The Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Community of London · narrated in Wasail-u-Shia from our 6 th Imam(AS) is authentic but was misinterpreted and misrepresented as this was in the

A Member of The Council of European Jamaats

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The Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri

Muslim Community of London

Registered Charity in UK No. 288356

Husaini Shia Islamic Centre, Wood Lane, Stanmore, Middlesex HA7 4LQ, United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 (0)20 8954 6247 Fax: +44 (0)20 8954 8028 Ansaphone: +44 (0)20 8954 8401

e-mail: [email protected] Website: www.hujjat.org

STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT OF KSIMC OF LONDON

In the Name of the Almighty, the Beneficent and the Most Merciful Since the lecture by Sheikh Usama Abdul Ghani in September 2009 at Hujjat

Imambara, Stanmore, there has been an issue raised in the community that needed the attention of the leaders of our community. Cognisant of the controversies raised

by Sheikh Usama and subsequently by Syed Zaki Baqri in his recent discourses at Hujjat Imambara, the EC of the KSIMC of London embarked on a thorough investigation and sought guidance from leaders of our community as well as Maraje’

and Scholars of the Shia community worldwide.

The issue was (and still is) about the personality of one Akram Majidi who claims to be an expert in guiding others to a path that supposedly leads all those who embark on it close to the Almighty. Whilst the concept of getting close to the Almighty

remains one that is highly commended in Islam and one that is fully supported by us, there were certain traits and trends that were of concern to us. Behaviour and

attitude were the final act that made us very objectively explore and investigate the objectives of Akram Majidi and his growing clique.

We are indeed grateful to have received full support from some of the senior students studying in Qum who formed a team to conduct a full enquiry on the background and

history of Akram Majidi. As a result, they have posted their extensive findings on the website www.curtainoflight.com. This website provides a complete insight into the

concept of Irfan, its history, a brief history of those who are termed as Urafa and of course, false Irfan.

A delegation led by some Office Bearers of the World Federation, WF, were able to get an audience with leading Maraje’ including Ayatullah Sistani, Ayatullah Waheed

Khorasani and Ayatullah Bashir Najafi who have been unified in their condemnation of practices espoused by Akram Majidi and called for a better understanding of True Irfan to enable mu’mineen to discern right from wrong.

The WF, based on guidance received from Maraje’ and Scholars, have issued a

comprehensive statement which includes a lengthy written response from Ayatullah Sistani as well as reports of verbal admonitions by Ayatullah Waheed Khorasani in a meeting attended by five people representing the WF and senior Khoja students in

Qum.

The KSIMC of London, based on the above reports and on the recommendations received from our parent body; cognisant of its responsibilities towards the younger


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generation especially in protecting them from deviant and distorted ideologies, has

taken the following actions:

• Akram Majidi will not be given platform to preach, lecture or advise our

community;

• Parents and all members are advised to keep themselves and especially their

youths from Akram Majidi for their own well being;

• All students affiliated with Akram Majidi are urged to seek guidance from scholars

and Maraje;

• All students who continue to associate themselves with Akram Majidi shall be

suspended forthwith from using the Mimbar or any other platform in the

community including teaching in Madaris;

• In conjunction with the WF, counselling courses will be facilitated for those who are

already deeply involved with this movement and may be in search of a way out;

• Scholars who have agreed to guide anyone interested in understanding True Irfan

are Shaykh Muhammad Saeed Bahmanpour of London, Dr Muhammad Shomali of

Qum, Maulana Zaffer Abbas of Stanmore, London and Sheikh Muhammad Khalfan

of Qum. These scholars have also expressed their willingness to help the victims of

Akram Majidi combat his ways and overcome him.

Attached, please find the written statement by Ayatullah Sistani and a report on what transpired in the office of Ayatullah Waheed Khorasani which are both self explanatory.

The KSIMC of London wishes to reiterate its commitment to encouraging young

members of the community who pursue further Islamic studies. We pray to the Almighty to grant us all the strength to remain firm against the onslaught of slightest deviation from the mainstream path.

With Salaams and Duas

Mustafa Jaffer PRESIDENT

On behalf of the Executive Committee

KSIMC of London, Stanmore 16th March 2011 | 11 Rabi al Thaani 1432AH


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Meeting of the WF Office Bearers with the Maraj’e

During their recent visit to Qum and Najaf, the WF Office Bearers called upon the Maraje’ seeking their advice on a range of issues including the current issue on Irfan

and tendencies within the community. The following are extracts of the key points of advice provided by His Eminence and other Maraje’ on the subject of Irfan.

His Eminence Ayatullah Sistani (DA): Najaf – Sunday 14th Feb 2011

The Office Bearers sought advice from His Eminence on the issue of Irfan within the community, including distinct appearances such as particular clothing (asa; hanak),

holding of night sessions, certain attitudes etc

His Eminence referred to such practices as “Bazi” (games). He said that he had studied Irfan all his life and Irfan has two dimensions;

The first dimension is Tahzibe Nafs (refinement of the soul) which is true Irfan. This includes practice of reciting prescribed duas taught by Aimma (AS) such as Abu

Hamza, praying Salatul Layl, and seeking Gods pleasure through Mustahab (recommended) actions. These were all well known practices and accepted by all.

The second dimension is the Muta’addi approach (multiple Irfan) where both Shia and Sunni groups have fallen into. He stated that within this second category, Bid’aat

(innovation) has been introduced by the Shuyukh leading such movements under the guise of “Ruhe Deen” (soul of religion).

His Eminence said Iran itself has more than 50 different groups with such orientations and these trends were ‘deviated groups”. He said the barometer of identifying such

groups was their focus on specific personalities such as a “sheikh” with specific ways. He said even when one recites “Iyyaka Na’budu...” the followers are led to believe the true path to emulate is that of the “Sheikh”.

His Eminence said he practiced Irfan, but the Irfan taught by the Ahlul Bayt (SA), that

of humility. He said he lives a simple life (4th bottom category of way people live) and that simplicity was Zohd. He quoted Sheikh Ansari stating he was an ‘Arif without any Bid’at in his actions and was very simple without practices that were prescribed by

the so called Urafa. He stated there are bad and misguided Ulama in every age. Even during Saddam’s time there were at least 250 Ulama in Iraq in the payroll of their

master and one had to be vigilant of such people within our communities. He stated that he could request Syed Jawad Shahristani to seek the services of good

English speaking scholars to guide the youths of our community if required to help distinguish true Irfan from Pseudo Irfan. He stated the Tahzibe Nafs approach was the

Seerah of Aimman (AS). He said that even Sunni groups became deviated because they did not practice ijtihad.


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He went on to stress the simplicity in the Irfan practiced by Aimma (AS) and sticking to these recommended duas and salat was the best approach for purification of the

soul rather than any particular and prescribed approach of some Shuyukh.

His Eminence Ayatullah Waheed Khorasani (DA): Qum - Friday 12th Feb 2011

Ayatullah Khorasani spoke about the current trends of Irfan and expressed concern that these days there were a number of ‘Murabbis’ (trainers) who lacked deep understanding of aqa’id and were misleading youngsters towards specific paths and

practices. He stated the practice of ‘hanak’ and ‘carrying a stick’ are not aspects that our ulama practice and questioned its validity (beyond salat).

He stated that Riyadhat (spiritual exercises) had three stages and these were

contrary to the values of the Ahlul Bayt whose practices were simple such as tazkiya (purification) of the nafs through regular prayers and duas. He stated that if certain Shuyukh had a particular norm of Riyadhat, these could lead to destruction and these

three stages were:

1. The power of imagination (quwwate khiyal), which provides false illusions to a potential seeker of Irfan that the path and practices are a reality to God whereas it is not the power of intellect but rather the

imagination that provides this illusion.

2. The effects of the exercises (Asare Riyadhat) – the nafs gains powers and through these exercises certain faculties are destroyed. The nafs feels it now receives ‘inspirations’ and ‘ilham’ from the hidden world

(Alame Ghayb). This is very dangerous as in reality it is the destruction of the faculties within the nafs rather than realities of Ilham.

3. Irtibat Ba Jinnat –the third stage then is to use the ‘Jinnat’ on playing

with the feelings of a pseudo Arif. This he said was commonly used by such Murabbis (trainers) leading only to destruction.

Ayatullah Khorasani stated that in this process the student feels ‘high’ as if he is achieving a ‘station’ but this is in fact the route of the shaitan. These were paths

leading to entertainment of the nafs playing directly into the hands of the devil.

Ayatullah Khorasani stated that he was not in favour of Hanak or Asa as this was not the practice of predecessors and grand maraj’e like Ayatullah Khui, Ayatullah Abul Hassan Isfahaani, or Ayatullah Naini. He said such practices were ‘batil’ and in some

cases similar practices were used by the Salafis in Arabia.

He reiterated the community needs to be protected from such Sha’r (evils) of the Shaitan and the best way was through completion of 1 Juz of Quran and Dua-e-Ahad on regular basis and keeping the Tawassul with the Imam of our time (AJ). He

particularly stressed the need of completion of 1 Juz of the Holy Quran on daily basis and dedicate the sawaab to the Master of Our Age, Imam Al Mahdi (AJ).


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His Eminence Ayatullah Basheer Najafi (DA): Najaf – 14th February 2011

Ayatullah Basheer Najafi discussed the current trends within the Hawza and

expressed concern about tendencies of pseudo Irfan. He stated explicitly that NO STUDENT should learn any form of Irfan until they have completed at least 7 years of

Hawza studies after which their basis would be firm enabling them to digest aspects of Irfan.

When asked about his views on Hanak and Asa, he stated one riwayat in Lum’a also narrated in Wasail-u-Shia from our 6th Imam(AS) is authentic but was misinterpreted

and misrepresented as this was in the context of salat and not outside salat. He said hanak was part of a knot within the turban but some felt it needs to open up below the shoulder (taht-al-hanak) but ONLY during salat. He said one of his early students

started wearing hanak in Najaf some 20 years ago and people in Najaf were all laughing at him. He said he summoned the student and asked him why he was

dressing in this particular way. In response the student quoted the above hadith. Agha stated this hadith only applies to Salat and even that ‘just in case’ as a matter of precaution - incase Hanak actually meant opening up below the shoulder. Hanak

means removing to the shoulders as it could also mean tying within the turban. However as a precaution scholars opened it (tahtal hanak) in salat in case the hadith

applied to that aspect of it. Meeting with other Maraje’

The World Federation Office Bearers also called upon Ayatullah Jawad Amuli and

Ayatullah Madadi who both expressed similar views in terms of exercising caution towards studying Irfan particularly for students who were not advanced in their studies. They stated that the best way to address these challenges was for

mainstream Ulama and Mubaligheen to teach the true meaning of Irfan to our youngsters.

Documents

The Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Community of London · narrated in Wasail-u-Shia from our 6 th Imam(AS) is authentic but was misinterpreted and misrepresented as this was in the