Futuristic Spiritual Leader Sir Agha Khan

Today, Ismaili Shia Muslims celebrate “Imamat day” of their 49^th imam. This aricle stands a tributary to Ismaili community all over the world. Just not a simple tribute but also transpires my acknowledgement about universal services of great spiritual leader to develop the life standard of human beings by using available sources to his highness either spiritual or monetary.

God, the creator of this cosmos, finally revealed His eternal guidance to the humanity through Muhammad (PBUH), His last messenger (paigambar). Muhammad, the last prophet, announced Islam, the last divine religion as per directives of God. Communicated to the people of Mecca and insisted them to come into ambit of Islam.

Since, the Arabic society at that time was tribal. Mighty tribesmen were enjoying unchallengeable powers of their own without practicing laws and rules. Oppressed and weak people like womenfolk were, in fact, slaves of big tribes. There was no educational, social system in field but words of tribal chieftains were order of the day. People in Mecca particularly and entire Arab peninsula generally had forgotten the teachings of Deen-e-Ibrahimi as such the Arab society has sunk into darkness of apostasy.

Initially, the mighty tribes in Mecca felt Islam as a threat to their sovereignty and rejected the reformative message of Muhammad (PBUH) but lastly, beacon prevailed darkness went to vanish. Islam introduced justice system, social equality, emphasized on education. Womenfolk and oppressed people got their rights as revealed in Quran Pak. Muhammad (PBUH) succeeded in His mission to introduce and implement a reformed and advanced system with the guidance of Almighty God based on “Adal”.

Indeed, Islam is a religion of reforms and advancement for all times and ages but keeping intact the fundamentals revealed in Quran and Sunnah. Islam being a divine religion possesses ample substance to meet the needs of all ages up to the doomsday but unfortunately, some clergymen or misinterpreters kept Muslims roaming around the past.

Islam introduced reforms 14 centuries ago and changed the lifestyle of that society, mighty chieftains bowed before universal principles of Islam and ignorance turned into enlightenment but it cannot be denied that past remains not for all times. Human societies face present and future also in all ages. Reforms made in past might require some changes in present and more changes would be required for future which is a natural phenomenon of human life and Islam being a religion of nature does not prevent Muslims from such required reforms for present or future in the light of heaven guidance.

Contrary to above, some cleric versions prevented the Muslim societies to meet the needs of the day in the light of Quranic guidance as such the Muslims remained backward and other communities gripped advancement in education and scientific research.

Islam never remained empty of scholars in any century who understood the real spirit of Islam. Such scholars endeavored to bring the Muslims at par with the contemporary world emphasizing them to get latest education of the day with the help of which Muslim community could enter into a bright future without transgressing Islamic fundamentals. Unfortunately, in Muslim world either people concentrated the “past living” version of clergymen more than that of those scholars who guided for future, or the dictatorial rulers of Muslim states used the “past version” of mullas to keep their citizens ignorant and to rule them. Hence, Muslim community became theoretical of Quranic version but failed to apply golden principles of Quran in practice.

Islam has various sects and in every sect such true scholars are found and every such scholar endeavored to make his followers understand that Islam is a religion of progress and not against scientific studies rather the quranic verses connote need of research to control and overcome the bounties of nature for the benefit of human beings in their present and future as being best creature of God.

His highness Agha Khan leads shia islmaili Muslim sect at present as their Imam. I, like other people belonging to different sects of Islam, may have faith differences with ismaili sect as an ismaili faithful may have differences with other sects of Islam academically but no one can deny futuristic approach of Agha Khan. I have gone through some “farmaans” of Agha Khan whereby I understood that he prepares his followers for future, emphasizes on latest education, insists them to serve for humanity and always demands hard work. Apart from, he properly utilizes “maal-e-Imam” (which can be said also khoms or zakat) sent to him by his followers from all over the world. The Agha Khan has framed institutions like (a) Agha Khan Development Network (b) Agha Khan Health Services (c) Agha Khan Ruler Support Program etc. The Agha Khan himself serves humanity irrespective of cast, religion. The Agha Khan has provided best health services all over the world without any discrimination. In recognition of his services for humanity, he has been given status of state guest by various countries. Whenever he visits any country he is being dealt as state guest therein which proves his positive role for humanity as a spiritual authority.

                                                     Justice (r) Muzaffar Ali

                                                       Supreme Appellate Court GB

Email: muzaffaralibagoro266@gmail.com