By MALIK MERCHANT

On the occasion of the Takht-nishini ceremony, a gift was presented to our beloved Mawlana Hazar Imam Shah Rahim al Hussaini Aga Khan by the global Ismaili jamat. This gift was a manuscript titled Munajat Hazrat ‘Ali amir al-mu’minin. The Arabic text, accompanied by the Persian translation, comprises a selection of silent or whispered prayers of our first Imam, Hazrat Mawlana ‘Ali (peace be upon him), in supplication to Allah.

The six leaves of the manuscript are calligraphed in elegant nasta‘liq with 12 lines of text per page. The text is surrounded by margins beautifully decorated in gold with floral, plant and animal motifs.

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The final folio provides the name of the calligrapher and date of copying: it was copied by the outstanding Safavid calligrapher, Rustam ‘Ali Shahi, and is dated AH 966 (equivalent to 1558-59 of the Common Era). Rustam ‘Ali Shahi worked under the patronage of the Safavid princes, Bahram Mirza and his son Ibrahim Mirza, both of whom are remembered for their involvement with cultural and artistic activities, and the commissioning of deluxe manuscripts.

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The Munajat reflects the profound significance of prayer and supplication at the heart of the ‘Alid tradition. The supplications, finely calligraphed on the folios, present the direct link that exists between the Imam and the Divine Lord, with the Imams as the bearers of the Divine Light (Nur), and those who receive Divine help and inspiration.

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This manuscript highlights the unbroken link that connects our beloved fiftieth Imam Shah Rahim al Hussaini to our first Imam, Hazrat ‘Ali: a unique historical and spiritual continuum, the Nur-i Imamat, that goes back over 1,400 years, generation upon generation, ‘Light upon Light’. Our tradition is the tradition of Hazrat ‘Ali; in the words of our 49^th Imam Shah Karim Shah: “…the tradition of our tariqah…is the tradition of Hazrat ‘Ali: a thinking Islam and a spiritual Islam.” (May 14, 1992).

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This manuscript also illustrates a further significant concept: that of stewardship of the earth. Surrounding the textual supplications are exquisite borders and margins filled with floral and animal motifs: there are trees, flowers, storks, deer, gazelles, lions and rabbits. All these motifs illustrate the direct link between humankind and the natural world around us. As custodians of Allah’s creation, this manuscript, sublimely reflects the notion of humankind’s need to live in harmony with, and responsibility for, the environment and the natural world.

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Mawlana Hazar Imam Shah Rahim al Hussaini is our spiritual mother and father and the global Jamat are the Imam’s spiritual children. And it is this spiritual bond that allows us to have the strength, confidence, and courage to face the problems of everyday life, and which ties each one of us to the Imam-of-the-time, and to each other. This gift expresses our love, devotion, humility and shukrana to our beloved Mawlana Hazar Imam, as he assumes the mantle of Imamat, continuing the guidance, love, care, and effort to protect and uplift the Jamat that has been the responsibility of the Imams since the time of Hazrat ‘Ali.

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WATCH A VIDEO OF THE GIFT

Date posted: February 18, 2025.

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