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REBIRTH - REINCARNATION By: Mumtaz Ali Tajddin S.Ali

REBIRTH - REINCARNATION
By: Mumtaz Ali Tajddin S.Ali
mumtaztajddin@yahoo.com

Re-birth or Reincarnation is a philosophical aspect, nothing to do with fundamental or doctrinal teachings of Islam that the soul, after biological death begins another life in a new body.
The word reincarnation derives from Latin, meaning entering the flesh again. The Greek metempsychosis corresponds to the English, transmigration of the soul. In Arabic, the word tanasukh, in Persian, rijat, in Urdu a’avagon and in Sanskrit pun’janm, punar’janm or samsara are familiar for it. Among the synonyms used for reincarnation are palin-genesis (again origin) means, transmigration, pre-existence and metempsychosis.

Rebirth is refuted by all the main monotheistic religions of the world. In Islam, there are no explicit, direct, indirect or outright indications in this context. There were however many Muslim scholars, who believed in the rebirth, such as Ahmed bin Sabit, Ahmed bin Yasub, Abu Muslim Khorasani, Sheikh Ashraq, Ahmed bin Hayyan, Sayed Sharif Jurjan, Al-Samarkandi, Ahmed bin Zakaria, etc. Shahristani has written Kitab al-Milal wal Nihal, in which he mentioned detailed accounts on the rebirth.

The renowned book, Alif Laila (Arabian Nights) was compiled in the period of the Abbasid Caliph Harun ar-Rashid, which produced about 62 tales relating to the rebirth. Dr. Fazlur Rehman in “Islam” (London, 1966) writes that 13 sects of the Shia believe in the doctrine of rebirth. Some Sufi groups advocated belief in rebirth, notably Maulana Rumi. They call it irtqa and rijat. According to them, it is called nuskh when the soul takes another birth of human. If a soul gets birth in animal, it is called maskh, and if reduced to vegetation, it is called faskh and into dust or stone, it is called raskh.

In sum, the pertinent Sufic theories failed to survive onward.
Rebirth is a paramount, rather a basic tenet of the Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and most paganism. The implication of the doctrine of rebirth in Hinduism was a later growth, and not from the Vedic scriptures. The hymns of the Rig-Veda inextricably confused crucial problem.
According to Reincarnation in the World Thought (New York, 1967, p. 35), “Most Western orientalists deny outright that the Veda teach reincarnation, and state that only in the Brahmans and Upanishads the doctrine appears.” Schweitzer thought similarly, “The hymns of the Rig-Veda knew nothing as yet of a cycle of rebirths” (vide, Indian Thought and Its Development, Boston, 1957, p. 47).

In sum, A.K. Coomaraswamy writes in Eastern Religious and Western Thought, 1942, p. 137) that, “It is constantly overlooked that the majority of references (in Hindu scripture) repeated birth and repeated death refer to this present life.” He also refers to the concept of punar bhava (becoming) as meaning that “man dies and is reborn daily and hourly in this present life.” It seems that Pir Sadruddin must have noted prevailing tendency in his Hindu disciples, who upheld that the man would transmigrate after death into the bodies of the beasts, plants or in the nether world.
It is necessary to have a cursory glance at first on the early historical background of the mission of Pir Sadruddin in Indian sub-continent.

Before it, the following holy farman of Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah is worthy to focus in mind:-
“Pir Sadruddin had shown you real faith, not indicated all of a sudden. First, he exhorted Hinduism, then combined track of Satpanth with their religion and thereafter, this faith was promulgated” (Zanzibar, 13th July, 1899).

Pir Sadruddin came India in 1361 and posed and draped as a Hindu priest. He studied Hinduism, their traditions, tendencies and social customs. When Pir Sadruddin launched mission among the Hindus, it was necessary to own their few beliefs and customs mildly at first, notably cremation, circumcision and rebirth. Regarding rebirth, the Hindus were deeply captivated in so many immaterial theories. Most of them drew much of its inspiration from other religions. In view of the prevailing circumstances, it needed nothing at first to brush aside rigorously their prevalent belief. He brought them conclusively to the Islamic belief that the body is perishable, but soul is indestructible, one life and one death.

Such compromising strategy in his mission ultimately resulted outcome of the mass conversion. W. Ivanow remarks in his Collectanea (Holland, 1948, p. 34) that, “The Pirs apparently found it impossible to uproot the ancestral outlook of their Hindu converts, based on the belief in immortality of the soul, and rebirth in accordance with the Karma theory.”

Ishtiaq Husain Qureshi writes in The Muslim Community of the Indo-Pakistan Subcontinent (Karachi, 1977, pp. 41-2) that, “There are several instances on record where an Ismaili missionary (Pir Sadruddin) posed as a Brahmin or Hindu priest and instead of flatly contradicting the doctrine of the faith, he sought to subvert, he confessed its basic assumptions and introduced some of Ismaili beliefs in a disguised form and thus slowly and gradually paved the way of a mass conversion. Lake of total adherence has never worried the Ismailis, because they are fully confident that the convert will ultimately accept the faith fully.
This kind of conversion is achieved in a peculiar manner. At the outset, the appeal is not on the basis of dogma or beliefs, but an attempt is made to convince the potential convert of the spiritual greatness of some persons. In the early days, the missionary himself was a man of exemplary character. Very often Ali was depicted as an incarnation of Vishnu among the Vaishnavities. In short, after some personal loyalty has been created, the disciple was taken through various stages into full-fledged belief in the teaching of Ismaili Islam.”
On this juncture, Pir Sadruddin devised a formula of the past birth cycle cautiously and elegantly in order to isolate the Hindu disciples from the bond of rebirth theory.
Pir Sadruddin put before them a formula with a view that their reincarnation had been completed, hence there would be no new births for them. How they had passed through birth cycle? The Pir contrived a strategy as follows:-

There were four Khann (stages of birth) during four jugs as per following chart:-
1. Karta Jug 17, 28,000 years : Sitej Khann
2. Treta Jug 12, 96,000 years : Zarej Khann
3. Duapur Jug 8, 64,000 years : Indej Khann
4. Kaljug 4, 32,000 years : Udboj Khann
1) Sitej Khann : Growth by fission, ameba, germ, bacteria, earth or swamp.
2) Zarej Khann : Growth from wombs.
3) Indej Khann : Growth from eggs.
4) Udboj Khann : Growth from clay and vegetation.

In each Khann, there were two types of birth as follow:-
Madhiyam avatar : Non-human birth
Ma’nkha avatar : Human birth
Khann Madhiyam Ma’nkha Non-Satpanthi Satpanthi
Sitej 21, 00,000 35 34 35th
Zarej 21, 00,000 25 24 25th
Indej 21, 00,000 16 15 16th
Udboj 21, 00,000 8 7 8th
84,000,000 84

In short, the soul traversed four Khanns and totally got 84, 00,000 (chorasi lakh) madhiyam avatar, which is called Lakh Chorasi Avatar or 84, 00,000 births, and got total 84 ma’nkha avatar (human birth).

The above tabulation suggests that the soul had to pass through first Sitej Khann in the first Jug, in which one got 21, 00,000 madhiyam avatar (non-human birth), and then one was given 35 ma’nakha avatar (human birth). His 34 births were non-Satpanthi, while his last 35th birth was in the Satpanth.

The process of re-birth continues until the soul reaches its maturity and perfection when it joins its original source, God or the Universal Soul. If one failed, his soul was to descend in the second Khann during second Jug. In the second Zarej Khann in the second Jug, he got 21, 00,000 madiyam avatar (non-human birth), and then he was granted 25 births of human beings. The 24 births were in non-Satpanthi, while the 25th birth was in the Satpanth. Then, the soul descended in the third Indej Khann in the third Jug, in which he got 21, 00,000 madiyam avatar, then one got 16 human births. The 16th birth was in the Satpanth. Lastly, the soul passed through the last fourth Udboj Khann in the last fourth Jug, in which he took 21,00,000 madiyam avatar, and finally got 8 births in human being. The 7 births were non-Satpanthi, while the 8th was the Satpanth.

The foregoing statistical formula was to fetch the new converts towards Islamic domain. In other words, the Pir exhorted that wheel of their birth had been ended and then was one life and one death, because there was no 5th Jug or 5th Khann. Once the new converts were oriented, they were taught Islamic teaching in gradual process.

Whatever is mentioned “rebirth” in ginans/farmans is evoked as a negative outcome in the sense of warning or threat. It should be interpreted allegorically being a symbol of the threat or punishment.

After leaving the earthy body, the soul comes in the spiritual world (ruhani duniya) or in the Koranic term, the soul stays in the barzakh.

In fact, the prophetic model was more clearly thereafter sounded in the following couplets of Pir Sadruddin’s ginans, quite contrary to the doctrine of rebirth:-
Maati panni, maati panni le kar, kaya ratan eh banai.
“With clay and water, the body like a jewel was created.”
Ud gaya hansa pad rahi maati, mustaq padi seer bhari.
“The soul flies away, the dust (body) remained. The head became massive”.
A’chha nir, nir mangai kar, kaya ratan eh pakharo.
“Arrange pure water, bath the jewel-like body.”
Zinna kapada, kapada mangai kar, kaya vaster eh odhao.
“Arrange thin cloth and wind the shroud.”
Doy milo doy milo, milo mere’ bhai’ji, milkar manjali eh uthavo.
“O’ my brothers! Two brothers together lift the bier.”
Char pai’e char bhai, char bhai apanne’ lay jao jangle eh minjar.
“Then, the four brothers take the bier from four corners and march towards jungle
Paheli mejal, paheli mejal milo mere’ bhai’ji, paheli so nimaj eh gujaro.
“At the first halt, you altogether recite the Namaz-e-Janaza.”
Duji mejal duji mejal milo mere’ bhai’ji, lai rakho gor eh kinare’.
“At the second halt; the brothers jointly lay down (bier) at the edge of the grave.”
Gor khodiyo, gor khodiyo, khodio mere’ bai’ji, aya banda eh dosari.
“’ my brothers! You dig the grave that a sinful slave has come.”
Anbar ne dharati, dharti bichhai kar, te vich rakho mere’ bhai.
“In between earth and sky the body is laid in the grave.”
Latiyare’ gutiya, latiya gutiya dekar, ajab’ki surat eh banai.
“Kicking and spading (the clay) over it and make a strange shape (of a grave).”
In other ginans, the Pir continued to say:-
Eji kaya nagari mahe’n ek chor chhupe’ chhupata kenne’ nav detha.
“There a thief (angel of death) hiding in your body’s domain, none seen while concealing.”
Eji pahela lida kot vira nav darvaja, pachhi lido kaya kero hans
“First he (angel of death) dominates the body through nine openings and then took the soul.”
Eji lunti teri nagari vira hui’re’ chobari, ketr khannsala hua.
“He robbed your body, spoiled and made it barren.”
Eji maati’re’ mitadi mahe’n ridi bidi jaishe’, kalar khashe’ teri deha.
“The body will be rolled into the dust, the insects will enjoy feast of your body.”
Besides, Pir Sadruddin also said that,
A’gar ha’t nako pa’t nako wann’j vepaar, saachalo samar saath linnaji.
“Ahead is neither shop nor stall or dealing. One has to take along provision of virtuous deeds.”
Eji eh vimasann hai bhari, na jannae’ kiya hoishe’, ghor andhari mahe’nj rahenna bande’ ekalada tiya’n rahe’sho.
“That hour (of death) is heavy for you as none knows what would happen? O’ Slave! You have to stay in dense (grave) and that too all alone.”
Saada trann hathela, banda hai bhumi teri

“O’ Slave! The 3½ hands long (the grave) is mere your earth.”
We bring milk in the Jamatkhana preferably on the Thursday or in the ruhani majalis for our late parents, who are spiritually in barzakh for their eternal peace. Mawlana Hazar Imam also prays resting of the soul in eternal peace. If our forefathers would have been in the birth cycle, then it is quite immaterial to send milk or organize ruhani majalis for our late parents.
The Syrian Ismaili professor, Dr. Mustapha Ghaleb (1916-1979) gave his interview to the magazine Ar-Rahma (no. 6, 1968). He was asked, what was the Ismailis view about transmigration of the soul? He said, “Many authors, ancient and modern, who wrote about Ismaili belief claimed that the Ismailis believed in the transmigration, the transfer of the soul after death to another human being or to an animal or a plant. But after my deep study of the Ismaili haqiqa books, I must differ from these writers. The Ismailis do not believe at all in transmigration, but assert that man after death undergoes changes, his earthly part (body) is transformed into earth, water, air and fire, but his spiritual part (soul) is transferred to the Exalted Assembly. Ismailis believe that the human spirit is a part of a whole from which it originated.

Thus, from the beginning of its existence in the world of being and decaying it yearns and desires to rejoin the whole. But after its descent to the earth it lives potentially, but is imperfect in action.
Because of this imperfection, it is not capable of returning except through the two acts of worship, namely practical piety and the pursuit of Universal Truth. If a man performs these two acts of worship, accepts the religious laws, believes in the Imam, then his soul ascends by stages till it reached the whole and is gathered in the company of the godly and pious, and becomes an active angel.

But if a man is inclined to evil, is wicked or is disobedient to his Imam and does not uphold the laws of religion, his soul joins those of the devils and wicked.” (Cf. Africa Ismaili, August, 1970, reprinted on 13th March, 1972, pp. 64-5)

Aziz Ismail writes, “Like Arab-Persian Islam, Arab-Persian Ismailism is reported to have vigorously repudiated this doctrine (of rebirth). The Fatimid Caliph al-Muizz is reported to have reprimanded one of his missionaries in Sind for tolerating the belief.” (A Scent of Sandalwood, London, 2002, p. 65). He further comments, “By the time we come to the Ginans, however, we find this theme very much part of their texture. Perhaps ‘theme’ is the wrong word. This doctrine is not canvassed or urged – it is given, taken for granted. It is part of the atmosphere from which the literature inhales its substance. The Ginans invoke the doctrine; they do not assert it. An asserted idea is the object of thought; an invoked idea is a means, often unconscious, to some other conscious object or purpose.” (ibid)
Count Kassim Ali R. Paroo (1906-1998) wrote a letter to Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah, asking the question: “Do we Ismailis believe that there is rebirth on this earth to repay and receive repayment of Karamic debtor? Do we believe that this rebirth will be in a new (higher) creation than to human beings?” The Imam graciously replied: “Obviously reborn means in a higher sphere than this earth. Without going to the final; spiritual sphere there will be further triumph before the highest points are reached unless those highest point are reached in this world and on this earth by the general rules of the Ismaili faith beginning with kindness, gentleness, etc. and going up to highest love of union with Imam.” (Vide Subjects Discussed by the Religious Study Group of Mombasa, 12th Feb., 1954, p. 88)

In his one article, Reincarnation or Companionship on High, Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah wrote, “The Hindu and Buddhist explanation of life after death, with always the influence of the soul taking forms either much lower, such as the lowest animals, or much higher, like some of the so called gods of both Brahmanism and Buddhism, seems to many brought up outside their immemorial tradition as more a hope and pious wish than anything founded on fact….It is the hope of all true Muslims, like their Prophet, namely, “Companionship on High.” (Cf. Africa Ismaili, Kisumu, March 28, 1969, reprinted on August 28, 1970, pp. 62-3)
Whatever is mentioned in the ginans/farmans on rebirth on other side is evoked as a negative outcome in the sense of warning or a threat.

Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931) writes in The Prophet (New York, 1955, p. 9) that, “If you would behold the spirit of death, open your heart to the body of life! For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one.”

Be noted that the theory of re-birth is not a part and parcel of the fundamental tenet of the Ismaili Muslims. If one believes in re-birth or not, it makes no difference in his faith. This is the reason that Hazar Imam emphasized several times to have Islamic spirit.
In Ismailism, this life is unique, outstanding and invaluable. This is an opportunity to acquire rewards of virtuous deeds. The object of the spiritual quest is within one’s body to know his soul, its originality, an ultimate state to lead the lofted blissful state.

Ma’nkha janam ratan hai, so ka’iku’n khota hai (ginan)
“This human birth is a jewel, why do (you) waste it?”

Eji maha padarath sarikho mankho, te nahi av’e varovar (ginan)
“Human form is like a great substance, it can’t be obtained once again.”
Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah said, “You are in the form of mankind. God had cast supreme mercy and granted your birth lovingly in the Satpanth, but alas! The birth consumes as if the cattle, and human reverts to dust.” (Vadvan Camp, 18th October, 1903).
Lastly, it must be noted that we have however evidences that few gifted souls were sent on earth from barzakh in order to complete an incomplete mission or for any special task. It does not come in the domain of the birth cycle. This topic will be discussed later in another article.

Life after Death?

The state between death and resurrection is called barzakh. The word barzakh means a thing that intervens between two things. The word barzakh occurs thrice in the Koran (23:100, 25:53 and 55:20). In other word, it is a period between death and resurrection. It is the spiritual world for the ruhanis. After leaving earthy body, the soul comes in the spiritual world or in the Koranic term, the soul stays in the barzakh.

Death, in the light of the plain teaching of the Koran, is not the end of man’s life; it only opens the door to another, a higher, form of life: “We have ordained death among you and none can prevent Us that We may change your attributes and make you grow into what you know not” (56:58-61).
Just as from the small life-germ grows the man, and he does not lose his individuality for all the changes which he undergoes, so from this man is made the higher man, his attributes being changed, and he himself being made to grow into what he cannot conceive at present. That this new life is a higher form of life is also made plain.

It is very important question connected with the barzakh. So far as our present experience goes, it is through the body that the soul receives all its impressions of pleasure and pain, that it gets knowledge, and perception of things, that its impulses and sentiments are developed. According to our present state of our knowledge, we cannot conceive of the soul without a body. But whether the soul in resurrection will receive back the same body of clay, which it left in this world, is quite another question. There is nothing in the Koran to show that the body, which the soul left at death, will be restored to it. On the other hand, there are clear indications that it will be a new creation altogether.

The verse quoted above renders a clear indication that it is not the old creation that will be restored at the Day of Judgment. Even the old heavens and the old earth will pass away and there will be new heavens and a new earth (14:48). If the very earth and heavens have changed at the resurrection, how can the human body remain the same? And in fact the Koran has stated clearly that it shall be a new body altogether.

Nagendra K. Singh writes in Islamic Mysticism in India (New Delhi, 1996, p. 224) that, “The Quran does not teach that our earthly bodies rise again. Rather, in order to impress the reality of punishment and reward upon the minds of his contemporaries, the Prophet had to appeal to their imagination, and this prompted the idea of bodily resurrection. But there will, in fact, be no resurrection of earthly bodies.”
Etheric Body

Ether is an omnipresent cosmic substance filling all space and is the vehicle by which all physical-etheric forces contact the earth and ourselves. Ether was discovered in 1275 by Spanish chemist Raymundus Lullius, and it was then named Sweet Vitriol. In 1540, German scientist Valerius Cordus described the synthesis of ether. In 1730, German scientist W.G. Frobenius changed the name of Sweet Vitriol to Ether.

The vibrations of the ether are beyond count and varied. One form of etheric undulation or wave-motion gives us the phenomenon we call light – other forms give us heat, colour, electricity, ectoplasm, etc. This marvelous substance is perpetually conveying across space the cosmic energy, which enables us to live and think. The ether is never at rest, it is ever in movement, and it cannot be seen or perceived by the physical senses. The etheric forces influence physical life on earth in a variety of ways. They are creative and formative, ensouling matter with life, vitality, form and power. It is through the agency of ether that human deeds are imprinted permanently. Carl G.

Neumann propounded a theory in 19th century that each and every movement of body is recorded in ether. In 1887, Michelson George Francis FitzGerald supported the theory. Thus, ether is a latent force guarding imprint of good and bad deeds of human beings. The Koran says: “And surely there are guardians over you, honourable recorders” (82:10-11). No doubt, the guardians refer to the etheric forces. An inner self of man is being developed, all along, through his deeds, and imprinted in ether, taking a shape of an invisible, rather subtle body, known as the etheric body – an immaterial form resembling the earthy body.

The philosopher Rudolf Steiner called the etheric body as Body of Formative Forces. S.G.J. Ouseley writes in The Power of the Ray (London, 1951, p. 39) that, “Just as the physical world is surrounded and influenced by the ether, so also is man. The etheric forces are gathered and concentrated in man and form what is called the Etheric Body or double, which surrounds and interpenetrates the physical body and is an exact copy or duplicate of it, organ for organ and cell for cell. The Etheric, or vital body, as it is called, extends beyond the periphery of the denses body as the etheric region extends beyond the dense part of the planet.”

In sum, the Etheric Body, the counterpart of the earthy body is an exact copy of our outer body in every way, only it is luminous and composed of a much finer substance in a higher rate of vibration.

The body to which the soul is transferred after death is called the body of similitude (jism-i mithali), which is luminous and subtle like the physical body in shape. The word mithal is used for the body of similitude in the Koran (17:99, 36:81 and 38:43).

Another name for the body of similitude is a new creation (khalaq-i jadid), which is mentioned in eight places in the Koran. The Prophet said, “The soul of the believer after death is in a body like his body in this world.” The only difference is that the worldly body was dense and the one after death is subtle and luminous (Lught al-Hadith, p. 142).

When one dies, he leaves the material body and assumes the Etheric Body and abodes in barzakh. In other words, the man takes a new life after death in Ruhani Duniya. Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah in this context said, “Do not conceive that the soul will enter paradise, it is not so. It will enter paradise in original condition. They will sit in presence of Mawla Ali, who had performed Bandagi worthily. Your body with same face will be with God; will be young in radiant face, which is not so, and the old man of 80 years will be young, it is not true as well, but you will enter paradise with astral bodies (noorani kaya). (Manjevadi, 28/12/1893).
The Ismaili Pirs used the words noorani vastr (luminous attire), noor varani kaya (body made of luminary), suraj rang’ni kaya (solar-coloured body) or noorani kaya (luminous body) for the etheric body. In Sufi literature, its famous terms are jism-i falaki (celestial body), jism-i mithali (body of similitude), jism-i noorani (luminous body), juththah-i ibada’iyyah (body of eternity), qurtah-yi ibda’i (shirt of eternity), badan-i barqi (lightening body), jamah-yi bihishti (robe of paradise), etc.

Please note that on page 7 of this write-up, the view of Imam Sultan Muhammed is posted that “reborn means in a higher sphere than this earth” refers to the rebirth of the soul in astral body as stated above.

Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah said, “And some lay claim that the souls of Imam and momin are divergent. Its clarification is that, whoever is a haqiqi momin, if he stays as a momin in lifetime and expires, his soul merges in Imam’s soul, and it happens only afterlife. But, his soul can’t unite in lifetime as long as the soul exists in momin’s body. As the river of sweet water merges in the sea, and identically, the soul of the momin after death enters into the soul of the Imam, but it is far off in lifetime at the distance of earth and sky. After death, like the air unites in other air as Vazir Saleh became, and likewise it becomes one form, but futile speaking more by mouth is not lucrative.” (Karachi, 4th January, 1912)

Lastly, the following an important point in this context is quoted as received that there is no more earthly life after this body, but eternal peace.

Hazar Imam’s Villa, Paris
Tuesday 31.10.1961
Mowlana Hazar Imam received us in the entrance hall and led us into a big room which looked like a lounge.
As soon as Hazar Imam saw us, he said, “Count, I was waiting for you, I was sorry I kept you waiting.”

We followed Mowlana Hazar Imam into the lounge and presented the flowers. Mowlana Hazar Imam gave a radiant smile and said, “Marvelous Flowers – Thank you.”

When we all sat down at Mowlana Hazar Imam’s feet, He gave each one of us His blessings by placing His holy hand on every one turn by turn. Mowlana Hazar Imam then became very serious all at once and said, “Count, I am very sorry to hear the sad news.” He then went on to say, “Remember that Allah is good. It is said so over and over again in Koran. There are certain things that Allah does is for our own good. We do not know what is good for us, but Allah does, He knows what is good and what is bad. We become discouraged when such things happen, but we must remember that Allah is good. Read Koran. In Koran it is said hundreds of times that Allah is good. He would not do anything to harm us.”

“Do not be afraid of death. Because for us there is eternal peace after death. There is a great deal of suffering in this world, but remember that there is nothing but peace after death. For every one of us there is eternal peace death. Therefore do not fear death.”

“We are not afraid of death because we Muslims do not believe as the Christians do, that if you have been bad in this world the after death you have to pass through hell, fire etc.”

“We believe that there is eternal peace after death, Koran also gives us assurance that there is peace after death.”

“Kabir was very young; I know and understand how you feel, I know it, because I have also suffered in the same way, I lost first my grandfather and then my father. I understand how hard it is, but I implore you to have courage and not to grieve. Please do not worry, his soul is at rest in eternal peace. He is with me and I can assure you that he is resting in peace, whatever difficulties he had in this world are now over. He is now much happier than he ever was or would have been in this world. If you have faith in me then have courage and do not grieve. Do not forget there is peace after death. Kabir is in eternal peace. Do not be sorry for him, remember him whenever you pray (Pray for him).”

“I am telling you once again that he is in eternal peace, I give his soul my best blessing. I shall remember him in my prayers.”

“Every one of you must keep courage. Do you understand? Do not grieve but have courage.

Remember what I have told you. Remember there is peace after death. I give my best blessing to every one of you. Once again, keep in mind what I have told you. Do not lose faith and have courage.”

Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah said, “It is not plausible to read mythology of the Hinduism in the ilm. When you were the Hindus, Pir Sadruddin had shown you the path, and that time passed away. Now read the grandeur of Mawla (Murtza Ali) and (his) descendant (Imams). Read the commendation of Hazar Imam, and now put aside the (stories of) nine incarnations. Glorify my grandfather (Mawla Murtza Ali) in the tenth incarnation. Read the ginans, wherein read the narrative of the tenth incarnation. Read the essence gleaned from the stories and tales” (Zanzibar, 20th August, 1899)

Karachi: January, 2022


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