Ismaili Dai Traits

:: Trait No. 15: Governance of the Household ::

Friday, Mar. 14, 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:

"[§29] Governance of the household is the governing by a man of his own family and retainers, controlling them, teaching and educating them, instilling virtue in them and preventing vice, rewarding those who are good, punishing those who are bad. As God says: 'O you who believe, guard yourselves and your family from the fire,;³⁴ and the Prophet has said: 'A man continues to have the people of his house inherit knowledge and proper comportment until he has entered them all into paradise, losing of them neither the young or the old, the servant or the protégé'. It is as God says: 'Command your family to pray and persevere with them';³⁵ and He said: 'And he used to command his family to pray and pay the alms tax and he was approved in the sight of his Lord.'³⁶ He who succeeds in governing himself and his family is fit to have charge of governing the rest of the people in matters of faith, and he who cannot govern himself and his family is not fit to be a dâ'î."

(Source: Klemm, V. and Walker, P. E., A Code of Conduct—A Treatise of the Etiquette of the Fatimid Ismaili Mission, p.46)

Footnotes

34. Qur'an, 66:6.
35. Qur'an, 20:132.
36. Qur'an, 7:26.

Part 3: Dhikr Tasbi
At present, all human beings are going through a difficult time and are seeking solutions. After studying the list of 99 Divine names, I found the following four which can give solace to our souls and guidance to our intellects to understand the firmans of our Holy Imams:

Ya-Haakim from the name Al-Haakim (The Wise): He who has wisdom in all orders and actions.
Ya-Wakil from the name Al-Wakil (The Trustee): He who provides a solution for every problem in the best manner.
Ya-Fattah from the name Al-Fattah (The Decider): He who opens the solution to all problems and eliminates obstacles.
Ya-Salaam from the name As-Salaam (The Source of Peace): He who frees His Servants from all danger and obstruction.

For today's session, let us seek wisdom, solution to problems, success and peace through this prayer:

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

Ya Haakim, Ya Wakil, Ya Fattah, Ya Salaam
O Wise, O Trustee, O Decider, O the Source of Peace

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