By MALIK MERCHANT

Just a day separates the birthday of Prince Irfan, the oldest child of Prince Rahim and grandson of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, born on April 11, from his beloved uncle Prince Hussain, who turned 50 on April 10, 2024.

On October 24, 2014, Mawlana Hazar Imam informed the Jamats worldwide that Prince Rahim and Princess Salwa were expecting their first child.

The following spring, on April 11, 2015, the couple had a son. Irfan was born in Geneva, Switzerland, and was the birthplace of Prince Rahim (b. October 12, 1971) and Mawlana Hazar Imam (b. December 13, 1936.) Prince Irfan’s younger brother, Prince Sinan, was born in 2017. Barakah published a post to celebrate his seventh birthday on January 2, 2024.

Mawlana Hazar Imam’s special message to the global Ismaili Jamat on the birth of Prince Irfan expressed the happiness of his and Princess Salwa’s family. The Jamats worldwide received the joyous news with traditional celebrations in their respective Jamatkhanas.

Although seen on several occasions in photographs, the first time that the Ismailis had the opportunity to see Prince Irfan in person was at the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in Lisbon, Portugal, in July 2018, when he was only four years old. He and his younger brother, Prince Sinan, then two years old, captured everyone’s hearts through their lively presence.

Just over a year ago, on the occasion of the celebration of the Persian New Year Navroz on March 21, 2023, Ismailis rejoiced at the opportunity of seeing a new photograph of Prince Irfan and Prince Sinan with their beloved grandfather, Mawlana Hazar Imam. In the picture, Prince Irfan is wearing a tee shirt sporting marine life with an image(s) of the shark, one of the favourite ocean animals of his uncle Prince Hussain, who, as we have noted, celebrated his 50th birthday a day earlier on April 10!

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Meaning of Irfan in Ismaili Context

The word Irfan is an indirect Qur’anic name for boys. Irfan means “wisdom,” or Wisdom with a capital W. It refers to all that is good and true of thoughts and deeds. It is derived from the Ain-R-F root (to know, to recognize), which is used in many places in the Holy Qur’an, [1] as in the following verse:

Transliteration:

Wa Jā’a ‘Ikhwatu Yūsufa Fadakhalū `Alayhi Fa`arafahum Wa Hum Lahu Munkirūna — Sura Yusuf, Chapter 12, Verse 58

Translation:

And the brethren of Joseph came, and entered unto him, and he knew them, but they knew him not — Holy Qur’an, 12:15, translation by A.J. Arberry.

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‘Irfan’ (gnosis) has many other meanings, such as knowledge, awareness, and learning, and is widely applied in Islamic mysticism. In the mystical context, like another term in the same family, mari’fa, also translated as gnosis, knowledge is acquired by inner experiences and interior unveilings.  [2]

The Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims share this notion with Muslims who have an esoteric dimension in the practice of their faith. For the Ismailis, inner knowledge and experience are acquired through the Imam-of-the-Time, the bearer of the Noor (Light) of Imamat. The Imam, as heir to the Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him and his progeny), as noted in Clause (F) of the Preamble of the Ismaili Constitution, is concerned with the spiritual advancement as well as improvement of the quality of life of his followers. The spiritual progress attained by an individual during his or her lifetime paves the path to mari’fa, or divine union ship with God upon one’s physical departure from this earth.

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The famous prayer of the Prophet Muhammad sums up the end toward which the gnostic strives with all his mind, soul and body:

“O God, deliver us from preoccupations with worldly vanities and show us the nature of things ‘as they really are’. Remove the veil of ignorance from our eyes, and show us things as they really are…Deliver us from ourselves, and accord us intimate knowledge of Thee.” [3]

Barakah and its readers wish Prince Irfan a very happy 9th birthday and congratulate his parents, Prince Rahim and Princess Salwa, his younger brother Prince Sinan, and all the members of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s family on this auspicious and happy occasion, which coincides this year with the week marking the Muslim Festival of Eid al-Fitr.

Date posted: April 11, 2024.

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This piece contains excerpts from the following sources:

[1] http://quranicnames.com/irfan/
[2] http://www.alseraj.net/
[3] http://www.allamaiqbal.com/publications/journals/review/apr89/7.htm

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