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
Category Archives: Literary Readings from Ismaili History
Editor’s Note: The author’s name, a refugee in Spain, is being withheld to respect her privacy and protect her family members, who are dispersed in South and Central Asia. We have communicated with the author and are pleased to publish her inspiring and moving account of her Didar with Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, the 50th Hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims. She attended the Didar with the Jamat of Portugal and Spain on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, and with the youth of both countries the following morning, Thursday, December 4. Her resilience and courage, highlighted by her family’s widespread dispersal, are remarkable. Her piece emphasizes the importance of shared stories that strengthen our community bonds and sense of purpose.
Letter from Spain: My Didar of Mawlana Hazar Imam in Lisbon
The motif representing Nur or Light, has been used by Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, during his inaugural visits to Ismaili Muslims around the world. His recent visit to Portugal from December 3 to 5, 2025, was his fifth such visit since becoming their 50th Imam on February 4, 2025. It was preceeded by visits to the USA (November), Uganda (September), Kenya (August), and France (July). Photograph: The Ismaili.
I received the news of the Didar of Mawlana Hazar Imam Shah Rahim al Hussaini twenty days earlier. It felt like a morning breeze carrying a long-held, unreachable wish. When I first heard that the Didar would take place from the 1st to the 4th, my heart began to shiver with happiness. Yet, at the same time, a weight of sorrow settled in my chest. I feared that I might not be able to go — that the wish I had carried throughout my life would never come true — because I am a refugee in Spain, awaiting the final documents confirming my refugee status.
With all the “yeses” and “nos” circling in my mind, and despite all the limitations around me, a small flame of hope kept whispering in my heart: You must go… You have to try. You deserve for this dream to come true.
Following that hope, I spoke with my social worker and case lawyer. I explained the value of this visit and described how deeply it mattered to me, both mentally and personally. But their response was subdued. They warned it could jeopardize my refugee case.
Yet I knew that if I did not make it to this Didar, I might lose a part of myself forever — a part that could never be found again. I accepted the risk because this was not just a journey. It was a symbol of my resilience and hope. It made me feel as though my soul was being protected. I decided to set out on the journey I had been waiting for my entire life, trusting that faith and perseverance would guide me through.
On Monday morning, the 1st of December — the Didar by now had been confirmed for the 3rd with the Jamat and on the 4th with the youth — I took a chance and rode to Lisbon. I prayed silently: Dear Allah, please make my path into this Didar easy… I want to reach without any trouble. By Allah’s grace, I entered Portugal without any problems, and waves of joy began moving through my heart.
That night, and the night before visiting Mawlana Hazar Imam, I could not sleep at all. I kept thinking: I am going to meet someone who has known me for so long, who loves me, who cares for me, who is my Imam, and who is like a father to me.
The arrival of morning felt like the arrival of light into the darkest corners of my heart. I counted every moment, feeling deeply grateful for the bond I had with the Imam, wondering whether I was dreaming or awake. In my 24 years of life, this was my first time visiting the Hazar Imam of the Ismaili community, and it felt almost unbelievable. Suddenly, I heard “اللهم صلّی علی محمد و آل محمد”…. Allahumm-a Sall-i ‘Ala Muhammad-in Wa Al-i Muhammad…. My eyes were already open, yet I tried to open them wider — to see more, hear more, feel more.
Story continues below
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, on stage at the Didar for the Jamat of Portugal and Spain, in Lisbon, December 3, 2025. Photograph: IPL / Akbar Hakim.
“From where will he enter?” I whispered with a trembling voice. And then, in that very moment, my eyes caught sight of Hazar Imam. A wave of emotion washed over me — my heart grew heavy, my throat dried, and tears began falling from the corners of my eyes. With my hand on my heart, I kept watching him, overwhelmed by a mix of awe and longing.
For a moment, my heart spoke words that had been silent for years — words filled with sorrow, loneliness, and the hardships of being a refugee. With every step Hazar Imam took, my heart repeated those words, tears streaming down my face. I whispered, Why have I come so late to see you? Why could I not attend this Didar with my family? Why have we been shattered?
Although I felt immense happiness at reaching this Didar and seeing the luminous face of Hazar Imam, a heaviness lingered in my heart. In this sacred moment, my elation from finally arriving was met by loneliness. The joy of connection stood beside the ache of separation from my family and memories of enduring many hardships. These two emotions, happiness and pain, moved together within me.
Meeting Hazar Imam was a transformative spiritual experience that marked a turning point in my faith journey. I felt his presence, hearing every word in my heart and sensing each of my steps. From that moment, I no longer remained the weak and broken version of myself. A new hope has blossomed within me, and a new strength has settled in my heart.
As I write this piece, I feel like the luckiest person on earth. I feel light and relieved, no longer weighed down. All the helplessness and weakness that overshadowed me for years have disappeared. This is the light of Imamat. From the moment I saw Imam Hazir, Shah Rahim al Hussaini, and spoke to him with my broken heart, I found the peace I had been missing for years. Now, I feel like a blessed and spiritually renewed child.
Fortunately, as a young member of the Jamat, I had the opportunity to attend another Didar the next morning, Thursday, December 4. This Didar was in the intimate setting of the Darkhana Jamatkhana at the Ismaili Centre Lisbon. The previous day’s Didar was attended by around 3,000 members from Portugal and Spain. It was held at FIL — Feira Internacional de Lisboa, in Parque das Nações. I was informed it was the venue of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Mawlana Shah Karim in July 2018.
Now I was already in Lisbon. I had had my first beautiful Didar, which filled me with (spiritual) happiness I cannot truly express in words. I was going to be in Mawlana Imam Hazar Imam’s presence, to see him in person once again and to listen to his loving words that always bring peace to my heart.
We left the hotel at 7:30 in the morning. With every step I took toward the venue, I felt joy slowly flooding my heart, like a calm yet powerful wave. I had prepared myself with care, wanting to be worthy of such a special moment.
But just when everything seemed perfect, something unexpected happened. I didn’t have the special card for the second day. They had told me earlier that the same card from the first day would be enough. Still, they refused to let me enter. My heart sank. I thought I might miss the second moment, surrounded by Hazar Imam’s young spiritual children, I had been waiting for.
They asked me to wait on the side while they decided. Every second felt incredibly long. I watched other young people walk in, smiling, while I stood outside. I was caught between hope and disappointment. I could feel my heartbeat slowing down, as if giving up…
After about twenty minutes, someone came and told me I could go inside. At that moment, it felt like I could breathe again. I stepped in, full of emotion. I was almost the last person to arrive, but my heart was overflowing with gratitude… truly grateful.
Not long after, Hazar Imam walked into the Jamatkhana hall. I instinctively straightened up, as if my whole being wanted to welcome him with love and respect. He looked at the youth with warm energy and a loving fatherly smile. I felt something new growing inside me.
Story continues below
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, addresses young members of the Ismaili communities of Portugal and Spain in the Darkhana Jamatkhana at the Ismaili Center, Lisbon, December 4, 2025. Photograph: IPL / Akbar Hakim.
When he began to speak, his words glowed with faith, hope, learning, respect, and strength. I promised myself I wouldn’t just listen — I would live those words. Like millions around the world, I will listen again as Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Farmans are read out in Jamatkhanas and distributed as printed booklets.
I was going through one of the most challenging moments of my life, feeling lost until his words felt like fresh air filling my lungs again. At first, I was overwhelmed by despair, but his encouragement brought back my desire to live and to fight for a better tomorrow. It felt as if a hand of light lifted me from darkness and whispered: It’s not over… There is always hope. The two days of Didar became the most memorable and happiest days of my life, and I will cherish the experience for the rest of my life.
Date posted: December 9, 2025
NOTE: A version of this post appears on our sister website Barakah, which is dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan, members of his family and the Ismaili Imamat.
We paid tribute to Kutub Kassam of the Institute of Ismaili Studies after he passed away on March 24, 2019. Several readers shared their condolence messages, highlighting his lasting impact.
More recently, Arthur Rosenthal, who met Kutub in the 1960s in Kenya, learnt of his death on Simerg and responded with a beautiful message, which we publish below. Kutub, in his many years with Jamati institutions and the IIS, made significant contributions that continue to inspire. He spent 35 years at the Institute of Ismaili Studies, for which he was congratulated and recognized by Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, then Prince Rahim, during the Institute’s 40th anniversary celebration held in London in November 2017. Simerg’s original tribute also included a beautiful poem by Kutub, Come, who will walk with me? Please read the poem, and let’s remember Kutub again for his accomplishments, as we publish Rosenthal’s message.
I stopped at a fast food Indian takeout stand in my hometown in Northern California this afternoon [November 21, 2025] and ordered 2 samosas. It made me think of my friend Kutub Kassam who I knew at the University College of Nairobi in 1966 when I was an American student spending a year abroad in East Africa. Kutub and I had a mutual interest in writing and reading poetry. We collaborated, along with another friend, Leonard Kibera, on a poetry anthology magazine that we published through the University. We spent many afternoons walking together through the streets of Nairobi, stopping for tea and samosas. Since my memory of Kutub was kindled by today’s samosas I decided to do an internet search and this website [Simerg] popped up. I am saddened to learn of Kutub’s passing. I wish we’d had a chance to connect again before he left the earth, but that was not meant be.
Thursday, November 6, 2025, marked a historic day in the life of the Ismaili Muslims of the USA as Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, the 50th Hereditary Imam of the Ismaili Muslims, and the Honorable Mayor of Houston, John Whitmire, officially inaugurated the Ismaili Center in Houston.
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, welcomes the Honorable Mayor of Houston, John Whitmire, as he arrives to inaugurate the Ismaili Center, Houston, November 6, 2025. Photograph: IPL / Akbar Hakim.
It was also a historic day in the context of six other beautiful Ismaili Centres that were conceived and inaugurated around the world between 1985 and 2014 by His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, Mawlana Shah Karim, the 49th Imam. The Ismaili Center Houston, first conceived by Mawlana Shah Karim in 2006, was inaugurated by his Hereditary successor, His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan.
An aerial view of the 11-acre site of the Ismaili Center, Houston. In the centre of the photo, the Ismaili Center building, with the larger North garden — bottom of photo — facing the Allen Parkway as well as the largest evian in the Ismaili Center. . The South Garden, at the top of the photo, has vehicle exits to West Dallas Avenue (top) and to Montrose Boulevard at the right. To the left of the photo, there is a smaller Evian with views of a residential neighbourhood and the downtown skyline of Houston. Photograph: Iwan Baan.
The new seventh Ismaili Center in Houston is situated on more than nine acres of gardens and green space. It is in close proximity to Houston’s downtown core, featuring fantastic cultural spaces. Houston is ranked as America’s most ethnically diverse major city and is home to thriving communities that have shaped its reputation for innovation, the arts, and culture. Among these vibrant communities is the diverse Ismaili community, estimated to be around 30,000 strong. The Ismaili Center, with its unique architecture and cultural programs, will serve as a hub for cultural, artistic and educational exchange, connecting the Ismaili community with the rest of Houston and contributing to the city’s rich cultural tapestry.
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan (2nd from left), with members of his family — his brother Prince Hussain, his uncle and younger brother of His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, Prince Amyn, and his youngest brother Prince Aly Muhamad, who joined him for the inauguration in Houston of the first Ismaili Center in the USA, November 6, 2025. Photograph: IPL / Akbar Hakim.
Mawlana Hazar Imam’s uncle, Prince Amyn, the younger brother of the late Imam, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, and his two younger brothers, Prince Hussain and Prince Aly Muhammad, attended the ceremony alongside members of Congress, Texas state legislators, and representatives of faith communities from across the country.
Story continues below
The stage is set for the arrival of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, and Houston Mayor John Whitmire for the inauguration of the Ismaili Center, Houston. The new logo of the Ismaili Center, Houston, takes a prominent position at the center of the stage, symbolizing a new chapter for Ismaili Centres located in other countries worldwide. The unveiled plaque is positioned to the right, with the flags (from right to left) of the Ismaili Imamat, the State of Texas, and the USA at the left. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Barakah.
The soft tunes from a team of musicians from Central Asia filled the air as the 3rd-floor social hall, the space chosen for the inauguration, began to fill up shortly after 10:00 AM. A simple yet beautiful stage had been set up with flags of the USA, the State of Texas, and the Ismaili Imamat at one end, and the inauguration plaque, waiting to be unveiled, at the other. When the arrival of His Highness the Aga Khan’s motorcade was announced, everyone’s attention was drawn to the TV screen. His Highness then warmly received Mayor John Whitmire. The audience was asked to rise as the dignitaries entered the inauguration hall. A rendering of the American National Anthem was sung by a group of Ismaili youth, followed by a musical rendition of the Nashid al Imamah, a significant part of the Ismaili community’s culture during events such as this. This Nashid is somewhat equivalent in tune to what was once regarded by community members as its anthem, the “Noore-Rasullilah,” which marked the commencement of important events for decades before the musical rendition of the Nashid was introduced during the Golden Jubilee of His Late Highness in 2008.
Story continues below
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, Houston Mayor John Whitmire and attendees pay their respects at the recitation of the USA Anthem and a rendering of the Nashid al Imamah during the inauguration of the Ismaili Center, Houston, November 6, 2025. Photograph: IPL / Akbar Hakim.
The recitations were then followed on the stage with an Arabic reading of a Quranic verse from Surah Al-Hujurat (49:13) and its English translation, which reads as follows:
“O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.” — Al-Hujurat, The Dwellings, 49:13.
Al-Karim Alidina, President of the Aga Khan Ismaili Council for the USA, welcomed guests and traced the project’s origins to a long-term vision. “His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan had a decades-long aspiration to establish an Ismaili Center in the United States,” he said, “one that would reflect the values and identity of the Ismaili community. So today marks a moment of pride and joy for the community.”
Story continues below
The Honorable Mayor of Houston, John Whitmire, delivers a passionate extempore speech at the inauguration of the Ismaili Center, Houston, November 6, 2025. Photograph: IPL / Akbar Hakim.
~~~~~~~~
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, applauds during a moment of Mayor John Whitmire’s remarks delivered at the inauguration of the Ismaili Center, Houston, November 6, 2025. Photograph: IPL / Akbar Hakim.
In his extempore speech, Mayor Whitmire passionately spoke of the magnitude and historic nature of the landmark occasion. “The Ismaili community working with the city of Houston residents,” he said, “our region, our state of Texas, and the United States — we’re making a statement today that we’re all in this together. The Mayor looked forward to the Center’s impact in the city and beyond: “This is only the beginning of something great,” he said. His remarks were met with a rousing reception from the audience and greatly appreciated by His Highness.
In his address, Mawlana Hazar Imam reflected on his father Mawlana Shah Karim’s vision for the building and its gardens, his personal interest in their design, and his wish to designate the Ismaili Center in Houston as a Diamond Jubilee project. Mawlana Hazar Imam also spoke about his own aspirations for the building and its intended use. “This building may be called an Ismaili Center, but it is not here for Ismailis only. It is for all Houstonians to use; a place open to all who seek knowledge, reflection, and dialogue,” he said.
Story continues below
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, addresses guests gathered for the inauguration of the Ismaili Center, Houston, November 6, 2025. Photograph: IPL / Akbar Hakim.
“Whether through hosting recitals, launching books, presenting concerts, promoting local artists, or offering training, our intent is to provide a constant rhythm of events that spark curiosity, engender understanding, and encourage exchange.” However, in his remarks, he did emphasize the importance of the building as a Jamatkhana, a space for Ismaili worship.
Hazar Imam thanked the Mayor’s office, design team, project committee, leaders of the Jamat, donors, and the many volunteers for their time, effort, and dedication. His Highness also acknowledged the support of the mayors preceding Mayor Whitmore. He thanked the entire building team, including the architect, the landscape architects, and the engineers.
In paying a special tribute to his uncle Prince Amyn, he said that his “guidance, commitment, and close personal engagement over many years have been pivotal to the creation of Ismaili Centres across the world, and to this Ismaili Center here in Houston. He has been a constant and regular presence on this site and at deliberations throughout planning and execution. I am profoundly grateful for his insight and contribution.”
Story continues below
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, and Houston Mayor John Whitmire, congratulate each other after unveiling the Ismaili Center, Houston, inauguration plaque, November 6, 2025, marking an historic day in the life of the 50th Ismaili Imam, the Ismaili community in the usa and around the world, and the city of Houston, November 6, 2025. Photograph: IPL / Akbar Hakim.
The Mayor and His Highness then unveiled the plaque, etched in Gold. The plaque spanning 12 rows reads:
BISMILLAHIR RAHMANIR RAHIM (inscription is in Arabic) THE CREST OF THE ISMAILI IMAMAT followed by:
THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE ISMAILI CENTER WAS PERFORMED BY THE HONORABLE JOHN WHITMIRE MAYOR OF HOUSTON IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS HIGHNESS PRINCE RAHIM AGA KHAN FIFTIETH IMAM OF THE SHIA IMAMI ISMAILI MUSLIMS ON NOVEMBER SIXTH, 2025
The Inauguration Plaque of the Ismaili Center, Houston, was unveiled by Houston Mayor John Whitmire and Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, November 6, 2025. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Barakah.
After congratulatory exchanges, the dignitaries left the inauguration hall. Many visitors stayed behind to have their photos taken on the stage in front of or alongside the Flags and the inauguration plaque. In contrast, others were guided to the reception area in the large verandah where volunteers walked around and served a variety of tasty hors d’oeuvres accompanied by delicious light sherbet and a fruit drink.
Story continues below
A beautiful and intricate Mehndi (Henna) design on the hands of a visitor attending the inauguration of the Ismaili Center, Houston. Note the words’ Ya Ali’ appearing on the left hand (with the ring). November 6, 2025. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Barakah.
~~~~~~~~
The Ismaili Centre, Houston design and project teams — design architect Farshid Moussavi, Landscape architect Thomas Wolz, structural design consultant Hanif Kara, and Ismaili leaders pose for a group photo with Mayor Whitmire, Mawlana Hazar Imam — His Highness the Aga Khan –Prince Amyn, Prince Hussain, and Prince Aly Muhammad, as visitors watch from the reception area overlooking the Garden, November 6, 2025. Photograph: IPL / Akbar Hakim.
Overlooking the Gardens from the reception area, we witnessed the keen interest that Mawlana Shah Rahim and Mayor Whitmore showed as they were guided through the building by the building team.
Story continues below
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga, and members of his family, along with Mayor John Whitmire, gather by the reflecting pool at the North Garden of the Ismaili Center in Houston and receive an overview of the magnificent buildings from the dedicated design and building team on November 6, 2025. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Barakah.
~~~~~~~~
The North Garden of the Ismaili Center, Houston, is the larger of the two gardens. This is a view from the North Eivan (veranda), which is the largest of the three eivans. It can accommodate up to 800 people for lectures or receptions and up to 600 for banquets, November 6, 2025. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Barakah.
~~~~~~~
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga, and members of his family, along with Mayor John Whitmire and leaders of the Ismaili community, listen attentively as they receive an overview of the Ismaili Center, Houston, from the dedicated design and construction team, November 6, 2025. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Barakah.
~~~~~~~
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, and Mayor John Whitmire listen attentively as they receive an overview of the Ismaili Center, Houston, from the dedicated design and construction team, November 6, 2025. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Barakah.
~~~~~~~~
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, and members of his family, along with Mayor John Whitmire, listen closely as the President of the Aga Khan Council for the USA, Al-Karim Alidina, offers remarks during the tour of the Ismaili Center in Houston following the inauguration ceremony, November 6, 2025. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Barakah.
Having relished the tasty hors d’oeuvres, the visitors were then delighted as Prince Amyn, Prince Hussain, and Prince Aly Muhammad joined them and freely mingled with the crowd, happily taking pictures with them.
Story continues below
Prince Hussain Aga Khan, younger brother of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, mingles with visitors gathered at the North Verandah of the Ismaili Center Houston, the reception area, following the inauguration ceremony and after completing his tour of the building and its gardens. He mentioned to me that he would need to revisit the Center to see it in its entirety, November 6, 2025. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Barakah.
~~~~~~~~
Prince Amyn Aga Khan, uncle of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, and younger brother of His Late Highness Aga Khan, mingles with visitors gathered at the North Verandah of the Ismaili Center Houston, following the inauguration ceremony and after completing a tour of the building and its gardens, November 6, 2025. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Barakah.
~~~~~~~~
Prince Aly Muhammad, younger brother of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, mingles with visitors gathered at the North Verandah of the Ismaili Center, Houston, following the inauguration ceremony and after completing a tour of the building and its gardens, November 6, 2025. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Barakah.
I had been introduced to the Ismaili Center, along with several other media representatives, in a three-hour session the day before, on Wednesday, November 4. However, time was limited to visit the many spaces within and outside the Center, as preparations had to be finalized for the following day’s inauguration.
Story continues below
Amazingly, the Ismaili Center, Houston, has interconnected wings, three in all, each of which features a soaring Eivan. This view of the largest Evian, which hosted the reception after the inauguration ceremony, is from another smaller Evian, November 6, 2025. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Barakah.
~~~~~~~~
A view of a residential neighbourhood and further away, Houston’s downtown skyline from a smaller Evian at the Ismaili Center, Houston, November 6, 2025. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Barakah.
On inauguration day, after most of the visitors had left, I spent a considerable amount of time touring the interior and exterior of the building. I was fascinated by the Center’s interconnected wings, each of which features a soaring eivan — an open-sided veranda that provides shaded spaces for gathering and reflection, as well as the classrooms, the theatre room, and the more than 30 artistic works that were being mentioned as being a permanent feature of the Center.
On inauguration day, a special exhibit of creative objects was displayed in an exhibition space. Additionally, the Center features offices, meeting rooms, social halls, and exhibition spaces. The central atrium features a very high skylight, inspired by Ismaili dwellings in the Pamirs of Central Asia.
Story continues below
The Ismaili Center, Houston, with its beautiful reflecting pond in the South Garden, as buses come to collect visitors for a trip back to their hotels after a historical inauguration ceremony performed by Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, and Houston Mayor John Whitmire, November 6, 2025. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Barakah.
Outside, the visitors are welcomed by a diverse array of green spaces that change with the seasons. These include reflecting pools, flower beds, lawns, and walkways. The gardens are home to 800 trees and native floodplain species, carefully chosen to suit the local environment. As the landscape architect explained, the entire outdoor space will take on a different appearance as plants and trees grow over the coming months. The elusive monarch butterflies added a touch of enchantment.
Story continues below
From left to right, the Flags of the Ismaili Imamat, bearing the gold crest of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, the State of Texas and the USA fly in the south garden, near the Montrose Blvd gate exit of the Ismaili Center, Houston, November 6, 2025. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Barakah.
Reflecting the late Imam’s desire to infuse the Gardens with a sense of whimsy, he proposed planting cacti around one of the reflecting ponds. As a flag enthusiast, I made my way to one of the Center’s gates to capture the American, Texas, and the Ismaili Imamat Flags fluttering in the breeze — it was a patient wait, as the wind was calm. In every corner of the two longitudinal gardens, I experienced a serene and beautiful environment.
Story continues below
Cacti in the South Garden of the Ismaili Center, Houston, November 5, 2025. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Baralkah.
Back inside, I observed the heart of the building filled with natural light, with views of the sky above. The in-out concept presented a visitor from the outside at any entrance. The myriad offices, meeting rooms, social halls, exhibition space, and a theatre offer places for learning and contemplation as well as entertainment.
Story continues below
An exhibition prepared to celebrate the inauguration of the Ismaili Center, Houston, November 6, 2025. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Barakah.
~~~~~~
A depiction of the central atrium area of the Ismaili Center, Houston, by Salina Kassam, a Kenyan-born Ismaili artist now based in Canada, as part of her series entitled “Ineffable Spaces: The Seven Ismaili Centres, 2025.” The works of art of the seven beautiful centres form part of a permanent collection of artistic works in the Houston Ismaili Center. They are inkjet photographs printed on cotton paper, November 6, 2025. Photograph of the artwork captured by Malik Merchant / Barakah.
~~~~~~~~
Central Atrium of the Ismaili Center, Houston, with a skylight inspired by the traditional ceiling of Ismaili dwellings in the Pamirs in Central Asia, November 5, 2025. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Barakah.
~~~~~~~~
A view of the Jamatkhana in the Ismaili Center, Houston, a place of worship for the Ismaili Muslims. The Mihrab, facing the Kaaba, is in the far end of the photo. The panels around the diamond-shaped Jamatkhana, which can accommodate around 1,500 people, are inscribed in Arabic with the names of Allah, Muhammad, and Ali. The carpet has a beautiful pattern, November 5, 2025. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Barakah.
The diamond-shaped Jamatkhana prayer hall, which can accommodate up to 1,500people, is surrounded by panels featuring calligraphy that bears the words “Allah,” “Ali,” and “Muhammad.” The beautiful carpet is lightly coloured. My greatest wish to participate with my brothers and sisters within the Jamatkhana space for prayers will not be fulfilled as the Ismaili Center’s official opening will take place days after my departure.
Story continues below
After a memorable and historic day celebrating the inauguration of the Ismaili Center in Houston, visitors board their buses to return to their hotels, November 6, 2025. Photograph: Malik Merchant / Barakah.
For the hundreds of thousands who will visit the Center in the future, Ismailis and non-Ismailis alike, its opening marks a milestone moment for the 50th Ismaili Imam, and his spiritual children, the Ismailis, in the USA and worldwide.
As Mawlana Hazar Imam explained in his speech: “It is my deep hope, that with your engagement, this Center will lift spirits and broaden horizons; this Center will bring people together, strengthen bonds, and help us all, collectively, to bring happiness and harmony to societies here and elsewhere.”
Date posted: November 7, 2025. Last updated: November 24, 2025 (formatting.)
A version of this post appears on Simerg’s sister website, Barakah, which is dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan.
Leading up to the inauguration of the Ismaili Center, Houston, on November 6, 2025, by His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan, Christianity Today, founded in 1956 by Billy Graham (d. 2018), and with a worldwide circulation of 130,000 today, has published a two-part series on the Ismaili Center and the Ismailis. The first article, Everything Is Bigger in Texas, Including Its New Islamic Center by Ken Chitwood, a contributing writer to Christianity Today, portrays the Center as a structure that mirrors Houston’s reputation for grandeur, situated on an 11-acre site with nine gardens and a 150,000-square-foot building that includes a theatre, banquet halls, a café, and a prayer area.
Story continues below
Please click on the photograph to read the article in Christianity Today.
The writer, in a balanced tone, underscores the Center’s role as a hub for dialogue among Houston’s religious communities. Chitwood has skillfully incorporated the perspectives of key members of the Ismaili community, as well as a Christian pastor, a Methodist Minister, and others, who share their insights and reflections on the Center and the Ismaili community in Texas.
“For Ismailis today, who number between 12 and 15 million across 35 countries, pluralism is more than a commitment — it is near dogma. That is due to the center’s subsect, Nizari Ismailism, and its distinguishing feature: the living imam. Most Shiite Muslims name the leader of the Islamic community an imam, but only the Nizari sect claims he is alive and actively present in the world today. And the imam’s legitimacy originates in his descent from Muhammad” — Jayson Caper in Christianity Today
In the second and final part of the series, the article Who Are the Ismaili Muslims? by Jayson Casper, a Lebanon-based Middle East correspondent for Christianity Today, provides an overview of Ismaili history within the context of Shia and Sunni Islam from the time of the Prophet Muhammad to the present 50th Imam, His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan, who is making a visit to Texas from November 5-10, 2025. The article also sheds light on its theological beliefs, including the crucial and significant role of the Ismaili Imamat.
These are balanced articles by Christianity Today, considering its Global Initiative, which seeks to “expand our coverage to better represent what God is doing around the world, interconnecting the Global Church, and illuminating the work of Jesus on every continent.” For more information about Christianity Today, see the About Page.
1. March 22, 2018: His Late Highness Aga Khan IV confirms the development of an Ismaili Center in Houston
Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, arrives at Houston airport for his Diamond Jubilee visit to the USA in March 2018. Photograph: The Ismaili / Farid Mithani.
While Houston had been selected as the site of the first Ismaili Center in the USA by Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, in 2006, it was not until March 22, 2018, that he confirmed its development. During his momentous Diamond Jubilee visit to the USA and in his fourth address to his followers in Houston, following earlier ones made on March 20 and 21, Mawlana Shah Karim said:
“I am happy to say to my Jamat today that it is my hope that in the years ahead, we will be able to develop a Centre here in Houston, And I know that this is a matter where my Jamati leaders wanted me to confirm this to my Jamat — here is your confirmation, here is your confirmation. We will work together to create a Centre. It will be an ambassadorial building for our Jamat, a building of elegance, a building containing the representation of faith, a building where, Insha’Allah, you will find peace and strength on sirat al-mustaqim [the straight path]. I am happy to tell you that my brother is already working on this project. So we are looking for professional architects, or an architect, who will express our faith in this building. We have sought to do that in other buildings around the world that have been built recently, and I think, generally speaking, we have been successful.”
A two-decade journey reaches a significant milestone in USA Ismaili history when His Highness the Aga Khan V, makes an official visit to the USA from November 5-10, 2025, during which he will inaugurate the Ismaili Center, Houston, the seventh high-profile Ismaili cultural center in the world and the first in the United States.
___________________
2. The site of the Ismaili Center, Houston
An empty lot situated on Allen Parkway and Montrose Boulevard, across from Buffalo Bayou Park, just west of downtown Houston, was selected as the site of the Ismaili Center, Houston. Photograph: The Aga Khan Ismaili Council for the USA.
___________________
3. Competition is launched to design the Ismaili Center, Houston
An international design competition was launched in 2019, inviting architectural firms to submit design proposals for the new Ismaili Center in Houston. Submissions were received from high-profile firms, including OMA, David Chipperfield and Studio Gang.
___________________
4. Iranian born architect Farshid Moussavi wins designer contest
Farshid Moussavi holds up a model of the Ismaili Center, Houston, in her London studio. See a full-size photograph and read the related article in Metropolis magazine.
Farshid Moussavi of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design (GSD) was selected by His Late Highness Aga Khan IV to design the first Ismaili Center in the United States. The design team for the center also included the GSD’s Hanif Kara, co-founder of engineering firm AKT II, who served as structural design consultant. Paul Westlake of DLR Group was the architect of record, while Thomas Woltz of Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects led the landscape design.
A model and facade study of the new Ismaili Center, Houston, is on display in Farshid Moussavi’s London studio. See a full-size photograph and read the related article in Metropolis magazine.
“Our team brings a broad perspective, with diverse skills and experience in international practice, scholarly research, multidisciplinary thinking and delivering cultural projects successfully in the U.S.,” Moussavi told the Houston Chronicle. “It will bring Houston’s diverse communities together in a unique space for cultural, educational and social activities.”
___________________
5. November 15, 2021: Farshid Moussavi unveils design of Ismaili Center, Houston
“What made this project especially rewarding was the close alignment between the aspirations of the client and architect. What made it especially challenging was my awareness of the rigorous standards that His Highness the Aga Khan has established for architecture!” — Farshid Moussavi.
An artistic rendering of the Ismaili Center, Houston. Photograph: Imara Houston Inc / IPL via the Ismaili.
The design for the Ismaili Center in Houston’s Buffalo Bayou watershed was presented to the public on November 15, 2021, at a gathering of government and civic officials, community representatives and leaders from civil society organizations. Situated on Allen Parkway and Montrose Boulevard, the Ismaili Center was commissioned by Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, the 49th Hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims and founder and Chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN).
In presenting the design, Farshid Moussavi, internationally acclaimed architect, who also designed the Museum of Contemporary Art in Cleveland, observed:
“What made this project especially rewarding was the close alignment between the aspirations of the client and architect. What made it especially challenging was my awareness of the rigorous standards that His Highness the Aga Khan has established for architecture! We have tried to work with Islamic design philosophy, and celebrate its singularity and unique qualities as well as the features it has in common with Western design, so that the building, both through its fabric and through the way it is used, would act as a symbol of dialogue.”
“The building is designed with a compact footprint, leaving large portions of the site to be used as gardens. Given the frequently hot and humid climate of Houston and the prominence of the site in the city, it is designed with a tripartite form with each of its volumes hosting a soaring eivan (veranda) to enable social and cultural gatherings to occur outdoors throughout the year. The eivans are supported by forty-nine slender columns reminiscent of those used in Persepolis and seventeenth century palaces in Isfahan, Persia. In being open on all sides and visible from all approaches to the site, the eivans will make the Ismaili Center open and inviting in every direction. At night, they will transform it to a beacon of light along Montrose Boulevard and Allen Parkway.
A depiction of the garden spaces at the Ismaili Center, Houston. From wherever one enters the site, visitors will be welcomed by garden spaces. The Center’s landscaped gardens will provide a sense of serenity and peace, offering a respite from its urban surroundings. Photograph: Imara Houston Inc. / IPL.
“The Center’s design, contemporary in its expression, is reflective of a historically rooted, rich architectural heritage. It combines contemporary architectural technology – its light steel structure – with traditional Persian forms and ornament, including ceramic mosaics and screens drawn from Islamicate traditions around the world. Its design for sustainability includes assuring enhanced energy performance and longevity and durability of materials, by encasing exposed steel with concrete for a 100-year lifecycle, and using stone for the building’s exterior walls. Conceived as a tapestry in stone, the exterior walls will transition from solid areas to porous screens that will provide shade and privacy, and from flat surfaces to deep alcoves to permit shady repose fronting the gardens. The building exterior will therefore be defined by simplicity of form, openness, and an abstract decorative character.
“The building interior will include three atriums that will act as common, non-exclusive flexible spaces between rooms dedicated to specific events. Each is located adjacent to an eivan to bring in natural light and views of the sky to the heart of the building. The central atrium’s stepped structure clad in ceramic screens, celebrates the heritage of the cupola dating back to 3000 BCE, dominant in both the architecture of the Sasanian period in Persia and the Christian buildings of the Byzantine empire. The west and east atriums will give access to a theater, a large hall and learning spaces.
“The Center’s landscaped gardens will provide a sense of serenity and peace, offering a respite from its urban surroundings. The gardens will include tree canopies, fountains, shaded footpaths, flowerbeds, lawns and walkways. These will be spaces of solace, providing for the rejuvenation of the mind and the spirit.”
___________________
6. 2023-2024: Prince Amyn Aga Khan’s visits to the Ismaili Center, Houston, for the topping-up ceremony and to review construction progress
Prince Amyn Aga Khan and Mayor Sylvester Turner together planted a Texas Red Oak tree to commemorate the topping out ceremony of the Ismaili Center, Houston, October 23, 2023. Photograph: The Ismaili / Akbar Hakim Hakim.
~~~~~~~~
Prince Amyn Aga Khan and (Late) Mayor Turner co-sign the final beam that completed the superstructure of the Ismaili Center, Houston, during the Topping Out Ceremony of the building as President Al-Karim Alidina of the Aga Khan Ismaili Council for the USA looks on, October 23, 2023. Photograph: The Ismaili / Akbar Hakim.
~~~~~~~~
Prince Amyn Aga Khan in conversation with lead design architect Farshid Moussavi and landscape architect Thomas Woltz during his visit to review the progress of the Ismaili Center, Houston, July 2, 2024. Photograph: IPL / Akbar Hakim.
~~~~~~~~
Prince Amyn Aga Khan, the Honorable Mayor of Houston John Whitmire, who succeeded Mayor Turner, and leaders of the Ismaili community, including Shafik Sachedina, USA Aga Khan Council President Alkarim Alidina and Vice President Celina Shariff, discuss the progress of the Ismaili Center in Houston, July 2, 2024. Photograph: IPL / Akbar Hakim.
___________________
7. February 4, 2025: Mawlana Shah Karim, His Highness the Aga Khan IV, the Imam who built six beautiful Ismaili Centres in his lifetime and almost saw the completion of the Ismaili Center, Houston, passes away
Mawlana Shah Karim, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV, the 49th Hereditary Imam of the Ismaili Muslims, under whose Imamat six Ismaili Centres were inaugurated between 1985 and 2014. His son, Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan V, will inaugurate the 7th Ismaili Center in Houston during his visit to the USA from November 5-10, 2025.
~~~~~~
Top image, clockwise from top: Ismaili Centres in London (April 1985), Vancouver (August 1985), Lisbon (1988), Toronto (September 2014), Dushanbe (October 2009) and Dubai (March 2008); Bottom: Ismaili Center Houston (November 6, 2025).
___________________
8. February 2025: Designer Farshi Moussavi and structural design consultant Hanif Kara pay their tributes to His Late Highness Aga Khan IV
His Late Highness Aga Khan IV: “An unparalleled force for good”
A TRIBUTE BY FARSHID MOUSSAVI
“It is with huge sadness that yesterday I learnt about the passing of His Highness The Aga Khan, a visionary leader who dedicated his life to improving the quality of life for individuals and communities worldwide — regardless of origin, faith, or gender. Through hospitals, universities, community centers, places of worship, museums, gardens, and parks, he empowered countless communities, ensuring access to education, healthcare, and spaces for spiritual and cultural enrichment.
“Beyond these tangible contributions, he also championed the preservation of cultural heritage while embracing innovation. He restored and conserved fragile monuments, safeguarding history for future generations, and established awards in architecture and music to foster creativity and excellence in these fields. The Aga Khan Award for Architecture, in particular, has become a model for how design can be both aspirational and sustainable.
“His Highness has been an extraordinary leader and an unparalleled force for good. I feel truly fortunate to have been in his presence while serving on the Master Jury and Steering Committee of the Aga Khan Award and, most recently, working closely with him on the Ismaili Center Houston. The lessons I have learned from him are immeasurable.
“His passing is a profound loss — not just for me personally but for the entire Ismaili community and all those who had the privilege of working with him. While his absence will be deeply felt, I take solace in knowing that his legacy will continue to inspire and guide us for generations to come. I send His Highness’s family my most heartfelt condolences. They are in my thoughts.”
~~~~~~~
His Late Highness Aga Khan IV: “He empowered his architects to take charge”
A TRIBUTE BY HANIF KARA
“I am deeply saddened by the passing of His Highness Prince Karim Aga khan IV, both on a professional and a personal level. I had the great honour and privilege to work with, and for, him on many levels. His renowned contribution to humanitarian causes, with a capacity and dedication to drive change as a statesman, leaves an unparalleled mark on the broken world we see. He was a lover of art and architecture but also a patron who commissioned work of the highest quality as a client, and empowered his architects to take charge. Under his leadership, The Aga Khan Award for Architecture has, for almost five decades, sought the most incredible projects and talents in what was largely an invisible ‘world’, often navigating the tough geographies of fear. These projects consistently improved quality of life through design.
“His endowed education programmes at the Harvard Graduate School of Design and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology were ahead of the curve in raising scholarly awareness about the environmental and social impact of the cities we build. The Aga Khan Development Network and Aga Khan Trust for Culture, as just two of his institutions, will continue his ambitious legacy shaped by vision, care, and dedication.”
___________________
9. March 27, 2025: Prince Amyn Aga Khan visits Ismaili Center, Houston, to review progress
Prince Amyn Aga Khan, 4th from the left, with members of the Ismaili Center Oversight Committee, views the building’s North Evian from the Central Atrium, March 27, 2025. Photograph: IPL / Akbar Hakim.
In March 2025, Prince Amyn Aga Khan travelled to Houston to review the ongoing progress of the Ismaili Center. He was accompanied Members of the Ismaili Center Oversight Committee.
During his visit, Prince Amyn engaged in collaborative discussions with the Design Team members. Together, they reviewed significant updates to the project, including proposed artwork to be installed and its placement, the trees and plants in the gardens, and various internal and external finishes in the building. Additionally, they discussed the types of programs that were expected to be held at the Center.
___________________
10. September 25, 2025: Ismaili Center nears completion
The Ismaili Center, Houston, brings a new architectural and cultural landmark to Houston’s Urban Core. Photograph: Abbas Yasin, Assad Yasin and Abizer Yasin via DLR Group.
The following story has been compiled from a report by the DLR Group as they prepared to hand over the Ismaili Center Houston to its owner:
Final preparations are underway, including the completion of dramatic veranda spaces and the landscaping of nine acres of gardens by Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects. This marks the conclusion of a journey that began in 2006, when His Highness the Aga Khan IV (1936–2025), the then spiritual leader of the world’s Shia Ismaili Muslims, selected Houston as the site of the first Ismaili Center in the United States, joining others in London (1985), Vancouver (1985), Lisbon (1998), Dubai (2008), Dushanbe (2009), and Toronto (2014).
As home to approximately 40,000 Ismaili Muslims, Houston has one of the largest Ismaili communities in the U.S. The Ismaili cultural centers, including the one in Houston, are not just places of worship, but also vibrant hubs of cultural diversity. They are part of a global network that spans Toronto, London, Lisbon, Vancouver, Dushanbe, and Dubai, and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the Ismaili community. The centers are characterized by distinctive designs that blend Islamic aesthetic precepts and symbolism with their local contexts.
__________________
11. October 3, 2025: His Highness the Aga Khan announces official visit to the USA
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan, will inaugurate the Ismaili Center, Houston, on November 6, 2025.
In a Talika Mubarak (holy written message) read in Jamatkhanas worldwide on or around October 3, 2025, Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, informed his Ismaili community (Jamat) that he would undertake an official visit to the USA from November 5 to 10, 2025. This visit holds historical significance as he will inaugurate the Ismaili Center in Houston, a landmark event that marks a significant chapter in the history of the USA community.
___________________
12. Textual and visual coverage of the construction phases of the Ismaili Center, Houston, in the Ismaili USA
In a fantastic series of stories beginning in 2022, Ismaili USA provided its readers with stories, photographs, and videos of the development and progress of the first Ismaili Center in the USA, the third in North America, and the seventh in the world. We are pleased to provide these links, allowing readers to appreciate the phases of construction over the past three years. The Ismaili links are followed by links to other external media sources, including renowned design and architecture magazines. These sources offer not only educational but also insightful readings about the Center, enriching your understanding of its development.
13. Coverage of the Ismaili Center, Houston, in world media
External links: The Ismaili Center Houston has garnered extensive media coverage, and we are including a selection of links that are both educational and fascinating to read:
Sunday, November 2, 2025, marks the 148th anniversary of the birth of Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah, His Highness the Aga Khan III, the 48th Imam of the Ismaili Muslims. Born on November 2, 1877, he assumed the role of Imam at the remarkably young age of seven on August 17, 1885, a fact that never fails to inspire awe.
48th Ismaili Imam, Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah, His Late Highness Aga Khan III.
His 72-year reign was the longest in Ismaili history. He passed away on July 11, 1957, and appointed his grandson, Mawlana Shah Karim, His Highness the Aga Khan IV, as the 49th Imam.
49th Ismaili Imam, Mawlana Shah Karim Shah, His Late Highness Aga Khan IV.
Born on December 13, 1936, Mawlana Shah Karim reigned for a total of 67 years, until his passing on February 4, 2025, at the age of 88, making him the oldest Imam in Ismaili history. Together, the 48th and 49th Imams served an astonishing total of 139 years.
50th and present Ismaili Imam, Mawlana Shah Rahim Al Hussaini Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan V.
Mawlana Shah Karim’s successor is his eldest son, Mawlana Shah Rahim Al Hussaini, His Highness the Aga Khan V. Since becoming the 50th Imam earlier this year, he has visited his Ismaili communities in France, Kenya, and Uganda and is scheduled to visit them in the USA and Portugal from November 5-10 and December 1-4, 2025, respectively.
We present stories of the three Imams, which provide a comprehensive and enlightening picture of their lives and guidance to the Ismailis as well as their contributions to the world at large, in all aspects of human endeavour. The stories will ensure that you are well-informed about their legacy.
Following our earlier post that explored the Aga Khan’s speeches from 2007 to 2025, this new post on our sister website Barakah provides a comprehensive, detailed pictorial overview of the Ismaili Imam’s life, paying tribute to his significant role both before and after becoming the Imam. His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan, fondly known as Mawlana Hazar Imam (Our Lord, the present living Imam) by his Ismaili followers, assumed the Throne of the Ismaili Imamat on February 4, 2025. This is his first birthday celebration as the community’s Imam, a momentous occasion. Ismailis refer to this celebratory day as Salgirah, exchanging greetings of “Salgirah Mubarak” and attending Jamatkhanas in huge numbers. The celebration holds deeper significance as the community reflects on the profound care, concern, and guidance provided by the Everlasting Rope of Imamat, prompting us to contemplate and reflect on the Imam’s role in our lives. Life, as we all know, is transitory. An Imam will live his life as everyone else does, but there WILL always be an Imam to guide the community. This is the central notion of the Ismailis and the Imamat.
As Ismaili Muslims worldwide come together to celebrate the historic first Salgirah (birthday) of His Highness the Aga Khan, as their 50th Ismaili Imam, Barakah presents a collection of speeches which cover a diverse array of topics — from arts and culture to education and faith. The diverse range of topics will stimulate our intellect and broaden our perspectives. The speeches also highlight the urgency of the climate crisis. Please click HERE or on the image below to read his speeches and messages.
Please click on the image for the Aga Khan’s speeches, statements and messages.
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.
Story continues below
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.
Story continues below
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.
________________
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.
If you have feedback on this piece, please click LEAVE A COMMENT. Also, don’t miss the opportunity to explore the diverse and extensive range of articles by clicking on TABLE OF CONTENTS. We also invite you to visit our sister websites, Barakah and Simergphotos. You can stay updated by following the editor, Malik Merchant, @Facebook, @X and @LinkedIn.
~~~~~~~~
Articles contributed by Karim H Karim on Simerg and its sister websites:
Princess Zahra Aga Khan, with her brother, the 50th Imam, and with her late father, Mawlana Shah Karim. Please click on image for her story.
We honour Princess Zahra, the beloved daughter of his Late Highness Aga Khan IV (d. February 4, 2025, aged 88), and sister of his successor, Mawlana Shah Rahim Al Hussaini, His Highness the Aga Khan, as she marks her 55th birthday, September 18, 2025.
Her brother, on becoming the 50th Hereditary Imam, said:
“My sister, Princess Zahra, has played a major leadership role for many years, contributing with all her heart, intellect and capacity to advance the well-being of the Jamat. I know that she is still well-loved and admired by the Jamat and the leadership and staff of our institution. These sentiments are well deserved, and I share them too.” on the occasion of his installation on February 11, 2025.”
Simerg - Insights from Around the World 