HONOURING LIVES LIVED

By MALIK MERCHANT
Publisher-Editor, Simerg, Barakah and Simergphotos

Simerg offers to all Ismaili families around the world an opportunity to submit memorials to honour and celebrate the lives of their deceased family members. The memorials may be submitted in the form of (1) a simple short notice or (2) a tribute of up to 500 words. The memorial may be for any Ismaili who has died recently or at any time since 1950 (or even earlier). This is a FREE listing.

Substance of the Notice and Tribute

1. NOTICE: The simplest kind of tribute is a notice announcing the death of the person. This short notice may be followed by a longer tribute at a later date as described in (2) below. The following is an example of the contents of a notice:

“[Name of Deceased], author and playwright, died peacefully at home in [city], on [date]. He was the much-loved husband of [spouse name], father of [children], guardian and grandfather. The last rites were held in [name of Jamatkhana] on [date] and he was later buried on [date] at [name and city of cemetery]. Post funeral religious ceremonies were conducted at [name of Jamatkhana]. It was the wish [of the deceased or the deceased family] that monetary contributions in his honour be made to [organization, hospital, cause etc.].”

2. TRIBUTE: The purpose of the tribute will be to celebrate the person’s life. It will start with the same basic information you put in the notice (1, above), and goes on to add details about the person’s life: hometowns, jobs, family members, and personal interests activities as well as community services and awards. Anecdotes may be included from the person’s life to help family members, readers and future generations to reflect on the life of the individual. The universal tale, as is well-known, lies in specific examples and for this reason we are inviting you to write a tribute of up to 500 words in length.

For very good examples of short notices as well as tributes see your local newspapers or click The Globe and Mail. They will assist you in constructing appropriate notices and tributes.

Here is a selection of tributes we have published on Simerg:

1. Farida Shahsultan Hassam: A Multi-Talented, Courageous and Devoted Murid of Mawlana Hazar Imam, Passes Away in Toronto After Prolonged Illness (1943-2022)
2. A Tribute to a Great and Long-Serving Ismaili Missionary, Alwaeza Gulshan S. Alidina, As She Passes Away in Toronto at the Age of 93
3. Kurbanali Kassamali Mulji (1935-2022)
4. Vazir Hon. Al Noor (Nick) Kassum (1924-2021)
5. Alwaez Nizar Chunara (1940 – 2021)
6. A Tribute to Late Nurbanu Abdulrasul Rashid (1923-2019) of Zanzibar and Toronto
7. Zarina Bhatia (d. July 2021): A Tribute to a Noble Ismaili Social Anthropologist from Birmingham, UK, Who Became One of My Truest Friends
8. Dr. Vali Jamal (d. July 11, 2021)
9. Jehangir Tejani (1946 – 2021)
10. Sadru Velji – Our Beloved Nana
11. A Visit to the Ismaili Cemetery at the Victory Memorial Park: I Bid Farewell to My Mum, “Mrs. Merchant,” and Pay My Deep Respects to My Beloved Dad and Other Deceased Members of the Jamat
12. A Poem in Memory of Mrs. Merchant
13. Alwaez Rajwani’s Very Special Bond with Mrs and Mr Merchant
14. Mrs. Merchant (d. January 21, 2021): Reflections on a Funeral During the Year of Covid-19 as Ismaili Community Bids Goodbye to a Very Popular Teacher and Missionary
15. Mrs. Merchant: Excerpts From Tributes Celebrating Her Life; Alwaeza’s Funeral To Be Held On Thursday, February 4
16. “Mrs. Merchant” – Alwaeza Maleksultan Jehangir – Passes Away at 89
17. Alwaez Rai Sultanali Mohamed (1927 – 2020)
18. Tributes to Ismailis who have passed away during the Covid-19 pandemic: Issue no. 2 of a multipart series
19. Alijah Mohamed Hamir Pradhan, Inspiration Behind the Ismaili Jamatkhana in Iringa, Tanzania
20. The melodious life and legacy of Shamshu Jamal (1936 – 2019)
21. Tributes to Ismailis who have passed away during the Covid-19 pandemic: Issue no. 1 of a multipart series
22. Remembering Ismailis we have lost since Jamatkhana closures and during the coronavirus pandemic
23. The Funeral of Missionary Amirali Gillani in the Midst of Covid-19 Restrictions
24. Missionary Amirali Gillani (1944 – 2020)
25. Nazeer Ladhani (1947-2020)
26. Mahebub Mohamed Juma Rupani (1941 – 2020)
27. Sultan Jessa: Noble Ismaili Muslim, Great Journalist and Recipient of Order of Canada Passes Away
28. Salim Dawood – a Fantastic and Inspiring Math Teacher at Dar es Salaam’s Aga Khan Boys Primary School
29. Kutub Kassam served Ismaili Imamat Institutions as curriculum developer, editor, writer and researcher for 40 years
30. Shirin Mohamedali Khimji (1935 – 2019): A Remarkable Ismaili Widow and Woman of Faith and Character
31. Nazil Kara (1957-2018): An Ordinary and Extraordinary Satpanthi Woman
32. “Life of Jehangir” – includes historical photographs of Mawlana Hazar Imam
33. My last moments with my loving Papa
34. Alwaez Jehangir Merchant (1928 – 2018)
35. A Eulogy for My Mom, by Amyn Naran
36. Izzat Muneyb remembered through her poetic reflections on Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah and the London Ismaili Centre
37. Salim-el-azhar Ebrahim
38. Alijah Zulfikarali Khoja
39. Laila Lokhandwalla Through Her Loving Golden Jubilee Tribute to Mawlana Hazar Imam
40. Roshan Thomas – Acting in the Path of God By Jalal Jaffer
41. Mohammed Ibrahim Ali (d. March 15, 2014)
42. Noorunisa Maherali (1929 – 2015): A Remarkable Ismaili Woman of Faith and Character
43. John Nuraney (1937 – 2016)
44. Nazarali Bapa: An Iron Craftsman Who Made a Spinning Wheel for Mahatma Gandhi
45. A True Account of How Three Ismaili “Shaheeds” Lost Their Lives in a Tragic Accident in 1925 Near Kilosa, Tanganyika
46. Rai Hussein Khanmohammed of Burma
47. Ameer Kassam Janmohamed (1931-2014)
48. Mohezin Tejani: Brilliant Author, Humanitarian and Global Nomad Dead at 61

Submission Rules

Each submission must specify your relationship with the deceased person, as well as include your full name, mailing address and the phone number where you may be contacted. Along with your short notice or tribute, we ask you to submit the celebrated person’s photo. For tributes, we will accept two additional photos which have a direct relevance to the person’s life that you have described. Images should be in JPG format.

Anonymous pieces will not be accepted for publication, although the editor may at his discretion allow author anonymity once the tribute has been approved for publication. Please submit the notice or tribute in PDF, Text or Word format to simerg@aol.com. You may, alternatively, incorporate the material within your email. The editor will contact you with the draft copy once the piece has been finalized for publication. 

The 48th Ismaili Imam, Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan (1877 -1957) said in his Memoirs that “life is a great and noble calling.” It is the life that was celebrated about which we are asking you to reflect and write about, in the form of a short notice or a longer tribute.

Date posted: February 28, 2019.
Last updated: May 29, 2022 (new tribute, see top of page).

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The editor welcomes tributes honouring your deceased family members. Please send them to simerg@aol.com. 

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