kmaherali wrote:
At least the 48th and 49th Imams have not said. Provided references, thanks
Please study the Doctrine of Ta'lim. Refer to Paradise of Submission of Tusi, where he explains beautifully, why the presence of the Imam of the Time is of immense importance. Basically, what you say -- by equating anyone to the Imam -- in a way negating the Doctrine of Imamate. You eliminate the need for the Imam of the Time, and that's entirely contradictory to the Principal Doctrine of Shia Ismaili.
kmaherali wrote:
You are incorrect consitutionally. I stated the constitution in my earlier post. Bayat to the Mursheed is absolutely necessary. Physical contact is necessary. Rumi and Hafiz had their Mursheed Kamil and attained perfection through their grace.
I think you misunderstood me. Bayhat is necessary of couse. However physical contact is not. Do you know what "Physical Contact" means? There are Ismailis who have never seen physically Imam of their Time in their entire lifetime, and could have very well been spiritully well off.
My objection to your assetion of "Murshid-e-Kamil" is this:
This is just a repeat of what I said already. In this realm of relativity, everything we see is relative. i.e. you are a father in relation to your child[ren]; however, you are a son, in relation to
your father. Same thing, Shams Tabriz could very well be Murshi-e-Kamil to Rumi, now dounbt about it, as Rumi himself says in his Diwan-e-Shams -- I believe -- "Shams-e-Mann o khuda-ee mann" Meaning My Shams, My God. However, Shams Tabriz, in relation to the Imam of the time is a Murid.
What we are talking about is
The Murshid-e-Kamil who's the Murshid of Murshids. Think of it as a chain. everyone in the chain has a position or rank [hadd] and must recognize his own hadd. the end of the chain is in the hand of God. So, on the one had I agree with you that everyone can find their own "Murishid-e-Kamil", in relation to their own status [or hadd]; on the other hand, when we are talking about
The Murshid-e-Kamil who is the Master of the Masters, then that's the Imam of the Time. I hope this makes things clearer.
kmaherali wrote:
I was opposed to him being called the hujjat of the Imam. But have no problems equating him to the Imam.
Don't you think that's absurd? I believe whoever invites or guides mankind to the right path, that's the path of Ismailis, because I believe Ismailism is the correct and right path, and any right path can be in essence ismaili path, it doesn't matter if you are officially identified as an ismaili, such as in the case of Rumi. Mind you, I provided you a reference from Rumi's own Masnavi that he indicated that he was
as Ismailies.
I will not argue anymore why one doesn't [or does] become God if they attain higher status, spiritually; because obviously you and I have completely different notion of God. And I am okay with that.