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The article provides basic knowledge about pearl formation, distinction, value and care.

According to the Shi'ite belief, at the spring (khum) of al-Ghadir, the Prophet as his successor declared Ali bin Abu Talib and the festival commemorated this occasion. The fusion of religion which was characteristic of all religious festivals in Fatimid Egypt, is best exemplified by the festival of Eid al-Ghadir. The festival of Ghadir was celebrated with official sanction in Egypt for the first time in 362/973, when a group of people from Cairo, together with the North African troops (al-maghriba), gathered for invocations (du'a) on the 18th Dhu'l-Hijja, proclaiming that the Prophet had made Ali as his successor on the day of Ghadir al-Khum. It delighted Imam al-Muizz.

The word eid is derived from aud meaning to return. In Islam, it means a recurring happiness. The word adha, the plural of adhat means a sacrifice. On this occasion, all the Muslims who can afford, sacrifice an animal. In the case of a goat or a sheep, one animal is suffices for one household. In the case of a cow or a camel, seven men may be partners. It may be sacrificed on the day of Eid or during the two or three days that follows, called the tashriq days. The animal sacrificed must be free from apparent physical defects, and full-grown (musinna). The goat or sheep should be a year old, the cow two years and the camel five. The skin of the animal must, however, be disposed of in charity.

How is possible to get an exceptional psychic? It is a very difficult task to locate a good psychic reader really. Therefore a person should be immersed into community. He must be asking with local people, family and close mates.

The word du'a is derived from da'wa or ad'iya means call, occurring 159 times in the Koran. It refers to the offering of supplication in general or in particular a single supplication, vide 2:186, 3:38,39 and 4:60. Another word su'al (asking) is also employed in this context (14:34, 11:47, 55:29).

The word du'a is often associated with spreading hands, palms upwards, as though to receive blessing, an ancient and natural gesture used in Babylonia and Egypt and common to the Arab lands. The hands are wiped over the face at the end of the petition in token of the application to the worshipper of the blessing received. It is to address one's attention to God by voicing one's personal situation. It is basically personal or petitionary prayer, or asking God for what one wants. The Koran commands it in several verses, such as "Call upon Me, and I will answer you" (40:60). The Prophet called the du'a (supplication) "the marrow of worship" (mukhkh al-ibada). It can be asked personally or one can asks with the jamat.

The word for dower generally used in the Koran is ajr (pl. ujur), meaning reward or the gift that is given to the bride. The word saduqat (pl. of saduqa) is also once used in the Koran to denote the nuptial gift (4:4), and the other words from the same root, signifying dower are sudaq and sidaq. The verbal root word sadaqa means he was truthful. Another word sometimes used in the Koran to indicate the nuptial gift is fariza means what has been made obligatory or an appointed portion. The word mahr used in the hadith means dowry or nuptial gift. It is a free gift by the husband to the wife at the time of contracting the marriage: "And give women their dowries as a free gift" (4:4).

The English word donation is borrowed from the Latin, donaire means present. It is an action or faculty of giving or presenting. It includes presentation, grant, bestowal or gift. The tradition of donation goes back to the Islamic period. The Koranic message specifies to participate in the cause of God by giving money. The word infaq means to spending benevolently, occurring seven times in the Koran (2:195, 261, 262, 8:60, 9:34, 47:38, 57:10), such as: "The parable of those who spend their wealth in the way of God is as the parable of a grain growing seven ears with a hundred grains in every ear; and God multiplies it for whom He pleases" (2:261), and "And the parable of those who spend their wealth to seek the pleasure of God and for the certainty of their souls is as the parable of a garden on an elevated ground" (2:265).

"The Persian word didar is derived from didan means meeting, beholding or seeing. In Ismaili terminology, it denotes the beholding the Imam of the age. It is a means to strengthen the heart, cooling the eyes, refresh the faith and earn guidance and blessings of the Imam. When one is graced with the didar, he feels that he is newly born, and acts what the Imam imparted. The didar does not mean mere an act of looking the Imam. It needs the eyes of the knowledge and faith and without it the purpose does not solve. The Koran says, "And you see them looking towards you, yet they do not see" (7:198). It implies that there was much difference between the looking of the believers and unbelievers to the Prophet. Generally speaking, there are three types of didar: the exoteric (zahiri), esoteric (batini) and spiritual (noorani), but our discussion here covers only the exoteric didar.

"The generic term sharru or precentor in Assyria can be traced in the sha'ir or poet-soothsayer of the Arabs. The Assyrian hymn was the shire, and in it we recognize the Hebrew shir (song) and the Arabic shi'r (poetry). The Psalm of David in Assyrian was the zamaru, which equates with the Hebrew zimrah (song) and mizmor (psalm). Certainly the Assyrian shigu or penitential psalm is identical with the shiggaion of the Hebrew and the shajan of the Arabs in origin. Likewise, the allu or wail in Assyrian may be linked up with the Hebrew and Arabic elal and wilwal. Indeed, the Assyrian shidru or recitation may find its cognate in the inshad of the Arabs. Yet scarcely a line has come down to us concerning the hymn of the ancient Arabs, that their songs were appreciated is borne out by an inscription of Ashurbanipal (7th century B.C.), where Arab prisoners toiling for their Assyrian masters whiled away their hours in singing (alili) and music (ninguti), which so delighted the Assyrians that they begged for more.

The Persian word darkhana, is composed of two syllables, dar and khana. The preposition dar means in, and khana means house. Thus, the darkhana means in the house. Any specific thing in the house is also called darkhana. Another view suggests that it is derived from darb-i khana means chief place of residence, or dari khana, a residence with big windows being used for the royal meetings. In Ismaili terminology, it represents specific abode of the Imam, or Imam's headquarters.

With the imposition of the New Constitution of the Shi'a Ismaili Muslims in 1986, the Conciliation and Arbitration Board (CAB) came into existence for the first time in the Ismaili world. Previously, the Ismaili Councils executed the judicial activities in the community. The judicial activities of the Council thenceforward consigned to the newly formed Conciliation and Arbitration Board.

The word chhanta is an Indian word, means an act of sprinkling (the water). Its synonymous in Arabic is rashash means to sprinkle, and rashash'tun (pl. rashashat) means an act of sprinkle (of water). Its proper word in Persian is pashidan. It is a sin that defiles man and renders him impure. The chhanta is a symbolic rite in Ismaili tariqah to dissipate the sins or forgiveness. It is also an act of the purity of body, soul and intellect, thus the sanctified water is sprinkled three times on the face of the believers in its rite.

The word aswad derived from swd means black, occurring seven times in the Koran (2:187, 3:106, 35:27). In the sense of an original black colour, the word aswad occurs only twice: "When you can tell a white thread from a black on in the light of the approaching dawn" (2:187) and "black mountains" (35:27). The word muswadd (dark-faced) is used in 16:58 and its parallel (43:17) to suggest the darkening of the face in the light of bad news as reflection of grief. Other words generally understood as the colour black or dark hues include ahwa in 87:5. The word hamida in 22:5 means lifeless and is ordinarily taken as black-ended. Another term mudhamm used in 55:64 in the sense of dark green, tending to black.

The word baiyat, occurring 14 times in the Koran is derived from ba'ya meaning sale and purchase, bargain or transaction. In Arabic the word yabi'u means to sell, ba'a means he sold, al-bai'u means sale and al-baya means sale and purchase. In Islamic terminology, the term baya refers to an agreement or undertaking between the master and his followers. Other synonymous expressions appearing in the Koran are al-ahd (13:19-20) and al-mithaq (33:7, 5:14). Thus, baya or baiyat means an agreement or spiritual undertaking between the Lord and his followers. When one swears an oath of allegiance (baiyat), he gets guarantee from his Lord.

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