[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.
Story continues below
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DRONE FOOTAGE OF SALAMIYAH AFTER ANTI-ASSAD INSURGENTS TAKE CONTROL OF CITY
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Tweet: Khaama Press
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ISMAILI INSTITUTIONS ANNOUNCEMENT
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.
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