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
A few days ago, I found myself deeply immersed in the solemnity of the funeral ceremony of the 49th Ismaili Imam, His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan, at the Ismaili Centre in Lisbon, Portugal, on February 8, 2025. The ceremony, a profound and significant event in the Ismaili Jamat (community), was relayed live worldwide through Ismaili.TV and was simultaneously shown to Ismailis around the world in their respective Jamatkhanas. I watched it in Calgary as a live event on Ismaili.TV and then joined other community members in a nearby Jamatkhana to watch it again, each moment filled with reverence, respect, and intense emotions.
We were informed that after the burial in Aswan, Egypt, on the following day, February 9, a special Homage Ceremony was scheduled at the Diwan of the Ismaili Imamat in Lisbon on February 11. This event was about introducing the 50th Imam, Mawlana Shah Rahim, to the Ismaili world and receiving his message (Farman).
However, the Ismaili leadership requested that Mawlana Shah Rahim stage the Homage Ceremony as a Takht-nishini ceremony, similar to his father’s formal installation in East African and South Asian countries in 1957-58. The new Imam graciously agreed, and what a beautiful and memorable day February 11, 2025, turned out to be — a day that will be etched in our memories forever, with its awe-inspiring grandeur and profound religious significance. A day earlier, Prince Rahim was conferred the title of His Highness by His Majesty King Charles III.
Once again, like on the funeral day, Ismailis gathered in Jamatkhanas to watch the private Takht-nishini ceremony, relayed live from Lisbon at 11:00 AM GMT. Some parts of Canada had a delayed viewing time because the live transmission conflicted with the early morning meditational prayers.
The Diwan of the Ismaili Imamat in Lisbon was the setting for a crucial and historic day for the Ismaili Muslims.
The pre-ceremony video presentation was outstanding and educational. There was rapt attention from everyone in the Jamatkhana. It’s worth noting that even children as young as 8 years old were able to follow and learn immensely about the significance of Takht-nishini, the historical and spiritual concept of Imamat, and the description of a beautiful manuscript of prayers by Hazrat Ali, which was going to be presented to Mawlana Shah Rahim.
From a symbolic standpoint, there were similarities between the 1957 and February 11, 2025 ceremonies. After Mawlana Shah Rahim had taken his seat, the leaders of the Jamat presented to Hazar Imam the khilat (robe) of the preceding 49th Imam, which had been introduced during his Golden Jubilee on July 11, 2007 — a historic event that was transmitted live from Aiglemont, France.
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The khilat (robe) worn by the three Imams in recent Ismaili history. L to R: Red robe worn by the 48th Imam, Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan III; the khilat then passed to his successor 49th Imam Mawlana Shah Karim Aga Khan IV, who wore it for 50 years before his Golden Jubilee in 2007 when it was replaced with a white robe with golden embroidery; the 50th Imam, Mawlana Shah Rahim, wore his late father’s Khilat for the first time on his Takht-nishini on February 11, 2025. Photo collage: Malik Merchant / Barakah.
For 50 years until the Golden Jubilee, the 49th Imam wore a red-grey robe of his grandfather during Darbars and other prominent community mulaqats. The robe had been presented to him during his Takht-nishini in 1957 in East Africa. Two other items from the 1957 Takht-nishini were a chain bearing the names of 50 Imams instead of 49 Imams and a signet ring symbolizing the transfer of the office of Imamat. Mawlana Shah Rahim took the ring from the tray and placed it on his finger.
A rendition of the Nashid al-Imamah (the Ismaili anthem) was played, and the ceremonial symbols of authority — the Holy Qur’an, the Ismaili Constitution, a ceremonial sword, an intricate parasol, and an inkwell — were presented to Mawlana Shah Rahim.
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Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan, signs the Ismaili Constitution in his name at the Diwan of the Ismaili Imamat, the Headquarters of the Imamat in Lisbon on the historic occasion of his Takht-nishini (ceremonial installation), February 11, 2025. Photograph: Akbar Hakim / The Ismaili.
The items signify the inheritance of authority and Nur (light), which, unbroken for more than 1400 years, will continue to illuminate the Ismailis’ path in the decades to come. Selected verses of the Holy Qur’an were recited, including ayat al-Nur (24:35), which, translated, says:
God is the light of the heavens and the earth. His light is like a niche in which is a lantern, The lantern in a glass, The glass like a shimmering star, Kindled from a blessed tree, An olive, neither of the East nor of the West, Its oil almost aglow, though untouched by fire. Light upon light! God guides to His light whomever He wills, And strikes parables for mankind. God has knowledge of all things.
The recitation was followed by renditions of qasidas in Arabic, Persian, Dari, and a South Asian munajat, reflecting the community’s diverse cultural and religious traditions. The munajat was first composed in 1885 on the occasion of Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah His Highness the Aga Khan III’s enthronement ceremony in Mumbai. With its profound historical significance, the verses recited reflected the Imamat’s transition from Mawlana Shah Karim to Mawlana Shah Rahim.
All in attendance then rose, and upon the Imam’s permission, Malik Talib, the Chairman of the Ismaili Leaders International Forum (LIF), offered an insightful loyalty address on behalf of the global Jamat. His address was not just outstanding but also a significant moment and a historical milestone, as he captured the essence of Ismaili history and mentioned the key theological doctrine of the concept of Imamat. He made pledges in which he submitted the Jamat’s love, devotion, and dedication to the Imam-of-the-Time and pledged the Jamat’s commitment to and support for all the Imam’s endeavours.
Each Ismaili Council President, 22 in all, representing their countries in turn submitted bayʿa (oath of allegiance) to Mawlana Hazar Imam on behalf of their jurisdiction Jamats.
Hazar Imam then signed a constitutional instrument ordained on December 13, 1986, on Mawlana Shah Karim’s 50th birthday.
A hush fell upon the room as the Imam stepped forward to address his Jamat for the first time. Mawlana Hazar Imam graciously delivered a Farman Mubarak (edict or guidance) to assembled leaders and the Jamat worldwide. In this significant address, he accepted the Jamat’s pledges, paid tribute to his late father, thanked his family for their presence and support, and spoke of his priorities for the Jamat. He earnestly offered prayers for mushkil-asan (protection from difficulties), a comforting reminder of his unwavering care, and reassured his spiritual children that they were always with him.
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Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan, addresses his worldwide followers in a live address on the momentous occasion of his Takht-nishini or ceremonial installation at the Diwan of the Ismaili Imamat. Ismailis gathered in their respective Jamatkhanas and watched the ceremony as their National Council leaders represented them in the presence of the Imam to give their Imam the oath of allegiance; February 11, 2025. Photograph: Akbar Hakim / The Ismaili.
He pledged to dedicate his life to caring for the Ismaili Jamat’s spiritual and material well-being. He spoke of the principles of the Ismaili Muslim faith, the importance of balancing worldly and spiritual matters, and the regular practice of the faith. His Farman focused on universal concepts of peace, tolerance, inclusion and support for those in need. He said he wants his Jamat to be loyal and active citizens of the countries in which they live and urged us to lead by example in matters related to climate change, reminding us of the global impact of our actions. Leaders of the Jamat then humbly submitted a gift on behalf of the global Jamat to commemorate the historic moment of Mawlana Shah Rahim al-Hussaini Hazar Imam’s Takht-nishini.
The gift is a manuscript titled Munajat Hazrat Ali Amir al-Mu’minin, comprising a selection of silent or whispered prayers of our first Imam, Hazrat Ali (peace be upon him). The text is in Arabic, accompanied by the Persian translation, and the six folios of the manuscript are exquisitely adorned in gold with intricate plant and animal motifs, a testament to the artistic prowess of the time. It is dated to 1558-59 CE.
The manuscript reflects the profound significance of prayer and supplication at the heart of the Alid tradition. Its floral and animal motifs also suggest the importance of stewardship of our earthly environment and living in harmony with the natural world. It also highlights the connection between Mawlana Hazar Imam and his ancestor, Hazrat Ali, from whom he inherited the Nur (Light) of Imamat.
As the ceremony came to a close, each Ismaili Muslim watching felt a sense of connection. They knew that their new Imam, like his father, would guide them with grace, wisdom, and a resolute dedication to the spiritual and material progress of the worldwide Jamat. They felt reassured that their Imam was always with his spiritual children.
My Jamatkhana in Calgary watched the entire ceremony with respect and rapt attention. Children as young as 8-9 were captivated by it, appreciating the excellent educational information provided before the ceremony began. The youth, too, were impressed with the ceremony, discussing many aspects among themselves after the ceremony and later in the evening after the Jamatkhana. The evening was further celebrated as an Imamat Day Majlis, filling the air with a sense of festivity and joy.
Sad as it was a few days earlier when the Ismaili world learned about the death of their beloved 49th Imam, Mawlana Shah Karim Al-Hussaini, the Takht-nishini of his successor, Mawlana Shah Rahim, was one of the most inspirational and significant days in the life of the Ismaili community in 67 years, the length of the Imamat of Mawlana Shah Karim.
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External links: Please click on the following link(s) for more coverage of the enthronement ceremony of His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan:
Date posted: February 12, 2025. Last updated: February 13, 2025 (typos; the wrong year was specified as Mawlana Shah Karim’s Golden Jubilee. It is 2007, not 2017.)
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Simerg welcomes your messages of congratulations to His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan. Please click Leave a comment. If you encounter problems submitting your message, please email the comments to mmerchant@simerg.com. Kindly note that we never publish your email address.
Our sister website, Barakah.com, established independently in 2017, is a treasure trove of information dedicated to Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, the 49th Hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims and direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family).
Barakah logo
The word Barakah is inspired by the Arabic root b-r-k; its most fundamental meaning is ‘Blessing’, conferred by the Divine upon humankind.
You’ll find informative articles there, including the latest pieces on the Aga Khan’s sister, Princess Yasmin, and her incredible commitment over the past 40 years to eradicating Alzheimer’s, and a tribute to the late Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who received the Aga Khan on numerous occasions during his visits to India. We assure you that visiting Barakah will be not only informative but also enjoyable, strengthening your connection to the work of the Ismaili Imam through the Aga Khan Development Network, which is dedicated to improving the quality of life of those in need, mainly in Africa and Asia, irrespective of their origin, faith, or gender.
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Princess Yasmin Aga Khan addresses a Gala event to raise funds for Alzheimer’s Association and Late Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (d. December 27, 2024) receives His Highness the Aga Khan in 2013. Please click on image for link to these and other stories on Barakah.com
It will be of particular interest for Canadians to note that aside from the beautiful Ismaili Centres in Toronto and Vancouver, the Aga Khan has created a lovely museum in Toronto, the Aga Khan Museum, the first such museum in North America dedicated to Islamic Art and Culture, and the Aga Khan Garden, which is a gift to the University of Alberta and is part of the University’s magnificent Botanic Gardens in Parkland County near Edmonton. American readers might note that Houston, Texas, will house a superb purpose-built Ismaili Center. There are more than 200,000 Ismailis in North America.
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Aga Khan Garden, University of Alberta Botanic Garden, Parkland County, Alberta. Photograph: Nurin Merchant/Simerg. For stories and photographs about the Garden and other travel narratives, please visit Simergphotos.
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The Ismaili Center Houston is under construction and is scheduled to be completed in late 2025. Image: Imara Houston Inc. /IPL via The Ismaili (the official website of the worldwide Ismaili community
Featured image at the top of post: Cover page of “Where Hope Takes Root” featuring selected speeches of His Highness the Aga Khan (see book review HERE), the logo of Barakah, and the Aga Khan addressing his subjects in the Pamir mountains of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province, Tajikistan, in 1995.
We invite our readers to click HERE for a brief background information and the history of Ismaili Constitutions over the past 120 years.
This post presents the Preamble of the Ismaili Constitution, a significant document ordained in 1986 by His Highness the Aga Khan. This introductory succinct statement delves into the principle of Imamat succession, a vital and essential aspect of Ismaili history, culture, and tradition over the past 1400 years since the designation of Hazrat Ali as the successor of Prophet Muhammad (May peace be upon him and his family). It also discusses the permanency of the spiritual bond between the Imam-of-the-Time and his followers, who now live in more than 35 countries, forming a global community of Ismaili Muslims. This community is diverse, with members from different cultural, linguistic, and ethnic backgrounds, yet united in their faith and allegiance to the Imam. There are approximately 200,000 Ismaili Muslims in North America, contributing to this global presence of 12 million Ismailis.
The present 49th Imam of the Ismaili Muslims, His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan, like all his predecessors, is a figure of deep respect and affection for his followers. They address him as Mawlana Hazar Imam (Our Lord, the present living Imam) with a sense of reverence. He succeeded to the throne of Imamat at the remarkable age of twenty, when he was still a student at Harvard University, by the will of his grandfather, Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah, His Highness the Aga Khan III. His grandfather reigned the Ismaili community (Jamat) as their 48th Imam for an impressive 72 years, from August 17, 1885, to July 11, 1957, leaving behind a weighty legacy. The will made the succession clear. It stated:
“Ever since the time of my first ancestor Ali, the first Imam, that is to say over a period of thirteen hundred years it has always been the tradition of our family that each Imam chooses his successor at his absolute and unfettered discretion from amongst any of his descendants whether they be sons or remoter male issue. In view of the fundamentally altered conditions in the world in very recent years due to the great changes which have taken place including the discoveries of atomic science I am convinced that it is in the best interests of the Shia Moslem Ismailian Community that I should be succeeded by a young man who has been brought up and developed during recent years and in the midst of the new age and who brings a new outlook on life to his office as Imam. I appoint my grandson Karim, the son of my son Aly Salomone Khan to succeed to the title of Aga Khan and to be the Imam and Pir of all my Shia Ismailian followers.”
Although the will was read on July 12, 1957, the new Imam instantly became the Imam. In a TV interview with an American reporter during his installment ceremonies in East Africa, Prince Karim stated:
“The [installation] ceremony is a public installation of the Imam. The Ismailis pay homage to the Imam and that is when you are recognised by the world at large as the Imam. Officially, as soon as one Imam passes away, his successor takes on from the very minute the Imam has passed away.” [A clip of the interview was available on Nanowisdoms, but the resourceful website containing the Aga Khan’s speeches and interviews is currently inactive and unavailable.]
This instantaneous succession underlines the principle of the Unity of Imamat, that is, the Ismaili belief and understanding that each Imam is the same Bearer of the Nur (Light) of Imamat, irrespective of his own age or the time he lives in. Ismaili Imams, missionaries, poets and scholars have articulated this belief throughout Ismaili history. The 33rd Imam, Abd al-Salam, who lived in the 15th century, said:
“The Imam’s true face is to be perceived with the eyes of the heart. He has thousands of physical habitations, but his true home is traceless; He has had a thousand names, but all of them refer to one reality.”
The present Imam, in his address to his community in Karachi on the occasion of his 28th birthday in December 1964, said:
“For hundreds of years, my spiritual children have been guided by the Rope of Imamat; you have looked to the Imam of the Age for advice and help in all matters and through your Imam’s immense love and affection for his spiritual children, his Noor has indicated to you where and in which direction you must turn to obtain spiritual and worldly satisfaction.”
With these preliminary thoughts, we now provide the text of the Preamble from the Ismaili Constitution.
The Preamble of the Ismaili Constitution
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. Beside him is the flag of the Ismaili Imamat, bearing his crest in the centre.
A) The Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims affirm the shahādah lā ilāha illa-llāh, Muhammadur rasulu-llāh, the Tawhid therein and that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s.) is the last and final Prophet of Allah. Islam, as revealed in the Holy Quran, is the final message of Allah to mankind, and is universal and eternal. The Holy Prophet (s.a.s.) through the divine revelation from Allah prescribed rules governing spiritual and temporal matters.
(B) 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, and proclaimed that the Imamat should continue by heredity through Hazrat Mawlana Ali (a.s) and his daughter Hazrat Bibi Fatimat-az-Zahra, Khātun-i-Jannat (a.s).
(C) Succession of Imamat is by way of Nass, it being the absolute prerogative of the Imam of the time to appoint his successor from amongst any of his male descendents whether they be sons or remoter issue.
(D) The authority of the Imam in the Ismaili Tariqah is testified by Bay‘ah by the murid to the Imam which is the act of acceptance by the murid of the permanent spiritual bond between the Imam and the murid. This allegiance unites all Ismaili Muslims worldwide in their loyalty, devotion and obedience to the Imam within the Islamic concept of universal brotherhood. It is distinct from the allegiance of the individual murid to his land of abode.
(E) From the time of the Imamat of Hazrat Mawlana Ali (a.s), the Imams of the Ismaili Muslims have ruled over territories and peoples in various areas of the world at different periods of history and, in accordance with the needs of the time, have given rules of conduct and constitution in conformity with the Islamic concepts of unity, brotherhood, justice, tolerance and goodwill.
(F) 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.
(G) 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.
(H) By virtue of his office and in accordance with the faith and belief of the Ismaili Muslims, the Imam enjoys full authority of governance over and in respect of all religious and Jamati matters of the Ismaili Muslims.
(I) It is the desire and Hidāyat of Mawlana Hazar Imam that the constitutions presently applicable to the Ismaili Muslims in different countries be superseded and that the Ismaili Muslims worldwide be given this constitution in order better to secure their peace and unity, religious and social welfare, to foster fruitful collaboration between different peoples, to optimise the use of resources, and to enable the Ismaili Muslims to make a valid and meaningful contribution to the improvement of the quality of life of the Ummah and the societies in which they live.
“All men, rich and poor, must aid one another materially and personally. This fraternity is absolute, and it comprises men of all colours and all races: black, white, yellow, tawny; all are the sons of Adam in the flesh and all carry in them spark of the Divine Light. Everyone should strive to see that this spark be not extinguished but rather developed to that full Companionship-on-High.” — Aga Khan III in a message to commemorate his Platinum Jubilee
Born on November 2, 1877, Aga Khan III became the 48th Hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims at seven! He led his worldwide community for an astonishing 72 years until his death on July 11, 1957, when he designated his grandson, Prince Karim Aga Khan, the 49th Imam.
Prince Karim said of his grandfather: “On 2nd November 1877, my beloved grandfather was born here in Karachi. Through 72 years of Imamat, he guided his spiritual children to happiness and prosperity….Many, many memories come to our minds as we think of him. He achieved in his life, for our community, that which could only have been accomplished normally in a period of many generations. The tributes that the world has paid him bear honest testimony to his great life and work.”
Cover page of Simerg’s publication The Imam of the Socio-Economic Revolution. Please click on the image to download the PDF file.
Simerg presents a 191-page booklet providing highlights and glimpses of his life. Please click HERE or on the cover page image posted on this page.
“The doors of goodness are many: enjoining good, forbidding evil, removing harm from the road, listening to the deaf, leading the blind, guiding one to the object of his need, hurrying with the strength of one’s legs to one in sorrow who is asking for help, and supporting the feeble with the strength of one’s arms.” And the Aga Khan has accepted this tradition of the Prophet Muhammad as a personal job description…Many prophets of the Bible recorded their prophetic lineage, just as Matthew and Luke in the New Testament stressed Jesus’s ancestry. In similar vein, His Highness the Aga Khan, is the 49th Imam directly descended from the Prophet Muhammad — Please click NOT ALL HEROES WEAR CAPES BY ANDREW KOSOROK.
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“We are receiving you here officially and not just as a friend because you are an important leader of the Muslim religion…What we admire in you is that you have been able to integrate a modern outlook with religion so that religion has been allowed its true role which is not merely to provide an all-embracing explanation of the universe but also to furnish the fundamental solutions of the problems which life poses us.” —Please click LEOPOLD SENGHOR’S TRIBUTE TO THE AGA KHAN.
“The love of the Imam knows no physical boundaries. No mountain, no river, no desert, can stop the love of the Imam for his Jamat [community] worldwide” — Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, 49th Hereditary Imam of Ismaili Muslims (please watch video, below)
From Prophet Muhammad’s declaration at Ghadir-e-Khumm, after his farewell pilgrimage to Mecca, appointing his son-in-law Ali as his successor to the present 49th Hereditary Imam of the Ismailis, we invite our readers to watch the following video to learn about the Ismaili Imamat. Each Imam, from the past to the present, has been a Guiding Light to his followers, a source of inspiration and guidance through their changing times and circumstances. We present this video as two Aga Khan projects in Canada, the Aga Khan Museum and the Ismaili Centre in Toronto, are about to celebrate their tenth anniversary in mid-September. The most recent project, the beautiful Aga Khan Garden near Edmonton, is part of the University of Alberta Botanic Garden and will soon mark its 6th anniversary in mid-October.
[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.
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.