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
The Ismaili Center in Houston was inaugurated on November 6, 2025, by His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan, the 50th Hereditary Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims, and John Whitmire, the Mayor of Houston. The Center, a beacon of beauty and elegance, is a sight to behold.
Like six other Ismaili Centers worldwide, it is adorned with stunning works of art, tastefully mounted on walls or placed on the floor. One large, lovely piece, titled Nocturnal Journey, on the 3rd floor, is a masterpiece that takes your breath away when you hear the story behind it.
Formed from a staggering four million beads, each meticulously embroidered by hand onto a textile substrate, the composition is a testament to the dedication and craftsmanship of the Egyptian-British artist Ahmed Moustafa and the twenty Ismaili women from the Ismaili Helping Society (IHS) in Mumbai, India. The artwork is based on a calligraphic painting produced by Moustafa in 1984, titled Nocturnal Journey, which commemorates the text of the first verse of Surah al-Isrāʾ (Chapter 17, The Night Journey) of the Holy Qur’an. This work, along with several others that form part of the Ismaili Center’s permanent art collection, is featured in a special piece on our sister website Simergphotos.
The Ismaili Center, Houston, depicted in an artwork (top), features a large embroidery with 4 million beads on its 3rd floor. It is one of many pieces of art at the newly inaugurated Center. Please click on the image for more pictures and stories of the Center’s permanent art collection.
Date posted: November 15, 2025.
Featured photo at the top of the post: Visitors attending the inauguration ceremony of the Ismaili Center in Houston get an introduction to the artwork, “Nocturnal Journey.”
Editor’s note: As children, we have created some stunning works of art and written beautiful essays that we might have long forgotten. However, for our parents, these creations are not just objects, but the threads that weave our family memories, preserving our childhood in their hearts. A model of Hasanabad, a 3-month labour of love and creativity by Sarah and Sophia Ladha some 14 years ago, remains a cherished part of the Ladha family home in Toronto. It stands as a testament to the role of childhood creations in preserving our family memories, even as the two girls embark on their journeys in distant cities. We present their story, celebrating the enduring connection that childhood creations bring to our families.
If there is an iconic piece of art or object related to Ismaili Muslim culture that your children made years ago and remains part of your family’s proudest moment, we would like to hear about it. The Ladha sisters have set an excellent example with their inspiring project, and we encourage you to follow in their footsteps. Write to mmerchant@simerg.com and be part of this inspiring initiative. Simerg and its sister websites Barakah and Simergphotos are independent platforms, committed to encouraging the pursuit of knowledge in all areas of Ismaili history, art and culture, the Divine Institution of Imamat and His Highness the Aga Khan.
The Hasanabad Model
Hasanabad Model, 29″ x 19″, by Sarah and Sophia Ladha. Photograph: Murad Ladha family collection.
We were inspired to create the Hasanabad model after a profoundly personal visit to Hasanabad and its grounds, which include a Jamatkhana and a housing complex in Mumbai in 2011. This trip was particularly meaningful to us because Hasanabad is where my dad, Dr. Murad Ladha, spent his formative years as one of five children of Amina Ladha and Moledina Ladha. Experiencing its breathtaking architecture up close and learning about its historical significance left a lasting impression on us.
Hasanabad, more than just an architectural marvel, is a place of profound historical significance. It is the final resting place of the 46th Ismaili Imam, Mawlana Hasan Ali Shah, who in 1846, journeyed from Iran to Mumbai, establishing the Seat of Imamat in India after centuries in Persia.
Inspired by the grandeur of the Taj Mahal, Hasanabad’s design features intricate detailing, majestic domes, and perfect symmetry, making it a remarkable landmark and the only Ismaili historical site in India. Inside the Hasanabad Dargah — where Imam Hasan Ali Shah (Aga Khan I) is buried — there is intricate Islamic art decorating the interior of the kuba (the dome). However, due to architectural limitations and lighting, visitors do not readily see or appreciate this artwork. To address this, the fountain in the model was intentionally designed to help reflect and highlight the variety of Islamic artistic elements within the Dargah. This allows members of the Jamat, especially those unable to visit in person, to engage with and appreciate the spiritual and artistic heritage embodied in the structure.
Moved by its historical and cultural significance, we dedicated three months to meticulously crafting our 29″ x 19″ model, striving to capture every detail. Using materials like clay, styrofoam spheres, beads, and pastels, we sought to bring the essence of Hasanabad to life.
Members of the Jamat view the model of Hasanabad created by sisters Sophia and Sarah Ladha. Photo: Murad Ladha family collection.
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The fountain featured in front of historic Hasanabad is not part of the building but was created by Sarah and Sophia Ladha to depict some of the artistic work in the dome inside the building. Photograph: Murad Ladha family collection.
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Hasanabad Gallery, accompanying the model exhibit. Photograph: Murad Ladha family collection.
The Ismaili Art and Cultural Committee recognized our model for its craftsmanship, attention to detail, and the story behind it. They appreciated how it highlighted Hasanabad’s architectural beauty and helped share its rich history with others. We displayed the model in Etobicoke Jamatkhana, along with a PowerPoint presentation explaining the the significance of historic Hasanabad to the Jamat. Subsequently, the model was displayed at the Toronto’s International Centre, during a large Navroz gathering of the Greater Toronto Area Jamats. This allowed even more members to experience and connect with this unique representation of Ismaili heritage. Today, the model is a treasured object in our parents’ home in Toronto, and we hope that other children, who have created interesting art work related to Ismaili culture and history will come forward and share their projects through this website.
Featured photo at the top of the post: Sophia and Sarah with their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Murad Ladha, during the Hasanabad model exhibit at Etobicoke Jamatkhana.
Date posted: June 8, 2025. Last updated: September 24, 2025.
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ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Sisters Dr. Sophia (left) and Sarah Ladha.
Dr. Sophia Ladha is a dedicated optometrist who recently completed her Doctor of Optometry degree at Western University of Health Sciences. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Optometry from City University in the United Kingdom. Dr. Ladha is passionate about providing patient-centered eye care, combining clinical expertise with a compassionate approach. Outside of the clinic, she enjoys exploring Islamic art and calligraphy, finding harmony between scientific precision and creative expression.
Sarah Ladha is a medical student currently studying in Pennsylvania. Outside of medicine, she has a deep passion for architecture and design. She is fascinated by how structure, form, and function converge to create spaces that are not only visually striking but also purposeful. Sarah draws inspiration from the stories behind buildings — the history, culture, and intention that shape their design. Exploring these elements allows her to see architecture not just as construction, but as a form of living art.
We welcome your feedback. Please click LEAVE A COMMENT. If you are unable to post your comment, please email it to mmerchant@simerg.com. Simerg, an independent platform, has published over 2,000 pieces on all aspects of Ismaili and Islamic history, culture and thought since its launch in 2009. Please see our Table of Contents in 2 parts — 2009-2019 and 2020-Current. Please visit Simerg’s sister websites, Barakah, which is dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan, and Simergphotos that features photo essays on history, culture and travel. Follow the publisher/editor Malik Merchant on @Facebook, @X and @LinkedIn
“I urge you to imagine the loneliness of being unseen, the despair of being unheard, and the pain of being forgotten. Now imagine that world being yours. If you can’t walk in our shoes, try to walk beside us. Offer a hand, a voice, or even just a moment of empathy….The “Straight Path” requires all strands of society to come together to care for society’s most vulnerable” — Ghulam Baig, CEO, Gilgit-Baltistan Goodwill Movement
The concept of the “Straight Path” (Sirat-Al Mustaqeem) represents a journey guided by justice, compassion, and equity — principles that urge us to care for society’s most vulnerable. This path transcends spiritual growth, calling for a community where everyone is uplifted and included. The Ismaili Imamate’s focus on social work and community development through Jamati Institutions and the Agencies of the Aga Khan Development Network consistently reminds murids of these values.
Yet, in the rush of modern life, we often lose sight of those left behind: the elderly, the disabled, and the sick — the most vulnerable among us. While many indulge in comfort, countless others struggle in silence.
A Global and Local Perspective on Suffering
When we think of suffering, images of famine, poverty, or war often come to mind — realities associated with regions like Africa. Yet suffering also exists in less visible forms. One of these is the struggle for inclusion. In Gilgit-Baltistan, particularly in areas like Hunza and Yasin, disabled individuals live on the margins, yearning for equal rights and opportunities. Their pleas for dignity, inclusion, and opportunity are often drowned out by societal indifference.
During my time at a community college, the COVID-19 pandemic offered space to reflect on societal norms, especially regarding disability in Gilgit-Baltistan. While organizations like Aga Khan Focus for Habitat, KADO, and other local disability-focused groups have made progress, these efforts remain limited compared to the inclusivity and accessibility seen in more developed regions.
Through my organization, the Gilgit-Baltistan Goodwill Movement (GBGM), we are addressing these challenges. Guided by the values of justice, compassion, and equity, GBGM strives to improve the lives of disabled individuals through initiatives such as:
Vocational and Life Skills Training: Free programs equip individuals with tools for independent living.
Assistive Devices: Wheelchairs, hearing aids, and other essential devices improve mobility and quality of life.
Healthcare Support: Free medicines and personalized healthcare services are provided to those in need.
Financial Aid: Economic challenges are alleviated with support for essentials like food and shelter.
Advocacy and Awareness: Campaigns and outreach efforts aim to eliminate stigmas and foster acceptance.
Our website, www.gbgoodwillmovement.com, showcases stories of resilience and transformation, demonstrating the profound impact of these initiatives.
Stories of Change
One of our beneficiaries shared:
“As a disabled woman, I had limited opportunities within my community. The Goodwill Movement not only supported me but also empowered other women, fostering gender inclusion in society. Today, I help others as a teacher in an additional support needs school in Gilgit.”
Another student remarked:
“I learned from Goodwill and now apply these skills at KIU Gilgit. Thank you, Goodwill Movement. I had no other options, but your one-on-one support five days a week changed my life.”
These testimonials highlight that disabled individuals are often excluded from active participation in Gilgit’s culture but can thrive with the right support.
Challenges Persist
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Despite significant strides, challenges remain:
Infrastructure: Public spaces often lack accessibility.
Barriers to Mobility: Ramps, elevators, and accessible transportation are scarce.
Educational Gaps: Inclusive education resources are insufficient.
Healthcare Access: Affordable, quality healthcare is often out of reach.
Social Stigma: Deep-seated prejudices continue to marginalize disabled individuals.
These obstacles, while significant, are not insurmountable. Addressing them requires collective action and a commitment to compassion, justice, and equity.
Working for the Disabled Jamati Members
While the GB Goodwill Movement maintains impartiality regarding religion and gender, most of our students have been from the Ismaili Jamat in regions such as Hunza, Ghizer, Yasin, Chilas, and various villages across Gilgit.
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SUPPORT AND APPRECIATION FOR GHULAM BAIG AND HIS GILGIT-BALTISTAN GOODWILL MOVEMENT
The following is an excerpt from Lyn Patterson, Ghulam Baig’s Mathematics Teacher at Ashton — formerly Ashcraig — Secondary School, Glasgow, Scotland:
From early on in his secondary school career Muhammad impressed me with his determination to overcome the challenges presented by his disability (cerebral palsy) and to succeed as far as possible in his studies. His willingness to work hard was clear from a young age and increased even more as he matured. He developed a real understanding of the barriers to learning experienced by students with a range of disabilities. His fellow students in Ashcraig included young people with conditions such as Muscular Dystrophy, Spina Bifida, visual and hearing impairments, and autism spectrum disorders. Muhammad always displayed an interest in classmates and an empathy towards them. It therefore does not surprise me to see that he has now founded the GBGM devoted to improving the lives of disabled people. Muhammad demonstrated a clear commitment to equality and diversity issues, speaking passionately about such topics.
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The following is an excerpt from the Dhanani Family of the USA, with family members supporting the initiative living in Georgia, California, and Texas:
We have known GBGM’s leadership for over three years and have financially facilitated some of their activities in support of their mission. During this period, we have found the leadership to be very conscientious in executing their duties and accomplishing GBGM’s goals. We are really impressed with their desire to raise awareness about the challenges faced by the DA population, especially in the GB area. They have worked hard to lobby the federal, state and local governments in Pakistan in support of their DA activities. We were fortunate to have met some of their leadership and staff during our visit to GB in September 2022. The visit provided further evidence of their commitment to DA population and reaffirmed our own desire to continue to work with them for a foreseeable future.
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The following is a message from the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan:
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A Call to Action
Returning to the West, I hoped my experiences in the social care sector would inspire support for the disabled community within the Jamat. While responses have been minimal, the Dhanani Family of the USA has been a notable exception, providing instrumental support for many of our initiatives. In April 2025, GBGM has an exciting project lined up. With the Dhanani family members, we will do a face-to-face project to contribute to the disability community in parts of Gojal, Upper Hunza, Yasin, and Ghizer.
To the readers, I urge you to imagine the loneliness of being unseen, the despair of being unheard, and the pain of being forgotten. Now imagine that world being yours. If you can’t walk in our shoes, at least try to walk beside us. Offer a hand, a voice, or even just a moment of empathy. Whether through financial contributions, volunteering, or spreading awareness, your support can make a tangible difference.
Building an Inclusive Society
The “Straight Path” requires all strands of society to come together, each contributing unique skills and perspectives. Just as a plumber and a surgeon serve different roles, we all have a part to play in building a more inclusive world. Let us follow this path to ensure that no voice goes unheard, no individual unseen, and no life unlived to its fullest potential.
About the author: Ghulam Muhammad Baig, originally from the Hunza Valley in Northern Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region, received primary and secondary schooling in the UK with his parent’s support. He completed his university studies with an honours degree in Politics and International Relations from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. Being disabled himself with Cerebral palsy, Ghulam was deeply moved by the plight of the disabled community in his home region, especially during COVID-19 pandemic. They were grappling with severe challenges, including a lack of basic facilities such as healthcare, education, and employment. This realization fueled his lifelong commitment to work for the Disabled or Differently Abled Community of Gilgit-Baltistan. He created the Gilgit-Baltistan Goodwill Movement (GBGM), of which he is the CEO.
Despite the closure of educational institutions during the first year of the pandemic, Ghulam remained proactive on social media. His efforts led to the formation of a large team of volunteers, including prominent disabled activists of Gilgit-Baltistan, such as Sehrish Kanwal Farhan Baig, Abrar Ahmed, Mumtaz Ali, Abdul Hakeem, Mustafa Kamal, Najeeba, Khushan Bano, and Ali Ahmed.
Recognizing the disparity in opportunities available to others in similar circumstances, Ghulam passionately advocates for the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region. With the support of his team, he is using his education and experience to improve the lives of disabled individuals in his home region.
“During Nelson Mandela’s visit to the King Faisal Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, one thing became very obvious: He chose first to shake hands with the cleaners (who were preparing for his visit) and the waiters (at the dinner reception in his honour) instead of the Royalty or high-ranking administrative personalities” — Mohamed Manji.
December 5, 2024, will mark the 11th anniversary of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela’s death, and I would like to take this occasion to record my meeting with him in November 1994.
First, I would like to underline the pivotal role Canada played in securing the release of Nelson Mandela, who had spent 27 years in prison, including 18 years at Robben Island. His release marked the definitive end of the long, dark era of apartheid in South Africa. The former Prime Minister of Canada, Brian Mulroney (d. February 2024), vividly remembered his first phone call with Nelson Mandela on February 12, 1990, a day after his release from prison. Mandela told him:
“I am honoured by your call, as the attitude of Canada is well-known. We regard you as one of our great friends because of the solid support we have received from you and Canada over the years. When I was in jail, having friends like you in Canada gave me more joy and support than I can say. There could have been no greater tangible evidence of friendship than your concern for me and my family and the strong action you and the Government of Canada took while I was in jail to help us defend the interests of the new South Africa we want to build.”
Just four months after his release from prison, Mandela made his first trip to Canada in 1990, a journey that was not just a visit but a testament to the respect and admiration he commanded. He became the last foreign dignitary who wasn’t a head of state to address Parliament, a unique honour that underscored his global influence.
Mandela’s return to Canada in 1998 as President of the Republic of South Africa, again speaking to Parliament, further solidified his status as a revered leader.
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Nelson Mandela was invested as an Honorary Companion of the Order of Canada by the Late Right Honourable Roméo LeBlanc, 25th Governor General of Canada, on September 24, 1998. Photograph: Canadian Heritage/Government of Canada website.
During the visit he was invested as an Honorary Companion of the Order of Canada by the Late Right Honourable Roméo LeBlanc, 25th Governor General of Canada, on September 24, 1998. Mr. Mandela’s citation read:
“He is a universal symbol of triumph over oppression who has inspired people everywhere to work peacefully to end intolerance and injustice. A towering figure in the transition from apartheid to democracy in South Africa, he has emerged as one of this century’s greatest statesmen and humanitarians, recognized the world over for his dignity, moral strength, and integrity. His lifelong struggle for freedom, justice, and equality guarantee his presence in the history books of generations to come.”
Mandela stepped down as President of the African National Congress (ANC) in 1997 and gave his final speech to the South African Parliament on March 29, 1999, when it adjourned before the 1999 general election. He retired as President in June 1999.
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Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, met with South African President Nelson Mandela on August 11, 1998, in Maputo, Mozambique. Photograph: AKDN/Gary Otte.
On November 17, 2001, Nelson Mandela began a three-day visit to Canada by attending a ceremony to rename a Toronto public school after him. He and his wife, Graça Machel, later received honorary degrees from Toronto’s Ryerson University. On November 19, Canada made Nelson Mandela an honorary citizen. In the following years, he was joined as Canada’s Honorary citizen by Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, and His Highness the Aga Khan, 49th Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims.
Nelson Mandela died on December 5, 2013, at 95.
With tributes pouring in from around the world, then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada issued the following statement:
“With the death of Nelson Mandela, the world has lost one of its great moral leaders and statesmen. Mr. Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years by the former Government of South Africa, for his part in the struggle that would ultimately end the system of apartheid. Despite his long years of captivity, Mr. Mandela left prison with a heart closed to calls for a settling of scores. Instead, he was filled by a longing for truth and reconciliation and for an understanding between all peoples. He demonstrated that the only path forward for the nation was to reject the appeal of bitterness. His forbearance was legendary: his magnanimity spared all South Africans incalculable suffering.”
“Even after his death, Nelson Mandela has done what no one else seemingly could — bring Canada’s past and present political leadership together, in one space, for a single cause — if only for a few hours.
“Prime Minister Stephen Harper and three of his predecessors — Jean Chrétien, Brian Mulroney and Kim Campbell — sat in close quarters as they winged their way to South Africa in the elaborate front cabin of a government Airbus” [to attend Mandela’s memorial.]
On Thursday, July 17, 2014, Ottawa’s then Mayor, Jim Watson, hosted over two hundred specially invited guests at City Hall at the launch of the Nelson Mandela Square. Appropriately located across from the Human Rights monument on Elgin Street, Nelson Mandela Square stands as a testimony to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity, a legacy of immense magnitude by the former President of South Africa.
My Handshake with Nelson Mandela
Mandela’s 8-foot square cell at Robben Island still retains the thin blanket which served as his bed. A small window overlooks the courtyard, while a makeshift bed with three grey blankets atop a sisal mat provide scant protection from the cold, bare cement floor. “I could walk the length of my cell in three paces. When I lay down, I could feel the wall with my feet, and my head grazed the concrete on the other side,” wrote Mandela. On the left is a tiny table with a metal cup and plate, and a dented ablution tin (not shown) that remains as it was decades ago. Photograph: Muslim Harji. Please see Harji’s photo piece about his visit to Robben Island HERE.
The late President was just seven months into his Presidency when I was privileged and humbled to shake unique HANDS, hands which crushed rocks in a prison quarry on an island called Robben Island in South Africa, where he was held as a prisoner for 18 years. The Hands were big, like the person himself. The handshake was firm but very comforting like a father shaking his child’s hands. These hands were of NELSON MANDELA, a prisoner who became the President of his Country, South Africa. It did not stop there, as he became a person who ended up belonging to the World.
I was working as a Consultant Radiation Oncologist at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at that time. I was with the receiving group from King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center. Upon his release from the prison. Mr Mandela visited Saudi Arabia as part of a tour of the countries in Africa and abroad.
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President Nelson Mandela visited Saudi Arabia’s King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh in 1994. Dr Mohamed Manji is pictured 2nd from right. Photograph: Mohamed Manji collection.
During this visit to the King Faisal Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, one thing became very obvious: He chose first to shake hands with the cleaners (who were preparing for his visit) and the waiters (at the dinner reception in his honor) instead of the Royalty or high-ranking administrative personalities. Secondly, wherever he went, his presence brought “purity” and a sense of civility. It sure was a precious visit for me.
His death eleven years ago sure was a big loss for the world. May God Bless his memory and keep him in peace.
Date posted: December 1, 2024. Last updated: December 2, 2024 (added photographs/citations)
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Featured image: The photograph at the top of the post is that of Nelson Mandela delivering a speech at a ceremony in 2001 at the Canadian Museum of Civilization (renamed the Canadian Museum of History in 2012), where he became an honorary citizen of Canada. Photograph: Canadian Heritage/Government of Canada website.
Dr. Mohamed Manji.
About the author: Dr. Mohamed Fazal Manji, MD, DMRT, DABRT, FRCPC, originally from Mbeya, Tanzania, is a cancer specialist. He is a Consultant Radiation Oncologist at BC Cancer Agency of British Columbia, Canada, and a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia. Among his previous contributions to Simerg and Barakah are:
Simerg’s introduction of “Books by Ismaili Authors” continues with a story by 16-year-old Maya Shariff. We follow the same Q/A format as our earlier presentations of books, which are listed chronologically below. We encourage Ismaili authors worldwide to participate in this series, regardless of when their books were published. See details of the series HERE and submit your responses to Simerg’s editor, Malik, at mmerchant@simerg.com.
Simerg’s Message to Young Ismaili Muslim Writers: If a story you have presented in your school — whether in the classroom, a special event, or a newsletter — has received high marks from your teacher, please consider the opportunity to share it with a broader audience by submitting it for publication on this website, with the consent of your parents and school teacher. Maya Shariff’s submission and story below are good examples for your consideration. Note that Maya has published her book as a paperback and has a YouTube read-along presentation. Please submit your responses to the standard questions — see below — with the story to Simerg’s editor, Malik, at mmerchant@simerg.com.
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I want to bring awareness to peer pressure and the importance of being able to express yourself from a very young age. My goal is to try to bring awareness to kids about what peer pressure is in hopes that when they are being pressured to do anything they are uncomfortable doing, that they able to voice their feelings and are not afraid to do so — Maya Shariff, Dallas, Texas.
Simerg: What is behind the name and title of the book?
Maya Shariff: The title of my book is “Swim or Climb? Max’s Swimming Dilemma.” The Character in the book has a choice of either doing what he loves to do, which is climbing, or choosing what his friends want him to do so he can fit in like the rest of the kids.
Simerg: Why would you want me or my family to read the book, and what will we learn from it?
Maya: From my research before I started this project I found by talking with many parents, children, and teachers, that peer pressure begins at a very young age. There is a stigma that peer pressure only happens in middle and high school. However, it happens at a very young age when kids are not aware that they are pressuring someone to do something of their liking and the other person may not know how to properly respond and stand up for themselves. Reading this book will give an example of peer pressure at a young age and show children how to stand up to it and be confident in themselves.
Simerg: What inspired you to write the book?
Maya: I want to bring awareness to this topic of peer pressure and the importance of being able to express yourself from a very young age. From my experience as someone who was peer pressured and from conversing with younger kids under the age of 10, peer pressure starts at an age as young as kindergarten. My goal is to try to bring awareness to kids about what peer pressure is in hopes that when they are being pressured to do anything they are uncomfortable doing, that they are able to voice their feelings and are not afraid to do so.
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Paperback Edition of Maya’s Book
“Swim or Climb? Max’s Swimming Dilemma” by Maya Shariff, with notes Mrugakshi Kulkarni; self-published through Lulu, July 12, 2024; paperback, 20pp. See below for a read-along version on YouTube.
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YouTube Read-Along Presentation By Maya Shariff
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Simerg: How can I purchase the book, and what are its available formats?
Maya: You can purchase the book’s paperback edition through the Lulu website; all proceeds from the sale go to the Girl Scouts Organization. I also have a read-along audiobook version on YouTube for kids that you can watch above.
Simerg: Did you hire an editor or an illustrator, or did you do all the work by yourself?
Maya: This is a self-published book through Lulu. My IB English teacher approved all the content, and I wrote and hand-drew my illustrations.
Simerg:Which was your first book, and how many have you written?
Maya: This is my first self-published book.
Simerg: How long did it take you to write the book — from start to finish?
Maya: Writing the book and content approval took about a month. Illustrations took 6 months. This book is not to be marketed as it’s a Gold Award Project. Having the book on this website will create a greater awareness of this issue to young children, and the activities at the end of the book will assist the kids in comprehension and understanding of the topic “peer pressure.”
Simerg: Tell us something more about your book (and its primary character).
Maya: Max and Jack come across an ad in the local newspaper for a swimming competition. They meet a girl named Crystal who loves to swim. Max feels pressured to learn how to swim to fit in. Will Max be influenced by Crystal’s behavior? Or will he resist being peer pressured? I, therefore, invite you to join in the reading of “Swim or Climb? Max’s Swimming Dilemma,” as we discover an example of peer pressure.
Date posted: October 4, 2024.
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About the Author
Maya Sharif, a sixteen-year-old high school student at Plano East Senior High School in Plano, near Dallas, Texas, is a Girl Scout Cadette with Troop #167. Her passion project, Peer Pressure, reflects her commitment to making a difference. Her book, “Swim or Climb? Max’s Swimming Dilemma”, is a powerful tool in raising awareness about peer pressure at young ages, helping children understand its implications and learn to resist it. Maya’s future is bright, with aspirations to pursue a career in the healthcare sector. In her free time, she enjoys running track, binge-watching Netflix, and spending time with her family. She lives in Dallas.
Calling all Ismaili Authors
We encourage Ismaili writers to introduce their books in a similar format as has been done in the post above. Please also see the series launch article and submit your responses to Malik at mmerchant@simerg.com. All submissions will be acknowledged. If a writer has published multiple books, each book will be highlighted in a separate article, and not combined with other books into one post. All writers should include a brief profile with a portrait photo.
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Links to the Ismaili Authors’ Series (in chronological sequence, oldest article first)
Before departing this website please take a moment to review Simerg’s Table of Contents for links to hundreds of thought provoking pieces on a vast array of subjects including faith and culture, history and philosophy, and arts and letters to name a few. Also visit Simerg’s sister websites Barakah, dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan, and Simergphotos. Simerg’s editor may be reached via email at mmerchant@simerg.com.
It was heartening to read Kef Noorani’s table tennis success story, which is currently featured as the main story on The Ismaili, the official website of the Ismaili Muslim community. It immediately brought back fond memories of another fantastic Ismaili table tennis player, Faazil Kassam, who qualified to represent Canada in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. While Kef’s introduction to the game began in his parent’s car garage, with his father coaching him, Faazil’s introduction took place in the social hall of the previous Ottawa Jamatkhana on 991 Carling Avenue, with his father Nashir coaching him. The community’s recognition of Faazil’s Olympic qualification, which I initiated with the Ismaili leadership, was a significant milestone. Ottawa’s then Mukhisaheb Nazib Charania was highly supportive, ensuring that an announcement was made in the Jamatkhana, followed by a fantastic send-off for Faazil in the Jamatkhana social hall.
Upon his return from the Athens games, where Faazil and his doubles player lost to former Swedish champions, his parents, Nashir and mother Shaida (now deceased), organized a fantastic homecoming event at their Ottawa home. We watched his doubles match with great excitement and, of course, disappointment that he did not proceed further. We were each given a souvenir table tennis bat signed by Faazil. He then pursued a medical career in ophthalmology.
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I was introduced to the game in the mid 1960s in the home of our ground-floor neighbour, Abdulbhai, at Islamabad Flats on United Nations Road. He owned the famous Vega Radio store on Morogoro Road in Dar es Salaam. One day, while visiting his home, I saw his children, Alnoor and Shanawaz, playing table tennis on their large dining room table. I took up the game and was beating both of them within weeks at their own game. My subsequent success in Dar es Salaam was when I shockingly upset the top two seeds in the semi-final and final of the Aga Khan Table Tennis Junior Under 17 championship. It was inspired by the training I received from (Late) Mohammed Amersi (Kanji), who was the best table tennis player in Tanzania. Also a great badminton player, Mohammed would first come to my table at the Aga Khan Club in Dar es Salaam, located behind my secondary school, Shaaban Robert, and intentionally allow me to win games against him to encourage me. His coaching to me and his younger brother, Salim Kanji, who is now in Toronto, nearly led us to a shocking win in a men’s doubles match against top seeds Priyakant Patel and Subash Bharadia in the Dar es Salaam Open held at the Indian Gymkhana. I remember I had forgotten my mandatory coloured polo shirt at home and wore my regular white shirt for the game, to which Subash fiercely objected — and wanted a default win — before Priyakant stepped in and asked his partner to calm down!
Malik Merchant, with his doubles partner Salim Kanji, smashes a forehand return in a double’s match against Priyakant Patel and Subash Baradia, at the Indian Gymkhana’s 1969 open table tennis tournament in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Photograph: Malik Merchant collection.
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Malik Merchant’s current collection of table tennis bats that he uses in Calgary (Stiga, left, and two Palio bats, Master, centre, and Legend). Photograph: Malik Merchant collection.
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Malik Merchant proudly collects his trophy from “Mama” at the Indian Gymkhana for winning the Aga Khan Club Juniors Singles under 17 Table Tennis tournament a few months earlier. The tournament took place at the Aga Khan Gymkhana in Dar es Slaam in 1969. Photograph: Malik Merchant collection.
In the early 1970s in London, UK, I represented my North London Polytechnic in the inter college/university league.
With table tennis, my cricket batting improved dramatically. Bowlers were quick to note my fast reaction times. I saw the ball like a football, after leaving the bowler’s arms. However, no one could have excited me in London more than my friend Aziz Jetha, who defeated seeded players in the earlier rounds of the Fulham Broadway tournament before knocking out a strongly favoured and top-seeded Nigerian player. Jetha’s incredible defensive game, with sudden bursts of attacking play, was genuinely frustrating to the Nigerian and others he played earlier. As one my best table tennis friends, I lost 70% of all the matches I played with Aziz, whether at 5 Palace Gate or at the Imperial College’s table tennis room, where we would meet after Jamatkhana. In between my time in the UK and Canada, I was in Salt Lake City, Utah, where my doubles partner and I lost very narrowly in the city’s open finals in 1980.
Coming to Canada, Habiba Thawer and I won the mixed double for Ottawa in the Ismaili Games in the mid-1980s. My drawback over the decades I played the game was a weak backhand due to the wrong grip of the bat, which no one noted and corrected since my teenage years. I knew about this all along but only recently corrected my grip in Calgary. I have seen a significant improvement in my backhand game, even at my current retirement age! COVID-19 prevented my regular participation at the local CUSTTA table tennis club. The club has some fantastic players, but no one could match Faazil Kassam when he was at the top.
Table tennis is a quick-paced game, and the Chinese won all 5 individual and team gold medals at the recent Paris Olympics. Some of the rallies I watched were absolutely incredible. Homes with basements should have table tennis tables where children can start this beautiful sport, which will help them in other sports, including skiing, ice hockey, basketball and baseball, which require fast reactions and responses. I remember being frustrated with the Blue Jays batters some years ago. I even wrote a letter to the club asking their batters to play table tennis regularly to improve their batting. That’s not a joke! It had helped me in my cricket batting.
Ismaili boy Kef Noorani of California has dreams of making the US Men’s National Team and competing in the Olympics. Photograph: The Ismaili.
Kef Noorani’s inspiring story in The Ismaili reflects his keen interest and recent achievements, and offers a glimpse into his promising future. As he continues to develop and participate on the world stage at the Junior Level, I sincerely hope that he will qualify to represent the USA in the World Table Tennis Championships and the next Olympic Games, which will be held in his home state, California, in Los Angeles, in 2028. The members of the Ismaili community across North America and worldwide can’t help but feel a sense of anticipation and excitement for what’s to come for Kef Noorani.
Date posted: August 27, 2024. Last updated: August 28, 2024 (typos.)
Simerg’s introduction of “Books by Ismaili Authors” continues with Salim Rahemtulla’s “Namirembe Road.” We follow the same Q/A format as our earlier presentations of books, which are listed chronologically below. We encourage Ismaili authors worldwide to participate in this series, regardless of when their books were published. See details of the series HERE and submit your responses to Simerg’s editor, Malik, at mmerchant@simerg.com.
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“With empathy, honesty, and insight, Rahemtulla invites readers to accompany him as he dives into the past, unraveling significant world events, including the Expulsion, Independence, Western cultural influence in East Africa and 1970s immigration to the UK. Through all of these delightful stories and characters, Salim highlights the profound significance of family and community ties that binds us together across time and distance”
Simerg: What is behind the name and title of the book?
Salim Rahemtulla: Namirembe Road is the name of the street that my family and I lived on, in a small apartment facing the majestic Kampala Jamatkhana. My father ran a second-hand shop on the road, and we lived upstairs. Right up until we had to leave Uganda, my life revolved around this road and the many friends and community members in the neighbourhood.
Simerg: Why would you want me or my family to read the book, and what will we learn from it?
Rahemtulla: This book will appeal to people that have been displaced from their homeland and forced to establish themselves in far away countries. For Ismaili readers in particular, the life of the community, how so much of life revolved around the Jamatkhana and community, may also be resonant. For those from East Africa and Kampala, a lot of the memories and places recalled in the memoir will be familiar. It’s a Life Journey that many people in similar situations can identify with.
Simerg: What inspired you to write the book?
Rahemtulla: After I retired about five years ago, my children encouraged me to enter the Arts World. Reluctantly I agreed and wrote a play about the 90 Days that Asians were given to leave Uganda. It was successful, and I continued with another project in the literary world by writing my memoir. I wanted to recall memories of Kampala, a place that is so fond to me, memories of my big family, and of my parents.
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Front cover of Salim Rahemtulla’s “Namirembe Road” published by Friesen Press, June 13, 2024, hardback, paperback and eBook, 204 pp.
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Simerg: How can I purchase the book, and what are its available formats?
Rahemtulla: The book is available in ebook, paperback, and hardback format on my publisher’s website, FriesenPress and can also in these formats from Chapter-Indigo, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles.
Simerg: Did you hire an editor, an illustrator or did you do all the work by yourself?
Rahemtulla: When I first started, I spent a few weeks with an editor but once I settled on which publisher to go with, they provided editorial feedback and cover designers.
Simerg: How did you find a publisher for the book?
Rahemtulla: Through online research, focusing on the types of books that had already been handled by the publisher.
Simerg:Which was your first book, and how many have you written?
Rahemtulla: My first script was 90 Days, a theatre production produced by Western Gold Theatre in Vancouver in September 2022. Namirembe Road is my first book.
Simerg: How long did it take you to write the book — from start to finish?
Rahemtulla: It took me approximately two years to complete.
Simerg: Tell us something more about your book (and its primary character).
Rahemtulla: The book is my memoir/autobiography from early childhood to present day. When my children were growing up, I used to tell them stories about my life in Kampala and how I went to University and then the expulsion which brought us to Canada. They remember some of the stories and often talk about it, and also tease me for all the details I remember. So, I decided to entrench it by writing my memoir for the family, for the grandchildren to come and for friends that were with me in some of my life experiences.
Date posted: August 3, 2024.
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About the Author
Salim Rahemtulla
Salim Rahemtulla was raised in Kampala as one of nine children in a deeply united family of modest means. In 1971, he received a partial bursary to study Computer Science at the University of Manchester, UK, which was meant to be a step toward a brighter future. Little did he foresee the tumultuous political landscape that would soon unravel and dramatically alter the course of his life. The dictator Idi Amin had come to power in Uganda earlier that year, and one of his first acts as president was to order the expulsion of some 80,000 Asians — most of whom, like Rahemtulla’s family, were of Indian descent. Salim completed his education in the UK and then reunited with his parents and siblings in Canada, a country that had opened its arms to thousands of fleeing Asian Ugandans as refugees. Salim — a husband, father, computer scientist, and hotel owner — has travelled to India and Uganda to rediscover his roots. His theatre production “90 Days,” telling the story of an Ismaili Muslim family’s forced departure from Uganda in 1972, premiered at the Pal Studio Theatre in Vancouver in September 2022. He also made an acting debut in his daughter Zahida’s widely acclaimed play The Wrong Bashir in Vancouver and Toronto in 2024.
Salim Rahemtulla lives with his wife, Nasreen, in Burnaby, B.C., enjoying the company of his large family and many friends. He spends much of his time writing and playing tennis, squash, pickleball, and soccer — the sport that he grew up playing on Namirembe Road.
Calling all Ismaili Authors
We encourage Ismaili writers to introduce their books in a similar format as has been done in the post above. Please also see the series launch article and submit your responses to Malik at mmerchant@simerg.com. All submissions will be acknowledged. If a writer has published multiple books, each book will be highlighted in a separate article, and not combined with other books into one post. All writers should include a brief profile with a portrait photo.
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Links to the Ismaili Authors’ Series (in chronological sequence, oldest article first)
Before departing this website please take a moment to review Simerg’s Table of Contents for links to hundreds of thought provoking pieces on a vast array of subjects including faith and culture, history and philosophy, and arts and letters to name a few. Also visit Simerg’s sister websites Barakah, dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan, and Simergphotos.
[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.
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.
Please click on image for enlargement
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.
Simerg’s introduction of “Books by Ismaili Authors” continues with Boustan Hirji’s translation of Sijistani’s “Al-Risalah al Bahirah.” We follow the same Q/A format as our earlier presentations of books, which are listed chronologically below. We encourage Ismaili authors worldwide to participate in this series, regardless of when their books were published. See details of the series HERE and submit your responses to Simerg’s editor, Malik, at mmerchant@simerg.com.
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Simerg’s Interview with Ismaili Scholar Dr. Boustan Hirji
Dr. Boustan Hirji
“Al-Risalah al Bahirah is such a profound, fathomless space of intellectual ideas and crucial for understanding the depth of the Ismaili tradition, that I would hope that it makes for interesting reading for both Ismailis and anyone curious about syncretic traditions that have an impact on our current lives and societies” — Boustan Hirji
Simerg: What is behind the name and title of the book?
Boustan Hirji: The book’s title is a translation of the title given to the treatise by al-Sijistani himself.
Simerg: Why would you want me or my family to read the book, and what will we learn from it?
Boustan: This treatise in particular makes for a very interesting reading because Sijistani writes on the subject of Resurrection from a wider perspective on the history of ideas yet stays focused on the Isma’ili point of view. He is an original thinker who draws from the Buddhist, Hindu, and Hellenistic traditions and yet is uniquely representative of the Badakshani Ismaili tradition.
Simerg: What inspired you to write the book?
Boustan: My Professor and thesis supervisor at McGill University, Dr Hermann Landolt, shared this manuscript with me when I spent some days with him and his family in Pany, Switzerland. It is a manuscript that is very dear to his heart, and I am indebted to him for introducing me to the world of Sijistani. Ever since then, Sijistani has been my constant companion, a treasure waiting to be revealed.
Interview continues below
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Print Edition
Front cover of the print edition of Boustan Hirji’s translation of Fatimid philosopher al-Sijistani’s epistle al-Risalah al-Bahirah, published by Olduvai Publications, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, 2024, pp. 167. Foreword by Mohamed Abualy Alibhai.
Thanks to the pioneering and lifelong studies by Paul Walker, we are becoming increasingly knowledgeable about the Fatimid daՙi and philosopher Abu Yaՙqub al-Sijistani. Based on two manuscripts, Dr. Boustan Hirji has prepared an English translation and critical edition of the Arabic text of Yaqub al-Sijistani’s al-Risalah al-Bahirah (‘The Epistle on the Radiance‘). The book is free of charge in print and PDF through an email request to olduvai.publications@gmail.com. The free distribution has been made possible by a generous donor. Kindly note that only limited copies of the print edition are available.
Electronic Edition (PDF)
Front and back covers of the PDF edition of Boustan Hirji’s translation of Fatimid philosopher al-Sijistani’s epistle al-Risalah al-Bahirah, published by Olduvai Publications, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, 2024. Foreword by Mohamed Abualy Alibhai.
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Simerg: How can I purchase the book, and what are its available formats?
Boustan: The book is available in paperback and ebook (pdf) formats.
(We are pleased to inform our readers that both versions of Dr. Boustan Hirji’s book are free due to a generous donation. Please write to Dr. Mohamed Alibhai at olduvai.publications@gmail.com for more details about obtaining the book. Note that the availability of the print edition is limited — Ed.)
Simerg: How did you find a publisher for the book?
Boustan: My friend and fellow Sijistani scholar, Dr. Mohamed Alibhai, is a publisher, and he was keen to publish it. He was my editor, my Socrates, my friend and my taskmaster!
Simerg:Which was your first book, and how many have you written?
Boustan: This is my first book in the academic field of Ismaili philosophy. The first edition of the manuscript al-Risalah al Bahirah, its translation and Introduction to it was originally published by the Tehran branch of McGill University. Earlier, I had published a book on Gender stories in Syria, Egypt and Bangladesh. It is available from Amazon under the title Sands Under a Relentless Sun.
Simerg: How long did it take you to write the book — from start to finish?
Boustan: The current work has accompanied me on a long journey as I lived my tumultuous life! I kept re-reading, rethinking passages and ideas, until I agreed to have it published. Al-Risalah al Bahirah is such a profound, fathomless space of intellectual ideas and crucial for understanding the depth of the Ismaili tradition that I would hope that it makes for interesting reading for both Ismailis and anyone curious about syncretic traditions that have an impact on our current lives and societies.
Date posted: April 3, 2024.
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About the Author
Dr. Boustan Hirji
Boustan Hirji was born and grew up in Bangladesh and attended the convent-run Holy Cross School and Holy Cross College until she was 18. She completed a Bachelor of Arts at St. Mary’s at Notre Dame, cum laude, majoring in Political Sociology.
Boustan obtained a Master of Theological Studies at The School of Theology (a Methodist Seminary) Boston University. Her thesis compared the Exodus and the Hijrah.
She then proceeded to join an MA-PhD programme at the Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University. The MA was in Islamic Theology (Kalam). The PhD was in Ismaili philosophy, focusing on al-Sijistani. Her doctoral dissertation (upon which her book is based) was recommended by the external examiner, Dr. Abbas Hamdani, for the university’s Dean’s List.
Boustan Hirji was appointed to teach in the joint programme of McGill University and The Institute of Ismaili Studies in London, England in the 1980s. After this, Dr. Hirji taught in the Religious Studies department of McGill University.
She was given The Alumni Award of the Year in 2016, for Excellence in Teaching and Leadership Skills by the School of Theology, Boston University, USA.
Until she retired in 2020, she taught in the Liberal Arts Honours Programme at Dawson College, Montreal, Canada.
Calling all Ismaili Authors
We encourage Ismaili writers to introduce their books in a similar format as has been done in the post above. Please also see the series launch article and submit your responses to Malik at mmerchant@simerg.com. All submissions will be acknowledged. If a writer has published multiple books, each book will be highlighted in a separate article, and not combined with other books into one post. All writers should include a brief profile with a portrait photo.
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Links to the Ismaili Authors’ Series (in chronological sequence, oldest article first)
Before departing this website please take a moment to review Simerg’s Table of Contents for links to hundreds of thought provoking pieces on a vast array of subjects including faith and culture, history and philosophy, and arts and letters to name a few. Also visit Simerg’s sister websites Barakah, dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan, and Simergphotos.