Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Al-Salam-o-alaikum!

First of all I must say that I am really very pleased after knowing this that how you chose the correct path then converted and now following true Islam, it is really appreciateable.....and it is really Allah`s blessings whom He guides and whom He misguides it is all in hand of Allah Almighty....

now I come to my question:

Q) I want to know about Ismaili Community thoroughly, in fact I have been hearing about them but still don`t know exactly about them....can you please give me some correct information about Ismaili`s faith and other beliefs......although I have heared different things about them but I am not satisfied about what people say, as I find you more reliable that you may make me understand about them (Ismaeli) more correctly so please tell me about this (Ismaili) community completely....

Waiting for your reply....

your brother

Al-Salam-o-alaikum

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

What is Ismaili community?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

May Allah Subhanah reward you with the best of this world and the Hereafter for your kind comments of encouragement for our humble efforts in the propagation of the Truth. If our humble and modest efforts have helped even one brother or sister get closer to Allah and His Deen of Truth, then we would consider ourselves indeed fortunate to have been given this opportunity by the Lord Most Merciful to serve in His Cause. We hope, beg, and pray the Merciful Lord accepts our humble and weak efforts, forgives us our shortcomings, and saves you, us, and all the believers from the torment of the Hell Fire. Ameen.

Your Question: I want to know about Ismaili Community thoroughly, in fact I have been hearing about them but still don`t know exactly about them....can you please give me some correct information about Ismaili`s faith and other beliefs......although I have heared different things about them but I am not satisfied about what people say, as I find you more reliable that you may make me understand about them (Ismaeli) more correctly so please tell me about this (Ismaili) community completely....

The Ismailis or Aga Khanis are a sub-sect of the Shia school of thought who believe in the succession and divine appointment of the Imams from the progeny of Hadrat Ali ibn Abi Taalib (r.a.) and Hadrat Fatimah binte Rasool Allah (saws); and in the same succession of Imams they believe the present Aga Khan to be the Imam of the present time. There are again several sects within the Isamilis, like the Nizaris, the Mustailis, the Daudi Bohras, the Sulaimani Bohras, the Alawis, the Najdis, the Zaidi, etc.; most of whom do not accept the Aga Khan as their Imam and each have their own set of distinct beliefs.

As is concurrent with the Shia school of thought, the Ismailis profess belief in the ‘zaahir’ (exoteric) and the ‘baatin’ (esoteric) meanings of the Glorious Quran; and they thus manipulate the ‘baatin’ (esoteric) meanings and use it as an excuse to hide and never openly disclose the real happenings to anyone outside of their very closed-knit communities. As with all the sects in Islam who promote the ‘baatin’ or esoteric meanings and beliefs, their display of beliefs and actions to the world always differ from the truth of the happenings that take place within their own communities.

Thus it is almost impossible for one who is not an Ismaili to know or understand the concept of their ‘baatin’ beliefs and actions, and thus the information about the reality of what exactly is propagated within their communites is always a matter of heresay or simply eye-witness reports from someone in their community.

Dear and Beloved Brother, we can only state with certainty the knowledge of Truth that is endorsed by Allah Subhanah in the Quran and by Prophet Mohamed (saws) in his established and authentic Sunnah; and as you can imagine, it would be almost impossible to find out the exact concepts of beliefs and happenings held by people who do not wish to disclose their ‘baatin’ set of beliefs to anyone outside their close-knit sects, for reasons best known to them.

The Truth is what is declared by Allah Subhanah and His Noble Messenger (saws); and nothing remains beyond the Truth other than falsehood.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 10 Surah Yunus verses 32-33:

32 Such is Allah your Real Cherisher and Sustainer: apart from Truth what (remains) but error? How then are ye turned away?

33 Thus is the Word of thy Lord proved true against those who rebel: verily they will not believe!

Dear and Beloved Brother, the truth is that, except for those themselves involved in the inner circles of these closed-knit communites, nothing definite can be said or read about the sects who believe in the ‘baatin’ (esoteric or hidden) meanings of things and actions. For reason best known to themselves, they neither propagate their way of life to others, nor do they wish to indulge in dialogue with outsiders, nor do they wish to disclose what exactly their beliefs and faith imply.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 23 Surah Mu’minoon verse 52-55: And you all belong to one and the same ummah, and I(Allah) am your Lord; so fear Me Alone! Yet afterwards the people divided themselves into different sects, and each sect rejoicing in what it has. Well, leave them deeply involved in their heedlessness up to an appointed time. What? Do they think that, by continuing to provide them with wealth and children, We are solicitous for their welfare? Nay, they do not understand the reality of the matter!

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), he can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), he can be assured of being led astray.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan