The status of Hazir Imam

The status of Hazir Imam

Mawlana Hazir Imam Shah Karim al-Husayni

Question: In the spiritual and luminous sense we give paramount importance to the Imam of the age, how should we preset the philosophy of the physical holiness of the Imam when non-Ismailis, particularly Christians, question us?

Answer: You are quite right in posing this question for it sis the physical aspect of the Prophet and the Imam, which is the greatest problem for people. However, what is the common people understand according to their fancies is not true. The truth is attainable in the light of the instructions of God, the Prophet and the guiding Imams. So, according to there is a difference among souls. That is, among souls and bodies some are pure and some are impure. The first and foremost pure are those people whom God has purifies in order that they may purity others form all kinds of dirt and impurity. This mean that the prophet and the Imam are themselves pure, and therefore they teach their followers to purity themselves and they purity them in every respect. As it is mentioned in many verses of the Qur’an how the Prophet used to purity the people, such as verses (2:150 -151) in which God says: “His favour will be completed and it will continue in future so there should not be any lack of guidance”. Then He says: “this favour is the one that we appointed a messenger from among you, who recites unto you our ayat (signs) [from the physical and spiritual worlds] and thus he purifies you and teaches you the Book (al-kitab) and Wisdom (al-hikmat), and teaches you that which you knew not”.

In these verses in mentioned that action of the prophet and the Imam whereby they purity their followers. Since they purity their followers, this necessitates that they themselves be pure. When it is accepted that they are pure then it is automatically proven that all their physical necessities. Such as eating, drinking and marriage etc. are also pure. Thus the Prophet and the Imam re pure not only with respect to their spirit and light but also with respect to their body. It is because of this that they are locus of manifestation (mazhar) of Divine Light, and with whatever reverence and greatness you may consider him Is correct, for he is the rank for the Divine manifestation.

As for the Christians, if we study their dogma or if we ask them directly whether they accept the Prophets before Jesus or not, it is not possible for them to say that they do not accept the Prophets before Jesus. If they accept them it leads to the logical conclusion that as there was the continuity of divine guidance prior to him, similarly there must be the continuity of divine guidance after him. But it is not necessary that they should be darwishes like Jesus. For instance, ponder on this point that Jesus did not marry. If this attributes is necessary and obligatory, Christians should put this attribute into practice as a tradition. It is obvious that they cannot follow it, for this will result in the cessation of humankind. Nor do they as a whole want to be hermits and darwishes like. This leads to the conclusion that there is no doubt about Jesus’ being a true prophet, but it is not necessary that the birth, death and life of all Prophets and Imams be like that of Jesus.