By MALIK MERCHANT

When I relocated to Alberta some 4 years ago, Nazarali Momin, originally of India and a pioneer of the USA Ismaili community who arrived as a student in 1969, shared photos with Barakah readers about the foundation ceremony of India’s Methan Sidhpur Jamatkhana by Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, in 1978, an event that marked a milestone in Sidhpur’s history and development, highlighting the deep roots and ongoing legacy of the Indian Ismaili community.

Since then, Nazarali and I have stayed in regular contact. He has been encouraging me to visit Houston, Texas, to experience the innovative spirit among Ismaili entrepreneurs that has fostered projects promoting economic prosperity and the Jamat’s social, physical, and mental well-being.

The projects have been implemented in the spirit of ‘One Jamat,’ a slogan that has resonated worldwide since the Golden Jubilee of Mawlana Shah Karim, and which he mentioned years before his Jubilee. During my conversations with Nazarali, he often highlighted Mawlana Shah Karim’s aspirations for the Jamat, especially a handwritten message from December 13, 2008, which underscores the ongoing relevance of his guiding principles and inspires us to align our efforts accordingly:

“I will be calling upon you from time to time in the future, to come to work with me, so that what we have decided to do together, from the end of the Golden Jubilee year onwards, actually and effectively, is carried forward. Because our institutions are growing very quickly, it is my hope and prayer that, 10 or 15 years from now, the Jamat’s capacity in most of the countries where it is living, will be very significant indeed, and that is what the Shia Ismaili Tariqah of Islam should achieve in the world. I am ambitious for you in the right way, just as a father and mother are ambitious for their children. Both a father and a mother want their children to work well, properly and ethically, and to carry these values throughout their lives. These are thoughts that I share with you, and although I will be leaving you physically today, I am always with you. I watch over you, I think of you, I pray for you, and I want you to know that I am always with my Jamath.” — Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV.

When I recently attended the inauguration ceremony of the Ismaili Center in Houston, I was deeply moved by the impact of the Ismaili initiatives, which are transforming lives and strengthening our community. Instead of the usual tourist attractions such as Houston’s museums and the NASA Space Center, I dedicated three days to understanding these inspiring projects and engaging with the founders and visionaries behind them. This experience, in the company of Nazarali Momin, not only equipped me with a wealth of knowledge but also inspired me to create this special series to describe the Flagship initiatives inspired by Mawlana Shah Karim’s repeated guidance to the Ismaili community worldwide. His teachings on addressing poverty within the Jamat, caring for our aging members, and the importance of the Jamat coming together to form viable partnerships in common industries and professions, first mentioned in the 1960s, have served as a guiding light for these projects.

It should be noted that Mawlana Shah Rahim has equally addressed these important sentiments in his Farmans since becoming the Imam. One of the most profound statements he made during his meeting with Ismaili youth in the USA was his definition of success as someone who gives and shares what they have. Success to Mawlana Hazar Imam is someone who uplifts others, emphasizing that the well-being and upliftment of the Jamat are central to our collective purpose.

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Nothing to Mawlana Hazar Imam, as all the Imams before him, is as important as the well-being, stability, and upliftment of the Jamat, and I was gratified and touched by what I saw in Texas. The dedication and hard work of the Jamati individuals and entrepreneurs, leaders in their own right, who seek to meet his expectations for his beloved spiritual children around the world, are truly inspiring. When I met the leaders of these institutions, they exhibited humility and sincerity. I experienced their joy and happiness at being able to help the Ismaili Jamat and contribute to their establishment in the country.

In short, the exciting projects I will describe serve as a role model for the Ismaili community worldwide. They all benefit from the economic power of the Houston Jamat’s private sector entrepreneurs and professionals. I will describe each of the projects I visited in detail as part of a four-part series, beginning with project 1 next week. However, before I do that, here is an overview of the projects — 1 through 3 — I visited during my recent trip, as well as project 4 that I hope to visit during my next trip to Houston.

The Flagship Ismaili Projects in Texas

Note: All amounts listed are in U.S. dollars.

1. The Pioneer Community Center, Houston, Texas

When I visited this unique facility, I could not help but think of Mawlana Shah Rahim’s Farmans, which emphasize the importance of being active through playing sports and moving!

Located in Rosenberg, within the Greater Houston Area, this stunning facility is a treasure trove of diverse amenities exclusively for the Ismaili community. With an indoor fitness center, a huge gymnasium with two NBA-sized basketball courts, children’s playgrounds, a beautiful lake, pickleball and tennis courts, a lovely swimming pool, a kilometre-long walking path, cricket and football fields and much more, including a seniors building, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

The 44 acres of land were acquired through a generous donation from Pioneer Mutual Credit Union. It accommodates 1,000 concrete parking spaces. For Mawlana Hazar Imam’s recent visit to Houston, the Center served as an overflow to support the seven Ismaili Jamatkhanas in the metro area. It also supports one of the largest Jamatkhana overflows during other significant events.

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2. Nizari Progressive Federal Credit Union (NPFCU); Sugar Land, Texas

NPFCU, launched in 1989, has more than 18,000 Ismaili members and total assets of $422 million, according to its 2024 Annual Report.

Nizari plays a vital role in meeting the diverse financial needs of SW USA Jamat through its locations in Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, and Sugar Land (part of Houston’s Metro Area). It has been achieving outstanding performance rankings and government certifications, which help instill confidence and security among its members.

NPFCU is considered in the top 1% percentile among peers in the United States. PMFCU and NPFCU are two of the three credit unions in the USA Jamat, the other being Platinum Federal Credit Union in Atlanta. The unions are healthy competitors, yet in the spirit of unity within the Ismaili community, they act as partners. No other Jamat has such Ismaili-led credit unions, independent of Jamati institutions.

NPFCU will be described in more detail in a forthcoming article in the series.

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3. Ibn Sina Foundation, Avicenna Clínicas, Greater Houston, Harris County Area, Texas

This project, led by Nasruddin Rupani and governed by the Ibn Sina Foundation, reflects the foundation’s long-standing commitment to healthcare. Rupani founded Houston’s first clinic in 2001 to provide affordable medical services to the community. The seven Ibn Sina clinics in greater Houston serve a diverse population, with the majority of patients being non-Ismailis, illustrating the foundation’s broad reach and history of service. The ribbon-cutting of this clinic was done by then-Texas Governor Rick Perry.

Rupani showed me the health center’s facilities, including a busy walk-in clinic staffed by doctors and qualified medical practitioners, a separate children’s clinic, and a dental health center with state-of-the-art equipment. A new building for Ibn Sina’s mental health program is expected to be completed within the next few months. Rupani’s ambition is to achieve university status as the Ibn Sina Center continues its growth trajectory. As I left the health center, I met the on-duty pharmacist, who informed me that all prescriptions issued by the Center’s medical team are provided free of charge, demonstrating the center’s commitment to accessible healthcare services.

Recognition from government authorities, including the City of Houston, Harris County, and the State of Texas, affirms the quality and impact of the seven Ibn Sina clinics in the Houston Metro Area, underscoring their reputation and credibility.

Ibn Sina will be described in more detail in a forthcoming article in the series.

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4. Greater Houston Retailers Association (GHRA) Distribution and Warehouse Center; Houston, Texas

I was all set to visit the Warehouse Center in Houston and travel to Austin, the Texas State Capital, to see an even larger warehouse facility. Unfortunately, the Houston warehouse was closed on Veterans’ Day, November 11, so I did not make the trip. I was also unable to travel to Austin. However, I was fortunate to receive an informative summary about GHRA from my Houston host, Nazarali, as follows:

GHRA was established in 1999 to supply thousands of grocery-related items to Ismaili owners of convenience stores and gas stations (C-stores) in the Houston metro. Shortly after its founding, GHRA became the largest trade association (TA) among the then 12 trade associations under the Jamat’s umbrella, the National Alliance of Trade Associations (NATA). NATA’s success and reputation enabled its former board chairman to be invited to serve on the Board of the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), headquartered in the Washington, DC, metro region.

NACS is also a lobby and serves the global convenience and fuel retailing industry, with 152,000+ C-stores operating in the USA. Today, lsmailis own more than 3,000 stores spanning all seven NC jurisdictions. This represents 2% of NACS’s national total, disproportionately higher than the Ismaili community’s share of the national population. Ismaili stores have combined gross annual sales of a whopping $12 billion. Around 2,000 stores are members of GHRA, which controls 33% of the C-stores in greater Houston. Recognizing the need to cut out the “middlemen” and streamline parts of the supply chain, GHRA built its warehouse in 2016 and began distributing merchandise directly to its C-store members at a discounted price. It has an annual sales turnover of $400 million and is growing.

We hope to commence our four-part Houston project series soon, starting with an exciting photo essay on the Pioneer Community Center in the next fortnight, and complete the series by the end of this year.

Date posted: November 24, 2025.
Last updated: December 2, 2025 (removal of an editorial note, editor’s discretion.)

Corrections:

• Pioneer Community Center was incorrectly referenced earlier as Pioneer Recreation Center.

Ensuring precise information is vital, the post has now been updated accordingly.

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