the Logos

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the Logos

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Unread post by Guest » Thu Aug 22, 2002 3:19 pm

Interesting article written by University Professor:<p>Logos: Key of the Spiritual Rise in Ismailism<br>Diane Steigerwald (PhD en Études islamiques, Université McGill).<br>Translated to English by AltaVista BabelFish<p>Light upon Light! God guides, towards his Light which It wants. God proposes to the men parabolas. God knows any thing. This lamp is in the houses that God allowed to raise, where its Name (Ism) is called upon, where men celebrate its praises at dawn and the twilight. (Qur' year XXIV: 35-36)<p>The philosophy of the Logos is found in Islam, at the ways (tara' iq) esoteric and more particularly at Ismaéliens EN22 which are regarded as the heirs to the tradition Neo-Platonist. Ismaéliens belong to the branch shi`ite of the Islam which believes that the Muhammad Prophet explicitly designated (nass jali) his cousin and son-in-law ` Ali like first Imam (Guide) and his descent like privileged Guides of the community (umma). The prophetic cycle, finishing with the Seal of the Prophets (Muhammad), the cycle of Imama succeeds. Imams are the Friends of God (Awliya' Allah) through whom appears the direction esoteric (batin) former revelations (Torah, Évangile and Qur' year). Imam is the théophanie visible form of the supreme divine Name which recapitulates in its person all the divine Names. It is through him that the true divine direction of the Logos appears.<p>Like several neo-platonist philosophers, Ismaéliens identify the Logos with paramount Intellect (`Aql Al-awwal) (Gardet 1960: 426) which plays a role in the creation of the world and the increase of the human hearts towards Déité. The Logos appears at various hierarchical levels of the spiritual and material world. Philosophy ismaélienne of the Logos is closely connected to the esoteric dimension of the religion initiated by Imam. There are several definitions of the Logos term. Here let us hear we it in a quite specific direction, the Logos is supreme understandable (divine Intellect) at the same time Créateur of the world and spiritual Guide of the hearts towards Déité. Before analyzing the Logos in the ismaelism, briefly let us summarize the design of the Logos among some Greek philosophers by highlighting certain elements characteristic referring to our specific definition of the Logos. Among several extracts of the Bible (PS 119, 89; Is 40, 8; He 1, 3 and 4, 12, etc.) concerning the Verb (Logos), some have undeniable resonances philoniennes like that of the Gospel of Jean (1, 1-5): "At the beginning was the Verb and the Verb was with God and the Verb was God. It was at the beginning with God. All was by him, and without him nothing was. What was in him was the life and the life was the Light of the men, and the Light shone in darkness and darkness did not seize it ". The epistle in Philippiens (2, 9) is characterized by hermetic resonances: "Also God it exalté and it gave him the Name which is above any Name".<p>This concept of Logos comes certainly from the stoical philosophical tradition (IVe century before J-C.) and it will be used by Philon of Alexandria (circa 50 after J-C). The philosophy of the Logos of the hellenism explained the creation of the world by this supreme understandable and saw in him the means of hello for the hearts. It penetrated in a circle of Jews which preached the imminent arrival of the Messiah, théophanie of the Logos. Thus the gnosticism appeared which made a synthesis between the hellenism and the messianism. Transcending God of Philon does not act directly on the world but through intermediaries. It is by the Logos that God created the universe (cf PS 33, 6-9). The human heart to turn over to its origin must pass through a series of intermediaries (Bréhier 1924; Bréhier 1931: 387-388; Daniélou 1957; Wolfson 1948).<p>The philosophy of the Logos also existed at the mysterious character of Hermès TrismégisteEN33. Two hermetisms should be distinguished. The first goes up with Egyptian antiquity with the mysterious character of Hermès- Thot. The second hermetism was born in the Eastern basin from the Mediterranean in IIIe century before our era, then in Rome. In the old Egyptian texts, Thot is the "vicar" of Rê, the "second" of Large God symbolized by the Moon illuminant the men during the night (Nagel 1942)EN44. A text of Edfou (ptolemaïc time going back to 330 before our era) regards Hermès as the creative Verb of the world. Hermès-Mercurius is conceived like a Principle "mediator" ensuring the order of cosmos. Humanity needs the theophanic revelation of a Unifying Principle, of a Mediator like Hermès to guide it to discover this divine science. In Hermès-Thot the coïncientia oppositorum between the terrestrial world and the celestial world appears, between the visible one and the invisible one.<p>Known Greek treaties under the name of Corpus Hermeticum (Festugière and Nock 1945-1954; Festugière 1967a: 30, 33) develop a divine design beyond the human thought and of the language. This esoteric erudite theology was a primarily monotheist (God is above any Name [ agnôstos ], treated V, 1). Hermès Trismégiste, théophanie of the prototype of celestial Anthrôpos, practised the reminiscence (anamnese) divine Verb (Logos). That which is gratifié by the Logos is able to drive out the twelve defects (ignorance, sadness, incontinence, the concupiscence, the injustice, cupidity, the fraud, the desire, the fraud, anger, precipitation, spite) by ten good powers (the knowledge of God, joy, continence, the main moral strength of the desire, justice, miséricordieuse kindness, veracity, the good, life and the light) (Festugière 1967a: 62-63). The body undergoes the fate of the destiny whereas the heart is released by intellect, its object is to control passions. According to Corpus Hermeticum (treated I, 21; IV, 3ss.; XII) all the men received intellect in power, but it depends on them to put it in act by the manner of living. All the human beings received the reason and they must seek to deserve the grace of Intellect. Freedom to choose the Logos and its responsibility fall on that which takes the load of it. There are two categories of individuals: those which attach more importance to the body and those which privilege the spiritual one. That which is with the listening of its Intellect compares to God by "a birth as a God" (treated XIII, 6). The objective of initiation is to realize that God is above any Name (treated V, 1). Hermès presents its vision of the world: "looks at, listening and include/understand. You see the seven spheres of any life Through them achieves the fall of the hearts and their rise. The seven geniuses are the seven rays of the Verb-Light. Each one of them orders from a sphere of the Spirit, with a phase of the life of the hearts "(treated Poimandrès; Schuré 1960: 190). The Verb-Light appears thus in the seven levels. This theory of the Logos continued among several Greek philosophers whose Plotin is a beautiful example.<p>At Plotin (circa 270 after J-C), the first Logos is Noûs (Plotin, Ennéades, V, 1, 6-7; Yellowbelly 1956: 65), paramount Intellect. The monism emanatist of Plotin and the hierarchy of the Heart, Intellect and the One constitute the transcription in philosophical terms of the stages leading to the mystical union. The thought plotinienne is justified by its desire to see the Divine one, this vision will carry out the heart to be identified with God. The thought of Plotin is at the same time a philosophy and an initiation (see Banquet 207a-209e, 210a-21à). Noûs is integrated well in its religious and mystical meditation. The goal of the heart is to aim at Noûs to reach one (God). Noûs is a means for the heart of exceeding itself in order to reach the union.<p>The Logos is conceived like a divine grace. The multiple receives this grace which gives him the capacity to think and to appear as a spirit (Heiler 1970: 354; Plotin, Ennéades, VI, 7, 15-18). The Logos of the Unit is the Word of the Principle and it is at the origin of the genesis of the spirits; it is the assemblage point between the creative Act and the beings créaturels which go up towards the Origin. This search of the Origin is reflected at the human level by the movement of the spirit towards major and essential natures of the significance of the life. It is a movement of rise in the layman with crowned or the exotérique one with the ésotérique one.<p>Exoterism and esotericism<p>The truths metaphysics of the prophetic revelations are expressed in a language symbolic. Thus quintessenciée reality is veiled by symbols; only divine Intellect taking part in the world angelica receives Confortation perpetual of the absolute Truth. The Knowledge of Déité exceeds any definition and it is of supra-rational nature, whereas the knowledge of the metaphysical world varies according to the spiritual level of each person.<p>According to a tradition (hadith)EN55 of Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (Mr. 114/732), there are three levels human being according to the degree of knowledge:<p>(1) <br>Celui qui connaît l'exotérique (l'apparent) sans connaître l'ésotérique (le caché), est au rang des animaux ("il n'a pas la Parole"). <br>(2) <br>Celui qui connaît l'ésotérique est un vrai fidèle (mu'min); il est au rang de ceux qui méritent le nom d'homme. <br>(3) <br>Enfin la connaissance de l'ésotérique de l'ésotérique est la connaissance propre aux anges. <p><br>The religious law (shari`a) has a significance more restricted than symbolized; it is an external radiation and over a whole veil. For Ismaéliens, those which are based only on the literal direction of the revealed books cannot seize the gasoline of the immutable Word, because the revelations can be repealed whereas the divine Word remains inalterable.<p>The exoteric truths lead - as soon as they are not vivified any more by the interior presence of the esotericism - to the negation of the interior dimension which is the true direction of the religion (cf Lc 11, 52). The sap of the tree revivifies the trunk and the new sheets at each year; without the sap, the tree is desiccated and death occurs reducing it in dust. Interior dimension renews the religious law; without the esotericism, the revelation remains obsolete. In the ismaelism, Imam is Qayyim Al-Qur' year (Mainteneur of Qur' year). He revivifies the revelation transmitted by the Prophet; without this exégèse spiritual (ta' wil), the revelation would be incomplete and static. It is the role of Imam to bring the interior significance of each symbol and to make live again at the faithful one (murid, that which wants) authenticates it Islam. In the absence of the sap, the tree dies; in the same way, in the ismaelism, in the absence of Imam the religion loses its reason to be and the spiritual and religious building collapses.<p>The parallelization of some concepts clarifies the articulation of the Moslem esoteric thought: descent of the revelation (tanzil) and the spiritual exégèse (ta' wil); the religious law (shari`a) and the interior truth (haqiqa); and finally the exotérique one (to zahir) and the ésotérique one (batin). The religious law (shari`a) is a restricted linguistic formulation of the truth (haqiqa). This formulation reflects one time, a know-how, a capacity to assimilate the truth, etc. The following table distinguishes the way (tariqa) exoteric from the esoteric way. The members of the exoteric way are mainly worried to fulfill their religious obligations, whereas those of the esoteric way seek before all the vision of the Unutterable one.<p>Exoteric Way Sees <br>esoteric Zahir (the visible one) Batin (hidden) <br>Shari`a (religious law) Haqiqa (truth) of the shari`a <br>Tanzil (revelation) Ta' wil (exégèse spiritual) <br>Importance attached to the letter of They seek freedom and they lan- Livre, <br>with the fast and the prayer guissent to be joined together with God Religious obligations religious Obligations and asceticism Islam (tender) <br>Iman (faith) Qawl (profession by the word) and Qawl, <br>niyya (intention) and ` amal ` amal (action conforms to the letter) (action in conformity with the spirit)<br> Directed towards the material life spiritual Rise, <br>speech Nazar (discursive reasoning) ` Aqlani (pure reasoning)<p>According to Ismaéliens, that which is limited to the direction exoteric of the revealed Book mutilates the Word of God (Kalimat Allah) because the true direction of the revelation is interior. That which ignores or refuses this interior direction is victim of the drama of the "lost Word". Mulla Sadra Shirazi (Mr. 1050/1640) - a Persan scientist of recognized the Isfahan city as a large thinker shi`ite - differentiates the Word of God and the revealed Book: "the difference between the Word and the Book corresponds, in a certain direction, with the difference between the Requirement and the Act. The Act is in time and is recurring. The creative Requirement is of change and renewal. The Word is likely neither of abrogation nor of substitution, unlike Book "(Al-Shirazi 1964: 198-199; Corbin 1970: 58 N 9).<p>To articulate their thoughts, the Moslem esoteric communities take as a starting point the the prophetic revelations and the traditions (ahadith); to these sources the maxims of the members of the family of the Prophet (ahl Al-bayt) are added. Ibn Khaldun (Mr. 737/1336-7) was right undoubtedly to affirm that the sufis (mystical Moslems) had taken as a starting point the the notion shi`ite of infallible Imam (ma`sum) to develop their theosophy. It raises that several sufis goes up their chain of Masters (Shuyukh or Mashayikh) in first Imam ` Ali (Ibn Khaldun 1274/1857 volume 2: 164-165; Nicholson 1980: VI; Nyberg 1919). The first sufis were in contact with the néo-Ismaéliens, they were impregnated of their theosophy and their theory of the Axis mundi or Pole (Qutb), central Pivot around whose turns the universe. Thus the first sufis of the `Iraq impregnated concepts of exoteric and esoteric like that of Imama (Ibn Khaldun 1274/1857 volume 3: 73-74). Beside Shaykh sufi, whose essential qualities resemble those of Imam shi`ite, the Prophet has also a privileged statute. In the sufism, Muhammad is regarded as the Logos or the divine Light existing before the creation of the universe; he is the source of any current and possible life, he is the perfect Man, the support of the divine Attributes (Nicholson 1989: 51, 82-83). The Logos prophetic is the source of the creation of the universe.<p>Origin and return: movement of dilection<p>The spiritual and physical universe created starting from the Origin (first Being) is in perpetual movement. The arc of descent corresponds to the act of creation whose result is humanity. Creation is a process of "descent" (tanazzul) starting from the Origin. This descent gives birth initially to a spiritual hierarchy (i.e., the world angelica) to which succeeds a cosmic hierarchy. At the center of these two hierarchies the divine Order (Amr) represented in Qur' year by Kun is, Would be!<p>Starting from the man the return to the first Being, symbolized by the arc of increase is carried out. The cycle of the existence starts at the Origin while following the arc of descent to the man, then turns over to the Origin (first Being). The human heart seeks to go up the degrees of the hierarchy to find its Lord (Malik) thanks to the divine Name (Ism). The human being, having been conceived with the image of God, has only to know itself to know its Lord. Déité is beyond the cycle to be it and thus a veil separates it from the spiritual plérôme. At the top of the spiritual plérôme is paramount Intellect.<p>The cycle To be it Origin (Mabda')en66 Tanazzul - arc of descent falls of the angel arc of increase return at the Origin - Ma`ad Man (result of creation)<p>Ismaéliens conceive Déité as being beyond human intelligibility and of any description. They strip Déité, transcending it to be and the non-being, of the Attributes. They do not deny the existence of the Attributes but do not allot them directly to Déité. According to them, the Attributes characterize the beings created. For Abu Hanifa Al-Nu`man (Mr. 363/974), the divine Names of Qur' year indicate the hudud (rows of the dignitaries). The Names do not apply to Déité in the same way that they apply to called since the Names are allotted only to what is conceivable (Al-Nu`man 1960: 100). At Abu Ya`qub Al Sijistani (Mr. circa 390/1000), Déité is completely inaccessible, inconceivable and transcends all qualifications (Al-Sijistani 1961: 2; Al-Sijistani 1966: 1). It develops the double negation to avoid two traps: the ta`til (examination of the divine Attributes) and the tashbih (anthropomorphism). Déité is not the first Being but super-To be it. It is neither existing, nor non-existent (Al-Sijistani 1961: 16). Déité transcends to be it whereas the human hearts follow the cycle to be it.<p>During its spiritual evolution, the heart crosses a series of resurrections. At the time of each one of its resurrections, the heart passes on a level more completed until major Resurrection (Qiyamat-i will kubra) or "annihilation of all things as a God, Fana' fi Allah". Major Resurrection represents the last stage of creation. It makes go up all creation along the ascending arc at its Origin, because "any thing will perish except for its Face" (Qur' year XXVII: 58).<p>The cycle to be it can be included/understood while utilizing the concepts of Prophecy and Imama. The arc of descent symbolizes the revelation (tanzil) which is the descent of the truth (haqiqa) of the world higher than the lower world. The arc of increase symbolizes the spiritual exégèse (ta' wil) which consists of a return to the original significance. In the cycle of the revelation, the Prophet is Énonciateur (Natiq) of a new revelation (risala) whereas Imam is quiet (samit).<p>Prophecy and Imama Prophetic <p>Adam Line of Prophethood revelation (tanzil) <br>Noah <br>Abraham <br>Moses <br>Jesus <br>Muhammad<br>Ali (Asas) in Qa' im Al-Qiyama Line of Imams interpretation (ta' wil) <p>As in the ismaelism nizarien, for Al-Shahrastani (Mr. 1086/1153) each angel has its Logos (see Steigerwald 1997, 199ã). Any existence remains in the Logos divine (Kalimat Allah) and is preserved in the divine Order (Amr Allah). Different Logoi are the causes of the spiritual beings. The dignitaries of the spiritual hierarchy like Imam, Hujjat (Proof) and the da`i (preacher) are Epiphanies corresponding at various levels of Logoi. The Logos divine acts like a guide accelerating the rise of faithful by helping it to surmount all the obstacles. Al-Shahrastani Majlis presents several similarities with Kitab ` alim wa Al-ghulam (the book of wise and the disciple), an account ismaélien of Xe century, generally allotted to Mansur Al-Yaman (Mr. 302/914) or sometimes to its son or to grandson. This last treaty is very characteristic of the initiatory style. It is one of the rare documents which testifies to the character very esoteric of the thought fatimide. We find in this work several affinities with the literature nizarienne of the period of coalescence in Alamut. The goal of ismaélienne initiation is to lead the initiate to find the Word lost by the recognition of the esotericism.<p>In Kitab ` alim wa Al-ghulam, each faithful which wishes this personal interior search receives a Name which it will revive inside its being the Logos divine, accelerating of its spiritual rise (Corbin 1970: 91-92; Mansur Al-Yaman(?) 1983: 46, lines 5-8). It has the duty not to reveal this Name with whoever. It is perhaps with that that Al-Shahrastani refers when it speaks about the angel who has the load of the Logos. Moreover, the Logos allows the spiritual evolution of the faithful one, in the same way at Al-Shahrastani, it has the same effect on the angel. In its Majlis he writes:<p>It placed of Logoi (Kalimat) noble on the language of the angels; It sent invaluable revelations on the language of the Prophets [.. ] With each existing there is an angel, with each angel there are Logos (Kalima) which activates it; the angel supports of it the load and the Logos does the work of the angel. The root of Kalima is: kaf, lam, mim. The root of malak (angel) is mim, lam, kaf. Each one of them is the reverse of the one and other. (Al-Shahrastani 1378HS/1990: 100)<p>In accordance with the tradition ismaélienne of the balance of the letters (mizan Al-huruf), Al-Shahrastani speculates in the Arab letters by noting that malak and Kalima constitute the reverse one of the other. Is this an indication of complementarity, insofar as there is not angel (malak) without Logos (Kalima) and that the angel is the place of appearance of Kalima?<p>To put in search Logos divine, it is necessary that the human being informs and recognizes the importance of esoteric without neglecting the exotérique one. The material life and the spiritual life have each one their importance. The human being must seek balance and to live in harmony with its environment, thus it must achieve the unit between the heart and the body (Steigerwald 1986: 115). It should not neglect these two aspects of its life. A tradition of the Muhammad Prophet insists on the acquisition of the knowledge which clarifies the way in all circumstances.<br>Knowledge should be acquired, because that which acquires them achieves an act of devotion, that which speaks about it rents the Lord, that which studies adores God, that which teaches makes alms and that who adapts his knowledge to the things, achieves an act of divine worship. Does knowledge make its owner able to distinguish what is defended (badly?) of what is not it (well?). It lights the way of the skies; it is our friend in the desert, our companion in loneliness, our comrade when we are private our friends; it (knowledge) guides us towards happiness, supports us in misfortune, makes us shine in company; us is used as reinforcement against our enemies; with education, the servant of God rises until the heights of kindness and of a noble situation, it can sit down with the sovereigns of this world and reach the perfection of happiness in the following. (Ameer Ali 1981: 360-361)<p>To receive teaching is essential with the spiritual evolution to be it. To walk on along the right way is very hard. It is necessary to know to leave side the material concerns. It is a tour which can last several years without the pilgrim not being able to reach the Light. ` Aldine Aziz Al-Nasafi (VII/XIIIe siècle)EN77, wrote in its Kitab Al-insan Al-kamil (the book of the perfect man):<p>Ô Derviche! To reach this Light, to see this Ocean, are difficult thing to the extreme; it is the supreme row there. To reach it, it is necessary to be compelled with the asceticism and assiduous work, with constancy, of the years during. The momentary asceticism of that which is worried by the businesses of the world is useless it does not open any door. (Al-Nasafi 1962: 287, line 16, 288, line 2; Al-Nasafi 1984: 232)<p>Al-Nasafi continues by us revealing that the faithful one must concentrate its energies on its objective and it must purify its heart before arriving at a vision "monorealist" of the world.<p>Ô Derviche! If you have the spiritual energy of this company and want you to devote to it, gives up very other initially. Break the idols; have nothing any more but only one direction, only one qibla; acquire the concentration and the detachment. Then, with the trade of Wise, many years during, shows itself, constant in asceticism and effort, so, initially, making pure and limpid the mirror of your body - that this one becomes transparent and ready to receive the Light. It is the beginning of the test there. Then, by the polishing of assiduous work, make pure and shining the mirror of your heart and the Light of God will come to be reflected there. It is the term of the test there. Once the Light of God appeared, the pilgrim knows and sees with certainty that God is in all. (Al-Nasafi 1962: 288, lines 3-13; Al-Nasafi 1984: 232)<p>The human being should not lose its energy in its material life. It must develop its faith, source of interior peace. Once that it satisfied its elementary needs, it must be devoted to its imperishable heart, source of life. The simplicity of the material life of the sufi (mystical Moslem) contrast with the interior richness of its heart and this simplicity highlights the essential attitude for the search its being. This way towards the Light is neither arid nor exhausting, but it is narrow and selective; it requires the intrinsic qualities highest of the heart. The sufi which wishes outward journey further, in order to have a mystical vision of Déité, must concentrate and meditate on the supreme Name (Ism-i a`zam)<p>Ism-i a`zam (supreme Name) and Pir (Wise)<p>Al-Nasafi distinguishes the true Name from the illustrated name: Knows that the name is of two kinds: <p>the true Name and the illustrated name. The true Name of any thing is the real sign of this thing: it is inherent for him and distinguishes it from the others. The illustrated name of any thing is the conventional sign of this thing: it is not inherent for him it is applied to him; it is the known name of this thing. From where the quarrel enters the theologists: is the name identical to named, or is it different? That which says that the name is named even, hears the true Name. That which says that the name is other than named, hears the illustrated name. (Al-Nasafi 1962: 280, line 16-281, line 5; Al-Nasafi 1984: 226)<p>At Al-Nasafi, the Names of God represent the face of God (Al-Nasafi 1962: 283, line 12; Al-Nasafi 1984: 228). Thus "that which exceeds the Face of God, arrives at the gasoline of God and sees this gasoline" (Al-Nasafi 1962: 285, lines 2-3; Al-Nasafi 1984: 229).<p>In Kitab ` alim wa Al-ghulam (the book of wise and the disciple), the Wise one explains why the Name that the initiate will receive is its real Name and that this Name does not belong to him but that it is rather his property. It is a Name carry-God which makes the man free. In fact the report/ratio that there is between the name and the called one (Ism and musamma) is the same report/ratio as the purpose of there is between the Lord (Rabb) and his servant (marbub)EN88. the imposition of the real Name is to make revive at the initiate the Logos divine of which it must maintain the secrecy. If ever it betrayed this Name by revealing it with the layman, it would revive the drama of the lost Word. The secret methods to keep uninitiated persons is to cover with a veil of symbols the discussions and the writings. Wise (Shaykh the) known as one with the disciple: "I recommend to you vigilant piety (taqwa) towards God who created you; I recommend to you the guard of the deposit (amana) entrusted of which you have from now on the load "(Corbin 1970: 95; Mansur Al-Yaman(?) 1983: 47, lines 19-20). Ismaéliens associate the deposit the Logos. They take as a starting point a verse qur' anic (XXXIII: 72): "Yes, we had proposed the deposit (amana) of the faith to the skies, with the ground and with the mountains, those refused to take care some, they were frightened by it. Only, the man of it is charged, but it is unjust and ignoramus ".<p>In the ismaelism, it is useless to describe the divine gasoline which exceeds the entendement human one. Al-Nasafi goes in the same direction: "When the pilgrim arrives at this unlimited Light, infinite, with this Ocean bottomless, without bank - this Light even, by the quiet eloquence, becomes its guide. Knows that that which speaks about this Light never does not speak but about its Face; because no one of its gasoline is not informed, nor cannot be to it "(Al-Nasafi 1962: 288, line 15-289, line 1; Al-Nasafi 1984: 233). For Al-Nasafi, there are three distinct hierarchical levels in its divine design corresponding to a Gasoline, a Face and a Heart. The divine Attributes are in the plan of the Gasoline, the Names in the plan of the Face and the Acts in the plan of the Heart. That which arrives at the divine Face is not necessarily one with the divine Gasoline. This theory is distinguished from that of the traditional ismaelism where the divine Attributes are on the level of the first Intellect. By this comprehension ismaélienne, Déité remains beyond the Attributes.<p>During the period of coalescence in Alamut in the area of Daylaman (north-western of the Caspian Sea), the neo-ismaelism and the sufism had a common theosophy and a mutual respect existed between these ways (tara' iq). A profitable exchange on both sides was favourable with the various relations which were woven. This affinity largely contributed to the safeguard of works ismaéliennes during the Mongolian invasions. During this tumultuous period and vicissitudes, Wise (Piran) the nizariens initiated with the interior significance of the religion. Some of them migrated to India in VIIIe/XIVe century to propagate the faith ismaélienne. They developed during several centuries a literature which constitutes an excellent synthesis between the hindouism and the ismaelism. This literature is called gnan meaning "knowledge contemplative or méditative", the root of this term is of origin Sanskrit jña (to know). In the mystical odes (gnans), the Muhammad Prophet is called Guru of the world (Imam Shah 1972: 475; Aldine Sadr 1948: 114), it will guide each faithful in its spiritual rise. The initiate while concentrating on Ism-i a`zam (Name suprême)EN99, which is the Light of Prophecy (Nur-i Nubuwwa), will reach the level of Ahmad (one of the names of the Muhammad Prophet), then when Ahmad loses his "mim", his "identity", it will become One (Ahad)EN1010. In this mystical ode (gnan), letter mim typifies the Muhammad Prophet. At the time of the sufi Aldine Farid ` Attar (Mr. circa 626/1229), a holy tradition (hadith qudsi) circulated in the Moslem world in which God would have said: "I am Ahmad without letter mim, i.e., one, Ahad; Ana Ahmad bila mim ". Mahmud Shabistari (Mr. circa 720/1320) in Ghulshan-i strong current affirmed that: "of Ahmad with Ahad the only difference is the mim. - the world is submerged in this only letter mim "(Schimmel 1990: 97, 193 N 106). Muhammad, called Ahmad, is symbolized by letter mim. The Logos prophetic is the source of cosmic creation and assistance the human beings in their spiritual rise.<p>Safety can be reached only by one purification of the heart; while meditating on the Name of the Lord, the faithful one fills his heart with this Light divineEN1111. The invaluable key of the vision (didar) is the supreme Name (Ism-i a`zam) which constitutes an intimate bond between the Master (Murshid) and his faithful (murid) (Asani 1977: 71 N 1). In any spiritual initiation, it is the Wise one (Pir) which gives to faithful Ism-i a`zam (Khakee 1972: 35). During initiation, Pir said to practise the reminiscence of Pir-Shah, bivalent symbol of Pir (i.e., Hujjat-i Imam, Preuve of Imam) and of the Shah (i.e., Imam) (Khakee 1972: 58 N 101; to also see Allana 1984: 325; and Shams 1948: 59). the spiritual evolution of faithful (murid) is made by the reminiscence (dhikr) divine Name; it is an interior alchemy which occurs in the heart of faithful (murid); the supreme Name (Ism-i a`zam) will play the role of the Philosopher's stone who will transmute the heart, to prepare it to link itself with Imam. Ism-i a`zam is the Light of Muhammad (Shams 1948: 59), but also the Name of Imam (Shams 1948: 58).<p>This reminiscence purifies the heart of the disciple, thus the heart is ready to receive the mystical vision (didar)EN1212 of Imam. This form of concentration on the divine presence aims at the identity with the Logos divine; it affirms the ontological continuity of the Spirit, principal source of all the beings. Ism-i a`zam (supreme Name) becomes the driving catalyst with knowledge To be it. The supreme Name becomes the spiritual Guide (Guru)EN1313 which directs the faithful one (murid) in its interior pilgrimage towards Imam eternal. Thanks to the Logos, the obstacles vanish along the way mystiqueEN1414; its ultimate goal is safety par excellence, annihilation its being in Déité!<p>Murshid (Main) guiding towards annihilation in Déité<p>Tor Andrae (1917), in Die Person Muhammads in Lehre und Glauben seiner Gemeinde, had analyzed the Logos in Moslem philosophy; it recalls this concept in Hellenic philosophy and shows that the idea of Theîos Anthrôpos passed in Islam shi`ite through the concept of Imam which is the manifestation of Déité on ground.<p>In philosophy shi`ite ismaélienne, the divine gasoline remains unsoundable and cannot be qualified by the Attributes. Only the Master (Murshid), support of the Names and the divine Attributes, gives a right description of Déité. After a long reflexion on God, the neophyte of Kitab ` alim wa Al-ghulam (the book of wise and the disciple), concludes as follows: "this time the Word left; there is no more word to say [.. ]. The Word supposes a speaking subject, a subject qualified by the speech. However God transcends any Attribute "(Corbin 1970: 116; Mansur Al-Yaman(?) 1983: 64, lines 16, 20).<p>Then its initiator hastens to explain to him that when the human beings come in the world, they are ignoramuses of the principal objective of the life and that Déité whose nature is inexpressible compensated certainly for this tare. Imams which enjoys a "direct Knowledge inspired by God" (`Ilm laduni) are there to balance and make the counterweight with human ignorance. Imams, evidence of divine Equity, must always be present on ground to initiate, those which wish it, with the direction esoteric of LogosEN1515. The inexpressible divine Verb is formulated in an audible and comprehensible language by Imam. Behind this human Verb the significance of the divine Verb is hiding place. If one refuses to recognize the line of Imams, the direction esoteric of the Word is lost.<p>The mystical union between the faithful one (murid) and the Master (Murshid) symbolize the major coils and the intense jump between the Lover and liked (the Asani 1977: 27). the coils which links the murid in Murshid realizes through Knowledge. Divine It is only through Intellect, that the man small channels towards his Origin. The state of bliss would Be by No means to Be the object of has "choice" drank it is has divine Grace, because finished would not Be to choose the Infinite one. The Present Imam of Ismaéliens Nizariens, Agha Khan IV, described the of role divine Intellect and human intellect:<p>“Divine Intellect, ` Aql-i kulli, at the same time transcend and inform human intellect. It is this Intellect which makes it possible to the man to tend towards two goals dictated by the faith, that is to say: that it should reflect on the environment that Allah gave him, and that it should know itself. It is the Light of the intellect which distinguishes the human integral one from the human-animal, and the fact of developing this intellect requires a free will. The man of faith which omits to continue intellectual research, will have only one limited comprehension of the creation of Allah. Indeed, it is the intellect of the man who allows him to widen his vision of this creation.” (Agha Khan IV 1985: 11)<p>As in Corpus Hermeticum (treated I, 21; IV, 3ss.; XII), all the human beings received intellect in power, but it depends on them to put it in act. Divine Intellect is at the same time the Veil and the supreme Name (Ism-i a`zam) (Corbin 1982: 48); this level corresponds to that of the Prophet (Nabi) or Wise (Pir); it is the only one to know Déité which appears only through him (an idea is also found in Jn 6, 46); it is the supreme Name that the faithful one recites continuously to unify with him, before being based in Déité.<p>The bivalence of the Logos points out to us at the same time the Light of Imama (Nur-i Imama) and the Light of Prophecy (Nur-i Nubuwwa); these two Lights are consubstantielles. The unutterable nature of ` Ali, Prototype of all Imams, appears by its Name which is the appearance (to zahir) of its true nature (batin). Via its Name, believing it receives the knowledge of spiritual realities (haqa' iq).<p>The Logos divine is the form external of the Light of Imam eternal which is beyond any Attribute. It is only one veil which hides the divine gasoline. The man cannot know the gasoline of Wise (Pir) only if it practises the reminiscence of the supreme Name (Ism-i a`zam); the asceticism will enable him to have initially a mystical vision of the various rows (hudud). Along its spiritual advance, the veils disparaissentEN1616 and finally it will be dazzled by the Light of Prophecy (Nur-i Nubuwwa). Once linked with the latter, the faithful one (murid) is ready to receive the didar (mystical vision) of Imam eternal.<p>Illumination and mystical vision (didar)<p>Along the way, the faithful one (murid) perceives a bright Light which guides it during its tour of perfection. The tension between clearness and the darkness is a linguistic imagery which expresses the radical change which takes place in the heart in search of its original nature. This search is expressed by the aspiration of the heart towards the Divine one. This contemplative act is comparable with a delight which fills the heart with an inexpressible joy. The apotheosis is reached only when the pilgrim discovers the divine Mystery. Al-Nasafi explains why when the faithful one sees this divine Light, it becomes conscious of the presence of God in any thing:<p>Ô Derviche! It is necessary to reach this including Ocean, this unlimited Light and to see this Light. It is necessary to look under this Light in order to be delivered idolâtrie. [.. ] When you arrive to this Light and see it, you know and see with certainty that it is the support of the world of the étants; that it is not an atom among the atoms which does not take part in this divine Light, which is not included by it, which is not informed by it, which is not the expression. (Al-Nasafi 1962: 286, lines 3-10; Al-Nasafi 1984: 231)<p>The vision of the Al-Nasafi world is "a monorealist". All the creatures are manifestations of the One and belong to the One. The mystical vision transforms the perception of the faithful one completely. It does not see any more the things which surround it of the same manner only front. It is gratifié divine eye which enables him to see the things in their true nature.<p>During the period néo-ismaélienne in Alamut, Nizariens associated the mystical vision (didar) the "spiritual birth". Resurrection (Qiyamat), "it is primarily the Resurrection of the hearts, the `` spiritual birth '', which is achieved by initiation with the hidden spiritual direction of the divine revelations. That which was led to carry out in itself this spiritual direction, does not have to fear any more the `` second dead '', this death of the heart which can follow upon the physical exitus "(Corbin 1965: 296).<p>Thus the authors of this rich person period describe Imam like Résurrecteur of the hearts. Abu Ishaq-i Quhistani (Mr. circa X/XVIe century) in its Haft Bab, quotes the proclamation of the Resurrection of Imam Hasan ` Ali dhikri-hi Al-salam in Alamut on August 8 559/1164:<p>“Ô you, the beings which populate the universes! You, geniuses, men and angels! Will know that Mawla-Na (our Lord) is Résurrecteur (Qa' im Al-Qiyama). He is the Lord of the beings, he is the Lord who is the absolute existence (wujud-i mutlaq), thus excluding any existential determination, because he transcends them all. The weather opens the door of his Mercy by the Light of his Knowledge, he is that all to be is conspicuous, hearing, speaking, alive for eternity.” (Quhistani 1959: 41, lines 13-17, translated by Henry Corbin 1965: 299-300; it also consulted Khayr-Khwah-i Harati 1935: 115-116)<p>The discursive reasoning (nazar) is not sufficient to include/understand the substance of Imam eternal, it is necessary to follow the Wise one (Pir), which is consubstantiel in Imam eternal. By its Confortation spiritual (Ta' yid) and its pure reasoning (`aqlani), Pir is able to transmit the teaching of Imam (ta`lim) to the faithful one. The man left with itself is unable to perceive spiritual realities (haqa' iq), because this one associates the deity anthropomorphic qualities. The incapacity human being to embrace it all the Truth is illustrated better by the Buddhist legend taken again by Aldine Jalal Rumi (Mr. 672/1273) in Mathnawi:<p>“The elephant was in an obscure house: some Hindu had brought it for the exhiber. In order to see it, several people entered, one by one in the darkness. Since one could not see it with the eyes, each one touched it in the black with the palm of the hand. The hand of the one was posed on its horn; it says: "This creature is like a water pipe". The hand of another touched its ear: it appeared similar to him to a range. Another, having seized its leg, declared: "I find that the shape of the elephant is that of a pillar". Another the hand posed on its back and known as: "In truth, this elephant is like a throne". In the same way, each time somebody heard a description of the elephant, it understood it according to the part that it had touched.” (Rumi 1982: volume 4: 71-72, original verses 1259-1270; De Vitray-Meyerovitch 1977: 160)<p>This legend informs us on various perceptions that each human A of the elephant and who are partial; because the elephant is neither a water pipe, neither a range, neither a pillar, nor a throne. Similarly the human being cannot include/understand the deity, because it is limited by its nature.<p>Conclusion<p>In anthropology ismaélienne, the human being cannot know the gasoline of Wise (Pir) only if it practises the reminiscence (dhikr) supreme Name (Ism-i a`zam), thus enabling him to have a mystical vision of the Light of Prophecy (Nur-i Nubuwwa). Once linked with Pir, it is ready to receive the didar (vision) of the Unutterable one. It is necessary to rise with the Knowledge of Pir to apprehend the divine gasoline fully and to look through its eyes to admire the magnificence of its Light; this comprehension is granted only by its Grace - (1 Jn 3, 2 and 1 Co 13, 12). The clean character of the mystical vision is the secrecy. It must remain secret under penalty of disappearing.<p>As the majority of faithful do not have the capacity to embrace the substance of Imam eternal; there will remain the mystery that each faithful (murid) will taste one day in its life, but will be able to never reveal completely, because the vision (didar) is the fruit of a major and inexpressible spiritual experiment. Agha Khan III (Mr. 1376/1957), Imam of Ismaéliens nizariens, in its Memories highlights the duty of each human being to revivify the divine spark which is present in each person:<p>“The man must revive and maintain the divine spark which is in him. The way of the achievement, of the major agreement each being with the universe which surrounds it, is relatively easy for whoever believes firmly and sincerely as I do it myself, than the divine Grace put at the heart of the man the capacity to illuminate reality and to be based in him [.. ] Any durable satisfaction, any major satisfaction can be even reached only by the lapse of memory of oneself, the fusion of the subject with the object, in the harmony of the body, the heart and the spirit. And arrived at the highest tops, all those which believe in a supreme Being are finally released from the heavy bonds of ego subjective by the prayer and the meditation; illuminated by the glorious Light of the eternity in which any temporal and terrestrial conscience is based to become in its eternal turn.” (Agha Khan III 1955: 402-403; Agha Khan III 1954: 334-335).<p>The human being must develop its faith by the prayer (Steigerwald 1996b: 55-77; 1995: 113-133) and asceticism. By the meditation on the Logos divine, it must seek the divine Light in its heart. The prayer and the meditation remain basically talks in love between believing and God. Thanks to these regular spiritual talks, the heart rises with God and arrives to his exitus.<p>There is a major agreement between the thought ismaélienne and the verse of the Gospel of Jean (1, 1-5) who conceives the Logos like the source of the creation of the world. The Christian exégèse will identify the Logos with Christ, in the same way the exégèse ismaélienne will identify the Logos in the light of Prophecy (Nur-i Nubuwwa). Christ as a carrier of the prophetic Light represents also the Logos in the ismaelism.<p>Ismaéliens which is regarded as the heirs to the tradition Neo-Platonist, integrate several neo-platonist elements in their own philosophy of the Logos. The latter is closely connected to the esoteric dimension of the religion revealed by Imam (the divine Guide). The Logos plays a paramount role in the spiritual rise of believing. By the meditation on the Logos, the disciple seeks annihilation (fana') by the contemplation of the divine Light of Imam eternal. Imam makes reappear spiritually believing it and helps it in its search of subsistence in Allah.<p>The ismaelism inherited several ideas of Plotin and Porphyry. The thought plotinienne is justified by its desire to be linked with Divine, this vision will carry out the heart to be based in one. In the same way Ismaéliens nizariens will be justified by the idea of the vision (didar) of Pir (Wise), place of appearance of the prophetic Light, which gives access to them the vision of Imam eternal. The key of the vision is the Logos, the royal way leading to the union as a God.<p>At Plotin, the Logos is identified in Noûs, universal Intellect. In the same way at Ismaéliens nizariens, it is identified with divine Intellect, homologous with Pir in the spiritual hierarchy. At Ismaéliens as at Plotin, the Logos is associated the concept of Grace. At Plotin, the goal of the heart is to rise towards Noûs (Logos) to be based in one. In a similar way, at Ismaéliens nizariens, the goal of faithful is to unify in Pir, manifestation of the Logos, to go towards one. The Logos, in philosophy ismaélienne like that of Plotin, comprises two aspects: one connected to the creative FIAT (Ibda`), the equivalent of Kun (Would be!) qur' anic, through which the understandable world and the physical world take form, and the other like a catalyst of the return at the Origin buckling the cycle thus to be it.<p>A thorough comparison of the thought plotinienne and ismaélienne should certainly be undertaken. In the ismaelism, the Logos supreme (Kalima-i a`la) appears on all the levels of the spiritual hierarchy, the faithful one assumes the load of the Logos and it has the duty not to reveal it with the layman. That which ignores the distinction between outside (to zahir) and the interior (batin) will have difficulty in preserve the secrecy of the Logos.<p>According to Ismaéliens, to know and include/understand the direction of the Logos, it is necessary to recognize the Agent of perfection of the time (i.e., Imam Al-zaman). Because it is by him that the divine Verb is uttered in an audible human verb. According to their interpretation, there always was of Imams since the beginning of creation. Thus time is rythmé in megacycles which themselves are divided into minor cycles. In this present minor cycle, there were six principal accompanied Prophets each one by Imam (Adam/Seth, Noé/Shem, Abraham/Ismaël, Moïse/Aaron, Jesus/Simon-Pierre and Muhammad/`Ali). Before the Muhammad Prophet, Imams were not plenipotentiary, but Muhammad put the Seal at Prophecy (Khatm Al-Nubuwwa) and since then Imams play an apparent role. According to their tradition, the institution of Imams (Imama) is uninterrupted and will remain to transmit the divine guidance.<p>END<br>SN11 the system of transcription used in this article is that of the new edition of the Encyclopaedia of safe Islam for the dj and K which we respectively replaced by the J and Q Us did not underline the dh, KH, HS. . When we give dates, we indicate in first the date hégirienne followed corresponding Christian date. The majority of the anic verses qur' come from the translation of Denise Masson (1967), except if the context of the translation is not appropriate. For the gnanic literature, we used the system of transcription used by Ali Sultaan Asani (1992: 680-683).<p>SN22 the history ismaélienne can be divided into six significant phases: (i) the first extends from Imam ` Ali (Mr. 40/661) in Imam Ja`far Al-Sadiq (Mr. 148/765). A scission divided the shi`ites in two groups: the duodécimains which follow Musa Al-Kazim (Mr. 183/799) and Ismaéliens which follow Isma`il (Mr. circa 145/762 or later); (ii) the second period of Isma`il with Aldine Radi ` Abd Allah is the period préfatimide. Imams were hidden (to masatir); (iii) the period fatimide starts with ` Ubayd Allah Al-Mahdi; this dynasty was established in Ifriqiya. With died of Al-Mustansir Bi-Allah (Mr. 487/1094), a scission occurs between Ismaéliens Western (Musta`liens) and Ismaéliens Eastern (Nizariens). The line of the Caliphs musta`liens finishes with Al-`Adid (Mr. 567/1171); (iv) the period of coalescence with Alamut extends from Nizar (Mr. 489/1096) with Aldine Rukn Kurshah (Mr. 655/1257) and it is followed by the period post-Alamut which overlaps with the following period, the events are held in Quhistan (in the south of Khurasan); (v) the gnanic period starts with Aldine Shams Muhammad and finishes with Khalil Allah III (Mr. 1233/1818) in the sub-continent indo-Pakistani; (vi) the modern period starts with first Agha Khan (Mr. 1298/1881) and continues with current Agha Khan IV.<p>SN33 There would have been five Hermès whose last is Thoth adored like God by the Egyptians (Tat in Greek, Toz with the Latin Middle Ages) also identified with Latin God Mercure (Festugière 1949, volume 2: 49; Gilson 1986:11, 109-110); this character is associated Idris and Khidr in the Islamic traditions. In the ismaelism, Khidr represents the Wise one (Pir) or the Proof of Imam (Hujjat-i Imam) charged to initiate in Gnose of the revelations. Khayr-Khwah-i Harati, Qita`at #27 (personal copy of Henry Corbin) quoted in Corbin 1961: 31 N 18. According to Yves Marquet (1973: 472), Hermès would be the Imam last of the cycle of biblical Adam who announces the flood of Noah.<p>SN44 There exists a principle of similarity striking between Hermès and the spiritual level of Hujjat of the ismaelism nizarien which replaces Imam lasting the cycles of screening. Both are symbolized by the Moon (Quhistani 1959: 43).<p>SN55 Ya`qub Al-Kulayni, Kitab Al-usul min Al-kafi: kitab Al-Hujja (Corbin 1970: 73-74; Mansur Al-Yaman[? ] 1983: 31): The disciple realizes that there are three degrees (tabaqat) knowledge (`ilm): that of exoteric (to zahir), that of esoteric (batin) and that of esoteric of esoteric (batin Al-batin); Henry Corbin puts in parallel this observation with the tradition of Muhammad Al-Baqir.<p>SN66 Ismaéliens prefer to use the term Mubdi` (Founder) for Déité (Absconditum) which is above Mabda` and apart from division To be it.<p>SN77 ` Aldine Aziz Al-Nasafi is considered by Ismaéliens one as of the their (Corbin 1986: 142). One of its works entitled Zubdat Al-haqayiq was transmitted by Ismaéliens of Badakhshan. Recent research did not succeed in showing its identity ismaélienne. Nevertheless the work of this author takes as a starting point the the ismaelism in its way of conceiving the Logos and its design "monorealist" of the world. Although it affirms that the divine gasoline is inaccessible to the human being, it puts the Attributes on the level of the gasoline. On this specific point, it moves away from the thought of the majority of Ismaéliens which avoids qualifying the gasoline (dhat) divine by Attributes (Sifat) (Al-Nasafi 1962: 283, lines 11-12). The same theory concerning the Gasoline, the Face and the Heart is included in the first two chapters of Kitab-i Tanzil whose Hermann Landolt prepares an edition. Al-Nasafi takes as a starting point its Master Sa`d Al-DIN-I Hamuya (Landolt 1996: 185-189).<p>SN88 Mansur Al-Yaman(?) 1983: 46, lines 5-8; Corbin 1970: 89-90: "the disciple: Will the name by which you will name me, belong to me? Shaykh: Then you would be a god (ma`bud, it is you whom one would adore). The disciple: How is it thus necessary to be expressed? Shaykh: it is the Name which is your Lord (Malik) and you who is the servant (mamluk)".<p>SN99 In the gnans, the equivalent of this technical term is in a popular form corresponding at the end bowl or nam or sabda (Shackle and Moir 1992: 150).<p>SN1010 Pir Sadr Al-din(?), Bujh Nirañjan; to see Asani 1991: 138-139: "ek Ahmad ek jagat pati; ek guru suñ man lay guru sevit Ahmad mile; Ahmad mim gañvay; concentrate one the one Ahmad, the one Master of the universe and the one Guru. Serving the Guru, one acquires Ahmad and then Ahmad roofing stones the letter `` m ' ' "(Asani 1984: 220; Shams 1952, translated by Tazim Kassam 1995: 210 N 26).<p>SN1111 Extracted the gnan Chandrabhan and Vel de Pir Shams, translated in Nanji 1978: 127-128: "Let your devotion Be directed to your Lord and Teacher so that you may feel his Presence. Purify yourself, so that there may Be Light upon Light. Meditate one the Name of the Lord and let Light illuminate your being. Taste the nectar of coils, and let joy fill your heart ".<p>SN1212 According to Vali Mahomed Hooda, the didar can mean annihilation in the Truth (Fana' fi Al-Haqq) (Hooda 1948: 114 N 4); Asani believes that the didar corresponds to annihilation in Déité (Fana' fi Allah) (Asani 1948: 19).<p>SN1313 Pir Shams, Braham Praka&sacute; (verse 1), translated by Christopher Shackle and Zawahir Moir (1992: 90): "Sat sabda hae gur will hamara, tañ KB lakhe Na yo will sañsara; the true Word is our Guide, which is not perceived by this world ". In this gnan the Guru term, of origin sanskrite, is used to indicate Pir. An interesting study was made on this gnan by Hasina Mr. Jamani (1985).<p>SN1414 Pir Hasan Kabir Aldine, Venti (verse 36), translated by Sultaan Asani (1977: 57): "With the aid of your Name, I reach heaven. There are so many thieves obstructing my way; with your Name they disappear drank ".<p>SN1515 "Salih: Simply by your statement affirming that the time of the Prophets passed for you, and that, in your time that here, there is no more neither Prophet nor Sent divine. Missionnement of the Prophets among former people was this equity on behalf of God, or was a futile play? Not a play, certainly. But then, Salih request, aren't we being used as God as well as the old ones? Should its equity cease when it acts of us, so that there would be no more Friends of God, divine counterweights, among us? Or would the gift be exhausted by it of our time, so that we have to stud us with the truth of the gift which it made with the others? Doesn't its decision apply to us as with the others, because there is no change for the Verbs of God (Kalimat Allah)? 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[1995 ] Songs of Wisdom and Circles of Dance : Hymns of Sapanth Isma`ili Muslim Saint, Pir Shams. Albany, State University of New York Press. <br>Landolt, Hermann [1996 ] "Le paradoxe de ``la Face de Dieu'' : `Aziz-e Nasafi (VII/XIIIesiècle) et le ``monisme ésotérique'' de l'islam", Studia Iranica, 25 : 163-192. <br>Mansur al-Yaman, Ja`far(?) [1983 ] Kitab al-`alim wa al-ghulam. Dans Mustafa Ghalib, sous la direction de, Arba`a kutub haqaniyya. Beyrouth. <br>Marquet, Yves [1973 ] La philosophie des Ikhwan al-Safa'. Alger, Société Nationale d'Édition. <br>Masson, Denise [1967 ] Le Coran, 2 tomes. Paris, Gallimard. <br>Nagel, Georges [1942 ] "Le Dieu Thot d'après les textes égyptiens", Eranos Jahrbuch, 9 : 108-140. <br>Nanji, Azim [1978 ] The Nizari Isma`ili Tradition in Indo-Pakistan Subcontinent. New York, Caravan Books. <br>Al-Nasafi, `Aziz al-din [1962 ] Kitab al-insan al-kamil. Sous la direction de Marijan Molé. Paris.<br>Al-Nasafi, `Aziz al-din [1984 ] Kitab al-insan al-kamil. Dans Le livre de l'homme parfait. Traduit du persan par Isabelle De Gastines. Paris, Fayard. <br>Nicholson, Reynold A. [1980 ] Studies in Islamic Mysticism. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.<br>Nicholson, Reynold A. [1989 ] The Mystics of Islam. Londres, Arkana. <br>Al-Nu`man, Abu Hanifa [1960 ] Asas al-ta'wil. Sous la direction de `Arif Tamir. Beyrouth. <br>Nyberg, Hendrick Samuel [1919 ] Kleinere Schriften des Ibn al-`Arabi. Leiden. <br>Quhistani, Abu Ishaq-i [1959 ] Haft Bab. Sous la direction de Wladimir Ivanow. Bombay. <br>Rumi, Jalal al-din [1982 ] Mathnawi-i ma`nawi. Dans Reynold A. Nicholson, sous la direction de et traduit par, The Mathnawi of Jalalu'ddin Rumi. Londres, Luzac. <br>Sadr al-din, Pir [1948 ] Dasa Avatara (petite version). Dans Collectanea. Traduit par Vali Mahomed Hooda. Leiden, E. J. Brill. <br>Schimmel, Annemarie [1990 ] Calligraphy and Islamic Culture. Londres, I. B. Tauris. <br>Schuré, Édouard [1960 ] Les grands initiés. Paris, Librairie Académique Perrin. <br>Shackle, Christopher et Zawahir Moir [1992 ] Ismaili Hymns from South Asia : An Introduction to the Ginans. Londres, School of Oriental African Studies, University of London. <br>Al-Shahrastani, Ibn `Abd al-Karim [1990 / 1378HS] Majlis. Dans Jalali Na'ini, sous la direction de, Majlis-i maktub-i Shahrastani mun`aqid dar Khwarazm. Téhéran. <br>Shams, Pir [1948 ] "Garbi No. 4" (verset 12), traduit par Vali Mahomed Hooda. Dans "Some specimens of satpanth Literature". Dans Collectanea. Leiden, E. J. Brill.<br>Shams, Pir [1952 ] Sami tamari vadi manhe gura bhirma siñ &cacute;ana hara (gnan #26, versets 3 et 4). Dans Mahan Ismaili Sañta Pir Shams Ra&cacute;it Ginanono Sañgraha. Bombay, Ismailia Association for India. <br>Shayegan, Daryush [1982 ] "De la pré-éternité à la post-éternité : le cycle de l'être", Eranos Jahrbuch, 50: 103-146. <br>Al-Shirazi, Sadr al-din Muhammad (Mulla Sadra) [1964 ] Kitab al-masha`ir. Dans Henry Corbin, sous la direction de, Le Livre des pénétrations métaphysiques. Téhéran et Paris. <br>Al-Sijistani, Abu Ya`qub [1961 ] Kitab al-Yanabi`. Dans Henry Corbin, sous la direction de, Trilogie ismaélienne. Paris, Adrien Maisonneuve.<br>Al-Sijistani, Abu Ya`qub [1966 ] Kitab ithbat al-nubu'at. Sous la direction de `Arif Tamir. Beyrouth. <br>Steigerwald, Diane [1986 ] "L'imamologie dans la doctrine ismaélienne nizarienne". Thèse de maîtrise, Université McGill.<br>Steigerwald, Diane [1995 ] "La signification et la symbolique de la prière dans quelques branches de l'islam", Revue Scriptura, 20 : 113-133.<br>Steigerwald, Diane [1996a ] "The Divine Word (Kalima) in Shahrastani's Majlis", Studies in Religion / Sciences Religieuses, 25, 3 : 335-352.<br>Steigerwald, Diane [1996b ] "La foi dans la pensée musulmane", Revue Scriptura, 24 : 55-77.<br>Steigerwald, Diane [1997 ] La pensée philosophique et théologique de Shahrastani. Sainte-Foy, Les Presses de l'Université Laval. <br>Trouillard, Jean [1956 ] "La méditation du Verbe selon Plotin", Revue philosophique de la France et de l'Étranger, 146 : 65-73. <br>Tusi, Nasir al-din [1950 ] Tasawwurat. Sous la direction de Wladimir Ivanow. Leiden, E. J. Brill. <br>De Vitray-Meyerovitch, Éva [1977 ] Rûmî et le Soufisme. Paris, Éditions Seuil. <br>Wolfson, Harry [1948 ] Philo, Foundations of Religious Philosophy in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, 2 tomes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press.<p>

asif khan
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Re: the Logos

#2

Unread post by asif khan » Mon Oct 21, 2002 1:45 pm

Dear br. Nizari,

Thanks for posting this excellent source on Nizari ismailism and holy Imams!

"The prophetic cycle, finishing with the Seal of the Prophets (Muhammad), the cycle of Imama succeeds. Imams are the Friends of God (Awliya' Allah) through whom appears the direction esoteric (batin) former revelations (Torah, Évangile and Qur' year). Imam is the théophanie visible form of the supreme divine Name which recapitulates in its person all the divine Names. It is through him that the true divine direction of the Logos appears."

Muslim First
Posts: 6893
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2001 4:01 am

Re: the Logos

#3

Unread post by Muslim First » Mon Oct 21, 2002 1:55 pm

$
$

What does this has to do with Islam?

$
$

asif khan
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2001 4:01 am

Re: the Logos

#4

Unread post by asif khan » Mon Oct 21, 2002 2:15 pm

It has got nothing to do with "your version of Islam" and never will! Thanks God!

Muslim First
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Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2001 4:01 am

Re: the Logos

#5

Unread post by Muslim First » Mon Oct 21, 2002 4:11 pm

$

It has nothing to do with Islam as given to Prophet SAW (Recorded in Quran) and Sunnah of Prophet SAW.

$

asif khan
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2001 4:01 am

Re: the Logos

#6

Unread post by asif khan » Mon Oct 21, 2002 4:28 pm

And, this Islam & Sunnah according to "your version" portrays the prophet as a barbarian & a terrorist! Your are welcome to this piece. Want nothing to do with it - ever!

Muslim First
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Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2001 4:01 am

Re: the Logos

#7

Unread post by Muslim First » Mon Oct 21, 2002 7:09 pm

Tell me what is the point of harping on a single issue that "My version sunnah portrays the prophet as a barbarian & a terrorist!".

I do not think you have a foggiest idea what you are talking about. What ever repors collected about Prophet SAW cannot be erased by revisionist like Aga Khanis. For majority of Muslim Islam is Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet.

My version of Islam is that I believe in Allah SWT and his prophets, Muhammad SAW being the seal of Prophets and I try to fulfill other four pillers of Islam as laid out in Quran and/or as taught by the prophet.

It is no secret how he prayed, fasted, how he did charity and how he performed the Hujj. If you do this sincerely then you do not need BS about 'LOGOS'.

So just go ahead. Sit in front of your Mukhi and get splashed with 'phook' water. Let me say that is your perverted version of Islam.

Peace.

$

asif khan
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2001 4:01 am

Re: the Logos

#8

Unread post by asif khan » Mon Oct 21, 2002 9:39 pm

Every time you open your mouth you re-affirm that you are an ignoramous!

Every fiqh of Islam follow the Prophet in their "own ways" and have hadiths attributed to him. I can VOUCH for the Sufi tariqats and Ismailism to follow hadiths that PRAISE & GLORIFY the prophet of Islam.

The sunnis & wahabis book of hadiths VILIFY the prophet and portray him as a barbarian & a terrorist! And, you claim that I have no idea of what I am talking about!

Tell me - what was the source of Rev Jerry Falwell that Prophet Muhammed (sws) was a terrorist?

Rev. Falwell's SOURCE is none other than your bloody book of hadiths!

All we hear from you is this constant barking like a mad rabid dog about "your namaz and the FIVE times" and constant bickering on the matter with the others. As if this is the coup de grace for you and makes every other aspects of "your version of islam" irrelevant. Aspects of Sharia'h that terrorize/ murder non muslims & muslims and treat muslim women like shit - all in clear VIOLATION of the ESSENCE /SPIRIT of Islam that:
- All are equal before Allah;
- All life is sacred.

Coming here with a shitty product like the wahabiyya is an INSULT to the intelligence of those present here! But, I do not expect your pea brain to understand this and which is fine.

Consider this my last post on this subject matter!

anajmi
Posts: 13506
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Re: the Logos

#9

Unread post by anajmi » Tue Oct 22, 2002 5:48 am

asif khan,

too bad that was your last post, else I was ready to kick the shit out of you and your aga khan and then splash your asses with some "phook" water.

Muslim First
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Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2001 4:01 am

Re: the Logos

#10

Unread post by Muslim First » Tue Oct 22, 2002 11:07 am

.

asif khan

You said “Every fiqh of Islam follow the Prophet in their "own ways" and have hadiths attributed to him. I can VOUCH for the Sufi tariqats and Ismailism to follow hadiths that PRAISE & GLORIFY the prophet of Islam.”

Wrong. All major fiqh of Sunni Islam accept five pillars with minor procedural differences. Major faction of Shia also accepts five pillars. (Imaam Khomani by fatwa has asked his followers to perform 5 prayers on their own scheduled time). Let’s leave sufi’s alone. Ismailis have rejected 5 prayers, Fast and Hujj. They have associated Ali to God (Ali is from Allah) and are Muslims in the name only.

As far as following Hadith’s, tell me what part of Hadith Ismailis follow as per Prayer, Fasting and Pilgrimage is concerned?

Hadit is nothing but reports of saying and conduct of the Prophet SAW. There are Hadith of Khalifas also. So you are telling me that you will keep the Hadith which glorify and Praise the Prophet but reject everything else? First of all Islam is not about PRAISE & GLORIFICATION OF THE PROPHET but PRAISE & GLORIFICATION of the ALLH SWT. It’s not about Praise of Prophet, Imams or HH.

It’s nice of you to keep hadiths which suits your purpose and leave the Sunnis and Wahabis holding bag for so called bad ones. You can argue about authenticity of the Hadith but you can not reject them in piecemeal fashion.

You said “Rev. Falwell's SOURCE is none other than your bloody book of Hadith!”

Rev. Falwell is XXXhole and even quoting him you have joined in being one.

So my friend do what I said. Go back to Jammat Khana. Sit in front of your Mukhi and let him splash some ‘Phook’ Water in your face.

Peace

.

asif khan
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2001 4:01 am

Re: the Logos

#11

Unread post by asif khan » Tue Oct 22, 2002 1:25 pm

I see you couldn't resist, like a rabid mad dog, barking on your fav topic of FIVE PRAYERS or else...

1) You write:
"Let’s leave sufi’s alone"

To muslimfirst,

Why?

The sufi masters who adhere to the "true teachings" of Muhammad (saw)have also REJECTED your FIVE PILLARS or your ritual namaz & haj to mecca!

2) You write:
"First of all Islam is not about PRAISE & GLORIFICATION OF THE PROPHET but PRAISE & GLORIFICATION of the ALLH SWT"

Impressive!

I noticed you are very quick to JUMP off the "SUNNAH" ship! By keeping that sunnah beard, do you not praise the prophet?

How do you GLORIFY allah when you portray His prophet (pbuh&f) as a barbarian & a terrorist in your sacred books?

THis is a QUESTION for you to elaborate upon!

You call Rev Fallwell "an asshole" for making REFERENCES from your hadiths.

DOES this not make you an even BIGGER asshole for following those hadiths and making that into - ISLAM?

3)You write:
"They have associated Ali to God (Ali is from Allah) and are Muslims in the name only."

We are mumins and in deeds; just like the sufis are mumins in deeds! We care less about what MAD versions of islam and their followers have to say!

PLEASE NOTE:
'Ali is from Allah; so am I and everyone else! Allah/God/Ali lives within me and that is where I seek him!

Muslim First
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Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2001 4:01 am

Re: the Logos

#12

Unread post by Muslim First » Tue Oct 22, 2002 5:05 pm

.

asif khan

"The sufi masters who adhere to the "true teachings" of Muhammad (saw)have also REJECTED your FIVE PILLARS or your ritual namaz & haj to mecca!'

That is oximoran. Islam is all about 5 pillers. Reject it and you are not Muslim. You are something else.

Once again You do not praise and glorify Prophet SAW. You love him and obay his commands and the way he taught you to do Allah's Ibadat.

You need to do minimum required. You do not need beard to be good, believing practicing Muslim. BTW I do not have one by choice.

"How do you GLORIFY allah when you portray His prophet (pbuh&f) as a barbarian & a terrorist in your sacred books?"

I have not heard one believing, practicing Muslim call prophet SAW a barbarian & a terrorist. It is Ismaili propeganda. Hadit are not sacred books like you make it out. Every muslim house does not have to have one. They are collection of report collected by various scholars. Like Quran you do not have to read them. They are used for guidance.
I do not have to know how many stones Prophet SAW used to clean himself under certain condition. Accounts of that exists in certain Hadith volumes.

"You call Rev Fallwell "an asshole" for making REFERENCES from your hadithss is a QUESTION for you to elaborate upon!"

No I called him XXXhole. Show me a report where he said "I red HADITH of so and so", therefore I call him violant person and terrorist. It is your opinion that he made reference to Hadit.


"DOES this not make you an even BIGGER asshole for following those hadiths and making that into - ISLAM?"

No comment

"We are mumins and in deeds; just like the sufis are mumins in deeds! We care less about what MAD versions of islam and their followers have to say!"

You can call yourself anything you want but if you reject any of 5 pillers you have strayed from Islam.

"PLEASE NOTE:
'Ali is from Allah; so am I and everyone else! Allah/God/Ali lives within me and that is where I seek him!"

'Ali is from Allah;- Correct
so am I and everyone else!-Correct
Allah/God/ lives within me:-Correct
Ali lives within me:- I don't know. I don't believe he lives in him since he was mortal and he died same death as any human being. He is not god. and that is where I seek him (To seek any body but allah is Kufr in my book and in main stream Islam).
You can seek any thing you wish. A Good Muslim only worships Allah, Seeks his pleasure and seeks him.

Peace

.

hafeez
Posts: 39
Joined: Tue May 08, 2001 4:01 am

Re: the Logos

#13

Unread post by hafeez » Wed Oct 23, 2002 2:27 pm

br nizari,
very thought provoking article. Thnx for sharing!

To MF,

The only oxymoron is your dogma and its association with Allah! And - pls be my guest to the moniker of "the only muslims"!

The sufis like the ismailis have their own interpretations of the Five Pillars and very correctly so!

Oh - ismailis increase their pillars by two more!

Muslim First
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Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2001 4:01 am

Re: the Logos

#14

Unread post by Muslim First » Wed Oct 23, 2002 2:42 pm

.

To all interpreters of five pillers

This is how prophet of Allah described five pillers

Prophet Muhammad SAW said:

“Bunyal Islamu ala khamsin; Shahadati an la ilaha illal lahu wa anna Muhammadar rasulul lahi; wa iqamis Salati, wa itaiz Zakati, wal Hujj, wa Sawmi Ramadan (Al-Bukhari)

“Islam is based on five things: declaring that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishment of Salah, the payment of Zalah, The Hujj and Sawm in the month of Ramadan.”

Does that leave any room for interpretation?

.

Muslim First
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Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2001 4:01 am

Re: the Logos

#15

Unread post by Muslim First » Wed Oct 23, 2002 2:44 pm

.

Correction

'Zalah' should read 'Zakah'

.

hafeez
Posts: 39
Joined: Tue May 08, 2001 4:01 am

Re: the Logos

#16

Unread post by hafeez » Wed Oct 23, 2002 3:20 pm

MF

the hadith lists those FIVE pillars for you!
You 'INTERPRET' it - your way and we'll do the same and interpret those according to our ways!

Moreover, what good are your namaz & zakat when you have these laws of the quran that oppresses & suppresses women & non muslims and even muslims!
One voids the other!

PLUS

On top like brother asif has correctly explained - the same source of the hadith that you have quoted above portrays the prophet as a barbarian & a terrorist!

OH, You can still call yourself - "the only muslims"!

anajmi
Posts: 13506
Joined: Wed Jan 10, 2001 5:01 am

Re: the Logos

#17

Unread post by anajmi » Thu Oct 24, 2002 3:09 am

Muslim First,

I thought we agreed on the fact that Ismailis were excellent mathematicians. They are the only ones who can add 2 and 3 and get 7. That is why, inspite of being donkeys led by a donkey, the are so progressive.

Gora
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2001 4:01 am

Re: the Logos

#18

Unread post by Gora » Fri Oct 25, 2002 6:30 pm

This one is for MF.

I am assuming you are Muhammadan Sunni or someone who follows the Shariah of the 7th century.

MF you also forgot to mention that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) also said:

"Ali is the mawla of all those of whom I am mawla."

Ref: http://www.ezsoftech.com/islamic/Ghadeer2.html

Mawla meaning Leader, Imam.

So this I would say is the basis of all arguments, debates and discussions.

All believing Ismailis (Shia Imami Ismaili Nizari Muslims) believe in one and the same "Mawla", Imam of time (Hazar Imam).

The Holy Prophet was a religious Leader for the Muslims in those times. All Shia Muslims accept the Holy event of Ghadir-e-Khum, and believe Hazarat Ali to be the religious Leader (Imam) and guide of the Muslim Ummah.

MF, you stress that the Holy Prophet prescribed praying 5 times daily because he is/was your religious instructor/teacher.

MF, the Ismailis aknowledge that, however they presently receive their religious instructions from ther "Mawla" (Imam, Hazar)(H R H Prince Karim Aga Khan IV). The same "Mawla" in spirit who was appointed by the Holy Prophet.

So if the present Imam of the Ismailis tells his followers to pray 3 times, they will follow. This does not make them non-Muslim though, because they follow a different interpretation and tradition of Islam than yours.

Each and every faith is striving to teach it's followers similar things, but in different ways. At the end I believe, it is all the same.

God knows best.

Muslim First
Posts: 6893
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2001 4:01 am

Re: the Logos

#19

Unread post by Muslim First » Sat Oct 26, 2002 11:53 am

.

Gora

You wrote: "I am assuming you are Muhammadan Sunni or someone who follows the Shariah of the 7th century."

Shame on you for using term "Muhammadan". A term used by non Muslims to identify People who follow religion of Islam.

Sunni is term used to identify approxmately who follwo Quran and Sunnah of Prophet SAW. And yes Iam among them.

7th century Sharia is term used by enemy of Islam to redicule believers. Many aspect of laws set in Quran and set by the Prophet SAW are still valid and are respected and followed by believing Muslims.

Glossary of Arebic Words

Maula: It has many meanings. Some are: a manumitted slave, or a patron, protector, supporter, or a master or the Rubb [Lord (Allah)]

You are free to use whatever your heart desires.

"MF, you stress that the Holy Prophet prescribed praying 5 times daily because he is/was your religious instructor/teacher."

What is this "is/was" BS. Holey Prophet is Last prophet for 90% of Muslim in this world. He is the Ultimate teacher. He braught a command from Allah SWT and instructed us (Sorry believing Muslims) to pray 5 tiems a day, during certain defined times and he taught Muslims manner in which they must pray. There is no another authority to change this aspect.

Hz. Ali RA followed same religious practice of Prophet SAW. As far as I know he did not change it when he was Khalif of all Muslims.

Good luck to you in whatever you follow. Please do not tell me they are any shape or form Islamic as taught by Last prophet of Allah.

Now go sit in front of Mukhi. Have your face splashed with HH Phook water.

Peace

.

Muslim
Posts: 408
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2000 5:01 am

Re: the Logos

#20

Unread post by Muslim » Sat Oct 26, 2002 1:17 pm

Sunni is term used to identify approxmately who follwo Quran and Sunnah of Prophet SAW. And yes Iam among them.

Shia claim to follow Quran and the Prophet's example too so this definition does not hold. The term 'Sunni' was never used during the lifetime of the Prophet. It is actually a legacy of Muawiya who coined the phrase 'Ahlul sunna wal jamaa' (referring to his version of sunna and his consolidation of power in Arabia) after the death of Ali.

Maula: It has many meanings. Some are: a manumitted slave, or a patron, protector, supporter, or a master or the Rubb [Lord (Allah)]
You are free to use whatever your heart desires.


With a little thought it becomes obvious what meaning was implied when the Prophet said Ali was maula to whoever he was a maula. The Qur'an states that "the Prophet has a greater claim on the faithful than they have on themselves" (33/6). Therefore the believers cannot be maula to themselves the way the Prophet is their maula. This negates any absurd interpretation implying the Prophet wanted believers 'friendship' with Ali the same way they were 'friends' with each other.

He braught a command from Allah SWT and instructed us (Sorry believing Muslims) to pray 5 tiems a day, during certain defined times and he taught Muslims manner in which they must pray. There is no another authority to change this aspect.

This is a lie. The prophet never insisted on 5 times of prayers. You yourself admitted that the Prophet occassionally prayed 3 times a day without any reason. More importantly the Quran does not define 5 separate times of prayers. The Sunnis themselves disagree on at least 300 points of detail on the prayer. Umar was quite happy to add bits to the Adhan and to introduce 'special' night prayers, maybe somebody should have reminded him then. I think its a bit late for 'no authority to change'.

Hz. Ali RA followed same religious practice of Prophet SAW. As far as I know he did not change it when he was Khalif of all Muslims.

Correct. In fact this was his condition for accepting the Caliphate - that he would follow the laws of Allah and precedents of the Prophet, and NOT the precedents of the previous 3 caliphs.

Good luck to you in whatever you follow. Please do not tell me they are any shape or form Islamic as taught by Last prophet of Allah.

The same applies to you.

Muslim First
Posts: 6893
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2001 4:01 am

Re: the Logos

#21

Unread post by Muslim First » Mon Oct 28, 2002 12:27 pm

.
Muslim

Your Quote: “He braught a command from Allah SWT and instructed us (Sorry believing Muslims) to pray 5 tiems a day, during certain defined times and he taught Muslims manner in which they must pray. There is no another authority to change this aspect.

This is a lie. The prophet never insisted on 5 times of prayers. You yourself admitted that the Prophet occasionally prayed 3 times a day without any reason. More importantly the Quran does not define 5 separate times of prayers. The Sunnis themselves disagree on at least 300 points of detail on the prayer.”

Now who is telling big lie?

It is universally accepted fact that Muslims are commanded to pray five times a day. This has been debated at length before, and I will not waste time to respond.

Even Ismaili Bohra accepts the fact of five prayers but they combine Zuhr-Asr and Magrib-Ishaa. There are reports of Prophet SAW combining these prayers without reason. But there are no reports to my knowledge that when he combined Zuhr-Asr in one day he also prayed combined Magrib- Ishaa on the same day. Prophet SAW prayed five separate prayer most of the times.

I am going to quote another instance witch I read in Tafseer Ibn Kathir on Ayah 4:102 (Volume 2,Page 567)

Imam Ahmed recorded that Abu Ayyash Az-Zuraqi said, “We were with the Messenger of Allah SAW in the area od ‘Usfan (a well known place near Makkah), when idolators met ud under the command of Khalid bin al-Walid, and they were between us and Qiblah. The Messenger of Allah SAW led us in Zuhr prayer, and idolatiors said, “they were busy with something during which we had chance to attack them.’ They then said, ‘Next, there will come a prayer (Asr) that is dearer to them then their children and themselves.’

Here is a proof that even in battle condition Prophet SAW did not combine the prayer but prayed separately

Your Quote: “ Umar was quite happy to add bits to the Adhan and to introduce 'special' night prayers, maybe somebody should have reminded him then. I think its a bit late for 'no authority to change'’

Yes Umar RA added a sentence to Adhan for Fajr prayer.

I have posted circumstances and story regarding Tarawih prayers. They are Sunnah of the Prophet and can be done individually in ones own house.

Peace

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asif khan
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2001 4:01 am

Re: the Logos

#22

Unread post by asif khan » Mon Oct 28, 2002 3:32 pm

This below quote was attributed to the jews back in the 18th century. Not anymore!
Today, they refer to the muslims of the 'muslim first' genre and has PROVEN correct!

"They are, all of them, born with raging fanaticism in their hearts, just as the Bretons and the Germans are born with blond hair. I would not be in the least bit surprised if these people would not some day become deadly to the human race." (Lettres de Memmius a Ciceron, 1771)

Muslim
Posts: 408
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2000 5:01 am

Re: the Logos

#23

Unread post by Muslim » Mon Oct 28, 2002 5:52 pm

It is universally accepted fact that Muslims are commanded to pray five times a day. This has been debated at length before, and I will not waste time to respond.

These "universal facts" apparently only exist in your imagination. Yes please don't waste your time with statements you can't back up.

Even Ismaili Bohra accepts the fact of five prayers but they combine Zuhr-Asr and Magrib-Ishaa.

They do NOT combine the prayers into one, they combine the prayer times i.e. pray two separate prayers, one after another. This is exactly what the Prophet did at times. There are 5 distinct prayers which can be prayed at 5 or 3 times. Therefore your statement saying "Allah SWT and instructed us to pray 5 times a day" is a lie. Hope you can comprehend that.

Yes Umar RA added a sentence to Adhan for Fajr prayer.

Good for him.

Muslim First
Posts: 6893
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2001 4:01 am

Re: the Logos

#24

Unread post by Muslim First » Mon Oct 28, 2002 7:45 pm

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Muslim

As I understand that Prophet SAW went to seventh heaven in presence of Allah SWT and Allah SWT commanded him to pray 50 times. He comes down to 6th. and he was asked by one of the Prophet what did you get from Allah SWT. When told about 50 prayers he was advised to go back and ask for reduced number. Final number was at 5 when Prophet SAW did not want to go back anymore. That is how we get 5 seperate prayers.

About the time.

Gibreal visited Prophet one day and prayed with him all five prayers and their bigining times. Next day he came back and praqyed with Prophet and 5 salah at their end time. After that Prophet pronounced that each Salah is between those times.

Now according to Hanafi,Hanbali, Shafi and Maaliki Madhhab there are rules of combining (Praying one after another) these prayers.

In fact Hanifi Madhhab does not permit combining (Praying one after another) except apperent combining (That is praying one at its end tiem and praying another at its begineing time). Please note that delaying prayer without reason is not recommended.

Now please tell me where I am lying?

Where does your version of three prayers comes from?

Peace

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Muslim
Posts: 408
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2000 5:01 am

Re: the Logos

#25

Unread post by Muslim » Mon Oct 28, 2002 8:35 pm

That is how we get 5 seperate prayers.

Nobody is arguing about the number of prayers.

Gibreal visited Prophet one day and prayed with him all five prayers and their bigining times

Nice story but totally irrelevant. Yes each prayer has a starting time and end time and sometimes they overlap. So you obviously can't pray fajr when its time for maghrib. But you CAN pray ishaa straight after maghrib, or asr straight after zuhr, just like the Prophet did at times, without any reason.

Now please tell me where I am lying?

Again? Ok here: "Allah SWT and instructed us (Sorry believing Muslims) to pray 5 tiems a day"
This is a lie. You can pray 3 times a day, just like the Prophet did at times and without any reason.

Where does your version of three prayers comes from?

Read my first sentence.

Btw, I really couldn't care less what the hanbali and bambalis think.

Gora
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2001 4:01 am

Re: the Logos

#26

Unread post by Gora » Tue Oct 29, 2002 3:11 am

So MF,

"Allah SWT and instructed us (Sorry believing Muslims) to pray 5 tiems a day".

Where is this written? Did Allah (SWT) personally instruct you?

:p

Muslim First
Posts: 6893
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2001 4:01 am

Re: the Logos

#27

Unread post by Muslim First » Tue Oct 29, 2002 11:12 am

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Qoute:

"Allah SWT and instructed us (Sorry believing Muslims) to pray 5 tiems a day".

Where is this written? Did Allah (SWT) personally instruct you?"

It has same saurce as the following statement:

"Ali is the mawla of all those of whom I am mawla."

Hadith of Prophet SAW

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Muslim

We have argued enough about prayers

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Gora
Posts: 23
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2001 4:01 am

Re: the Logos

#28

Unread post by Gora » Tue Oct 29, 2002 6:37 pm

So folks, it shows that MF and his kinds (Muhammadiyya Sunnis) rely upon Hadiths for religious instructions, and not the Holy Quran.

Shame on you for pointing fingers at others beliefs.

Muslim
Posts: 408
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2000 5:01 am

Re: the Logos

#29

Unread post by Muslim » Fri Nov 01, 2002 8:02 pm

Incidentally the khalifists claim that the current prayer manner is not something that was initiated during the Prophet's time, but the original prayer ritual of Abraham and the ancient Jews:
<a href="http://www.submission.org/jews.html">ht ... ws.html</a>

Muslim First
Posts: 6893
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2001 4:01 am

Re: the Logos

#30

Unread post by Muslim First » Sat Nov 02, 2002 2:07 pm

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Very Interesting link Br. Muslim

Jazak allah

Wasalaam

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