Ismaili.NET - Heritage F.I.E.L.D.

The word dhiram is derived from Greek drachme. It is a monetary unit. It is a silver coin, originally of 2.97 grams (or 50 grains of barley with cut ends), later of varying value. Ten dhirams equaled the value of one gold dinar.

"Sixty Christian priests of Najran, headed by Abu Harith bin Aqamah, the grand bishop of Najran, Abdu Massih and Ayham arrived in Medina on 9/631 to clarify their religious and political stance, which had spread over the Arab peninsula and to engage in discussions with the Prophet to realize the essence and truth of Islam.

The word baraka means abundance or plantitude of blessings and favour with perpetuity and continuity. It occurs six times in the Koran, such as tabaraka'lladhi (Blessed is He Who) and tabaraka'llah (Blessed is God), tabaraka'smu rabbika (Blessed is the name of your Sustainer). Not only it is used for God Himself and His Supreme Name (7:54, 55:78), the word mubarak (blessed) is also used for the Koran and the Kaba in the Koran (3:96, 6:92), for mountain and water of rain (41:10, 50:9), olive tree and its fruit and oil (24:35).

Charity, in the sense of giving away one's wealth, is of two kinds: voluntary and obligatory. Voluntary charity is mentioned in the Koran as itfaq (spending benevolently), ihsan (the doing of good) and sadaqa (derived from sidq, meaning truth, and comes to signify a charitable deed). The very words used to denote charitable deeds are an indication of the broadness of its conception.

"Amid the surging splendour, Imam al-Hakim emerges as an unusual personality judged by any standard. He founded Dar al-Hikmah (House of Wisdom), also known as Dar al-Ilm (House of Knowledge) in 395/1004, where the sciences including astronomy, logic, philosophy, mathematics, history, theology, languages and medicines were taught. Qadi Abul Aziz bin Muhammad bin Noman was its first supervisor. This academy was connected with the royal palace, enriched with a huge library, and distinct conference rooms and chambers.

In Arabic, it means a porcupine or hedgehog. It is possible that it derived its name from its gait. It is a name of a gray mule of the Prophet, given to him by Mukawkis. The Prophet presented it to Ali bin Abu Talib, who rode on it in the battle of Camel and Siffin. It is said that on the legs of the dhuldul a rope was usually tied by Ali's groom named Qambar, who when accompanying his master, used to tie the rope around his waist. It had three knots, called al-baghi (hand-tie), dil-baghi (tongue-tie) and bal-baghi (rein-tie).

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.

The word chhanta is an Indian word, means an act of sprinkling (the water). Its synonymous in Arabic is rashash means to sprinkle, and rashash'tun (pl. rashashat) means an act of sprinkle (of water). Its proper word in Persian is pashidan. It is a sin that defiles man and renders him impure. The chhanta is a symbolic rite in Ismaili tariqah to dissipate the sins or forgiveness.

The Persian word darkhana, is composed of two syllables, dar and khana. The preposition dar means in, and khana means house. Thus, the darkhana means in the house. Any specific thing in the house is also called darkhana. Another view suggests that it is derived from darb-i khana means chief place of residence, or dari khana, a residence with big windows being used for the royal meetings. In Ismaili terminology, it represents specific abode of the Imam, or Imam's headquarters.

""... 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 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

"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.

"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.

"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.

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

"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.

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

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.