get my share of the honor and glory and, of course, the new value of the horse.”

The breeding operation has been built on a legacy handed down through generations. In his interview in Clipper (October, 1979), the Present 49th Imam said, “Racing was totally foreign to my education and upbringing. But it had been a family tradition for three generations and no other relation could keep up the racing establishment. For me the two questions were: Could I find time – racing is time consuming – and could I maintain the level of success? There was no sense in keeping up a family tradition if it was going to decline into insignificance. After six months of difficult decision-making, I decided to go on.”

In his another interview with Roger Prioret (March, 1975), the Imam said, “With the education I had, I was totally disinterested in horse-racing until the death of my grandfather and father. It held not interest for me. It was on my father’s death I asked myself this question: here is a traditional activity should I interrupt it or not? I had doubts of all the obligations, which I had taken over on my father’s death and asked myself if they were compatible with the interest I was able to muster for horses. And then I became determined. Finally I understood that it would be a pity for valid traditional enterprise to die after three generations. The stable continues therefore. I knew nothing of horses and have tried to learn. What was originally a sport has now become an industry bringing in very important sums.”

APPENDIX (B)
Hong Kong was under British rule for 156 years (1841 to 1997). During one and half century, three generation of the people of Hong Kong enjoyed democracy as if they lived in Britain. Hence, the democratic and human right have been major issues since the transfer of sovereignty to China in 1997. There had been many dialogues and meetings between Britain and China for 22 years. Ultimately, a rally of 1.03 million of pro-democratic bloc came out in the streets on 9th June, 2019. The Chinese police deployed tear-gas and rubber bullets on protesters on 12th June, 2019. An even bigger protest took place on 16th June, 2019. The subsequent protests spread to different districts, resulted large number of injuries and arrests. There were arrest of high-profile pro-democracy activists and lawmakers. In the meantime, the United States passed the “Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act” on 27th November, 2019 to support the protest movement.

The Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF) was founded on 13th September, 2002. It is an organization that focuses on the issues of Hong Kong politics and livelihood. The CHRF is also affiliated with all pan-democratic camps in Hong Kong. On 1st January, 2020, a protest called “Stand shoulder to shoulder” was held by the CHRF in support of the protesters’ demand and they were over one million and thirty thousand protesters. It was indeed a march at its peak.

Since the outbreak of Corona Virus in mainland China, the number of large scale rallies in Hong Kong dwindled due to the fear that it may facilitate the spread of the virus. In sum, the spirit of the protesters is not melted, but will come up rigorously after the end of the Corona Virus.
Based on World meter elaboration of the United Nations data as on 3oth March, 2020, the area of Hong Kong is 1,106 km (427 sq.mil.) with population of 7,481.759 people. On the other side, the area of China is 9,596,960 km (3,705,410 mil.), having population of 1,437,919,407 people. In view of this latest statistical report, one can imagine scope of the tremendous revolution being taken place in China against communism during the manifestation of the Imam.

APPENDIX (C)

Religious practices in ancient China go back over 7000 years. Long before the philosophical and spiritual teachings of Confucius and Lao-Tze developed before the teachings of Buddha came in China, the people worshipped personifications of nature and then concepts like "wealth“" and “fortune” which developed in the religion. There were over 200 gods in the Chinese pantheon during and after the Shang dynasty (1600-1046 B.C.). During the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), there started collapse of the pagan Mongol rule in China. In 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang proclaimed emperor in Yingtian, and founded the Ming dynasty. On that time, there had several religious inclinations, but the dominant religious belief were Taoism and Buddhism. Some other believed in having a harmonious relationship with nature.

The word communism is rooted from the Latin communis. It is a philosophical, social, political and economic ideology, the movement of which was the establishment of a communist society. It was founded in China by Chen Duxill and Li Dazhao. The China has world’s greatest irreligious population and its government and communist party are officially atheists. The word atheism is derived from Greek atheos means without God. In sum, there are 450 to 500 million positive atheists and agnostic worldwide (7% of the world’s population), while China has highest percentage of atheist in the world, about 200 million convinced atheists or 90% of Chinese population are irreligious.

After the imposition of the communism in China, millions of the Muslims were being held in China internment camps, according to estimates cited in UN and US officials. They were forced to renounce Islam, criticized and opposed their belief and recite Communist Party propaganda songs for hours in each day. The Communist Party believes that if they don’t eradicate their religious practices at its roots, which they believed “a type of poisonous medicine” they will grow and spread over like an incurable malignant tumor. The Communist Party even believed that there is always a risk that this illness will manifest at any moment, which would cause serious harm to the China. That is why, they must be admitted to a reduction hospital in time to treat and cleanse the religion virus from their brain and restore their normal mind. Hence, so many mosques were demolished in China.

APPENDIX (D)
The mann and salwa are the mann and quails. Literally, mann is anything which comes to man without much effort. William Lane writes in Arabic English Lexicon that, “It is a kind of mann; the mann of the thorny plants called by the Arabs the al-haj, and hence by European botanists Albagi.” According to R. Royle, it is a sweetish juice which exudes from the Albagi maurorum, crystallizes into small granular masses, and is usually distinguished by the name of Persian manna; a kind of dew that falls mostly in Khorasan. Some say that is was honey. On the basis of scientific investigations carried out till now, it may be stated that the ‘Mann’ referred to in the Qur’an was in fact obtained from two different types of plants. One was the plant known as Al-haj or ‘Aqul in Arabic and botanically identified as Alhagi maurorum. It is a thorny shrub and is a good fodder or camel, and, therefore, called Shauk al-Jamal (Camel’s Thorn). In Persian it is known as Khare-Shutr. It does not normally grow beyond three feet in height but has very long roots, sometimes reaching fifteen to twenty feet deep in the ground. Camel’s Thorn is a perennial shrub that grows 2 to 3 feet tall. The small, pea-like flowers are produced in June to August. These brown to maroon flowers extend from sharp yellow spines of 1 to 2 inches in length located along the plant’s rigid branches. The plant rapidly colonizes an area by producing new plants from its creeping roots. It is a native of the Mediterranean region and Western Asia.
Salwa means whatever renders one content in a case of privation. It is a certain bird resembling the quail.

Both the mann and salwa formed saccharine food of the Israelites that God provided them when they were wandering with Prophet Musa (Moses) in the Sinai desert after their exile from Egypt.

The peculiarity of the mann in special was that when one put it in mouth, he would feel what he has desired. If wished meat, chicken or vegetable; so taste he would derive and enjoy. This is also mentioned in the Koran (2:58) that, “And when We said: Enter this city, then eat from it a plenteous (food) whence you wish.”

Joining thread of our discussion, Imam Muhammad Bakir According to Kitab al-maqalat wal firaq (comp. 292/905) by al-Qummi that Imam Muhammad Bakir said, “The nature of the manifestation of the Imam shall be like the mann and salwa.” The religions with the concept of Messiah include Zoroastrianism (Saoshyant), Judaism (Immanuel), Buddhism (Amid or Maitreya), Hinduism (Kalki or Kalanki), Taoism (Li Hong), Babism (He whom God shall make manifest), Christianity (Jesus) and Islam (Mahdi). Every religious person will find in their hearts and minds for what they are awaited. Every religion will see the image of their own awaited Messiah in our Manifesting Imam with same taste and notion. For instance, the Christians will perceive the Manifesting Imam as their own Jesus, the Muslims will see the Manifesting Imam as their awaited Mahdi and so on. This is the philosophy of Imam Muhammad Bakir as stated above.

Karachi: April, 2022

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