A.0 Appendix 1: Letter of Rashiduddin Sinan to Nooreddin Zenki

(Ref. "Ismailis of Syria", 1970 - Ghaleb, Moustafa, p.1O9)

<< May God make you successful to do good in this world. You have said about me that I abolished the Shariat and left fasting and prayer. While I see that you are still sleeping while we are rising to make the Great Rise and Resurrection which Almighty God wants and orders.

The bad rumours which you have spread that I am abolishing the Shariat, I do not mind. Because I may be doing like the Prophet in that sense when he said: "I did not come to abolish the Bible but to accomplish it." The Bible was the origin of Shariat, and it was accomplished by the Quran. Why, then, it should not be accomplished by the (Qiyamat) Resurrection? And this is the balance (Mizan). Or why should it not be ended by Al-Qaim who is the weight (Wazn)?

Our saying is that Shariat should be accomplished by Qiyamat, and obedience by knowledge, and existing by unity. We do not say that Shariat is Al-Qiyamat, nor obedience is knowledge. >>

PROCLAMATION OF QIYAMAT BY RASHID AD-DIN SINAN IN SYRIA

(Ref. "The Order of Assassins", M.G.S. Hodgson, 1955, p.2OO)

<< In the name of God the merciful and compassionate:

Fasl of the noble words of the Lord (Mawla) Rashid ad-Din (upon Him peace); it is most excellent as an explanation. My reverence is to my Lord (rabb), there is no God but He (the High (al-`ali), the Great).

"Comrades (rufaqa), we have been absent from you by two absences, by that of potentially (tamkin) and by that of actuality (rakwin); and we veiled ourselves from the earth of your knowledge (ma`rifa). And the earth groaned and the heavens shook, and they said, O Creator of creatures, forgiving! And I appeared (zahartu) in Adam, and the da`wa was Eve - we assembled the hearts of the believers (mu'minin) the earth of whose hearts groaned in love for us; and we looked upon the heavens of their spirits in our mercy. And the period (dawr) of Adam, and his da`wa passed; and his hujja disappeared, through our mercy, among the people. Then we appeared in the period of Noah, and the people were drowned in my da`wa; whoever trusted in my knowledge (ma`rifa) was saved by my mercy and grace, and whoever among the people denied my hujja perished. Then I appeared in the cycle of Abraham under the three titles of star, moon and star. And I destroyed the ship, I killed the boy, I built up the wall, the wall of the da`wa; whoever trusted in my da`wa by my grace and mercy was saved; and I talked with Moses openly (zahir) not veiled; it is I that know the mysteries. I was a door for the seeker, Aaron. Then I appeared (zahartu) in the master (sayyid), the Messiah, and I wiped (their) faults from my children with my generous hand; the first pupil who stood before me was John the Baptist; outwardly (bi-z-zahir) I was Simon (Peter). Then I appeared in the `Ali of the time, and I was concealed (sutirtu) in Mohammed (or: concealed him?); and he who spoke of my knowledge (ma`rifa) was Salman. Then arose Abu dh-Dharr the true (haqiqi) among the children of the old (qadima) da`wa, as support of the Qa'im of the Qiyama, present, existent. And religion (dîn) was not completed for you until I appeared to you in Rashid ad-Dîn; some recognized me and some denied me; the truth (haqq) continues on and those who speak truth (muhiqqûn) continue on, sure in every period and time.

"I am the master of what is (sâhib al-kawn); the dwelling is not empty of the ancient sprouts. I am the witness, the spectator, dispenser (walî) of mercy in the beginning and the end. Do not be misled by the changing of forms. You say, so-and-so passed, and so-and-so came; I tell you to consider the faces as all one face, as long as the master of existence (sâhib al-wujûd) is in existence, present, existent. Do not depart from the orders of him who received your engagement (wali `ahdi-kum) whether Arab of Persian or Turk or Greek. I am the ruler, dispenser of orders and of will. Whoever knows me inwardly (bâtin) possesses the truth. Knowledge of me is not perfect unless I say, My slave, obey me and know me in true knowledge of me: I shall make you alive like me, you shall not die; and rich, you shall not be poor; and great, you shall not be abased; hear and pray, you will advantaged. I am the one present and you are those present in my presence. I am the one near who does not depart. If I punish you, it is my justice; if I forgive you, it is my generosity and my excellence. I am the master of mercy (sâhib ar-rahma) and dispenser of forgiveness and of the clear truth.

"Praise to God, Lord of the worlds; this is a clear explanation. >>

THE GREAT DECLARATION OF THE RESURRECTION BY MOWLANA ALA ZIKRIHI SALAM: Now available in PDF here below!