The ‘Ilm of Aale Mohammed

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

يَرۡفَعِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنكُمۡ وَٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمَ دَرَجَـٰتٍ۬‌ۚ

'Allah Ta’ala raises in ranks and darajaat [in heaven] those who have imaan and those who have been given ‘ilm and knowledge.'

(Surat al-Mujadala: 11)

This article was written by Ra'sul Hududil Mayameen Janab Syedi Aziz Bhaisaheb Qutbuddin in 2014.

The Qur’an – the eternal book of guidance – is the source of all knowledge. According to our belief, the Imams are the ‘speaking’ Qur’ans who reveal to believers the true meaning of the Qur’an. The Qur’an was revealed to Rasulullah SA, and no one other than him could claim to transmit it. Similarly, the true meaning of the Qur’an is only that which is explicated by Maulana Ali SA and the Imams. The Qur’an remains a live and relevant text that guides us in every day and age because of its deep meanings. In the Imam’s seclusion the Dai is the source of this divine ‘Ilm. It is this ‘ilm that is the source of nourishment for our souls just as water nourishes our bodies. Our bodies cannot survive without pure water, our souls cannot survive with pure ‘ilm ‘ilm. Pure is that which is from a pure source: the Imam and his Da’i. Syedna Taher Saifuddin RA and Syedna Burhanuddin’s RA pure is ‘ilm today in the heart and soul of Qutbuddin Mola TUS. Imam AS has said that the prayer of an ‘aalim is a thousand times more rewarding than the prayer of one who does not know. Our religion is based on reason and it is the knowledge of the meaning of our actions that opens the door to these reasons. This fundamental emphasis on knowledge and reason makes us unique. Sabaq is a term that denotes a teacher ( mufeed) educating a student (mustafeed) in the principles, knowledge, and values of aale Mohammed.

Sabaq is based on kitaabs that have been composed by our hudaat over centuries and is conducted by the raza of Daiz zamaan Syedna Khuzaima Qutbuddin. Sabaq begins with the zahir level which includes jurisprudence (fiqeh), history and hikmat. The next level is taweel, which requires a basic foundation in zahir. Ta’weel includes the deeper and intellectual meaning of the pracƟces of Shari’at, the verses of the Qur’an and the stories of Anbiya’. The final level is haqiqat. Our system of knowledge is such that for higher levels (taweel and haqiqat) an understanding of the basics is necessary: just as one cannot understand calculus without learning basic arithmetic. One must be prepared to put in the time and effort to learn the basics first–especially now that there is such an accessible opportunity to learn and rise in the levels of knowledge and gain a deeper understanding.

With raza Mubarak of Syedna Qutbuddin sabaq are regularly conducted at Darus Sakina for all levels. For those who are not in Mumbai or cannot physically attend sabaq at one of the centres, Syedna Qutbuddin has graciously granted raza for sabaq to be conducted via electronic media. By Raza of Qutbuddin Mola, Shz Taher Bhaisaheb will be starting 2 online sabaq groups starting this Thursday. Taher bhaisaheb has attained the ‘ilm of Aale Muhammad from Syedna Burhanuddin and Syedna Qutbuddin for many years. He has also given the shafahi imtehaan (oral exams) at the Jamea Saifiyyah in Syedna Burhanuddin’s presence. Taher bhaisaheb completed his BA in Arabic Studies at Mumbai University where he scored the highest marks in the University and was given a medal of recognition. He also did his MA in Arabic Literature at the University of London. Shz Taher bhaisaheb has a vast experience in business and finance for over 15 years. There will be two groups so that people in different time zones can participate. Group A will be from California time 7.00AM – 8.00AM PST USA (Thursday evening 7.30PM -8.30PM Indian Standard Time) and Group B from 6:00PM – 7.00PM PST (Friday morning 6.30AM – 7.30AM Indian Standard time. The Sabaq will be about Philosophy of Dawat, History of Dawat, and Nasihat and there will be lots of opportunities for asking questions. Sabaq will be conducted by way of the Internet through webinar software, by which participants will be able to see and hear Taher bhaisaheb and ask questions. Those who register will be sent an invite and detailed instructions to join the Sabaq. It is also possible to join sabaq via phone. To register please send an email indicating which group you would like to join. To register please email and info@fatemidawat.com you will be contacted by the sabaq team.