Friday, May 09, 2008

India history...Sidhpur Foundation

Incredible 2 part look at a little history of Ismailis in India and the struggles to educate children...




Ismaili Student recognized for Ryerson Leadership Award


Navroza Alibhai (Leadership Award of Excellence – Program Development) works for International Services for Students at Ryerson, organizing events for new international students to help them assimilate into Canadian life. She is an executive member of the Ryerson Ismaili Students' Association, a member of the Ismaili Volunteer Corps for Ontario, and a volunteer with the Aga Khan Education Board for Ontario. She also works as a religious education teacher and organizes after-school programs for children from low-income immigrant families.

http://www.ryerson.ca/arts%2B/newsandevents.html

McCord museum hosts Historic Cities

In a world where modernity pushes forth our collective systems at stifling speeds, art exists as rare moments of reflection, commenting on where we are, where we came from and where we are headed.
The Muslim world has a rich cultural and artistic history and a somewhat turbulent present. Rapid change has taken its toll on monuments of the past. One third of the UNESCO World Heritage sites are located in the Muslim world. The Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) is working towards revitalizing ancient monuments from the rubble and dust of centuries gone by, through interventions focused on the physical, social and economic revitalization of historic sites in the Muslim world.


Revitalization of UNESCO Muslim World Heritage sites showcased

Texas A&M Ross Volunteers - Aga Khan Sabre Arch Salute

April 11 - Sabre Arch Salute-Arrival of the Aga Khan - Austin:

Governor Rick Perry, who was a member of the Texas A&M Aggie Corps Of Cadets, requested the Ross Volunteers to do a sabre arch salute at a special ceremony for the arrival of the Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of 16 million Ismaili Muslims worldwide. The Ross Volunteer Company played a key role in the elaborate red carpet ceremony to honor the Aga Khan at Austin Bergstrom International Airport. The event signified the first stop in the United States for His Highness on a tour that marked his 50th year as the Aga Khan. Governor Perry has been a long-time supporter and friend of the Ismaili community as Texas is home to tens of thousands of Ismaili Muslims who contribute to the social, economic and cultural fabric of the state.


Aga Khan set for seven-day India visit

May 9th, 2008 - 11:09 pm ICT by admin


New Delhi, May 9 (IANS) The Aga Khan, spiritual leader of Shia Ismaili Muslims, will arrive here May 12 on a seven-day, four-city visit to India. He will be in the capital for two days, during which he will meet President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani.
The Aga Khan will then move on to Hyderabad, Mumbai and Ahmedabad and leave for Dhaka May 19, the ministry of external affairs said here.
The visit marks the Aga Khan’s 50th year as imam of over 25 million Shia Ismailis worldwide.
The 70-year-old leader - also known as Prince Karim Aga Khan IV - succeeded his grandfather, Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan - at age 20 in 1957, becoming the community’s 49th imam.
The Aga Khan last visited India in September 2006, when he laid the foundation of the Aga Khan Academy for Excellence in Education in Hyderabad.
Earlier, in 2004 the spiritual leader gave away the Aga Khan Award for Architecture at a presentation ceremony at Humayun’s Tomb here.

TheIndian News...

Alwaez Abualy Aziz...1919 - 2008

Zee's Notes : It is with great sadness to share with our readers the passing away of a true Ismaili Hero. Alwaez Abu Aly spent a lifetime in the service of his community and his oratory skills are indeed legendary. Such was his thirst for knowledge that he obtained his Phd at the age of 82 and never tired of passing on his knowledge right to the day he passed away.

My recollection of the Alwaez was his booming voice but as I got to know the man at Darkhana JK in Burnaby over the past few years his most becoming trait was his smile. As a youngster in Dar-es-salaam I was more scared of facing him but when I got to know him I found him to be genuinely kind and a true leader.

Much will be spoken over the next few weeks as word spreads across the Ismaili Community but let me leave you with some words from:

Mehboob Kamadia - Scholar, Lecturer & Researcher

May 4,2008

unedited


If fame and influence are yardsticks to measure success, then Missionary-author Rai Dr. Abualy Alibhai Aziz ranks highest in the history of the 20th Century Ismaili da`wa, a teaching and proselytizing organ of the Ismaili movement. His spectacularly successful career and achievements are inextricably linked to two Holy imams: our majestic and supremely charismatic Lord Sultan Muhammad Shah and our most beloved Hazar Imam. Throughout his brilliant mission career, Missionary Abualy never failed to defend the interests of Imam Sultan Muhammad and the Imam of the Time. His two books, Radde Batil and Zahoor-e-Haqq, are a glittering testimony of his courage, boldness, knowledge and debating skills. In the 60's the Imam of the Time had dispatched Missionary Abualy to South Africa where the dai (missionary) roared as the lion of Ismaili Islam.


A Short Biography


In the end of 1915, Mawlana Sultan Muhammad Shah instructed Mukhi Alibhai Aziz to perform a second marriage and predicted that this matrimonial union would bless him with a son who ought to be named “Hakam Abualy”. As prophesied, Khadija Jafer Sadiq gave birth to Hakam Abualy in Amritsar, Punjab, on August 21, 1919. Hakam Abualy, in the annals of history, has become acclaimed and venerated in the Ismaili world as “Missionary Abualy”. His remarkable active and eventful life of 88 years is a glowing testimony of his profoundest love, unquestionable loyalty and unflinching dedication to the House of the Prophet Muhammad and Hazrat Ali - Peace be upon them.
At a very tender age, Missionary Abualy imbibed religious education from his knowledgeable grandfather with an uncompromising focus on the study of Ginan-e-Sherif, a unique sacred interpretation of the Holy Qur’an. At the age of four, Missionary Abualy preached among his Hindu classmates; at seven, he deeply plunged into the study of Qur’an-e-Sherif under the supervision of a Sunni Qur'anic scholar; at eleven, he commenced preaching in jamatkhanas; at twelve, he travelled to Afghanistan with his father where he came into contact with Afghan centres of Ismaili population. In 1938, Mawlana Sultan Muhammad Shah ordered the young charismatic preacher to forever end his medical career and become “His” missionary. In instant obeisance, the 20 years old Abualy joined the Aga Khan Re-Creation Club and Institute, a predecessor of the Institute of Ismaili Studies. In 1946, the Imam made Missionary Abualy the director of Ismaili da’wa for Tanzania, Kenya & Uganda. During one of his very privileged Imam-Dai mulakats, the Imam placed Missionary Abualy's head on his knee and blessed him. The Imam placed His Hand on Missionary Abualy’s head and commanded him to speak the truth without fear. The Imam emphasized that His Hand would be upon him at all times. In retrospect, this was an unmistakable prophecy: the Imam’s dai would triumph in spite of impediments and all forms of opposition throughout his mission career. Armed with divine blessings, Missionary Abualy continuously preached in overcrowded jamats around the world for ¾ of a century.
As a genuine mujahid, a warrior for the religious cause, Missionary Abualy courageously and effectively served as a torch-bearer of Islam in general and as the 20th century spokesperson of the Ismaili Nizari da'wa in particular. In the entire history of Ismaili movement, no dai or Imam's agent has traveled as much as Missionary Abualy: He visited one hundred and twenty-three countries and delivered around twelve thousand waez (sermons) and lectures in Jamatkhanas, mosques, churches and temples. In his pioneering efforts spanning 76 years, he championed the cause of Ismaili Islam even in the remotest areas of Ismaili presence. In one of the Imam-dai communications, Mawlana Hazar Imam made a particular note of this. In the early sixties, the Imam of the Time had wished that He had 50 missionaries like Missionary Abualy in our Jamat. Bearing the foregoing Holy wish in mind, I should note that in the late 60's, Mawlana Hazar Imam had expressed in writing that He was very happy with His murids of Bombay who had taken keen interest in listening to Missionary Abualy's waez. In one of the talikas addressed to the Mukhi of Bombay, the Imam had explicitly desired that Missionary Abualy visit India every year for at least one month if not two. Three years ago, the jamats in India, Pakistan and Dubai thronged to listen to Missionary Abualy's waez. The intense craving and keen interest in listening to Missionary Abualy's waez remain undiminished in our jamats.
Through Missionary Abualy’s sermons, we discover a profoundly impressive voice and truly an exceptional intellectual, philosophical and mystical mind. In addition to passionately assisting thousands of Ismailis to ascend the ladder of salvation, this legendary giant also enhanced the material lifestyle of thousands of Ismaili murids living around the world.


The Ismaili Community has sustained an immense loss with his passing away.


May his Soul Rest in Eternal Peace


Please leave a comment with your well wishes to make it a tribute from all the readers of Morning Chai - I know all of us in one way or another have been touched by the soul of Rai Abu Aly in his lifetime.

Canadian Ismaili Games - Diversity is Strength...

Zee's notes: The CIG's were not only a celebration of sport but I think moreso it brought the community together in ways we can not imagine. If you consider first the diversity of the regions and then move it up a notch as to the diversity of the countries we all came from it boggles the mind as to the oneness of the Ismaili Community. MHI keeps reminding us that Diversity is Strength and these games brought home this point. I met Ismailis not only from the different provinces but from many different countries and the punch line is that at the end of the day it is good to be an Ismaili.

On Sunday standing at the famous line up for the BBQ (I have a story on that too in a few days) I stood next to 3 youngsters from Quebec and they were all speaking French - fluently. One of the boys I found out was from Kabul, Afghanistan. He told me his family had moved to Germany many years ago and he spoke fluent German as well. Then I asked him what he did in Montreal - well he is in Law School.
Another youngster I met, also from Afghanistan, has a different story but no less interesting. This young man since an early age - 20 I believe - had to be the breadwinner of a family of 6 - including his parents - and he worked 2 jobs for 5 years teaching himself to sleep 3-4 hours a day so he could pay the rent and put food on the table. Anyway he managed to save enough money to buy a small body shop where he continued to work his tail off and as he said to me 'With MHI's blessings' managed to snare a painting contract with one of the larger Taxi outfits in town though he still sleeps 3 hours a day.

The punch line here is this: If you give a man the opportunity - the world is his oyster provided he is ready to work for it. Just as 35 years ago when a group of refugees were given an opportunity for a new life in a new country and they took the bull by the horn and made it work for them - so history now gives us a new set of immigrants this time from the other corner of the world taking on the same challenge - my father keeps reminding me that the vision is not of a decade or a generation but of centuries - that is the legacy he says we must remember in this year of the Golden Jubilee - I can only be in awe...