u/Lost-Parsnip-7693

Rayif wins Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville, ending 53 years of waiting for the Aga Khan Studs to nab this race!

Listen to Princess Zahra and her daughter, Sara, speak about this victory

Congratulations to Princess Zahra and the Aga Khan Studs team!
Source: https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/poulains-hero-rayif-pounces-for-jacques-le-marois-triumph/

*🌹🌹 Missionary Abu Aly (وَرَحْمَةُ ٱللَّٰهِ)*
*ExpLain about Shukerwari Beej".*

*The day when Chandraat falls on a Friday is a special day known as Beej.*
*Why do we have Beej and why do we fast on Beej? The reason is amazing.*

*It is narated that: Pir Hasan Kabirdeen, who was the son of Pir Sadardin, used to travel with his father. This was during the time of Mowlana Islam Shah. Mawlana Islam Shah was in a Persian city called Kahak. Our Holy Pirs went to visit the Imam and before entering the city sent a message requesting permission.*

*This is the respect and love that our Pirs have taught us, that even before entering the city they seek permission from the Imam, and what comes next is even more amazing. The Imam did not give them permission, instead, He told them to wait.*

*They realized that they needed to make some arrangements, to earn to survive, so they decided to farm a cotton-like material and sell it. The Imam made them wait 6 months! They were there and they knew that the Imam was aware and so they humbly waited.*

*During this wait, Pir Hasan Kabirdeen used the material and wove it into cloth. He used a dye that could stain the cloth and on the cloth He wrote ALL 500 parts of Anant Akhado (Ashaji ginan)! He wrote Anant Akhado in Khojki, which was a language devised by His father, Pir Sadardin.*

*When the Imam invited them into the city, our Holy Pir wove the cloth into a turban and presented it to the Imam. The Imam was extremely pleased. He told Pir Hasan Kabirdeen, He would get the title of Pir. The Imam also bestowed another calling on our Holy Pir. The Imam gave Him "Anant Jo Var", the responsibility of taking a large number of jeevs (souls) with Him to heaven.*

*Upon hearing this, the Pir became very sad and said that the "Malai" had been taken out from the milk and only the "Chaash" remained. He meant all the great souls had left, only the weak ones remained. Pir was making a bold statement about the state of the Ismailis. All of the really great souls had left and very few, worthy souls remained.*

*The Imam then instructed our Pir Hasan Kabirdeen to give all of His Bandgi to the Jamat. Our Holy Pir did so. On Beej, we celebrate and thank Pir Hasan Kabirdeen for that sacrifice that elevated us and benefited us.*

Giving your bandagi to someone else is gift beyond human understanding.This is why we sacrifice and fast on that day. To thank our Holy Pir for the noble act. Thanks to the Pir, today we pray so little and yet receive so much more.

Source: Instagram (@qaishussainy)
He listens to Abu Ali’s waezes and summarizes them in a way that accessible to the youth.

I highly recommend following him to listen to such anecdotes

(In Individual Layer’s own words as a dm to me, posted with permission from her family)

Hey What made it, dear? 😭 When I reached Islamabad I was extremely sick… I couldn’t even walk and was put on a wheelchair. I remember crying for hours thinking, “Ya Mowla… am I invalid now?” 💔
Then suddenly something changed. I somehow managed to get up and limp slowly with a stick. Honestly, it felt like a miracle. And this strange inner voice just kept telling me: “Try to go to Gilgit somehow.”

I had met a chef during DJ at Serena, so I desperately messaged him asking if he knew anyone who could help arrange transport to Gilgit. Meanwhile the concierge tried everything for me flights, private cars , but nothing worked. All flights were full or weather affected, and all vehicles had already been taken by murids coming from all over Pakistan 😭

Then another miracle happened. The chef connected me to an Ismaili tour agent from Gilgit. I honestly didn’t believe anything would come of it after all the failed attempts. But an hour later he called saying, “My assistant is coming to meet you at Serena.” And he ACTUALLY came 😭😭
He took our passport copies, made 15 photocopies for checkpoints, bought winter coats for all of us and said: “Pack everything and be ready. I’ll come any time once the road opens.” At that point I just kept saying, “Mowla… tusi great ho.” 🥹
But even that journey was not easy. A 12-hour drive became 22 hrs coz two massive landslides had happened the night before. No proper washrooms, barely any food, only water, nuts and soft drinks. We were stranded for hours in the hot sun and I became worse… dehydrated, swollen legs, exhausted. My bro was taking out nade ali (about 120 times!) for all the cars that had been stranded and we could even see pick ups that were carrying sacks of rice for Jamat at Hunza. It was so harrowing, that wait. I even resorted to begging the army for med help because I felt so ill and my feet had swollen to the size of elephant legs 😞

Finally - out of insaniyat - they let all the cars before us and ours through and the way they were hooting and hollering with joy! It was a sight to see. Our driver then literally flew over those narrow mountain roads at crazy speed 120km/hr !!
I genuinely thought, “We are going to die today.” 😭 But looking back now… honestly it feels like Shah Rahim Himself was driving us through those mountains. 😳

When we finally reached Gilgit, Serena was full, so we found a small hotel two minutes away with a wonderful manager who really took care of us like as if we were his own family. Next morning I saw your video of Mawla arriving in Gilgit and I cried again because we had just missed Him 😭 But the miracle was… I was STILL walking with my stick.

So I told everyone, “No, let’s still go to Serena or airport. He may return.” Then the agent called again telling us to come to Serena. He placed us in such a good spot with the Jamat outside the gates with a very hospitable and kind family… and then Mowla’s car came slowly past us and He was waving 👋

Parsnips… in that moment I saw the Hand of Ali. I can’t even explain it. I’m just beyond grateful to Shah Rahim for carrying me all this way when I could barely stand in Islamabad.

From day 2, the situation changed. Serena on complete lockdown and all roads completely cleared everytime the Imam moved to and from serena. The army shut down all shops, all pedestrians were removed from the route. And nobody was allowed anywhere between Serena and Airport in Gilgit. Shocking but true! This means I could not see Him at all and for the Imam, He must have been so surprised that His whole route was completely devoid of any human beings and of any other road vehicles and of any activity. Complete desolation through out his journey. Now what was I supposed to do? Just sit in my hotel room?

As a last resort, I went to the council and requested permission to be allowed to stand somewhere to catch a glimpse of my Mowla. They were able to see my condition but they could not interfere with the army.

I then requested permission on didar day to be allowed to stand at the entrance of the compound so that I could see the Imam alight from His car. That request too was denied. I had no choice but to leave disappointed and I told them that I would have to go back home despondent, after having come all this way to their doorstep in my condition. I reminded them of MHI’s Farmans on kindness and helpfulness and I also quoted MHI’s speech that taking care of the elderly and sick was not only a responsibility but a duty. This seemed to have some effect and they asked me to return to my hotel whilst they tried to see what they could do. They would call. At least some hope.

For the next two days, I continued trying to go roadside to at least see MHI’s motorcade pass by but no luck. Was just chased away by the army.

Gilgit didar was changed on May 24 from morning to afternoon. I decided in the morning that there was no point now in staying in Gilgit and I asked my hotel owner to book us a car and driver for Skardu, from where we would catch a flight to Islamabad.
When he called the driver, he was told that the road to Skardu was closed due to landslides during the night. Mowla did not want us to leave 😅 just a few minutes later, I received a message from the council to report at gate 5 of the didargah before 12 noon. Gosh! The way we have rushed. The traffic was horrendous but I was let through like magic and arrived at Gate 5 on the dot. I was informed that they were trying to work out a way for us to be placed at a vantage point where we could catch a glimpse of the Imam from afar. My heart leapt with joy and as I waited I offered shukranas and supplications to my beloved. Of course the wait felt interminable in my eyes but finally when the gates were announced as closed, a volunteer came and said that we are going to take you soon.

30 minutes later I was wheeled on with my daughter and brother following. I thought I was being taken to the front of the compound where I would be placed somewhere to watch MHI alight from His car. But instead the three of us were deposited by the volunteer inside the didargah. Yes it is true! We were taken inside and a place was found for me near the structure where the Imam would visit the terminally ill. And my daughter and brother found places nearby, but at the red carpet! We would be part of Gilgit didar - omg!
All of us were in tears and I thanked Mowla for not letting me go to Skardu earlier in day as I would have missed out on such an invaluable opportunity!!!

This was my Gilgit Miracle and I have no words to describe how grateful and enamored of Mowla I am

Truly His love and benevolence have left me speechless with joy.

We often expect the great leaders of the world—especially a spiritual leader guiding millions globally—to move with impenetrable walls of security, heavy entourages, and the formal distance required of high protocol. But our young energetic Imam operates on a different frequency.

On a busy Saturday—which happened to be Mother’s Day—visitors at the Sugarloaf Mills mall in Georgia had no idea they were walking alongside history. Dressed simply in jeans, a regular t-shirt, and walking shoes, a young, dignified man walked through the crowds completely alone. This was Shah Rahim , our 50th Hereditary Imam .
Without a single guard in sight, Hazar Imam walked to a local florist to pick up a bouquet.

Later that afternoon, a family friend of ours , visited the exact same florist, curious about the morning's quiet commotion.
The florist revealed a beautiful detail: the flower order hadn’t been placed locally. It had been called in all the way from Switzerland, with a simple note that "someone would come by to pick it up." The "someone" was our Imam of the time, quietly fulfilling a personal, family gesture on Mother's Day, completely devoid of pomp. While inside the mall, a few of our Ismaili members recognized him, sharing a brief, breathless moment of joy and taking a few treasured photographs before he quietly went on his way.

But the most profound impact of that day happened just a few doors down, inside a toy store owned by a Sunni Muslim named Bilal.
As Muslims, Sunnis and Shias represent different paths and traditions within the faith, but Bilal’s heart held a deep, lifelong reverence for our late Shah Karim.
For years, Bilal had looked up to him, secretly harboring a deep desire to meet him in person. When Shah Karim passed away in early 2025, Bilal felt a profound sense of grief—his lifelong wish to look into the eyes of the Imam had seemingly slipped away forever.
In his quiet grief, Bilal made a solemn, personal promise to the memory of the late Imam. He whispered, “Mawlana Shah Karim, I could never see or meet you in this life. But I make a promise to you: I will definitely meet your son.”
He had no idea how quickly, or how miraculously, that promise would be answered.
That Saturday, our Imam Shah Rahim walked into Bilal's toy store. He didn't come with an announcement or a title. He simply entered, brought his radiant presence into the space, and stood near the entrance of the shop. In that instant, Bilal realized his promise had been fulfilled. The son of the man he had revered from afar was standing right inside his store.
Bilal later shared his experience with our family friend, still visibly shaken with emotion, bringing goosebumps to everyone listening. He explained that his toy business is highly seasonal, usually only thriving for about four months out of the entire year. But the moment Prince Rahim stood at the entrance of his shop, something spiritual shifted.
"That very day, my business just boomed," Bilal said.
Overwhelmed, he went home and told his wife everything. The blessing wasn't just a fleeting moment; it became a permanent turning point. Bilal testified that from that Saturday onward, his business has continued to climb higher and higher every single day.

This story is a powerful reminder of how faith works in the modern world. This is the true impact of our young Imam. Prince Rahim did not visit a massive monument or a high-profile corporate office that day; he walked into a humble retail store in jeans and sneakers to answer the unspoken promise of a faithful soul. It shows that true spiritual leadership doesn't hide behind armored cars or rigid barriers. Our young Imam walks quietly among us, leaving a trail of blessings, grace, and life-changing impact in his wake—proving that the light of the Imamat continues to guide, protect, and bless us everyday.
Shuker Alhamdulillah we are so blessed 🙏🏼

as received:
Something very fascinating happened at the Calgary Mulaqat this afternoon. Hazer Imam was exiting the Didar hall and a Murid wearing a Tajik outfit was standing by the door. Hazer Imam stopped by and admired his beautiful tie. Instinctively, the Murid untied his tie and presented it to the Imam. In turn, Hazer Imam took off his own tie and gave it to the Murid. The Imam then exited the hall while carefully holding the tie, admiring it and sat in the waiting car.

Source: anonymous