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
July 11, 2024, marks a significant milestone in the history of Ismaili Muslims worldwide. It’s the 67th Imamat Day of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan. This day symbolizes his succession to the Divine Throne of Imamat as the 49th Ismaili Imam at the young age of 20, a pivotal moment in the continuing spiritual and material journey of the Ismaili Muslim community.
On this auspicious day, we extend our heartfelt felicitations to all our readers and Ismailis worldwide and express our humble gratitude to Mawlana Hazar Imam for his continuous blessings and guidance for his spiritual children. We also appreciate his family members for their contribution to the Institution of Imamat.
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, 49th Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims, pictured at the Diamond Jubilee Darbar in Kenya. Photo: The Ismaili.
On this blessed day, we extend our warmest wishes to all Ismailis worldwide. May this Imamat Day bring you joy, good health, prosperity, and spiritual enlightenment. Let’s find solace in the constant presence of the Imam in our lives. He wishes the best for us, both in our material and spiritual aspects, and we are always in his heart, thoughts, and prayers. As he has said, “You are all constantly in my heart, in my thoughts and in my prayers.”
The Imam’s love for his community is unwavering. As he has said, “No mountains, no river, no desert can separate the Imam from his murids” and “You must remember that Imam loves you more, much more than you can ever love him, and you must be strong in this knowledge.”
Indeed, as murids (followers) of Mawlana Hazar Imam, we must draw inspiration and strength from these messages.
The Rope of Imamat is an everlasting Rope of Guidance, Love and Affection and will stretch out for eternity; the wish and prayer of every murid of the Imam should be to hold fast to the Promised Rope and remain on the Straight Path (Sirat al-Mustaqim).
Earlier this week, Kutub Kassam’s poem and introduction to the poem Mazhar or Theophany made it abundantly clear that the Imam-of-the-Time is the Mazhar par excellence. He is the bearer of the Divine Light in the terrestrial world and the most perfect expression of the underlying divine reality.
Story continues below….please click on image for enlargement
Calligraphy to commemorate the 67th Imamat Day of His Highness the Aga Khan, Mawlana Shah Karim Al Hussaini Hazar Imam. The Quranic verse “Wa Kulla Sha’in Ahsainahu fee Imamim-Mubeen” is in cursive script with the border top and bottom “Shah Karim” in eastern Kufi. Calligraphy and design by Karim Ismail, Toronto, Canada.
As a follow-up, Toronto’s Karim Ismaili has designed a beautiful Imamat Day card bearing the Quranic verse, “Wa kulla shai’in ahsainaahu feee Imaamim Mubeen” (Quran, 36:12), meaning “We have vested (the knowledge and authority of) everything in the Manifest Imam.”
This verse underscores the central role of the Imam in every Ismaili’s spiritual journey and life. Our goal should be to strengthen this belief in our hearts, minds and souls for our spiritual upliftment, happiness, and courage to face any adversity that comes our way. As the 48th Imam, Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah, observed, “You will have no fear in this world if you love the descendants of Muhammad and Ali.”
Much of the inspiration for my paintings comes from Mawlana Hazar Imam His Highness the Aga Khan’s guidance to the Ismaili community on the importance of brotherhood, pluralism, and living a life where we “do not forsake the soul for the material world.” Indeed, I draw continued encouragement from the Imam’s guidance as an artist and in my daily life.
Take Me Away by Shafina Jaffer. Medium: Oil on canvas. Size: 200 x 80 cm (78.7 x 31.5 in). This painting was projected on the facade of Windsor Castle during the Coronation Concert honouring the Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla, on May 7, 2023. Shafina presented the original painting to Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, for the auspicious occasion of Navroz, March 21, 2024. Photograph: Shafina Jaffer collection.
Last year, I curated a painting for King Charles’s coronation, and on the occasion of Navroz — the Persian New Year — on March 21, 2024, the same painting, “Take Me Away,” was gifted to Mawlana Hazar Imam, who graciously accepted it and encouraged me to pursue my talents. His message moved me, and as a show of gratitude to celebrate his 67th Imamat Day on July 11, 2024, I have embarked on a series of Mawlana Hazar Imam portrait paintings that will be presented in the coming months on this website.
Simerg and its sister website, Barakah, share the first painting in this series that captures a very youthful Hazar Imam. When asked about my choice to depict Mawlana Hazar Imam at this age, I explain that it’s the image that has been etched in my mind growing up: a sympathetic, youthful figure radiating with light. This personal connection with the Imam drives my artistic expression and deepens my sense of gratitude.
Delving into mixed-media mediums, I use my heritage and strong affiliation with spirituality to sow the seeds of my creativity. Since completing my Graduate Diploma (Art & Design) and Master’s Degree (Painting) from the Royal College of Art, I have explored the intricacies of nature, human relationships, and spirituality within the field of art and their interrelationship.
Religion and spirituality are not just important themes in my art; they are the essence of my work, reflecting my deep exploration of faith and the human connection to the divine. My canvases are vibrant and alive, filled with a playful mix of colour, form, and texture, with natural mediums playing a pivotal role. Faith pushes me to transcend the physical and visible, uncovering what resides at the core and infusing the outer edges with life. Indeed, with such portraiture of the Imam, the lines between literal and divine interpretation are moving and profound.
Please click on image for enlargement
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, by Shafina Jaffer. Medium: Oil, Gold and Charcoal; Size: 42 x 32 cm. Original photograph for painting: Gary Otte (cover page and page 121 of Depth of Field: The Aga Khan Beyond the Lens).
This portrait of the Aga Khan, painted with meticulous care and deep gratitude, captures his serene and compassionate essence. I have highlighted his gentle smile and thoughtfully intelligent eyes, conveying wisdom and kindness. The subtle use of colours and shading brings out the depth of his character and position in humanity, reflecting his profound impact as a spiritual leader and guide. One can easily see an overarching glow settled upon the canvas — reflecting his holy and elevated demeanour.
The border, crafted in real gold and liquid charcoal, symbolizes his love for nature and adds a unique, elegant touch to the piece. This artwork is a heartfelt tribute, expressing deep appreciation for the Aga Khan’s guidance and positive influence on my life and practice. It stands as a testament to the enduring respect and admiration he commands.
Upon gazing at this painting, one can forget that it is not a photograph. My brush has sought to create a three-dimensional profound effect which makes it appear that the face is emerging from the confines of the page to look into the viewer’s eyes, saying:
“Everybody makes mistakes. Never regret them; correct them. There’s no such thing as a perfect world or perfect life” — His Highness the Aga Khan.
Date posted: July 9, 2024.
_________________
Work in progress, as Ismaili artist Shafina Jaffer paints a portrait of His Highness the Aga Khan in her studio in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The iconic artist was invited to the residence of the US Ambassador to Tanzania on US Independence Day, July 4, 2024, to exhibit her paintings featuring African women.
“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
________________________________
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.
~~~~~~
“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.)
________________________________
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.”
________________________________
…. 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.
____________________
Please click HERE for many more pieces on this website on the topic of Eid-e Ghadir.
At long last, literature counters in Jamatkhanas across Canada have received Dr. Farhad Daftary’s “The Ismaili Imams: A Biographical History” in larger quantities than what was available in 2021-2022 at the height of COVID-19. That inventory sold out quickly, and the new inventory has reached several Jamatkhanas around the country. We request families to visit the literature counters at their respective Jamatkhanas before the book is sold out. Simerg has collaborated with the Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Board (ITREB) for Canada to facilitate the sale and distribution of the The Ismaili Imams by mail to Ismailis in Canada who live remotely or who do not have easy access to Jamatkhana literature counters. The book will be sold at the same price as at literature counters, but postage, packing and shipping costs will be added.
How to Purchase The Ismaili Imams: A Biographical History from Simerg
Cover page of The Ismaili Imams: A Biographical History by Farhad Daftary, Hardback, 260 pp., published October 2020, I.B.Tauris in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies.
Ismaili individuals and families who live remotely or who do not have access to the book at their own Jamatkhana literature counters are advised to order Ismaili Imams through Simerg’s offer before the book is completely sold out.
The book will be sold at the same price as at Ismaili Jamatkhana literature counters across Canada. However, postage, package and handling charges of C$25.00 will be added to the book’s COST PRICE of C$23.00, for a total price of C$48.00. Note that each shipment will be sent via Canada Post’s expedited parcel post. A tracking number will be provided to track the shipment.
To inquire if the book is still available, and to order/reserve the book, please write to Malik Merchant of Simerg, Barakah and Simergphotos at mmerchant@simerg.com. Please provide your full name, phone number and address where you can be reached. Simerg will contact you within 24 hours to verify your address and provide you with payment information. Please note that payments will only be accepted via Interac E-transfer or by cheque. The book will be shipped out within 24 hours upon receipt of the payment.
Each individual/family will be able to order a maximum of 2 copies, as Simerg’s stock is limited.
What arguably should have been among the first publications to be published by the Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) in London was ultimately published in October 2020, 43 years after its founding on December 13, 1977. The book, The Ismaili Imams: A Biographical History, has now reached literature counters in Ismaili Jamatkhanas across Canada in larger quantities than the first stock that arrived in the midst of Covid-19, when the book quickly sold out. The long awaited book, in my humble opinion, should find a place in every Ismaili home and should be read by the youth and professionals in the Jamat.
Simerg is pleased to collaborate with the Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Board (ITREB) for Canada to facilitate the sale and distribution of the The Ismaili Imams by mail to Ismailis in Canada who live remotely or who do not have easy access to Jamatkhana literature counters. The book will be sold at the same price as at literature counters, but postage, packing and shipping costs will be added. See details below.
Article continues below
Top left: Great Mosque of Mahdiyya; top right: Title page and opening page of a manuscript of the Pandiyat-i javanmardi, a collection of the sermons of Imam Mustansir bi’llah; bottom left: Restored mausoleum of Imam Shah Nizar in Kahak; and Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, delivering a speech at the Global Centre for Pluralism, Ottawa. All Illustrations: The Ismaili Imams: A Biographical History.
The Ismaili Imams: A Biographical History has been authored by Farhad Daftary, a pre-eminent authority on Ismaili Studies, and author and editor of dozens of books and articles on Ismaili history and literature. Dr Daftary, who joined the IIS in 1988, became the head of its Department of Academic Research and Publications, and went on to become its co-director upon the departure of Dr Azim Nanji. Daftary finally stepped down from his management roles in 2022, and was succeeded as IIS director by Professor Zayn Kassam in January 2023.
On January 18, 2023, Dr Daftary was honoured in the presence of Prince Rahim at a special reception held in London. During the event, Prince Rahim announced that Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, had decided to acknowledge Dr Daftary’s contributions to the Institute by attaching his name to PhD Scholarships awarded by IIS. Prince Rahim also recognized Dr Daftary’s central role not only as a leader, but as the IIS’s most respected and productive scholar and author.
___________________
Cover page of The Ismaili Imams: A Biographical History by Farhad Daftary, Hardback, 260 pp., published October 2020, I.B.Tauris in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies.
The Ismaili Imams is the first collection of biographies of all the Ismaili Imams, from the seminal Imams of early Shi’i Islam, through to those of the first ‘period of concealment’ when their public identities remained hidden, to the Imam-caliphs of the illustrious Fatimid dynasty, and those of the Alamut period, up to the Aga Khans of the modern period. The Ismaili Imams draws from the rich scholarship of the developing field of Ismaili Studies, providing a simple and clear resource for both the Ismailis themselves and for general readers, ensuring accessibility for all. This extensively illustrated book offers a snapshot of the lives, events, and legacies of all 49 Ismaili Imams, and through them, the Ismaili community’s storied past.
___________________
The 260 page richly illustrated hardback volume features the 49 Ismaili Imams through the following nine sections: 1.The Ismaili Imamat in History; 2.The Early Imams (from Hazrat ‘Ali to Imam Muhammad b. Isma’il); 3.The Concealed Imams (Imam Wafi Ahmad to Imam Radi al-Din ‘Abd Allah); 4.The Early Fatimid Imam-Caliphs (from Imam al-Mahdi to Imam Nizar); 5.The Imams at Alamut (from Imam al-Hadi to Imam Rukn al-Din Khurshah); 6.The Early Imams after Alamut (Imam Shams al-Din Muhammad to Imam Muhammad b. Islam Shah); 7.The Imam of the Anjudan Period (Imam Mustansir bi’llah to Imam Khalil Allah ‘Ali); 8.The Imams in the Eighteenth Century (Imam Shah Nizar to Imam Shah Khalil Allah); and 9.The Imams in the Modern Age (Imam Shah Hasan ‘Ali Shah, Aga Khan I, to Mawlana Shah Karim al-Husayni, Aga Khan IV). The book ends with a four page glossary, select bibliography, and an index. The full contents page is available on the IIS website HERE.
How to Purchase The Ismaili Imams: A Biographical History from Simerg
SOLD OUT: We do not have any more copies of the book in stock. Please check the availability of Ismaili Imams at the Jamatkhana literature counters in your respective countries, or buy it from Amazon.ca or Amazon.com.
Simerg is pleased to facilitate the distribution of The Ismaili Imams: A Biographical History in conjunction with ITREB Canada, to Ismaili addresses in Canada. Ismaili individuals and families who live remotely or who do not have access to the book at their own Jamatkhana literature counters, should take advantage of this offer before the book is completely sold out.
The book will be sold at the same cost price as at Ismaili Jamatkhana literature counters across Canada. However, postage, package and handling charges amounting to a total of C$25.00 will be added to the book’s COST PRICE of C$23.00, for a total payment price of C$48.00. Note that each shipment will be nicely packaged and sent via Canada Post’s expedited parcel post. A tracking number will be provided to track the shipment.
To order/reserve the book, please write to Malik Merchant of Simerg, Barakah and Simergphotos at mmerchant@simerg.com. Please provide your full name, phone number and address where you can be reached. Simerg will contact you within 48 hours to verify your address and provide you with payment details. Please note that payments will only be accepted via Interac E-transfer or by cheque. The book will be shipped out immediately upon receipt of the payment.
Each individual/family will be able to order a maximum of 2 copies.
Over the past 14 years, Simerg has had the privilege and honour to support Prince Hussain Aga Khan’s books such as Animal Voyage, Diving Into Wildlife and The Living Sea. We are happy to collaborate with ITREB Canada in this new endeavour and look forward to serving members of the Ismaili community in this joint initiative. Ismaili readers should note that the book is available for purchase through online booksellers like Amazon, albeit at a higher price.
Date posted: February 17, 2024. Last updated: August 16, 2025.
____________________
Have you read The Ismaili Imams? We want to hear from you. Please submit your feedback on the book by clicking on LEAVE A COMMENT.
The pace of life today is said to be much faster than it was just a few decades ago. This is an axiom of our times. What, however, is not axiomatic is the corollary that is often assumed to stem from it, namely that spiritual value and worth get diminished in proportion to the increase of pace. It is not uncommon to hear the lament that nowadays people have no time for religion. Many people actually believe this, and that is a great pity. For religion is not a ‘thing’ one ‘does’ if one has time. Religion is a commitment, an involvement of one’s being and personality, utterly, totally and completely.
Human nature, however, accepts few commitments gladly and it abhors those which are seen as imposed externally. Some people consider religion as a process forced upon them from outside themselves. To view religion as an imposition is to misunderstand its message and its function.
The fundamental message of religion to Man is to be at peace — at peace with himself, with his fellow human beings, and at peace with his Creator; the fundamental function of religion is to enable a person to understand and to know his own nature, his environment and to begin to recognise and to know his Creator. Knowledge and peace are interlinked. One makes the attainment of the other possible and a person who attains a degree of both becomes a potential recipient of God’s most valuable gifts to Man: wisdom. Tranquility is a reflection of wisdom.
Photo: John Macdonald.
“I do not believe that we should fear material progress, nor should we condemn it. The danger is that it could become an obsession in our lives and that it could dominate our way of thinking” — Mawlana Hazar Imam [1]
“The day we no longer know how, nor have the time nor the faith to bow in prayer to Allah because the human soul that He has told us is eternal is no longer of sufficient importance to us to be worthy of an hour of our daily working, profit-seeking time, will be a sunless day of despair” — Mawlana Hazar Imam [2]
An essential aspect of knowledge is the understanding that even a tiny part of our lives cannot be isolated from what is termed ‘religion’; for religion properly understood, is nothing less – and even more – than life itself. We, as Muslims, are not and cannot be ‘outside’ of Islam. Islam involves us completely; that, indeed, is the essence of our existence.
The realization of this simple fact is the basis for experiencing an inner calm and tranquility. Then the pace of life around a person becomes largely immaterial, and its varied speed becomes a matter of petty insignificance. This is not to underestimate the powerful attractions of the style of life prevalent in many parts of the world; it is simply to point out that, if one wants to stop oneself from being drifted away aimlessly by the currents of materialism, one can stabilize oneself through the teachings and practices of Islam.
Date posted: Thursday, November 6, 2014.
_______________
The essay has been adapted from Ilm, Volume 2, Number 1, published by the Ismaili Tariqah and Religious Education Board (ITREB) for the United Kingdom, where it appeared under the title “Islam and the Modern Pace of Life.” Excerpts from the speeches of His Highness the Aga Khan were not part of the original piece by Dr. Topan.
[1] His Highness the Aga Khan, Takht Nashini (ceremonial installation), Karachi, Pakistan, January 23, 2958.
[2] His Highness the Aga Khan, Convocation Address, Peshawar University, Pakistan, November 30, 1967.
________________
Links for speeches of His Highness the Aga Khan:
“….What we admire in you above all is the fact not that you have a modernised religion, but that you have been able to integrate a modern outlook with religion so that religion has been allowed its true role which is not merely to provide an all-embracing explanation of the universe but also to furnish the fundamental solutions of the problems which life poses us…”
Please click for “Admiration for His Highness the Aga Khan”
Simerg - Insights from Around the World 