Firman
What is the meaning of firman? It means an order. Every word that comes out of the mouth of the Imam of the time is a firman for the murid (the follower).
The Shia Imami Ismaili faith is based on this one word “FIRMAN”. The first firman was given out before the creation. Only Allah existed at that time. Allah wanted to create the world and everything that we can see and feel around us.
As we understand Allah is Noor (or Light) as described in different languages. With His own firman He separated His own Noor which according to our belief was or is the Noor of Prophet Mohamed. Through the Noor of Prophet Mohamed all physical creation came into existence. This Noor travelled through 124,000 prophets. (In our old Dua there is a mention of this – “Ek Lakh chovis hazaar” means 124,000). Every prophet came into existence by the firman of the Patra or the Imam or the previous prophet. Every known prophet that we usually talk about like Adam, Noah, Ibrahim, Moses, Jesus and the last Prophet revealed as per the Quran was Prophet Mohamed.
Allah also separated his Noor and sent Imams to be with the prophets. There were 77 Imams prior to the revelation of Imam Hazrat Ali. Before Hazrat Ali, Imams were in the background and Prophets were in the foreground. In Gujerati language these 77 Imams were known as Patra. There is a mention of this in a ginan in which the pir says “sutoter Patra ane chalis Imam”. (This means 77 Patra and 40 Imams). This ginan was composed during the time of the 40th Imam of the time.
Moving forward as to how Isamilism is essentially based on the word “FIRMAN”. With the Firman of Allah the Noor of Imam and Prophets came into existence. Imam is the male representation and the Prophet is the Female representation of Allah. Since female gives birth, the Prophet gave birth to the creation. According to our belief the Imam is the Spiritual Father and Prophet (or Pir) is the Spiritual Mother of the followers. Hence when our Imam sends us the firman He sends us blessings as Paternal and Maternal. This is because Hazar Imam holds the office of both Imam and the Prophet or Pir.
Let us look at the religious ceremonies and start with saying Dua. First Mukhi Saheb gives the firman to the person to recite the Dua by saying Bismillah. The person reciting the dua is now asking the permission of the Mukhi by saying Mukhi Saheb jo Amr. Then Mukhi Saheb says Amr Hazar Imam jo. This means on behalf of the Imam of the time Mukhi has been appointed to conduct Dua Ceremony. Everything that has happened here is by the Firman. Amr means Firman in this case.
Lets look at Ghatpaat ceremony. During the Dua in the 5th part the person who is reciting the Dua creates Niaz by saying Firman each and every time he puts the holy water in the bowl and the niaz piyali he is saying Firman and the Jamat replies by saying Ya Ali, Ya Mohamed. This way Niaz is created by the Firman of the Imam and the Pir. This water is totally purified and filled with the Noor of Allah. (Prophet Mohamed was the last Prophet and the First Pir of Believers).
Next let us look at the Chanta ceremony. The person who gives chanta says Firman and the person who is receiving chanta says Ya Ali, Ya Mohamed. This way your sins are forgiven with the Firmans of the Imam and the Pir.
There is a ginan which says the following:
Paak Paani Firmane Hua,
Sarovar Nadiya jaani,
Be Firmane Paak na hove,
Jo dhove so Paani.
This means the water becomes purified by the Firman (order) and without the Firman water does not become pure. This again happens with Firman of the Imam and the Pir. Nothing else purifies water to this level.
HENCE ISMAILISM IS BASED ON ONE WORD “FIRMAN”.
READ, LISTEN AND ACT UPON THE FIRMANS OF THE IMAM AND YOU WILL BE HAPPY IN THIS WORLD AND NEXT WORLD.
Amirji
The Shia Imami Ismaili faith is based on this one word “FIRMAN”. The first firman was given out before the creation. Only Allah existed at that time. Allah wanted to create the world and everything that we can see and feel around us.
As we understand Allah is Noor (or Light) as described in different languages. With His own firman He separated His own Noor which according to our belief was or is the Noor of Prophet Mohamed. Through the Noor of Prophet Mohamed all physical creation came into existence. This Noor travelled through 124,000 prophets. (In our old Dua there is a mention of this – “Ek Lakh chovis hazaar” means 124,000). Every prophet came into existence by the firman of the Patra or the Imam or the previous prophet. Every known prophet that we usually talk about like Adam, Noah, Ibrahim, Moses, Jesus and the last Prophet revealed as per the Quran was Prophet Mohamed.
Allah also separated his Noor and sent Imams to be with the prophets. There were 77 Imams prior to the revelation of Imam Hazrat Ali. Before Hazrat Ali, Imams were in the background and Prophets were in the foreground. In Gujerati language these 77 Imams were known as Patra. There is a mention of this in a ginan in which the pir says “sutoter Patra ane chalis Imam”. (This means 77 Patra and 40 Imams). This ginan was composed during the time of the 40th Imam of the time.
Moving forward as to how Isamilism is essentially based on the word “FIRMAN”. With the Firman of Allah the Noor of Imam and Prophets came into existence. Imam is the male representation and the Prophet is the Female representation of Allah. Since female gives birth, the Prophet gave birth to the creation. According to our belief the Imam is the Spiritual Father and Prophet (or Pir) is the Spiritual Mother of the followers. Hence when our Imam sends us the firman He sends us blessings as Paternal and Maternal. This is because Hazar Imam holds the office of both Imam and the Prophet or Pir.
Let us look at the religious ceremonies and start with saying Dua. First Mukhi Saheb gives the firman to the person to recite the Dua by saying Bismillah. The person reciting the dua is now asking the permission of the Mukhi by saying Mukhi Saheb jo Amr. Then Mukhi Saheb says Amr Hazar Imam jo. This means on behalf of the Imam of the time Mukhi has been appointed to conduct Dua Ceremony. Everything that has happened here is by the Firman. Amr means Firman in this case.
Lets look at Ghatpaat ceremony. During the Dua in the 5th part the person who is reciting the Dua creates Niaz by saying Firman each and every time he puts the holy water in the bowl and the niaz piyali he is saying Firman and the Jamat replies by saying Ya Ali, Ya Mohamed. This way Niaz is created by the Firman of the Imam and the Pir. This water is totally purified and filled with the Noor of Allah. (Prophet Mohamed was the last Prophet and the First Pir of Believers).
Next let us look at the Chanta ceremony. The person who gives chanta says Firman and the person who is receiving chanta says Ya Ali, Ya Mohamed. This way your sins are forgiven with the Firmans of the Imam and the Pir.
There is a ginan which says the following:
Paak Paani Firmane Hua,
Sarovar Nadiya jaani,
Be Firmane Paak na hove,
Jo dhove so Paani.
This means the water becomes purified by the Firman (order) and without the Firman water does not become pure. This again happens with Firman of the Imam and the Pir. Nothing else purifies water to this level.
HENCE ISMAILISM IS BASED ON ONE WORD “FIRMAN”.
READ, LISTEN AND ACT UPON THE FIRMANS OF THE IMAM AND YOU WILL BE HAPPY IN THIS WORLD AND NEXT WORLD.
Amirji