Simerg is an independent initiative dedicated to Ismaili Muslims, the Aga Khan — their Hereditary Imam — and the Ismaili Imamat, and Islam in general through literary readings, photo essays and artistic expressions
Author Archives: Malik Merchant, Editor
Founding publisher and editor of www.barakah.com, www.simerg.com and www.simergphotos.com.
Prince Rahim Aga Khan and India’s Minister of Culture and Tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, perform a lamp-lighting ceremony to formally inaugurate the Humayun Tomb World Heritage Site Museum in New Delhi on July 29, 2024. Photograph: PIB/Government of India.
India’s Minister of Culture and Tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, inaugurated the sprawling 100,000 square feet state-of-the-art Humayun’s Tomb World Heritage Site Museum at the Humayun’s Tomb, a UNESCO World Heritage site in New Delhi, on July 29, 2024. The museum, equipped with the latest technology and innovative design, promises an immersive and enlightening experience for all visitors.
The inauguration event was graced by the presence of Prince Rahim Aga Khan, the oldest son of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, the Ismaili Muslims’ 49th Hereditary Imam in direct lineal descent of the Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him and his family). Ismailis number 12 million worldwide, and Canada’s highly organized and respected Ismaili community has more than 100,000 members. The Ismaili Imamat’s projects in Canada include the iconic Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, the beautiful Aga Khan Garden in Edmonton and the Global Centre for Pluralism in Ottawa.
The Humayun Tomb Museum, a facility of the Archaeological Survey of India designed and built in collaboration with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), is a significant step in preserving India’s rich cultural heritage. It opened to visitors on July 30, 2024. Please click HERE to read a report on the opening ceremony on our sister website, Barakah.
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Hon'ble Minister for Culture & Tourism, Shri @gssjodhpur , along with Prince Rahim Aga Khan, and other key dignitaries from Ministry of Culture, ASI inaugurated the state-of-the-art Humayun’s Tomb #WorldHeritageSite Museum in New Delhi. pic.twitter.com/NkJruGDeRQ
— Archaeological Survey of India (@ASIGoI) July 29, 2024
Simerg and its sister website, Barakah, are buzzing with excitement as we provide a brief background story of the Humayun World Heritage Site Museum, which is set to be inaugurated in New Delhi on Monday, July 29, 2024. The anticipation is palpable as we await the grand opening by Prince Rahim Aga Khan, eldest son of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, the 49th Hereditary Imam of the Ismaili Muslims. Gajendra Singh, India’s Minister of Tourism and Culture, will join him on this momentous occasion.
The Humayun World Heritage Site Museum, as described by the Indian edition of Condé Nast, is a gateway to understanding the unique cultural significance of one of the city’s most notable Mughal-era monuments. Anuja Jaiswal, writing for the Times of India, includes a statement by the CEO of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. He says that each of the museum’s exhibits, meticulously preserved, has a unique and fascinating story to tell.
With its rich historical significance, the museum is a treasure trove of enlightenment for any cultural researcher. The Indian Express, in a thought-provoking question, asks: “Did you know that Humayun travelled three times more than Marco Polo, the famed explorer, covering 34,000 kilometres in his life? Or that he was so obsessed with astronomy and astrology that he wore a specific colour each day of the week to align with the planet of the day? Or that he was so fond of books that he used to carry his libraries on camelbacks during his travels?”
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Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, and the then Minister of Tourism and Culture, Dr. Mahesh Sharma, on April 7, 2015, laid the foundation of a site museum to be situated at the Humayun’s Tomb complex. Prince Rahim Aga Khan will inaugurate the sunken museum on Monday, July 29, 2024. Photograph: The Ismaili/Aziz Ajaney.
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Artist rendering of Humayun’s Tomb Complex Site Museum in New Delhi, India. Photograph: AKDN. Please click on image for enlargement
When His Highness laid the museum’s foundation stone in April 2015, he observed:
“This Museum, as you may know….is located at the juncture of three historically connected sites: Humayun’s Tomb and its Gardens, Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti, and the Sundar Nursery. In connecting these sites, the Museum will also serve as a bridge between the present and the past — linking the modern city of Delhi to its remarkable heritage — and thus providing a Gateway to a truly extraordinary period of human history. That remarkable chapter in the human story extended over 170 years — the era of the Mughal empire. It was a time of enormous accomplishment — and enormous significance. Geographically it covered much of what is now India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. In terms of governance, it included hundreds of millions of people, covering an enormous spectrum of religious faiths, cultural practices, and ethnic identities. It was led by men whose talents in statehood and in military affairs were remarkable — and their impact was felt in virtually every dimension of human existence, both within the empire and outside. Many of the Mughal rulers, perhaps most of them, were also exceptional leaders in the acumen and insight which they brought to their leadership roles. They were statesmen who would have excelled in any time.” — For full speech on the Ismaili wesbite, click HERE.
For the latest news, articles and literary pieces about His Highness the Aga Khan, members of his family and the Ismaili Imamat, please visit Barakah.
Date posted: July 27, 2024.
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A different version of this story appears on Simerg’s sister website, Barakah.
[This post has two components: In the first piece, Professor Karim H. Karim examines the Aga Hall Project currently under construction in Mumbai, India. His inspiration for the piece comes from His Highness the Aga Khan’s advice to his Ismaili followers to ask hard questions about issues affecting the community. Dr. Karim inquires about the $365 million Aga Hall project’s luxury 54-storey Mumbai skyscraper. His soul-searching article examines the site redevelopment in the context of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) ethics, Ismaili Muslim values and the current program to address ultra-poverty that designates India as a high-priority country.
The next piece, submitted by an Ismaili Canadian visitor to India, is a disturbing eyewitness report of some terrible social habits and health issues within the Indian Jamat as well as the physical state of the Karimabad apartment complex and two historical Mumbai Jamatkhanas.
The post underscores the crucial role of the Ismaili community and its institutions in addressing pressing social and ethical issues, empowering them to take action — Ed.]
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(I). Asking Hard Questions about the Aga Hall Project: The “Iconic” Mumbai Redevelopment Raises Troubling Social Justice Concerns
The author, Karim H. Karim, has shaped this piece based on in-person and online Aga Hall Estate redevelopment team presentations, related documents, social media discussions, and communications with several individuals. The views expressed here are his.
The superlatives used in selling luxury apartments at the Aga Hall Estate in India will make even the most unrestrained publicity agents blush. Marketing presentations speak of the building as “exceptional,” “breathtaking,” “at the heart of everything,” “most exclusive,” “state-of-the-art,” “world-class,” “pre-eminent,” “ageless,” “ultimate,” “infinite,” “better than best,” “perfect,” “iconic.” Consider these boasts in the light of the following two translated passages, the first a verse from the Holy Qur’an and the second from the Ismaili Ginan (hymn) “Maal Khajina Bahotaj Bhariya” attributed to Sayyid Gulmali Shah:
The servants of the All-Merciful are those who walk in the earth modestly — Qur’an (25:63)
Wealth and treasure abound But you will not keep them This lovely palace will be forgotten And your place will be the jungle In what slumber do you sleep? Recall the Lord, recall Mawla — Ismaili Ginan
Many decades ago, a religious education teacher cautioned me against carelessly using absolutes because perfection does not exist in the material world. But that does not seem to apply to the South Mumbai Aga Hall redevelopment project, which has endowed itself with a heavenly aura.
Its promoters say that it is inspired by descriptions of paradise, claiming that “there will be delight, luxury, and comfort at every square foot” of this heaven on earth. Furthermore, it will have fabulous views of the Arabian Sea, which they declare “represents infinity” (an attribute of God).
This over-inflated balloon of self-congratulatory hype dropped to earth when an audience member at a presentation asked whether the building’s sightlines would always remain unobstructed. A project spokesperson was compelled to admit that such a guarantee could not be given because “in Mumbai, anybody builds anything anywhere, anytime.”
The glorious visions of all-pervading luxury and Eden-like delight also make for a jarring contrast with the reality of the grinding poverty of 2.5 million of Mumbai’s residents. Muslims are disproportionately the most deprived in the megapolis. Many Ismailis in Mumbai and around India are also among the country’s ultra-poor, whose upliftment remains the responsibility of the community’s leadership in India. The Aga Hall developers constantly speak of the accolades that the project has received for being environmentally friendly and “iconic” in design. However, the criteria for such awards and certifications do not account for the social justice values relating to poverty alleviation, which is a major concern of the Ismaili Imamat.
Aga Hall Estate’s current redevelopment is led by the Prince Aly Khan Hospital Charitable Trust, with the logo of Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH), a body within the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), also appearing on the project’s brochure. The AKDN is an organization that has become well-known since the 1980s for its institutions’ innovative and successful initiatives to raise the quality of life of Ismaili Muslims and the communities among whom they live.
However, the Rs. 2,000 crore ($365 million Canadian) Aga Hall redevelopment does not appear to fit into AKDN’s dominant models of funding and operation. Notwithstanding the rationale that the “profit” from this project will go to the hospital, the promotional discourse of the project has drastically shifted course in making the wealthy its primary focus.
This article is concerned with the ethical and social justice implications of the Aga Hall Estate’s prioritization of the interests of the rich.
What is the Aga Hall Estate Project?
The 46th Nizari Ismaili Imam (Hasanali Shah, Aga Khan I) established his residence at Aga Hall (also known as Wadi) in South Mumbai’s Mazgaon locality in 1848. (His beautiful marble and sandstone mausoleum is north of this site at Hasanabad). Aga Khan II (Imam Shah Ali Shah) and Aga Khan III (Imam Sultan Mahomed Shah) also resided at Aga Hall. The Wadi Jamatkhana was built in 1900 on the estate’s lands that occupy several acres.
Additional community buildings were constructed over time. Ismaili Housing Society residences, the Diamond Jubilee School, and the Aly Khan Hospital have graced it since the mid-20th century. (There was another Imamat residence nearby in Malabar Hill, west of Hasanabad, which the present Imam, Aga Khan IV, Mawlana Hazar Imam, donated to accommodate housing for the poor in the early 1980s.)
Under the current redevelopment, the hospital is being remade into a “state of the art” medical facility, and the school will become an International Baccalaureate institution. Wadi Jamatkhana will be reconstructed. The housing society’s structures are being demolished to be replaced by a 45-storey “tenant” tower that will stand next to the project’s 54-floor commercial skyscraper, whose 373 freehold apartments are for sale on Mumbai’s real estate market. Mughal-themed gardens will intersperse the buildings designed in Islamic and Rajasthani architectural styles. The 140-year-old gates and fountain are being preserved for reinstallation. India’s “highest green building certification” has been obtained for the redevelopment.
The rationale provided for the project’s luxurious commercial tower is that its “surplus” will be used to upgrade the Aly Khan Hospital. Sometimes, the word “profit” is used at presentations, even though surplus and profit technically mean different things. The preferred audiences for the Aga Hall redevelopment’s promoters are well-off Ismaili and non-Ismaili Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).
Asking Hard Questions
“In dealing with the issues that lie ahead of us, we will look at them straight in the face, we will ask the hard questions. If we cannot find immediate answers, we will go on asking the same questions until inshallah, we are inspired to find the answers, but we will not give up. We will not go back to an obscurantism, to a form of intellectual retreat into something which is neither beneficial for the present and certainly not constructive for the future.” — His Highness the Aga Khan, November 11, 1986
Many questions remain unanswered despite the project team’s international publicity blitzes.
Why is a development network building luxury apartments?
Why is an institution that describes itself as endeavouring “to realize the social conscience of Islam” foregrounding the interests of the rich?
Why is a habitat agency whose mandate is to “work with communities to help them prepare for and respond to natural disasters and the effects of climate change” involved with the construction of investment property?
Has there been an unannounced change in the long-standing policy that has focused solely on providing homes for the lower and middle classes?
Why is one Ismaili housing society being upgraded to “world-class” standards while many others in India and elsewhere have languished for decades in varying states of disrepair and neglect?
Does this apparent change in direction signal an overall shift in the priorities and modus operandi for the entire AKDN organization?
There are larger questions about the effect of this development on the Ismaili community:
What impact will the seeming turnaround have on the way Ismailis conceptualize some of their fundamental values?
How will those who are feeling disaffected with the community’s institutions respond?
Wealth and the Quality of Life
Like other branches of Islam, the Ismaili faith does not prohibit the accumulation and enjoyment of private wealth, including real estate. However, sacred teachings emphasize moral responsibilities and ethical behaviour in acquiring income. Believers are expected to avoid excess and ostentation and to be humble and modest. Thoughtfulness and kindness towards the less fortunate are integral to the faith’s practice. Philanthropy is strongly encouraged, and there has long been a tradition of generous giving. These values have been beneficial for setting up Ismaili infrastructures under the guidance of the Imamat.
The establishment of health, educational, financial, and social facilities that began in the last century led to substantial material advancement of the community. Proper housing in many places of Ismaili presence became a major priority for the Imamat at the Golden Jubilee of Imam Sultan Mahomed Shah (1936), with the objective of improving and safeguarding the quality of murids’ lives. Flats were built in “colonies” (a term used in India and Pakistan) for members of the Jamat in the middle and lower socio-economic classes.
Ismailis are encouraged to contribute monetarily (and with service) to the network’s institutions. Whereas a significant proportion of the community donates to numerous causes, the most consistent financial donors are certain wealthy community members whose generosity is vital to the institutions. Fundraising has been highly systematized.
The social development programs of the Ismaili Councils and the AKDN have sought to improve the quality of life of the less privileged. Jamati members of various socio-economic classes benefit from mixed-use sites with adjacent housing, schools, and/or medical facilities.
It does not appear that any previous residential buildings were designed only for the benefit or use of the wealthy, who already have material access to high living standards.
However, the current construction of apartments in the Aga Hall complex’s commercial tower requires substantial financial resources beyond the reach of the less well-off. Whereas the “tenant” tower is being purpose-built to accommodate residents of the former buildings of the housing society, this is probably the first time the community is raising a separate structure exclusively for the rich.
Shifts in Perspective in Last Decade
The Aga Hall Estate has been under consideration for redevelopment since the mid-1990s. A 2014 design report for the AKDN stated that the estate, “including its buildings and adjacent areas (footpaths, access roads, gardens), are in a state of disrepair and require significant upgrades in terms of infrastructure.” The document’s proposals highlighted the site’s religious ethos and the Mumbai population’s socio-economic and cultural diversity. It described the Jamatkhana as “the jewel of the redevelopment complex.” There was an emphasis in that plan on blending “the spiritual and the material aspects of life that promotes a balanced way of life within the Islamic context.” The designer’s website refers to the movement from “Shariah to Hakikah.”
However, significant shifts in perspective appear to have occurred over the past decade. Whereas the 2014 report spoke about the balance between the material and the spiritual, the current brochure only speaks of “work-life balance.” Dunya (the material world) has become dominant,and din (faith) seems to have receded. The brochure boasts of the location’s “ultimate spectrum in urban living” that includes the “most desirable shopping destinations,”; “selection of international brands,”; “the trendy ‘Socials’”; “the exclusivity” of a racecourse and sports clubs; and “state of the art business district.” It declares that “With a Gross Domestic Product of US$2.7 Trillion in 2019, India is now the world’s seventh-largest economy” and invites prospective Ismaili and non-Ismaili buyers to “live at the heart of everything!”
However, these enthusiastic statements omit grim truths about the country’s deep and growing inequalities. Oxfam International’s 2023 report, “Survival of the Richest: The India Story”, notes as follows:
“Following the pandemic in 2019, the bottom 50 percent of the population have continued to see their wealth chipped away. By 2020, their income share was estimated to have fallen to only 13 percent of the national income and have less than 3 percent of the wealth. Its impact has been exceptionally poor diet, increase in debt and deaths. This is in stark contrast to the top 30 percent, who owns more than 90 percent of the wealth, with the top 10 percent owning more than 80 percent of the wealth concentrated in the top three deciles.”
It is not certain what proportions of the Jamat in Mumbai fall into the categories of rich and poor, but Mawlana Hazar Imam has instructed institutions to address the needs of murids who live in “ultra-poverty” during his Golden and Diamond Jubilees. He has indicated inadequate housing as a major problem and has identified India as a priority country for this international program. In late 2023, a Talika (a written message) reiterated his concern for the ultra-poor again. The Ismaili Leaders’ International Forum reviewed progress on the program to deal with the elimination of poverty at it meeting in June 2024. This issue is clearly not the focus of those selling Aga Hall Estate apartments.
It seems noteworthy that the book The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness was prominently displayed alongside a spokesperson during a video presentation on the project. Also interesting is that the commercial tower caught the attention of the online Indian newspaper Money Control, which wrote about it glowingly for a readership attracted to luxury and conspicuous consumption.
Ethics in Action?
The AKDN has described itself as endeavouring to “realize the social conscience of Islam” and its projects are called “ethics in action.” Unfortunately, not everyone in the vast network seems to understand what such an institutional position entails. There are multiple layers of problems in the manner that the promoters of the Aga Hall redevelopment have situated their project with respect to ethics.
In misinterpreting the Institute of Ismaili Studies’ document on the network’s ethical framework, they refer to “AKDN’s eight ethics”. Neither IIS’s nor AKDN’s materials state that the ethical principles are only eight in number. Various publications of the IIS identify additional ethics that are also important to the network’s ethos. Nevertheless, the Aga Hall project has designed its logo to represent the supposedly eight-fold ethical structure of AKDN. We are told that the symbol is based on the eight-petalled flower called Dryas Octopetalia. As it turns out, the flower is not native to tropical Mumbai, where the redevelopment is located, but to the arctic-alpine regions of the world. Such incongruities appear to underline the conceptual shallowness of the project.
The Aga Hall promotors state that the first of AKDN’s ethics is “inclusiveness.” Yet, the project’s own promotion materials, including its brochure, contradictorily emphasize the words “exclusive” and “exclusivity” to describe the nature of the site. The nullification of inclusiveness is embedded in the character of the commercial building, which is financially exclusionary. Indeed, the brochure, videos, and presentations about the project are pitched only to upper-class audiences.
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Cover page, Aga Hall brochure.
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Page 26, Aga Hall brochure.
In many of the community’s decrepit housing societies in India, governance (one of the other “eight ethics”) has been a sore issue. However, the Wadi housing society’s political economy seems to be intriguing in its distinctness. Among the current occupants of the colony are elite Ismaili individuals, including a high-ranking member of the Aga Khan Council of India and a Maharashtra state politician. It is unclear how decisions will be made on applications from less privileged Jamati families in Mumbai who want to reside in this highly desirable “tenant tower.”
Prince Aly Khan Hospital is to be converted to a state-of-the-art facility. Unfortunately, upgrades to some other AKDN health institutions, including Aga Khan University Hospitals, have made them more expensive and inaccessible for middle — and lower-class families. The Diamond Jubilee School will be transformed into an international baccalaureate educational institution. However, it is not clear what arrangements will be made for the neighbourhood’s children who do not meet its elevated entrance standards.
The Aga Hall project’s promotional materials strongly imply that Ismaili presence in Mumbai began with the arrival of Aga Khan I and his entourage of Persian followers in 1846. This would be patently incorrect. Documents from the celebrated Aga Khan Case (1866) reveal that the Khoja Jamat was well-established in Bombay before the end of the 1700s. The community’s wealthy members assisted many who migrated from Gujarat to the city, especially during periodic famines. Whereas the word “heritage” is used to promote the Aga Hall redevelopment, it is applied in a very exclusionary sense that erases the long-standing Khoja presence from the city’s pluralist history.
“Community” is a term used in the redevelopment’s materials to refer to all the future residents and users (Ismaili and non-Ismaili) of Aga Hall. It is presumed here that everyone will have shared access to the site’s open areas. However, the sales team does not explain how potential disagreements between the commercial tower’s occupants and others will be navigated. Experience has shown that those who have purchased property at premium prices tend to demand exclusive entitlements and privileges.
What is the Road Ahead?
“… an exclusionary narrative can deepen tensions and divisions between groups. These dynamics shape societal interactions for generations and can be challenging to change.” — Princess Zahra Aga Khan, Global Centre for Pluralism, May 19, 2021
Wealth generation has been important to the Ismaili community in ensuring services for the Jamat. It has helped to build Jamatkhanas and secular institutions that have embodied the faith’s values. Central to these values has been the improvement of the quality of life of those who are less fortunate. The generosity of the Jamat’s wealthy members has been a source of strength for the community. Whereas donors have been given certain recognitions and advantages, the community has generally sought to be inclusive of all socio-economic backgrounds and has hitherto not structurally supported class divisions in the Jamat.
A long-existing for-profit sector in communal institutions now mainly operates under the Aga Fund for Economic Development. It is mandated to remain distinct from the social development activities of institutions such as the Aga Khan Foundation. The major funding sources for AKDN’s social development programs are the Imamat, international development aid agencies, private foundations, and Jamati members. For-profit activities have not been given as overt a place in the network’s social development sector as is currently happening in the Aga Hall project. This tendency appears to be creeping into non-profit sections of the Network.
The change at Aga Hall is not merely the injection of commercialization in redeveloping the mixed-use site but the remarkable shift of prioritizing the people who purchase apartments in the 54-storey tower. Regardless of the rationale that the “profit/surplus” from this structure will flow to the hospital, the promotional discourse of the project has made an overt qualitative change in making the rich its main concern. Its language emphasizes exclusive elite access and conspicuous consumption. It subscribes to the materialist values of an opulent lifestyle that appears contrary to the AKDN’s and the Ismaili faith’s normative stance.
Whereas one could argue that there is a place in society for the high life and that there is nothing inherently wrong with such a sales pitch whose ultimate aim is social development, the unintended and insidious danger is that the Aga Hall project’s commercial discourse normalizes and reinforces the divisions between rich and poor. It is troubling that the context in which this is taking place is the severe shortage of affordable housing in India and the sharply deepening gap between the haves and the have-nots.
Adherents of the faith have been nurtured on beliefs of gaining entry to heaven through spiritual endeavour. But the Aga Hall’s materialist promotions promise paradisical happiness through a monetary transaction. This appears contradictory to Jamati members, who wonder if the value orientation has changed. Concerns in this regard are often raised by the community’s intelligentsia, and among youth in social media discussions.
I end this article by asking some additional questions that need to be addressed.
How is the apparently new focus on the interests of the rich to be explained to the community for whom a central Shia Ismaili value is social justice?
How are those who are struggling to find adequate housing for themselves and their children to rationalize the institutional construction of luxury residences?
How will the Aga Khan Council of India explain to the underprivileged in their Jamat the special advantages that are being proffered to wealthy resident and non-resident Indians?
How will fund-raisers for AKDN and Jamati projects justify the Aga Hall Estate’s “most exclusive” development?
Aga Hall’s commercialization appears to be sending mixed messages. The luxury apartment tower will be the highest building constructed in the community’s history. What will this Ismaili “icon” signal to the world about the community?
What will the project say to future generations of the Jamat about Ismaili values?
It is worth recalling that “The servants of the All-Merciful are those who walk in the earth modestly” (Qur’an, 25:63).
Date posted: July 22, 2024.
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About the Author
Professor Karim H. Karim delivering his remarks on March 23, 2024, at the Ismaili Centre in London upon being presented the Institute of Ismaili Studies inaugural Alumni Recognition Award. Photograph: Institute of Ismaili Studies/via Karim H. Karim.
Karim H. Karim is Chancellor’s Professor at Carleton University. He has served as Co-Director of the Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) and Director of Carleton’s School of Journalism & Communication and Centre for the Study of Islam. Dr. Karim has held visiting scholarly appointments at Harvard University, the Aga Khan University (AKU), and Simon Fraser University. He has also been a senior advisor for the AKU and the Central Asian University and has served as a member of the AKDN’s Higher Education Forum. Professor Karim is an award-winning author who has published numerous critically-acclaimed and globally-cited writings. He and his wife have established The Karim and Rosemin Karim Prize that recognizes research excellence in understudied areas of Ismaili Studies. Karim received the inaugural IIS Alumni Recognition Award in March 2024.
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(II). Quality of Life of Ismaili Jamati Members: Is it a Reality or Myth?
The following is an eyewitness account by a Canadian Ismaili who spent several weeks in India. The writer is known to the editor and wishes to remain anonymous. We honour his request.
There has been a lot of emphasis on improving the quality of life (QoL) of the global Jamati members. The QoL was even a Diamond Jubilee Project. May I also note that the elimination of poverty, an integral part of QoL, was raised by Mawlana Hazar Imam during his Golden Jubilee Year, which began on July 11, 2007. He repeatedly stressed about its elimination by the end of the Jubilee year, which concluded on December 13, 2008. Subsequently, he has raised the same matter over and over again.
Every country where our Jamati members reside has a specific goal-oriented methodological approach to improve the lives of its members. Quality of life or well-being refers to the wealth and comfort of individuals, communities, and society based on material and non-material factors important to people’s lives, such as health and social connections. Four domains common to QOL in health have been defined as physical health, mental health, social health and functional health. Other relevant domains include::
Material living conditions (income, consumption and material conditions)
Leisure and social interactions.
Economic security and physical safety.
Governance and fundamental rights.
Natural and living environment.
On my recent visit to India, I made a few specific observations about some aspects of QoL that I would like to share. I had the opportunity to visit Jamatkhana in four cities: Bhuj, Mumbai, Pune, and Hyderabad. I observed specific conditions and behaviours affecting our Jamati members’ QoL in each city.
It’s urgent that we address these issues to ensure the well-being of our Jamat. I observed that most youths and some senior members were chewing packed tobacco in all these cities. Tobacco chewing has a characteristic aroma; the smell disturbs the peaceful and serene atmosphere inside the Jamatkhanas. These packets are readily available and at an affordable cost. Health research findings have proved that this addiction is the leading cause of oral cancers and many other problems related to oral hygiene, like darkening of the teeth and premature loss of teeth. Thus, the QoL of our Jamat in India is at a potential risk. I sincerely wish the leadership in India is aware of this and has a preventive program in place. If not, it is time to study this health issue and address it appropriately.
Another issue that caught my attention during my visit was the prevalence of obesity among our Jamati members. This chronic lifestyle metabolic syndrome is a growing concern that we cannot ignore. We need to understand the extent of this issue: what is the prevalence of this health problem compared to national data, and what are the specific interventional strategies for the Jamat? Data and strategies are crucial in addressing this issue, and a systematic approach is needed to tackle this epidemic.
My visit to Mumbai also brought to light the state of our housing complexes. The Karimabad complex is in a run-down state. We must provide safe, modern, and acceptable housing for our Jamat. Even the Jamatkhana in that complex is dire, with falling window frames, depilation, etc. Similarly, the Darkhana (Dongree Jamatkhana) is in dire need of repairs. The urgency of improving our living spaces and places of prayer cannot be overstated.
I was told that the new Ismail complex in Hyderabad was built to accommodate members of the Jamat from Bhuj (the Jamat is at risk due to earthquakes). When I was there, this relocation had not taken place, and perhaps there is a need to investigate this, as it could significantly improve the safety and quality of life for the Jamat members.
“Historically and in accordance with Ismaili tradition, the Imam of the time is concerned with spiritual advancement as well as improvement of the quality of life of his murids. The Imam’s ta’lim lights the murid’s path to spiritual enlightenment and vision. In temporal matters, the Imam guides the murids and motivates them to develop their potential.“
The Jamat and its institutions must catch up based on the Imam’s concern, continuous advice and motivation to develop our potential and rid the Jamat of poverty. This will require a comprehensive approach that addresses not only the immediate health and housing issues but also the underlying social and economic factors that contribute to the overall quality of life of our Jamat.
Karim H. Karim. (2022, Nov. 23). Contemporary Nizari Thought’s Pragmatic Turn and the Centrality of Ethics. Ismaili Studies Conference: State of the Field. Institute of Ismaili Studies. London, UK.
Karim H. Karim. (2014). The Aga Khan Development Network: Shia Ismaili Islam. In Stephen M. Cherry and Helen Rose Ebaugh (Eds.), Global Religious Movements Across Borders. London: Ashgate Publishers.
I have always admired Ali Velshi, an award-winning journalist, host of “Velshi,” Chief Correspondent for MSNBC, and a weekly economics contributor to NPR’s “Here And Now.”
His impressive list of multiple coverage includes U.S. midterm and presidential elections, significant news stories around the globe, which included extensive reporting from Ukraine and across Central and Eastern Europe during the Russian invasion, the Syrian refugee crisis from Turkey and Jordan, the Iran Nuclear Deal in Tehran, the Greek debt crisis in Athens, and the funeral of Nelson Mandela in South Africa. In Minnesota, he was struck by a rubber bullet during the BLM protests.
I was intrigued to read his latest book, Small Acts of Courage: A Legacy of Endurance and the Fight for Democracy. The book chronicles the Velshi family’s association with Mahatma Gandhi, their fight against the beginnings of apartheid in South Africa, and their subsequent move to Kenya where they encountered new forms of discrimination. The narrative then shifts to their immigration to Canada, a country that welcomed them with warmth and acceptance. The book is a powerful exploration of the immigrant experience, resilience, and the fight for democracy. His father came to Toronto in the middle of winter and, as Ali says, “flying from the lush, temperate beauty of Kenya to the snowy, frozen tundra of the Great North.”
When asked why he didn’t turn back, his father replied: “Because the snow was freedom to me. The snow was liberty. It was a new life.”
Despite its bitterly cold weather, Canada welcomed immigrants like him with warmth and acceptance by opening its doors. Canada also provided ample opportunities to Ali’s father, Murad Velshi, who became the first South Asian elected to the Ontario Legislature.
Mansoor Ladha, left, greets Ali Velshi at the launch and signing of his new book “Small Acts of Courage” in Calgary, Canada, at the Grand on June 3, 2024.
Velshi says that although he was in a predominantly white, largely Protestant society,” he also had problems growing up, adding, “I had to deal with the nagging, persistent feeling of being different, of being an outsider.”
Velshi, an Ismaili Muslim, has a few pages dedicated to the community and their 49th Hereditary Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, who is directly descended from Prophet Mohamed. He points out in his book that out of 1.6 billion Muslims worldwide, Ismailis number only about 12 million. Velshi argues that the community’s two most important characteristics are (1) its institutional hierarchy and (2) its attitude toward the modern, secular world. “Like the Roman Catholics, Ismailis are a top-down organization, with one important person calling the shots for millions of adherents around the globe.”
Velshi explains the Aga Khan’s advice to his followers on important matters such as promoting civil society, loyalty to countries of adoption, and maintaining their spiritual identity and religious faith. Because of such advice, the Ismaili diasporic communities have become talent-rich, high achievers, and professionals in the West.
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“Through the captivating, compelling story of his immigrant family’s courageous hundred-year plus journey to freedom across five countries and three continents, Ali Velshi distills to its essence the genius that is American democracy and sounds an alarm warning us of the existential threats facing it today. Velshi urges us to subscribe to the democratic process and exercise our muscle of citizenship, lest it atrophy; the growing cynicism over our national politics is a luxury Americans cannot afford at this moment when our democracy is teetering on a knife’s edge.” — J. Michael Luttig, former judge of the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
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As a journalist and author of four published books, I was excited to attend his book launch of Small Acts of Courage in Calgary, which had a packed audience. It was a gratifying event because some of his experiences resembled mine in Tanzania and later in Canada. Both of us had beginnings as student leaders in university and faced discrimination. My experiences are narrated in my book, Memoirs of a Muhindi: Fleeing East Africa for the West, published by the University of Regina Press. Along with my two other publications, the book has been featured on this website as part of its series on books by Ismaili authors.
InSmall Acts of Courage,Velshi provides insight and experiences of a family of brown persons living in a black society in South Africa and Kenya and later in a white society in Canada. The book provides a valuable lesson to the first-generation Asians in the West who will see themselves in Velshi’s story, while the diasporic generations born outside East Africa will learn about their parents’ unsustainable situation in South and East Africa and their dispossession, displacement and resettlement in North America and Western Europe.
The book is a must-read for everyone. It is readily available at Chapters-Indigo stores across Canada and can be ordered online at the Indigo and Amazon websites. Other book formats are Kindle and Audio, thus making Ali Velshi’s book easily accessible to readers worldwide.
Daye posted: July 16, 2024.
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Mansoor Ladha
Mansoor Ladha is a Calgary-based journalist and author of Memoirs of a Muhindi: Fleeing East Africa for the West, Off the Cuff, and A Portrait in Pluralism: Aga Khan’s Shia Ismaili Muslims. He is currently writing a new book on the Aga Khan, which will be published this summer.
Ismaili leaders, representing the united Ismaili Muslim community worldwide, presented Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan (see photo at the top of post), with a Monumental Basin from the 18th Century on the auspicious 67th anniversary as their 49th Hereditary Imam. The stunning object includes inscriptions from a poem by 12th-century Ismaili philosopher, missionary and traveller, Nasir Khusraw. Read more of this story HERE.
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As an ardent defender of peace and pluralism, the Aga Khan is the driving force behind various Ismaili centres including the Global Centre for Pluralism in Ottawa and the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto. His Highness has also been an honorary Canadian citizen since 2010 — Minister Kamal Khera
His Highness the Aga Khan delivers a historic address to a joint session of the Parliament of Canada on January 27, 2014, at the invitation of the then Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Meanwhile, Canadian leaders issued statements on July 11, 2024, congratulating His Highness on completing 67 years as the Ismaili Imam. Prime Minister Trudeau said, “Today we celebrate the rich heritage, remarkable achievements, and ongoing contributions of Ismailis to our country. Through their unwavering dedication to service and helping those in need, the Ismaili Muslim community exemplifies the best of what it means to be Canadian.” At the same time, BC Premier David Ebby added, “For more than half a century, the Aga Khan has built a legacy dedicated to advancing pluralism, peace and human rights. His humanitarian work has made life better for millions of people by reducing poverty and improving access to education and health care.” Read more of the story HERE.
July 11, 2024, marks a significant milestone in the history of Ismaili Muslims worldwide. It’s the 67th Imamat Day of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan. This day symbolizes his succession to the Divine Throne of Imamat as the 49th Ismaili Imam at the young age of 20, a pivotal moment in the continuing spiritual and material journey of the Ismaili Muslim community.
On this auspicious day, we extend our heartfelt felicitations to all our readers and Ismailis worldwide and express our humble gratitude to Mawlana Hazar Imam for his continuous blessings and guidance for his spiritual children. We also appreciate his family members for their contribution to the Institution of Imamat.
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, 49th Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims, pictured at the Diamond Jubilee Darbar in Kenya. Photo: The Ismaili.
On this blessed day, we extend our warmest wishes to all Ismailis worldwide. May this Imamat Day bring you joy, good health, prosperity, and spiritual enlightenment. Let’s find solace in the constant presence of the Imam in our lives. He wishes the best for us, both in our material and spiritual aspects, and we are always in his heart, thoughts, and prayers. As he has said, “You are all constantly in my heart, in my thoughts and in my prayers.”
The Imam’s love for his community is unwavering. As he has said, “No mountains, no river, no desert can separate the Imam from his murids” and “You must remember that Imam loves you more, much more than you can ever love him, and you must be strong in this knowledge.”
Indeed, as murids (followers) of Mawlana Hazar Imam, we must draw inspiration and strength from these messages.
The Rope of Imamat is an everlasting Rope of Guidance, Love and Affection and will stretch out for eternity; the wish and prayer of every murid of the Imam should be to hold fast to the Promised Rope and remain on the Straight Path (Sirat al-Mustaqim).
Earlier this week, Kutub Kassam’s poem and introduction to the poem Mazhar or Theophany made it abundantly clear that the Imam-of-the-Time is the Mazhar par excellence. He is the bearer of the Divine Light in the terrestrial world and the most perfect expression of the underlying divine reality.
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Calligraphy to commemorate the 67th Imamat Day of His Highness the Aga Khan, Mawlana Shah Karim Al Hussaini Hazar Imam. The Quranic verse “Wa Kulla Sha’in Ahsainahu fee Imamim-Mubeen” is in cursive script with the border top and bottom “Shah Karim” in eastern Kufi. Calligraphy and design by Karim Ismail, Toronto, Canada.
As a follow-up, Toronto’s Karim Ismaili has designed a beautiful Imamat Day card bearing the Quranic verse, “Wa kulla shai’in ahsainaahu feee Imaamim Mubeen” (Quran, 36:12), meaning “We have vested (the knowledge and authority of) everything in the Manifest Imam.”
This verse underscores the central role of the Imam in every Ismaili’s spiritual journey and life. Our goal should be to strengthen this belief in our hearts, minds and souls for our spiritual upliftment, happiness, and courage to face any adversity that comes our way. As the 48th Imam, Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah, observed, “You will have no fear in this world if you love the descendants of Muhammad and Ali.”
Much of the inspiration for my paintings comes from Mawlana Hazar Imam His Highness the Aga Khan’s guidance to the Ismaili community on the importance of brotherhood, pluralism, and living a life where we “do not forsake the soul for the material world.” Indeed, I draw continued encouragement from the Imam’s guidance as an artist and in my daily life.
Take Me Away by Shafina Jaffer. Medium: Oil on canvas. Size: 200 x 80 cm (78.7 x 31.5 in). This painting was projected on the facade of Windsor Castle during the Coronation Concert honouring the Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla, on May 7, 2023. Shafina presented the original painting to Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, for the auspicious occasion of Navroz, March 21, 2024. Photograph: Shafina Jaffer collection.
Last year, I curated a painting for King Charles’s coronation, and on the occasion of Navroz — the Persian New Year — on March 21, 2024, the same painting, “Take Me Away,” was gifted to Mawlana Hazar Imam, who graciously accepted it and encouraged me to pursue my talents. His message moved me, and as a show of gratitude to celebrate his 67th Imamat Day on July 11, 2024, I have embarked on a series of Mawlana Hazar Imam portrait paintings that will be presented in the coming months on this website.
Simerg and its sister website, Barakah, share the first painting in this series that captures a very youthful Hazar Imam. When asked about my choice to depict Mawlana Hazar Imam at this age, I explain that it’s the image that has been etched in my mind growing up: a sympathetic, youthful figure radiating with light. This personal connection with the Imam drives my artistic expression and deepens my sense of gratitude.
Delving into mixed-media mediums, I use my heritage and strong affiliation with spirituality to sow the seeds of my creativity. Since completing my Graduate Diploma (Art & Design) and Master’s Degree (Painting) from the Royal College of Art, I have explored the intricacies of nature, human relationships, and spirituality within the field of art and their interrelationship.
Religion and spirituality are not just important themes in my art; they are the essence of my work, reflecting my deep exploration of faith and the human connection to the divine. My canvases are vibrant and alive, filled with a playful mix of colour, form, and texture, with natural mediums playing a pivotal role. Faith pushes me to transcend the physical and visible, uncovering what resides at the core and infusing the outer edges with life. Indeed, with such portraiture of the Imam, the lines between literal and divine interpretation are moving and profound.
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Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, by Shafina Jaffer. Medium: Oil, Gold and Charcoal; Size: 42 x 32 cm. Original photograph for painting: Gary Otte (cover page and page 121 of Depth of Field: The Aga Khan Beyond the Lens).
This portrait of the Aga Khan, painted with meticulous care and deep gratitude, captures his serene and compassionate essence. I have highlighted his gentle smile and thoughtfully intelligent eyes, conveying wisdom and kindness. The subtle use of colours and shading brings out the depth of his character and position in humanity, reflecting his profound impact as a spiritual leader and guide. One can easily see an overarching glow settled upon the canvas — reflecting his holy and elevated demeanour.
The border, crafted in real gold and liquid charcoal, symbolizes his love for nature and adds a unique, elegant touch to the piece. This artwork is a heartfelt tribute, expressing deep appreciation for the Aga Khan’s guidance and positive influence on my life and practice. It stands as a testament to the enduring respect and admiration he commands.
Upon gazing at this painting, one can forget that it is not a photograph. My brush has sought to create a three-dimensional profound effect which makes it appear that the face is emerging from the confines of the page to look into the viewer’s eyes, saying:
“Everybody makes mistakes. Never regret them; correct them. There’s no such thing as a perfect world or perfect life” — His Highness the Aga Khan.
Date posted: July 9, 2024.
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Work in progress, as Ismaili artist Shafina Jaffer paints a portrait of His Highness the Aga Khan in her studio in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The iconic artist was invited to the residence of the US Ambassador to Tanzania on US Independence Day, July 4, 2024, to exhibit her paintings featuring African women.
“The Spiritual Adam is to be identified with the divine Nur (Light) of Imamat, which is symbolised in the poem by the ‘glittering star of glory wrought and beauty spun’. The Mazhar par-excellence is the Imam who bears this Light in the terrestrial world. He is the most perfect expression of the divine hypostasis because in him the theomorphosis is fully realised and the Absolute becomes manifest to mortal eyes.”
Before and after the notion and the conception, after and before the ascent and the descent, before the exhalation and after the inhalation, in the mirror of infinity appears reflected without being effected, an oblique plane of occultation, a formless square of un-differentiated, impalpable darkness, without sense perceived nor by cognition conceived, in dreamless sleep concealed.
II
The darkness radiates a boundless halo of purest light that radiates no colour nor projects a shadow, seeming by degrees luminous and transparent, then radiant and fiery, manifesting to itself its mirrored face, dazzling bright in its own essence, observed by itself, to itself only known the conditioned fullness of the unconditioned abeyance, the circle locked with the square, the curve straining against the tangent.
III
One timeless momentum the bow arched, the string quivered; being by compulsion caught and volition seized, at once is released a speeding shaft of thought, through seven permutations whirling, thrilling the passive womb at the point of impact, irradiating around it instantaneously, an immaculate field of unity, between the centre and the circumference vibrating, from the zenith to the nadir gyrrating.
IV
In the third heavenly circuit, the primordial point generated a continuous horizontal line; crossed vertically from within without, at the intersection of possibility and necessity, there crystallised in the firmament a glittering star of glory wrought and beauty spun, unbegotten born, non-existent known, directionlike converging and dispersing effulgent beams of nine and forty prismatic rays, which hang from it by the finest threads.
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An Introduction to Mazhar
From a stylistic point of view, the poem may be regarded as an experiment in symbolic poetry. A symbol is an image or an idea with multiple levels of significance. The language of symbolism is an essential feature of Ismaili literature, where the principles of tanzil (literal interpretation) and tawil (allegorical interpretation) correspond to the zahir (exoteric) and batin (esoteric) dimensions of meaning respectively. This poem too employs a variety of symbols, ranging from the purely poetic to the geometrical and mathematical, which may be interpreted upon several planes of exoteric and esoteric significance. No single perspective, however, can possibly exhaust the totality of explicit and implicit meaning of the poem.
The title of the poem, Mazhar, which embodies the fundamental idea of the poem, may be translated into English as Epiphany or more accurately as Theophany, that is to say a manifestation of God. The poem describes such a theophanic process in the form of a symbolic cosmology or creation of the universe. This cosmic transformation, which is basically cyclic in execution, is effected through a series of trinary and septenary emanations without upsetting the primordial Unity of Being. It is by means of the dialectical tension generated between the symbols one, three and seven that the poem attempts to capture the sense of dynamic motion inherent in the Cosmogenesis.
It is impossible in this introductory note to explore the multiple levels of symbolic complexity to be discovered in the poem. It may be possible, however, to delineate the conceptual framework within which the poem may be appreciated or criticised. This framework is basically that formulated by Ismaili philosophers such as Abu Hatim ar-Razi, Abu Ya’qub al-Sijistani and Harnid’ud-din al-Kirmani centuries ago, though not entirely conforming to their cosmological schemes, for a certain degree of poetic license has been used to adapt them to the poet’s purpose. Moreover, a number of original symbols employed here have no counterparts in traditional Ismaili cosmological literature.
Part I of the poem conceives of the Absolute in its original, indivisible, undifferentiated and transcendent state of Unity, which is unknowable, ineffable, above all qualities and attributes. The Absolute has not yet initiated the Dawr al-Saar (Cycle of Epiphany), but remains concealed in the Dawral-Kashf (Cycle of Occultation). It is in Part II that the first plane of differentiation is effected with the primordial divine epiphany, the Aql-i-Kull (First Intellect), which is the cosmic rational principle. Unlike the Absolute, the Intellect can be predicated with primary attributes and a potentiality for action. It is the mirror in which the Absolute can behold its own qualities of oneness, knowledge, perfection, etc.
The Intellect is not to be regarded as inbi-‘ath (act of emanation). The identity of the Absolute and the Intellect is aptly summarised in the negative and affirmative poles of the declaration: La Ilaha illa’l-Lah. The theophanic process becomes dynamic in Part III with the imperative Amr (Word) of God: Kun (Be! ). The word is the Logos, the first creative principle, the kinetic agent of the Intellect. Its epiphanic field of activity is the passive Nafs-i-Kull (Universal Soul). Their relationship is symbolically expressed in Ismaili literature by the Quranic designations Qalam (Pen) for the Intellect and Lawh (Tablet) for the Soul. The Intellect is the Sabiq (Precursor) and the Soul its Tali (Successor).
Part IV of the poem completes the theophanic cycle in so far as the meta-cosmic plane of reality is concerned. It is in this phase that the celestial archetype of the universe and mankind is manifested which, in Ismaili terminology, bears the name of Adam Ruhani (Spiritual Adam). Though ranking third in the hierarchy of divine epiphanies, he occupies a unique position in the theophanic order, combining within himself the virtues of the Intellect and the Soul that preceded him, as well as the entire spectrum of hierocosmic epiphanies that is to follow him, corresponding to every plane of existence and order of being in the spiritual and material worlds.
Now the Spiritual Adam is to be identified with the divine Nur (Light) of Imamat, which is symbolised in the poem by the ‘glittering star of glory wrought and beauty spun’. And therefore, the Mazhar par-excellence is the Imam who bears this Light in the terrestrial world. He is the most perfect expression of the divine hypostasis because in him the theomorphosis is fully realised and the Absolute becomes manifest to mortal eyes. It then becomes clear in what manner the Imam represents the macrocosms as al-Isan al-Kabir The Great Man), the microcosmos as al-Insan al-Kamil (The Perfect Man), as well as the Qutb (axis) of the universe, without whom the world would not survive even for an instant.
Although the phases of creation, as narrated in the poem, are basically confined to the world of primal spiritual realities, by implication the theophanic process incorporates in one spontaneous sweep the material world also, right down to the contemporary historical period. This is specified in the conclusion of the poem by reference to the ‘nine and forty prismatic rays’, which identifies the Imam of the Age, Mawlana Shah Karim al-Hussaini, His Highness the Aga Khan, the forty-ninth direct descendant of Prophet Muhammad, the spiritual guide and leader of Ismailis, as the master hierophant of the divine mystery and the Mazhar of our times.
Date posted: July 8, 2024.
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Kutub Kassam
The poem Mazhar and its introduction have been adapted from Kutub Kassam’s original piece, which appeared in Ilm magazine, Imamat Day Issue (July 1977, pages 38-41), published by His Highness the Aga Khan Shia Imami Ismailia Association for the UK (now known as the Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Board or ITREB). Kutub Kassam passed away in 2019 after 40 years of dedicated service to Ismaili Institutions in Africa and the UK as a curriculum developer, editor, writer and researcher. Simerg paid a respectful tribute to Kutub Kassam and his enduring legacy in a special piece published on March 25, 2019.
“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 Quranfor multiple translations
A calligraphy designed by Toronto’s Karim Ismail honouring the first Shia Imam Ali, on the auspicious commemoration of Idd-e Ghadir.
On Monday, June 24, 2024, Ismaili Muslims in Canada and other parts of the world will unite to observe and celebrate Eid-e Ghadir. This momentous occasion marks the pivotal gathering at Ghadir Khumm, where Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) designated Hazrat Ali as his successor, the first in the continuing line of Hereditary Imams.
This historical event holds immense significance in the Ismaili faith. Today, the holder of the Hereditary position is Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, the 49th Imam in direct succession. In this regard, the Aga Khan has affirmed “that 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 Highness the Aga Khan, Parliament of Canada, Ottawa, February 27, 2014.
History records that on the way back to Medina after performing the final pilgrimage to Mecca, the Prophet received a revelation:
“O Messenger, deliver [to the people] what has been revealed to you from your Lord, and if you do not do so, then you will not have delivered His message” Surah al-Ma’ida (5:67)
Upon receiving this revelation, the Holy Prophet stopped at an oasis known as Ghadir Khumm. He addressed a large gathering of Muslims who had accompanied him. The Prophet proclaimed: “Man kuntu mawlahu fa aliyyun mawlahu,” meaning: “He whose Mawla I am, Ali is his Mawla.” The Prophet then prayed: “O Allah, be a friend of whoever is his friend and extend your support to those who support him.”
This event, occurring at a crucial point in Islamic history, marked the transition of leadership from the Prophet to Hazrat Ali, setting the stage for the leadership and future of the Muslim community. Thus, by declaring Hazrat Ali Mawla after him, the Prophet transferred the 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. In this context, ‘Mawla’ refers to a leader, protector, and guide, indicating the profound responsibility and authority bestowed upon Hazrat Ali.
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Excerpts from L. Veccia Vaglieri piece in Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition
“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)
Photograph: Vysotsky – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia.
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“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.” Vaglieri goes on to state that 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.
(Note: special access is required to read articles in the on-line edition of 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.)
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Excerpts from the Preamble of the Ismaili Constitution
“In accordance with Shia doctrine, tradition, and interpretation of history, the Holy Prophet (s.a.s.) designated and appointed his cousin and son-in-law Hazrat Mawlana Ali Amiru-l-Mu’minin (a.s) to be the first Imam to continue the Ta’wīl and Ta’līm of Allah’s final message and to guide the murids, a term referring to the followers and disciples of the Imams. The proclamation also established the principle of the Imamat continuing by heredity through Hazrat Mawlana Ali (a.s) and his daughter Hazrat Bibi Fatimat-az-Zahra, Khātun-i-Jannat (a.s)”
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, is seen signing a new constitution for the worldwide Ismaili community on his 50th birthday, December 13, 1986. The preamble excerpts produced in this post are from this constitution.
“Mawlana Hazar Imam Shah Karim al Hussaini, His Highness Prince Aga Khan, in direct lineal descent from the Holy Prophet (s.a.s.) through Hazrat Mawlana Ali (a.s.) and Hazrat Bibi Fatima (a.s), is the Forty-Ninth Imam of the Ismaili Muslims.”
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…. continued
On instruction from Prophet Muhammad, Hazrat Ali received baiyat (the oath of allegiance) from the Muslims assembled there. According to Shia traditions and sources, following the proclamation, the final verse of the Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet:
“On this day, I have perfected for you your religion, completed my favours upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.”
Eid-e Ghadir is an anniversary of profound significance to all Shia Muslims. It is also associated with the well-attested tradition that 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 phrase ‘two matters of great weight’ refers to the Quran and the Ahl al-Bayt, emphasizing their inseparability and eternal significance in the Islamic faith.
In commemorating Eid-e Ghadir, the Ismaili community celebrates the seminal event of Ghadir Khumm, reaffirming their allegiance to the Imam of the Time as the direct lineal successor and inheritor of Hazrat Ali’s authority. The community is not just inspired, but united and driven by the following remark made during his speech in Canada’s Parliament on February 27, 2024:
“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.”
Date posted: June 23, 2024.
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Please click HERE for many more pieces on this website on the topic of Eid-e Ghadir.
Our climate is changing. Humans are primarily responsible for harmful emissions and the destruction of ecosystems as we indiscriminately pollute our air, water, and soil.
The main driver is primarily the burning of fossil fuels (coal, gas, and oil), which produce heat and trap heat between the ozone layer. This process significantly contributes to global warming, as evidenced by the record-breaking year in 2023. If concerted efforts are made soon to reduce the carbon footprint, it may be possible to turn the clock back.
The northern hemisphere is responsible for seventy percent of the catastrophe and damage caused by climate change, and the people most affected by the adverse conditions live in the global south. They are the least responsible for this phenomenon and, unfortunately, the least able to endure nature’s wrath.
Here are some things we can do individually to reduce our carbon footprint.
Reducing the use of fossil fuels would improve air quality and protect human and animal health.
Stop the wars which contribute to further destruction of the ozone layer besides unnecessary deaths.
Stop idling engines. Carpool, bicycle, or walk if possible, and also get exercise and reduce expenses.
Stop illegal campfires. Even one tiny spark can start a wildfire that can burn for days and destroy hectares of land.
Stop using fireworks. Consider light shows which are less damaging to the environment and noise pollution.
Stop polluting our water system and recycle properly — stop using single-use plastics, and pull tabs off masks so marine life and wildlife don’t get tangled in them. Recycling reduces waste sent to landfills and prevents pollution. It conserves natural resources and energy.
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Mobina Marani pictured in front of her exhibit at the Red Ribbon Event in Fort Erie, Ontario, in November 2023. Photograph: Mobina Marani Collection.
With regard to the worldwide use of plastics, The Philippines, the United States of America, India, Malaysia, and China are among the most prominent plastic polluters worldwide.
Rwanda, Kenya, Sweden, Tanzania, Norway, and Germany are the least. A 2019 Tanzanian government declaration states that “plastic carrier bags regardless of their thickness will be prohibited from being imported, exported, manufactured, sold, stored, supplied and used in Mainland Tanzania.” According to the New York Times, anyone in the country found producing or importing plastics faces a fine of 426,000 dollars, or a jail term of up to two years. Rwanda has banned the manufacturing, usage, import or sale of plastic bags since 2008.
Canada recycles only 9% of its waste, whereas the rest goes into landfills. However, it wants to eradicate the use of plastic by 2030.
Cigarette butts contain tiny plastic fibres and “microplastic “ from synthetic clothing through washing. Fourteen million tons in our oceans yearly, particularly in the North Pacific Ocean — “The Pacific Patch.” Plastic can take up to 20-500 years to decompose, and even then, it never fully disappears.
In our small Ismaili community in Niagara-on-the-Lake, we recycle and reduce our garbage as best we can, and we are proud that our youth and Jamati members are involved and working hard at it. It may be noted that several steps have been taken in Jamatkhanas around Canada to reduce the use of plastic. Prince Hussain Aga Khan and his wife, Princess Fareen, have completely eliminated the use of plastics in their homes. As someone who deeply cares about the ocean and its creatures, the Prince laments: “Before, you didn’t see plastic in the sea. Now, it is everywhere. I see plastic each and every time I go on an expedition. In Egypt, in the Philippines, in Indonesia, in the Bahamas, in Sardinia…Wherever I go, I always find plastic.”
I invite readers to view the following paintings I completed in 2023 out of my concern about climate change and ocean pollution. Each image has an accompanying statement and can be clicked for enlargement.
1. “Global Pollution” (16″ x 20″) Acrylic on canvas
Global Pollution, April 2023, Acrylic on canvas, 16 X 20 inches. Artist: Mobina Marani.
Artist statement: It is gut-wrenching to witness the effects of humanity’s complacency in protecting and preserving our rivers, lakes, and oceans. Dumping undesirable waste products and harmful toxic materials has caused the demise of marine life and coral reefs, which provide excellent habitat and nourishment for many creatures that depend upon an enabling environment for their survival. In “Ocean Pollution,” she attempts to depict the types of pollutants found in the sea bed and their potential effects on marine life.
The artist, through this work seeks to emphasize the urgent need for responsible waste management, and hopes that it will inspire hope and action in our audience, showing them that we can still protect and restore these precious marine ecosystems.
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2. “Force of Nature” (16″ x 20″) Acrylic on canvas
Force of Nature, Acrylic on canvas, 16 X 20 inches. Artist: Mobina Marani.
Artist statement: In December 2022, the ice storm Elliott hit the shores of Lake Erie with devastating consequences. A lot of the homes along the waterfront got pounded with 20 feet to 30 feet waves, and because of the frigid temperature and high winds, the water instantly froze on the roof to the base of the homes, completely covering them with ice and causing significant external and internal damage to the affected properties. Her rendering illustrates the impact on her neighbouring homes. The different ice formations and using minimal paint colours were a big challenge.
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3. “Nature’s Fury” (16″ x 20″) Acrylic on canvas
Nature’s Fury, Acrylic on canvas, 16 X 20 inches. Artist: Mobina Marani.
Artist statement: The rising global temperatures have had an insurmountable and lasting impact on Mother Earth, demanding urgent action. Some parts of the worldwide community, like Pakistan in 2022, where 35 million people were displaced, have had to deal with devastating rainfall and flooding. In parts of Africa, global warming has manifested itself in extreme dry conditions, causing hunger, famine, and the displacement of the masses. Our country, Canada, has lost thousands of hectares to forest fires. Her rendering, Nature’s Fury, is a stark reminder of the ferocity and fury of such intense fire on our landscape. This is a call to action, a plea for us to act now to protect our planet.
Date posted: June 18, 2024.
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About the author: Mobina Marani, a woman with a passion for art, hails from Uganda. After completing her art education in England, she embarked on a new chapter in Canada in 1974. Settling in the picturesque Ridgeway/Crystal Beach area, she found herself managing a family business. It was here, amidst the joys of her first grandchild, Amarah, that she felt the urge to pick up the paintbrush again after a hiatus of 40 years. She created freehand renderings of her close family members and Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, the 49th Hereditary Imam of the Ismaili Muslims.
Mobina has also taken the pressing issue of climate change and the disregard of Mother Earth to heart. Her series of paintings shown above depict the catastrophic consequences of our actions. Each stroke of her brush is a plea for change, a call to action. Mobina’s dedication to her cause is evident in her process. She does her portrait paintings by hand, without tracing or enhancing devices, referring only to a picture. She meticulously applies layer upon layer of acrylic paint until she is satisfied with the degree of perfection.