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.
Article continues below
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.
_______________
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.
Simerg - Insights from Around the World 
Dear Shasoultane,
Dear Massoud,
Dear members of the Mirshahi family,
We knew how close your uncle, the late Jalal Badhakshani, was to you, his family in France. Massoud often spoke to us about his many writings and his remarkable work at the Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) in London. His passing is a great loss, not only for your family, but also for our entire community.
We like to believe that, wherever he is now, this pious and humble scholar remains a luminous and invisible presence, watching over those whom he loved, guided and enlightened throughout his earthly journey.
As the French writer Jean d’Ormesson wrote: “What matters more than death is the presence of those who are absent in the memory of the living.”
Through Jalal Badhakshani’s profound scholarship, Massoud also shared with us, during our many fraternal encounters, a deeper understanding of the philosophical, spiritual and esoteric dimensions of our Ismaili faith, rooted in particular in the great tradition of Nasir Khusraw.
These exchanges enriched us and helped us appreciate the universal values that were so dear to him: knowledge, humility, simplicity, pluralism, cultural diversity, tolerance, solidarity and generosity.
In memory of his remarkable intellectual and spiritual legacy, we will strive to keep these values alive in our daily lives.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to all his family, as well as to his colleagues and friends.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you, with all our hearts.
Mohez, Farida Nato and family.
Paris, France.
Ya Ali Madad Malik
Thank You For Sharing This Tribute. May his Soul Rest in Eternal Peace. Ameen
Insha’Allah there will be more Scholars to Continue on this Journey which is so very important for the Future Generations of our Community as well as Society at Large.
Much Blessings Taz
Bujh gaya diya jo ek roshni ka minar thaa Bula liya oosey Khuda nay kay oosko bhee intizar thaa
Bando(n) ko he nahi(n) Khuda ko bhe oos say peyar thaa Ronaq thee jhan mei(n) oos say, her-tarf subza-zar thaa
Farishto(n) ney kaha, nahi(n) kiye gunah, oosey janey dou Hooro(n) ney kaha, masoom hay woh; oosey aaney dou
Karameen, Kaatbeen nay, hisab-kitab bund ker diya Mout kay farishtey nay bhee apna rawaya narm ker diya
Ooskey taro-taza rooh deksh ker Farishtay bhee ro-diye Dekho; aai-hey mout, Eid ban ker, ek momin key liye
Translation (provided by Amir Samji):
Allah called upon the Soul who was an Icon of Minaret.
Allah has called back him as He was waiting for him
Not the Spiritual Souls but Allah was also waiting for him
Material world was enlightened by him see everywhere greenery
All angels said he is innocent, let him go
All Fairies smiled and said let him come.
Karameen & Katbeen stop writing accounts of his deeds
All Angels of Death also changed their behaviour .
By seeing his smiling soul Angels started crying
See death has come to him like a day of Eid.