The Ismaili Muslims have a beautiful Islamic devotional prayer that gives thanks and praise to God in moments of joy, happiness, and success. It also serves as a source of comfort in times of distress and sadness, such as the death of a child, parent, or sibling. But why offer thanks at the time of death? This verse provides a profound insight into the concept of life and death in Islam. The birth of a child, a moment filled with boundless joy and hope, is a beautiful reminder to all Muslims and peoples of other faiths.
It signifies the unique creation of every human being, with a soul that embarks on a journey on earth, culminating in the return of the soul to the hereafter. There, the soul seeks and implores to be ushered into the Abode of Peace.
Nothing can be as glorious and deserving of thanks as being close to our Creator. His passing in Lisbon, Portugal, on February 4th, , after a reign of 67 years, was a profound loss that I felt deeply. The live streaming of the event from Lisbon, Portugal, was done on a delayed basis in Ismaili Jamatkhanas in Calgary and other western Canadian cities until after the completion of the morning meditative prayers.
Story continues below. The pre-recorded devotional singing of the prayer, Shukran Lillah wal Hamdulillah, in a mellow and beautiful tone, was being played. A short video included a clip where the Imam waves to young volunteers and scouts from years ago. The iconic moment during the mulaqat was when he climbed the stage, and before taking his seat as the Commander of the Faithful, the Imam spread his hands widely. A beautiful smile full of love told his tens of thousands of followers that he was present before them.
She also spoke about the profound notion of the Divine Institution of Imamat, tracing its Divine roots to the Prophet Muhammad may peace be upon him and his family. She emphasized that all the forty-nine Ismaili Imams over the past years have been bearers of the same Light Nur , a tradition that unites all Shia Ismaili Muslims. I could see that the Vazir was emotional. Vazir needed no reminding now that he was with his new spiritual father, bearing the same Divine Light of Mawlana Shah Karim he had served under for decades.
