Saturday, July 19, 2014

Reconstituted Quranic verses in Ismaili Prayers

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ ۚ وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَاهُ فِي إِمَامٍ مُّبِينٍ
Translation (as mentioned in Ismaili Dua):
O ye, who believe, obey Allah and obey the Apostle and holders of authority from amongst you, And We have vested (the knowledge and authority of) everything in the manifest Imam. 

The above is an example of that Ismailis recite in their daily Ismaili Prayer (Ismaili Salat). The above are two separate, incomplete verses of the Quran scotch-taped together to deliver an altered message. The text in blue comes partially from Surah an-Nisa Chapter 4:59, while the text in red comes partially from Surah al-Yasin Chapter 36: 12.

The actual two verses of the Quran from which the above is taken out are mentioned below. Here is the actual complete text of Surah an-Nisa Chapter 4:59:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ ۖ فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا
Translation: O ye who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and those charged with authority among you. If ye differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if ye do believe in Allah and the Last Day: That is best, and most suitable for final determination.

Below is the actual complete text of Surah al-Yasin, Chapter 36:12:
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْيِي الْمَوْتَىٰ وَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَدَّمُوا وَآثَارَهُمْ ۚ وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَاهُ فِيإِمَامٍ مُّبِينٍ  
Translation: Verily We shall give life to the dead, and We record that which they send before and that which they leave behind, and of all things have We taken account in a clear Book (of evidence).

Here is an excerpt from the book 'Understanding Ismailism' explaining the above:

Reading the entire text, it is quite simple and easy to see what was expunged and why.

The object was to hide that part of the Original Message that could open a door for Ismailis to step forward and question the decisions taken by "those who hold authority from among you" (Ulil amr minkum). The obedience to Aga Khan, the "Ulil amr minkum", would no longer remain unequivocal and unopposed.

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