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BARZAKH

The state between death and resurrection is called barzakh, which literally means a thing that intervenes between two things, isthmus or an obstacle or a hindrance. A. Jeffery suggests that it is a loan word of Persian, farsakh or parasang means a measure of land that fits the description of a physical barrier. The word barzakh occurs thrice in the Koran (23:100, 25:53, 55:20). It is used (25:53 and 55:20) in the sense, where a barrier between two seas is spoken of as barzakh.

Sprinkling of water

"Tabari (5:267) relates from Ibn Abbas that the Israelites in one of the town of Syria were afflicted by the epidemic of plague. They were 4000 people who left their town fleeing the plague. They said, "Let us go to a land which is free from death." They arrived at Dawardan near Wasit in Iraq. As they reached the place, God said to them, "Die!." They were so badly afflicted by a calamity that death struck them.

DARWISH

"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.

DIDAR

"The Persian word didar is derived from didan means meeting, beholding or seeing. In Ismaili terminology, it denotes the beholding the Imam of the age. It is a means to strengthen the heart, cooling the eyes, refresh the faith and earn guidance and blessings of the Imam. When one is graced with the didar, he feels that he is newly born, and acts what the Imam imparted. The didar does not mean mere an act of looking the Imam. It needs the eyes of the knowledge and faith and without it the purpose does not solve.

AYAT AL-TATHIR

""... And God only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House! And to purify you a thorough purifying (33:33)"

BEEJ

Beej is one of the most important rites in the Indian tradition of the Ismailis.The Hindi word beej means crescent. When the new moon falls on Friday, the Ismailis keep a fast

BEGLARBEGI

"The title beglarbegi means "Governor General", a term derived from Turkish beylerbeyi means chief of the chief. In Iran, the Beglarbegi governed three sub-ordinate governors of a province, including deputy governor and lesser officials. Karim Khan Zand (d. 1193/1779) had a friendly relation with Imam Abul Hasan Ali and his brother Pir Mirza Muhammad Bakir. Later on, Karim Khan Zand appointed the Imam as the Beglarbegi of Kirman in 1170/1756.

Origin of Chhanta in Ismaili <i>tariqah</i>

The Koran says: "(Receive) the baptism (sibghah) of God, for who is better than God to baptize (sibghatan)?" (2:138).

DASOND *

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.

AYAT AL-ULUL AMR

"The Koran (4:59) says: "O you who believe, obey God, and obey the Messenger and those of you who holds authority (ulul amr)"

BERBERS

The word Berber is derived from Latin barbari, an appellation equivalent to the English barbarian, which the Romans used to call peoples who spoke neither Latin nor Greek. The social organization of the Berbers or Katama Berbers had been tribal from the earliest known period of their history. Ibn Khaldun distinguished three major divisions among the Berbers, i.e., the Zanata, Sanhaja and Masmuda. The Zanata, whose original home was in Tripolitania and southern Tunisia, were predominately nomadic. The Sanhaja were as widely dispersed in the Maghrib as the Zanata.

Ma'adan Chhanta

"The word ma'ad is derived from the verb ada or awd signifies to return to a place, and thus ma'ad means the ultimate place of one's returning. It is also treated as a synonym of raja'a, which is also used in the Koran (2:28) to indicate return to God: "Then He will make you die, then He will make you live, then you will be brought back to Him (ilayhi turjaun)". Its verbal form ada denotes to recommence or reiterate.

Sources of revenue in Islam :

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

AYAT AL-WILAYA

""Only God is your Wali (guardian) and His Apostle and those who believe, who perform prayer and pay alms while they bow" (5:55)

BHAGAT

"The Hindi word bhagat is a corrupt form of bakt means a devotee. According to hadith al-kudsi, God said, "The most blessed of my friends is a man of faith who has few possessions and delights in the prayer, who performs well the service of his Lord, and obeys Him in secret. He is unnoticed among men: they do not point to him with their fingers.

CHIRAGH-I RAWSHAN

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.

Ushr :

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

AZAN

The word azan is derived from izn which means anything that is heard (uzun meaning the ear), and azan or ta'dhin means a making known or an announcement of prayer. According to Bukhari (10:1-2), when the Muslims came to Medina, they used, at first, to have a time appointed for prayer, thus a consultation was held at which suggestions for ringing a bell or blowing a horn having been rejected. It was proposed that a man should be appointed who should call out for prayer. Ibn Hisham (p.

BID'A

The word bid'a is derived from bada'a, means to invent something new, the like of which has not existed. In technical sense, it means newness or invention in reference to the religion. It refers to an innovation, which cannot be vindicated by authoritative precedent, or pernicious innovation (hawa wa-bid'ah), which is far removed from normal and established practice. It signifies a new or original action that has no precedent, one by which a degree of excellence or perfection in the performed of the action is demonstrated.

Majalis-i Dawat-i Fana

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.


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