Farman No - 71 to 86.

Haq Mawlana Dhani Salamat Datar Sarkar Aga Sultan Muhammad Shah Imam has made the following Farman:

(177) You should understand your Ismaili din properly, meaning you should know it explicitly. A Haqiqati momin who understands the Satpanth din will never be deceived by Satan.

One who has performed great work (motu kam ~Baitulkhayal), meaning he has given me his Bayat and has moved two three steps upwards, even if he travels alone to a country like China, then too he will not be decived by anyone as his heart contains the light of imaan’s Noor.

(178) In case you have a doubt in any matter, ask a faithful (imaani) devotee (bhagat) and get the clarification of the doubt in your heart immediately. Always keep your heart clean, like a mirror. Do not keep even a drop of jealousy in your heart. Preserve my Farman in your heart and lock it.

May there be barkat in all your virtuous deeds. May God bless you with abundant barkat. Inshallalah, just as you have gathered around me now, I pray that you, the Jamat, will be close to me in the next world as well. Keep nurturing the love in your heart and strengthening your imaan.

(179) The human race is a descendant of Adam (a.s.). The status of Adam was above that of the angels, and according to that, your original status is also higher than that of the angels; but you commit sins in the world, show weakness in imaan; get deceived by the world and by Satan; therefore, your soul of Adam becomes hard i.e. heavy.

Al-Hamdulillah, you are currently on the Satpanth din. There are other 72 sects, and all these 72 sects are not true, but there is one din above all the other dins, that din is true. You are on that true din and on the Satpanth (Sirat-al-Mustakim). Now you should muster courage and cultivate such courage that you become angels.

Your thought should be such that, after death, your soul should not take birth again and return from there and must not reincarnate in the world; Muster such courage that when you depart from this world, you become an angel.

When a human (insaan) comes out of mother’s womb, he faces many troubles. He faces a lot of difficulties while getting out of his mother’s womb, such that his heart does not wish to come out. The same is true for the momin.

For a momin who leaves this world, this world is a place of congestion. Leaving this confined space, a momin aspires to reach the expansive, exalted abode. He wants to go to a good place after coming out of this bad place. Strive to reach such a place that you to attain the vast exalted realm.

(180) Reach the arsh-e-azim. The Arsh-e-azim can be reached by one who is pure; therefore, keep your heart pure. When your heart becomes pure, you will be able to see arsh-e-azim in this world; it is not far at all.

I feel very happy when I see you being courageous. Inshallah, you will be with me in the next world too. When I see you, I see flowers; there is not just one flower in the garden but many; in the same way, I see you as many kinds of flowers. Ensure in your heart that you become flowers without thorns.

Only with courage can you become a flower without thorns.

(181) As human beings, if you do not have the knowledge of ilm Ginans, then you become like an animal. What benefit is gained from it?

(182) You should think that all other dins are exoteric (Zahiri) din. Your din is esoteric (batuni). Only the batini din benefits the people.

Even an animal can follow an exoteric (Zahiri) din. If an animal’s mouth is tied and it is not given food or water, it is considered to be fasting. If a human behaves in the same way, what benefit is there in that?

One who without understanding, reads ilm and recites Ginans and Dua, but does not understand its meaning is like a donkey.

Develop such a skill (hunnar) that your soul can become like that of an angel (firashta). You are humans descended from Adam. Therefore, understand the meaning of your din. If you were to understand what your soul is? You will not be deceived by anyone.

The incarnation (avataar) of your soul first begins as a stone. In the beginning, human beings (insaan) were in the form of clay and stone. Now, you have reached the status of a human being (insaan). Where would you go next? Think about it.

(183) The man who is a momin has a clear path ahead. A momin’s wish should be to move ahead. A momin’s ambition should be to become an angel (firasta). Think of going beyond the status of an angel (firasta). There is nothing greater than that. The human must have an aspiration to reach that place; that place is higher than the angel (firasta).

In order to reach the original abode (asal makan), cowardliness should be completely uprooted. By overcoming hesitation and embracing courage, one can reach the abode of origin (asal makan).

Be determined in such a way that the strength of your din and imaan grows every day and you remain strong on the truth and Hakikat.

It is true that everyone can not become an angel (firasta). Not everyone can become like Hazrat Musa and Hazrat Isa; but if you can proceed further by taking one, two, ten, or hundred steps, then advance forward that much, which will be very beneficial for you.

You will gain much more by maintaining friendships with a Haqiqati momin.

(184) If in this world you give proper attention to My Farman, you will stay well in this world and the other world; I shall remain with you; and your soul will remain pure and clean.

(185) If someone claims that the Saheb (Imam) appears in dreams, it is completely false. I never appear in anyone’s dream. That is all a pretense.

Even if I appeared in someone's dream, that person would never disclose this. Making someone wear my robe and claiming, “Saheb has come”, is all pretentious. I never appear. Such lies should not be spoken.

(187) You are a human being (insaan), so be determined in your hearts that this Jamatkhana is very huge, and it should always be filled with you, the Jamat. Jamatkhana can never be empty. If it remains empty, then it is better to vacate it and build a small room. You should all cultivate a habit such that the Jamatkhana must always remain full.

(188) Believe this to be true that there are two paths for a human (insaan) in this world. One is the path of an ascetic (fakiri) and the other is the path of vanity. The path of an ascetic (fakiri) means the path of becoming an angel.

You should live like an ascetic (fakir). It is not that one who has no wealth is a fakir. Similarly, it is not so that one who has wealth does not have fakiri. Fakiri has nothing to do with wealth; it is just that one’s heart should be like an ascetic (fakir), only that is true and real fakiri.

(189) You all are my momin. Be certain in your hearts that I am always with you.

During the period of Hazrat Amirul Mominin, a Yawan, i.e., an inhabitant of another country, was a Muslim. One day he came and urged Hazrat Amirul Mominin, “O’ Khudawind! I am imaani, and I have complete trust in you. I do not believe you as the other Muslims believe you. I believe you as Khudavind Aalmin, and you are my true Khudavind.

On this Hazrat Amirul Mominin answered, “You are a Yawan, despite this, you have complete trust upon me; thus, you are in my presence; but if you do not have trust in me and live with me day and night, then you are far from me.” You, the Jamat, must also be certain in your heart that you are close to me. I am already with you.

Have a strong and complete imaan upon me. If you have less trust and imaan, due to which you do not perform Bandagi sincerely, Having little trust will not reap you any benefits.

(190) Be certain in your heart. Your imaan should be heavy like a mountain. No matter how hard the strong winds hit it, the heavy mountain does not move from its place. You should also become strong like that.

The color of a human must always be the same. Changing colors such that you have one color in one moment and another color in another moment does not behoove a human. It is incumbent upon a human (insaan) to keep walking only on one true and straight path. Fix only one path in your heart; only then will you earn its reward in the end.

You should make it a habit to do Ibadat-Bandagi. Once Ibadat becomes a habit and you consistently practice it, you will no longer have any doubt. However, if you do not form a habit of Ibadat and become lazy, then even if you have strong imaan in me, your imaan will gradually dwindle away, meaning your imaan will go away.

In the world, as a bodybuilder acquires training about his body, similarly, religious imaani people acquire knowledge about their soul (ruh). No matter how strong a bodybuilder is, and no matter how much power he possesses, if he forsakes his regular training, he will become lazy in a few days. In this way, if for about a year he does not train, he will lose all his built-up strength. His laziness will bring him a big loss. In place of the strong muscle man that he was, he would become frail and weak.

By forsaking the practice of training, he will become weak to the extent that if a person kicks him, he will fall over. However, if he continues to exercise consistently, then little by little, within two to three years, he will become very strong. It is the same in matters of din as well.

(191) It is also incumbent upon a human (insaan) to continue practicing little Bandagi-Ibadat regularly. At first, a person may have little imaan in this religion. During that time, if he does not acquire the taalim of Ibadat, and if he stops doing even the little Bandagi that he used to do, then very soon he will become lazy like that bodybuilder, and even the little imaan that he had in the beginning will soon fade away.

It is necessary to form a habit in the matter of religion. First, form the habit of going to Jamatkhana regularly, and then attend majalis to enhance that habit. You will thus progress slowly and gradually. Once you form the habit, it will be benificial, thereafter you won't be suspicious or doubtful of anything. You won't be deceived by others, either.

It is incumbent upon a human (insaan) to cultivate the habit of doing good work and strengthen his Ibadat. Once the habit is cultivated, it should be retained forever. If you forsake the habit, you will hurt yourselves and will be miserable.

(193) You remain steadfast in your Ismaili din. If you are well versed in the ilm, Ginan of the din, if you understand philosophy well, and if you, yourself, are courageous and clever, then this Satpanth is so superior that you will not be deceived by others.

If you study philosophy and become a philosopher, you will properly understand all the matters.

The Imam appoints his successor so that the momin of God can take the Bayat. It is incumbent upon the momins to obey the Farmans of the successor.

If the world could have existed without an Imam, Hazrat Murtaza Ali himself would have never designated his successor. If only the book of the Quran was sufficient, Murtaza Ali would not have designated the Imam and would have taken with him the jaamo (authority of the Imamat) at the time of leaving the body. But as you see, this is something that can not be believed. And that the Quran alone is sufficient - this point is also proven incorrect and can not be believed.

(194) As time changes, new inventions emerge with it. New instances happen. Different challenges are raised at different times. Even the world keeps changing. How was the world a thousand years ago? How is it today? And how will the world transform after many years? Major variations take place frequently in the world, and that is why in every age there is the Imam of the Time present in the world who gives Farmans regarding what to do and how to move ahead with the changing times; he guides you on what is necessary for you to do during the respective time.

My Farman during this period is different, and after a few years, my Farmans will be completely different. The entire world will change.

Person (insaan) who never reflect, were not worthy of becoming a human (insaan).

(195) A man (insaan) does not think that after death, on the Day of Judgment, if he answers that someone misled his soul, then such an excuse will not be at all accepted.

You are human (insaan). If God has granted you the faculties of thought and even blessed with intellect, then why do you not use your intellect? And why you do not think? You have been given the status of a human (insaan) then you must value the incarnation of a human (insaan). Your human (insaan) status is such that you can become an angel.

If one owns a whole empire, i.e., under him has the whole world’s kingdom to rule, and if that kingship is taken away from him and is turned into a beggar, how bad a state would he be in? Now, having reached the loftiest of forms, that of a human (insaan), instead of becoming an angel, you cease to be a human (insaan) to become like an animal, then you too will be in the same poor state.

(196) When you perform the Kaangwa, it means that you are making a commitment to me: “Saheb! We have accepted your din and will never disobey your Farman.” Those people who have pledged such a commitment to me have nothing to fear.

I do not make any Farman that may cause harm to any of my murids in the world or in the hereafter (akhirat).

(197) In this world, there are two types of momins; out of which, one is the momin of the body(badan), and the other is the momin of the soul (ruh). The momins of the body are happy to remain here and are happy staying in this world alone. Their place is underneath the soil. They are momins of vainglory; eventually, they end up in the soil.

There are also many people who follow this din well for a few days, take steps ahead, and even perform Ibadat. In this way, after taking one step forward, they stop again and do not move ahead at all from that place. In the end, such people also return to the soil and gain no benefit.

Others, who are momins of the soul, are such that they keep moving ahead and further ahead in the matters of the faith (din). They do not halt. Those momins keep on moving ahead continuously. Such people will rise even higher than Paradise.

(198) In the beginning, when Hazrat Murtaza Ali was in Mecca and guiding people, all the murids were farmers. Even in the period of Grandfather Adam, the murids were farmers. The bodies of those people were that of farmers, but in batin they were angels. You must also become like them.

It appears to me that you have sown seeds in your soil. Spike has come out from it; but wheat has still not grown from it. You must act in such a good manner that it yields good wheat, out of which good bread (rotli) is prepared, and you yourself eat that bread.

If you know ilm-Ginan and also know its meaning, but do not always come to Jamatkhana, nothing will benefit you. This is an important advice.

(199) Those who keep coming and going away from our religion will never reap its benefits.

(200) The benefit of religion (dharam), which is to be acquired, is esoteric (batini). The exoteric (zahiri) benefit is not of any use. You have sat here by my side for a day; similarly, if you remain seated even for a month, what would you gain from this? You should perform such virtuous deeds that you see me at all times, and I always remain present with you.

You should commit such virtuous deeds that you always see me esoterically (batini) in your heart. See me through the inner faith (dharam) of your heart. Keep me in your heart. Keep your heart engrossed in faith (dharam) and in me. Be present in the ilm majalis and keep yourself engrossed in the Ibadat-Bandagi.

There are many dins in this world. There existed only one din in the period of Prophet Adam. There was one Grandfather Adam in the beginning and no other people, and there was also no other din at that time. Later, as the people grew in number, the dins also increased. In that each soul adopted the din that it liked.

(201) There are such best practices (uttam babato) in this Satpanth din by which you can achieve great reward. There are such fruits (mevas) in my din that the one who eats that meva never goes out and eats grass; but to eat such fruits (mevas), you must become pure-hearted.

It is written in all other dins that if you behave righteously in this world, then after death you will be given Paradise, but in our din it is such that if you act according to the Ginan scriptures with a pure heart, perform Ibadat-Bandagi, become pure, then during your lifetime, Paradise will be rewarded to you while you are alive. Enjoying Paradise in this world itself is a great reward.

(202) Look, if you have a nice horse, which makes you happy when it is young and provides you with a good riding experience, and you are happy with it, then later, when that horse gets old, you do not make that horse work, you tie it in a stable, and you only feed it, give it green grass and water, in such a way that the horse is of no use, but it only remains idle, eats, drinks, and enjoys comfort. Similarly, if you too aspire to remain idle and enjoy happiness, then the happiness of your Paradise and the happiness of the horse’s stable will be the same, which means your Paradise is itself a stable and you are an old horse; therefore, you should aspire to become angels and go even higher than that.

If you act in all the matters of this world thinking, “I am nothing,” only then will you reach such a high place. It is very difficult to behave in all matters like this.

(203) A person performs Bandagi for some years, and then becomes little vain, hence forsakes the practice of Bandagi;

again after some months, he resumes the practice of Bandagi and continues it for some time; meanwhile, he again gets deceived by Satan, feels a sense of pride, and abandons the practice of Bandagi.

After some time, he begins Ibadat for the third time, but simultaneously harbors bad thoughts about others’ wealth and women. As a result, his Ibadat becomes annulled.

Yet again, after a few months, he resumes Ibadat, but this time, Satan deceives him, leading him to siphon the wealth of the Sarkar (Imam) or commit other sins, resulting in his Ibadat being rendered worthless.

If a human being (insaan) performs Ibadat-Bandagi, works hard and simultaneously also gets deceived by Satan, then his efforts become pointless.

After a few years, he again wishes to perform Ibadat and thinks that henceforth he will not be deceived by Satan. And build a large bungalow after performing Ibadat-Bandagi, but a bungalow is not built merely by imagination. If he forsakes greed and neither gets deceived by Satan nor lets Satan deceive him in any way, only then will his Ibadat be of use, meaning he will be able to build that bungalow.

Be certain in your heart and perform Ibadat in such a way that a strong bungalow may be built through your Ibadat, which may never go back into the soil. Make the foundation of your bungalow very strong (majboot). As the foundation of your din is very deep, like a well, you must continue to put tremendous efforts to strengthen its foundation and make it strong patiently so that it never shakes.

(204) To strengthen the foundation of your religion, in addition to other responsibilities, your foremost duty is to never miss your three times Dua.

If you do not know to recite the Dua, then remember and perform twelve tasbihs in the name of ‘Pir-Shah’, which means your Dua will be accepted, and it will be considered as if you have maintained your Dua’s time.

In this manner, the foundation of your religion becomes strong, thereafter arrange the rocks of virtuous deeds on it and make the bungalow stronger. If you feel content just by building the first floor of the bungalow, meaning you are still just on the ground and have not climbed upwards. Your din is such that slowly and gradually, you build floor after floor on your bungalow and make that bungalow rise till the aasmaan.

(205) Become as strong as the mountains so that you do not move even a bit.

(206) Continue to give Dashond-the 1/8th portion accurately. From whatever is grown in your farm, give 1/8th of what remains after deducting the state’s (kings) dues. Do not give a lump-sum amount.

Those people who have pledged an oath to me by performing my Kaangwa and have become my murids should never breach the oath pledged to me. Earlier performing the Kaangwa i.e., taking an oath of allegiance, has been in practice right from the time of Hazrat Mawla Murtaza Ali and the Nabi Saheb. Even at that time, murids used to enroll themselves.

It is the rule of this Satpanth din –Ismaili that it is especially obligatory for every murid to perform the Kaangwa once during their lifetime of every new Imam of the Time. One must perform the Kaangwa of every new Imam of the Time in one’s lifetime. Performing Kaangwa more than once for the same Imam (jaama), is a murid’s personal wish.

(207) Just as you sign and commit yourselves in business or in other matters, similarly, by accepting your pledge of allegiance (Kaangwa), I take the signature of your soul.

(210) The mullas who try to make others be-din (faithless) themselves embrace our din. How are the Khorasani murids able to perform such great tasks? Khorasani murids are the ‘true momins’. They possess ‘absolute imaan’, ‘true recognition’ and ‘complete courage’. By having such qualities, they never fall prey to the deception of Satan.

You do not possess that courage and knowledge (ilm). You are ignorant (be-ilm) and courageless (be-himmat); hence, you are getting deceived by Satan. If you are equipped with the required knowledge (ilm) and the required courage, then you too can make the approaching Satan run away.

To practice this faith, courage is the main thing.

You will be able to do great things by being courageous. Also, if you have sufficient knowledge, then only one word is sufficient to stop people from other faiths who may come to convert you. That word is that you ask them, “Who is your Imam?” And where is he? Show us the whereabouts of your Imam.” They will reply by saying, “Our Imam is alive, but he has gone into occultation.” Then, ask them again: “You say that your Imam has gone into occultation. Is it because he is afraid of people that people will kill him? For what reason has the Imam gone into occultation? Explain that to us.”

Imam does not ever go into occultation; so, what reason will they be able to explain? And what reply will they be able to give to your query? At once, they will become speechless.

(211) After that, you tell them, “Imam is the liberator of the people from this world. If he abandons you and runs away or hides into occultation, then how would he be able to redeem you?

You ought to seek your Imam.

The task of the Imam in this world is to remain present and from time to time give guidance for the welfare of his murids; lead them to the righteous path, and to uphold the Imamat efficiently.

Like Hazrat Nabi Muhammad, the Prophets who had arrived earlier in this world, also use to say that they possessed the Prophethood (Nabuwat) of the world. They used to claim publicly that they were the Prophets. They were not afraid of people (insaan). They demonstrated many miracles (mojeeza) publicly to the world. They were not afraid of humanity (insaan jaat) in any way. If they had not shown such miracles in public, then how would the world of that time have believed them as the Nabi and accepted them as the Nabi?

(212) On the fields of Karbala, a big battle was fought against Hazrat Imam Hussain. At that time, he had fought single-handedly against thousands of people. Despite enduring all oppressions and afflictions from the enemy, he use to say, “I am the Imam”. Even while facing such tribulations, he did not go into hiding. Carrying just one stick, he had advanced further and deeper into the enemy ranks. At that time, he did not conceal his Imamat. If the Imam of the Time were not present, everybody would become infidels!

The stick (throne) of Hazrat Imam Hussain is presently with me, and I, myself, am Imam Hussain.

(214) Do not just sit in one place. First take one step up, then climb the second, and then the third. In this way, advance step by step and become like Salmaan Faras. He had attained the status of Ahl-e-Bayat. If you become like him and follow the path, you too will be admitted to the Ahl-e-Bayat.

Many murids have become just like the Ahl-e-Bayat. Some murids become so courageous that they can reach a status that is even above the Ahl-e-Bayat, therefore, you should also be courageous.

The soul that you have within, what is it? And where has it come from? Why don’t you ponder upon such matters? You should always ponder, what this thing, your soul, is.? Why don’t you make it reach its origin (asal)? Why don’t you gather the courage to make it reach its place of origin?

You know that in this world, all the rivers eventually merge into the ocean. After it has merged into the ocean, no one calls it a river. Similarly, I am an ocean. The final destination of your soul is the ocean, i.e., in me. In the end, you will merge into the ocean.

But you are extremely lacking in courage (be-himmat), and as a result, your soul is unable to reach there quickly. Look, the rivers of this region of Kutch are unable to merge into the ocean. They dry up along the way. Similarly, just like the rivers of Kutch, the souls of the courageless (be-himmat) dry up along the way.

Your soul is like a river. Do not let it dry up on the way. The soul of a courageous person merges quickly into the ocean.

The Atak river merges into the massive Sindhu River, and near Karachi, the Sindhu River becomes one with the ocean; at that time, the intensity of its current calms down. The Sindhu River is very forceful, meaning it is very courageous. In the same way, those who are courageous, like the Sindhu River, finally merge into the ocean, meaning they come and merge into me.

But for those who are courageless, their souls, like the rivers of Kutch, will dry up on the way. Do not let your soul dry up along the way, but let it merge quickly into the ocean. You must think deeply about this matter.

Ya Ali Madad