Introduced by MALIK MERCHANT

The Light Motif has been a key element in all of Mawlana Hazar Imam His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan’s inaugural visits to his Ismaili Muslim followers, starting with Paris, France, in July 2025. His upcoming visit to Western Canada from July 24-26, 2026, marks his tenth visit, following those to France, Kenya, Uganda, the Southern USA, Portugal, the UK, Eastern Canada, Northern Pakistan, and Germany. This Motif acts as both a statement and a reminder that the 50th Hereditary Imam carries the same Light of Imamat as all preceding Imams — from the first Imam, Hazrat Ali, to the 49th Imam, Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, whom Prince Rahim succeeded on February 4, 2025. In his first address, recalling his visionary and inspiring late father and the fleeting nature of human life, Mawlana Hazar Imam Shah Rahim told his Jamat in his Farman (guidance) in Paris on July 12, 2025, that “There is always an Imam to guide the Jamat.” Anchoring this belief of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims, we offer this article, adapted from multiple literary sources, including the Ta’lim curriculum published by Islamic Publications, London. We also recommend that our readers read Shiraz Ptradhan’s excellent piece Recognition of the Imam: The Murid’s Journey to Light and Wisdom, as Ismailis in Western Canada eagerly anticipate Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Didar in Calgary and Vancouver on July 24 and 26, respectively.

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The Nur (Light) of Imamat

The sun is extremely important for all life on earth. It gives us light, warmth and energy. The sun however is not the final source of life. It is Allah who gives life to all living things. It is God who has created the sun and the stars and everything that is in the universe.

The Qur’an teaches that Allah is the Light of the Heavens and the Earth. Allah guides mankind towards Him through His light. While Allah has created the physical light, He has also provided mankind another kind of light.

Allah says in the Qur’an:

“O Mankind! Truly there has come to you a proof from your Lord, and We have sent down to you a clear Light.” (Chapter 4, Verse 174)

What is this special light that Allah refers to, which guides and makes things clear? For Shia Muslims, this light is the Light of Imamat. The Shias refer to it as the Nur of Imamat. Nur means light. The Nur of Imamat is a spiritual light.

This spiritual light is with the Ahl al-bayt, the Imams from the Prophet Muhammad’s family. This light was with the first Shia Imam, Hazrat Murtaza Ali and, for Shia Imami Ismailis, it is now with their present 50th Imam, Mawlana Hazar Imam Shah Rahim al Hussaini, His Highness the Aga Khan V. The Imam guides his murids (followers) with his Nur.

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The Imam’s Nur is not like ordinary light. It is a different light altogether. It is a spiritual light. Physical light, such as sunlight, helps everyone see things in the physical world. The Imam’s Nur guides his murids both in the spiritual and worldly aspects of their lives. Above all, the Imam’s Nur leads his followers towards inner peace and happiness.

Ever since the time of Hazrat Ali, the Ismaili Imams have guided their followers in succession, one after another. There have been fifty Imams up to the present time, but the Nur of Imamat is one, and it remains the same. Mawlana Shah Karim beautifully articulated this concept in his Farman in Karachi on the occasion of his birthday, December 13, 1964. He said:

“For hundreds of years, my spiritual children have been guided by the Rope of Imamat; you have looked to the Imam of the Age for advice and help in all matters and through your Imam’s immense love and affection for his spiritual children, his Noor has indicated to you where and in which direction you must turn so as to obtain spiritual and worldly satisfaction”

The Nur of Imamat is always there to guide through the physical presence of the Imam. The Imam holds his followers hands and leads them through both difficult and good times. He gives them guidance about how they should live in a particular time and place.

Just as the water of a river continues to flow, the line of Imamat never stops. That is, the Nur of Imamat is there to stay eternally. In his first address, recalling his visionary and inspiring late father and the fleeting nature of human life, Mawlana Hazar Imam Shah Rahim told his Jamat in his Farman (guidance) in Paris on July 12, 2025, that “There is always an Imam to guide the Jamat.”

One of the goals of the murid of the Imam should be to strive to come closer to the spiritual light of the Imam. This, one can do by fulfilling one’s material and spiritual responsibilities to the best of one’s ability. Praying regularly, living by the ethics of Islam, following the Imam’s guidance and thinking about Allah constantly can bring us closer and closer to the Nur of Imamat.

An Affirmation

Ya Shah Rahim al Hussaini, Antal Imamul Haqqul Mubeen
(O Shah Rahim al Hussaini, you are the True Manifest Imam)

Date posted: July 19, 2026.

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