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 Imamat is a supra-national entity, representing the succession of Imams since the time of the Prophet Muhammad.” Mawlana Shah Karim, His Highness the Aga Khan (IV), spoke these words in the Canadian Parliament in 2014. He passed away in Lisbon on February 4, 2025, at the age of 88.
The world has just witnessed his eldest son, Mawlana Shah Rahim, His Highness the Aga Khan (V), succeed to the throne of Imamat after him. This succession in the Prophet’s progeny is one of two Weighty Matters mentioned in a famous tradition of the Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him and his progeny), the other being the Holy Qur’an.
In the following message, the new Imam, 50th in direct lineage from Imam Ali, the first Imam, reflects on events that followed his father’s passing, which he described as “fitting, simple and beautiful.” The new Imam also expresses his profound gratitude to the community, its leaders, and volunteers for the flawless manner in which the events took place in Lisbon and Aswan.
Message from Mawlana Hazar Imam, Shah Rahim Al Hussaini
“Our tradition of volunteer service and its effectiveness is a source of enormous strength for our community, and I feel fortunate to be able to call on this for the benefit of my Jamat” — Prince Rahim Aga Khan, February 18, 2025.
The past two weeks have been deeply emotional for the Ismaili community, and for all those around the world who had known my father or been touched by his work. I am awed by the outpourings of affection and respect for my father and the impact he made during his lifetime. His is indeed an immense legacy for us all to carry on.
On behalf of my family and me, I would like to express our deepest gratitude and admiration for the outstanding way in which our community immediately and seamlessly arranged the events that took place in Lisbon and Aswan. Beyond the flawless execution of the events themselves, millions of people in over 70 countries were able to participate through video streaming, images, and narration on The Ismaili digital channels.
Well done to all invoved…Our tradition of volunteer service and its effectiveness is a source of enormous strength for our community, and I feel fortunate to be able to call on this for the benefit of my Jamat — Prince Rahim Aga Khan, February 18, 2025.
Organising this involved a small number of our staff, and a huge number of volunteers working around the clock, with a clear unifying goal of holding a graceful series of events made widely accessible to the community wherever physically possible. This was done with sensitivity and care for all those participating.
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The late Prince Karim Aga Khan IV’s casket is carried to the mausoleum of his grandfather, Imam Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan III, where he was interred, Aswan, Egypt, February 9, 2025. Photograph: Akbar Hakim / IPL.
My uncle, siblings, our children, and I see and appreciate all those who were involved – not just the leaders who were dealing directly with my family and me, but every single person who contributed, wherever they are.
Our tradition of volunteer service and its effectiveness is a source of enormous strength for our community, and I feel fortunate to be able to call on this for the benefit of my Jamat.
Beyond the flawless execution of the events themselves, millions of people in over 70 countries were able to participate through video streaming, images, and narration on The Ismaili digital channels — Prince Rahim Aga Khan, February 18, 2025.
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Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan, signs the Ismaili Constitution in his name at the Diwan of the Ismaili Imamat, the Headquarters of the Imamat in Lisbon on the historic occasion of his Takht-nishini (ceremonial installation), February 11, 2025. Photograph: Akbar Hakim / The Ismaili.
Well done to all involved, and especially to the handful of senior leaders who worked day and night to orchestrate all of this, and who provided tremendous support to my family and stable leadership to the community at this critical and difficult time. Knowing that we can rely on each other at a time like this is a source of the greatest comfort and reassurance.
My sincerest thanks again to all those involved in making the events of the last two weeks fitting, simple, and beautiful.
Aga Khan
Date posted: February 20, 2025. Last updated: April 05, 2025.
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[This developing story will be updated as new information emerges about the situation of the Ismaili Muslim community in Syria. Over the past 24 hours, we have included briefs with links to full articles from The Guardian newspaper, a trusted source in London, and the Khaama Press News Agency, one of the leading news outlets reporting from Afghanistan on a 24/7 basis. This post was last updated on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, at 14:40 EST, with a Tweet from Khaama’s “X” page — Ed.]
The entire world has been stunned by the rapid political change that has taken place in Syria during the past few days. The Government of Bashar al-Assad, who has fled to Russia, was overpowered by a united assault that began with the capture of Aleppo in Syria’s North West twelve days ago. An expert I was listening to the past week predicted that the Assad regime would continue to hold power in Damascus for anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. The person was wrong, just as many were wrong about how long it would take the Taliban to gain total control in Afghanistan in 2021, a situation that bears similarity to what has transpired in Syria.
With a sizeable number of Ismailis living in Syria, primarily in Salamiyah city but also in other parts of the country, the global Ismaili community has been concerned about their safety and well-being. The Syrian Jamat is historically the oldest Ismaili Jamat in the world. The Jamat’s settlement in Syria began centuries ago, even before the Fatimid era.
Over the past week, after the insurgents assumed control of Allepo and towns and cities to the south, an online story in SYRIAHR alerted me about the situation in Salamiyah. The report said that Groups of Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) entered Salamiyah city east of Hama without fighting, “where an agreement was reached with the city’s elders and representatives of the Ismaili Council.”
An official announcement from the Ismaili Jamati Institutions — see full announcement below — released on December 8 has relieved me. This announcement is of the utmost importance concerning the Ismaili situation in Syria.
However, the long-term situation in Syria remains both intriguing and concerning. A statement from HTS suggests that the era of sectarianism and tyranny has ended, and all Syrians can look forward to living in peace under proper institutional structures — watch the interview on CNN before the fall of Damascus. The interviewee, forty-two-year-old HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani — real name Ahmed al-Sharaa — who spearheaded the insurgency that toppled the Syrian Government and deposed Assad with lightning speed, says he embraces pluralism and religious tolerance, offering a potential beacon of hope for the war-torn nation and a promising path towards peace.
For instance, the London Guardian reports that when Aleppo was captured, al-Golani’s HTS soldiers went door to door to reassure Christian residents they would not be harmed. They also sent a message to Kurds saying, “Diversity is a strength which we are proud of.” The Guardian also mentions that al-Golani himself is reported to have led diplomatic efforts “to win over Ismaili Shia leaders and so secure key towns for the rebels without loss.” A more detailed report about the agreement and other pertinent information appears in Afghanistan’s Khaama Press News Agency under the heading Ismaili Leadership and New Syrian Authorities Reach Agreement on Community Safet (see related Tweet, below).
According to an Associated Press piece published in the Christian Science Monitor, al-Golani, a former al-Qaeda command who cut ties with the group, is poised to chart the country’s future.
The official announcement made by the UK Aga Khan Council reads:
“The National Council wishes to inform the Jamat that the evolving situation in Syria is being monitored closely by Mawlana Hazar Imam [His Highness the Aga Khan] and the leaders of the Jamat on a daily basis.
“The safety and security of the Jamat around the world remains Mawlana Hazar Imam’s highest priority. With regard to Syria, the Jamat is safe, and our institutions are providing humanitarian support to families that require assistance. The Jamati and AKDN leadership are taking all possible steps to ensure the continued safety and security of the Jamat.
“The Jamat is requested to remain calm and united, and refrain from taking a decision in haste and cooperate with the Jamati leadership.
“Members of the Jamat have inquired about how to contribute to the humanitarian assistance effort. They are requested to contact Focus Humanitarian Assistance or the National Council.”
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The announcement is reassuring for all of us outside Syria. I would like to note that the Focus Humanitarian desk is open in Jamatkhanas across Canada.
Mawlana Hazar Imam has often expressed his priorities for the Jamat. In an interview with Politique International, he said, “[The Imam’s] first concern is for the security of his followers; his second is for their freedom to practice their religion; his third is for their quality of life, as I have just mentioned. I repeat, the Imamat is an institution whose two-fold mission is to guarantee the quality of life and to interpret the faith.”
Mawlana Hazar Imam, addressing his Ismaili Muslim followers as well as non-Ismailis during his Golden Jubilee visit to Salamieh and Al-Khawabi on August 26-27, 2008, said:
“To all my spiritual children who are present here today, and to your families, wherever they may be, I give my most affectionate blessings for baraka and the resolution of whatever difficulties you may be facing. My brothers and sisters in Islam and other faiths should be assured that my deep and heartfelt prayers are with you for your peace, your unity, and for your happiness” (pages 136-138, Farman Mubarak of Mawlana Hazar Imam Shah Karim Al Hussaini Aga Khan, Golden Jubilee: 2007-2008, published by Islamic Publications Limited, 2020).
I wish to reiterate that the Imam’s blessings and prayers are for all times. Let everyone in Syria and around the world take his message to our hearts.
We wish all Syrians a peaceful future after years of turmoil. We hope all different groups will unite and seek to build a prosperous future.
Date posted: December 8, 2024. Last updated: December 10, 2024.
“God chose Adam and Noah and the House of Abraham and the House of Imran above all beings, the seed of one another; God hears, and knows” — Qur’an, 3:33-34, translation by A. J. Arberry, see Corpus Quranfor multiple translations
A calligraphy designed by Toronto’s Karim Ismail honouring the first Shia Imam Ali, on the auspicious commemoration of Idd-e Ghadir.
On Monday, June 24, 2024, Ismaili Muslims in Canada and other parts of the world will unite to observe and celebrate Eid-e Ghadir. This momentous occasion marks the pivotal gathering at Ghadir Khumm, where Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) designated Hazrat Ali as his successor, the first in the continuing line of Hereditary Imams.
This historical event holds immense significance in the Ismaili faith. Today, the holder of the Hereditary position is Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, the 49th Imam in direct succession. In this regard, the Aga Khan has affirmed “that the Ismailis are the only Shia community who, throughout history, have been led by a living, hereditary Imam in direct descent from the Prophet” — His Highness the Aga Khan, Parliament of Canada, Ottawa, February 27, 2014.
History records that on the way back to Medina after performing the final pilgrimage to Mecca, the Prophet received a revelation:
“O Messenger, deliver [to the people] what has been revealed to you from your Lord, and if you do not do so, then you will not have delivered His message” Surah al-Ma’ida (5:67)
Upon receiving this revelation, the Holy Prophet stopped at an oasis known as Ghadir Khumm. He addressed a large gathering of Muslims who had accompanied him. The Prophet proclaimed: “Man kuntu mawlahu fa aliyyun mawlahu,” meaning: “He whose Mawla I am, Ali is his Mawla.” The Prophet then prayed: “O Allah, be a friend of whoever is his friend and extend your support to those who support him.”
This event, occurring at a crucial point in Islamic history, marked the transition of leadership from the Prophet to Hazrat Ali, setting the stage for the leadership and future of the Muslim community. Thus, by declaring Hazrat Ali Mawla after him, the Prophet transferred the spiritual authority bestowed upon him by Allah to Hazrat Ali, making him — and all the Imams that follow — the Amirul Mu’minin, or Master of the Believers. In this context, ‘Mawla’ refers to a leader, protector, and guide, indicating the profound responsibility and authority bestowed upon Hazrat Ali.
Article continues below following excerpts
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Excerpts from L. Veccia Vaglieri piece in Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition
“Ghadir Khumm is famous in the history of Islam because of a sentence (or some sentences) in favour of ‘Ali which the Prophet uttered there during a discourse….Taking ‘Ali by the hand. he asked of his faithful followers whether he, Muhammad, was not closer to the Believers than they were to themselves; the crowd cried out: “It is so, O Apostle of God!”, he then declared. “He of whom I am the mawla, of him ‘Ali is also the mawla (man kuntu nawlahu fa-‘Ali mawlahu)
Photograph: Vysotsky – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia.
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“Most of those sources which form the basis of our knowledge of the life of the Prophet pass in silence over Muhammad’s stop at Ghadir Khumm….Consequently, the western biographers of Muhammad, whose work is based on these [Sunni] sources, make no reference to what happened at Ghadir Khumm. It is however certain that Muhammad did speak in this place and utter the famous sentence…the hadiths are so numerous and so well attested by the different isnads that it does not seem possible to reject them.” Vaglieri goes on to state that on instruction from Prophet Muhammad, Hazrat Ali received baiyat (the oath of allegiance) from the Muslims assembled there, including Umar b. al-Khattab, Islam’s second Caliph.
(Note: special access is required to read articles in the on-line edition of EI2. Vaglieri’s piece was reproduced in full in the UK Ismaili Association’s publication Ilm, December 1976, pages 28-30, with the permission of E.J. Brill, publishers of EI2.)
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Excerpts from the Preamble of the Ismaili Constitution
“In accordance with Shia doctrine, tradition, and interpretation of history, the Holy Prophet (s.a.s.) designated and appointed his cousin and son-in-law Hazrat Mawlana Ali Amiru-l-Mu’minin (a.s) to be the first Imam to continue the Ta’wīl and Ta’līm of Allah’s final message and to guide the murids, a term referring to the followers and disciples of the Imams. The proclamation also established the principle of the Imamat continuing by heredity through Hazrat Mawlana Ali (a.s) and his daughter Hazrat Bibi Fatimat-az-Zahra, Khātun-i-Jannat (a.s)”
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, is seen signing a new constitution for the worldwide Ismaili community on his 50th birthday, December 13, 1986. The preamble excerpts produced in this post are from this constitution.
“Mawlana Hazar Imam Shah Karim al Hussaini, His Highness Prince Aga Khan, in direct lineal descent from the Holy Prophet (s.a.s.) through Hazrat Mawlana Ali (a.s.) and Hazrat Bibi Fatima (a.s), is the Forty-Ninth Imam of the Ismaili Muslims.”
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…. continued
On instruction from Prophet Muhammad, Hazrat Ali received baiyat (the oath of allegiance) from the Muslims assembled there. According to Shia traditions and sources, following the proclamation, the final verse of the Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet:
“On this day, I have perfected for you your religion, completed my favours upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.”
Eid-e Ghadir is an anniversary of profound significance to all Shia Muslims. It is also associated with the well-attested tradition that the Prophet is said to have proclaimed:
“I am leaving among you two matters of great weight (al-thaqalayn), the Book of Allah and my kindred (itrati), the People of my House (Ahl al-Bayt), and these two shall never be separated until they return to me at the Pool [of Kawthar in Paradise on the Day of Judgement]…”
The phrase ‘two matters of great weight’ refers to the Quran and the Ahl al-Bayt, emphasizing their inseparability and eternal significance in the Islamic faith.
In commemorating Eid-e Ghadir, the Ismaili community celebrates the seminal event of Ghadir Khumm, reaffirming their allegiance to the Imam of the Time as the direct lineal successor and inheritor of Hazrat Ali’s authority. The community is not just inspired, but united and driven by the following remark made during his speech in Canada’s Parliament on February 27, 2024:
“Today, the Ismailis are the only Shia community who, throughout history, have been led by a living, hereditary Imam in direct descent from the Prophet.”
Date posted: June 23, 2024.
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Please click HERE for many more pieces on this website on the topic of Eid-e Ghadir.
“You and I are brothers, and you and I are from the same city, the same country; we speak the same language and share the same history” — Christian pastor
Every Ramadan, an Iraqi Christian preacher returns from the Netherlands to his hometown of Mosul. He celebrates the holy Islamic month there to promote understanding between Muslims and Christians. Voice of America’s Kawa Omer has the story, narrated by Bezhan Hamdard.
The Aga Khan on Moving Christian-Muslim Relations Forward for a Better World
“Our histories have taught us the value of dialogue, and that rarely, indeed very rarely, does anything good come out of conflict. Our world view is to engage with the problem of social exclusion in our societies and to contribute to building bridges across faiths and across nations, by linking diverse parts of the world” — the Aga Khan
“I have no doubt that for you, whose historical roots are in the Christian world, it is as painful as it is for us Muslims, with our roots in the East, to watch an increasingly deep gulf growing between significant parts of our respective worlds. We cannot stand by as passive observers letting this gulf grow wider and wider, at the cost of future generations. If we have the will, which I am certain we share, we have the historical knowledge and the ethical foundations to move our world forward, to make it a better and more hopeful place, and to put an end to the storm of hatred which appears to be building up around us.
“Our histories have taught us the value of dialogue, and that rarely, indeed very rarely, does anything good come out of conflict. Our world view is to engage with the problem of social exclusion in our societies and to contribute to building bridges across faiths and across nations, by linking diverse parts of the world.
“We are concerned, and most rightly so, that there is poverty among our respective peoples, and we cannot stand by watching this inhuman indignity become a permanent part of our societies, of our generations of today and tomorrow. We must work together to develop an arsenal of peaceful weapons to attack this plight which blights our times, and to try to make sure that those who are marginalised today can be certain that we are not blind to them, that we will not let their future generations live in the same hopeless world in which they themselves are seeking, often only in despair, to survive.” — the Aga Khan, speaking at the Protocol of Co-operation Signing Ceremony between the Ismaili Imamat and the Government of Portugal, Lisbon, Portugal, December 19, 2005 (Read full speech HERE).
The CBC news clip that you will see by clicking on the link below in which Dr. Anas Al-Kassem is being interviewed by CBC newscaster Chris Glover will pierce anyone’s heart. In the photograph shown above, Dr. Al-Kassem stitches up a child’s wound on the floor of the hospital in the city of Khan Yunis. Photograph: CBC/Submitted by Anas Al-Kassem.
A Canadian trauma surgeon says that for every child he saved in the hospital in southern Gaza, another would die of their injuries. “We lost many children before our eyes,” said Dr. Anas Al-Kassem, chief surgeon at Norfolk General Hospital and West Haldimand General Hospital.
The Hamilton-based doctor travelled to Gaza last month as part of a medical convoy to help Palestinians injured in the Israel-Hamas war, and suffering from what the World Health Organization has called “catastrophic” health conditions.
Dr. Al-Kassem said he would treat upwards of 30 people each day, at least half of whom were children, some as young as two. Many suffered head trauma, shrapnel in the chest and abdomen, or injuries to their arms and legs that required surgery. He’d stitch up patients’ wounds on the floor without having any bed or painkillers to offer. After quick assessments, the doctors would have to decide who to try to save with their limited resources, he said.
Al-Kassem said there were bright moments, like when he and another surgeon from Toronto saved an eight-year-old boy’s life by removing shrapnel from his heart. Al-Kassem, a father of five, returned to his Ancaster, Ont., home last Thursday after the two-week mission, but said his “heart and soul” stayed behind. PLEASE READ THE FULL STORY ON CBC.
Farana Sadrudin, aged 49, who was killed in a knife attack that took place on March 28, 2023, at the Ismaili Centre Lisbon was buried on Friday, March 31, the 9th day of the Muslim month of Ramadhan, at the Cemitério do Lumiar following a funeral ceremony that was held at the Ismaili Centre and attended by more than 1,500 people.
The cemetery has burial zones for numerous faith groups including Muslims, Christians and Jews. The funeral for the 2nd victim, Mariana Jadaugy, aged 24, will be held Saturday, April 1, in Sintra, a resort town near Lisbon. The horrible crime, that also injured a 3rd person, was committed by Abdul Bashir, a refugee who had been living in Portugal for the past 12 months.
The traditional Ismaili Muslim post burial prayers of zyarat and samar for the soul of Farana were held at the Ismaili Centre Jamatkhana immediately after the completion of the burial rites.
Numerous Portuguese newspapers carried reports and photographs of the hearse’s arrival at the Ismaili Centre before the funeral ceremony as well as scenes of bereavement outside the Ismaili Centre as families, friends and members of the public gathered to mourn and pay respects to the deceased.
The largest Portuguese circulated newspaper Correio da Manhã (CM Journal) noted that the hearse to carry the body for burial at the cemetery arrived at the Ismaili Centre at 9:00 AM local time, two hours ahead of the funeral ceremonies at 11:00 AM. Please click HERE for CM’s report and photos of the hearse. The newspaper further reported that dozens of heavily armed police officers were at the Ismaili Center as funeral ceremonies took place for Farana. The newspaper also put out a short video Farana’s funeral marked by emotion and tears from family and friends in Portuguese.
A scene of bereavement at the funeral ceremony for Farana Sadrudin that took place at the Ismaili Centre Lisbon on Friday, March 31, 2023. Photograph: Jornal de Noticias. Please click on photo for numerous reports and more photographs.
The Jornal de Notícias, one of Portugal’s oldest newspapers, carried photographs of scenes of bereavement outside the Ismaili Centre Lisbon, as a vast crowd gathered to pay respects at the funeral ceremony for Farana. The newspaper has also grouped links to various reports related to the attack at the Ismaili Centre under one special section; please click HERE.
According to the Portuguese media, the funeral for the second victim, Mariana Jadaugy, will take place in Sintra, a town near Lisbon. Earlier, the Lisbon School of Economics and Management (ISEG) had issued the following In Memoriam statement for the 2 victims:
“ISEG deeply regrets the deaths that occurred yesterday at the Ismali Center in Lisbon, in particular that of student Mariana Jadaugy, ISEG student, master in Development and International Cooperation. Mariana finished her master’s degree in December 2021 with an average of 15 out of 20, where she defended her thesis on the theme “Women’s Participation in Non-Governmental Organizations: Contributions to Your Study”.
“ISEG vehemently repudiates any type of violence and discrimination, and associates itself with the pain of the Ismaili community in Portugal, also conveying its deepest feelings to the families, colleagues and friends of the victims.”
OTHER NOTES AND STORIES OF INTEREST FROM THE PORTUGUESE MEDIA
REPORT SUMMARY — “The Assembly of the Republic on Friday, March 31, 2023, approved a vote of condolence for the victims of the attack that took place on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, at the Ismaili Center in Lisbon. The members of the assembly gave a a long standing applause to the families, those responsible for the center and the representative of the Ismaili Imamat in Lisbon who were present in the galleries.”
This post will continue to be updated with emerging stories, including Mariana Jadaugy’s funeral that is scheduled to take place later today, Saturday, April 1, 2023.
Date posted: March 31, 2023. Last updated: April 3, 2023 (CM Jornal link to video of funeral)
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Simerg invites readers to submit their thoughts, reflections and condolences on this tragedy that brutally took away the lives of two individuals at the Ismaili Centre Lisbon. Please submit your feedback by clicking Leave a comment.
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. The editor may be reached via email at mmerchant@simerg.com.
Prepared and compiled by MALIK MERCHANT from AKDN, Reuters, BBC and the website of the President of Tajikistan
Featured image at top of post: A view shows the area affected by an avalanche in Gorno-Badakhshan region, Tajikistan, February 15, 2023. Photograph: Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense of Tajikistan/Handout via REUTERS.
The Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH), an agency within the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), reports that more than 50 avalanches have hit the Badakhshan regions of Tajikistan and Afghanistan in recent days causing multiple casualties and damage to around 20 buildings and houses in the provincial capital Khorog (or Khorugh — town is circled in map below.)
Map of Tajikistan with surrounding countries from the Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, University of Texas. Note: Towns circled mentioned in story; map has been annotated for story. Click on image for enlargement.
According to the latest report by Reuters, the death toll stands at 20. Khorog is home to some 30,000 people. Its population is predominantly Ismaili Muslims and the town hosts the Tajikistan campus of the University of Central Asia. The mayor of provincial capital Khorog, Rizo Nazarzoda, urged its residents to stay at home as heavy snow and rain fell. Reuters states that videos from the area showed one-storey buildings covered up to their roofs with snow and ice blocks, with rescue teams digging through the snow in search of bodies.
The following is a summary of the avalanche as reported in BBC news on February 17, 2023:
Khorog worst hit with 13 people killed;
2 female students missing in the Ishkoshim area [or Eshkashem, town is circled in map above];
Child pulled from a collapsed house and crowds nearby are seen digging through the deep snow in the hope of finding more survivors.
A view shows the area affected by an avalanche in Gorno-Badakhshan region, Tajikistan, February 15, 2023. Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense of Tajikistan/Handout via REUTERS.
A view of an area in Khorog where an avalanche has destroyed several buildings as well as claimed lives. Photograph: Courtesy Photo.
People take part in a rescue operation following an avalanche slide in Gorno-Badakhshan region, Tajikistan, February 15, 2023. Photograph: Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense of Tajikistan/Handout via REUTERS
In response to the avalanches, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, called the chairman of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province, Alisher Khudoberdi Mirzonabot, and gave specific instructions for the prompt elimination of the consequences of the natural disaster and the provision of material assistance to affected families. In its brief, the President’s office states that more than a metre of snow fell in the region in the recent 3 days, which caused an avalanche to descend in Khorog.
The President has also received numerous messages of condolences including the following from his counterpart in the neghbouring Kyrgyz Republic, President Sadyr Japarov:
“It is with deep sorrow that I received the news of the death of people as a result of an avalanche in the city of Khorog, Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province of the Republic of Tajikistan, which occurred on February 15, 2023. On behalf of the entire people of Kyrgyzstan and on my own behalf, I express my condolences to the families and relatives of the victims and share their grief. I ask the Almighty for a speedy recovery of the injured.”
A view of the campus of the University of Central Asia in Khorog. Photograph: AKDN.
Left to righ: Dr. Shamsh Kassim-Lakha, Chairman of University of Central Asia’s Board of Trustees pictured with the Governor of Gorno-Badakshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO) of the Republic of Tajikistan, Mr. Alisher Khudoberdi Mirzonabot, and the Mayor of Khorog Mr. Rizo Nazarzoda on February 7, 2023, in Khorog. The Mayor is seen presenting Dr. Kassim-Lakha with a Rubab, a traditional Tajik musical instrument. The meeting took place before the avalanches descended in Khorog on February 14, from very heavy snowfalls in the region. Dr. Kassim-Lakha thanked the Governor, the Mayor of Khorog and the Government of Tajikistan for their support extended to UCA, and discussed with him the on-going and planned joint initiatives aiming to enhance the quality of education for the peoples of Tajikistan. Photograph: University of Central Asia.
Community Emergency Response volunteers trained by the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH) have been mobilised, at the request of the Government of Tajikistan, after over 50 avalanches have hit the region. In this picture AKAH volunteers clear a road blocked by an avalanche in Badakhshan in 2021. Photograph: AKAH.
AKAH has mobilised quickly to respond to the urgent request from the Government of Tajikistan, deploying trained teams to conduct search and rescue operations. With heavy snowfall continuing, AKAH is helping relocate people from at risk areas and providing temporary shelter for those displaced. AKDN is also providing fuel to district authorities to support local ambulance services and is clearing roads blocked by the avalanches.
AKDN’s Pamir Energy is working to repair damage to power lines and resume energy services in affected towns as soon as possible.
Date posted: February 16, 2023. Last updated: February 17, 2023 (added message of condolence from the Kyrgyz Republic, BBC story and map of region.)
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. The editor may be reached via email at mmerchant@simerg.com.
“We have all seen the heart-wrenching images and the heroic efforts of humanitarians battling the elements, the clock and the odds to save lives. We mourn the loss of so many – and the tragic toll keeps growing. Thousands of buildings have collapsed. Tens of thousands of people are exposed to unforgiving winter conditions. Schools and hospitals have been destroyed. Children are enduring terrible trauma. And we are sadly aware that we haven’t yet seen the full extent of the damage and of the humanitarian crisis unfolding before our eyes” — UN Secretary General, February 9, 2023.
Image credit: VOA
Report compiled and prepared by MALIK MERCHANT (From VOA, the Ismaili and other external websites; sources are hyperlinked. This post was first created on February 8, 2023 and may include material from earlier versions. This post was updated with a new death count on Thursday, February 16, 2023)
VOA (Voice of America) News in its latest update to the powerful earthquake that struck parts of Turkey and Syria on Monday February 6, 2023, reports that rescue crews in Turkey and Syria are racing against time and the cold to find survivors buried in the rubble of buildings from the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that has killed more than 35,00 (the number of dead reported on February 8 was 11,200.)
Search sites have been the scenes of some celebrations as people are found alive and taken away for medical care. But uncovering the rubble has also meant frequent increases in the number of casualties. According to VOA, February 16, officials in Turkey said at least 36,187 people were killed and more than 108,000 others were injured. In Syria, there were at least 5,500 deaths have been confirmed according to figures compiled by the United Nations humanitarian agency and Syria’s state-run news agency. The earthquake is now the world’s deadliest seismic event since a 2011 earthquake and tsunami that killed nearly 20,000 people in Japan.
The prospect of rescuing more people in Turkey and Syria trapped under the rubble of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake are dwindling, but Friday February 10, 2023, several survivors were pulled from the ruins in Hatay province in Turkey’s south. In this picture, at left, a rescuer takes care of a young girl rescued in Kahramanmaras, southern Turkey — see VOA story
Search teams and emergency aid from throughout the world poured into Turkey and Syria as rescue workers dug through the rubble in a desperate search for survivors. Some voices that had been crying out for help fell silent. “We could hear their voices, they were calling for help,” said Ali Silo, whose two relatives could not be saved in the Turkish town of Nurdagi.
The U.N. resident coordinator for Syria said Wednesday that 10.9 million people have been affected across the country by the earthquake. Before the quake, there were already 15.3 million in need of humanitarian assistance in the country, due to more than a decade of civil war. “So, it’s a crisis on top of a crisis,” El-Mostafa Benlamlih told reporters at the United Nations in New York during a video briefing from Damascus. He said in Aleppo alone, they estimate a third of homes have been damaged or destroyed, displacing around 100,000 people.
In a photo story, Reuters reports that the Aleppo Citadel, restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture between 2001-2006, suffered damage in the earthquake, further to its scarring during Syria’s 11 year conflict. The Wall Street Journal also carries a short video footage of damage to the ancient Citadel following the earthquake.
UN Secretary-General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres said the first aid convoy reached victims in northern Syria on Thursday, February 10, as he appealed for more access and funds to assist the millions affected by the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria on Monday. “Just hours ago, the first United Nations convoy crossed into northern Syria through Bab al-Hawa crossing,” Guterres told reporters. “It included six trucks, carrying shelter and other desperately needed relief supplies. More help is on the way, but much more — much more — is needed.” The secretary-general said his humanitarian and emergency relief chief Martin Griffiths is already in Turkey and will go to Gaziantep to assess needs. He will then continue to Aleppo and Damascus in Syria. “We are sadly aware that we haven’t yet seen the full extent of the damage and of the humanitarian crisis unfolding before our eyes,” Guterres said, offering condolences for victims and solidarity with survivors.
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THE SITUATION IN SYRIA: EFORTS BARELY ABLE TO GET OFF GROUND AND LIMITED AID REACHING COUNTRY DUE TO CRISIS AND CONFLICT
“I welcome the decision today [Feb. 13, 2023] by President Bashar al-Assad of Syria to open the two crossing points of Bab Al-Salam and Al Ra’ee from Türkiye to northwest Syria for an initial period of three months to allow for the timely delivery of humanitarian aid” — UNSG Antonio Guterres
The World Health Organization (WHO) is sending medical supplies to Syria to boost the humanitarian response. It has launched a $43 million appeal to support earthquake response in Syria and Türkiye, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced on Sunday. February 12, 2023. Photograph: WHO.
The recent rescue of two children from the rubble of collapsed buildings in Idlib and Aleppo in northwest Syria is a rare bit of good news in an area devastated by the massive earthquake that struck southern Turkey and its northern neighbor Monday. While a huge humanitarian operation is slowly gathering steam in Turkey, similar efforts in Syria are barely able to get off the ground.
I’ve seen first-hand the unbearable toll the earthquake has taken on people in #Syria. @WHO teams are working in affected areas and aiming to further scale up across the country, including in the northwest. But much more help is needed. Click https://t.co/TYLMqD63XY; and https://t.co/XrdFlEVsKW — Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General, February 12, 2023.
Logistical problems brought on by more than 12 years of crisis and conflict, the crippling impact of unilateral sanctions, and the reluctance to support the government of President Bashar al-Assad, has been among the limiting factors. Jens Laerke, a spokesman for the United Nations Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or UNOCHA, warns that political tensions between Turkey and its northern neighbor could compound the difficulties for aid workers to adequately respond to the crisis in Syria.
However, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday, February 13, that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has agreed to allow the United Nations to temporarily use two additional border crossings from Turkey to get aid to earthquake victims inside Syria. The announcement came hours after his humanitarian chief, Martin Griffiths, met with Assad and senior Syrian officials in Damascus. Griffiths has called in recent days for the regime to open more access for humanitarians.
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THE LATEST NEWS OF SYRIAN ISMAILI JAMAT
AKAH Search and Rescue Teams have been deployed in Syria. This photo is from a training programme in 2018. Photograph: Focus Humanitarin. PHOTO: FOCUS
According to the.Ismaili, the official website of the Ismaili community, the earthquakes have impacted some areas of Jamati presence in Syria where the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) programmes are already active. Following the earthquakes, Focus Humanitarian Assistance, in collaboration with the Ismaili Council for Syria and AKDN agencies, has mobilised rapidly. The Aga Khan Agency for Habitat (AKAH) has taken the lead on the ground and is working closely with UNOCHA to assess and respond to the emergency. AKAH Search and Rescue Teams have been deployed in AKDN programme areas, and the National Council has organised the relocation of members of the Jamat from the affected areas. Community Emergency Response Teams, working with AKAH engineers, are making rapid risk assessments of buildings, including homes, and communicating with households to support their identification of living alternatives as appropriate. Stockpiles of emergency supplies, primarily shelter and hygiene kits, have been readied for transportation as required. AKAH’s international rescue teams in other parts of the world have been placed on standby to deploy if required and requested by the government. AKAH is working with UNOCHA in the formulation of a joint appeal for resources to respond to the situation.
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ISMAILI CIVIC EARTHQUAKE DONATION DRIVE IN CHICAGO
The Honorable Engin Türesin, Consul General of Turkey in Chicago, pictured outside the Glenview Ismaili Jamatkhana with volunteers of the donation drive. Photograph: Consul General of Turkey.
Following a formal announcement on Friday, February 10, 2023 in all Chicagoland Jamatkhanas as well as email blasts and social media messages, a large crowd of Ismailis and non-Ismailis turned out on the following day, Saturday February 11, for a donation drive for victims of the earthquake in Syria and Turkey. The drive was an initiative of Focus Humanitarian Assistance USA and Ismaili Civic. It was held at the parking lot of the Glenview Jamatkhana and was attended by the Honorable Engin Türesin, Consul General of Turkey, who thanked all the donors and volunteers.
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The Honorable Engin Türesin, Consul General of Turkey in Chicago is welcomed to the Glenview Ismaili Jamatkhana and Centre by Ms. Amyna Lakhani, the Honorary Secretary of the Ismaili Council for the Midwestern USA, Aziz Ali and Sadruddin Noorani. Photograph: Consul General of Turkey.
Honorable Engin Türesin also took the occasion to to visit the Jamatkhana and the Religious Education Classes that were in session. He was very impressed by what he saw, and praised the Ismaili Muslim community for the work it is doing. Earlier, the Consul General and the donors were welcomed to the Ismaili Jamatkhana and Center by Ms. Amyna Lakhani, the Honorary Secretary of the Aga Khan Ismaili Council for the Midwestern, USA.
We understand that similar donation drives are being planned in other US cities including Dallas, Houston, and Los Angeles.
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CONTRIBUTIONS
The.Ismaili website states that members of the Jamat wishing to make contributions to support the response are requested to visit the following Focus Humanitarian Assistance websites. And members residing outside North America, the UK and Europe should consider donating through the same offices listed hereunder:
Date posted: February 8, 2023. Last updated: February 16, 2023 (11:21 AM EST, death count.)
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The Khaama Press News Agency, the largest online news service for Afghanistan, reports in a dispatch dated January 19, 2023, that Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, met with Akbar Ali Pasnani, Special Representative of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) to Afghanistan on Thursday, January 19, 2023.
Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi meets with Akbar Ali Pasnani Special Representative of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) to Afghanistan on Thursday, January 19, 2023.
AKDN has been functioning in most parts of Afghanistan with a wide range of services aimed at improving the living conditions of people in the rural and urban parts of the country. It is one of the few international organizations which maintained its agencies operational in Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power in August 2021. The aid organization’s continued support has been of paramount importance for the lives of thousands of vulnerable families across the country… READ MORE ON KHAAMA.
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AKDN Special Representative for Afghanistan AkbarAli Pasnani called on IEA Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi. At the outset,Mr. Pasnani expressed condolences over the heinous attack adjacent MoFA compound and offered to assist in treatment of those injured in the attack. pic.twitter.com/5Ux5wLClGl
REVIEW SIMERG’S TABLE OF CONTENTS AND VISIT ITS SISTER WEBSITES
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. The editor may be reached via email at mmerchant@simerg.com.
“What an absolutely marvelous job you did in creating this work… How very important it was for you to do this because I think it gives a truer picture of what actually happened… Your film should be more widely distributed – especially to schools. To learn that our decisions can have significant repercussions is an important idea to understand” — Jennifer Shelley, Edmonton
Note: The event is now over.
[Simerg is delighted to inform its readers, especially those living in and around the Calgary area, that Edmonton based filmmaker Aleem Karmali is travelling to Calgary for the screening of his highly acclaimed film “Thrown into Canada: The Settlement of Asian Refugees from Uganda”, on Saturday, January 21, 2023, at the Globe Cinema located at 617 8 Ave SW, Calgary. The doors to the cinema will open at 1:00 PM and the film will commence shortly thereafter. At the screening, Aleem will engage in a discussion with Honourable Salma Lakhani, the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, whose appointment to the position was announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on June 30, 2020. Salma herself became stateless when Idi Amin announced the expulsion of Asians from Uganda in August 1972. As readers may be aware, Simerg had carried a special article on Salma Lakhani with a link to an interview she gave to the Canadian Geographic magazine. We sincerely hope Calgary residents will fill up the cinema for Karmali’s film. Tickets are only $10.00 and can be purchased by clicking on EVENTBRITE. At Simerg’s invitation, Aleem Karmali has prepared the following short introductory piece about the film he is screening in Calgary — Ed.]
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The Ugandan Asian Refugees: Canada’s First Major Movement of Non-European Refugees
The story of the Ugandan Asian refugees has received a fair amount of coverage in the past year, marking the 50th anniversary of Idi Amin’s expulsion of South Asians from Uganda in 1972. The expulsion targeted around 50 thousand people from a diverse array of ethnic and religious backgrounds, including several thousand Ismaili Muslims.
Often when these stories are told, they focus on the experiences of the refugees during the expulsion, their settlement in the UK, Canada, or other countries, and their contributions to their new societies. Typically, the story begins with Idi Amin’s expulsion order and they rarely engage with the damaging legacy of British colonialism in shaping the tangled historical context leading up to the expulsion.
In Canada specifically, the stories often focus specifically on Ismailis. However, while the Ismailis were the largest group that came to Canada, this was actually a diverse community, including many Goans, Hindus, Sikhs, and other Muslims.
DOCUMENTING AN UNTOLD CANADIAN STORY
When I set out to make a documentary film about the expulsion, I wanted to tell the Canadian story in a slightly different way than others had generally approached it. I approached the expulsion as a key moment in Canadian refugee and immigration history.
The Ugandan Asians were the first major movement of non-European and non-white refugees accepted in Canadian history. We tend to view Canada today as a multicultural, diverse, and pluralistic society. However, it was not always so.
Canada’s early history had very exclusionary immigration policies rooted in Canada’s history as a British colony. Eventually, Canadian immigration policies began to change, laying the foundations for Canada’s decision to accept almost 8,000 Ugandan refugees.
The Uganda movement also left a legacy in Canada. The generally positive perception of the Ugandan refugees opened the door to more, and larger, refugee movements from outside Europe, including the Boat People in the late 1970s, and later movements from Afghanistan and Syria.
Another legacy is that the experiences of Canadian immigration officials on the ground in Uganda led to new policies, particularly the world’s first policy of private sponsorship of refugees.
The film features interviews with historians, Canadian immigration officials, and former Ugandan refugees from the Ismaili, Goan, and Hindu communities. Notable interviews include Dr. Shezan Muhammedi, Prof. Karim H. Karim, Senator Mobina Jaffer, and Her Honour, the Honourable Salma Lakhani, the 19th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta.
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Watch Trailer
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CALGARY SCREENING: JANUARY 21, 2023, GLOBE CINEMA, DOORS OPEN 1:00 PM; AND LINK TO PURCHASE TICKETS
An upcoming screening will be held on Saturday, January 21 in Calgary at the Globe Cinema — 617 8 Ave SW, Calgary — followed by a panel discussion with Her Honour Salma Lakhani and myself. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased by clicking on EVENTBRITE.
The film is independently-produced with grant funding from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and the Edmonton Arts Council.
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TESTIMONIALS ON THE FILM
The following is feedback received from previous screenings of the film:
“I want to compliment you on a superb documentary.” — Michael Molloy, Canadian Immigration Official in Kampala in 1972
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“It is beautifully told – written and visual. I love many creative elements you’ve included and I was so happy to hear so many voices.” — Shelley Ayres, Producer/Director of “Expelled: My Roots in Uganda” (CTV)
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“The film was so well made, and I learned so much.” — Ikhlas Hussain, Waterloo Public Library
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“What a wonderful contribution!!” — Dr. Shenila Khoja-Moolji, Associate Professor of Muslim Societies at Georgetown University
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“What an absolutely marvelous job you did in creating this work… How very important it was for you to do this because I think it gives a truer picture of what actually happened… Your film should be more widely distributed – especially to schools. To learn that our decisions can have significant repercussions is an important idea to understand.” — Jennifer Shelley, Edmonton Resident
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PURCHASE TICKETS
Again, tickets for the film can be purchased by clicking on EVENTBRITE.
Date posted: January 17, 2023. Last updated: January 20, 2023 (trailer added.)
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Aleem Karmali
Aleem Karmali is an independent documentary filmmaker, writer and educator based in Edmonton, Canada. Through his company Crescent Productions, his films generally explore the intersections of history, diversity, culture and religion, with a particular focus on the contributions of Muslim civilizations to the world. He is also an alumnus of The Institute of Ismaili Studies and has produced several projects for The.Ismaili and the Aga Khan Development Network over the years. He also contributed The Unveiling at Sijilmasa for Simerg’s acclaimed series I Wish I’d Been There.
REVIEW SIMERG’S TABLE OF CONTENTS AND VISIT ITS SISTER WEBSITES
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. The editor may be reached via email at mmerchant@simerg.com.
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