Hast thou not seen how that whatsoever is in the heavens and in the earth extols God, and the birds spreading their wings? Each — He knows its prayer and its extolling; and God knows the things they do — Holy Qur’an, 24:41, Sura An-Nur
Date posted: December 23, 2021.
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Hopefully, you did not miss photos of the rich autumn colours at Aga Khan Park, when autumn foliage peaked around November 5, 2021. If you missed the post, please click HERE.
About a week later, as trees started losing their leaves, Malik Merchant happened to be at the grounds of Aga Khan Park at night, and captured the beauty of the heavenly Ismaili Jamatkhana dome through lit-up trees, moments before the lights in the prayer hall went out. See the beautiful photos HERE.
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The face of nature changed once again, as more and more trees shed their leaves and lost much of the autumn foliage. For one last time Malik Merchant visited Morningside Park, and also made his customary pilgrimage to the Aga Khan Park. His story and spectacular photos are HERE.
Date posted: November 18, 2021.
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Before departing this website please take a moment to review Simerg’s Table of Contents for links to hundreds of thought provoking pieces on a vast array of subjects including faith and culture, history and philosophy, and arts and letters to name a few. Please also visit Simerg’s sister websites Barakah and Simergphotos.
Introduced by MALIK MERCHANT
(Publisher-Editor Barakah, Simerg, and Simergphotos)
What truly instilled in me a love for nature? I had taken it for granted in Africa! But on a New Moon Night (Chandraat or Chaand Raat; Bengali, Urdu etc.) in Salt Lake City, Utah, during the 3rd week of November 1979, I looked up at the sky with the Wasatch Mountain range around me. There I spotted the beautiful crescent on a clear evening!
Chandraat as Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah, His Highness the Aga Khan III, 48th Hereditary Imam of Ismaili Muslims, said is a night that will generate immense happiness and peace. In anxious moments of arriving in a new city to work as a trainee computer programmer, the sighting of the New Moon is exactly what I needed. I have loved nature ever since that day.
Yesterday, November 5, in Canada and in many other parts of the world, Ismailis marked the Night of the New Moon with special prayers of Salwaat and the prayers of Bibi Fatimah — the beloved daughter of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.S.) and wife of the first Shia Imam Hazrat Ali (A.S.) from whom Ismaili Imams are directly descended. Thousands of Ismailis around the world attended their respective Jamatkhanas while many others prayed at home due to Covid-19 procedures in place. I spent hours during the day time taking photos — I was even more excited and energized, because of the significance of the day.
Please click HERE or on image below to view a small collection from hundreds of nature photographs I took, mostly with my Olympus OM-D EM10, between November 3 and 5, 2021 in Toronto’s forests and parks.
Date posted: November 6, 2021.
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Malik Merchant spends a chilly morning at Aga Khan Park, sees brilliant autumn colours on maple trees and encounters a lovable fox. And walking through the park, he sees panels of brilliant photographs captured by Christopher Wilson-Steer during his 40,000 journey from Venice to Beijing. Click SIMERGPHOTOS or on image below to view photos and videos from an absorbing day at the Park and the Aga Khan Museum.
“What we dedicate today is what we identify as an Ismaili Centre — a building that is focused around our Jamatkhana, but which also includes many secular spaces…..And soaring above it all is the great crystalline dome that you have observed, through which light from the prayer hall will provide a glowing beacon, symbolising the spirit of enlightenment that will always be at the heart of the Centre’s life.” — His Highness the Aga Khan, Opening Ceremony of Ismaili Centre Toronto, September 12, 2014.
Simerg’s Malik Merchant visits the rooftop terrace of the Ismaili Centre, and comes as close as possible to the unique dome of Toronto Headquarters Jamatkhana located on 49 Wynford Drive. Click HERE or on image below to see photos of the dome and the area surrounding the Ismaili Centre.
Date posted: September 28, 2021.
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See Nurin and Malik Merchant’s extraordinary photos of their visit to Aga Khan Park. Nurin notes that with 6 summer weeks remaining, make the most by visiting the Park or other gardens and trails where you live. Then of course, we will all see the arrival of autumn that will offer us spectacular fall colours!
Please click INCREDIBLE ENCOUNTERS AT AGA KHAN PARK or on image below
Date posted: August 9, 2021.
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Before departing this website please take a moment to review Simerg’s Table of Contents for links to hundreds of thought provoking pieces on a vast array of subjects including faith and culture, history and philosophy, and arts and letters to name a few. Also visit Simerg’s sister websites Barakah, dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan, and Simergphotos.
The ponds are flowing at Aga Khan Park, bringing stillness and calmness to our minds. The geese are beating their wings as they bathe in their favourite pond. Then, it is amazing to see them take off on the shortest and safest runway in the world with two majestic buildings — the Ismaili Centre and the Aga Khan Museum — built by Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, in full view! It is a wonderful sight. Intimacy and procreation are nature’s gift — the mallards and frogs are captured in their act, facing confrontations — yes, see the videos! Watch a tiny turtle walk to a pond of water, overcoming obstacles along the way. There are photos too to make the article complete.
I am providing a sample video, below, one of several I have included in Simergphotos where you will get a fuller taste of my extraordinary encounter with nature at Aga Khan Park and the exciting East Don Trail. This is a post you don’t want to miss! Show it to your children; they will love it.
To see full post with extraordinary photos and videos please click Simergphotos.
Date posted: June 5, 2021.
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Before departing this website please take a moment to review Simerg’s Table of Contents for links to hundreds of thought provoking pieces on a vast array of subjects including faith and culture, history and philosophy, and arts and letters to name a few. Also visit Simerg’s sister websites Barakah, dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan, and Simergphotos.
Please click HERE or on photo below for report
Date posted: May 15, 2021.
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Malik Merchant returns to Aga Khan Park after a 3-week absence, and sees visitors excitedly taking photos of masses of pink flowers behind the Aga Khan Museum. A young boy goes from one weeping cherry tree to another to feel the soft petals of the blossoming trees, a dog owner has her beautiful 1 year old dog, Cice, pose in front of a tree, a bird perches on top of one while a robin wanders around pecking on grass around the trees. And as Malik finally leaves the site of the Aga Khan Park via the east side, he captures a stunning shot of the Aga Khan Museum under a lovely blue sky! Click here for story and photos
Date posted: May 10, 2021.
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Before departing this website please take a moment to review Simerg’s Table of Contents for links to hundreds of thought provoking pieces on a vast array of subjects including faith and culture, history and philosophy, and arts and letters to name a few. Also visit Simerg’s sister websites Barakah, dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan, and Simergphotos.
Nurin Merchant gets to Dows Lake on a sunny day to photograph some of the 300,000 tulips that are planted there, making it the biggest tulip festival in Canada. She incorporates into her piece some excellent material prepared by the Aga Khan Park on the origins and significance of the tulip, one of the most venerated flowers in Islamic culture, to make her photo essay truly informative and and educational….PLEASE CLICK HERE OR ON IMAGE BELOW FOR PHOTO ESSAY
Date posted: May 6, 2021.
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Before departing this website please take a moment to review Simerg’s Table of Contents for links to hundreds of thought provoking pieces on a vast array of subjects including faith and culture, history and philosophy, and arts and letters to name a few. Also visit Simerg’s sister websites Barakah, dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan, and Simergphotos.
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