Mawlana%20Hazar%20Imam's%20Key%20Messages%20on%20Faith%20and%20Ethics - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Mawlana%20Hazar%20Imam's%20Key%20Messages%20on%20Faith%20and%20Ethics

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'Much work has been done, in particular by the Institute of Ismaili ... Cosmopolitan ... across the world -- is a new 'cosmopolitan ethic'-- rooted in a strong culture ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Mawlana%20Hazar%20Imam's%20Key%20Messages%20on%20Faith%20and%20Ethics


1
Mawlana Hazar Imam's Key Messages onFaith and
Ethics
A presentation byKamaluddin Ali Muhammad
2
Future Practice of Tariqah-1
  • Much work has been done, in particular by the
    Institute of Ismaili Studies, to research our
    diverse traditions in literature, folklore and
    religious practices. My Jamats around the world
    have strong sentiments on these matters. Careful
    analysis has been made of the theological and
    historical authenticity of our pluralistic
    heritage.

3
Future Practice of Tariqah-2
  • The same careful enquiry is being applied to
    the wide body of Tafsir across the Ummah and
    across time, in order to achieve a thorough
    comprehension of the multiple schools of
    interpretation of the Holy Quran, including
    those of Fatimid times.

4
Future Practice of Tariqah-3
  • When these endeavours will have been completed
    to my satisfaction, I will make available to the
    Jamat worldwide my thoughts and reflections in
    regard to the future practice of the Shia Ismaili
    Tariqah of Islam.
  • (Golden Jubilee Irshad, Aiglemont, 11-07-2007)

5
Understanding of the Quran
  • There are thousands of interpretations
  • To seek correct understanding of the Quran under
    the guidance of Imam
  • Guidance on ongoing basis
  • Role of intellect
  • Happiness from the books of Talim curriculum.
  • (Dar-es-salaam, Tanzania, 17-08-2007)

6
Freedom of interpretation-1
  • "This programme is also an opportunity for
    achieving insights into how the discourse of the
    Quran-e-Sharif, rich in parable and allegory,
    metaphor and symbol, has been an inexhaustible
    well-spring of inspiration, lending itself to a
    wide spectrum of interpretations.

7
Freedom of interpretation-2
  • This freedom of interpretation is a generosity
    which the Qur'an confers upon all believers,
    uniting them in the conviction that All-Merciful
    Allah will forgive them if they err in their
    sincere attempts to understand His word.

8
Freedom of interpretation-3
  • Happily, as a result, the Holy Book continues
    to guide and illuminate the thought and conduct
    of Muslims belonging to different communities of
    interpretation and spiritual affiliation, from
    century to century, in diverse cultural
    environments.

9
Freedom of interpretation-4
  • The Noble Quran extends its principle of
    pluralism also to adherents of other faiths. It
    affirms that each has a direction and path to
    which they turn so that all should strive for
    good works, in the belief that, wheresoever they
    may be, Allah will bring them together.
  • (13-10-2003, London, UK)

10
Qur'an on freedom of interpretation
  • "For each We have appointed a divine law and a
    traced-out way. Had Allah willed He could have
    made you one community. But that He may try you
    by that which He has given you (He has made you
    as you are). So vie for one another in good
    works. Unto Allah you will all return, and He
    will then inform you of that wherein you differ".
    (548)

11
True Nature of Islam (London, October 19, 2003)
Yes
No
  • Fluid,
  • Progressive
  • Open-ended
  • Intellectually informed
  • Spiritually inspired
  • Hardened,
  • Monolithic
  • Absolutist
  • Obscurantist

12
Freedom of religion vs. freedom from religion-1
  • A deepening sense of spiritual commitment-and
    the ethical framework that goes with it-will be a
    central requirement if we are to find our way
    through the minefields and the quick sands of
    modern life. A strengthening of religious
    institutions should be a vital part of this
    process.

13
Freedom of religion vs. freedom from religion-2
  • To be sure, freedom of religion is a critical
    value in a pluralistic society. But if freedom of
    religion deteriorates into freedom from
    religion-then societies will find themselves lost
    in a bleak and unpromising landscape-with no
    compass, no roadmap and no sense of ultimate
    direction.
  • (Evora, Portugal,12-02-2006)

14
Sunless day of despair
  • The day we no longer know how, nor have the
    time nor the faith to bow in prayer to Allah
    because the human soul that He has told us is
    eternal is no longer of sufficient importance to
    us to be worthy of an hour of our daily working,
    profit seeking time, will be a sunless day of
    despair.
  • (Peshawar University, 30-11-1967)

15
Unity and diversity of human race-1
  • Our spiritual understandings, like those of
    your Academy, are rooted, of course, in ancient
    teachings. In the case of Islam, there are two
    touchstones which I have long treasured and
    sought to apply. The first affirms the unity of
    the human race, as expressed in the Holy Qu'ran
    where God... says the following

16
Unity and diversity of human race-2
  • O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your
    Lord, Who created you from a single soul and from
    it created its mate and from the twain hath
    spread abroad a multitude of men and women. (41)

17
Unity and diversity of human race-3
  • This remarkable verse speaks both of the
    inherent diversity of mankind - the multitude -
    and of the unity of mankind - the single soul
    created by a single Creator - a spiritual legacy
    which distinguishes the human race from all other
    forms of life.
  • (Tutzing, Germany 20 May 2006 )

18
Sayings of Hazrat Ali (a.s.)
  • No belief is like modesty and patience, no
    attainment is like humility, no honour is like
    knowledge, no power is like forbearance, and no
    support is more reliable than consultation.
    (Tutzing, Germany 20 May 2006)

19
Spiritual roots of tolerance
  • The spiritual roots of tolerance include, it
    seems to me, a respect for individual conscience
    - seen as a Gift of God - as well as a posture of
    religious humility before the Divine. It is by
    accepting our human limits that we can come to
    see The Other as a fellow seeker of truth -- and
    to find common ground in our common
    quest.(Tutzing, Germany 20 May 2006)

20
Spirituality not escaping from world
  • Let me emphasize again, however, that
    spirituality should not become a way of escaping
    from the world but rather a way of more actively
    engaging in it.
  • (Tutzing, Germany 20 May 2006)

21
Cosmopolitan Ethic
  • But societies which have grown more pluralistic
    in makeup, are not always growing more
    pluralistic in spirit. What is needed -- all
    across the world -- is a new cosmopolitan
    ethic-- rooted in a strong culture of
    tolerance.
  • (Tutzing, Germany 20 May 2006)

22
Arrogance vs. humility
  • "In the ethical realm-as in the educational
    realm-one of the great stumbling blocks is
    arrogance. Even the resurgence of religious
    feeling-which should be such a positive
    force--can become a negative influence when it
    turns into self-righteousness. All of the worlds
    great religions warn against this excess-yet in
    the name of those same religions too many are
    tempted to play God themselves-rather than
    recognizing their humility before the Divine.
  • (Evora, Portugal,12-02-2006)

23
Personal Humility
  • A central element in a truly religious outlook,
    it seems to me, is the quality of personal
    humility-a recognition that strive as we might,
    we will still fall short of our ideals, that
    climb as we might, there will still be unexplored
    and mysterious peaks above us. It means
    recognizing our own creature hood-and thus our
    human limitations. In that recognition, it seems
    to me, lies our best protection against false
    prophecies and divisive dogmatism.
  • (Evora, Portugal,12-02-2006)

24
Ethics in the society-1
  • Let me reflect for a moment on the matter of
    ethics - and the importance of ethical
    commitments not only in government but throughout
    society. Competent civil society is a major
    contributor to development particularly where
    democracies are less well established, or where
    governmental efforts are inadequate.

25
Ethics in the society-2
  • The absence of corruption or fraud in
    government is not enough. Fraud in medicine,
    fraud in education, fraud in financial services,
    fraud in property rights, fraud in the exercise
    of law enforcement or in the courts, are all
    risks which can have a dramatic impact on social
    progress.

26
Ethics in the society-3
  • This is especially true in rural environments,
    where fraud is often neither reported nor
    corrected, but simply accepted as an inevitable
    condition of life. This is why the serious and
    sustained ethical formation of students and
    teachers is an essential dimension of the
    Academies program.
  • (Dhaka, Bangladesh, 22-05-08)

27
For KamalZar Collections Please visit
www.kamalzar.com
28
THANKS
  • Special thanks to
  • Mr. Amir Ali Kasim Ali
  • (HRD, Itreb for Pakistan) for his help in
    preparing the presentation
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