Holy Du'ā (archaically transliterated ''Doowa'') is the mandatory

Nizari Nizari Isma'ilism () are the largest segment of the Isma'ilism, Ismailis, who are the second-largest branch of Shia Islam after the Twelvers. Nizari teachings emphasise independent reasoning or ''ijtihad''; Pluralism (philosophy), pluralism— ...

Isma'ili Ismailism () is a branch of Shia Islam. The Isma'ili () get their name from their acceptance of Imam Isma'il ibn Jafar as the appointed spiritual successor (Imamate in Nizari doctrine, imām) to Ja'far al-Sadiq, wherein they differ from the ...

prayer recited three times a day:

Fajr prayer The fajr prayer, alternatively transliterated as fadjr prayer, and also known as the subh prayer, is a salah (ritual prayer) offered in the early morning. Consisting of two rak'a ("bows"), it is performed between the break of dawn and sunrise. ...

at dawn,

Maghrib prayer Maghrib () is one of the five mandatory salah (Islamic prayers), and contains three cycles (''rak'a''). If counted from midnight, it is the fourth one. According to Shia and Sunni Muslims, the period for Maghrib prayer starts just after sun ...

at sundown and

Isha prayer Isha (), alternatively also transliterated as Isha'a, and also known as Khoftan or Khooftaan, is one of the mandatory five daily Islamic prayers, and contains four cycles. Ahadith mentioning virtues Uthman reported that he heard Muhammad say ...

in the evening. Each Holy Du'a consists of 6

rakat A Rak'a ( ', lit. "bow"; plural: ') is a single iteration of prescribed movements and supplications performed by Muslims as part of the prescribed obligatory prayer known as salah. Each of the five daily prayers observed by Muslims consists ...

, totaling 18 per day, as opposed to the 17 of

Sunni Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...

and

Twelver Twelver Shi'ism (), also known as Imamism () or Ithna Ashari, is the Islamic schools and branches, largest branch of Shia Islam, Shi'a Islam, comprising about 90% of all Shi'a Muslims. The term ''Twelver'' refers to its adherents' belief in twel ...

salat ''Salah'' (, also spelled ''salat'') is the practice of formal ibadah, worship in Islam, consisting of a series of ritual prayers performed at prescribed times daily. These prayers, which consist of units known as rak'a, ''rak'ah'', include ...

(''namaz''). Only Nizaris are permitted to enter the prayer house, the Jama'at Khana, during the recitation the Holy Du'a; however, prayers can be performed at home or other places.

Nizārī prayer performed at Jama'at Khana

Jama'at Khanas are usually built with a

qibla The qibla () is the direction towards the Kaaba in the Great Mosque of Mecca, Sacred Mosque in Mecca, which is used by Muslims in various religious contexts, particularly the direction of prayer for the salah. In Islam, the Kaaba is believed to ...

facing

Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...

although Ismāʿīlīs believe that "to God belongs the East and the West" (

Quran The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...

2:142). The Holy Du'a starts with Surah

al-Fatiha Al-Fatiha () is the first chapter () of the Quran. It consists of seven verses (') which consist of a prayer for guidance and mercy. Al-Fatiha is recited in Muslim obligatory and voluntary prayers, known as ''salah''. The primary literal mea ...

and then various verses from Surat

an-Nisa An-Nisa' (, ; The Women) is the List of chapters in the Quran, fourth chapter (sūrah) of the Quran, with 176 verses (āyāt). The title derives from the numerous references to women throughout the chapter, including An-Nisa, 34, verse 34 and ve ...

al-Ma'ida Al-Ma'idah (; 'The Table pread with Food is the fifth surah, chapter of the Quran, containing 120 āyah, verses. Al-Mā'idah means "Meal" or "Banquet" . This name is taken from verses 112 to 115, which tell the Disciples of Jesus in Islam ...

, al-Fath and

al-Anfal Al-Anfal (, ; The Spoils of War, Earnings, Savings, Profits) is the eighth chapter (sūrah) of the Quran, with 75 verses ( āyāt). Regarding the timing and contextual background of the revelation ('' asbāb al-nuzūl''), it is a " Medinan ...

are recited and the last part of the rak'ah contains Surah al-Ikhlas. The du'a is performed sitting, with a prostration at the end of each rakah. In Khoja tradition, ''Ubhi Tasbih'' is recited during tahajjud.

Tasbih ''Tasbih'' () is a form of ''dhikr'' that involves the glorification of God in Islam by saying: "''Subhan Allah''" (). It is often repeated a certain number of times, using either the fingers of the right hand or a '' misbaha'' to keep track ...

(prayer beads) are used at various points during the du'a. Towards the end of the Du'a, a list of all the Imāms is read, beginning with Ali and ending with the current Imam. At the end of the du'a, worshippers turn to their neighbour, saying ''shah-jo deedar'', "may you be blessed with the

vision Vision, Visions, or The Vision may refer to: Perception Optical perception * Visual perception, the sense of sight * Visual system, the physical mechanism of eyesight * Computer vision, a field dealing with how computers can be made to gain und ...

of your Lord". . The Holy Du'a is recited in

Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

, but it was once common for, Nizaris from India and Pakistan to recite the prayer in the vernacular.

References

{{Reflist Shia prayers Ismaili practices Nizari Ismailism

Nizārī prayer performed at Jama'at Khana

See also

References