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(1) Allah Maheria

There is a common phrase in all walk of lives that we usually say anyone at first, Khuda Tamane’ Neki a’pe’ or Khuda A’pako Neki de’ (May God grant you morality!). Similarly, while addressing the jamat, either by Mukhi/Kamadia or someone, he/she begins with the phrase Allah Maheria (May mercy of Allah be upon you!). The word maheria is a verb, means give peace or pity. Instead, the phrases Hazareen Jamat (Present Jamat) or Moaziz Saameen (Hon’ble Attendants) are also used in the jamats of other countries.

(2) Khana’vadan

The word khana’vadan is derived from the Persian, khana-a’badan, means may house be flourished. As it is also said, a’badan shudan (to be inhabited), a’badan kardan (cultivate or build) or khanaysh abad (may this house be prosperous).

The blessing of khana-a’badan seems to have coined in the period of Imam Abul Hasan Ali Shah (d. 1206/1792). There is however, no evidence in history that it had ever used before it.

Earlier, the phrase Khana-a’badan was in application, then became shortly, Khana-a’bad or Khono-obod (May your household prosper) and now khana’vadan.

Imam Hasan Ali Shah arrived in India in 1842, and addressed the jamat in Persian, then blessed them with Khono-obod (May your household prosper). Kamadia Nazar Ali Kidvani (1832-1916), known as Kamadia Haji translated the Imam’s farman in Kutchhi, but rendered obod as va’dan. The word va’dan means increase, enhance or prosper, making the phrase Khana’vadan (May your household prosper). This rendering was acceptable to the Imam and became so cognate and coherent that the Mukhi/Kamadia began to bless Khana’vadan to the jamat, and the Imam also blessed the jamat with same coinage as the word a’badan is synonymous of abad

The Imam holds supreme power to express affectionately Khana’vadan to his spiritual children. The Mukhi represents the Imam, therefore, he is vested authority to bless Khana’vadan along with Kamadia, and the Mukhi/Kamadia of different majalis.
The notion of the Khana’vadan is also sounded in the Koran: “(O’ Muhammad!) Take arms out of their property, wherewith you would purify (tuthirau) and make them grow up (tuzakkyhim). Verily, your prayer is a relief for them.” (9:103). The Prophet’s acceptance of alms from them is here spoken of a purifying them, while his prayer for them is described for their growth and prosperity.

(3) Mawla Iman Didar Naseeb Kare’

It is related that Imam Aga Ali Shah once visited Bhuj, Kutchh in 1881 and made a farman to the jamat. In conclusion, the Imam said, “Remember! The Jamatkhana is abode (dhar) - source of making the Iman firm.” Since then, the phrase Mawla Iman jo dhar nasib kare’ (May Mawla! Ordain abode of faith) was included in the regular tasbih in India. Later, how and when it got changes is not substantiated as yet, but it became Iman didar nasib kare’ means (May Mawla bless you with the Iman and Didar). In other words, the dhar became didar. It may now be interpreted that the Imam may grant iman (faith) and didar esoterically while attending Jamatkhana.

(4) Shah Didar

The word shah didar or shah’jo didar means, May you bless with Lord’s glimpse. It is a taslim in the Ismaili tariqah, the believers greet each other at the end of the prayer, beholding face to face; both pronounce shah didar by shaking hand. This is an act of humble wish to refresh spiritual bond. The Koran says, “Whosoever surrenders his face to God, being a doer of good, has verily grasped the firm hand-hold” (31:22). The taslim in the salat (namaz) is pronounced, first turning to the right hand and then to the left, i.e., as-salamu alaikum wa rahmatullah (peace be on you and the mercy of God), has a nigh resemblance of shah didar. There is however no hard and fast rule for Shah Didar as one can either first turn to right or left side

In Medina, the Prophet’s Mosque was frequented by rich and poor. The clothes of the poor were dirty and drenched in perspiration. Exhausted with the impure environment, the rich Arabs expressed their plan to the Prophet to prohibit these poor Muslims to enter mosque, otherwise they would build their own separate mosque. It was a critical time when the Prophet acutely needed favour of the rich Arabs and did not like that they form their separate mosque. The Prophet also felt that it would prompt hatred between rich and poor. Hence, he is said to have decided to prevent the poor class in the mosque, who had big hearts. In the meantime, the Koranic verse revealed: “And do not drive away those who call upon their Lord in the morning and evening, desiring His face; neither are you answerable for any reckoning of theirs” (6:52). This is the philosophy of shah didar. The Prophet said, “The believer is the mirror of the believer” (al-mu’min mir’at al-mu’min). Maulana Rumi said, “If you wish to have special tajalli (radiation of Divine Light), you look at the human, in which God explicitly is seen smilingly.”

The Prophet had no alternative but to follow a middle way convenient to both classes and initiated practice of the Wuzu i.e. the cleaning of face, head etc. before entering mosque. It was compulsory for the poor class at first, then all other too.

(5) Mukhi Saheb Amr?

The Mukhi represents Imam in the Jamatkhana. One who recites the Dua in the Jamatkhana, and before recitation, he/she seeks permission from Mukhi, saying Mukhi Saheb Amr? (Mukhi Saheb! Is it your command?) In reciprocal, the Mukhi says, Amr Hazar Imam (Verily it is Imam’s command).

The reciter of the Dua and the Mukhi Saheb must pronounce Amr as we recite in second part of the Dua: Wal ulil amr minkun, where is pronounced Amr! Instead of Amr, if Amar is pronounced, the meaning becomes incorrect as Amar means immortal. It must be pronounced Amr.

(6) Jamat

There are now three types of the jamat viz. Gat Jamat, Jumalo Jamat and Global Jamat. The word gat means union or unity being applied for the present jamat. The word jumalo means collective (jamats) in the same location or city and the global jamat means worldwide jamats.
Mawlana Hazar Imam used the Global Jamat (worldwide jamat) for the first time at Parkland Complex, Nairobi, on 29th May, 2002.

(7) Panje’ Bhai

The word panje’ bhai means a brother who shakes hand. The word occurred once in the old dua. The term panje’bhai became more familiar however during the Aga Khan Case of 1866 in India. It was the time when the members of the opposition group were not yet excommunicated and they attended the Jamatkhana, but did not shake hand with the others at the end of the dua or they did not offer shah didar to others. They were the adherents of the Bar Bhai group, the seceders. The Ismailis, who were loyal to the Imam were the shakers of hands and became known as the panje’bhai. These panje’bhai were the early brick of the Khoja Panje’ Bhai Club - a brotherhood association in the Ismaili community.

(8) Talika Mubarak
The word talik means suspension or hanging together. Talik is said to have got this name from its letters being connected to each other, and is in fact a compound of tawki, rika and naskh scripts. The shikasta talik (broken talik) is the result of writing talik rapidly. The letters are written in a more intricate style, which makes shikasta talik difficult to read. It started to appear in 8th/14th century and was developed by Khwaja Taj Salmaniyi Ispahani (d. 897/1491).
The Persians however customarily call this script simply talik without the prefix shikasta. Talik was a special script in Persian, which was the form of old tawki script used for official documents. Since the post-Alamut period, the official messages of the Imams for the jamat became known as Talika or Talika Mubarak. The ginan, Eji Sahebe’ farman lakhi mokalia absolutely refers to the Talika Mubarak.
This is the holy message of the Imam for any specific or worldwide jamats, which is read by the Mukhi after taking from the Kamadia with due respect. Soon after reading, the Mukhi blesses the jamat, then the ginan Eji Sahebe’ farman lakhi mokalia is generally recited.
(9) A’amin

A’amin is an imperative nominal verb or verb-like noun. This word is foreign, not Arabic and as such, it is not mentioned in the Koran. Some also say that it is an Arabic version of the Hebrew, Amein, Amen or Aman appearing in the Bible. The word A’amin means be it so.
It is to be added that the word A’amin is also a sonorous word intoned by the faithful at the end of every dua – an expression of confirmation or its corroboration. It is however in Arabic vernacular, but in reality, it came from the Hebrew root of aman, then became amen. Later, the Christians also followed it. The Greek word for it is omega, and the Sanskrit is seiyaku or tathaastu (let it be so).
It must be noted pointedly that after an end of the recitation of Sura Fatiha, the Sunnis recite A’amin, but the Shias don’t pronounce A’amin. The Shiite tradition holds that the Prophet never pronounced A’amin ever at the end of Sura Fatiha. A’amin in prayer is not permissible since it breaks the concentration. Al-Tusi (d. 1067) says that one should not seal the recitation of the Fatiha with A’amin; indeed, doing so voids the Salat (Tibyan, 1:46).

Anyhow, the Shia Muslims and the Shia Ismaili Muslims don’t recite A’amin. Qadi Noman writes in Daim al-Islam (1st vol., p. 201) that, “The Imams disapproved the practice of uttering A’amin after the Fatiha as the commonalty do.”

Whenever the Kamadia in the Jamatkhana recites the tasbih after second Dua, he prays that:-
Ya Mawla! Tu’n gat jamat’ji qul mushkeel aasam kar.
Ya Mawla! Tu’n gat jamat’jo iman salamat rakh. (And vice versa)

These two prayers are taken just for an illustration. At the end of each prayer, the jamat responds, A’amin. The utterance of the A’amin at the end of every prayer points out full-stop, not comma. If it is considered comma, then the phrase Ya Mawla does not need to repeat in the beginning of each prayer. Likewise, when the recitation of the Sura Fatiha makes complete in our Dua, it becomes comma follows by the diction Sajado Waje’ iliyka. And if we utter A’amin at the end of the Sura Fatiha, it becomes full stop, which should not be occurred.

(10) Tobo Tobo Taqseer Da’r, Bando Seer ta Paa Gune’gaar

The word taqseer means flaw or shortcoming and taqseer daar means one who is faulty. The word da’r is used in compounds in the sense of “possessing, having or endowed with.” For example, the word Iman means truth, honesty, and Imanda’r means “honest”, and likewise Taqseer means “flaw” and Taqseer da’r means “flawy” or “faulty.”

The tobo tobo taqseer da’r is also one of our traditional phrases, which means “Being a flawy, I seek apologies as this slave is sinful from head to feet.” In other words, we apologize that we are sinful from top to bottom.
It is spoken once or thrice by one who gets Chhantta in Jamatkhana. When this is done, the officiating person would deep his five fingers of right hand into the bowl of water and sprinkle on the face of the taker, making expression of “Farman” each time, to be reciprocated by the offerer with the term Ya Ali, Ya Muhammad (or Pir Shah).

It is to be added that in some other countries, the Nade Ali is recited by the person who is designated to perform Chhantta, and the leftover water is poured in the plants. In Africa and the Western countries, the leftover water is either poured into the plants or consumed by the jamati members present there. In India and Pakistan, both these procedures are prevalent.

(11) Jura

In Arabic, the word jura or jurrah means a gulp or as much as is swallowed, as it is said jura al-ma’a (he swallowed the water), juratan minadewa (dose of medicine), or jara ar-ma’a (made drunk little water). The Arabic word jarw or jurw also means whelp, cub, small fruit or anything little. The word jurrah occurs once in the Koran: “He will drink it little by little (jurrah) and will not be able to swallow it agreeably” (14:17).
In Persian, the word jura means equal in size or weight, draught, gulp or remains at the bottom of vessel. The jura is a tabarruk (benedictory gift) being presented in the Jamatkhana.

Thus, the existence of the Prophet was a baraka for mankind on earth. The showering of baraka continued in his descendants to purify the believers in every age. Whatever one receives from Imam’s house, it is a baraka for him. The jura is the best example of the baraka for the believers.

The Muslims generally call the benedictory gift as tabarruk, while the word hissa is prevalent among the Shi’ites.
(12) Thal Sufaro

The word thal means plate and sufra means table-cloth. The Arabic word for thal (tray) is tabaq or siniyya (round tray). The word sufra in Persian means anything on or in which victuals are placed, provisions prepared by men of hospitality, such as the sufra’i dauri (round table-cloth), sufra’i sham’dan (lamp-dish), sufra’i fasahat (eloquent tongue) or sufra nishin (guest of table).

Another Arabic word for sufra is ma’ida, meaning table. There are two kinds of ma’ida, the sufra and khiwan, which was familiar in the Islamic states. The sufra was usually made of cloth, copper or palm-leaves in round shape, and was put on the ground where people sat around it. In course of time, however, an improvement was introduced when people started using a sufra made of leather. The word khiwan was applied to a ma’ida, which was raised from the ground. It was made of wood and stone. Affluent people preferred it to be of marble or onyx. Large round trays of brass, set on a low table were a common sight in the houses of rich.

The culture of the grand sufaro was staged at Wadi, Bombay. Looking it, few Ismailis were highly astonished to have a glance of a well decorated and embellished sufaro. The rich class is reported to have asked Mukhi Alibhai Padamsi that they should be afforded chance to its outlays. After getting approval from Imam Hasan Ali Shah, a mammoth sufaro was prepared on 21sr March, 1871. Since there were six candidates, it was resolved to give them equal chance by applying method of biting like it happened in the Nandi. With this practice, the high bidder was declared the first (awwal) winner, thus this ritual became known as the Awwal Thal Sufaro.

The Thal Sufro in the Ismailis refers to the cooked food items of different varieties, fruits etc. are decorated on festive occasions. If anyone or more wish to be the foremost to present this magnificent Sufro to the Imam, they compete with one another and the high bidder wins and pay high bid to the Mukhi and earns blessings for presenting Sufro to the Imam. Later, this practice also introduced in East Africa in 1899 and Burma in 1902.
If anyone is desirous to own it and present the Imam, it means to get entitlement of getting prerogative as the first therewith. Some other also join in the competition and eventually the high bidder becomes winner of the Thal Sufaro and get blessings from the Mukhi Saheb.

(13) Three stages in the Gatpaat Ceremony

In the Ismaili tariqah, the holy water in Jamatkhana is filled in a big jug (ibriq of the Koran, 56:18) or kumbh, which is served in small cups (suwa of the Koran, 12:72). Both jug and small cups are placed on a low planks.
Three modes of the sanctification or to make creative power ritually in water are as under

1) Sthapana or Thapana: Its synonymous in the ginans are mandavu, thapavu, ghat-puja, ghat thapana, kalash thapana, ami puja, kumbh jal and so on. Among them the sthapana and thapana are common, means “setup” or “sanctify” water. This process was introduced by Pir Shams.
Then, the reciter fumigates smoke of the benzoin (loban) and put water in stoup (kumbh).
Soon after the setting up the Gatpaat, the performer then untie the bundle of the vessel on the paat and makes setting of the small vessels and kumbhs in the plates.

Then the performer recites the Dua as per prescribed time. After an end of two Dua, the people sip holy water. Thereafter, the second stage of the Gatpaat follows.

2. Uthapana means “winding up” the rite of holy water. This and the third process were introduced by Pir Sadruddin.
Then, the utensils of the holy water are dried up with a white cloth, and packed with another sheet. Then, the third process of the ceremony begins.

3. Qayam Karna: The verb aqama used 84 times in Koran, means to keep a thing or an affair in a right state, thus the word qayam karna in broadest sense means to keep perpetuity (of holy water).
Mawlana Hazar Imam graciously granted an audience to the office bearers of the Ismailia Association for Pakistan and the Presidents and office bearers of the Ismailia Associations for India, Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika, Madagascar and Burundi on 16th December, 1964 at 7.05 pm. In the meeting, many aspects of the rites were approved by the Imam. Unanimously decided that while establishing Abe’ Shafa (Gatpaat), the following points should be followed:-

a) “In the beginning, Sura Fatiha should be recited.” The Imam said, “Good. Alright.”
b) “When the jamat has finished taking Abe’Shafa, Allahumm Minq Madadi…..upto Sujud” be recited.’ The Imam said, “Good.”
c) In the end after tying Abe’ Shafa, utensils, “Ya Imamiz Zaman….upto Sujud be recited.” The Imam said, “Good.”

Both Abe’ Shafa and Gatpaat are the holy water. In case of the Abe’ Shafa, there is no need to go through the process of Dua Ghatpaat Sthapana, because it is already sanctified by the Imam for the jamat.

(14) Farman …. Ya Ali - Ya Muhammad

For sanctification of the water daily in the morning, Friday or Chandraat etc., the reciter says in the fifth part of the Dua, Farman. In reciprocal, the jamat responds, Ya Ali - Ya Muhammad.

Here the word Farman technically denotes by the reciter that it is in accordance with the Farman of Hazar Imam, and the jamat positively endorses that, it is indeed the Farman of Ya Ali - Ya Muhammad (the Noor of Ali and Muhammad i.e., Hazar Imam). The pronunciation of asking and accentuating response (Farman & Ya Ali – Ya Muhammad) are the shortest affirmative utterances, resulting water sanctified, known as Abe’Shafa or Gatpaat.

(15) Dua Niyat Khayer

The phrase Dua Niyat Khayer (Pray for good nature with an intent) is uttered by the Mukhi generally at the end of the first Dua, who says Dua niyat Khayr, Ilahi Khair, Aqibat jo Khair, Ya Ali tu’n khair kare’.

If the Gatpaat Sthapana has been made before first Dua, then the prayer of the Dua Niyat Khayer is not recited, but is recited during the third stage of Qayam Karna. What is its reason? It is the teaching of our Pirs that during Gatpaat ceremony, the emancipated souls make their presence and return after the prayer of the Dua Niyat Khayer to wish farewell to the incoming souls.
Kheesh Amr Puthiya’n Shah

This expression firstly recorded in our old Dua, and was also followed by the prayers of the Mukhi/Kamadia, Dua niyat Khayr, Ilahi Khair, Aqibat jo Khair, Ya Ali tu’n khair kare,’ Kharji venti kheesh amr puthiya’n shah toje’ huzur me’n kabool kar. This phrase is now in application in the Ismailis of the South Asian countries. This phrase however was recited in the East African regions most probably up to the year 1972.

The Persian word Khees, Kheese’ or Kheesh means noble, rightful or lord. This term usually is pronounced as Kheesh Amr means the Lord of the authority or Saheb-e-Amr, and the term Puthiya’n means duly. In short, the meaning of Kheesh Amr Puthiya’n Shah toje’ huzur me’kabool kar means “O’ Lord of Authority, O’ Shah! Accept accordingly in your presence” There is few variations in this phrase in different countries. Nevertheless, whatever is pronounced, its main gist is retained.

(16) Salawat

Allahumma salli ala Muhammadinil wa alale’ Muhammad
“O’ God! Let Your peace be upon Muhammad and the descendant of Muhammad.”

The Arabic word Salat means to gratitude God, which is for the daily prayer provided the action comes from the man. On other side, the Salawat means the showering of God’s gratitude upon mankind.
Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah said, “The jamat is my body….You are my body.” (Zanzibar, 11th Sep., 1899) and “You are my body.” (Zanzibar, 15th August, 1905).

The Imam has body and soul (divine noor). The Imam said, “You don’t adhere to my body, but my soul.” (Karachi, 18th January, 1012). And when we send peace with the agency of Salawat to Imam’s body, it reflects to the jamat. In other words, the peace reflects from body to the jamat, and the reciter is also included therein, and that is why the Imam emphasized to recite Salawat much more to bring peace, prosperity and happiness.
This is a normal practice to recite Salawat either with the jamat or individually. One must keep in mind the holy message of our Hazar Imam that, “It is incorrect to take the names of any people other than the Prophet and the Imams with Salawat.” (Talika Mubarak to the Ismailia Association for Pakistan, dated 10th August, 1960)

This is an ideal time to describe that more recently, the Ismailis have seen latest photo of Mawlana Hazar Imam in Internet. Naturally, the Ismailis were emotionally worried to see weakness of the Imam. Being Imam’s spiritual children, what should we do?
Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah physically expired on 11th July, 1957 at Barkat Villa, Geneva. The Imam’s condition was impaired before demise. It was 8th July, 1957 that late Mukhi Pirbhai of Paris sought chance to see the Imam. Tears burst out from his eyes to see the weakness of the Imam and began to weep gloomily in excruciation. The Imam hardly craned his neck and looked at the Mukhi and said in broken words, “Mukhi, close your eyes and recite Salawat.” Mukhi Pirbhai followed it for one minute and saw that the Imam was smiling with no shaking hands, and talked in a normal mode for three minutes as if a young man.

Mawlana Hazar Imam is our spiritual father. If we find his weakness when he is now 86 years old, we must recite Salawat more than enough. This is an exclusive manner of our humble feelings.

(17) Walaz-Zaal-leen NOT Walad Da-leen

The Sunni Muslims pronounce the last line of Sure Fatiha as walad-da-leen, but the Shia Muslims pronounce walaz-zaal-leen. The difference is not in word, script or meaning, but in pronunciation. Since, the Ismailis are the Shia Muslims, they also follow Shiite tradition. Mawlana Hazar Imam said, “The Shia tradition in Islam is an intellectual tradition. It is one in which the intellect has an enormous impact and may be some parts of the world present the Shia tradition in a way which we do not present it.” (Hyderabad, Pakistan, 22nd March, 1989).

Its reason goes back to the period of the Prophet that the Persian speaking people pronounced walaz-zaal-leen in Medina, but the Arabs pronounced walad da-leen. There are many Koranic phrases having variant pronunciations between the Arabs and Persians, its few examples are given below:-
Arabic Persian Meanings

Diya Ziya Light
Ar’d Ar’z Earth
Marid Mariz Patient
Mar’d Mar’z Disease
Da-leen Zaal-leen Who have gone astray
Salman Fars, the famous Companion of the Prophet was an Iranian. The Prophet had allowed him to offer Salat (prayer) in his mother tongue, and he also recited walaz-zaal-leen.

It is not a key issue between Shias and Sunnis, notably in its meaning, but difference is only in pronunciation between the Arabs and non-Arabs. During our Dua, we must follow Shiite rendition of pronouncing Walaz-Zaal-leen at the end of Sura Fatiha.

(18) Hai Zinda – Qaim Paya

When one enters the Jamatkhana, he/she in a bold clear voice utters Hai Zinda i.e., “He (Imam) is living.” In reciprocation of which, those assembled within the prayer hall respond by Qaim Paya i.e., (We) found (Imam) forever.” It also suggests that the Imam is esoterically (in batin) present in the Jamatkhana.

These phrases are derived from the Koranic terms hayyul qayyum (3:2), the synonymous of Persian terms are, Hazar Na’zar. The word hai signifies, One Who is Alive. This is also one of the names of God, indicating that He is Ever-Living. The word qayyum is derived from qayam, meaning to stand, indicating the One Who stands on His own, and also causes others to stand. The words hayyul qayyum are also appeared in the hadith for the Imam: “The earth cannot remain vacant without the hayyul qayyum Imam” (kalalan takhalun arzo min imam’mil hayyul qayyum). It means the Light of God is manifest on earth forever in the form of His epiphany i.e., the Imam.

Instead of Hai Zinda/Qaim Paya, the Syrian Ismailis utter Ya Ali Madad, and they are replied with Mawla Ali Madad.
When the Dua is in progress as well as the Midnight Ibadat, few habitual persons loudly utter Hai Zinda, which is ethically improper. The responders of the Qaim Paya are engaged in Dua/Ibadat, who cannot respond. On that moment, the Hai Zinda must be uttered in heart, but not with low or high sound as it creates hindrance to others’ concentration. This is to maintain pin-drop silence in interior site of the prayer-hall.

(19) Hasani wal Husayn

Mawlana Hazar Imam was born on 13th December, 1936 and was given name of Karim by Lady Aly Shah. When was admitted in the Harvard University, his name in the admission form was enrolled as Karim Khan. Do you know when and how the word Husayni was added thereof?
During his birth, the Indian Ismailis sent messages of congratulation to Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah, who in his reply sent following telegraphic message on 17th December, 1936.

RECREATION BOMBAY
Paternal Blessing For Congratulations. Convey Same My Name To All Who So Cable Me. His Name Is Karim, Not Hassan.
Cannes 17-12-36
Time 10.25 A.M.

Suppose you call to your friend in other country and he says you, “Here is not night.” It apparently indicates that there must be a day. Both Hasan and Husayn are a holy pair (Pir and Shah). If Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah said that, “His name is Karim, not Hasan” obviously means, he is Husayn, not Hasan. In other words, he is (Imam) Husayn, not (Pir) Hasan. The above telegraphic message released when the present Imam was not yet an Imam.

The last 6th part of the Dua contains holy names of the Panjtan-e-Pak followed by Sura Ikhlas of Koran, and then comes a list of the 49 Ismaili Imams. All names were mentioned with proper pronunciations. Why the name Hasan is pronounced as Hasani? Have you ever ponder over it?
Prof. Jawad Muscati, the Arabic scholar of the Ismailia Association for Pakistan, Karachi was tasked to compile the Arabic Dua, who then submitted a final draft to Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah in 1954. The Imam verified Koranic verses being assigned him in advance.
In the draft, the phrase in the 6th part was written as Allahumma bi haqqi Muhammadinil Mustafa wa Aliyyinil Murtaza wa Fatimataz-zahra, wal ala Hasan wa Husayn. It was grammatically correct, but the Imam changed it. In place of wal ala Hasan wa Husayn, the Imam preferred wal Hasani wal Husayn by putting zer beneath the nun of Hasan (Allahumma bi haqqi Muhammadinil Mustafa wa Aliyyinil Murtaza wa Fatimataz-zahra, wal Hasani wal Husayn).

There is one another question. Instead of Hasan, why Hasani is recited? In Arabic, when we read any word at the end, we read its last letter silent though it has any semi vowel as wa. For instance, we read Allah at the end when with no semi vowel at the last letter as wa. We must recite it Allahu.
Mawlana Hazar Imam ascended the throne of the Imamate on 11th July, 1957, while the old Sindhi Dua was continued in the Ismaili world, and naturally its line Nur Mawlana Sultan Muhammad Shah Hazar Imam was replaced by Nur Mawlana Shah Karim Hazar Imam.

Between 11th December, 1957 and 12th December, 1961, the Sindhi Dua was being recited. One point must be focused that the application of al-Husayni in the name of Hazar Imam did not appear either in the Sindhi Dua or in any official papers, documents and journals of the community.
In 1960, the present Arabic Dua was introduced. It contained name Mawlana Shah Karim al-Husayni as the Imam of the Age, because if Hasan became Hasani in the Arabic Dua as mentioned above, Husayn then apparently became Husayni. Henceforward, the Imam became known as Mawlana Shah Karim al-Husayni.

ONE ISSUE IS NECESSARY TO SOLVE

The Ismailis are well aware that on the occasion of the didar, the Imam usually bestows guidance to the spiritual children, which we call the Farman. All these Farmans are published by our authorized institutions. But in the Mehmanis, the Imam guides the followers, which does not come in the domain of the Farmans since such guidance is exclusively for the individuals, which are not collected and published. In other words, the Farmans in the jamats are published, and the Farmans being made to the individual followers are not published since it is confidential.
In view of above point, it is claimed without having evidence that Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah had said in the Majalis of the Paanch Baar Saal that one who joined this Majalis would gain reward of performing a pilgrimage (hajj)!

While scrutinizing almost all the Farmans of Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah for the Paanch Baar Saal, there is no such Farman. The Imam has however said in the general jamat that, “It is a part and parcel to remain firm in religion who intends to perform esoteric Haj.” (Bombay, 8th September, 1885).
As stated above, there is however no any expressed guidance of the Imam in this context. Then, why it is generally claimed that the members of Paanch Baar Saal would be given reward of performing hajj? Suppose, one became its member, then would he be entitled to receive such reward once during admission or on every month?

The fact of which has been dug out from an anonymous diary dated 1951 or 1953 of Anwar Bachubhai of Bombay that a certain Dawood Punja in Bombay was anxious to visit Mecca to perform hajj (pilgrimage). He is said to have reduced his expenses and saved nearly Rs. 480/- in four/five years and booked his seat in Boggiano & Company’s steamer in the month of Islamic month Zilhaj. Unfortunately, he failed to make his marine voyage from Bombay to Hijaj due to illness and was highly dissatisfied.

Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah was in Bombay by the end of 1937. His grandmother, Jethibai advised him not to disappoint, and instead he should join the Paanch Baar Majalis. Dawood Punja agreed upon her advice and got an admission in Hasanabad Jamatkhana by those amount he had saved. On those days, the Imam blessed the new-comers in the majalis. When his turn came, he was tremendously surprised to its extreme to hear words of the Imam, who said, “I bless you to see you in the Paanch Baar Saal Mandali. You will get its reward for performing a hajj (pilgrimage). Khanavadan.”
Soon afterwards, the missionaries of the Recreation Club Institute, Bombay seem to have sophisticated the notion of the farman made exclusively for Dawood Punja, and declared in their waez that whoever would attend the Majalis of the Paanch Baar Saal, it was equivalent to the performance of hajj (pilgrimage)!!!

It is requested not to trust the Farman, which is not authenticated.
Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah however said that, “It is a part and parcel to remain firm in religion who intends to perform esoteric Hajj.” (Bombay, 8th

September, 1885).
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Karachi: July, 2022