The Spiritual Bond with Imam: From Ego to Enlightenment

Whenever the Imam has veiled Himself, tests have appeared — and we often failed to recognize those tests. The Qur’an reminds us that trials are part of the path: “Do you think you will be left alone while Allah has not yet made evident those among you who are truthful?” — Surah At-Tawbah 9:16 Imamat is Divine Light — and the Qur’an clearly expresses this: “Allah brings you out of darkness into Light.” — Surah Al-Baqarah 2:257 Then how is it that we begin to see the Imam merely as a celebrity, or only as a guide? Before any veil descends upon the Imam, I must understand the spiritual relationship between me and the Imam. Through the reverence of my pirs and teachers, I humbly seek spiritual support from Imam-e-Zaman, Shah Rahim al-Husaini (a.s). O Imam, bless me with a portion of the knowledge from Your treasure — Ameen. Earlier, the Imam used to express spiritual truths openly. Today, His language contains more symbols — signs and allusions. The Qur’an confirms this: “Indeed, in this Scripture are many signs for people of understanding.” — Surah Aal-e-Imran 3:190 Allah Himself often speaks in symbolic language. And the Qur’an says: “Allah guides whom He wills.” — Surah Al-Qasas 28:56 This means that real guidance is spiritual. But we ask more for outward guidance, and the Imam, according to our intention, grants outward guidance — within which the spiritual signs are hidden. Only those who reflect deeply can understand these signs. Hazrat Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah (a.s) said: “Whenever we speak, we utter pearls and jewels.” The present Imam repeatedly speaks about empathy. Why? Because only when the heart becomes soft does the next step of the spiritual journey open. We are not preachers, but one point must be understood: When a veil appears upon the Imam, the real veil appears upon our own intellect. When intellect becomes illuminated, one begins to see the Light of Allah within the Imam. The Qur’an says: “The Light of Allah shines within their hearts.” — Surah An-Noor 24:35 (Ayat an-Noor) But over time, human beings begin to think highly of themselves — and the Imam, a spiritual guide and master, begins to appear like a “celebrity” in their eyes. The heart should feel pain at this — How can someone with whom I have a sacred spiritual bond become a celebrity for me? The Qur’an answers: “Whoever has been given knowledge has been granted a great blessing.” — Surah Al-Baqarah 2:269 If worldly degrees were true knowledge, then everyone would be immersed in love for the Imam. But worldly degrees last only a few years. Spiritual knowledge becomes the cause of the soul’s salvation. The stories of our pirs’ tears and devotion are well known. Pir Sadruddin said: Their only concern was that the murids might consider them ordinary human beings. If the Imam arrives late at a darbar, that moment is not merely waiting — it is an opportunity for spiritual communion and inner supplication. But due to our ignorance, even a few moments of waiting feel burdensome, and people begin to complain… How unfortunate. Today, the Imam has begun to veil Himself — and this is a time for concern and reflection for all of us. Before anything else, it is essential to understand the relationship between the body, the soul, and the intellect: “And I breathed into you from My Spirit.” — Surah Al-Hijr 15:29 The soul is Allah’s trust, and the intellect is also Allah’s trust. But if we turn our limited intellect into a servant of the ego, how will the soul awaken? The Imam illuminates our intellect through the form of inspirations and thoughts. When the Imam says, “We are always connected,” it means the spiritual connection is always present. But we often ignore these inspirations, thinking they are just random thoughts. We get caught up in superficial matters: “Why did the Imam wear these clothes? Why does He have this tattoo?” And we drift away from the true spiritual guidance. The first miracle of the Imam is that He is Haazir-o-Naazir — present and witnessing. He says: “I am from the family of the Prophet. I am the descendant of Ali.” Hazrat Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah And the Qur’an testifies: “Allah will not leave you alone until He distinguishes the pure from the impure and reveals what lies in your hearts.” — Surah Aal-e-Imran 3:179 Would Allah promise us guidance and Light, and then abandon us? No. But our arrogance makes us blind and deaf, as the Qur’an says: “Their hearts are sealed, their ears are burdened, and their eyes are covered.” — Surah Al-Baqarah 2:7 When Allah says: “Indeed, We chose the family of Ibrahim and Imran over all the worlds.” — Surah Aal-e-Imran 3:33 It means this chosen family remains present in every era. During the era of Prophethood, the Imams were concealed. After Prophethood ended, the Light of Ali (a.s) appeared openly. All of this was for us. But how much value do we give to it? If we cannot obey the Imam, how will we obey the Prophet? If we cannot obey the Prophet, how will we obey Allah? The Qur’an gives a very clear command of obedience: “Obey Allah, obey the Messenger, and obey those vested with authority among you.” — Surah An-Nisa 4:59 (The foundational proof of obedience to the Imam) In the end, my prayer: O Mawla, forgive us — Your naïve children. Remove every veil. Grant our intellect knowledge and our souls devotion. Ameen. We are beggars — You are the King. Forgive us. Ameen. Thank you for listening to this podcast. Ya Ali Madad. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ishqekarimi.com