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
Our sister website Barakah presents a special pictorial biography of Princess Zahra Aga Khan highlighting her contributions in healthcare, education and social development that have impacted hundreds of millions of people around the world. Today — Thursday, September 29, 2022 — she is in Vancouver with her younger brother Prince Rahim Aga Khan to sign an accord of cooperation between the Government of British Columbia and the Aga Khan Development Network….MORE ON BARAKAH, a website dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan, members of his family and the Ismaili Imamat.
Princess Zahra Aga Khan. Please click on photo to read article.
Date posted: September 18, 2022. Last updated: September 29, 2022 (07:44 EDT).
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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 editor may be reached via email at mmerchant@simerg.com.
Featured photo above: The Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, the oldest humanities research institute in Canada, on May 20, 2016 conferred an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters upon His Highness the Aga Khan, in recognition of his work to advance, and advocate for, pluralistic societies across the globe. Richard Alway, Praeses of the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies congratulates the Aga Khan upon conferring the honorary degree. Photo: AKDN/Zahur Ramji.
THE AGA KHAN’S DUAL MANDATE IS TO INTERPRET ISLAM AND TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF HIS ISMAILI FOLLOWERS AND THE POPULATIONS AMONG WHOM THEY LIVE
The Aga Khan
Times of India: What is our most precious asset as human beings?
The Aga Khan: A value system that is both time-resistant and time-adaptable.
Times of India: And the worst?
The Aga Khan: Killing, indeed all violence. Going by the record of the last 50 years, this is what offends me most.” (READ MORE )
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M. Hamilton Morgan
In this vast tapestry of the interaction of Muslims with each other, and with other cultures and faiths, there is one tradition that unfailingly continues the progressive heritage of classical Islam — profoundly intellectual, open, tolerant, pacific — and in particular one leader who has made it especially attuned to the many difficulties of the world today. That would be Ismailism and its revered Imam, the current Aga Khan IV — Michael Hamilton Morgan (READ MORE)
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James Wolfensohn
“….It is the extraordinary sense of humanity that he [the Aga Khan] has. The great depth of real feeling for real people wherever they find themselves in society. He is a holy man. He is the leader of his faith. He’s a man who represents the very best in Islam.” — James Wolfensohn (READ MORE)
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Andrew Kosorok
As Imam for the Nizari Ismailis, the Aga Khan’s responsibility and sacred calling is to provide for the security of his people, guide them in interpretation of the Faith, and do everything possible to ensure for them a worthwhile quality of life….the Aga Khan sees his responsibility in a more expansive way. If good can be done for the sake of the Ismaili family, that good is also extended to the areas within which the Ismailis are found — and by extension, to the world — Andrew Kosorok (READ MORE)
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Mohamed Arkoun
“If we speak with our children with heresiographic mind we are totally lost. We are totally away from the humanistic representation like His Highness the Aga Khan is insisting to have among us. So this is a very important issue on which we have all to reflect and to develop our endeavor.” — Mohamed Arkoun (READ MORE)
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Nizar Motani
The Aga Khan projects Islam’s best principles and practices. Consequently, many like-minded institutions have rewarded him with an impressive range of honors, elevating him to the status of a distinguished, globally respected visionary leader — Nizar Motani (READ MORE)
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Date posted: August 24, 2022.
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“If it be true that a true test of really great man, as Brougham teaches us, is that he be endowed with three remarkable attributes, namely, (a) generosity in design; (b) humanity in execution; and (c) moderation in success, then I have not the slightest hesitation in saying that the Aga Khan answers that test adequately. He is an indefatigable worker and has a tremendous power of uptake. He has a way of bearing the burdens of the leadership he is called upon to provide, cheerfully. He is calmest in storms, and most fearless under menace and his reliance on truth, on virtue and on God who, after all is their source and sanction, is ever so unfaltering” — A. K. BROHI, JULY 11, 1972 – READ BROHI’S TRIBUTE BY CLICKING HERE OR ON PHOTO BELOW
REVIEW SIMERG’S TABLE OF CONTENTS AND VISIT ITS SISTER WEBSITES
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. Reach the editor, Malik, at mmerchant@simerg.com
The following are referral links to two new posts on Simerg’s sister websites Barakah and Simergphotos. Please click on them, read the posts and share them with your friends and relatives around the world.
Simerg’s sister website Barakah which is dedicated to Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, members of his family and the Ismaili Imamat, is pleased to present a profound reading on the subject of Imamat along with a special piece of art by Karim Ismail on the auspicious occasion of Hazar Imam’s 85th Salgirah. The post includes the singing of the Ginan (Hymn) Dhan Dhan Aajno by the (Late) Alwaez Shamshu Bandali Haji, and also has links to its explanation as well as 25 other recitations of the same Ginan by Ismaili singers from around the world. Please click 85th Salgirah Mubarak or on the image below.
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, is in his 65th year of Imamat and celebrates his 85th birthday on December 13, 2021. Please click on image for Imamat reading.
Date posted: December 11, 2021.
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Featured image at top of post: In centre, a calligraphy by Toronto’s Karim Ismail and on either side of the art work two paintings of Mawlana Hazar Imam by Vancouver based artist Azeez Khanbhai, who was featured recently in Barakah.
We welcome feedback from our readers. Please complete the LEAVE A REPLY form below or click Leave a comment. Your letter may be edited for length and brevity, and is subject to moderation.
Azeez Khanbhai’s first portrait rendering of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, was completed in 1959 and presented to the 49th Ismaili Imam in 1959 during his visit to Nairobi, Kenya. Mawlana Hazar Imam signed the painting, with his blessings. Khanbhai has continued his passion of painting Mawlana Hazar Imam’s portraits over the past 60 years, and Simerg’s sister website Barakah, which is dedicated to Mawlana Hazar Imam, members of his family and the Ismaili Imamat is pleased to present a selection of Khanbhai’s amazing works that also include portrait renditions of Princess Zahra, Prince Rahim and Prince Hussain. Please click HERE or on image below to view the Khanbhai collection in Barakah.
Please click on image for portraits of Mawlana Hazar Imam by Azeez Khanbhai
Date posted: October 30, 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.
Simerg’s sister website, Barakah, has featured Princess Zahra Aga Khan (birthday, September 18) and Prince Amyn Aga Khan (birthday, September 12) in recent days, and we invite our readers to click on the following links or images for the four pieces, which include memorable photos and an important letter penned by Prince Amyn in 1960.
The Logo: Barakah seeks its inspiration from the Arabic root b-r-k, and its most fundamental meaning is ‘Blessing’, conferred by the Divine upon humankind.
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.
An artistic rendition of the Ismaili Flag. Please click on image for photo essay.
Under the new Ismaili Constitution that was ordained by Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, in 1986 — and revised in 1998 — the popular flag of the Ismailis that had been referred to by many Ismaili Jamats around the world for decades as the “My Flag” officially acquired a new name, “The Ismaili Flag.” There was no specific Imamat flag before 1986 — the “My Flag” with its red and green colours was used during ceremonial and other events where Hazar Imam was present. But with the new constitution, the crest (or taj) of Mawlana Hazar Imam was incorporated into the “The Ismaili Flag” and this flag with the crest is referred to as the “Personal Standard of Mawlana Hazar Imam.” Barakah’s photo essay seeks to explain the colours red and green in “The Ismaili Flag” and, through dozens of photos from around the world, illustrates the usage of the “Personal Standard of Mawlana Hazar Imam.”
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.
Simerg’s sister website, Barakah, has created a special new Talika page with links to all the Talikas (written messages) that Mawlana Hazar Imam has sent to his Jamats around the world since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Talika page will be updated whenever a new Talika is received from Mawlana Hazar Imam. However, for a start we are also providing the links to all the Talikas from March 2020 to Current (July 2021) hereunder; they are listed in reverse chronological order:
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.
“I urge the faculty and students to give utmost attention to enhance the current learning and create new knowledge through research, which is the most important factor for improving the quality of life of those who live in these mountain ranges” — Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, June 19, 2021….. For more, please click Barakah or on photo below.
A note to all our readers around the world: Simerg’s sister website Barakah is dedicated to Mawlana Hazar Imam, members of his family and the Ismaili Imamat. Please visit this wonderful textual and visual initiative, which is informative, engaging and appealing.
Please click on photo for thematic excerpts of virtual speech delivered by Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, on June 19, 2021
Simerg - Insights from Around the World 