Fundamentals of Ismailism according to
So Kiria of Pir Sadruddin: an Ismaili Manual of Practice
by Jim Davis
I. Introduction:
Ismailism is the name given to the theology, philosophy, and practice of
the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims (more commonly known as Ismailis) who
live mainly in South Asia (Pakistan & India) and through the South
Asian dispora.1 This group is a sub-sect of Shia Islam and shares with
other Shia a common heritage within early Islam (as supporters of
Imam Ali). They share with Shia sects a belief in the Imamate
(institution of spiritual leadership). This is the belief that an Imam of
the Time must always exist in this world2 and that this Imam is Allah’s
only representative.
The Imam of the Time is a descendent of Ali and has the sole
authority to interpret the Koran for the time and place. Ismailis hold
that revelation is ongoing and is expressed through the teaching of the
Imam of the Time. As an Ismaili friend said, “Allah did not stop talking
to humankind 1400 years ago; he never has stopped guiding us.” They
see the Imam as a reflection of the Real who is as close as we can get
to Allah in this world. Allah’s Light is called the Noor and is eternal. It
is the Noor which shines guidance into our world. This Noor is
manifested in the Imam. This Noor is Ali. And all Imams since Ali
possess the same Noor. The Imam Aga Khan III taught that the Noor
changes bodies as a person changes clothes, but it is the same Noor in
all Imam’s.
Of course, this doctrine of the Imamate doesn’t sit very well with
Orthodox Sunni Muslims who consider the idea of Noor shirk. Shirk is
giving Allah a partner or associating a created thing with Allah. This is
considered a major sin in Islam. Any concept of manifestation or
incarnation of the Noor as Imam is seen as shirk.3 Sunni lawmakers
have decreed death to those who commit shirk who do not immediately
repent once their “error” has been pointed out to them. It is for this
reason that the Ismailis were a hidden community amongst Sunni and
sometimes Twelver Shia Islam. They were allowed by the Imams to
practice tayyiya or concealment of one’s true beliefs to escape
oppression. Ismailis often practiced whatever way was practiced by
non-Ismailis in their towns and villages. But they would also meet in
secret to practice their way and would write their religious texts in a
secret alphabet to hide their beliefs from outsiders. One should keep
in mind, however, that over the past hundred years the Ismaili
community has come out of its concealment and openly declaring
themselves as Ismailis. While it is true that only Ismailis are allowed
to go to the Jamatkhanas (the house of the Imam), their ideas are
becoming more and more known. And unlike other Shia sect, the
Ismailis have a living Imam of the Time descended from Imam Ali. The
current Imam of the Time is Imam Karim Aga Khan IV and he lives
near Paris, France.
The religious texts of the Khoja Ismailis are called ginans. Ginan is
derived from the Sanskrit word for wisdom, jnana. These are songs of
wisdom and are sung in the jamatkhanas daily. Over the past century
these ginans have been translated into English and have become
increasingly available for scholars and other spiritual minded
fellow-travelers. Many of these are available on the World Wide Web
(Internet) both in audio and in text versions.
The ginans contain the teachings of Ismaili Pirs (authorized teachers)
who were sent by the Imam of the Time (who all resided in Iran from
the 11th century till 1841 when Imam Aga Khan I moved the Imamate
to Bombay, British India) to convert the Hindus of northern India.
These Pirs were highly successful in converting many of the lower
caste Hindu’s to Ismailism and these converts were given the name
Khojas (masters).
On of the reasons for their success was that they studied and took
seriously the beliefs of the Hindu people. They adapted Hindu myths
and beliefs to transmit Ismailism and Islamic thought. For example:
the Koran was called the Artha Veda. The Prophet and his family
become avatars of Hindu gods and goddesses.** Ali was presented as the 10th avatar of Vishnu and all Imams were seen as avatars of
Ali/Vishnu. Recognition of the Imam of the Time was seen as the way
out of the cycle of rebirth and death (samsara). Even the Buddha was
seen as an avatar of Imam Ali.**
The ginans were composed over a period between the 14th century till
the end of the 19th century. One Sunni critic of Ismailism made the
claim that all the Hindu elements in the ginans were placed there by
the Aga Khans during the 19th century. Yet groups which broke off
from the Khoja Ismailis during the 17th century preserve their own
collections of ginans which have many of the same ginans (and contain
the same Hindu mythological ideas). Therefore, the Hindu based
mythology could not have been written into the ginans during the
Imamate of the Aga Khans.
Pir Sadruddin, who lived during the 14th century, was a great singer of
ginans and many of the great ginans are attributed to him. So Kiria is
one of the ginans he sang which outlined Khoja Ismaili beliefs and
practices. Above all it was a code of conduct for Ismaili’s in their
everyday life. While in many aspects dated, with many of its
injunctions replaced by later farmans4 of the Imams5, it remains a
good summary of basic Ismailism.
II. To see the Imam of the Time within:
Knowledge of the Imam of the Time is open to all;
no one can be exluded from the Light (Noor). (75)
The one who follows the way,
devoting oneself to its practice,
sees the Imam in his true form. (76)
The Imam of the Time can be seen by all, but not everyone sees the
Imam’s true nature (as Noor). Many Khojas Ismailis made long and
dangerous trips to Iran to see the Imam and present their tithes. This
is the Ismaili version of the hajj (Ismaili’s do not have to hajj to
Mecca). On one level (exoteric) this is the meaning implied in these two
verses. But an esoteric journey is also implied in the phrase “sees the
Imam in His true form.” This journey is a journey of faith and ends in
the Qiyamat6. It is a hajj to the imam of one’s own being (inner light),
i.e., the imam inside of us all. Through the Imam of the Time’s Light,
our own light is sparked and union with the Real (Allah) attained in this
life. This is the meaning of Qiyamat: the final resurrection of one’s
being into the eternal being of Allah as the moment of Qiyamat is a
moment of gnostic awakening.
III. On the Necessity of Accepting the Imam s Teachings:
By gnosis He is manifest,
the momin remains at his side.
So Accept and practice
the farmans of the Imam of the Time. (7-8)
"He is manifest…"refers to the Noor of Allah which manifests as the
IMam of the Time. Once one awakens to the truth of his being, sees
through the maya (illusionary appearances) that veils the Imam from
his opponents, then the person of gnosis “remains at his side.” This
person is called a momin.
The True Guide is the Pir sent by the Imam of the Time. Pirs (also
known as Dais) were the missionary teachers who spread the teachings
of Ismailism throughout the known world. They presented the
teachings in a form easily understood by the people they were trying
to reach. To the Hindus of Northern India they sang ginans and
converted many to the Ismaili way.
IV. On the Need to Pray and Chant the Names of Allah:
Be regular in one’s practice,
and chant the names of God in prayer.
Never miss the set time for prayers. (58-9)
This referes to two practices: the daily reciting of dua [formal prayer]
at times set by the Imam of the Time and chanting Allah s name in
meditation (tasbih).
Ismaili recite a dua three times7 at day in their jamatkhanas. These
three duas are: subhu-ji dua (early morning prayer), sanji-ji dua
(evening prayer) and somni-ji dua (late evening prayer). If unable to
attend Ismailis are still expected to perform dua. This dua consists of
verses from the Koran, a list of Imams, and pledges to support the
current Imam of the Time.
The Imam of the Time has established certain prayer times based
upon the Koran. Establishing prayer times is the responsiblity of the
Imam who may change the timing of the prayers as well as their
format. Thus prayers may be different from place to place.
The momin is to keep these prayer times and is to do dua as a jamat
(community of believers) together. Since there is no public call to
prayer it is the responsibility of the momin to be mindful of the time.
To be mindul of the time is to think about the divine reality all during
the day. Dua is recited in the jamatkhanas. However, if for some
reason a momin is unable to go to a jamatkhana, then it is permissable
for the momin to perform the dua anywhere. And Ismailis do not have
to face Mecca (Allah is everywhere) or perform wadu,8 which
apparently never was practiced by Khoja Ismailis.
Ismaili s are given tasbih9 to chant by the Imam or his representative
to practice with daily. They chant the tasbih 33 or more times, keeping
count on a string of beads (also called a tasbih). Many get up early in
the morning or stay up late at night to chant for hours. It is a powerful
practice which leads to a personal awareness of unity with the Real. It
is a common practice amongs Sufi s and during the last period of
concealment, Iranian Ismailis appeared to be a Sufi order.10 Ismailism
being an esoteric [batin] sect shares many similarities with Sufism in
its esoteric aspects.11