Mawlana Hazar Imam gives guidance in many ways: through his Farmans, public speeches and interviews, Talikas, institutional development, and his actions. This article focuses on the Imam's teachings as a manifestation of his chhatra-chhaayaa, which has carried the Jamat through diverse cultural, political, and social landscapes across centuries and continents.
Balancing the Spiritual and Material: The Essence of Chhatra-chhaayaa
Early in his Imamat, Hazar Imam has often emphasized that the Rope of Imamat has guided Ismailis for centuries, providing direction to obtain worldly and spiritual satisfaction.
In the Ismaili Tariqah, the Imam's Noor is also understood as divinely inspired knowledge, or ilm, guiding the Jamat in search of spiritual enlightenment and happiness in worldly affairs. Like the adjustable shade of a ‘chhatra,’ the Imam’s guidance adapts to the needs of each era while remaining firmly rooted in essential principles of Islam. In his role as the present and living, or hazar wa mawjood, Imam, his commitment reflects guidance that is timeless in wisdom and timely in application. This understanding is expressed in the Ismaili Constitution as follows:
“...the Imam of the Time is concerned with spiritual advancement as well as improvement of the quality of life of his murids. The Imam's Ta'lim lights the murids' path to spiritual enlightenment and vision. In temporal matters, the Imam guides the murids, and motivates them to develop their potential.”
In the current era of rapid technological advancement and shifting social norms, the Imam’s teachings serve as a compass and roadmap, helping us to navigate change while maintaining the values of our faith.
Living Under the Chhatra-chhaayaa: Faith, Conviction, and Action
In this way, the Imam’s chhatra-chhaayaa fosters the personal relationship between the Imam and his murid which has been beautifully captured in devotional poetry in praise of the Imam throughout the ages. The Alamut Ismaili poet and da‘i, Hasan-i Mahmud-i Katib describes this relationship as all-encompassing:
"Sufficient it is for me - in both worlds, the blessings of the Imam, and the invocation on my tongue is always his magnificent name.
Sufficient it is for me - holding fast to the rope of his command and obedience, since heaven and earth cannot endure in isolation of him."
Basking beneath Hazar Imam’s chhatra-chhaayaa, his continuous guidance protects Ismailis from the excessive heat of materialism, allowing the nourishing light of progress to shine through. The unwavering conviction in, and application of, the Imam's teachings empowers Ismailis to face contemporary challenges head-on, enabling them to lead lives of purpose and meaning that align with the fundamental principles of our faith. Above all, the Imam’s assurance that “He is always with us” takes on a deeper significance and new meaning when Ismailis contemplate it through the lens of chhatra-chhaayaa.
1. The Ismaili Imams: A Biographical History by Farhad Daftary.
2. The Ismaili Constitution, Preamble F.
3. Hasan-Mahmud-i Katib, Diwan-i qa'imlyyat, ed. S. J. Badakhchani (Tehran, 2008), no. 26; this selection tr. S. J.Badakhcharni and Daryoush Mohammad Poor. The Imam of the time was 26th Imam 'Ala al-Din Muhammad III (d.53/1255).
