Ismaili Dictionary & Encyclopedia

LadhunEncyclopedia Topic

Received

Various Sources LADONoun

Est venu.

Heritage Dictionary of Ismailism, entry #646general LADY ALY SHAHEncyclopedia Topic

"Shamsul Mulk, the daughter of Mirza Ali Muhammad Nizam ad-Dawla, the grandson of Muhammad Hussain Khan Ispahani, the Prime Minister of Shah Fateh Ali Qajar (d. 1250/1834) of Iran; was born in Ispahan. Khurshid Kulah, the mother of Shamsul Mulk was the daughter of Shah Fateh Ali through one of his queens, Tajudawla Ispahani by name. Lady Aly Shah was thus related to the Iranian royal family through her mother. Queen Tajudawla was educated under the care of Motamid ad-Dawla Abdul Wahab Khan Nishat Ispahani, an eminent scholar of her time and her daughter and grand-daughter were equally recipients of a select and high education.

Imam Aga Ali Shah married to Shamsul Mulk in 1867, who became known as Lady Aly Shah. Soon afterwards, they came to Karachi, where their son, Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah was born in 1877. She used to give names to the newly born babies in the Jamatkhana mostly in Karachi. It is worthwhile to illustrate that on December 25, 1876 a child was born in Karachi in Poonja family. The parent took him to Lady Aly Shah, who held court in the Kharadhar Jamatkhana. In keeping with Ismaili norms, Lady Aly Shah blessed the newly born child with the name of Mahomed Ali by alphabetizing the two words in English in the anglicized form. He was Mahomed Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, who, throughout his lifetime, adopted the same spelling of his name that was on the record of the Jamatkhana. Lady Aly Shah had been in Bombay in 1881 with her son on the death of Imam Hasan Ali Shah, and then made her residency at Poona.

Lady Aly Shah took the reins of the Ismaili community affairs during the time his son ascended as 48th Imam, and administered the affairs efficiently through a Council, consisting of the prominent members of Kutchh, Kathiawar, Gujrat and Sind, until the Imam attained puberty in 1893.

Lady Aly Shah was indeed a benevolent woman, and famous for her charity and generosity, and her fame reached the fringes of the Muslim lands. In 1880, she established a school in Karbala for the education and welfare of poor orphans of Syed families. She also donated a land of 3000 square meters and constructed a building for the Iranian residents at Kazamain. In 1905, she had gone on pilgrimage to Mecca, and on that occasion, she was lavishly charitable that the people forgot all that they had heard of the charities of persons of high rank.

Lady Aly Shah gave historical evidence in the Bombay High Court during the proceeding of Haji Bibi Case of 1908 before Justice Louis Pitman Russell, who was greatly struck by her evidence. As he observed in his judgment, she displayed an extraordinary memory.

While Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah was away from India during the World War (1914-1919), Lady Aly Shah was tremendously active in his stead. Reference has already been made to her command and ability for organization; she now developed this to the fullest extent by adding to her work of keeping in touch with the Ismaili community. She also placed her services at the disposal of Lord and Lady Willingdon and under her direction, the Ismaili and Iranian ladies rendered great services to the wounded soldiers brought to Bombay from Iraq during the World War I. Under her inspired leadership, the community was able to collect large funds and procured necessary supplies. She kept in constant correspondence with the ruler of Hunza and the influential Iranians, advising them to help the Britain during War. Her nephews and relatives fought on the side of the Allies in Iraq, and one of them notably was Aga Hamid Khan, who was ranked C.I.E.

In 1917, His Majesty, the King was graciously pleased to grant Lady Willingdon the Order of the Crown of India. On that occasion, the historic house of the Imam at Nesbit Road, Bombay was the scene of a very influential and picturesque gathering of the Muslim ladies, when an address of congratulation was presented to Lady Willingdon under the leadership of Lady Aly Shah. It was a unique gathering when she read the address to Lady Willingdon in Persian. She also had a nice meeting with Lady Wilson on February 9, 1924.

On the recommendation of Lord Willingdon, the honour of the Imperial Order of the Crown of India was conferred to Lady Aly Shah in 1932. She visited Beirut in the same year for treatment, where she was well received by the Syrians. She had also gone to Palestine, Damascus and other holy cities, and returned to Bombay on October 3, 1930. On November 30, 1930, she inaugurated the conference being presided by Lady Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah at Poona, attended by the Muslim ladies of Bombay and Sind.

Being an ardent Iranian scholar and well grounded in oriental history, Lady Aly Shah was a woman of great piety. She was universally respected through the Muslim world. In 1934, she visited Syria with her grandson, Prince Aly S. Khan. When she had visited Iran, Reza Shah Pahlavi was the vizir and commander-in-chief. By his order, she was accorded warm welcome befitting a grand-daughter of Shah Fateh Ali. He presented her two Iranian carpets, which she gifted to His Highness of Dharampur.

Lady Aly Shah encouraged the Ismaili girls to take education and it was through her influence that the social reforms were introduced in the community. So profound was her wisdom and so great the confidence in the soundness of her opinion that several Indian princes sought her advice. The Begum of Bhopal was an intimate friend of Lady Aly Shah. She also came in close contact with Lord Reay and other governors and their wives, and also with the Earl of Dufferin and the Countess of Dufferin, who entertained a very high opinion of her. In 1934, she intended to visit Iran after meeting with Lord and Lady Willingdon at Karachi, but her sudden illness prevented her to make tour, and under medical advice, she made a second visit to Europe. Despite her impairing health, she continued to serve the community. She had an honour to inaugurate the All India Golden Jubilee Committee on October 16, 1935 at Bombay.

Lady Aly Shah was taken seriously ill in November, 1937. The Imam hurried to India by air and landed at Jodhpur, and after greeting His Highness Maharaja Umedsinhji, he left for Bombay by train. As doctor had anticipated, his presence acted as a tonic on Lady Aly Shah and she recovered from the serious illness. She left for Iraq in January, 1938. She proceeded to Baghdad via Karachi and Basra by S.S. Vasna, which sailed from Bombay on January 27, 1938. She, realizing that her end was near, told to Hasan Ali Javeri, "Send my love to all the members of the Ismaili community. I may not return to India, but wherever my spirit be I will eternally watch their peaceful progress and prosperity, as I have done all my life." The Imam had made every arrangement for his mother's comfort at Baghdad, and for that reason, he took with him Hasan Ali Javeri's son, Hussain Ali, by air to Basra, where, under Imam's instructions, he made all possible arrangements for a quiet landing. A saloon car was ready to convey Lady Aly Shah from Basra to Baghdad, where a bungalow, belonging to her nephew, Aga Hamid Khan, was placed at her disposal. She arrived at Baghdad on February 4, 1938 at 1 pm. True indeed it is, that the Imam's association with the West increased, causing his longer stay away from India. His mother had felt the pangs of this separation, and once she said to her son: "Death is inevitable, but if it comes to me in your absence, it will be unendurable." The Imam's reply brought her great solace, who said: "Do not worry. You will breathe your last with your head in my lap." Consequently, the Imam and his wife reached Baghdad by air from Cairo on February 5, 1938 at 3 pm., and Lady Aly Shah passed away at 5.15 pm on the same day, breathing her last in the lap of her son. She was buried at the evening of February 6, 1938 at Najaf next to the tomb of her husband as per her will in presence of thousands of people. Her death occasioned deep grief not only among the Muslims, but in all other communities in India among whom she was very popular. Reference to her death was made at the meeting of Bombay Municipal Corporation on Monday, the February 7, 1938 and as a mark of respect to her memory, the House adjourned without transacting any business.

In the course of an intimate sketch of her life, the Daily Mail of London published the following description of her, only a few days before her death: "For all her burden of years, she is still one of the most vital personalities in India; clear thinking, forth-right, imperious - a strict warden of the past, who sees little that is worthy or desirable in the fruits of the present."

"I do not mingle with the world of today, but I am not ignorant of it," she has often said.

"Her physical vitality has been as remarkable as her strength of mind. In her home she wears always the silken trousers and soft draperies such as the women of Persia wore centuries ago. And although that home is a palace famed for its splendour, her way of life has been as simple as that of the humblest of the Prophet's followers. Her fare is frugal, her drink water. She fasts."

The Imam was deeply affected by the death of his dear mother. "In this difficult and saddest moment of my life", wrote the Imam to a friend, "the consolation I have is that the sadness and sorrow is tempered by the fact that she lived to be, at least 90 years of age. She had a large and happy family and very happy grand-children whom she always wanted. She died where she wanted to die. She had the satisfaction of seeing her grand-children happy and prosperous in day when prosperity is getting rare. But all this does not reconcile me to losing her. She had been to me more than father and mother combined, since I lost my father at the age of 8. No loss, not even that of my son who died in infancy which was a terrible blow to me as a father, has been quite so terrible as this." Such was the deep affection between the Imam and his mother. To mark his devotion, he had heretofore dedicated his book India in Transition to his beloved mother in 1918.

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral LaeEncyclopedia Topic

Removed

Various Sources LaeEncyclopedia Topic

Lower

Various Sources LagaEncyclopedia Topic

Felt, started to

Various Sources LagadaEncyclopedia Topic

Attached,joined

Various Sources Lagan lakhavoEncyclopedia Topic

Fix a wedding day.

Various Sources LagarEncyclopedia Topic

Even a little

Various Sources LagarEncyclopedia Topic

Slightly

Various Sources LagatEncyclopedia Topic

Engaged in, attached to

Various Sources LagdaEncyclopedia Topic

Being attached

Various Sources LagdiEncyclopedia Topic

To feel, to be affected by

Various Sources LageEncyclopedia Topic

Seems, looks

Various Sources LagesheEncyclopedia Topic

Will feel.

Various Sources LagiEncyclopedia Topic

Till, for

Various Sources LagiEncyclopedia Topic

Was attached, connected

Various Sources LagindhaEncyclopedia Topic

Will reach

Various Sources LagoEncyclopedia Topic

Be attached, is occupied with

Various Sources LagoEncyclopedia Topic

Started to

Various Sources Lago chheEncyclopedia Topic

Attached, happened

Various Sources LahandaEncyclopedia Topic

Will achieve, will take

Various Sources LaherEncyclopedia Topic

Happiness, ripple

Various Sources LaherEncyclopedia Topic

Wave

Various Sources LaHERNoun

Brise, odeur, enthousiasme.

Heritage Dictionary of Ismailism, entry #647general LaherienEncyclopedia Topic

The waves

Various Sources LahiengoEncyclopedia Topic

Will take

Various Sources LahoEncyclopedia Topic

Achieve, take

Various Sources LAHUTNoun

Divinité.

Heritage Dictionary of Ismailism, entry #64general LaiEncyclopedia Topic

Having taken

Various Sources LaiEncyclopedia Topic

Attached, fixed

Various Sources LaiEncyclopedia Topic

Having taken, after taking

Various Sources LaieEncyclopedia Topic

Take, obtain

Various Sources LailEncyclopedia Topic

Night

Various Sources LAIL AT-HARIREncyclopedia Topic

"The battle of Siffin between Ali bin Abu Talib and Muawiya broke out on 8th Safar, 36/July 26, 657. A fierce battle was fought between them on the whole day, and it even continued in the darkness of that night, which is known as lail at-harir (the night of clangour). William Muir writes in The Caliphate, its Rise and Fall (London, 1924, p. 261) that, "Both armies drawn out in entire array, fought till the shades of evening fell, neither having got the better. The following morning, the combat was renewed with great vigour. Ali posed himself in the centre with the flower of his troops from Medina, and the wings were formed, one of the warriors from Basra, the other of those from Kufa. Muawiya had a pavilion pitched on the field; and there, surrounded by five lines of his sworn body-guards, watched the day. Amr with a great weight of horse bore down upon the Kufa wing, which gave away; and Ali was exposed to imminent peril, both from thick showers of arrows and from close encounter. Reproaching the men of Kufa for their cowardice, the Caliph fought bravely, his unwieldy figure notwithstanding, sword in hand, and manfully withstood the charge. Ali's general Ashtar, at the head of 300 readers of (the Koran) led forward the other wing, which fell with fury on Muawiya's Turbaned body-guard. Four of its five ranks were cut to pieces, and Muawiya, bethinking himself of flight, had already called for his horse, when a martial couplet flashed in his mind, and he held his ground."

Imam Muhammad al-Bakir relates that when the lail at-harir came, both parties said that they would not leave the field till death or God grants them victory. They started fighting early in the morning on a day. It was a long hot day. They threw arrows at each other to the extent that there were no more arrows. They stabbed each other to the extent that the spears were broken. Then the people dismounted their horses. They advanced against each other. Then they hit each other to the extent that the swords were broken. Then, the knights fought against each other with swords and iron bars. So, the listeners heard nothing except the mumble of the people, the clashing of the swords at the field, and the biting of the mouths. Then the sun was eclipsed. The fighting was intense. So, during those critical moments, the old men shouted, "O'people of Arabia, fear God regarding the women and the girls." (The Life of Imam Muhammad al-Baqir by Baqir Sharif al-Qarashi, Qum, 1999, pp. 254-5).

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral LAIL AT-QADREncyclopedia Topic

One of the last ten nights of the month of Ramzan is called lail at-Qadr. The word lail or laila means night and qadr means originally measuring. Thus, lail at-qadr is translated as meaning the night of grandeur or night of majesty. In the Koran, it is spoken of in two places. In chapter 97, it is mentioned thrice as lail at-qadr: “Surely, We revealed it on lail at-qadr. And what will make thee comprehend what lail at-qadr is? Lail at-qadr is better than a thousand months. The angels and the souls descend in it by the permission of their Lord for every commandment (amr). Peace! it is till the break of the morning.” Here this night is spoken as the night in which the Koran was revealed, and it is further stated that it is the night on which angels and souls descend. It is also mentioned in another place in the Koran (44:2-5), where it is called laila mubaraka: “Consider the Book that makes manifest (the truth): We revealed it on a blessed night – surely We are ever warning – therein every wise commandment (amr) is made distinct, a command (amr) from Us.”

It will be seen that, in both place, the Koran is spoken of as having been revealed on this night, and elsewhere (2:186), it is stated that the Koran was revealed in the month of Ramzan, which indicates that this night occurs in the month of Ramzan. The revelation of the Koran on this night means that its revelation began on that night; in other words, the first revelation came to the Prophet on this night. It is called the night of measure because on it was laid the basis of a new revelation to the world, which contains every commandment (amr) full of wisdom and knowledge; for the same reason, it is called a blessed night or the grand night. The lail at-qadr is therefore as it were, the anniversary of the revelation of the Koran.

There are various hadith showing that the Muslims should look for this night in the last ten nights of Ramzan, or in the last seven nights. Another tradition relates that it is the 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th night of Ramzan.

In a tradition related by Tabarsi (2:121) on the authority of Abuzar Ghafari and also on the authority of Imam Jafar Sadik, who transmitted it from his fathers, we are told that the Prophet said, “The scrolls (suhuf) of Abraham were sent on the 3rd night of Ramzan. The Torah of Moses was revealed on the 6th night of Ramzan. The Gospel (Injil) of Jesus was sent down on the 13th night of Ramzan. The Psalms (Zabur) of David were revealed on the 18th of Ramzan. The Furqan (Koran) was sent down on the 23rd night of the month of Ramzan.”

Imam Muhammad al-Bakir said, “The sign of lail at-qadr is that the wind would be pleasant. If it is cold, the wind makes it warm. If it is warm, the wind makes its cold” (al-Kafi, 4:160). According to Daim al- Islam, 1:350), Imam Muhammad al-Bakir relates that a man of the tribe of Juhayna came to the Prophet and said, “O Apostle of God! I am the owner of camels and sheep and slaves. I would love to be directed by you as to a night in the month of Ramzan, wherein I would devote myself to prayer.” So, the Apostle of God called him near and whispered in his ear. Now, when it was the night of 23rd of Ramzan, the Juhayni came with his family and sons, his slaves, camels and his sheep and stayed that night in Medina. The next morning he returned to his native place with those with whom he had come.

According to Daim al-Islam (1:351), the Prophet used to fold up his bedding and tightened his waistband during the last ten nights of Ramzan. He used to wake up his family on the night of the 23rd and sprinkle water on the faces of those that slept. Fatima would never allow any of her family to sleep during that night. She used to give them little food (during the iftar) and would prepare for the night throughout the day. She used to say, “Luckless is the man who has been denied the blessings of this night.”

The above point regarding the actual night of lail at-qadr is mere a physical discussion, but it should be borne in mind that lail at-qadr is a spiritual experience, not physical of the Prophet. It is also an error to think that it can be beheld as a physical experience, or that any physical change is witnessed on that night. It is absolutely spiritual experience of the man who exerts himself not only in the month of Ramzan but on every night of the year to seek nearness to the Divine Being through zikr.

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral LAIL AT-QAMAREncyclopedia Topic

The word hilal means slim crescent, while the word badr means full moon. The word appears only once in its plural form, ahilla in the Koran (2:189). The general term in the Koran for moon however occurs 27 times, usually paired with the sun. The Hebrew word hodesh also means new moon. The term lail at-qamar means the night of the crescent. The method of calculation of the new moon was firstly introduced by the Fatimids in 331/942 in North Africa, then in 359/970 at Cairo. That is the reason that the use of the hilal as a decorative emblem was introduced firstly in the period of Imam az-Zahir (d. 427/1036). On the early night when the crescent appeared, the Ismailis call it chand ra't (crescent night), while the Syrian Ismailis pronounce it shand ra't. On that occasion, a grand assembly is held in the Jamatkhana.

The spiritual power of the new moon was believed by the ancient Egyptians and Babylons. The ancient Chinese venerated while looking the new moon. From earliest times a "pontifex minor" would watch for the new moon from the Capitoline Hill in Rome, and when it was sighted, call out to Juno, the queen of the gods. The first of the month was called the calends from the verb "to call out." Juno is in this way identified with the new moon, as her husband, Jupiter, is with the ides, or full moon. The priests then announced the series of festivals for the coming month. The ancient Greeks sent out criers to announce the sighting of the new moon. In Mesopotamia the month began with the sighting of the new moon. A letter to the Assyrian kign Esarhaddon (ruled 680-669 B.C.) states, "On the thirtieth I saw the moon. It was in a high position. The king should wait for the report from the city of Assur and then may determine the first day of the month." The early Hebrews celebrated the new moon with a feast, which was a family gathering at which animals were sacrificed. The Buddhist monks still hold most of the rituals on new moon, and they also keep fast on that day. Some Hindu castes regard the new moon as the most sacred sign, and they also keep fast of silenceness for the whole day without talking with others. Some of them pass sleepless night devoted to meditation. The Jews call the day of new moon as rosh hodesh and pass the night in recitation of Old Testament. The Muslims call the new moon as hilal, as it is also a first day of the Islamic month.

According to the modern computation, it takes 29.530589 days from one to another new moon.

The Koran says: "They ask you about the new moon. Say: they are fixed times (mawakit) for the people and for the pilgrimage" (2:189). Qurtubi (2:306) writes that the Muslims repeat "God is Great" as they see the new moon. According to Hayatus Sahabah (Karachi, 1999, 8:397-8), Talha bin Ubaidullah relates that the Prophet prayed when looking the new moon: "O'my God! Make it rise over us with baraka, faith, safety and Islam." Ibn Umar however relates the Prophet's prayer as "God is Great. O'my God! Make it rise over us with peace and safety and well-being and Islam; and with the help for that which You consider good and are pleased with it." Rafe bin Khadaij on the other hand said that wheneer the Prophet saw the crescent, he would say, "O'my God! I beg of You the goods of this month and the good of fate and seek Your shelter from its mischief."

In the Sufi philosophy, the moon symbolizes the true man not only for his guidance to others, but also for his purity; and here is to be found the interpretation of the Koranic letters Ta Ha (20:1), which is taken as referring especially to these two aspects of the Prophet as Moon of the World, in that the letter Ta, according to the commentary, stands for At-Tahir (the Pure), whereas Ha stands for Al-Hadi (the Guide). Besides, these two letters, if given their numerical values, 9 and 5, add upto 14, which is the number of the moon.

Meer Hasan Ali writes in Observations on the Mussulmauns of India (London, 1832, p. 156) that, "The new moon is a festival in the family of every good Mussulmaun. They date the new moon from the evening it first becomes visible....The event is announced in native cities by firing salutes from the field-pieces of kings, Nuwaubs, etc. Among the religious people there is much preparation in bathing and changing the dress against the evening the moon is expected to be visible....They then repeat the prayer, expressly appointed for this occasion, and that done, the whole family rise and embrace each other, making salaams and reverence to their superiors and elders. The servants and slaves advance for the same purpose, and nothing is heard for some minutes, but "May the new moon be fortunate" reiterated from every mouth of the assembled family." Roe and Fryer also write in Travels in India in the Seventeenth Century (London, 1873, p. 304) that, "The very sight of the new moon of every month was hailed with general festivities, when all malice apart, the Muslims embrace one another, and at the sight thereof make a jubilee, by firing of guns, blowing of trumpets, feasting and praying very devoutly."

It is related that the Indian Sufi Shaikh Nizamuddin Awliya used to place his head on his mother's feet when the crescent appeared in the sky, out of reverence for both the luminary and the pious mother. For Allama Iqbal, the crescent serves as a model of the believer who "scratches his food out of his own side" to grow slowly into a radiant full moon.

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral Lailo naharEncyclopedia Topic

Night and day

Various Sources LaiunEncyclopedia Topic

Brought

Various Sources LajEncyclopedia Topic

Boat

Various Sources LajEncyclopedia Topic

Honour, shame, modesty

Various Sources LajEncyclopedia Topic

Shame, bashfulness, modesty, respect, honour, reputation

Various Sources LajaEncyclopedia Topic

Respect, honour, modesty, dignity

Various Sources LaJANoun

Honneur, honte. (V. prière de Tara Rani)

Heritage Dictionary of Ismailism, entry #648general LakdaEncyclopedia Topic

Wood

Various Sources LakdiEncyclopedia Topic

Wood

Various Sources LakdiEncyclopedia Topic

Wood

Various Sources LAKHNoun

Cent mille (100 000).

Heritage Dictionary of Ismailism, entry #649general LAKH TCHORASINoun

84 lakh = 8 400 000. Se réfère aux incarnations de l'âme avant d'atteindre le salut. (Moksh, mougat, didar). Coran XXXIX:42, II:28, Bahré Rahémat p. 145

Heritage Dictionary of Ismailism, entry #650general LAKH TCHORASI (SUITE)Noun

V. MOUKHTI. g. 378, Farman Wadwan Camp 18 oct. 1903

Heritage Dictionary of Ismailism, entry #651general