(Seeking mercy at the time of accountability)

When we die, we will once again become aware of our spiritual existence and will be required to account for our behavior on earth before the soul can free itself from the worldly entanglements (which is referred to as the "grave"). This Chanta is taken to seek mercy during this time of accountability and to enable the soul to move forward quickly. It also reminds us that in the end we have to account for every act that we commit, good or bad.

(Seeking mercy from the pain of exiting from the body)

None of us knows when our life will come to an end. When our time is up, the soul has to exit from the body. The more a person is attached to this world, the more difficult it is for the soul to come out. This process has been compared to being squeezed out. Depending on a persons attachments, this process can be very painful to the soul. This Chanta is taken to seek mercy from this pain and to ease this passage. This Chanta also reminds us that death is certain and it can strike us at any moment.

(Seeking forgiveness for acts which prevent us from experiencing Noor)

We may have committed acts which now stand as obstacles in our quest to get close to the Noor of Imamat. Mowlana Hazar Imam in many of His farmans has said that it is His wish that we should, at least once in our lifetime, experience the Noor. This Chanta is taken to seek forgiveness for the removal of such obstacles. It also reminds us of the need and importance of performing bandagi.

(Seeking forgiveness for having deviated from the straight path)

Mowlana Sultan Mohammed Shah, in many of his farmans, has used the analogy of life on earth as a bridge - the successful crossing of which leads one to the other shore, i.e. to the destination. We cross this bridge or Pul Sirat by living a life according to the tenets of our faith. Unfortunately, we sometimes commit acts which are against the tenets of our faith, and if left unchecked, such acts would slowly deviate us from the straight path. This Chanta is taken to seek forgiveness for such transgressions and to keep us on the straight path. It also reminds us of the importance of living a righteous life.

(Seeking forgiveness for promises made prior to birth)

When a child is conceived in a mothers womb it has a soul. In this state the soul is fully aware of its origin, its destination and the purpose of its life on earth, i.e. what it has to do in this life to advance to the next stage in its quest for salvation. Prior to birth, the soul promises to live according to the farmans of Hazar Imam. As we grow up, we become engulfed in worldly affairs and tend to forget our purpose in this life. Moreover, we do not always live according to the farmans. This Chanta is taken to seek forgiveness for not having fulfilled our original promise. It also reminds us of the importance of living our lives according to the teachings of our faith and the farmans of Hazar Imam.

(Seeking forgiveness for sins from past lives)

While our life on earth is limited, our soul is eternal. Our soul has passed through many physical forms in the last four ages (Char Joog) in its quest for salvation. The fact that it has not attained salvation yet is due to the burden of sins (Karma) that it is still carrying from past lives. Some of these sins can be such that they may be hampering our current efforts for spiritual progress. This Chanta is taken to seek forgiveness to lighten this burden. It is also a reminder for us that what we are today is a result of many past lives and what we become in the next life will depend a lot on what we do now.

(Seeking forgiveness for secret sins)

Secret sins can be committed through impure thoughts in our mind, even though there is no physical act seen or felt by others. Examples of secret sins are: carrying ill will or jealousy in ones heart towards someone, thinking lustfully, having evil desires etc. From time to time we fall into committing such sins. This Chanta is taken to seek forgiveness for these secret sins. It is also a reminder to us on the importance of keeping our thoughts pure.

(Seeking forgiveness of our sins)

In our daily life we may have committed acts which are contrary to religious and moral laws. Such violations, as long as they were not directed to any individual, can be forgiven by seeking Allah's mercy. This Chanta is taken to seek forgiveness for sins, especially if they were committed unintentionally. It is also a reminder for us on the importance of the leading our lives according to moral and ethical principles of Islam. It is important to know that not all types of sins can be forgiven by this Chanta, and one should study various farmans of Mowlana Sultan Mohammed Shah on this topic.

(Seeking forgiveness for irregularity in performing daily prayers)

Dua, our daily prayer is a foundation of our faith and is obligatory on every Ismaili to offer it three times a day. Failure to fulfill this obligation leaves our soul a little poorer. This Chanta is taken to seek forgiveness for all the unintentional lapses during the year. It is also a reminder for us on the importance of Dua and the need to be regular.

(Seeking forgiveness for errors in Dasond)

Dasond is obligatory on all Ismailis and is the foundation of our faith. Unintentional errors in fulfilling this obligation may leave our soul a little burdened. This Chanta is taken to seek forgiveness for any unintentional errors that we may have committed during the year in our Dasond. It is also a reminder for us on the importance of Dasond and the need to be accurate.