Very Interesting Q & A with Prince Karim Aga Khan IV

Seriously, skin color doesnt hve anything to do iwth it... nowhere in islam does it say dont marry white women, or dont marry models..

thats the fault of the individual ismailis... you cant accuse the group based on the actions of a few... similarly how no muslim should feel like he has to answer for the actions for any terrorist. as long as what we believe doesnt teach that, then what other people interpret is not our problem

 

the first one was a joke in bad taste, and for that i apologize. you made some good points though, that is very true.

here is what it says on the ismaili.net website:
REGISTRATION: Access to all sections are free. You can login and access all the sections of the Heritage Web Site except the Prayers and Religious Education section which are free but restricted. For these special sections, email us for the password.

i wouldnt have an issue with any of this stuff if they'd just call themselves agakhanis or ismailis.. why do they keep running around calling themselves muslims when they're clearly just a cult? if its not a cult .. then please .. let me know where i can get the info on your religious practices from an original source?

 

I have known ismailis for a long time and this is what one of them have told me:

1. Aga Khan shows sign of god
2. Quran is outdated and we do not need to follow it
3. There is no hell. Hell fire is a scare tactic because Arabs would understand the pain of heat in the desert more than anything.
4. When Aga Khan drinks alcohol, it turns in to milk when it touches his lips

I am not one to judge who is muslim and who is not so I am not going to do that. But just thought I would share this information.

 

I mean absolutely no offense to you, but the guy who told you that must be pretty stupid.

As for the rest of the haterz in here, I don't really care what you guys think about my religion. Call it a cult or whatever else that makes you happy.

If degrading and making fun of somebody else's religion makes you feel better about your own, by all means go ahead.

All you Sunni guys are better Muslims then me. Happy? I just ask that you guys pass me one of the 79 virgins from heaven while my Ismaili ass rots in hell.

 

you get all defensive...

i asked you simple questions and you resort to mocking sunni's... we arent delibrately trying to degrade your religion, just understand the reason why you guys consider yourself muslims.

can you answer the questions i posted a few posts ago?

 

I consider myself Muslim, because according to my definition of Islam I am a Muslim.

I don't care or wish to answer any of your questions.

 

wasn't a convert, i've heard he was excommunicated.

I for one am not a great source of info about ismailism, but if you have any questions im sure the guys at http://www.ismaili.net/html/modules...orum&f=2&sid=dc75abc729c7d32f657ad4f225c8c3a2 will have more insight and will provide a better understanding of our faith.

 

throw me one too, a blonde preferably.

 

This whole discussion makes me worship DaDakota. I think when he drinks milk, his lips change it into Jim Beam or something.

 

or are you not allowed to under your faith?

 

and either way, even if he was excommunicated, he still was one an ismaili and now isnt...

see thats the thing, on that site when someone asks a question they are like, there are somethings that we can not discuss with non ismailis, and they even attacked ismailis for questioning stuff like why doesnt aga khan pray, and stuff.

 

seriously, how old are you?

 

Let me just define one underlying fact that differentiates Ismailis and Non-Ismailis. Our beliefs tend to be more esoteric than exoteric. Some Muslims beleive things in a more exoteric term. That's why you have a spectrum of ideologies (ranging from Sufis who don't take things word for word to organizations that support terrorism who take things very literally). But I wholeheartedly consider myself a Muslim. Shia Imami Nizari Ismaili Muslim

I am no expert but some points...

Non-ismailis see things such as the photos of our Imam and assume that we are praying to it when in reality, it is there for a reminder. Reminder that we as human beings have a spiritual obligation in addition to our worldy responsibilities. But we definately are not praying towards pictures.

Ismailis do fast during Ramadan. Yes, I'll admit that a lot of ismailis in the U.S. don't fast but there are some who do. There is no free pass from it. But taking it esoterically, one should fast everyday in their life. Fasting doesn't just apply to 'not eating'. It applies to everyday situations and habbits. One should refrain from these bad habbits and should not indulge. In the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast (don't eat) because that is something that REALLY hits our mentality. Hunger is very basic and it can't be avoided. Hence it annually reminds you to remain steadfast in your daily life.

Anyone is allowed to go inside Jamatkhana at any times except during prayer time. The reason I beleive that non-ismailis are not allowed during prayer is because this very thread. A lot of non-ismailis would instantly assume certain things to be "blasphemous" without properly understanding it. Hence many (sometimes dangerous) assumptions are made. We say Dua (namaz) which consists of surahs from the Quran just as any Muslim does. Also Historically, Ismailis have been severely persecuted for their beleifs and this so called 'secrecy' was done to avoid persecution.

Ginans are not prayer. They are hymns (for lack of a better word). Hence they can be in any language. Pirs (missionaries) used Ginans to teach our beleifs to non-arabic speaking people such as in Indian sub-continent. A lot of Ginans are written in Gujrati.

About Hajj, I will try to get more info and research before I say anything. But we certainly are not forbidden to do Hajj.

I beleive all Jamatkhanas face towards Mecca. Also, I try to face east when I pray at home.

Instead of Namaz, we say Dua. We say Dua 3 times a day but is comprised of any many Surahs as saying Namaz 5 times a day. There is a difference in number of times but the quantity and quality doesn't differ. Yes, praying 5 times a day is Hadith but I don't think it is in the Quran.

No, Ismailis have not added any lines to the Shahada. When asked to say the Shahada, I say the same thing any Muslim would.

About the Aga Khan not leading prayers....http://ismaili.net/amyn/amyncont.html
See the 5th photo with description.

Just my 2 cents...


TigerMission, you rock! Repect to ya as always.
Adeel, you don't seem curious as much as you seem hostile. It seems you are more willing to prove that Ismailis are not Muslims rather than trying to understand why we are.
Baqui99, wtf is wrong with you man. Grow up.

 

Excellent post.

I asked a friend of mine why fasting is not mandatory in Ramadan, and he told me that they had other days when they are supposed to fast. What days are these?

My other question is why do Ismalis greet each other by saying "Ya Ali Madat"? Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think I have ever heard my Islmaili friends say the traditional "As-Salam-U-Alaikum".

 

Thank you

Ismailis also fast on days when the new moon falls on a Friday. There is no special reason for this day but I believe that in addition to fasting the month of Ramadan, it provides 2 or 3 extra days of "reminder" during the year. I am not completely sure.

Ya Ali Madad is a greeting that Ismailis use in addition to As Salam U Alaikum. I also say Kudha Hafiz (sp?). It is just another greeting which is more popular due to Imam Ali holding more significance in Ismaili beliefs.

 

But to me, it borders on Shirk. Technically you are asking Ali for help. And while I believe he was a great a person, he was just mortal and really can't help much right now.

 

i'm surprised how combative people are about whether or not Ismailis are considered "Muslim." I know very little about Islam in general and even less about Ismailis but I will say that it seems unecessary for those who have posted here to hurl so many insults around when in many cases, you haven't bothered to check whether the claims you are citing are accurate.

I'm glad there are some ismailis on this board because I've never had a chance to interact with any or figure out the inner workings of their religion and its relation to "mainstream Islam."

Also, one last thing to note, having one or two anecdotes about Ismailis doesn't qualify as evidence or anything beyond mere assertions. Don't be so quick to judge. I believe thats probably part of the reason why many religions today are so secretive to begiin with.

 

LOL! Its okay for people to mock my religion, but I say one little thing and now look who is getting defensive.

Excellent post Qazi.

Can't believe there are so many Ismailis on here. Ya Ali Madad to all you sinful homies!

 

Excellent point. How can anybody judge 30 MILLION people based on one or two anecdotes is beyond me.

 

Excellent post, Qazi, really appreciate your input, brother.

Don't be a stranger to the D&D.