American Ismaili Voices: Letter to America — A special series to commemorate America’s 250 Years, with two new letters, September 19

19 September 2026

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Logo Letter to America
This America 250 logo, designed for Simerg, unites national pride, historical significance, cultural inclusion, and future-facing optimism in a cohesive design as the USA celebrates its 250th birthday. Read more about the logo and the series HERE.

Simerg launched its special series, Letter to America, on August 2, 2026. This date marks the anniversary of 1776, when the Declaration of Independence — adopted on July 4 — was signed in Philadelphia, a city at the heart of American independence and history. Please read an introduction to the series HERE. The series will conclude at the end of 2026, and the submission deadline is November 30.

Anchor Links to Letters

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Thank You, America: You Gave Me a Career Path I Had Envisioned

By AN IRANIAN RESEARCHER
Chicago, Illinois

My journey to the United States began in 2024. For me, as an Iranian, obtaining a U.S. visa was an extraordinarily difficult and uncertain process. When I finally received approval and arrived in America, it marked the beginning of a new chapter filled with hope, opportunity, and sacrifice.

I began this journey alone, leaving my beloved husband behind in Iran. He has a master’s in mechanical engineering. Building a new life in a new country without the person I love and care for has been one of the greatest challenges I have ever faced. The loneliness has often been overwhelming, but I remind myself every day that this sacrifice is worthwhile because America has given me the freedom to pursue my dreams and build a future based on merit, hard work, and hope.

Professionally, I began my research career in a wet laboratory at a university in Illinois. Through determination, perseverance, and countless hours of work, I earned the opportunity to transition into a clinical research position at another nearby university. This was the career path I had envisioned, and I remain deeply grateful for the opportunity.

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“America has already taught me one of life’s greatest lessons: when opportunity is paired with determination and hard work, dreams can become reality.”

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Every day, I continue to learn, grow, and contribute to research that advances patient care and medical science. Scientific research demands patience, discipline, and resilience, and I embrace those challenges wholeheartedly. Although I continue to wait with hope for the day my husband can join me, I remain committed to giving my very best to the work I have been entrusted to do.

Beyond my professional life, I have found a second family within the Chicago Ismaili community. The Jamatkhana has become my sanctuary — a place of peace, comfort, and spiritual strength whenever the pressures of life feel overwhelming. Surrounded by a caring community, I have never truly felt alone. Here, every Ismaili feels like family, and that sense of belonging has carried me through difficult days.

America has already taught me one of life’s greatest lessons: when opportunity is paired with determination and hard work, dreams can become reality. For that, I am profoundly grateful.

As America celebrates its 250th birthday, I offer my heartfelt appreciation for the opportunities, freedoms, and hope this nation has given me. Happy 250th Birthday, America.

Thank you, America.

Iranian Researcher.

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An Appreciation for a Great Country with Great People

By ABDULREHMAN VIRANI
Mableton, Georgia

Dear America and Friends of America,

Happy 250th Anniversary!

As we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with historical commemorations culminating on July 4, 2026, my heart is filled with gratitude. This milestone gives me an opportunity to reflect on my journey and express my sincere appreciation for a country that has given so much to my family and millions of others.

I arrived in this beautiful country from Pakistan in 1972 as a student in Chicago, carrying little more than hopes, dreams, and a determination to pursue higher education and build a better future for my family. Like so many immigrants, the early years were not easy. Adapting to a new culture, establishing ourselves, and overcoming countless challenges required perseverance, sacrifice, and long hours of hard work. Yet America gave us something priceless — opportunity. It rewarded dedication, opened doors to education, encouraged entrepreneurship, and allowed us to build a life that once seemed beyond our imagination.

One of the greatest blessings during those early years was the kindness of the people we met. I remain deeply grateful to my very first employer, Gary Leib, at Dudley’s Restaurant in Chicago, and to his wonderful family. Their generosity, encouragement, and compassion helped us find our footing in a new country and gave us the confidence to begin the next chapter of our lives. Their kindness will forever remain a cherished part of our family’s American story.

The opportunities America provided also inspired me to give back. Throughout my life, I have been privileged to serve in leadership roles within the Ismaili Muslim community while contributing to mediation, peacebuilding, and humanitarian initiatives across the United States and internationally. Serving others has been my way of expressing gratitude for the opportunities and freedoms this nation has afforded me.

As America commemorates 250 years of independence, we honor the vision, courage, and sacrifices of those who founded this nation and the generations who have defended its freedoms. May we continue to uphold the enduring values of liberty, opportunity, respect, compassion, and unity that have made the United States a beacon of hope for people from every corner of the world.

To my dear family and friends, thank you for being part of this remarkable journey. Your love, friendship, encouragement, and unwavering support have enriched our lives in countless ways. We are truly blessed.

May God continue to bless the United States of America with peace, wisdom, unity, and prosperity, and may He bless all those who proudly call this remarkable nation home.

My warmest wishes to all Americans as we celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary!

AbdulRehman Virani.

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America — My First Dream, My First Love

By KARIM SAJWANI
Northbrook, Illinois

I was born in Karachi, Pakistan, in 2002 and immigrated to the United States with my parents in 2006. When I was just six years old, my life changed forever with the loss of my father in Chicago. From that moment on, I was raised by my extraordinary single mother, whose strength, sacrifice, and unconditional love shaped the person I am today. Alongside her, my Ismaili Muslim community embraced us with compassion, guidance, and unwavering support. Together, they taught me that even in life’s greatest hardships, hope and kindness can prevail.

For many people, the United States is simply a country. To me, America represents something far greater. It is a promise — a place where people from every corner of the world can pursue opportunity, build a future, and live with dignity. It is a nation where freedom is protected by law and strengthened by the diversity of its people.

As an American and an Ismaili Muslim, I have always felt free to practice my faith without fear. The words “In God We Trust” are more than a national motto; they symbolize a society that respects every individual’s right to seek God according to their own beliefs. America has allowed me to embrace both my religious identity and my identity as an American without conflict or compromise.

The values of my Ismaili faith complement the ideals of the American Dream. My faith teaches compassion, equality, service to humanity, lifelong learning, honesty, and respect for all people. America teaches that regardless of where you come from, what language you speak, or how much you own, you have the opportunity to contribute, succeed, and build a meaningful life through hard work and perseverance.

One of the greatest lessons this country has taught me is the dignity of honest work. Whether someone cleans buildings, collects garbage, washes dishes, drives a truck, serves in the military, starts a small business, works in a hospital, or leads a major corporation, every honest profession deserves respect. A person’s character is measured not by their title, but by their integrity, work ethic, and willingness to serve others.

America’s greatest strength is its people. Throughout history, this nation has faced wars, economic hardship, natural disasters, and moments of division, yet it has repeatedly found the resilience to rebuild and move forward. I believe America continues to inspire the world through its commitment to innovation, education, scientific discovery, entrepreneurship, and humanitarian leadership. The remarkable advances in medicine, technology, and artificial intelligence remind us that the pursuit of knowledge can improve the lives of millions.

My faith has also taught me to obey the laws of the country in which I live, to be loyal to my nation, to respect people of every faith and background, and to view diversity as a blessing rather than a barrier. These same principles have helped America become one of the world’s most vibrant and pluralistic societies. Here, the children of immigrants can dream boldly, work diligently, and achieve things their parents could only imagine.

Together, my Ismaili faith and the United States have shaped the man I am today. I carry immense gratitude for both. They have inspired me to continue learning, serving my community, and striving to leave the world better than I found it.

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“One of the greatest lessons this country has taught me is the dignity of honest work. Whether someone cleans buildings, collects garbage, washes dishes, drives a truck, serves in the military, starts a small business, works in a hospital, or leads a major corporation, every honest profession deserves respect. A person’s character is measured not by their title, but by their integrity, work ethic, and willingness to serve others.” — Karim Sajwani.

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I also wish to express my deepest gratitude to every member of our Armed Forces, our First Responders, healthcare professionals, teachers, and all public servants whose dedication strengthens our communities and protects our freedoms. Their service reminds us that the strength of America rests not only in its institutions but also in the selfless people who serve others every day.

Likewise, I thank every President who has served our nation. Regardless of political affiliation or ideology, each accepted the immense responsibility of leading the United States during unique moments in history. Public service is a profound responsibility, and for that commitment they deserve our respect.

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, I am reminded that our nation’s story is still being written. Every generation has the opportunity — and the responsibility — to strengthen the ideals of liberty, justice, opportunity, and mutual respect. I hope to contribute, in my own small way, by living a life of integrity, serving my community, and helping build bridges across cultures and faiths.

May God continue to bless every American who works each day to make this country stronger, more compassionate, and more united. And above all,

God Bless the United States of America.

Karim Sajwani.

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An Immigrant’s Journey: A Life Built Through Hard Work, Family, and Gratitude

By PYARALI KHOJA
Chicago, Illinois


I came to the United States from Pakistan in September 1971 in search of a brighter future. As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, I would like to share a few reflections on my journey and express my gratitude to this remarkable nation.

I was raised in a middle-class Ismaili Muslim family of ten — my parents, three brothers, four sisters, and me. We lived in a modest home in a peaceful gated community. Although four of us brothers were working, our family still lived from paycheck to paycheck, making every dollar count.

When I arrived in the United States, I dreamed of pursuing higher education. However, life had other plans. Having married at a young age, I carried the responsibility of supporting not only my family in America but also my loved ones back in Pakistan. As a result, my dream of earning a college degree had to be set aside.

My wife, Rashida, and I dedicated many years to volunteering at our Ismaili Jamatkhana, believing that serving our community was an important part of building a meaningful life.

Our first son, Khurshid, was born in 1973. I will never forget that my employer refused to give me even a couple of days off to be with my newborn son, taking advantage of the fact that I was working without proper documentation. It was a difficult and painful experience that many immigrants of my generation can understand.

When our second son, Zulfiqar, was born in 1980, circumstances had improved, and I was finally able to take a week off to be with my family — a blessing I deeply appreciated.

Throughout every challenge, my wife, Rashida, stood beside me with unwavering strength and love. She has been an extraordinary life partner and a devoted mother. Together, we worked hard, lived within our means, and made education the highest priority for our children.

By the grace of Allah, our sacrifices were rewarded. Today, Khurshid is a successful attorney and owner of his own law firm in California, while Zulfiqar serves as a Senior Vice President at a Fortune 500 company.

My life’s journey has taught me that hard work, perseverance, responsible financial planning, and faith can transform dreams into reality. If you work diligently, save for the future, and never lose hope, retirement can become one of the most fulfilling chapters of life.

Today, my wife and I are happily retired, grateful for the opportunities we were given and proud of the family we have built.

As we reflect on our journey, we offer our heartfelt thanks to the United States of America for welcoming us, giving us opportunities, and allowing us to build a life that once seemed beyond our reach. We remain forever grateful to this great nation.

Sincerely,
Pyarali Khoja.

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A Heartfelt Thank You to America on Her 250th Birthday

By AZIZ HUSSAIN
Lilburn, Georgia


On this proud and historic occasion of America’s 250th birthday, my family and I extend our deepest gratitude, respect, and love to this extraordinary nation — a nation that has given us not only a place to live, but a place to belong.

I came to Chicago from Pakistan in 1985 with my wife, Fariel, and our two young sons, Faisal Hussain and Asif Hussain, carrying with us our education, our values, and hearts full of hope and dreams. Like so many immigrants, we arrived with optimism for the future, but also with uncertainty about what lay ahead.

The early years were not easy. We had to learn a new way of life, adapt to a new culture, work hard to support our family, and help our children adjust to a new school system and society. There were struggles, sacrifices, and many challenges. Yet alongside those difficulties, we also found opportunity, kindness, and the promise of a better future.

Over time, America became much more than the country where we settled. It became our home — our sweet home. This nation gave our family safety, dignity, stability, and the opportunity to build a better life. It gave our children the gift of quality education, the freedom to dream, and the chance to succeed. It gave us access to healthcare, security, and the confidence that through honest work and perseverance, life could improve for our family and for future generations.

As an Ismaili Muslim family, we are especially grateful to America for protecting religious freedom and respecting the traditions and beliefs of people from all backgrounds.

That is one of the greatest strengths of this nation: people of different faiths, cultures, and communities can live together with mutual respect, shared hope, and a common commitment to a better future.

On this 250th birthday, we proudly say: God bless America.

Thank you for welcoming families like ours with open arms, for celebrating diversity as a strength, and for offering immigrants not only a home, but the chance to build a future with dignity and purpose.

America has been, and remains, a land of hope, opportunity, and freedom. Our family will always carry that gift with gratitude, pride, and enduring thanks.

With love, pride, and sincere gratitude,
Aziz Hussain.

Date posted: August 2, 2026.
Last updated: September 19, 2026.

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His Highness the Aga Khan in India

His Highness the Aga Khan’s Historic Visit to India: Special Coverage

10 September 2026

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Introduced by MALIK MERCHANT

We invite readers to explore our sister website, Barakah, for special coverage of the Aga Khan’s historic seven-day visit to India. He arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday, September 9, 2026. During his trip, he will meet with government leaders and bestow a Didar (meaning “a glimpse”) upon his Ismaili community– a profoundly inspiring and spiritually uplifting event deeply cherished by every Ismaili to see their beloved Imam in their midst and receive guidance for their material and spiritual well-being. His visit follows earlier trips to France, Kenya, Uganda, the USA, Portugal, the UK, Eastern Canada, Northern Pakistan, Germany and Western Canada (click the links for Barakah’s special coverage of the 10 trips).

Aga Khan with India's external affairs minister
His Highness the Aga Khan meets India’s External Affairs Minister, September 10, 2026. Click the image for coverage in Barakah.

Date posted: September 10, 2026.

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To the Jamat of India: Make reciting the Salawat a daily practice as you prepare for the Holy Didar of Mawlana Shah Rahim al Hussaini Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan

30 August 2026

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By MALIK MERCHANT

Deepening love and feeling the presence of the Noor of Mawlana Hazar Imam: A personal reflection on the Salawat

The messages on Tohfa — a gift to the Imam of the Time — from the Ismaili leadership of India, including the Vice President of the Aga Khan Council of India, and Chairpersons of six National Ismaili Institutional Boards, addressed many important themes that Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, has emphasized during his visits to the Jamat (Ismaili community) around the world. The leadership presented his recommendations as gifts from the Jamats in India to the Imam during his upcoming visit. These include caring for the environment, reducing the time we spend on our mobile devices, cultivating a habit of reading, moving our bodies, and strengthening our faith through constant reminders, among others. The Tohfa that the leadership spoke of are commitments, one at a time or in combination, that every Jamati member should seek to make as everyone’s active participation is vital. They could, as they suggested, take place before, during, and after his visit to India from September 9 to 15, 2026, when he is expected to grace the Jamat with Didars at various locations.

At the start of his address, the Chairman of the Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Board for India (ITREB) asked, ‘Do you want to experience true, lasting happiness and find meaningful purpose in your lives?’

This question invites many responses. I wish to share my perspective to make Mawlana Shah Rahim Hazar Imam’s Didar truly meaningful for the Jamat in India. Typically, remembering Allah and the Imam of the Time through daily prayers, heartfelt supplications, participation in ITREB programs with Waezes in Jamatkhanas, and recitation of special Zikr prayers, Ginans, Qasidas, and Qur’anic verses are powerful ways to prepare ourselves to receive Mawlana Hazar Imam.

Still, I want to offer a personal reflection to bring joy to the Didar, helping us feel more spiritually connected and eager in the days leading up to his arrival, and to deepen our sense of the Noor’s profound presence as Mawlana Hazar Imam enters the Didar hall, walks through the Jamat, takes his seat on the stage, and continues to bless the Jamat with his Didar until – and indeed – beyond his departure, as well as to feel his constant presence in our lives.

With the announcement of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s visit to Western Canada and the Didar in Calgary on the afternoon of Friday, July 24, 2026, I committed to returning to my daily practice of reciting Salawat, which I had maintained for years. Since the late 1950s, and for more than 60 years, I have been blessed with the physical presence, or Didar, of Mawlana Shah Karim about 15 times. Like all the Imams before him, he was the bearer of the Noor of Hazrat Ali. Our beloved 50th Imam, Mawlana Shah Rahim, carries the same Noor, as he beautifully expressed in his Farman in Calgary, and as explained in our piece on the Motif of his first Didar to Jamats worldwide. I wanted to feel the same awe and tangible presence of the Noor of Imamat during the Didar with Mawlana Shah Rahim as I had during Mawlana Shah Karim’s time. Of course, we have been taught – and accepted – that the Noor is everlasting and will remain with each Imam until the Day of Judgement. And this is where the recitation of the Salawat showed its greatest impact! I can personally reveal that, just as I felt the beautiful presence of the Noor of Imamat during Mawlana Shah Karim’s time, my heart felt the same presence during my first Didar of Mawlana Shah Rahim in Calgary on the afternoon of July 24.

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Mawlana Shah Rahim Al Hussaini Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, the 50th Hereditary Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims.

We all recite the Salawat on specific occasions, as a congregation, on Chandraat (the night of the New Moon), and during prayers for deceased members of the Jamat. Perhaps many of us leave it at that. If you’re one such person and are new to this practice or haven’t been consistent, I recommend starting with just a few Salawat recitations daily. You might be surprised at how quickly that number grows in the days that follow.

I encourage all your family members, including young children, to adopt this practice. Sit together as a family and spend a minute or two reciting 10-15 Salawat; at least start with one. Notice the difference it will make in your lives and in your love for the Imam before, during, and after the Didar. Make it a regular practice, both at home and in the Jamatkhana. Remain seated for a few moments after the second Dua is complete, or return to the seating position later, before leaving the Jamatkhana, and recite the Salawat.

While listening to geets and songs honouring Mawlana Hazar Imam is enjoyable and entertaining, it’s important to cultivate a disciplined habit of reciting Salawat. You can sit on the floor or in a chair if sitting on the floor is uncomfortable. As I mentioned earlier, start with a few, say 11 beads in your Tasbihs (42 seconds), then stretch to 33 (2 minutes and a few seconds), and work up to 100 (approx. 7 minutes) or more!

I sincerely hope — and am confident — that this recitation of Salawat will bring you and your family true, lasting happiness, a meaningful purpose, and courage in your lives as your love for Hazar Imam grows. The Imam’s love for us is unbounded, and we should seek to reciprocate it. The Salawat will foster a visible, tangible presence of the Imam-of-the-Time in your daily life and at the upcoming Didar in India. The importance of reciting the Salawat was instilled in me by my beloved late father, Jehangir, who served Ismaili institutions, the Imam of the Time, and the Jamat for decades. I deeply miss him and cherish him for the love of the Imam of the Time that he helped instill in my heart.

I am pleased to present an adapted version of Shiraz Pradhan’s excellent piece on the significance of the Salwaat, which originally appeared on this website in November 2017.

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Allahumm-a Sall-i ‘Ala Muhammad-in Wa Al-i Muhammad

Salawat Calligraphy
Salawat written in Nast’aliq calligraphy. Credit: Wikishia.

By SHIRAZ PRADHAN

Whenever Mawlana Hazar Imam graces us with Didar, his arrival and his presence are greeted with the soul-soothing hum of the recitation of the Salawaat:

“Allahumm-a Sall-i ‘Ala Muhammad-in Wa Al-i Muhammad,” meaning “O, Allah shower thy choicest blessings upon Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad.”

This has been our tradition for centuries. The question arises: Why do we seek blessings upon the Prophet and his progeny?

When the verse of the Holy Qur’an (33:56)  “Lo! Allah and His angels shower blessings upon (salloona ‘ala) the Prophet. O you who believe! Ask blessings upon him (salloo ‘alayhi) and salute him with a worthy salutation,” was revealed some of the companions of the Prophet asked him about it: “O Messenger of God, we know already how to greet you; but how should we invoke blessings upon you?”

The Prophet replied:

“You should say, ‘O God, bless Muhammad and his progeny (aal), even as you blessed Abraham and his progeny [O God], you are truly praiseworthy, great in glory’.” [1]

Further reinforcement of this invocation of blessing upon the Prophet and his progeny comes in the verse “Say: I ask you no reward (arjan) except love of the ‘near of kin (al-qurba)’. ” — 42:23

The key concept that emerges here is that of reward (arjan).

To understand this, we have to look at the fact that the Prophet was sent as a mercy to mankind  as attested in the verse:

“And we have sent you not, except as mercy to the world.” — 21:107

What then is the reason for asking the ummah to seek blessing upon the Prophet and his progeny? And what is the reason for the expectation of a reward?

In reality the reward that the Prophet is asking, namely the love for the Prophet and his progeny, is not for his own benefit, but rather, for the benefit of the ummah (Muslim community) itself. And here in lies the elegance and efficacy of the Salawat that we recite. Imam Al-Baqir explains this by citing a verse in which Allah tells the Prophet:

“Say, whatever I ask you with regard to my reward, it is [actually] for you. I rely for my reward on no one except God and He is witness to everything.” — 34:47

Several Ginans sing about the joys and delights when the Imam graces his murids with his physical Didar. In one of these Ginans we come across this concept of “reward”. A verse in Pir Sadardin’s Ginan Aji Sham kun avanta jo kahe reads:

Transliteration

Sami ke gale me haar hai, heera manek jaddi ya,
Jis re bhave tan ku dete hai,
Saheb hai dil daariya…

Translation

The beloved has a necklace of diamonds and pearls,
He showers these on who so ever he chooses
The beloved’s generosity knows no bounds.

In the joyful assemblage of Imam’s holy presence and Didar, not only does the Imam shower the “reward” of jewels of blessings upon the murids, but the recitation of the Salawat opens the gate of mercy and every recitation of the Salawat multiplies these blessings many many many fold. A tradition from Shia sources refers to the blessings of reciting Salawat as follows:

“Whoever sends ten Salawats upon Muhammad and his family, God and His angels will send him a hundred salutations, and whoever sends a hundred Salawats upon Muhammad and his family, God and His angels will send him a thousand.“

The promise of reward goes even further. When a murid places his hands under the hand of the appointed spiritual authority of the time, Imam-e-Zaman, in an act of allegiance (bay‘at), “he indeed pledge his allegiance to Allah” (innama yubayi‘auna’lla). And thus, fulfilment of this bay’at merits nothing less than a great reward as promised by the verse 48:10 of the Qur’an that whosoever fulfils his bay’at with Allah shall merit a greater reward (arjan azim).

The first act of fulfilment of the bay’at is the declaration of the love for the Prophet and his progeny which is affirmed by the recitation of the Salawat. And its continuous recitation is a demonstration of this love between the murid and the Imam and the continuous shower of the jewels that Ginan Aji Sham kun avaanta jo kahe alludes to.

Date posted: August 30, 2026.

Note: A version of this post appears on Simerg’s sister website, Barakah, which is dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan.

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Reference:

[1]. Fatimid-Isma‘ili book of law, Da‘a’im al-Islam (Pillars of Islam) by Qadi Nu’man.

Shiraz Pradhan

About the author: Shiraz Pradhan, a regular contributor to Barakah and its sister website, Simerg, is an international consulting engineer, author, and long‑time researcher of the Ginan tradition. He serves as Chairperson of the Association for the Study of Ginans, an international organisation dedicated to preserving and advancing Ginan scholarship. His interests span the Vedas, Judeo‑Christian history, and Sufism, reflecting his broad engagement with spiritual traditions. His forthcoming book, “Amrapuri: Exploring the Evolution of Nizari Ismaili Satpanth through the Prism of Ginan Literature,” brings together years of dedicated study.

Amin Gulgee at Oxford for Raga Continuum

Artist Amin Gulgee’s Copper Sculpture “Raga Continuum” in Oxford

25 August 2026

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By ANIZA MEGHANI

On a sunny, hot afternoon on July 8, 2026, renowned artist Amin Gulgee, whom I previously interviewed for this website and who was featured in Simerg’s special series on books by Ismaili authors, visited the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS) in Oxford, UK, for the first time. He came to see his copper sculpture, “Raga Continuum,” which was a gift to the OCIS from the Government of Pakistan and was permanently displayed at the Centre in 2025. Upon his arrival, Amin was warmly welcomed by Dr. Farhan Ahmad Nizami, the Director of OCIS, as well as by scholars and fellows from the Centre. A delegation from the Pakistan High Commission in London was also present for the occasion.

Amin Gulgee at Oxford for Raga Continuum
Amin Gulgee’s Raga Continuum.Photograph: Aniza Meghani.

Energetically, the Karachi-based artist described how “Raga Continuum” is created using the letters from a line of Surah Al-‘Alaq, written in the Naskh script of Arabic. He mentioned that in his earlier works from this series, the line was legible, but now it is not. The artist explained, “I am trying to capture its essence.” He added that he has been using this specific line for over three decades. What fascinates him, he noted, is not merely the act of writing, but rather the concepts of repetition and form.

Amin Gulgee at Oxford for Raga Continuum
Dr. Farhan Ahmad Nizami, the Director of Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (left), welcomes Ismaili artist Amin Gulgee (centre) during Gulgee’s visit to Oxford to see his sculpture Raga Continuum, which was gifted to the OCIS by the Government of Pakistan. Photograph: Aniza Meghani.

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Amin Gulgee at Oxford for Raga Continuum
Amin Gulgee introduces his bronze sculpture Raga Continuum to the assembled academic community during his visit to OCIS. Photograph: Aniza Meghani

After the presentation, Amin’s infectious laughter echoed through the hall as he continued discussing his ideas with the director and the assembled academics over tea. He was then taken on a tour of the institution’s expansive halls and beautiful gardens. The OCIS, established in 1985, focuses on the multidisciplinary study of Islamic civilizations, culture, and contemporary Muslim societies.

Amin Gulgee at Oxford for Raga Continuum
Amin Gulgee on a tour of the OCIS’s beautiful gardens. Photograph: Aniza Meghani

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Amin Gulgee with the academic community and guests who attended his presentation of the bronze sculpture Raga Continuum at the OCIS. Photograph: Aniza Meghani

At the end of his guided tour, Amin expressed his gratitude to his hosts, highlighting the significance of such an institution in today’s world. “I am so grateful that you exist, especially given the nature of the times we live in,” he stated.

Date posted: August 26, 2026.

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Aniza Meghani Letter to Dad Kurbanali Kassamali Mulji Passings Simerg Insights from around the world
Aniza Meghani

About the writer: Originally from Uganda, Aniza Meghani lives in London, England, and is an entrepreneur of classic textile fabrics. Among her contributions to Simerg are her highly acclaimed article, Ismailis on Social Media: You Need to Take Care and STOP Indiscriminate Likes, Follows and Forwards! and a loving tribute to her dad, My Beloved Papa, Kurbanali Kassamali Mulji (1935 – 2022).

Memories of Muhammad

Nativity of the Prophet Muhammad: The Mevlud/Mawlid Tradition

24 August 2026

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Editor’s Note: This essay, a special contribution to Simerg, was originally published in 2011 to commemorate the auspicious birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (12 Rabi ul Awal). The observance of Mawlid can vary by country, depending on the sighting of the New Moon. In 2026, the Ismaili Muslim community in Canada observed Chandraat (the night of the New Moon) on Thursday, August 13, and will celebrate the Mawlid event on August 24. In other countries, the Milad will be commemorated on August 25 or 26.

By OMID SAFI

As we celebrate the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, it is good to reflect on the ways in which various memories of Muhammad have continued to reverberate through Islamic society. One of the loveliest has been through a distinctly Turkish tradition called Mevlud (also spelled as Mevlut) which recalls and celebrates the birth of the Prophet. These poems, which might well be called the Nativity of Muhammad, would be recited on major life occasions, and have been for centuries a key part of the devotional life of Ottomans. While there are multiple versions of these poems, perhaps the most well-known and beloved Mevlud is that by Suleyman Chelebi.

Here are portions of it, courtesy of the great German scholar of Islam, Annemarie Schimmel, whose own engagement with Islam began with a deep affinity towards Turkish Islam and Muslims globally. The poem begins, as any good birth narrative does, with a recollection of the mother’s experience. In this case, it is with Amina, Muhammad’s mother, who according to Turkish custom is referred to as Amina Khatun (Lady Amina):

Amina Khatun, Muhammad’s mother dear:
From this oyster came that lustrous pearl.
After she conceived from ‘Abdallah
Came the time of birth with days and weeks.
As Muhammad’s birth was drawing near
Many signs appeared before he came!

In the month of Rabi‘ al-awwal then
On the twelfth, the night of Monday, look,
When the best of mankind was born
O what marvels did his mother see!

Spoke the mother of that friend: “I saw
A strange light; the sun was like its moth.
Suddenly it flashed up from my house,
Filled with world with light up to the sky.
Heavens opened, vanquished was the dark,

And I saw three angels with three flags.
One was in the East, one in the West,
One stood upright on the Ka‘ba’s roof.
Rows of angels came from heaven, and
Circumambulated all my house;

Came the houris group on group; the light
From their faces made my house so bright!
And a cover was spread in mid-air,
Called ‘brocade’ – an angel laid it out.
When I saw so clearly these events
I became bewildered and confused.
Suddenly the walls were split apart
And three houris entered in my room.

The poem above begins with a recollection of Muhammad as a pearl, a pun in Arabic where the words for “pearl” and “orphan” are similar. Muhammad of course was born as an orphan, and yet in the marvelous spirituality of the Turks his orphan background is transformed to him having been precious, pearl-like. The birth of Muhammad is told first through the experience of his mother, and the wonders that she beheld. A light fills her heart, and her house is circumambulated. Her house becomes like the Ka‘ba, as it were, and the various mentions of “opening” are reminiscent of the Qur’an’s recalling of the need to have one’s heart opened. The home of Amina becomes like a heart: all is illuminated, all is opened. The poem goes on to state:

Some have said that of these charming three
One was Asiya of moonlike face,
One was Lady Mary without doubt,
And the third a houri beautiful.
Then these moonfaced three drew gently near
And they greeted me with kindness here;

Then they sat around me, and they gave
The good tidings of Muhammad’s birth;
Said to me: “A son like this your son
Has not come since God has made this world,
And the Mighty One did never grant
Such a lovely son as will be yours.
You have found great happiness, O dear
For from you that virtuous one is born!

He that comes is King of Knowledge high,
Is the mine of gnosis and tawhid [monotheism].
For the love of him the sky revolves,
Men and jinn are longing for his face.
This night is the night that he, so pure
Will suffuse the worlds with radiant light!

This night, earth becomes a Paradise,
This night God shows mercy to the world.
This night those with heart are filled with joy,
This night gives the lovers a new life.
Mercy for the worlds is Mustafa,
Sinners’ intercessors: Mustafa!’”

Following the Qur’an all Muslims celebrate the connection among the various Prophets, particularly the close connection among Abraham, Noah, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. Here that same connection is reaffirmed through a female perspective, by talking about how the luminous women, through whom each of these channels of grace (baraka) were opened up onto this world, gather around Amina, greeting her as Muhammad is being born to her. The poem specifically mentions three female visitors for Amina, as it were the three wise (and beautiful) women: Moses’ Asiya, Jesus’ Lady Mary, and a houri — a celestial beauty. [While in some recent imagination the term houri is taken in a sexual context, here the emphasis is purely on the houri’s beauty and chastity.]

As has been characteristic of the Muslim tradition, the paramount quality of Muhammad emphasized here is that of rahmatun li ‘l-‘alamin (“a mercy to all the worlds”), a direct reference to Qur’an 21:107. It is Muhammad the intercessor for sinners, the mercy for the worlds that is the object of Muslim devotion here. Just as the earth became like a paradise upon Muhammad’s birth, those who recite the poem hope to turn their own homes, their own hearts, and their own lives into one filled with God’s mercy. Echoes of the echoes of Muhammad reverberate. The Mevlud poem goes on to describe the very physical experience of birth, that magical experience where a life enters this world through a grace-filled opening, resulting in an opening of a new gate of mercy for humanity.

“They described him in this style to me,
Stirred my longing for that blessed light.”
Amina said: “When the time was ripe
That the Best of Mankind should appear,
I became so thirsty from that heat
That they gave me sherbet in a glass.
Drinking it, I was immersed in light
And could not discern myself from light.

Then a white swan came with soft great wings
And he touched my back with gentle strength.
And the King of Faith was born that night:
Earth and heaven were submerged in light!”

Amina here is much more than a simple “vessel” for carrying Muhammad. Her own experience here is mystical, stating that she was “immersed in light” and that she couldn’t discern herself from the light. Indeed the whole world is described as being illuminated. These passages all recall the strong tradition of illuminative contemplation in Islam, harkening back to those Qur’anic verses that describe God as the “light of the Heavens of the Earth.” In both Sunni and Shi’i traditions human beings become seen as reflecting that light onto this world, light upon light.

The next section of the poem is referred to as the great “Welcome”, in which all of the cosmos joins in welcoming the newborn Muhammad. This Muhammad is much more than simply a child, he is the cure for pain, one who is not separated from God, and a saintly being (“Friend of God”), whom all will call upon to deliver them from sin in the days of the Hereafter:

Welcome, O high prince, we welcome you!
Welcome, O mine of wisdom, we welcome you!
Welcome, O secret of the Book, we welcome you!
Welcome, O medicine for pain, we welcome you!
Welcome, O sunlight and moonlight of God!
Welcome, O you not separated from God!
Welcome, O nightingale of the Garden of Beauty!
Welcome, O friend of the Lord of Power!
Welcome, O refuge of your community!
Welcome, O helper of the poor and destitute!
Welcome, O eternal soul, we welcome you!
Welcome, O cupbearer of the lovers, we welcome you!
Welcome, O darling of the Beloved!
Welcome, O much beloved of the Lord!
Welcome, O Mercy for the worlds!
Welcome, O intercessor for the sinner!
Only for you were Time and Space created…

It was this Muhammad — the cosmic Muhammad who served as the cause of creation, the Muhammad that God so loved that were it not for him creation would not have been — that was the object of Ottoman devotion. Just as the moon reflects the light of the sun, so does Muhammad reflect the light of God onto the cosmos. The above Mevlud poem continues to be recited in Turkish homes down to today as it was in Ottoman times, a remarkable longevity in devotional life of Muslims.

Date posted: February 11, 2011.
Last updated: August 24, 2026.

Copyright © Omid Safi.

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A professional man in a suit leaning against a railing with a historic building in the background.
Omid Safi

About the author: Omid Safi Teacher in the Sufi tradition of Radical Love & Founder of Illuminated Courses & Tours. Omid’s passion for teaching has been recognized through the ten times that he has been nominated for professor of the year awards.  He is currently a professor at Duke University specializing in Islamic spirituality and contemporary thought. A leading Muslim public intellectual, Omid is committed to the intersection of spirituality and social justice. Omid has published extensively on the foundational sources of Islam and Sufism. His Memories of Muhammad is a biography of the Prophet Muhammad.  His most recent book is Radical Love:  Teachings from the Islamic Mystical Tradition (published by Yale). Dr. Safi’s other pieces on this website are The Hijra: Movement of God’s People and Voices: Good Sufi, Bad Muslims

Aga Khan IV with Jalala Badakhshani

Passings: Prominent Ismaili Scholar Sayyid Jalal Badakhshani passes away in London at age 85

13 August 2026

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Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un
“Surely we belong to God, and to Him we return” — Holy Qur’an, 2:156

“Life is a great and noble calling, not a mean and grovelling thing to be shuffled through as best as we can but a lofty and exalted destiny.” — Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah, His Highness the Aga Khan III (1877-1957), 48th Ismaili Imam.

A brief note by MALIK MERCHANT

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Sayyid Jalal Badakhshani on August 11, 2026, in London, England, at age 85. While Simerg plans to publish its own detailed tribute to Dr. Badakhshani shortly — one related to his academic work by Daryoush Mohammad Poor was published on August 12 by The Institute of Ismaili Studies — I, as a member of Ismailia Association UK’s Literature and Publication Department and co-editor of its prominent Ilm magazine from 1975 to 1979, fondly recall how honoured we all felt when he, along with Dr. Rafik Habib Keshavjee, submitted a scholarly piece titled “On the Imamate: A Treatise of the Khwajeh Nasir ad-din Tusi” for publication in the magazine. The nine-page article appeared in the July 1978 issue and, coincidentally, included a brief article about the Mashhad Jamatkhana along with a photo of its front piece on the cover. At that time, Jalal was attached to the Ferdowsi University in Mashhad, and Rafik was at Harvard. Simerg is pleased to share the complete nine-page article as a PDF file. Please click HERE or the image below to read it.

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Mashad Jamatkhana
Mashhad Jamatkhana, Iran. Photograph: Ilm magazine, inside front cover, July 1978, Vol. 4, No. 1. Click on the image for the article “On the Imamat,” contributed to Ilm magazine by Jalal Badakhshani and Rafiq Keshavjee.

We would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and all current and former colleagues of Dr. Jalal Badkhshani at the Institute of Ismaili Studies. He has left behind an extraordinary legacy in Ismaili research and scholarship. We pray that his soul may rest in eternal peace. Ameen.

Featured photo at the top of the post: Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, with Dr. Jalal Badakhshani. Photograph: Jalal Badakhshani Family Collection via the Institute of Ismaili Studies.

Date posted: August 13, 2026.

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Condolences and Tributes We invite readers to submit their condolences, memories and tributes to Dr. Jalal Badakhshani by clicking Leave a comment.

Correction notice: The comment link in the original post referred to someone who had passed away earlier. This issue has been corrected. We apologize for the oversight.

Alamut

“Alamut, where every stone tells a story,” a fascinating account by an eighty-four-year-old Ismaili Math professor of his climb to the Ismaili fortress, now inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site

8 August 2026

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Introduced by MALIK MERCHANT

Shortly after the launch of this website in 2009, Professor Ali M. Rajput, who has since passed away, shared his story of climbing Alamut at the remarkable age of 84. His story generated many comments from our readers. Since Alamut, along with its associated fortresses, was recently designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we encourage our readers to explore Ali M. Rajput’s fascinating first encounter with Alamut in 2007 and his inspiring climb to the top of the mountain. Please click on Alamut, where every stone tells a story.

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An elderly man in a blue shirt and hat riding a black horse along a rocky path, surrounded by people walking in the background.
Dr. Ali Rajput riding a horse, which took him only halfway up. Determined and encouraged by his son, Karim, Rajput then walked the remainder of the way to the peak, even at the age of 84. Photograph: Ali M. Rajput Collection

The Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) had been planning since 2014 to submit the Alamut Castle for consideration as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. However, the registration process encountered delays due to various factors. You can read more about the situation HERE.

Finally, in July 2026, the Fortress of Alamut and its associated strongholds in Iran were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list. With 30 sites on the UNESCO World Heritage list, including two natural sites, IRI is now among the top 10 countries in the world with the largest number of officially designated sites on the UNESCO list.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran submits one nomination file annually for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and we hope that during Sunday’s session [July 26, 2026], the Alamut file will be approved so that its World Heritage certificate can be issued in Iran’s name” — Seyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts.

The following is a brief description posted on the UNESCO World Heritage Convention website, which provides comprehensive details about the fortifications (for more details, please click on UNESCO: Alamūt Castle and Related Fortifications).

UNESCO: Alamūt Castle and Related Fortifications

A panoramic view of a mountainous landscape featuring rocky slopes, greenery, and snow-capped peaks in the background, with several people walking along paths near ancient cave structures.
Alamut Castle becomes Iran’s 30th UNESCO World Heritage site.

“The serial property comprises of Alamūt Castle and six associated fortifications — Lambesar, Navizaršāh, Šams Kelāyeh, Qosṭinlār, Širkūh, and Ilān — strategically positioned within the rugged landscape of the Alborz Mountains in Qazvin Province, northern Iran. From the late 11th century CE, Alamūt served as the political, military, and intellectual centre of the Nezāri Ismaʿilis, an influential Islamic movement whose reach extended across Iran and the wider Islamic world. This fortified network functioned both as a refuge and as a scholarly and cultural hub, sustaining the Nezāri community until the fall of Alamūt in 1256 and continuing to shape regional religious and intellectual history long thereafter. Together, the fortifications illustrate the strategic organisation, resilience, and cultural significance of the Nezāri Ismaʿili state.” (reproduced here under license CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0).

We also have links to other stories in the world media about Alamut’s designation as a World Heritage Site. Please click:

Date posted: August 8, 2026.

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Ismaili Authors Series: Nizar Motani’s “Rolling Stone Gathers Much Moss” tells a personal and family story of fulfilment; the author seeks to inspire readers to write about their own history

10 July 2026

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By    MALIK MERCHANT

Editor’s note: On Friday, July 9, 2026, I attended the Generations Jamatkhana in Calgary, where an excerpt from a Farman Mubarak by Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, was read. This Farman, delivered during the students’ Didar in Toronto on March 31, 2026, advised us to explore our personal and family histories by asking questions such as “Who are you? Who are your parents? Who are your grandparents?” Mawlana Hazar Imam urged the young members of the community to speak with our elders to learn about our background (see page 41 of the Farman Mubarak book, from the Canada visit, March 26-31, 2026, available at Jamatkhana literature counters).

At once, my beloved friend Nizar Motani’s book, featured below as part of the Ismaili Authors Series, came to mind. As Nizar says, he hopes that his book, with the intriguing title Rolling Stone Gathers Much Moss, will inspire others to write about their families and life stories and to preserve family history before it is lost. In the series — see the list below — we have featured several Ismaili authors who have written informative, rich autobiographies. Aside from learning about our personal histories, Mawlana Hazar Imam has asked us to develop a habit of reading books. In this regard, we welcome the institutional initiative titled Gift of Reading, a collective pledge from the Canadian Ismaili community to Mawlana Hazar Imam in anticipation of his upcoming visit to Western Canada from July 24-26, 2026.

We value the insights of Ismaili authors worldwide and invite you to contribute to this ongoing series by submitting responses to our questions. Please see the details HERE. For any queries, please email Malik at   mmerchant@simerg.com.

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Ismaili Authors Series: Rolling Stone Gathers Much Moss by Nizar A. Motani

Nizar Motani
Dr. Nizar Motani

Simerg: What is behind the naming of the title Rolling Stone Gathers Much Moss: A Stateless Ugandan Refugee’s Odyssey of Resilience and Reinvention?

Nizar Motani: The main title is a play on the proverb, “a rolling stone gathers no moss,” which suggests that constant change prevents one from putting down roots or achieving lasting success. My life has been the opposite. Despite being expelled from Uganda and experiencing many relocations and career changes, I ultimately settled in Atlanta, Georgia, where I built a fulfilling personal and professional life, showing that even a rolling stone can gather plenty of moss!

Simerg: Why would you want me or my family members to read the book and what will we learn?

Motani: I hope the book inspires others to write about their own families and life stories, and to preserve family history before it is lost. It reflects resilience in the face of the Ugandan expulsion and other life challenges, including periods of instability through several moves and changes in profession, and the gradual process of building a more settled and rewarding life. It highlights themes of charity, community involvement, and the importance of friendship and social connections. As I have humorously related several major foolish mistakes and devoted an entire chapter to my positive approach to health issues, there are some valuable lessons for readers. I also offer a rare perspective on colonialism, drawing on my background as an academic historian who navigated the middle tier in a tri-racial colonial society. Finally, a collection of photographs is included throughout the book, which I hope helps bring the story to life and make it even more enjoyable to read.

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Exile did not break and has not broken Nizar. Nor has it broken many of us of his generation. Instead, we have accepted it as an opportunity to contribute on a global scale. This, I think, is the message, the heritage and the value of Nizar’s autobiography — Professor Austin Bukenya, Makerere University, former columnist of the Nairobi-based Daily Nation.

Book cover for 'Rolling Stone Gathers Much Moss' by Nizar A. Motani, featuring a map highlighting locations, an overlay of Africa, and a photo of a man giving a speech.
Front cover of Nizar Motani’s “Rolling Stone Gathers Much Moss,” 238 pp, June 4, 2026. Click AMAZON to purchase the book.

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Simerg: What inspired you to write the book?

Motani: I have enjoyed writing since my school days, when my teachers first encouraged me. Later, my Ph.D. supervisor at the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), the renowned Africanist Professor Roland Oliver, remarked that I had a considerable gift for writing in the English language. Over the years, I wrote articles and book reviews, including reviews of memoirs, which eventually led me to realize it was time to write my own. I wanted to preserve both my family’s remarkable history and the story of my own eight-decade journey before more of the people who held those memories passed away—and before my own advancing age and health challenges made the task more difficult. As friends and potential readers also began to leave us, I felt an even greater urgency to write. The COVID-19 pandemic provided the time and opportunity to finally begin my memoir.

Simerg: How can one purchase the book ?

Motani:    The book can be purchased on AMAZON in paperback and e-book formats.

Simerg: How did you find a publisher for the book?

Motani: Based on a recommendation from a fellow academic whom I previously worked with, I initially contracted with an assisted self-publishing service, but later switched to self-publishing independently through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing which offered more control, flexibility, and faster time to publication.

Simerg: Did you hire an editor, an illustrator or did you do all the work by yourself?

Motani: My son Abdul and my brother Azeem dedicated significant time to editing the book, and they worked with a professional for the cover design.

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One of several photos in Nizar Motani’s new book, Rolling Stone Gathers Much Moss (page 34), shows him facing the camera as Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, visits his classroom at the Aga Khan Secondary School, Kampala, in the 1960s. Photograph: © Motani Family Collection.

Simerg: Which was your first book, and how many have you written?

Motani: In 1977, my Ph.D. thesis was published as an academic monograph for scholarly audiences, but this memoir is my first book written for a general readership. I had a stellar eight-year lecturing career as a history professor at two well-respected universities (Bowdoin College and Western Michigan University) in the United States. As a result of my impressive presentations at major academic conferences, I was invited to contribute chapters to books by several distinguished professors. Over the years, I have also written numerous papers, articles, and book reviews that appeared in various publications, as well as on this website and its sister website, Barakah. These works are detailed in the appendix of my book, which also includes the full text of three of my articles on Uganda.

Simerg: How long did it take you to write the book — from start to finish?

Motani: I began writing notes in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic and, with much procrastination, continued writing over the next few years. As I am not very tech-savvy, I relied on my son to help transform the material into a book, including organizing, editing, and other general production work. Given the scale of the task and his full-time job, progress was gradual at times. The book was finally published in June of 2026.

Date posted: July 10, 2026.
Last updated: July 10, 2026.

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Nizar Motani
Dr. Nizar Motani

About the author: Born and raised in Uganda before its independence from colonial Britain, Nizar A. Motani has conducted extensive research on “Uga-Indians” and earned a Ph.D. in African history from the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), just before the 1972 expulsion of Asians from Uganda, which rendered him stateless. A timely offer brought him to the United States as a professor, where he eventually became a citizen. Over time, he transitioned from academia to business and finance, demonstrating the same rigor and creativity that marked his scholarly work. A talented writer, storyteller, and speaker, Dr. Motani is especially known for his dynamic and captivating style. Friends and colleagues alike admire his quick wit, outrageous anecdotes, and unforgettable sayings, which bring both humour and insight to every conversation. Dr. Motani and his wife, Yasmin, are now retired in Atlanta, Georgia, where they have resided since 1989.

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Links to the Ismaili Authors’ Series (in chronological sequence, oldest article first)

  1. “Justice Bertha Wilson Pushes the Boundaries of Humanity” by Shamas Nanji    (featured on February 10, 2021, series start date)
  2. “Little One, You Are The Universe” by Zeni Shariff    (February 25, 2021)
  3. “Memoirs of a Muhindi” by Mansoor Ladha    (March 6, 2021, and see also 15, 21 and 27 by the same author)
  4. “To Be One With God: Seven Journeys to the Meaning of Life” by Shafeen Ali    (March 25, 2021)
  5. “Invisible Birthmarks” by Alnasir Rajan    (April 13, 2021)
  6. “IN THE NAME OF JUSTICE – Portrait of a ‘Cowboy’ Judge” by Azmina Suleman    (April 28, 2021)
  7. “RSVP Rice and Stew Very Plenty” by Nazlin Rahemtulla    (May 28, 2021)
  8. “Coughdrops” by Nargis Fazal    (June 12, 2021)
  9. “The Roots and the Trees” by Nizar Sultan    (June 25, 2021)
  10. “Faith and Ethics: The Vision of the Ismaili Imamat” by M. Ali Lakhani    (July 4, 2021)
  11. “Nairobi Days” by Shelina_Shariff Zia    (July 21, 2021)
  12. “Shine Brighter” by Shairoz Lakhani    (December 8, 2021)
  13. “This is My Life” by Naznin Rahemtulla Hébert    (February 26, 2022)
  14. “Humanizing Medicine – Making Health Tangible” by Dr. Azim Jiwani (March 9, 2022)
  15. “A Portrait in Pluralism: Aga Khan’s Shia Ismaili Muslims” by Mansoor Ladha    (June 8, 2022, and see also 3, 21 and 27 by the same author)
  16. “Malaria Memoirs: My Life Journey as a Public Health Doctor in Tanzania” by Dr Zul Premji    (June 30, 2022)
  17. “Monkey Tales and Other Short Stories” by Mahmoud Hirji    (September 10, 2022)
  18. “Bloom! A Story of Diversity and Understanding” by Shamim Murji    (October 27, 2022)
  19. “Cooking with Mom” by Rozina Ramji    (November 7, 2022)
  20. “SPARK: Journey from Success to Significance” by Azim Jamal    (July 17, 2023)
  21. “Off the Cuff” by Mansoor Ladha (August 3, 2023, and see also 3, 15 and 27 by the same author)
  22. “Mehndi Boy” by Zain Bandali    (November 18, 2023)
  23. “All the Russ Without the Fuss” by Reeshma Haji (March 2, 2024)
  24. “al-Risalah al-Bahirah (The Epistle on the Radiance)” by Abu Ya’qub al-Sijistani, translated by Boustan Hirji    (April 3, 2024)
  25. “Namirembe Road” by Salim Rahemtulla    (August 3, 2024)
  26. “Swim or Climb: Max’s Swimming Dilemma” by Maya Shariff    (October 4, 2024)
  27. “Aga Khan: Bridge Between East & West” by Mansoor Ladha    (November 14, 2024, and see also 3, 15, and 21 by the same author)
  28. “Passage to East Africa” by Shenaz Shamji    (April 3, 2025)
  29. “No Man’s Land” by Amin Gulgee (April 22, 2025)
  30. “Recreation Club Institute: History and Illustrated Glimpses of Service Holders” by Chhotubhai Khanderia (August 20, 2025)
  31. “Luminaries of the Islamic Golden Age” by Mohamed Bhanji (January 6, 2026)
  32. “Rolling Stone Gathers Much Moss: A Stateless Ugandan Refugee’s Odyssey of Resilience and Reinvention” by Nizar Motani (July 10, 2026)

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Before departing this website please take a moment to review Simerg’s Table of Contents    for links to hundreds of thought provoking pieces on a vast array of subjects including faith and culture, history and philosophy, and arts and letters to name a few. Also visit Simerg’s sister websites Barakah, dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan, and Simergphotos. Simerg’s editor Malik Merchant may be reached via email at mmerchant@simerg.com. You can also stay updated by following Malik on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram, and by subscribing to Simerg at the top right of this page.

US POstal Service Cancellation Stamp 250th anniversary

Ismaili Voices: “Letter to America” as the USA celebrates 250 years of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026

4 July 2026

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Introduced by SADRUDDIN NOORANI

Having lived in the USA for over forty years since arriving from South Asia in 1981, I felt it was important to acknowledge the opportunities America has provided to my family and me on its 250th birthday. What began as a small personal effort — sending notices to my contacts in the USA to ask for their stories about their homeland, which I would later share with significant American institutions such as the Smithsonian and the Library of Congress — gained new significance, meaning, and momentum when Malik Merchant, publisher and editor of Simerg, encouraged me to invite Ismaili Muslims of all ages across the country to participate in “Letter to America” and to transform the project into a special series on Simerg. This series, like Simerg’s acclaimed series I Wish I’d Been There and Thanking Ismaili Historical Figures, aims to preserve stories, inspire reflection, and highlight the valuable contributions of Ismaili Americans to our society. Your individual stories and voices will help us reflect on our shared history and community achievements.

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The Logo for Simerg’s “Letter to America” Series

Logo Letter to America
Logo conceived and designed by Chicago’s Salim Sopariwalla, July 4, 2026.

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LOGO DESCRIPTION

This America 250 logo, conceived and designed by Chicago’s Salim Sopariwalla for Simerg’s special series “Letter to America”, unites national pride, historical significance, cultural inclusion, and future-facing optimism in a single, cohesive design as the USA celebrates its 250th birthday.

The bald eagle evokes an immediate connection to American identity, freedom, strength, and civic responsibility, while its outstretched wings symbolize protection, aspiration, and the many stories that shape the nation. The wings are designed as a mosaic, representing the many people, places, communities, landscapes, professions, families, and stories that together shape America, supporting the theme “One Nation. Many Stories. Shared Future.”

The eagle holds wheat to symbolize growth, prosperity, and stewardship, while the arrows represent courage, resilience, and the defence of liberty and shared values. The geometric crest at the eagle’s centre adds refinement and reflects harmony, pluralism, and the beauty of diverse communities coming together.

The 13-star arc represents the original 13 colonies and directly connects the design to America’s founding in 1776. The enlarged center star creates a strong focal point, symbolizing unity, shared purpose, courage, resilience, and the defence of liberty.

The colour palette is intentional: The red, white, and blue honour the American flag — the red represents great courage and bravery, blue represents vigilance, perseverance, and justice, white represents purity and innocence — the green represents growth, renewal, and pluralism, and gold adds a commemorative tone worthy of a 250th anniversary celebration.

This logo honors America’s past, reflects its diverse present, and points confidently toward its shared future.

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Participants in the series will also share how America and Americans have enriched their lives materially, culturally, and scientifically; challenged them; fulfilled their hopes or raised concerns; and shaped their dreams of living in America.

“Letter to America” is open to all Ismaili residents of the USA and to interfaith members of resident Ismaili families. We invite contributions from students, professionals, business leaders, Ismaili institutional leaders, educators, scientists, innovators, and ordinary hardworking people, recognizing the diverse perspectives that strengthen residents and our communities where we live.

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A sheet of postage stamps featuring the theme 'The Declaration of Independence,' displaying a stylized design with elements of red, white, and blue.
250th Declaration of Independence Stamps, sheet of 20, issued by the US Postal Service. The stamp is designated as a Forever stamp and can be used for 1st-class (1 oz) letters within the USA, even if postage rates increase. Please visit USPS for more details and to purchase this and other stamps and cancellations.

The guidelines for “Letter to America” are as follows:

  • The letter must be original, at least 100 words long, and should not exceed 500 words;
  • Your submission should include your name, address, and contact information, including your telephone number, to verify your contribution. Anonymous contributions will not be accepted. Note: Personal contact information will not be published in the article; it is required only for verification;
  • Each submission should include the contributor’s brief profile of no more than one hundred (100) words. The contributor may also submit a profile photo, which will be included with the letter and the profile;
  • You can submit up to three JPEG images to substantiate your contribution and life in the USA;
  • It is open to Ismaili residents of all ages and interfaith members of resident Ismaili families;
  • Young adults up to the primary level should submit their contribution with their parents’ consent;
  • The publication of each “Letter to America” will be at the absolute discretion of the publisher and editor of this website and of Sadruddin Noorani, the founder of the series;
  • The deadline for submission is November 30, 2026; and
  • The submission should be emailed to Simerg’s editor at mmerchant@simerg.com with the subject line “Letter to America”.

It is my sincere hope that the series will be educational and inspiring for readers, historians, educators, researchers, students, and future generations, and that it will offer reflections that will lead to a more dynamic Ismaili community in the years to come, as the community, both institutionally and individually, continues to build on the solid progress it has made since Ismaili Muslims began settling in the USA as early as the 1950s and in larger numbers from the 1970s onward. The series will commence the week of August 2, 2026, and conclude at the end of 2026.

Featured image at the top of the post: A cancellation issued by the US Postal Service on July 4, 2026, in Philadelphia, a city central to American independence and history, where the Declaration of Independence was officially adopted on July 4, 1776, and signed on August 2, 1776. NOTE: The image has been annotated with “Letter to America” to reflect this special series.

Date posted: July 4, 2026.
Last updated: August 2, 2026.

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A man wearing glasses and a formal black suit with a patterned tie, posed against a neutral background.

About the series founder: Sadruddin Noorani is a community leader, entrepreneur, and public servant who arrived in the United States in 1981 and made Chicago his home. In 1989, he became the first Ismaili Muslim elected to public office in the United States, serving five consecutive terms on Chicago’s Local School Council. He continues to serve on several nonprofit and government boards, including the Alzheimer’s Association. Noorani has authored more than 60 articles on Ismaili history, faith, culture, and rituals, underscoring his deep knowledge of Ismaili traditions and civic issues. He is also an avid philatelist, specializing in postage stamps and postal history related to the Abrahamic faiths, with a particular focus on Ismaili history, its Imams and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).

About the logo designer: Salim Sopariwalla is an accomplished Senior IT leader with over 15 years of experience leading Enterprise AI, digital transformation, and strategic technology initiatives across Fortune 500 organizations. Beyond his professional career, Salim serves as a Safety Volunteer, IPN Career Coach and Mentor, and AI Trainer within the Ismaili community. A conference speaker and lifelong learner, he is passionate about developing leaders, fostering innovation, and creating lasting business and social impact through service, collaboration, and continuous learning.

An Arabic-script ambigram, where ‘Muhammad’ upside down is read as ‘Ali’ and vice versa.

Eid-e Ghadir: The Pivotal Day in Islamic History, Unknown to the World at Large, When Prophet Muhammad Appointed Ali as His Successor — Prince Rahim Aga Khan is the 50th Ismaili Imam in the Succession of Hereditary Imams

2 June 2026

1 Comment

God chose Adam and Noah and the House of Abraham and the House of Imran above all beings, the seed of one another; God hears, and knows — Qur’an, 3:33-34, translation by A. J. Arberry, see Corpus Quran for multiple translations.

Today the Ismailis are the only Shia community who, throughout history, have been led by a living, hereditary Imam in direct descent from the Prophet — His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, Parliament of Canada, Ottawa, February 27, 2014.

Prepared and Compiled by MALIK MERCHANT

On Wednesday May 27, 2026, corresponding to the 10th day of the Islamic month of ‘DhuI-Hijjah, Muslims in Canada and around the world celebrated the Festival of Sacrifice or Eid al-Adha at the completion of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

Little is it known in the broader context and understanding of Islamic history, that on the 18th day of ‘DhuI-Hijjah, a week following his final pilgrimage, the Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him and his progeny) — based on a divine command from Allah — designated Hazrat Ali as his successor and the first in the continuing line of Hereditary Imams. This event took place in 632 CE and is observed by all Shia Muslims, including the Ismailis, as Eid-e Ghadir because it occurred at Ghadir Khumm, a valley between Mecca and Medina.

The majority of the Muslims, the Sunnis, do not accept the Shia version of this historic event and do not associate it with Ali’s succession to Muhammad. Thus, the world’s lack of knowledge about a pivotal historic moment in Islam.

For the Shia Ismaili Muslims, who will be commemorating this historic day on or around June 3, 2026, this event is of added significance as they are led by a living Hereditary Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, whom they lovingly and respectfully address as Mawlana Hazar Imam (Our Lord the Present/Living Imam).

Rahim Aga Khan
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan, the 50th Hereditary Imam, who succeeded to the Throne of Imamat on February 4, 2025.

The late Aga Khan in a rare interview with France’s journal, Politique International, has comprehensively described the general Shia understanding of Imamat, the Sunni belief as well as his own status as follows:

“The religious leadership of the Ismaili Imam goes back to the origins of Shia Islam when the Prophet Muhammad appointed his son-in-law, Ali, to continue his teachings within the Muslim community. The leadership is hereditary, handed down by Ali’s descendants, and the Ismailis are the only Shia Muslims to have a living Imam, namely myself. The other Shia — the Twelvers — revere a “hidden” Imam who will return on the Day of Judgment to take part in the final judgment.

“It is the presence of the living Imam that makes our Imamat unique.

“The Sunni are completely different in that they do not accept the idea of continuity of religious leadership by members of the Prophet’s family.”

Speaking to both the Houses of the Canadian Parliament, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV further elaborated on the Ismaili Imamat and the role of an imam as follows:

Aga Khan at the Parliament of Canada, September 2014
Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, 49th Imam and the direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad at the Canadian Parliament on Thursday, February 27, 2014. Photograph: © Jean-Marc Carisse.

“The Ismaili Imamat is a supra-national entity, representing the succession of Imams since the time of the Prophet. But let me clarify something more about the history of that role, in both the Sunni and Shia interpretations of the Muslim faith. The Sunni position is that the Prophet nominated no successor, and that spiritual-moral authority belongs to those who are learned in matters of religious law. As a result, there are many Sunni imams in a given time and place. But others believed that the Prophet had designated his cousin and son-in-law, Ali, as his successor. From that early division, a host of further distinctions grew up — but the question of rightful leadership remains central. In time, the Shia were also sub-divided over this question, so that today the Ismailis are the only Shia community who, throughout history, have been led by a living, hereditary Imam in direct descent from the Prophet.”

In historical sources, it is recorded that on the way back to Medina after performing a pilgrimage to Mecca, the Prophet received a revelation that Ismaili Muslims recite in their daily prayers:

“O Messenger, deliver that which has been sent down to thee from thy Lord; for if thou dost not, thou wilt not have delivered His Message. God will protect thee from men. God guides not the people of the unbelievers” — Qur’an, 5:67, translation by A.J. Arberry, see Corpus Quran.

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“We search for a union with the family of the Chosen (Prophet Muhammad). We search for the truth of son after son. We are totally obedient to his offspring, one of the other. There is no other thing we can add to this but itself. We endeavour in our faith so that we do not turn out to be faithless.” — Ismaili poet Nizar Quhistani in reference to the Qura’nic verses mentioned at top of post

Upon receiving this revelation, the Holy Prophet stopped at an oasis known as Ghadir Khumm, and addressed a large gathering of Muslims who had accompanied him.

In History in Quotations M. J. Cohen and John Major write:

“Muhammad said: ‘He of whom I am the Mawla, Ali is his Mawla. O God, be the friend of him who is his friend and be the enemy of his enemy.’

“This became the proof text for the Shia claim that Ali, the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law, was the Prophet’s rightful successor after the Prophet’s death in 632. The meaning of Mawla here probably implies the role of patron, lord or protector.”

In an entry for the Encyclopaedia of Islam, 2nd edition, (EI2), under the title Ghadir Khumm, L. Veccia Vaglieri writes:

“Ghadir Khumm is famous in the history of Islam because of a sentence (or some sentences) in favour of ‘Ali which the Prophet uttered there during a discourse….Taking ‘Ali by the hand. he asked of his faithful followers whether he, Muhammad, was not closer to the Believers than they were to themselves; the crowd cried out: “It is so, O Apostle of God!”, he then declared. “He of whom I am the mawla, of him ‘Ali is also the mawla (man kuntu nawlahu fa-‘Ali mawlahu)

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Images of some stamps and coins issued by the Islamic Republic of Iran between 1990 and 2010 commemorating the Idd-e-Ghadir. The inscriptions inlude the Shahada, Qur'anic ayats and the declaration made by Prophet Muhammad at Ghadir Khumm, "Mun Koontu Mawla, Fa Hada, Aliyun Mawla" meaning "He of whom I am the Mawla Ali is also the Mawla." Simerg
Images of some stamps and coins issued by the Islamic Republic of Iran between 1990 and 2010 commemorating the Idd-e-Ghadir. The inscriptions inlude the Shahada, Qur’anic ayats and the declaration made by Prophet Muhammad at Ghadir Khumm, “Mun Koontu Mawla, Fa Hada, Aliyun Mawla” meaning “He of whom I am the Mawla Ali is also the Mawla.”

“Most of those sources which form the basis of our knowledge of the life of the Prophet pass in silence over Muhammad’s stop at Ghadir Khumm….Consequently, the western biographers of Muhammad, whose work is based on these [Sunni] sources, make no reference to what happened at Ghadir Khumm. It is however certain that Muhammad did speak in this place and utter the famous sentence…the hadiths are so numerous and so well attested by the different isnads that it does not seem possible to reject them.” (Note: special access is required to read articles in EI2. Vaglieri’s piece was reproduced in full in the UK Ismaili Association’s publication Ilm, December 1976, pages 28-30, with the permission of E.J. Brill, publishers of EI2.)

The Prophet, about 90 days before his death, was transferring his own spiritual authority bestowed upon him by Allah to Hazrat Ali, making him — and all the Imams that follow — the Amirul Mu’minin, or Master of the Believers.

On instruction from Prophet Muhammad, Hazrat Ali received baiyat (the oath of allegiance), from the Muslims assembled there, including Umar b. al-Khattab, Islam’s second Caliph, as stated in Vaglieri’s piece in EI2.

According to Shia traditions and sources, following the proclamation, the final verse of the Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet:

“Today I have perfected your religion for you, and I have completed My blessing upon you, and I have approved Islam for your religion” — Qur’an 5:5/3, translation by A. J. Arberry, see Corpus Qur’an.

This marked the end of the period of Nabuwwa, or Prophethood, and the historical beginning of the Institution of Imamat.

Eid-e Ghadir is an anniversary of special significance to all Shia Muslims, as it is also associated with the well-attested tradition in which the Prophet is said to have proclaimed:

“I am leaving among you two matters of great weight (al-thaqalayn), the Book of Allah and my kindred (itrati), the People of my House (Ahl al-Bayt), and these two shall never be separated until they return to me at the Pool [of Kawthar in Paradise on the Day of Judgement]…”

The Shia Ismaili tradition bears witness to the continuity of the authority vested at Ghadir Khumm. Today, this leadership and authority is vested in Mawlana Hazar Imam Shah Rahim al Hussaini, His Highness the Aga Khan V.

The Rope of Imamat has continued over 1,400 years, from Hazrat Ali, to the present 50th hereditary Imam and direct descendant of Prophet Muhammad through Hazrat Ali and Hazrat Bibi Fatima al-Zahra, Khatun-i Jannat.

In commemorating Eid-e Ghadir, the Ismaili Muslims celebrates the seminal event of Ghadir Khumm, reaffirming their allegiance to the Imam-of-the-Time as the direct lineal successor and inheritor of the authority of Hazrat Ali.

Date posted: June 2, 2026.

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Featured image at top of post: An Arabic-script ambigram, where ‘Muhammad’ upside down is read as ‘Ali’ and vice versa.

A special note about the Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition (EI2): Finished in 2005, the EI2 is a massive resource spanning five decades of scholarship. It sets out the present state of our knowledge of the Islamic World. It is a unique and invaluable reference tool, an essential key to understanding the world of Islam, and the authoritative source not only for the religion, but also for the believers and the countries in which they live.