Simerg is an independent platform that focuses on the dissemination of knowledge about the faith, culture and news pertaining to the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims led by their Hereditary Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, through literary readings as well as artistic and textual expressions. It also brings to its readers news, events and programs that are of interest to all readers, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Simerg supports 2 more independent initiatives, Barakah.com and Simergphotos.com
Category Archives: The Family of His Highness the Aga Khan
Prince Amyn Aga Khan has arrived in Houston to review the progress of the new Ismaili Centre, commissioned by his older brother, His Highness the Aga Khan, the 49th Hereditary Imam of the Ismaili Muslims. Shortly after his arrival, the Prince was bestowed with an Honorary Citizenship of the City of Houston by Houston’s Mayor, the Honorable Sylvester Turner.
On Thursday, August 11, the Prince will be joined by Mayor Turner, at a luncheon with civil society leaders and elected officials, where they will share reflections on the Ismaili Center. The event will be streamed live on the Ismaili TV at the following times:
Please click on image for enlargement
Date posted: August 10, 2022.
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Before departing this website please take a moment to review Simerg’s Table of Contents for links to hundreds of thought provoking pieces on a vast array of subjects including faith and culture, history and philosophy, and arts and letters to name a few. Also visit Simerg’s sister websites Barakah, dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan, and Simergphotos for beautiful photographs on diverse themes including nature and culture.
Simerg’s editor Malik Merchant may be reached via email at mmerchant@simerg.com.
Ms. Rita Hayworth being met by Ismaili leaders during her arrival at Arusha airport in 1951, with Prince Aly Khan.
In loving memory of her mother Ms. Rita Hayworth, whose life was cut short due to Alzheimer’s, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan has for four decades sought to raise awareness about the disease and has also raised tens of millions of dollars by hosting the Rita Hayworth Galas through the Alzheimer’s Association, the world’s leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research. These gala events as well as related functions have been held in many cities across the USA, with the major ones being the annual Galas in New York (founded in 1984, and now known as The Imagine Benefit) and Chicago (1987). The next Rita Hayworth Gala with the theme “This Is Our Moment” is scheduled to be held at the Chicago Hilton on Saturday April 23, 2022 as an in-person event that will be attended by Princess Yasmin herself.
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Banner, Rita Hayworth Gala, Chicago Hilton, April 23, 2022. Image credit: The Alzheimer’s Association. Please click on banner to donate (Note: contributions can only be made using a US or Canadian address).
Recently, Simerg’s sister website Barakah published a special piece entitled Yasmin Aga Khan: A Princess With a Mission that profiled the Princess as well as presented details about the upcoming Chicago Gala. Now, with a few days remaining before the Rita Hayworth Gala in Chicago, I make a personal appeal to all readers and subscribers of the 3 websites, namely Simerg, Barakah and Simergphotos, as well as my friends on the social media, to consider participating in Princess Yasmin’s gallant and noble initiative to win the fight against Alzheimer’s. I might note that the disease affects hundreds of members of the Ismaili Jamat in North America, and probably thousands more in other countries around the world. Alzheimer’s has a considerable impact on everyone supporting those afflicted with it, and is regarded by medical experts as “one of the saddest diseases in existence.”
I am proud to note that since the mid 1990’s Princess Yasmin’s initiatives through the Alzheimer’s Association, have been faithfully championed and supported by my dear Ismaili friend in Chicago, Sadruddin Noorani. He has held important honorary positions within the Association both as a member of its executive team as well as a benefactor. Noorani, writing in Barakah’s recent piece, noted: “It has been my honour and privilege to have been involved with the Rita Hayworth Gala for more than 25 years, and I am truly humbled by this opportunity that has come into my life, to be associated directly with the work of a beloved member of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s family.”
In recognition of Noorani’s incredible support since the mid 1990’s, the Alzheimer’s Association has designated a special page under his name, where donations specifically to the Rita Hayworth Gala can be made (note: contributions can only be made using a US or Canadian address). Kindly note that all donations to the Rita Hayworth Gala and any tickets purchased for the gala are processed through the industry leading fundraising platform GiveSmart exclusively for the Alzheimer’s Association.
Princess Yasmin Aga Khan
Once a contribution is made of any amount, small or big — and I emphasize no amount, even $5.00, is ever small — the “Contributor’s Name” or the word “Anonymous” (if the donor chooses to stay anonymous) will be displayed on the page along with the amount contributed. While Noorani may have set a goal of $ US 10,000.00 (ten thousand), I sincerely hope we can get close to the number or perhaps even exceed the amount, which I personally consider to be an arbitrary number. Above all, your contribution of any amount as well as an awareness and understanding of the disease are extremely important.
I ask all of you to do what you can for this extraordinary cause that is close to the heart of Princess Yasmin. As of April 24 $ US 10,155.00 has been raised through Simerg and Barakah as well as personal efforts of Mr. Noorani, whose involvement with Princess Yasmin and the Alzheimer’s Association has been noted above. Make your contribution for any amount that fits within your budget by clicking on THIS IS OUR MOMENT.
As Princess Yasmin noted in her remarks at the New York Imagine Benefit Gala last November, “The fight to end Alzheimer’s hasn’t stopped, and neither have we.” Let us heartily join Princess Yasmin in her fight to combat Alzheimer’s, and make sure our future generations and our loved ones do not have to live and cope with one of the saddest of all the diseases.
Once again, I sincerely look forward to your interest in this initiative. Please click THIS IS OUR MOMENT (note: contributions can only be made using a US or Canadian address).
Date posted: April 16, 2022. Last updated: April 24, 2022 (10:21 AM EDT).
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Before departing this website please take a moment to review Simerg’s Table of Contents for links to hundreds of thought provoking pieces on a vast array of subjects including faith and culture, history and philosophy, and arts and letters to name a few. Also visit Simerg’s sister websites Barakah, dedicated to His Highness the Aga Khan, and Simergphotos. Simerg’s editor may be reached at mmerchant@simerg.com
The following are referral links to two new posts on Simerg’s sister websites Barakah and Simergphotos. Please click on them, read the posts and share them with your friends and relatives around the world.
Simerg will be publishing a multi-part series on Alzheimer’s in 2022, and we plan to launch the series early in the New Year with a special profile on Princess Yasmin and her involvement with the Alzheimer’s Association since 1981. Alzheimer’s contributed to her mother Ms. Rita Hayworth’s death at the age of 67 in 1987. The Association has raised tens of millions of dollars through the annual Rita Hayworth Galas that have been held in Chicago and New York over the past 35 years.
Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, daughter of Prince Aly Khan and Rita Hayworth, and younger sister of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, and Prince Amyn Mohamed, at Alzheimer’s fundraiser in New York in December 1984. Photo Credit: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, photograph by Bernard Gotfryd.
Today, December 28, 2021, is a very special day in the life of the Princess as she celebrates her 72nd birthday. We mark her birthday with a brief tribute to the Princess on our sister website Barakah that includes a selection of historical photographs of the Princess as well as a link to an interview the she gave to Canada’s National Newspaper, “The Globe and Mail” in which she talks about Alzheimer’s.
On Sunday December 26, my morning twilight visit to the Pickering Waterfront on Lake Ontario, was one of the most amazing I have ever had in my life. The sky took on different tones every few minutes — I did not see the rising of the sun because of the cloud cover in the horizon, but watched in awe the sun’s impact on the sky and clouds above it. During those moments of joy, hope and bewilderment, there was only one person that came into my thoughts as I clicked on my camera more than a 100 times during the hour I spent at the Waterfront — Princess Yasmin.
Lake Ontario, Pickering Waterfront Park, 7:44 am five minutes before sunrise on December 26, 2021. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg
Lake Ontario, Pickering Waterfront Park, 7:53 am, four minutes after sunrise on December 26, 2021. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg
The incredible twilight show in the sky, for me, was symbolic of a day in the life of an Alzheimer’s patient. In the horizon, I saw beautiful bright orange and red clouds that symbolized hope, then there was a dark swirling cloud that became the tail of a large gloomy cloud that represented despair and fear. Several minutes later as the sun continued to rise, and the skies turned blue, I saw the beautiful moon over Lake Ontario, representing hope once again. A normal-like pattern of behaviour in an Alzheimer’s patient, just like that of any other person without the disease, creates an absolutely thrilling moment for any family member, who might then say at that particular instant, ‘”my parent or spouse is healing and I can take him or her home. ” But that hope can quickly fade seconds, minutes or hours later when the patient’s behaviour pattern changes due to the disease; it is an unbearable moment for any loved family members or friends who may be around.
The Forthcoming 2022 In-Person Rita Hayworth Gala in Chicago: Founded and Chaired by Princess Yasmin Aga Khan
Our support for organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association and other local and national institutions in the communities we live in can contribute to finding a long-term improvement in the quality of lives of everyone afflicted with the disease or indeed, one day, in eliminating Alzheimer’s altogether.
Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, front row centre, in a group photo with members and supporters of the Alzheimer’s Association. Sadruddin Noorani who has been involved with the Alzheimer’s Association since the 1980’s is pictured on the back row, 3rd from left. Photo: Rita Hayworth Gala/Alzheimer’s Association.
I might note that Princess Yasmin founded and has been the Chair of the annual Rita Hayworth Galas in Chicago and New York since the mid 1980’s. The New York Gala now named the Imagine Benefit, has been built on the legacy of the Rita Hayworth Gala that was first held in 1984 — the latest Imagine event was held in November 2021.
The next Rita Hayworth Gala in Chicago, that was inaugurated in 1987, 3 years after the New York Gala, is scheduled to be held on April 23, 2022 at The Hilton in Chicago. It has been planned as an in-person event, with the presence of Princess Yasmin. However, the on-going pandemic situation may cause the event to be relayed virtually.
Simerg invites you to view the Rita Hayworth Gala information HERE. While the event titled “Generation of Hope” may be a few months away, your thoughtful support for the Alzheimer’s cause can begin at any time by visiting the website and submitting a pledge.
I am proud to say that a member of the Chicago Ismaili community, Sadruddin Noorani, has been very prominent in the Chicago Gala and the Alzheimer’s Association for years. His support to Princess Yasmin has been incredible and I would hope that hundreds, like him, from around the world will join Princess Yasmin in her effort to fulfill what we would all imagine would be her greatest wish on her birthday — finding a cure for Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
Date posted: December 28, 2021. Last updated: December 28, 2021; 10:30 AM (corrections, see below).
Corrections: (1) The original piece contained the wrong date for the forthcoming 2022 Alzheimer’s Rita Hayworth Gala in Chicago; the piece now reflects the correct date; (2) the Gala is not planned as a virtual event as mentioned in earlier versions. It is expected to be an in-person event, with Princess Yasmin in attendance unless of course the pandemic situation forces it to be a virtual event; and (3) corrections have been made to dates noted in the twilight photos.
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Before leaving this website please take a moment to visit 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.
Born on October 12, 1971 in Geneva, Switzerland, Prince Rahim Aga Khan has been engaged with the work of the Ismaili Imamat for the past 15 years. Simerg’s sister website, Barakah, has prepared a special tribute taking readers through 50 years of his life with beautiful images, excerpts from his speeches as well as other pertinent material related to his education and responsibilities. Do not miss this extraordinary and inspiring post on Prince Rahim. Please click HERE or on the image below.
Please click on image for Barakah’s exclusive photo essay on Prince Rahim to mark his 50th birthday on OctoBer 12, 2021. Photo: Malik Merchant/Simerg/Barakah.
For those of us who had just had Darbar in London, we were still riding that wave. That Darbar itself was a magical experience. We all knew that Lisbon would be different, but no-one really knew quite what to expect. Many were changing summer plans to give themselves the opportunity to go, and many were basing their summer holiday around the Portugal Darbar. When it came to us, it just took my daughter to say — “How can we not go?”— school would be out for summer, and this was an opportunity of a lifetime….Read Rahim Hirji’s Memories of a modern day pilgrimage to Lisbon
Princes Hussain and Aly Muhammad at the Rays of Light Exhibition. Please click on photo for Rahim Hirji’s Memories of the Lisbon Diamond Jubilee.
11 July, 2018: The “Highest Point” of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s Diamond Jubilee
My astonishment quickly evaporated into unbridled, quintessential euphoria. Hazar Imam was granting us another audience! Together with the Noorani Family again! Together with the President of Portugal! Unbelievable! What had we done to have the heavens open up and grant us such a unique and invaluable boon? Yet again, Hazar Imam fulfilled a whimsical wish many had nurtured in their hearts — that, once, just once, he chooses to return to his Jamat instead of departing. Alhamdulillah! The salwats picked up fervour, indeed in the presence of a non-Ismaili…..Read more of Zafeera Kassam’s extraordinary account of a unique Darbar in Lisbon on July 11, 2018 – the “highest point” of His Highness the Aga Khan’s Diamond Jubilee
Please click on image to read Zafeera’s concluding narrative.
Thousands of readers have been clicking in recent weeks to read earlier pieces published on this website, which was was founded some 8 years ago. The interest in older articles has encouraged us to continue with this second part in an on-going series that is designed to draw our readers’ attention to previously published articles that may have been overlooked or forgotten. Also, over the years our readership has grown, and this is an opportunity for new readers to review and read material from the earlier years. Of course, our Table of Contents is another way to access more than 900 pieces!
Here, we provide links to three thoughtful interviews as well as four extraordinary and inspiring accounts of Ismaili youth who visited Europe during the 1950’s, and had golden opportunities of meeting the 48th Imam of the Ismaili Muslims, His Highness the Aga Khan, Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah.
(Please click on links or photos to read the pieces)
“Imagine you’re sitting in a bubble bath full of big bubbles, and you have a whole bunch of bubbles stacked up against each other. If you took some glitter and sprinkled it over these bubbles, the sparkly little bits of paper would stick to the bubbles’ surface. Inside the bubbles there would be no flakes, but the surfaces of the bubbles would be coated with them. That’s a good description of the way galaxies are distributed throughout our universe – think of the flack of glitter as galaxies.”…Read More
The Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat which was opened on December 8, 2008.
“I asked him [His Highness the Aga Khan] how he kept his focus and energy. He replied that he surrounded himself with people who were very good at what they do and also many dedicated volunteers. He said he was inspired every day by their efforts and devotion to excellence.”….Read More
Mr. Freschi with His Highness the Aga Khan and the Honourable Henry Bell-Irving, Lieutenant-Governor General of British Columbia
In a personal message to Mr. Bruno Freschi dated 20th October, 1985, His Highness the Aga Khan wrote: “With my deep and sincere gratitude for conceiving, designing and buiding a Jamatkhana and Centre which represent our respect for our past, our belief of today, and our hope for the future.The Ismaili Jamath worldwide, and I, are proud of your remarkable achievement.”….Read More
The late Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan III pictured with Badrudin Adatia.
“I wanted to take picture of him [His Highness the Aga Khan] with us and I asked his permission. The room was dim, however, and I didn’t have a flash on my camera. Although he was very sick and could not even walk, he told me he would head toward the window where there would be better light. Imagine! I clasped my hands with respect and said, “No Khudavind. I will take the picture just as we are.” …Read More
Mr. Akber Premji seated next to Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah and Begum Aga Khan.
“….I got an opportunity of a photo with Imam Sultan Mahomed Shah and Mata Salamat. First, I went and sat on the ground and the Imam did not quite consent to this. Then, I went and stood behind them and this was also not accepted. The Imam directed that I come and sit between him and Mata Salamat. With great reluctance, I squeezed myself in. What an opportunity and a blessing!”….Read More
Dr. Rajput at Yakimour, with Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah and Mata Salamat
“My child, you are going to UK, very different to your country of origin, always remember my words of advice and never forget as it is for your own good. Pick up their good principles and make them your own, and leave their vices and bad habits to them alone. The good habits, you should adopt are their truthfulness, punctuality, sense of duty and the bad habits you must reject are, drinking, smoking, gambling and other vices. Your foremost duty is to attend to your educational activities and never forget your religious obligation.”…. Read More
Now, when in Salamieh, Emir Muhammad Mulheim had taken me to a room in his house where his mother was waiting to see me. I was requested to look at the mother and told that should I be blessed with Mawla’s Didar in Europe, she wanted me to remember her face so she could attain Mawla’s Didar through my eyes. Regrettably, in the Imam’s presence I failed to recall this request. However, Mawla asked me, “And who else did you see?” I was surprised at this question and took a minute or so to think. Then, it came to me and I replied: “Mawla, I saw Prince Muhammad Mulheim’s mother,” and Mawla patted my shoulder and said “Khanavadhan, Khanavadhan”….Read More
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