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
Ismailis worldwide are joyfully celebrating the 55th birthday of their beloved 50th Imam, Mawlana Hazar Imam Shah Rahim al Hussaini Aga Khan.
Barakah, dedicated to the Imam-of-the-Time, has a post spanning two periods of his life, from his birth on October 12, 1971, to February 4, 2025, and twenty months encompassing his Imamat. Please click the links or images below to explore what may be his most complete and comprehensive pictorial story.
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 Quran for multiple translations.
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 — His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, Parliament of Canada, Ottawa, February 27, 2014.
On Wednesday May 27, 2026, corresponding to the 10th day of the Islamic month of ‘DhuI-Hijjah, Muslims in Canada and around the world celebrated the Festival of Sacrifice or Eid al-Adha at the completion of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.
Little is it known in the broader context and understanding of Islamic history, that on the 18th day of ‘DhuI-Hijjah, a week following his final pilgrimage, the Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him and his progeny) — based on a divine command from Allah — designated Hazrat Ali as his successor and the first in the continuing line of Hereditary Imams. This event took place in 632 CE and is observed by all Shia Muslims, including the Ismailis, as Eid-e Ghadir because it occurred at Ghadir Khumm, a valley between Mecca and Medina.
The majority of the Muslims, the Sunnis, do not accept the Shia version of this historic event and do not associate it with Ali’s succession to Muhammad. Thus, the world’s lack of knowledge about a pivotal historic moment in Islam.
For the Shia Ismaili Muslims, who will be commemorating this historic day on or around June 3, 2026, this event is of added significance as they are led by a living Hereditary Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, whom they lovingly and respectfully address as Mawlana Hazar Imam (Our Lord the Present/Living Imam).
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan, the 50th Hereditary Imam, who succeeded to the Throne of Imamat on February 4, 2025.
The late Aga Khan in a rare interview with France’s journal, Politique International, has comprehensively described the general Shia understanding of Imamat, the Sunni belief as well as his own status as follows:
“The religious leadership of the Ismaili Imam goes back to the origins of Shia Islam when the Prophet Muhammad appointed his son-in-law, Ali, to continue his teachings within the Muslim community. The leadership is hereditary, handed down by Ali’s descendants, and the Ismailis are the only Shia Muslims to have a living Imam, namely myself. The other Shia — the Twelvers — revere a “hidden” Imam who will return on the Day of Judgment to take part in the final judgment.
“It is the presence of the living Imam that makes our Imamat unique.
“The Sunni are completely different in that they do not accept the idea of continuity of religious leadership by members of the Prophet’s family.”
“The Ismaili Imamat is a supra-national entity, representing the succession of Imams since the time of the Prophet. But let me clarify something more about the history of that role, in both the Sunni and Shia interpretations of the Muslim faith. The Sunni position is that the Prophet nominated no successor, and that spiritual-moral authority belongs to those who are learned in matters of religious law. As a result, there are many Sunni imams in a given time and place. But others believed that the Prophet had designated his cousin and son-in-law, Ali, as his successor. From that early division, a host of further distinctions grew up — but the question of rightful leadership remains central. In time, the Shia were also sub-divided over this question, so that 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.”
In historical sources, it is recorded that on the way back to Medina after performing a pilgrimage to Mecca, the Prophet received a revelation that Ismaili Muslims recite in their daily prayers:
“O Messenger, deliver that which has been sent down to thee from thy Lord; for if thou dost not, thou wilt not have delivered His Message. God will protect thee from men. God guides not the people of the unbelievers” — Qur’an, 5:67, translation by A.J. Arberry, see Corpus Quran.
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“We search for a union with the family of the Chosen (Prophet Muhammad). We search for the truth of son after son. We are totally obedient to his offspring, one of the other. There is no other thing we can add to this but itself. We endeavour in our faith so that we do not turn out to be faithless.” — Ismaili poet Nizar Quhistani in reference to the Qura’nic verses mentioned at top of post
Upon receiving this revelation, the Holy Prophet stopped at an oasis known as Ghadir Khumm, and addressed a large gathering of Muslims who had accompanied him.
In History in Quotations M. J. Cohen and John Major write:
“Muhammad said: ‘He of whom I am the Mawla, Ali is his Mawla. O God, be the friend of him who is his friend and be the enemy of his enemy.’
“This became the proof text for the Shia claim that Ali, the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law, was the Prophet’s rightful successor after the Prophet’s death in 632. The meaning of Mawla here probably implies the role of patron, lord or protector.”
In an entry for the Encyclopaedia of Islam, 2nd edition, (EI2), under the title Ghadir Khumm, L. Veccia Vaglieri writes:
“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)
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Images of some stamps and coins issued by the Islamic Republic of Iran between 1990 and 2010 commemorating the Idd-e-Ghadir. The inscriptions inlude the Shahada, Qur’anic ayats and the declaration made by Prophet Muhammad at Ghadir Khumm, “Mun Koontu Mawla, Fa Hada, Aliyun Mawla” meaning “He of whom I am the Mawla Ali is also the Mawla.”
“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.” (Note: special access is required to read articles in 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.)
The Prophet, about 90 days before his death, was transferring his own 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.
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, as stated in Vaglieri’s piece in EI2.
According to Shia traditions and sources, following the proclamation, the final verse of the Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet:
“Today I have perfected your religion for you, and I have completed My blessing upon you, and I have approved Islam for your religion” — Qur’an 5:5/3, translation by A. J. Arberry, see Corpus Qur’an.
This marked the end of the period of Nabuwwa, or Prophethood, and the historical beginning of the Institution of Imamat.
Eid-e Ghadir is an anniversary of special significance to all Shia Muslims, as it is also associated with the well-attested tradition in which 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 Shia Ismaili tradition bears witness to the continuity of the authority vested at Ghadir Khumm. Today, this leadership and authority is vested in Mawlana Hazar Imam Shah Rahim al Hussaini, His Highness the Aga Khan V.
The Rope of Imamat has continued over 1,400 years, from Hazrat Ali, to the present 50th hereditary Imam and direct descendant of Prophet Muhammad through Hazrat Ali and Hazrat Bibi Fatima al-Zahra, Khatun-i Jannat.
In commemorating Eid-e Ghadir, the Ismaili Muslims celebrates the seminal event of Ghadir Khumm, reaffirming their allegiance to the Imam-of-the-Time as the direct lineal successor and inheritor of the authority of Hazrat Ali.
Date posted: June 2, 2026.
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Featured image at top of post: An Arabic-script ambigram, where ‘Muhammad’ upside down is read as ‘Ali’ and vice versa.
A special note about the Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition (EI2): Finished in 2005, the EI2 is a massive resource spanning five decades of scholarship. It sets out the present state of our knowledge of the Islamic World. It is a unique and invaluable reference tool, an essential key to understanding the world of Islam, and the authoritative source not only for the religion, but also for the believers and the countries in which they live.
The motif representing Nur, or Light, has been utilized during the inaugural visits of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, to Ismaili Muslims globally since he became the 50th Hereditary Ismaili Imam on February 4, 2025, succeeding his father, Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV. His seventh visit to his followers will be to Canada from March 25-31, 2026. Photograph: The Ismaili.
Our tradition begins its teachings not with rules, but with reminders of presence. Pir Ṣadardin, in his timeless wisdom, offers us a spiritual imagination that prepares the heart before it prepares the body.
In the Ginan Satgur Sathe Gothadi Kije[1], he evokes a powerful image:
Jyote jagadine jumloji betha…
Translation
The Lord sits with His Light in full blaze.
This is not poetry for the mind alone. It is a vision for the murid. It invites us to imagine the Jamatkhana not as a hall of bricks and lamps, but as a sanctified space where the Divine Light is already present, already radiant. When a murid enters with this awareness, the heart softens, the senses awaken, and the soul becomes receptive.
Another Ginan by Pir Ṣadardin [2] deepens this inner posture:
When you enter the Jamatkhana, O chivalrous brother, remain in the presence of the Light; avoid slander and idle talk.
Here the Pir gently redirects us: the Jamatkhana is not a place for distraction, gossip, or worldly chatter. It is a sanctuary of presence. The murid is encouraged to feel, not merely know, that he or she stands before the Light of the Imam.
These verses form the spiritual foundation of our discussion. They remind us that conduct is not merely behaviour; it is an inner state that expresses itself outwardly.
When the Imam Physically Graces the Jamat with Didar
There are moments in the life of a murid that are unlike any other. When the Imam of the time physically graces the Jamat with Didar, the familiar space transforms. What was a sanctuary, becomes a royal court, a sacred, luminous, resplendent space filled with joy, anticipation, and profound gratitude.
For many murids, this moment is the fulfilment of a lifelong yearning: to see the Murshid, to be seen by the Murshid, to feel the warmth of his presence.
But this raises an essential question:
What should be the state, inner and outer, of the murid in the presence of the Imam? This is not a new question. Our tradition has contemplated it for centuries.
Guidance from Qadi Nu‘man: The Adab of the Murid
In the 10th century, Qadi Nu‘man [3], one of the great jurists of the Fatimid tradition, wrote extensively on adab, the etiquette and conduct of the followers of the Imam. His guidance remains deeply relevant.
He reminds us that the physical presence and the Didar of the Imam is not a public spectacle; it is an intense, personal, one-on-one encounter between the murid and the Murshid. Even in a gathering of thousands, the murid stands as though alone before the Imam.
From this understanding flow the essential qualities of conduct:
HUMILITY: A heart emptied of pride, ego, and self-importance.
RESPECT AND REVERENCE: Speech, movement, and gaze shaped by awareness of sanctity. No rushing to greet the Imam, no physical contact with the Imam, no standing to draw attention to oneself.
STILLNESS AND PRESENCE: No distraction. No idle talk. No wandering thoughts.
AWARENESS OF LIGHT: Every gesture shaped by the recognition that the Imam bears Divine Light.
At this point, the teaching of Pir Shams in Saloko Moto [4] becomes especially meaningful:
Satgur says…Offer your true tithe, and bow at the feet of the Imam from a respectful distance.”
This verse captures the essence of reverence: devotion expressed with humility, sincerity, and dignified distance.
The Conduct of the Murid and the Awe of the Imam
The conduct of the murid must reflect the essence of the Imam. As the master of ta’wil, the one who unveils the inner reality (batin) of the physical (zahir) universe, the Imam stands at the apex of spiritual authority [5]. In the Ginans, he is described as the sovereign of the fourteen spiritual realms, the one through whom the cosmos is interpreted and harmonized.
Such a station naturally calls the murid into a posture of awe, humility, and respectful distance. This is not distance of heart, but a way of carrying oneself that acknowledges the Imam’s spiritual stature.
In a congregation of thousands, each murid arrives for the Didar with his or her own hopes, burdens, and expectations of grace. It becomes a shared ethical responsibility to preserve the sanctity of the collective space. Any action that draws attention to oneself, disrupts the serenity of others, or creates disturbance, even unintentionally, risks overshadowing the quiet interior work that each soul is undertaking.
Mindfulness, therefore, is not only a personal virtue but a communal obligation. It ensures that the congregation remains a vessel of harmony, not distraction; a place where the murid’s inner orientation toward the Imam can unfold without interruption.
Nasir Khusraw’s Eyewitness Account
The 11th-century Ismaili da’i, traveller and poet-philosopher Nasir Khusraw offers a vivid glimpse of this reverence. In his eye-witness description of the procession of the Festival of the Canal (Fath al-khalij) during the time of Imam al-Mustansir bi’llah in AH 438-39/1047 CE, Nasir Khusraw informs us that when the Imam, wearing a white robe, passed by on a horse, the murids and citizens alike, bowed in devotion and awe, lowering their heads in deep respect, reciting prayers and benedictions [6].
This simple gesture reveals a profound truth: the presence of the Imam evokes spontaneous reverence in the hearts of believers.
A Fatimid Example of Reverent Conduct
Al-Maqrizi’s [7] historical accounts of the Fatimid court illuminate this principle with striking clarity. Audiences with the Imam–Caliph were carefully structured to preserve the dignity and contemplative gravity of the encounter. Visitors approached with measured steps, maintained silence, and observed spatial boundaries that signalled respect for the Imam’s spiritual and temporal authority.
This Fatimid ethos mirrors the ethical expectation placed upon murids today: to uphold the serenity of the communal space, to avoid actions that draw attention to oneself, and to recognize that the Imam’s presence, whether physical or symbolic, requires behaviour aligned with reverence.
The Meaning of Adab (Sabyata, Maryada)
The classical Arabic/Persian term adab, is expressed in Gujarati/Hindi as sabyata (refined behaviour) and maryada (dignified respect). They refer to the graceful, respectful way a murid carries themselves in sacred spaces in the presence of the Imam. In our tradition, adab toward the Imam is not merely social etiquette; it is a spiritual discipline. It reflects an inner recognition of the Imam’s role as the bearer of divine guidance. To act with adab is to let one’s outward behaviour mirror one’s inward understanding.
Concluding Reflection
To stand before the Imam, physically or spiritually, is to stand in the presence of Light. The murid’s conduct, shaped by humility, reverence, and awareness, becomes an offering in itself. When each murid upholds serenity and dignity, the entire Jamat becomes a vessel worthy of the moment of grace.
Date posted: March 19, 2026.
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END NOTES
Gujarati Ginans and Granths
[1] Pir Sadardin, Satgur Sathe Gothadi Kije. P. 28.
[2] Pir Sadardin, Gat Mahe Avine Sanmukh Rahiye. P.116
English
[3] Qādi Nu‘man’s teachings on adab are preserved across Fatimid jurisprudential works; see Halm, Heinz. The Fatimids and Their Traditions of Learning. London: I.B. Tauris.
[4] Pir Shams, SalokoMoto
[5] For the Imam as master of ta’wil, see Daftary, The Ismailis: Their History and Doctrines.
[6] Paula Saunders, Ritual, politics and the city in Fatimid Cairo. Pp. 103-04
[7] Al-Maqrizi, Ittiʿaz al-Ḥunafaʾ, descriptions of Fatimid court protocol.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Gujarati Ginans and Granths
Mahan Ismaili Sant Pir Sadardin Rachit Ginanono Sangrah 1. Bombay 1952
Pir Shams Rachit Saloko Moto, Ginans Series 2, Ismailia Association for Pakistan, Karachi, -3, 1967
English
Daftary, The Ismaʿilis: Their History and Doctrines.
Halm, Heinz. The Fatimids and Their Traditions of Learning, London: I.B. Tauris.
Hunsberger, Alice C, and Institute of Ismaili Studies, London, 2003. Nasir Khusraw, the Ruby of Badakhshan: A Portrait of the Persian Poet, Traveller and Philosopher.
Maqrizi, Taqi al-Din Aḥmad. Ittiʿa al-Ḥunafāʾ bi-Akhbar al-Aʾimma al-Faṭimiyyin al-Khulafaʾ. Cairo: Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs.
Saunders, Paula, Ritual, politics and the city in Fatimid Cairo, New York, 1994.
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About the author: Shiraz Pradhan is an international consulting engineer, author, and long‑time researcher of the Ginan tradition. He serves as the Chairperson of the Association for the Study of Ginans, an international organisation dedicated to preserving and advancing Ginan scholarship. Shiraz has written extensively on Nizari Ismaili Ginans and Satpanth in Ilm (Ismailia Association UK, 1987) and on Simerg. His interests span the Vedas, Judeo‑Christian history, and Sufism, reflecting his broad engagement with spiritual traditions. His forthcoming book, Amrapuri: Exploring the Evolution of Nizari Ismaili Satpanth through the Prism of Ginan Literature, brings together years of dedicated study.
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un “Surely we belong to God and to Him we return” — Holy Qur’an, 2:156
“Life is a great and noble calling, not a mean and grovelling thing to be shuffled through as best as we can but a lofty and exalted destiny.” — Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah, His Highness the Aga Khan III (1877-1957), 48th Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims.
Raisaheba Sakina Allibhoy Mahomed (1927 – 2026) pictured on January 25, 2025, on her 98th birthday. Photograph: Abdulmahomed Alibhoy Mahomed Family Collection, Madrid.
It is with deep sadness that I share the news of the passing of my beloved aunt, Raisaheba Sakina Allibhoy Mahomed (nee Ali Prados), in Madrid, Spain, on Saturday, January 10, 2026, two weeks before her 99th birthday. She is survived by her four children, AbdulSultan, Gulam, Yasmin and Shamsah; grandchildren Jan Rashid, Omar, Yasmin, Nizar, Rebeca Laila, Gabriel Aziz, David Ali and Hana; sister Gulbanu Ali Prados; and brother Khanmahomed Ali Prados. Sakina was the granddaughter of the esteemed Ismaili missionary Jamal Meghji Mukhi and the daughter of Ashad Ali Haji, both of whom reflected her notable lineage. Her funeral will take place on Friday, January 16, at the Imaili Centre in Lisbon, starting at 1:30 PM local time.
Sakina aunty died of old age, yet her ability to communicate with her family members until her last day highlights her enduring resilience, strength and courage. I personally spoke to her just a few weeks ago, when I discussed my visit to Houston for the opening of the Ismaili Center by Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, on November 6, 2025.
Regular readers of this website may have watched with great interest a YouTube video presented by the Ismaili a few years ago that familiarized our viewers with the history of the Spanish Jamat and its first settlement in Spain in 1914. This narrative is missing when discussing recent Ismaili migrations to Europe in the 20th century. Sakina Aunty, who was 93 when I first posted the film in 2020, introduced the film with great insight, wisdom, and passion, and one quickly realizes her immense faith and love for the Imam-of-the-Time, Mawlana Shah Karim, whose leadership continues to inspire us all. Of course, the news of his passing on February 4, 2025, was received by her with deep sadness, yet she found comfort in Mawlana Shah Rahim Hazar Imam’s pronouncement as the 50th Imam, which touched her deeply. Her wish to travel from Madrid to Lisbon for the recent Didar did not materialize due to mobility issues. Still, she was deeply gratified and touched that her son, Gulam, and daughter, Yasmin, were able to present themselves before Mawlana Hazar Imam on behalf of the Madrid Jamat.
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Must Watch YouTube Video on Jamat in Spain
As the YouTube story goes, Sakina Aunty, who was born in Madrid on January 25, 1927, accompanied her father, Ashad Ali Haji, to India in 1947. The trip lasted 3 months, and during this time she met my father Jehangir’s older brother, Abdulmahomed, whom she would marry 3 years later. They would spend the next 10 years in India, mainly in Kolkata (then Calcutta). The couple then lived in London, England, until the mid 1960’s before settling down with their four children — AbdulSultan, Yasmin, Gulammahomed and Shamsah — in Madrid.
While in London, my uncle Abdulmahomed served as Kamadiasaheb and Mukhisaheb of the Jamat at 5 Palace Gate. He and my father, Jehangir, both passed away six months apart, about 8 years ago. Apparently, because they used different surnames, many Jamati members do not know the family link — my uncle used the surname Allibhoy Mahomed, and my father used Merchant. Their father, Allibhoy Mohamed, manufactured leather goods and traded as a leather merchant, and I suspect that’s how I have Merchant as my surname.
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Photo taken in Madrid at the wedding of Gulammahomed (missing in photo). From left to right: Maria Jose, AbdulSultan, Yasmin, Jehangir Alibhai Merchant, Shamsah, Abdulmahomed Allibhoy Mahomed, Sakina Allibhoy Mahomed, Gulbanu and Felipe. Photo: Jehangir Merchant Family Collection.
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A Diamond Jubilee moment: Sakina Allibhoy Mahomed and Mrs. Merchant with Shamsah, Alnoor, Shellina and Shams (standing at left) at the Diamond Jubilee food court, Lisbon, July 2018. Photograph: Submitted by Feriyal Merchant.
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Sakina and her lifelong husband Abdulmahomed watch the Spanish Jamat exhibition hosted at the Ismaili Centre in Lisbon. Photograph: Still from the Ismaili video.
Over the past 50 years, I have had the privilege of meeting Sakina Aunty and my four cousins, as well as their families, several times. My family — my mother, Mrs. Merchant, my brother Alnoor and Shellina, and I — last met Sakina in Lisbon in July 2018, during Mawlana Shah Karim’s Diamond Jubilee visit. Abdulmahomed uncle is buried in Lisbon, and we joined the family at his burial site to pay our respects and pray for his soul, which always reminds me of our enduring family bonds.
Sakina aunty had a photographic memory, enabling her to recount every vital incident from her childhood onwards with precise detail. Once she began telling stories, you would want to keep listening. She accompanied her father and siblings to mulaqats with Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah. This blessing of mulaqats continued after Mawlana Shah Karim succeeded to the throne of Imamat in 1957. Incidents from these mulaqats are deeply touching in their own right, reminding us of our shared spiritual journey and connecting listeners to the ongoing legacy of the Imamat of Hazrat Ali. Some of these incidents, as articulated to me, highlight the continuity of the Imamat and the Imams as bearers of the same Noor (Light). Her stories changed how Jamati members felt about their faith.
Her exemplary service under three Imams, Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah, Mawlana Shah Karim and Mawlana Shah Rahim Hazar Imam, together with that of her late husband, is a strong pillar and a very important legacy for coming generations. It is impressive to think that of the 111 years of history of the Jamat of Spain, she was there for almost 99 of those years.
Sakina will be remembered by the Jamat in Spain with great affection for her kindness and generosity, which inspired feelings of gratitude and admiration. Her service to the Jamat and the Imam-of-the-Time exemplified her dedication, fostering a sense of respect and appreciation among community members and visitors alike.
Sakina Aunty’s children, who spent years with their beloved mum, will particularly miss her presence, and we pray for their courage and fortitude at this difficult time. We ask our readers to join us in praying for the peace of Raisaheba Sakina’s soul. Ameen.
Date posted: January 11, 2026. Last updated: January 15, 2026 (funeral date and time added).
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We invite our readers to express condolences and tributes to Rai Saheba Sakina Alibhoy Mahomed. Please click Leave a comment.
My beloved daughter, Farah, sadly passed away on December 17, 2025, at the age of 57. As a creative writer and storyteller, she contributed several pieces to Simerg and its sister website Barakah, one of which elicited a response from Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, then Prince Rahim.
Farah’s arduous personal journey over the past 27 years was intertwined in 2025 with the profound events of the Ismaili Imamat — the passing of Mawlana Shah Karim and the succession of Mawlana Shah Rahim Hazar Imam — both of which are central to the community’s modern history.
Rashida Tejani with her daughter, Farah, who passed away in Vancouver on December 17, 2025, aged 57. Photograph: Rashia Tejani Collection.
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Farah Tejani (d. December 17, 2025) with her younger brother Faizal, 50. Photograph: Rashida Tejani Collection.
For Farah, the most significant shock in her life was the loss of our beloved 49th Imam, Mawlana Shah Karim, on February 4, 2025. I vividly recall breaking the news of his passing over the phone. It tore her heart, and I can’t express the shock she felt or the depth of her grief until the announcement the following day that Prince Rahim was the new Mawlana Hazar Imam of the Ismailis. As the new Imam took over the reins and marked his Takht-nishini a week later, her emotions began to settle, and she penned a tribute to Mawlana Shah Karim while reflecting on the eternal rope of Imamat, whose new holder was Mawlana Hazar Imam.
Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV (d. February 4, 2025, aged 88) and his successor Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan.
This tribute — the piece below — was Farah’s last story, shaped by the tragic event of the 49th Imam’s passing and the succession of the 50th Imam. With the piece, she scanned several photos of Mawlana Shah Karim from Gary Otte’s pictorial biography, “Depth of Field: The Aga Khan Beyond the Lens,” and, in two images, she wrote her own touching reflections on the late Imam. I am gratified that the editor of Barakah is publishing this piece by her before 2025 ends. It is a fitting conclusion to her series of articles published on this inspiring platform.
For me, as for any other parent, the death of my beloved daughter has been the most hurtful episode in my life. I ask you to join me in praying for the eternal peace of my daughter, and for my courage and fortitude to bear her loss. I also invite you to read Simerg’s tribute to Farah published on December 19.
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Reflections on Mawlana Shah Karim and Mawlana Hazar Imam
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, the 50th Hereditary Imam of the Ismaili Muslims, addressing Ismailis worldwide on his Takht-nishini (ceremonial installation) held at the Diwan of Imamat, the Seat of the Ismaili Imamat, in Lisbon, Portugal, February 11, 2025. Photograph: AKDN.
By FARAH TEJANI
As I begin this piece, I humbly say to my 50th Imam, Mawlana Hazar Imam Shah Rahim al Hussaini: I hold fast to the Rope of Imamat and offer my devotion and allegiance to you.
The moment I learned that my Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, had passed away, my heart was pierced with profound grief and a sense of tragic loss. I remember my mom calling me on the phone and saying with a sense of urgency, “Farah, I have some very tragic news.” I immediately called out the name of one family member after another, to which she would sob and say, “No! Way Worse!”
She did not want to torture me anymore; she just wanted to somehow prepare me. But there was no way to prepare for this. “WHO?!?” I demanded. She blurted out, “Mawla Bapa!” The news struck me with awe, like a thunderclap, shattering the peace of my world. Mawlana Shah Karim’s face of Pure Nurani Light filled the inside of my eyelids. I responded “NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!”
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Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, at work in the office at his residence, Gstaad, Switzerland, 1963. Photograph: Depth of Field: The Aga Khan Beyond the Lens, ed. by Gary Otte, page 112. Farah Tejani submitted this photo for publication, sharing a personal message to encourage her readers to write, just as Mawlana Shah Karim does in this historic image.
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Mawlana Shah Karim His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, in the start area for a giant slalom ski race that prepared him for participation in the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. Photograph: Depth of Field: The Aga Khan Beyond the Lens, ed. by Gary Otte, page 81.
I saw his face again. And then I saw pictures of him from my copy of “Depth of Field: The Aga Khan Beyond the Lens”: The one of him working intently at his desk at his residence. Then, the black-and-white photo of him competing in downhill skiing in preparation for the Olympics, to represent Iran. Then, the iconic one of him greeting to his Jamat, with a big smile and waving lovingly for all His Beloved Spiritual Children to see. Then, focusing on a view from the Great Wall of China. Then giving a mulaqat to his spiritual children in Bartang, Tajikistan, amidst the Pamir mountains under blue skies. Then, standing in front of the entire House of Commons in the Canadian Parliament, humbly, after giving a powerful speech and being met with a unanimous standing ovation. These pictures and moments connect him with us, his community, and his Imamat at different times. There are countless faces of him at so many ages, and there are so many meaningful expressions of hope, discipline, determination, celebration, deep thought, peaceful divinity, and inner joy. So many expressions.
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Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, addresses his community and others present during a mulaqat in Bartang, Tajikistan, September 1998. Photograph: Depth of Field: The Aga Khan Beyond the Lens, ed. by Gary Otte, page 112. Farah Tejani submitted this photograph, expressing her grief over Mawlana Shah Karim’s passing, with a prayer and a teary eye, in her own writing.
My heart could not take it. I felt lonely in my studio apartment, and tears filled my eyes as I envisioned him, with his gentle, loving, tender hands that had touched and blessed millions of people all over the world. The world at large was grieving the loss of one of the most significant humanitarians on this globe today, who put the needs of the impoverished, economically downtrodden and educationally unfortunate at the forefront. As the Founder and Chair of the Aga Khan Development Network, the Aga Khan University, the University of Central Asia, Aga Khan Hospitals, and hundreds of Aga Khan Schools, their impact was felt across the globe.
I will never forget my travels to East African Aga Khan Schools in Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombasa and Tanzania in 1992, with 26 other Ismaili youth. We were all armed with a Bachelor’s Degree in one of the areas of service, such as English, Education, Science, Algebra, or any of the other core subjects. I distinctly remember the Aga Khan, my spiritual father, encouraging me to question, take time, offer our service in an area not as fortunate, and study the Aga Khan Schools and Institutions to see what it is all really about. His words of wisdom and encouragement continue to inspire and motivate me to this day. I even went to Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah’s burial site in Aswan, and along with 26 others, we were graciously permitted to enter the Mausoleum and see the long-stem red rose that Begum Aga Khan, Om Habiba (Mata Salamat), arranged to have placed daily on her late husband’s coffin.
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Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, focuses on a view from on top of the Great Wall of China during a tour that was part of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture International Seminar, October 1981. Photograph: * Depth of Field: The Aga Khan Beyond the Lens, ed. by Gary Otte, page 125.
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Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, acknowledging volunteers as he leaves a ceremony at Dar es Salaam’s Darkhana, Tanzania’s main Jamatkhana, July 2011. Photograph: Depth of Field: The Aga Khan Beyond the Lens, ed. by Gary Otte, page 167.
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Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, receives a standing ovation during his speech to a joint session of the Canadian House of Commons and the Senate in the Parliament Building in Ottawa, February 27, 2014. Photograph: Depth of Field: The Aga Khan Beyond the Lens, ed. by Gary Otte, pages 100-101, a two-page spread.
I was also fortunate enough to work at the Aga Khan University and the Institute for Educational Development in Karachi, Pakistan, thanks to a cousin who sent me a detailed day-to-day itinerary for the entire month of 1997. I was grateful to have received a few job offers, but my true heart’s desire was to serve in one of the Aga Khan Schools in East Africa, where I was born and had already visited in 1992. Nevertheless, I will never forget the sense of awe, absolute inspiration, and wonder I felt when I first saw the beautiful pink marble university with students going from here to there with so much pride in holding their textbooks and knapsacks. The Aga Khan University was poetically beautiful and architecturally designed, and even had courtyards that were non-discriminatory, with benches where you would see less fortunate people sleeping. With gardeners who would give their time to keep up the meticulous landscaping, I was always thinking about my Mawlana Shah Karim.
February 4th, 2025, will always be a sombre day for everyone around the world. For 67 years, Mawlana Shah Karim devoted his life to health, education, rural development, economic growth, institution-building, and enhancing the quality of life. Due to his spiritual and material guidance, Ismailis are settled in the countries in which we live. At the same time, he has shown deep concern for his Jamats, who are poverty-stricken, and has been asking his institutions, for as long as I can remember, to assist them in overcoming their plight.
The resting place for Mawlana Shah Karim was in Aswan, in the same mausoleum as his grandfather, Shah Sultan Mohammed Shah, Aga Khan III. Mourners and especially his family were grief-stricken but poised and gracious under the circumstances.
We are so blessed and fortunate to have the Rope of Imamat to hold on to for over 1,400 years of unbroken Hereditary Imamat. The auspicious occasion of the Takht-nishini (ceremonial installation) on February 11, when the Oath of Allegiance (Baya’h) was given to the 50th Imam, Mawlana Shah Rahim, took place at the Diwan of the Ismaili Imamat in Lisbon. At this moment, our community stood united, filled with joy and anticipation for our new Present Living Imam’s guidance and love despite the grief of losing our Beloved Shah Karim.
The momentous ceremony moved many to tears of joy and hope, especially the first Farman made by Mawlana Shah Rahim, when he also reflected on his father’s Imamat. The significance and meaning of his poignant, solemn, sensitive, timely, authoritative words were so powerful, endearing and comforting. The Farman was detailed and covered subjects like pluralism, diversity, world peace and order, climate control, taking care of the less fortunate, volunteerism and his solemn vow and commitment to the protection and security of his global Ismaili Jamat. Every youth in the community should seek to read the Farman, as official printed copies are now available.
Ismailis truly are very blessed. The Divine and Sublime beauty of it all is that I feel Shah Karim’s eternal ever-lasting presence in his son, Mawlana Shah Rahim. Shah Karim always promised us that he would never leave us: “Always remember…I am always with you,” he would often tell us, whether he was physically around us. Throughout the Takht-nishini ceremony, I felt his genuine promise come true. I felt this through the same Nur vested in the Rope of Imamat from the time of Hazrat Ali (A.S.) I hear his words echoing in my head. And now they are Mawlana Rahim’s words. He even went on to say, “If you have any worries and concerns, then turn to your Imam.” These are powerful soothing words full of comfort and inspiration.
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The students Mukhi and Kamadia from Belgium, and Mukhiani and Kamadiani from Switzerland — who serve as congregational leaders in periodic Jamatkhana student gatherings — welcome Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, to the youth mulaqat (meeting) in Paris, France, July 12, 2025. Photograph: IPL / Akbar Hakim.
Glory Be to Allah, and All Praise Goes to Allah, the Lord of All Worlds. Mashallah. Ya Hazar Imam, Oh Mawlana Shah Rahim, bless us with your Wisdom, your Experience, your Nurani Deedar, your Holy Blessed Guidance, Spiritually and Materially and your Divine and Physical Protection from any ill fate or disposition. Ameen.
I feel secure in the knowledge that our faith will be practiced and interpreted as it should be by the Nass that Shah Karim conferred to Him as Imam-of-the-Time, and by the Nur that he is carrying with him from the very moment of Shah Karim’s passing.
With no doubt in my mind, heart and soul, I have complete faith in Mawlana Shah Rahim, and I feel so Physically and Divinely protected by our beloved 50th Imam just as I did by his father, Mawlana Shah Karim Aga Khan IV.
Date posted: December 31, 2025.
A version of this post appears on Simerg’s sister website Barakah, which is dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan.
When I relocated to Alberta some 4 years ago, Nazarali Momin, originally of India and a pioneer of the USA Ismaili community who arrived as a student in 1969, shared photos with Barakah readers about the foundation ceremony of India’s Methan Sidhpur Jamatkhana by Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, in 1978, an event that marked a milestone in Sidhpur’s history and development, highlighting the deep roots and ongoing legacy of the Indian Ismaili community.
Nazarali Momin (right, popularly known as Nazar Indian) and Malik Merchant in Houston, Texas, November 11, 2025.
Since then, Nazarali and I have stayed in regular contact. He has been encouraging me to visit Houston, Texas, to experience the innovative spirit among Ismaili entrepreneurs that has fostered projects promoting economic prosperity and the Jamat’s social, physical, and mental well-being.
The projects have been implemented in the spirit of ‘One Jamat,’ a slogan that has resonated worldwide since the Golden Jubilee of Mawlana Shah Karim, and which he mentioned years before his Jubilee. During my conversations with Nazarali, he often highlighted Mawlana Shah Karim’s aspirations for the Jamat, especially a handwritten message from December 13, 2008, which underscores the ongoing relevance of his guiding principles and inspires us to align our efforts accordingly:
“I will be calling upon you from time to time in the future, to come to work with me, so that what we have decided to do together, from the end of the Golden Jubilee year onwards, actually and effectively, is carried forward. Because our institutions are growing very quickly, it is my hope and prayer that, 10 or 15 years from now, the Jamat’s capacity in most of the countries where it is living, will be very significant indeed, and that is what the Shia Ismaili Tariqah of Islam should achieve in the world. I am ambitious for you in the right way, just as a father and mother are ambitious for their children. Both a father and a mother want their children to work well, properly and ethically, and to carry these values throughout their lives. These are thoughts that I share with you, and although I will be leaving you physically today, I am always with you. I watch over you, I think of you, I pray for you, and I want you to know that I am always with my Jamath.” — Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV.
When I recently attended the inauguration ceremony of the Ismaili Center in Houston, I was deeply moved by the impact of the Ismaili initiatives, which are transforming lives and strengthening our community. Instead of the usual tourist attractions such as Houston’s museums and the NASA Space Center, I dedicated three days to understanding these inspiring projects and engaging with the founders and visionaries behind them. This experience, in the company of Nazarali Momin, not only equipped me with a wealth of knowledge but also inspired me to create this special series to describe the Flagship initiatives inspired by Mawlana Shah Karim’s repeated guidance to the Ismaili community worldwide. His teachings on addressing poverty within the Jamat, caring for our aging members, and the importance of the Jamat coming together to form viable partnerships in common industries and professions, first mentioned in the 1960s, have served as a guiding light for these projects.
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, and Houston Mayor John Whitmire unveil the inauguration plaque of the Ismaili Center, Houston, November 6, 2025.
It should be noted that Mawlana Shah Rahim has equally addressed these important sentiments in his Farmans since becoming the Imam. One of the most profound statements he made during his meeting with Ismaili youth in the USA was his definition of success as someone who gives and shares what they have. Success to Mawlana Hazar Imam is someone who uplifts others, emphasizing that the well-being and upliftment of the Jamat are central to our collective purpose.
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Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, addresses young members of the Central USA Jamat at Dallas Headquarters Jamatkhana, November 10, 2025. Photograph: IPL / Akbar Hakim.
Nothing to Mawlana Hazar Imam, as all the Imams before him, is as important as the well-being, stability, and upliftment of the Jamat, and I was gratified and touched by what I saw in Texas. The dedication and hard work of the Jamati individuals and entrepreneurs, leaders in their own right, who seek to meet his expectations for his beloved spiritual children around the world, are truly inspiring. When I met the leaders of these institutions, they exhibited humility and sincerity. I experienced their joy and happiness at being able to help the Ismaili Jamat and contribute to their establishment in the country.
In short, the exciting projects I will describe serve as a role model for the Ismaili community worldwide. They all benefit from the economic power of the Houston Jamat’s private sector entrepreneurs and professionals. I will describe each of the projects I visited in detail as part of a four-part series, beginning with project 1 next week. However, before I do that, here is an overview of the projects — 1 through 3 — I visited during my recent trip, as well as project 4 that I hope to visit during my next trip to Houston.
A beautiful view of the grounds of the 44-acre Pioneer Community Center after a rare snowfall in Houston during the 2024/5 winter season. Photograph: Salim Sunesara / Pioneer Community Center.
When I visited this unique facility, I could not help but think of Mawlana Shah Rahim’s Farmans, which emphasize the importance of being active through playing sports and moving!
Located in Rosenberg, within the Greater Houston Area, this stunning facility is a treasure trove of diverse amenities exclusively for the Ismaili community. With an indoor fitness center, a huge gymnasium with two NBA-sized basketball courts, children’s playgrounds, a beautiful lake, pickleball and tennis courts, a lovely swimming pool, a kilometre-long walking path, cricket and football fields and much more, including a seniors building, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
A scaled depiction of the 44-acre Pioneer Community Center, Houston, Texas. Photograph: Pioneer Community Center.
The 44 acres of land were acquired through a generous donation from Pioneer Mutual Credit Union. It accommodates 1,000 concrete parking spaces. For Mawlana Hazar Imam’s recent visit to Houston, the Center served as an overflow to support the seven Ismaili Jamatkhanas in the metro area. It also supports one of the largest Jamatkhana overflows during other significant events.
NPFCU, launched in 1989, has more than 18,000 Ismaili members and total assets of $422 million, according to its 2024 Annual Report.
Nizari plays a vital role in meeting the diverse financial needs of SW USA Jamat through its locations in Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, and Sugar Land (part of Houston’s Metro Area). It has been achieving outstanding performance rankings and government certifications, which help instill confidence and security among its members.
NPFCU is considered in the top 1% percentile among peers in the United States. PMFCU and NPFCU are two of the three credit unions in the USA Jamat, the other being Platinum Federal Credit Union in Atlanta. The unions are healthy competitors, yet in the spirit of unity within the Ismaili community, they act as partners. No other Jamat has such Ismaili-led credit unions, independent of Jamati institutions.
NPFCU will be described in more detail in a forthcoming article in the series.
This project, led by Nasruddin Rupani and governed by the Ibn Sina Foundation, reflects the foundation’s long-standing commitment to healthcare. Rupani founded Houston’s first clinic in 2001 to provide affordable medical services to the community. The seven Ibn Sina clinics in greater Houston serve a diverse population, with the majority of patients being non-Ismailis, illustrating the foundation’s broad reach and history of service. The ribbon-cutting of this clinic was done by then-Texas Governor Rick Perry.
Rupani showed me the health center’s facilities, including a busy walk-in clinic staffed by doctors and qualified medical practitioners, a separate children’s clinic, and a dental health center with state-of-the-art equipment. A new building for Ibn Sina’s mental health program is expected to be completed within the next few months. Rupani’s ambition is to achieve university status as the Ibn Sina Center continues its growth trajectory. As I left the health center, I met the on-duty pharmacist, who informed me that all prescriptions issued by the Center’s medical team are provided free of charge, demonstrating the center’s commitment to accessible healthcare services.
Recognition from government authorities, including the City of Houston, Harris County, and the State of Texas, affirms the quality and impact of the seven Ibn Sina clinics in the Houston Metro Area, underscoring their reputation and credibility.
Ibn Sina will be described in more detail in a forthcoming article in the series.
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4. Greater Houston Retailers Association (GHRA) Distribution and Warehouse Center; Houston, Texas
I was all set to visit the Warehouse Center in Houston and travel to Austin, the Texas State Capital, to see an even larger warehouse facility. Unfortunately, the Houston warehouse was closed on Veterans’ Day, November 11, so I did not make the trip. I was also unable to travel to Austin. However, I was fortunate to receive an informative summary about GHRA from my Houston host, Nazarali, as follows:
GHRA was established in 1999 to supply thousands of grocery-related items to Ismaili owners of convenience stores and gas stations (C-stores) in the Houston metro. Shortly after its founding, GHRA became the largest trade association (TA) among the then 12 trade associations under the Jamat’s umbrella, the National Alliance of Trade Associations (NATA). NATA’s success and reputation enabled its former board chairman to be invited to serve on the Board of the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS), headquartered in the Washington, DC, metro region.
NACS is also a lobby and serves the global convenience and fuel retailing industry, with 152,000+ C-stores operating in the USA. Today, lsmailis own more than 3,000 stores spanning all seven NC jurisdictions. This represents 2% of NACS’s national total, disproportionately higher than the Ismaili community’s share of the national population. Ismaili stores have combined gross annual sales of a whopping $12 billion. Around 2,000 stores are members of GHRA, which controls 33% of the C-stores in greater Houston. Recognizing the need to cut out the “middlemen” and streamline parts of the supply chain, GHRA built its warehouse in 2016 and began distributing merchandise directly to its C-store members at a discounted price. It has an annual sales turnover of $400 million and is growing.
We hope to commence our four-part Houston project series soon, starting with an exciting photo essay on the Pioneer Community Center in the next fortnight, and complete the series by the end of this year.
Date posted: November 24, 2025. Last updated: December 2, 2025 (removal of an editorial note, editor’s discretion.)
Corrections:
Pioneer Community Center was incorrectly referenced earlier as Pioneer Recreation Center.
Ensuring precise information is vital, the post has now been updated accordingly.
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Simerg welcomes your comments. You may submit your feedback by clicking Leave a comment or by sending it to mmerchant@simerg.com with the subject line Ismaili Projects, Houston.
Abstract: In this expanded version of his original article, which was published in the February 2025 issue of the Institute of Ismaili Studies Alumni Newsletter, Professor Karim writes about the subtle dynamics between the Imam-of-the-Time and those in his service, an insight he gained from his personal interactions with Mawlana Shah Karim Shah, who appointed him to the leadership of the Institute of Ismaili Studies. The article not only describes the contemporary dynamics but also emphasizes the enduring historical significance of truth, faith, piety, and proper management in Ismaili administration, instilling a sense of tradition and continuity.
To be asked by Mawlana Shah Karim (1936-2025) to lead the Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) was an exceptional honour. The London-based IIS is unique among the large number of institutions that His Late Highness Aga Khan IV and 49th Nizari Ismaili Imam established in his Imamat of 67 years (July 11, 1957, to February 4, 2025). Its management demands a nuanced understanding of the academic and communal spheres which intersect within it. The Imam’s invitation to me in 2009 felt like the culmination of a long relationship with the Institute, where I had been a student, a research collaborator and a senior visiting scholar over the previous two and a half decades. I stepped down from my position as Director of Carleton University’s renowned School of Journalism and Communication and headed for London.
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The Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) owes its establishment to the leadership and vision of Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV. Along with leaders of the Ismailia Association and Ismaili scholars, a momentous decision was made to establish the IIS at a conference held in April 1975 in Paris. This decision, which carries the weight of history, was a pivotal moment for the Ismaili community. The IIS was formally established on December 13, 1977, through a Talika (written holy message) that His Late Highness sent to his worldwide community. Photograph: Ilm magazine, October 1975.
Before joining the IIS as Co-Director, it had been my privilege to give seva (service) to jamati (community) institutions in Kenya, USA, UK and Canada. I had also conducted research for Aga Khan Foundation Canada and been a correspondent for Compass News Features, a media agency which Mawlana Shah Karim founded in Luxembourg. The Aga Khan University (AKU) had asked me in 2007 to serve on an international “Thinking Group,” comprising prominent professors and senior journalists who were tasked with exploring the possibility of establishing a Graduate School of Media and Communications. Several months into the deliberations, Aga Khan IV, the university’s founding chancellor, informed us that he would meet with us in Washington, DC. We were assembled in a room when His Highness walked in, wearing a sling on his right arm because of a skiing accident a few weeks prior. He went around the table, smiling and graciously greeting each person. Having led the highly successful Nation media organization in East Africa since the late 1950s, he spoke about the media business and journalism education. With Kenya’s post-election violence fresh in his mind, the Imam shared insights about how the corruption of journalists and media owners contributed to social instability. The distinguished group was impressed with the breadth and depth of his knowledge and left with a deepened scope of considerations. Some seven graduate AKU schools had been planned but only the Graduate School of Media and Communications in Nairobi proceeded to establishment. I was thankful that Mawlana Shah Karim gave me the opportunity to contribute to my country of birth in this manner.
It was September 2009 when I arrived in London from Ottawa, Canada, to assume the IIS’s co-directorship. A few weeks later, Mawlana Shah Karim invited the Aga Khan Development Network’s Higher Education Forum, of which I was a member, to a dinner meeting at his secretariat in Aiglemont, France. The Forum also included the senior leadership of Aga Khan Foundation, Aga Khan University, the University of Central Asia, Aga Khan Academies, and Aga Khan Education Services. According to the arrangements that the Imam had determined, Azim Nanji, the preceding IIS director, was to be seated on Mawlana Shah Karim’s left-hand side and I on his right. This was a remarkable honour for Azim Nanji, me and the IIS. The Imam entered the room, greeting us warmly. Attendees took their seats but, feeling daunted, I hesitated. Mawlana Shah Karim kindly gestured for me to sit next to him. The participants presented project updates about which the Imam asked probing questions. He was gracious about shortcomings and made suggestions on dealing with challenges. After the meeting came to a close, Mawlana Shah Karim looked at me and told me not to hesitate to contact him should the need arise. I felt humbled and immensely grateful.
“I was convinced that it was vital for individuals tasked with responsibilities to be entirely transparent with Mawlana Shah Karim even if it produced discomfort for oneself and others in the room. Therefore, I became resolute in speaking up — at the risk of being marginalized — when I saw things to be amiss. Mawlana Shah Karim’s positive responses to my carefully considered interventions were very encouraging.” — Karim H Karim
It was my good fortune to have a number of interactions with the 49th Imam. He upheld very high standards and asked the same of others. Mawlana Shah Karim expected accurate information and frankness, especially when goals had not been met. Having thoroughly read the papers submitted in advance of meetings he inquired into specifics and gave discerning guidance. From time to time, as the discussion was flowing in a particular direction, I would ask myself whether it was appropriate for me to offer contrary observations and critical thoughts on vital points. It turned out that Mawlana Shah Karim appreciated such interventions, which I sought to conduct in a thoughtful and respectful manner. He was also kind in tolerating my errors, gently directing me towards correcting them. This helped me understand more clearly the subtle dynamics of interaction between the Imam and those in his service.
Around a thousand years ago, da‘i Ahmed al-Naysaburi’s writings reminded Fatimid administrators that the Imam-of-the-Time depends on them for the ethical governance of his community, failing which “chaos will reign.” He was extremely concerned that influential officials had become preoccupied with their own power and privilege rather prioritizing knowledge of the faith(ilm), piety (taqwa) and proper administration (siyasa), the fundamental principles by which the Imamat’s institutions should abide. The more meetings I attended with Mawlana Shah Karim the more it became apparent that he was not always receiving the complete picture, especially when conflicts of interests were involved or when things had not turned out according to expectations. Qadi al-Nu‘man, who was a close confidant of several Fatimid Imams, advised those who interacted with the Imam: “Let us speak the truth and hide nothing from the Imams.” I was convinced that it was vital for individuals tasked with responsibilities to be entirely transparent with Mawlana Shah Karim even if it produced discomfort for oneself and others in the room. Therefore, I became resolute in speaking up — at the risk of being marginalized — when I saw things to be amiss. Mawlana Shah Karim’s positive responses to my carefully considered interventions were very encouraging.
However, adverse organizational currents began to generate a disabling environment for me. I strived to deal with the changing situation, but it became increasingly problematic to carry out my duties. Being under intense stress, I was compelled to review my position and consider the possibility of moving back to Canada. This presented an extremely difficult situation: it was my Imam who had personally selected me for the leadership role in his vital institution, and I felt deeply distressed that I would be letting him down. After several long weeks of agonizing, I wrote to him seeking guidance. Mawlana Shah Karim’s personal assistant contacted me to arrange a telephone call. I waited anxiously in my office as the time arrived. The phone rang, and the assistant informed me that the Imam was on the line.
Mawlana Shah Karim greeted me affectionately and he mentioned a current international issue which we discussed briefly. Turning to the matter at hand, he said that he understood the organizationally problematic nature of the situation and appreciated the difficulty of the circumstances for me. The Imam told me that it was my decision to stay or to leave and that he would be fine with whatever I decided. Mawlana Shah Karim assured me that “there are many ways to serve.” These words, expressed with paternal care, lifted an enormous weight from my shoulders. Following considerable further reflection, I wrote to the Imam of my decision to return to Canada. Upon settling back in Ottawa, I continued to provide service to Imamat institutions like the Central Asian and Aga Khan universities and was immensely pleased with Mawlana Shah Karim’s continued positive responses to my recommendations.
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Professor Karim H. Karim, the author of this piece and a respected member of our academic and Ismaili community, was awarded the first Alumni Recognition Award by the Institute of Ismaili Studies. This prestigious honour, presented to him on March 23, 2024, at the Ismaili Centre London, is a testament to his exceptional service, leadership, positive impact, and professional excellence. Photograph: The Institute of Ismaili Studies via Karim H. Karim.
Mawlana Shah Karim’s words from the phone call shaped the direction of my subsequent service to the Imamat and the community. While at the IIS, I had published a chapter on Ismailis in Canada in a book that my fellow Co-Director Farhad Daftary edited. This was the beginning of a series of writings on the contemporary community, which I am analyzing from the basis of my research and institutional service. The insights gained from these sources have strengthened my conviction about the vital importance of upholding intellectual rigour and professional ethics in studying the community, its organizations and its leadership. I draw from my academic training as well as my religious commitment to truth in this endeavour. It is of great significance to me that the original and authentic name of the Imamat’s movement is “Da‘wat al-Haqq” — Invitation to Truth — which has involved critical self-reflection on the part of the community’s intellectuals in their endeavour to uphold its integrity.
At the grand Diamond Jubilee Darbar in Lisbon in July 2018, Mawlana Shah Karim asked his murids (committed aspirants) to be da‘is (summoners to truth). As mentioned above, Ismaili da‘is like al-Nu‘man and al-Naysaburi provided corrective guidance to officers of the Fatimid state who lapsed ethically from time to time. Administrators are under pressure to deliver on commitments and tend on occasion to adopt means that diverge, often unknowingly, from the tradition’s ethical precepts. It is vital that there be an intellectual counterpoint in the contemporary community that discusses ethical adherence with the institutional structure just as al-Nu‘man, al-Naysaburi and other da‘is did in their time. Upon discussing this matter with a former president of the Aga Khan Ismaili Council for Canada, I learned that Mawlana Shah Karim advised community leaders to engage in productive discourse with the independent voices of sincere murids.
My writings and oral discourses, which seek to offer respectful and carefully considered communal self-critique, elicit considerable discussion and feedback. A conference paper that I delivered in 2022 at the IIS on the challenges of ethical propriety in Ismaili institutions generated intense debate, with scholars and students variously agreeing and disagreeing with me. I am heartened that many scholars cite my writings on contemporary Ismaili topics in their academic publications. However, I consider the platforms of independent and autonomous Ismaili communal media like Simerg to be the most viable venues for sharing analysis and engaging in discussion with the community and its leadership.
Mawlana Shah Karim’s advice that “there are many ways to serve” has constantly inspired and motivated me to pursue a path that may be occasionally contentious but constantly and sincerely strives to respond to the da‘wa’s call to truth. It was extremely humbling and encouraging that in 2024 the IIS endowed me with an award for “exceptional service, leadership, positive impact and professional excellence.”
Date posted: September 29, 2025.
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About the author:Karim H. Karim is a Chancellor’s Professor at Carleton University in Canada. He has served as Co-Director of the Institute of Ismaili Studies and as Director of Carleton University’s Centre for the Study of Islam and its School of Journalism and Communication. Professor Karim is a prize-winning, interdisciplinary scholar whose publications have received worldwide acclaim. The Ismaili Imamat, the Government of Canada, the Institute of Ismaili Studies and civil society organizations have granted him honours.
Featured photo at the top of the post: Professor Karim H Karim delivering his remarks on March 23, 2024, at the Ismaili Centre in London upon being presented with the Inaugural Alumni Recognition from the Institute of Ismaili Studies. Photograph: Institute of Ismaili Studies via Karim H. Karim.
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Articles contributed by Karim H Karim on Simerg and its sister websites:
After having featured twenty-nine English books authored by Ismailis since the inception of our special series Books by Ismaili Authors in 2021, we present for the first time a Gujarati book that provides insight into an Ismaili Institution of the early 20th century, the Recreation Club. The author, Chhotubhai Khanderia, lovingly known as CNK, a native Gujarati speaker, has also made it available as a downloadable PDF file, ensuring easy access for our readers. We are pleased to feature his work in the series.
We call Ismaili authors worldwide to highlight their books in our continuing series by submitting their responses to our standard set of questions — please see details HERE. For any queries, please email Malik at mmerchant@simerg.com.
Interview with Chhotubhai Khanderia
Simerg: What constitutes your book Recreation Club Institute: History and Illustrated Glimpses of Service Holders? Why would you want me to read it, and what will we learn from it?
Chhotubhai Khanderia: My book “Recreation Club Institute: History and Illustrated Glimpses of Service Holders” is a significant contribution to the history of the Ismaili community. It chronicles its early days, from the Recreation Club to the Ismailia Association in the 1950s, which is now known as the Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Board (ITREB).
The Recreation Club had a glorious history that our beloved 48th Imam, Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah, nurtured through instruction and guidance. The book also includes glimpses of members of the Jamat who served in the institution in the early years from 1901 to 1925, and made unparalleled contributions. As many as 45 missionaries who were recorded in the pages of history during the period of the Imam have presented their illustrious service. After that, during the 68 years of the Imamat of Mawlana Shah Karim, the institution, which had been renamed as the Ismailia Association before his Imamat, made unparalleled progress that we can all be proud of. And after the promulgation of the 1986 Constitution, the institution was renamed as the Ismaili Tarqiah and Religious Education Board. Many new institutions were created, strengthening the Ismaili institutional structure and making it uniform around the world.
One of the aims of this book is to provide insights into the vast work done by missionaries. The larger aim is for the Ismaili community to become familiar with the history of the institution and to gain a deeper understanding of the services of many who served the Society.
Simerg: What is behind the name and title of the book?
CNK: The book’s title acts as a window into the illustrious history of the Institute and a bridge, connecting the Jamat to the lives of the organization’s early foundation service members. These members, such as Waris Ismail Mohammad Jafar, Huzur Wazir Ali Muhammad Rehamtullah Macklay, Mukhi Lalji Devraj, Virji Premji Parapiya, Master Hashim Bogha, Manji GulamHussain Padamshi, and Alijah Wali Muhammad Nanji Hudda, are brought to life through the book’s pages. Moreover, the book is a treasure trove for those interested in the organization’s history, as it acquaints readers with the brief biographies of 210 Ismaili missionaries, who are known today as Alwaez.
Cover page of “Recreation Club Institute: History and Illustrated Glimpses of Service Holders” by Chhotubhai Khanderia, self-published, July 2025, 222 pages. Please click on the image to download the PDF version of the book.
Simerg: How can I purchase this book?
CNK: The hard copy of the book is available upon request by writing to me at cnkhanderia@gmail.com. However, I have made an electronic copy available as a PDF file, which can be downloaded HERE (or by clicking on the image above). The book is entirely self-funded and self-published by me.
Simerg: Did you hire an editor or designer, or did you do all the work yourself?
CNK: I hired a graphic designer to work on the layout and the formatting of the book.
Simerg: What inspired you to do this important work?
CNK: The practice of daw’a in the Ismaili community was pioneered centuries ago by the Ismaili Dais, Pirs and Sayyids. In later centuries, the Ismaili missionaries took on the responsibility of imparting religious and moral education to the Jamat in a unique way, under the careful guidance of the Imam-of-the-Time. Their service, which has left an indelible mark on the Ismaili community, is a significant part of our history, recorded in various books and on websites. The material that I came across encouraged me to collect, consolidate and include information about our unsung missionaries.
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March 1936: This photo was taken in India on the occasion of the presentation of a casket by a group of Ismaili missionaries to His Late Highness Aga Khan III to mark the occasion of his Golden Jubilee. The casket, a symbol of respect and honour, was created and donated by ‘Senior’ Missionary Alijah Moloobhai Allarakhia Jangbarwalla. Unless otherwise noted, we may assume that all the persons in the photograph are missionaries. STANDING BACK ROW Left to right: Noorali Bandali, Gulamhusein Juma, Sayyed Mohamed Shah, Jaffer Jivan, Alidina Mamu, Ebrahim J. Varteji, Tajjar Mukhi Mohamed, Damji Velji, Abdulla Esmail and Badrudin Nurmohamed. SEATED ON CHAIRS Left to right: Meghji Maherali, Husseini Pirmohamed, Alijah Moloo Allarakhia (Donor of Casket), Chief Secretary Gulamhusein Virjee, President Alimohamed R Maklai, HIS LATE HIGHNESS THE AGA KHAN III, President Alijah Esmail Mohamed Jaffer, Finance Secretary Tarmohamed Ravji, Alijah Sabza Ali Ramzanali, Jamal Virji and Hamir Lakha. SEATED ON CARPET Left to right: Kassamali L Wadiwalla, Amirali Khudabaksh, Hajimohamed Fazalbhai, Mahmed Muradali, Madatali Rahemtullah Rajan and Juma Jiwa. Photo: Late Ameer Janmohamed Collection, London, UK.
Simerg: How long did it take you to complete your monograph?
CNK: The idea to write the book came in 2021. While reading an article on Simerg, I came across a picture of Imam Sultan Mahomed Shah with the missionaries taken in 1936. In that picture, the Imam was presented with a casket in 1936 to mark his Golden Jubilee. When I curiously started searching for the history of those missionaries, I found the history of about 40 missionaries online, and I consolidated it. Then it expanded to include more missionaries who were in different regions worldwide, creating a global narrative that spans India, Pakistan, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, the USA, Canada, the UK, and the UAE. As the famous saying goes: ‘मैं अकेला ही चला था जानिब-ए-मंज़िल मगर, लोग साथ आते गए और कारवाँ बनता गया’ (which roughly translates as ‘I started alone towards my destination, but people kept joining me and a caravan started forming’). This journey of discovery and collaboration, which is described in the book in more detail, transformed a mere idea into a comprehensive account of missionary history. After I had gathered all the information, I passionately began to develop the book in April 2025 and completed it in three months.
Simerg: Tell us something more about your book
CNK: The cover page was specially chosen, with our beloved 48th Imam as the primary focus. He laid the foundation of the Recreation Club. The cover page also includes portraits of some prominent leaders of the Club.
This is the first edition of the book, and your feedback could shape its future. If you find errors in the factual information, please let me know, and I will incorporate the corrections in the next edition. This will ensure the accuracy of the book. Some missionary biographies are brief — one-liners in some instances. I am particularly interested in including more details about their contributions to the Jamat. I would be deeply grateful if the surviving missionaries or members of their families could send me brief profiles for inclusion in the revised edition. Finally, I wish to say that while readers may use Google to translate the PDF Gujarati book into English, I intend to make the book available in English.
Date posted: August 20, 2025.
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About the author: Mr. Chhotubhai Khanderia, fondly known as CNK, was born in Porbandar, Gujarat. He pursued a Diploma in Civil Engineering and began his government service in 1981, supervising the repair and maintenance of government buildings, roads, bridges, and new constructions. In the Ismaili community, he has held numerous voluntary positions since 1977, which have left a lasting impact: he has served as a secondary level religious instructor, a local board member in ITREB, a regional member in the Youth and Sports Board, a secretary in the Ismaili Council, a regional chair in the Southern Saurashtra Social Welfare Board and ITREB, and as Mukhi of Majlises (special gatherings). His services were recognized with the title of Alijah by Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV. Chhotubhai currently resides in Secunderabad, India, as a retired serviceman. He can be reached at cnkhanderia@gmail.com.
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Links to the Ismaili Authors’ Series (in chronological sequence, oldest article first)
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“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” — Mawlana Shah Karim Aga Khan, excerpt from film
This short film is one of the most absorbing and inspiring presentations I have ever seen on Mawlana Shah Karim, His Highness the Aga Khan, who passed away in Lisbon on February 4, 2025 at the age of 88. He has been succeeded by his eldest son, Mawlana Shah Rahim, who was conferred the title His Highness by His Majesty, King Charles III.
“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 worldwide” — Mawlana Shah Karim Aga Khan (20:11 min)
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Light Upon Light is not just a film, it’s a crucial piece of the history of Shah Karim’s 67 year reign as the 49th Imam of the Ismaili Muslims. Aside from the singing and recitation of prayers at appropriate moments and questions by media interviewers, there is not a single instance of anyone else speaking in the film. The words and sentiments are of the Imam alone.
“Keep in mind, PLEASE, keep in mind, that the Imam is always with you. There isn’t a second, in the day or the night, when the Imam is not with you. He is always with you” — Mawlana Shah Karim Aga Khan (33:58 min).
Every Ismaili in the world, especially the youth in the community, must watch this singularly important presentation. No viewer will want to stop watching it after the first few minutes. It is an awesome and captivating presentation that holds immense significance for the Ismaili community. Friends of the Ismaili community will also find the thirty-eight minute presentation engrossing.
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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