4 replies to this topic

[Fatima Hussain]

I am very interested in learning about Nizari Ismaili Shi'a Islam, but I only want to learn about it from an ACTUAL Ismaili because I understand there are many lies out there.

[Master Chief]

http://www.ismaili.net/html/

http://www.ismaili.n...toire/main.html

http://www.ismaili.net/timeline.html

They also have a forum there. Have fun

[macisaac]

If you want to learn the truth about Nizari Isma`ilism, then actual Nizari Isma`ilis are probably _not_ the ones you want to be asking..  You'd be better off reading some of the academic works that have been published regarding them and their history.

[Ruwayd]

There are some lies out there but there's also a lot of truth. That is the scary thing. I kid you not!!

Please post here what you think are the lies. Please read the other threads on this forum about Ismailis as well, such as here.

You will learn virtually nothing about the modern-day practices of Nizari Ismailis from reading books. The practices that go on today and how the religion actually works today (much different from the Fatimid and post-Fatimid period, which is more like what you see the Bohras doing today, but, also somewhat different from what was practiced even from about the early 19th century to about 1950 or so) is purposely hidden and kept secret. Just to become a Nizari Ismaili, and before you can even walk into a jamatkhana and see what actually goes on and see how things actually work, you have to spend several months in 'learning sessions.' This is because your loyalty and true interest / desire must be secured by representatives of the community (and they also want to explain to you about the religion and what the beliefs are and why they do things the way they do) before anyone would be willing to let you in the jamatkhana or show you exactly what goes on.

I can tell you that about 70-85% of what Akbarally Meherally says on his website at MostMerciful.com is 100% true. I don't necessarily like the guy or anything, but, a lot of what he says is verifiable through the references he gives or by speaking with Nizari Ismailis, if you get close enough with one or more of them. The rest of the stuff he says on his website is more speculation than hard truth, or is stuff that it's difficult to speak about with certainty.

Edited by Ruwayd, 07 May 2012 - 09:31 PM.

[Fatima Hussain]

Ruwayd, on 07 May 2012 - 09:25 PM, said:

There are some lies out there but there's also a lot of truth. That is the scary thing. I kid you not!!

Please post here what you think are the lies. Please read the other threads on this forum about Ismailis as well, such as here.

You will learn virtually nothing about the modern-day practices of Nizari Ismailis from reading books. The practices that go on today and how the religion actually works today (much different from the Fatimid and post-Fatimid period, which is more like what you see the Bohras doing today, but, also somewhat different from what was practiced even from about the early 19th century to about 1950 or so) is purposely hidden and kept secret. Just to become a Nizari Ismaili, and before you can even walk into a jamatkhana and see what actually goes on and see how things actually work, you have to spend several months in 'learning sessions.' This is because your loyalty and true interest / desire must be secured by representatives of the community (and they also want to explain to you about the religion and what the beliefs are and why they do things the way they do) before anyone would be willing to let you in the jamatkhana or show you exactly what goes on.

I can tell you that about 70-85% of what Akbarally Meherally says on his website at MostMerciful.com is 100% true. I don't necessarily like the guy or anything, but, a lot of what he says is verifiable through the references he gives or by speaking with Nizari Ismailis, if you get close enough with one or more of them. The rest of the stuff he says on his website is more speculation than hard truth, or is stuff that it's difficult to speak about with certainty.

Yeah, I have read all the articles on Ismailism on mostmerciful.com, but I feel he doesn't give proper contexts to the beliefs and practices he talks about.  After I read about Ismaili philosophy, a lot of those things made a lot more sense to me.