Ismaili Dai Traits

:: Trait No. 19: The Dā'ī Must Be Kind, Merciful and Forgiving ::

Monday, Jun. 16, 2025

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

Ya Ali Madad and Ramadan Mubarak. This post consists of five parts

Enlightenment teachings from the Holy Qu'ran;
Excerpt(s) from 'A Code of Conduct—A Treatise of the Etiquette of the Fatimid Ismaili Mission';
A dhikr tasbi for each night;
Angelic salwat which is the anchor tasbi for the project; and
Ardent Global Prayers

Part 1: Enlightenment Teachings from the Holy Qu'ran

Part 2: An excerpt from 'A Code of Conduct—A Treatise of the Etiquette of the Fatimid Ismaili Mission'
In 'al-Risāla al-mūjaza al-kāfiya fī of Ahmad b.Ibrāhīm al-Naysbūrī has written the following gem:

"[§39] He must be kind to the believers, merciful and forgiving. As God has said: 'We have sent you not but as a mercy for the world',⁵³ and He said also: 'They that are merciful among them you will see them bowing and in prostration striving for the grace of God and His approval.'⁵⁴. The dâ'î tries to emulate God in His mercy towards those who serve Him and the messenger and the imams in their mercy, their compassion, and their solicitude for the community in spite of the community's rebellion and the vileness of their acts and behaviour. It is as God said: 'If God were to punish people according to what they have done, He would not leave on the surface a living being';⁵⁵ and as God said to His Prophet: 'Accept forgiveness; command the right; but turn away from those who are ignorant.'⁵⁶"

(Source: Klemm, V. and Walker, P. E., A Code of Conduct—A Treatise of the Etiquette of the Fatimid Ismaili Mission, p.51)

Footnotes

53. Qur'an, 21:108.
54. Qur'an, 48:29.
55. Qur'an, 35:45.
56. Qur'an, 7:199.

Part 3: Dhikr Tasbi
Let us perform the dhikr of 'Ya Ali Mowla Ali':

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Ya Ali, Mowla Ali
O Light of Eternal Ali, O Noor Mowlana Shah Rahim Al-Hussaini Hazar Imam

Recited by Noorallah Juma

Al-hamdu lillahi rabbil 'alamin.
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds!

Part 4. Angelic Salwat
Let us recite angelic salwats to invoke Divine grace and mercy.

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Allâhumâ salli alâ Muhammadin wa âle Muhammad:
O Allah! Bestow Peace on and through Muhammad and his Descendants

33 beads recited by Noorallah Juma

101 beads recited by Noorallah Juma

Al-hamdu lillahi rabbil 'alamin.
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds!

Part 5. Ardent Global Prayers

O Noor Mowlana Hazar Imam:
bless the global Jamat with spiritual and luminous tayid (help) to advance materially, spiritually and intellectually;
and create sunshine in our hearts and bless all of us with the inner vision of the Truth.

Haizinda — Qayampaya
(Our Present Imam is Living and His NOOR is Eternal)

Traits of an Ismaili Dai

Article by Dr. Noorallah Juma