Do You Know? Quiz, Questions & Answers

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1 Do You Know? Quiz, Questions & Answers One step at a time

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3 Do You Know? Quiz, Questions & Answers 1. What is the meaning of Hadi-i zaman? 2. What are the two (2) means of guidance for the people after Holy Prophet? 3. Who is the Hadi or Nur of the Time? 4. Why is Surah Ya-Sin called "Qalb-i Qur an"(heart of Qur an)? 5. Is Imam always present and living in this world? 6. What is the name of the heavenly Book of Islam? 7. In what language is the Holy Qur an? 8. What is the difference between "Holy Qur an" and "Hadith"? 9. What are those two Hadith in which Prophet has mentioned Hazrat Ali as the gate/door? 10. In which Hadith has Prophet mentioned the relation between Hazrat Ali & the Qur an? QA Book -Page 1

4 11. How many Paras (Parts), Surahs (Chapters) and Ayats (Verses) are there in the Holy Qur an? 12. Who does the miracle of Tanzil and who does the miracle of Ta wil? Also give the reference of the Hadith? If possible 13. What does Rasul" mean? 14. How many Prophets have come to this world? 15. Name some well-known heavenly Books with the names of the respective Prophets to whom they were revealed? 16. Who was the first Messenger to come to this world? 17. Who was the last Messenger to come to this world? 18. As an Ismaili what do we say to greet each other and what is the reply? 19. How do you greet other Muslim brothers and sisters and what is the reply? 20. What is a meaning of As-Salamu `Alaykum? 21. What is the name of our Religion and what is the name of our Tariqah? 22. What is the teaching of Ismailism which distinguishes us from the other Muslims? QA Book -Page 2

5 23. What is a person who does not believe in Allah called? 24. What does Tasmiyah mean? 25. What is the meaning of Panj-tan-i pak? 26. Who are the five (5) Holy Persons (panj-tan-i pak)? 27. Who from the Ashab-i Kibar (great companions of the Prophet Muhammad) became part of the Ahl al-bayt? 28. Who are known as Hasanayn? 29. What is the meaning of Firishtagan-i Muqarrab? 30. How many and who are the Muqarrab (Close) Angels? 31. What are the special functions of the four (4) Close (arched) Angels? 32. Name two (2) Angels (darjaat) who are greater than the Close Angels? 33. Is it true that Angels can also appear physically by the command of Allah? QA Book -Page 3

6 34. What does `Ibadat mean? 35. What does Ma`rifat mean? 36. What is the difference between Salik & `Arif? 37. How will you explain Fana Fi Allah? 38. What is Sirat al-mustaqim and what are the stages of it? 39. Who created Allah? 40. How do we believe in the creation, as a straight line or as a circle? 41. What does Tawhid means? 42. What is the word, which describes the concept of Tawhid for us? 43. Which Imam blessed us with the miraculous word MONOREALITY, which describes the concept of Tawhid for us? 44. Name the Book & Chapter of that Book in which Imam wrote about MONOREALITY? 45. Do we believe that Allah is everywhere, if yes give the reference from the Qur an? QA Book -Page 4

7 46. What is the difference between Monorealism and Monotheism? 47. What does Personal World mean? 48. What are `Alam-i Asghar & `Alam-i Akbar and what is the difference between them? 49. Why is a human being s rank above all creation? 50. What does Holy Qur'an says about Paradise? 51. What is Spiritual Science? 52. What is the Qur anic reference regarding Allah s promise about His signs in both worlds? 53. What is Farz and what is Nafal? 54. What is Hadith-i Nawafil or Hadith-i Taqarrub (Hadith of proximity)? 55. How many and what are the stages of Ita`at (obedience)? 56. In which ayat which we recite in the second part of our Du`a, are these three stages of `Ita`at referred to? Give the Qur anic reference too.(if possible) 57. What are the three (3) stages of Yaqin (certainty)? QA Book -Page 5

8 58. What are the three (3) levels of Fana (Annihilation)? 59. Name seven (7) Pillars of Islam? 60. Name six (6) major Prophets? 61. What is Hazir Imam s father s name? 62. Who gave the title Aga Khan to our Imams? 63. Name the Four (4) Aga Khans in the order I, II, III & IV? 64. What are our Ismaili Tariqah practices, Esoteric or Exoteric? 65. What are the Arabic words for Esoteric and Exoteric? 66. Which Surah is called Ummu l-kitab and esoterically whose title is it? 67. Name the Surah, which we read in our Du`a, which refers to the concept of Tawhid? 68. How many times is the word Imam mentioned in the Holy Qur an? 69. How many times is the word Nur mentioned in the Holy Qur an? QA Book -Page 6

9 70. How many times is the word Ruh (Soul) mentioned in the Holy Qur an? 71. How many ranks of the human soul are there in the Holy Qur an? 72. What three (3) things do human beings consist of? 73. If good food and regular exercise make our body healthier, what are the sources of health for our Soul and Intellect? 74. We believe that Allah has not created anything without any meaning in it or without any use for it, then why has Allah created tears if we are not allowed to shed them in our worldly matters? 75. Who wrote the Book Wajh-i Din? 76. Who wrote the following Books: Da`a imu l-islam and Asasu t-ta wil? 77. Who said that he is the dot under the BA in Bismillah and what is the Ta wil of it? 78. What is the name of special `Ibadat, which we do in the morning between 4.00 a.m. & 5.00 a.m.? 79. What is the meaning of Ism A`zam and what is its Ta wil? 80. What does AKDN stands for? QA Book -Page 7

10 Quiz, Questions & Answers 1. What is the meaning of Hadi-i zaman? Ans: Guide of the time. 2. What are the two (2) means of guidance for the people after the demise of the Holy Prophet? Ans: Holy Qur an and the true Imam of the time. Qur anic reference: "Indeed, there has come to you from Allah a Light and a manifest Book" (5:15) 3. Who is the Hadi or Nur of the Time? Ans: Nur Mawlana Shah Karim Al-Husayni Hazir Imam. 4. Why is Surah Ya-Sin called "Qalb-i Qur an"(heart of Qur an)? Ans: Because it contains the most important Ayat: "And we have encompassed everything in the Manifest Imam" (36:12). 5. Is Imam always present and living in this world? Ans: Yes, Imam is always present and living in this world. 6. What is the name of the heavenly Book of Islam? Ans: The "Holy Qur an". 7. In what language is the Holy Qur an? Ans: Arabic. 8. What is the difference between "Holy Qur an" and "Hadith"? Ans: The Holy Qur an is the Holy speech of Allah and the Hadith is the saying of Prophet Muhammad. 9. What are those two Hadiths in which Prophet has mentioned Hazrat Ali as the gate/door? Ans: 1. "I am the City of Knowledge and Ali is its gate". 2. "I am the House of Wisdom and Ali is its door". 10. In which Hadith has Prophet mentioned the relation between Hazrat Ali & the Qur an? Ans: "Ali is with the Qur an and the Qur an is with Ali". QA Book -Page 8

11 11. How many Paras, Surahs and Ayats are there in the Holy Qur an? Ans: There are 30 Paras, 114 Surahs and 6666 Ayats in the Holy Qur an. 12. Who does the miracle of Tanzil and who does the miracle of Ta wil? Also give the reference of the Hadith? Ans: Tanzil is the miracle of the Prophet and Ta wil is the miracle of the Imam. Hadith: I am the custodian of Tanzil and Ali is the custodian of Ta wil. 13. What does Rasul mean? Ans: Rasul means Messenger. 14. How many Prophets have come to this world? Ans: Hundred and twenty four thousand (124,000) Prophets have come to this world. 15. Name some well-known heavenly Books with the names of the respective Prophets to whom they were revealed? Ans: Suhuf of Hazrat Ibrahim (a.s.), Tawrat of Hazrat Musa (a.s.), Zabur of Hazrat Dawud (a.s.), Injil of Hazrat Isa (a.s.) and the Holy Qur an of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.a.s.). 16. Who was the first Messenger to come to this world? Ans: Hazrat Adam (a.s.). 17. Who was the last Messenger to come to this world? Ans: Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (s.a.a.s.) 18. As an Ismaili what do we say to greet each other and what is the reply? Ans: Ya Ali Madad, and the reply will be Mawla Ali Madad. 19. How do you greet other Muslim brothers and sisters and what is the reply? Ans: As-salamu `alaykum, and the reply will be Wa `alaykumu s-salam. 20. What is a meaning of As-Salamu `Alaykum? Ans: It means Peace be upon you. 21. What is the name of our Religion and what is the name of our Tariqah? Ans: Name of our Religion is Islam and the name of our Tariqah is Ismailism. 22. What is the teaching of Ismailism which distinguishes us from the other Muslims? Ans: As Ismailis we believe that the Imam (guide) is always present in the world to guide us according to the time. 23. What is a person who does not believe in Allah called? Ans: Infidel (kafir). 24. What does Tasmiyah mean? Ans: Tasmiyah means to say Bismi llahi r-rahmani r-rahim. QA Book -Page 9

12 25. What is the meaning of Panj-tan-i pak? Ans: It means five (5) Holy Persons. 26. Who are the five (5) Holy Persons (panj-tan-i pak)? Ans: Hazrat-i Muhammad Mustafa (s.a.a.s.), Hazrat-i Ali Murtaza (a.s.), Hazrat-i Fatimah-i Zahra (a.s.), Hazrat-i Hasan (a.s.) and Hazrat-i Husayn (a.s.). 27. Who from the Ashab-i Kibar (great companions of the Prophet Muhammad) became part of the Ahl al-bayt? Ans: Hazrat Salman Farsi. 28. Who are known as Hasanayn? Ans: Hazrat Imam Hasan and Hazrat Imam Husayn. 29. What is the meaning of Firishtagan-i Muqarrab? Ans: Close Angels. 30. How many and who are the Muqarrab (Close) Angels? Ans: There are four (4) Muqarrab (Close) Angels and they are: - 1. Hazrat Jibra il (a.s.) 2. Hazrat Mika il (a.s.) 3. Hazrat Israfil (a.s.) 4. Hazrat `Izra il (a.s.). 31. What are the special functions of the four (4) Close Angels? Ans: 1. Hazrat Jibra il (a.s.) = Brings revelation (wahy). 2. Hazrat Mika il (a.s.) = Distributes the sustenance (Rozi). 3. Hazrat Israfil (a.s.) = Blows the sur (trumpet). 4. Hazrat `Izra il (a.s.) = Seizes Souls (Ruh). 32. Name two (2) Angels who are greater than the Close Angels? Ans: They are Universal Intellect (`Aql-i Kull) and Universal Soul (Nafs-i Kull). 33. Is it true that Angels can also appear physically by the command of Allah? Ans: Yes, it is TRUE. (19:17) 34. What does `Ibadat mean? Ans: `Ibadat means to worship Allah. 35. What does Ma`rifat mean? Ans: Ma`rifat means recognition of Allah. 36. What is the difference between Salik & `Arif? Ans: Salik is the one who is moving ahead on the path of Sirat-al Mustaqim and `Arif is the one who has reached the final destination (one who has entered into the Haziratu l-qudus ). 37. How will you explain Fana Fi Allah? Ans: Fana means Annihilate (become one) Fi means in, thus 'Fana Fi Allah means "To become one with Allah". It is our destiny; it is the Noor of Allah, where we are all one. When `Arif becomes one with God, he spiritually takes all the humans and rest of the creation with him there. QA Book -Page 10

13 38. What is Sirat al-mustaqim and what are the stages of it? Ans: Sirat al-mustaqim means the straight path which extends from this world to Haziratu l-qudus. It has four stages: 1. Shariat. 2. Tariqat. 3. Haqiqat and 4. Ma`rifat. 39. Who created Allah? Ans: Allah is not created by anyone, because He has always been there. (112:2) 40. How do we believe in the creation, as a straight line or as a circle? Ans: As a CIRCLE. Because we don t believe that creation is like straight line, which starts from a certain point and ends at another point, but we see it in many examples as a CIRCLE, which has no beginning and no end. We believe that Allah has always been and will be the Creator. It is not that He was not a Creator at the beginning and then He started the creation and became the Creator and then some time later He will stop creating and will no longer be Creator. 41. What does Tawhid means? (112:1) Ans: Tawhid means to believe in one God. 42. What is the word, which describes the concept of Tawhid for us? Ans: MONOREALITY. 43. Which Imam blessed us with the miraculous word MONOREALITY, which describes the concept of Tawhid for us? Ans: Hazrat Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah (a.s.). 44. Name the Book & Chapter of that Book in which Imam wrote about MONOREALITY? Ans: Book = The Memoirs of Agakhan and Chapter = Islam-the religion of my Ancestors. 45. Do we believe that Allah is everywhere, if yes give the reference from the Qur an? Ans: Yes, Allah is everywhere. As Qur an says: Allah is the light of the Heavens & Earth (24:35) and Wherever you turn, there is the face of Allah (2:115) 46. What is the difference between Monorealism and Monotheism? Ans: Monotheism is the concept that Allah is somewhere higher and we are down here and can t reach him. But Monorealism gives us the hope that Allah is everywhere ( Allah is the light of the Heavens and the Earth, (24:35) and we live within Allah and walk and talk within Him. Monoreality explains how Allah is one. Allah is one in the sense that He is the only one but includes all of us. 47. What does Personal World mean? Ans: Personal world is a world contained within oneself, which is also called the microcosm. Personal world contains within itself the entire Universe in a subtle form, just as a seed contains within itself the entire tree. When true mu mins travels on Sirat al-mustaqim and reach Ma'rifat, they come to the recognition as to how the entire Universe is subjugated to them. QA Book -Page 11

14 48. What are `Alam-i Asghar & `Alam-i Akbar and what is the difference between them? Ans: `Alam-i Asghar means the personal world and `Alam-i Akbar means the Universe. The difference between them is like the seed and the tree. 49. Why is a human being s rank above all creation? Ans: It is because a human being posses intellect that allows him to identify right from wrong and enables him to attain Ma'rifat. 50. What does Holy Qur'an says about Paradise? Ans: Nothing is Impossible in Paradise. 51. What is Spiritual Science? Ans: True knowledge about the physical (external) world is called physical science. Same way, true knowledge of the spiritual (internal) world is called Spiritual Science. 52. What is the Qur anic reference regarding Allah s promise about His signs in both worlds? Ans: Soon We will show them Our signs in the external world and the internal world until it becomes manifest to them that He is the truth (41:53). 53. What is Farz and what is Nafal? Ans: Farz means obligatory or compulsory practices of religion, which a mu min must fulfil. Nafal is the additional prayers and actions that a true mu min must do in order to come closer to Almighty Allah and to earn His Love. 54. What is Hadith-i Nawafil or Hadith-i Taqarrub (Hadith of proximity)? Ans: My servant always seeks My closeness through additional prayers until I love him. When I love him, I become his ear with which he hears, and I become his eye, with which he sees and I become his hand with which he grasps and I become his foot by which he walks." 55. How many and what are the stages of Ita`at (obedience)? Ans: Three Stages: 1. Obedience of Allah 2. Obedience of Prophet and 3. Obedience of Uli l-amr (those who hold authority) = Imam-i zaman. 56. In which ayat which we recite in the second part of our Du`a, are these three stages of `Ita`at referred to? Give the Qur anic reference too. Ans: O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Rasul and the Uli l-amr (those who hold authority = Imam-i zaman) (Suratu n-nisaa, 4:59)). 57. What are the three (3) stages of Yaqin (certainty)? Ans: 1. Ilmu l-yaqin (knowledge of certitude) 2. `Aynu l-yaqin (Eye of certitude) 3. Haqqu l-yaqin. (Truth of certainty) 58. What are the three (3) levels of Fana (Annihilation)? Ans: 1. Annihilation in the Murshid (Imam) 2. Annihilation in the Prophet 3. Annihilation in God. QA Book -Page 12

15 59. Name seven (7) Pillars of Islam? Ans: 1. Walaya 2. Tahara 3. Salah 4. Zakah 5. Sawm 6. Hajj 7. Jihad 60. Name six (6) major Prophets? Ans: 1. Hazrat Adam (a.s.) 2. Hazrat Nuh (a.s.) 3. Hazrat Ibrahim (a.s.) 4. Hazrat Musa (a.s.) 5. Hazrat `Isa (a.s.) 6. Hazrat Muhammad (s.a.a.s.) 61. What is Hazir Imam s father s name? Ans: Prince Ali Salman Khan (a.s.). 62. Who gave the title Aga Khan to our Imams? Ans: Fath`Ali Shah Qachar (Shah of Iran). 63. Name the Four (4) Aga Khans in the order I, II, III & IV? Ans: Imam Shah Hasan Ali Shah, Imam Shah Ali Shah, Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah & Shah Karim Hazir Imam. 64. What are our Ismaili Tariqah practices, Esoteric or Exoteric? Ans: Both Esoteric and Exoteric, but emphasis is in their respective phases or periods. 65. What are the Arabic words for Esoteric and Exoteric? Ans: Arabic words: Esoteric: Ta wil or Batin Exoteric: Tanzil or Zahir 66. Which Surah is called Ummu l-kitab and esoterically whose title is it? Ans: Ummu l-kitab (Mother of Book) is the Suratu l-fatiha and esoterically it is the title of Hazrat Ali. 67. Name the Surah, which we read in our Du`a, which refers to the concept of Tawhid? Ans: Suratu l-ikhlas. 68. How many times is the word Imam mentioned in the Holy Qur an? Ans: Twelve (12) times. 69. How many times is the word Nur mentioned in the Holy Qur an? Ans: Forty Nine (49) times. 70. How many times is the word Ruh (Soul) mentioned in the Holy Qur an? Ans: Twenty Four (24) times. 71. How many ranks of the human soul are there in the Holy Qur an? Ans: In the Holy Qur an, there are three stages of the human soul: 1. Nafs-i ammarah (the carnal soul) (22:53) 2. Nafs-i lawwamah (the censoring soul) (75:2) 3. Nafs-i mutma innah (the satisfied soul) (89:27) QA Book -Page 13

16 72. What three (3) things do human beings consist of? Ans: Body, Soul and Intellect. 73. If good food and regular exercise make our body healthier, what are the sources of health for our Soul and Intellect? Ans: Tasbih, Ginan, giryah-u zari and `Ibadat are necessary for the healthy Soul and blessings of knowledge and Wisdom are a must for the sound Intellect. 74. We believe that Allah has not created anything without any meaning in it or without any use for it, then why has Allah created tears if we are not allowed to shed them in our worldly matters? Ans: Allah has created tears so we must cry in the love of Imam-i zaman and come near to him and also we should cry while asking for forgiveness of our shortcomings. 75. Who wrote the Book Wajh-i Din? Ans: Pir Nasir-i Khusraw. 76. Who wrote the following Books: Da`a imu l-islam and Asasu t-ta wil? Ans: Sayyidna Qadi an-nu man. 77. Who said that he is the dot under the BA in Bismillah and what is the Ta wil of it? Ans: Hazrat Ali said: I am the dot under the BA in Bismillah. Ta wil: BA is the Arabic alphabet, which is equal to B in English alphabet. BA has the dot in the bottom, which means it is the base (foundation) of the letter BA. Surah Fatihah (the first surah) and all the other surahs* begin with Bismillah and BA is the first letter in Bismillah and the base of BA is the dot in it and by saying I am the dot under the BA in Bismillah, Hazrat Ali (a.s.) is saying that he is the base/foundation (Asas) of the Holy Qur an and he is the source of the Ta wil of the Qur an. * Surah 9 Does not have Bismillah at the begining 78. What is the name of special `Ibadat, which we do in the morning between 4.00 a.m. & 5.00 a.m.? Ans: Baitu l-khayal. 79. What is the meaning of Ism A`zam and what is its Ta wil? Ans: Ism A`zam means Supreme Name and its Ta wil is Imam (guide) of the time. 80. What does AKDN stands for? Ans: "The Aga Khan Development Network" Bonus question and answer What is faith? Faith (IMAN) means to affirm with the tongue, to believe with the heart and to act upon it with the limbs of the body, in other words belief, speech and action should be simultaneous. (To know about faith (IMAN) from the Ismaili point of view please refer to the Book of Faith by Qazi al-nu`man, translated by AAA Fyzee.) QA Book -Page 14