"In about 488/1095, the Ismailis of Alamut took possession of one of the most important strongholds, Girdkuh, the old Diz Gunbadan (the domed fort) in Qumis. The valiant garrison of Girdkuh however continued to resist its Mongol besiegers for 13 years after the reduction of Alamut.

The Present Imam founded the Global Centre for Pluralism on April 18, 2005 in Ottawa. The Global Centre for Pluralism will be a non-denominational, not-for-profit, Canadian organization with global reach. The Government of Canada said it would contribute CAD$30 million to the Centre. The initial investment by the Aga Khan Development Network will be CAD$40 million.

The Ismailis in Punjab are known as the Shamsi, the followers of Pir Shams. They professed their faith secretly, and were also known as the gupti (secret ones). They were tinged with the Hindu social customs, and called the prayer-hall as dharamshala and the Imam as dharam guru. The gupti Ismailis spread over 73 different villages of Punjab, having 35 Jamatkhanas. In 1912, there was a riot between the Hindu and the Shamsi Ismailis in Amritsar, and several Ismailis lost their lives.

The guru is composed of two Hindi words, gu (darkness) and ru (light), and thus, guru means one who provides light in darkness. The tradition of guru has been quite strong in Indo-Pakistan subcontinent. It does not mean merely a teacher, but also a religious guide to his disciples. In the Indian tradition of the Ismailis, the word guru has different meanings according to the context in which it is used. First, guru stands for the Imam. Secondly, it stands for the Pir.

"Abu Ali Hasan, or Ali, surnamed al-Hadi was born in Cairo in 470/1076. He was about 17 years old on the eve of the death of Imam al-Mustansir, and 20 years during assumption of Imamate in 490/1097. Henceforward, the seat of Imamate transferred from Egypt to Iran owing to the bifurcation among the Ismailis, where Hasan bin Sabbah had founded the Nizarid Ismaili state in the fortress of Alamut.

The word hadith (pl. ahadith), occurring 23 times in the Koran, is a noun formed from the verb hadatha means to be new. The Hebrew hadash carries the same meaning. From this followed the use of the term for a piece of news, tale, story or a report. The story tellers were also called hudath. The Muslims since the very lifetime of the Prophet called the report with regard to his sayings as the hadith.

The word aman al-ummah means the security of the ummah. The Prophet is reported to have said: "Just as the stars are a means of securing (aman) the people of the earth against drowning, my Ahl al-Bayt is a means of securing my ummah from division" (Mustadrak, 3:149 etc.). In this context, according to ar-Risala fi l-Imama (comp.

The famous hadith states, "Ali is always with the Truth and the Truth is always with him." This tradition has been transmitted through fifteen channels. Under the commentary of al-Bismillah, Fakhruddin Razi quotes the Prophet as saying in Tafsir-i Kabir that, "And the truth turns with him (Ali) wherever way he turns" (wa dara al-haqq ma'ahu haithu dar)

HADITH-I KISA [ see AYAT AL-TATHIR ]

Hadith al-Kudsi means the sacred tradition. It is also called Hadith Ilahi or Hadith Rabbani (divine tradition). It is a class of traditions which gives words spoken by God, as distinguished from Hadith Nabawi (prophetic tradition) which gives the words of the Prophet. Hadith al-Kudsi is a report or saying transmitted by the Prophet which God speaks in the first person. These reports do not form part of the Koran.

The word manzila means rank. The Prophet took march for military operations to Tabuk during the month of Rajab of the 9th year after Hijra. He departed from Medina heading an army of 25000 soldiers aiming at the borders of Jordan. He left Ali bin Abu Talib to take his place in Medina.

There is the highly controversial episode in the last days of the Prophet's life, which is also called the Episode of Pen and Paper. The Prophet, while in his terminal illness and only days before his death, called for pen and paper. According to Bukhari (1:41), when the Prophet's illness became serious, he said, "Bring me writing materials that I may write for you something, after which you will not be led into error." Umar said, "The illness has overwhelmed the Prophet.

"Anas bin Malik related the Prophet as saying: "Surely the likeness of my Ahl al-Bayt is similar to Noah's Ark, whoever boards it will attain salvation and whoever remains behind is drowned." The word safina means ark, and thus this tradition became known as the Hadith al-Safina. This tradition is narrated by eight Companions of the Prophet, and eight persons from the disciples of the Companions, and by sixty scholars and more than ninety authors.

The word saqlain means weighty or heavy thing. In his saying, the Prophet called the Koran and Ahl al-Bayt as the weighty things, and thus this tradition became known as Hadith al-Saqlain. This tradition was spoken on four major occasions, such as at Arfat (Tirmizi, 5:328), at Ghadir Khum (Nisai, 96:79), at Prophet's Mosque in Medina (Ibn Atiyyah, 1:34) and in Prophet's chamber during his last illness (Ibn Hajar, p. 89).

The word ta'ir means a bird or a thing that flies off. Hakim in Mustadrik (3:130), Abu Nu'aym in Hilyah (6:339), etc. report that once when the Prophet sat down to eat a fowl that had been cooked for his dinner, he prayed to God: "My Lord, bring the most beloved of Your creatures, that he may eat this fowl with me." In the meantime, Ali bin Abu Talib came and the Prophet ate with him. Hence, this tradition became known as Hadith al-Ta'ir.

The word yaum al-dar means the day of the house. In the fourth year of the Prophet's mission, God commanded him to proclaim openly his call. The Koran says: "And warn thy tribe of near kindred" (26:24). Thus, the Prophet invited the chiefs of Banu Hashim to a banquet. In the end, the Prophet stood and said, "I have brought for you the best of this world and the next. God has commanded me to invite you to it.

In Ismaili tariqah when one enters the Jamatkhana, he 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 pronouncing Qaim Paya i.e., (We) found (Imam) for ever." When the prayer is in progress, Hai Zinda is not pronounced aloud, but wished in the mind by those who enter the prayer hall.

When Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah was on tour of East African countries, a suit was filed against him at Bombay High Court on 1st Muharram, 1326/February 4, 1908 by Haji Bibi, the daughter of Aga Jhangi Shah and the widow of Muchul Shah (d. 1321/1903) with her son Samad Shah and Kutchuk Shah and 13 others. They claimed rights from the property of Imam Hasan Ali Shah. Haji Bibi demanded for monthly allowance, servants salaries, fooding, furniture, maintenance and car along with Rs.

"The word hajj literally means repairing to a thing for the sake of a visit (al-qasd li-l ziyara), and in the technicality of law of repairing to the House of God to observe the necessary devotions (iqamat an li-l-nusuk). The word hajj occurs nine times in the Koran in five different verse (2:189), three times in 2:196, three times; and once each in 2:197, 9:3 and 22:27.

The enemies of the Muslims created a united front after the battle of Badr and Uhud. This culminated in a solemn pact of alliance among the five principal tribes. When the news of this tremendous mobilization reached the Muslims in Medina, it struck them all with panic. It was Monday, the 1st Shawal, 5/February 24, 627 when a gigantic army under the command of Abu Sufian besieged Medina.

The English word donation is borrowed from the Latin, donaire means present. It is an action or faculty of giving or presenting. It includes presentation, grant, bestowal or gift. The tradition of donation goes back to the Islamic period. The Koranic message specifies to participate in the cause of God by giving money.

The word dinar is derived from Greek denarius. It is a gold coin of the early Islamic period, weighing until the 10th century 4.25 grams. It was divided into 10 dhirams and later into twelve.

According to the Arabic lexicons, the word din is one of the most controversial words in the whole Koranic vocabulary. Its etymology is also uncertain. Outwardly we have one simple monosyllabic word. The word din has two important meanings distinguishable in the Koran: religion and judgment.

"In 407/1016, an Iranian da'i, named Muhammad bin Ismail Nashtakin ad-Darazi came in Egypt, who professed the transmigration of souls. He also preached the divinity of Imam al-Hakim. He came from Bukhara to Cairo in 408/1017. Finding no response, he moved to Wadi al-Taymun, at the foot of Mount Hermon in Lebanon and Jabal as-Summaq in Syria. He was first in the public eyes being the founder of the Druze sect.

The word for dower generally used in the Koran is ajr (pl. ujur), meaning reward or the gift that is given to the bride. The word saduqat (pl. of saduqa) is also once used in the Koran to denote the nuptial gift (4:4), and the other words from the same root, signifying dower are sudaq and sidaq. The verbal root word sadaqa means he was truthful. Another word sometimes used in the Koran to indicate the nuptial gift is fariza means what has been made obligatory or an appointed portion.

The word fitr means to begin, from which is also derived fitra meaning nature. The word iftar means the breaking of the fast, as if the faster had returned to a natural course or fulfilled the demand of nature, and it is from this that the name Eid al-Fitr seems to have been taken.

The word eid is derived from aud meaning to return. In Islam, it means a recurring happiness. The word adha, the plural of adhat means a sacrifice. On this occasion, all the Muslims who can afford, sacrifice an animal. In the case of a goat or a sheep, one animal is suffices for one household. In the case of a cow or a camel, seven men may be partners. It may be sacrificed on the day of Eid or during the two or three days that follows, called the tashriq days.

The word du'a is derived from da'wa or ad'iya means call, occurring 159 times in the Koran. It refers to the offering of supplication in general or in particular a single supplication, vide 2:186, 3:38,39 and 4:60. Another word su'al (asking) is also employed in this context (14:34, 11:47, 55:29).

The word dunya is derived from dhunuww, meaning the lower or the nearest world. This world as man actually experiences it and lives in it as a whole, called al-dunya. The Koran uses the phrase al-hayah al-dunya (the lower life) in place of the simple word al-dunya, occurring 115 times in the Koran. Life in this world according to the Koran is inseparable part of a continuum, a unified whole

According to the Shi'ite belief, at the spring (khum) of al-Ghadir, the Prophet as his successor declared Ali bin Abu Talib and the festival commemorated this occasion. The fusion of religion which was characteristic of all religious festivals in Fatimid Egypt, is best exemplified by the festival of Eid al-Ghadir.

The month of Rabi I has an immortal significance in the whole of human history. In this month that Blessed Being made his auspicious appearance from the person of Amina who diverted totally the very stream of the human history; who uplifted humanity from the lowest pit of degradation and rose it to the zenith of glory and grandeur; who heralded a new message of peace and prosperity for the suffering mankind.

"The word darwish or darvesh (pl. darawish) is a Persian word, being composed of two syllables, dar and vish. Various meanings are assigned to the two syllables, taken together. Some say it means the sill of the door; others, those who beg from door to door; while there are many who assert that darwish signifies in thought or deep meditation, using the dar as a preposition in, and not as a substantive, and the vish as thought. Hence, darwish means one who remains in thought or reflection.

The culture of decima or tithe (old English teogothian) was common among the Babylon. The discovery of old clay tablets in 1966 however reveals that it was prevalent long before the civilization of the Babylon. Tithe or tenth part was a customary tax in ancient Egypt, Syria and Greece. Cyrus caused his soldiers to devote tenth of their booty to Zeus. Zoroaster imposed tithe on traders and market dealers for the welfare of the priests.

The principal sources of revenue in Islam are ushr, jaziya, zakat and khums.

Ushr means tenth part, a tax levied only on the Muslims as a land revenue chiefly on agriculture.

It is a poll-tax charged on non-Muslims in place of ushr.

It is a poor-tax @ 2

It means fifth part levied on the Muslim soldiers on the ghanima (booty) they received in the battle.

As for the khums, the Koran says: "And know that whatever thing you acquire in war, a fifth (khums) of it is for God and for the Prophet and for the near of kin (ahl al-bayt); and the orphans and needy and travellers" (8: 41)

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

The period following the dawr-i satr (concealment period) is known as dawr-i kashf i.e., an unveiling period, which is also known as dawr-i zuhur (manifestation period) when the Imam publicly makes his appearance. The period between Imam Taqi Muhammad and Imam Razi Abdullah was the dawr-i satr, and then Imam al-Mahdi appeared in Maghrib publicly, making the period dawr-i zuhur.

"The word satr (pl. satur) is derived from astar, meaning hide, cover or shield. As it is said, masatra (he concealed enmity), or tastir (to hold within a curtain). According to Arabic-English Lexicon (New York, 1872, 4:1304) by Edward William Lane, the word satr means to veil, conceal or hide a thing.

The word chiragh is derived from the Syriac shrag or shragh, meaning lamp, and Chiragh-i Rawshan means shining or luminous lamp, which is one of the oldest surviving Ismaili traditions in Central Asia. It is an assembly (majalis) of the believers, where a lamp is illumined, which is its hallmark, and the Koranic verses are chanted for the eternal peace of the departed soul, or for the prosperity of one who is alive.

It almost resembles the practice of the ruhani majalis prevalent in the Indian tradition. When one dies, his family members and relatives assemble in his house for three days, known as the dawat-i fana. His family does not cook food for three days, but only a lamp is kindled. Major J. Biddulph writes in Tribes of the Hindoo Koosh (Karachi, 1977, p. 123) that, "On the evening of the appointed day, a caliph comes to the house, and food is cooked and offered to him.