Simerg

"What all these petty, superficial differences -- from owning cars and clothes to having Netflix and Instagram accounts -- add up to is not real human solidarity for an oppressed people. In fact, it's the opposite. It's tribalism. These comments point to a pernicious racism that permeates today's war coverage and seeps into its fabric like a stain that won't go away. The implication is clear: war is a natural state for people of color, while white people naturally gravitate toward peace. More troubling still is that this kind of slanted and racist media coverage extends beyond our screens and newspapers and easily bleeds and blends into ..." -- Moustafa Bayoumi, The Guardian

Click to view ❯❯❯

"Given the great moral authority of His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan over the Ismaili population of Badakhshan, Special Envoy Piriz-Ballon [of UN Secretary General Boutro Boutro Ghali], and Special Representative Gerd Merrem [of Germany] consulted him on issues related to the peace process. His visits to the country, informal mediating role and moderating influence significantly contributed to the success of ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

Compiled and prepared by MALIK MERCHANT (Publisher-Editor, Simerg, Barakah,and Simergphotos) For the past week, the world's attention has dramatically shifted from the misery that Afghanistan is facing to the invasion of Ukraine by the armed forces of Russia. The Ukraine war is indeed very very serious and frightening, especially with Russian President Putin asking his country's nuclear deterrent forces to be ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

By MALIK MERCHANTPublisher/Editor Simerg, Barakah andSimergphotos Simerg's series entitled "Books by Ismaili Authors" continues with Montreal based health care professional Naznin Rahemtulla Hébert's biographical work "This is My Life." We follow the same Q/A format as our earlier presentations of books written by Shairoz Lakhani, Shelina Shariff Zia, Ali Lakhani, Nizar Sultan, Nargis Fazal, Nazlin Rahemtulla, Azmina Suleman, Alnasir Rajan, Shafeen ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

Compiled by MALIK MERCHANTPublisher/Editor Simerg, Simergphotos and Barakah The David Rumsey Historical Map Collection focuses on 16th through 21st century maps of North and and South America, as well as maps of the World, Asia, Africa, Europe, and Oceania. Atlases, globes, school geographies, maritime charts, and a variety of separate maps including pocket, wall, children's and manuscript maps are present on ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

By ZAHIR DHARSEE The Aga Khan Museum will be open between February 18 and February 27, 2022 as follows: OPEN: February 18, 19, 20 as well as Monday 21 (Family Day) from 10 am-5:30 pm; CLOSED: February 22, and 23 ; and OPEN: February 24, 25, 26 and 27th from 10 am-5:30pm. Torontonians as well as visitors to the city have ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

The Imams We are the tree of Prophethood, the place of descent of Divine revelation, the place of frequenting of the angels, and the mainsprings of knowledge. Those who help us and love us await (God's) mercy.....Hazrat Ali ______________ The Tradition of the Ismaili Tariqah is the Tradition of Hazrat Ali"The closer you come, the more you will see him." A ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

[This is our Kabul based special correspondent's sixth report to provide the global Ismaili Jamat and our readers with reliable information regarding recent development in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover. His previous letters can be read in the following links 1. August 26 2021, 2. August 29 2021, 3. September 5,2021, 4. December 4, 2021 and 5. December 5, 2021 -- ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: As Simerg completes its 13 years of continuous publication, we launch a special series profiling Ismaili leaders of distinction over the past 125 years. The series will be dedicated to Ismaili institutional leaders as well as individuals who have achieved distinction and recognition working outside the Ismaili community, yet continuing to support the work of the Ismaili Imamat through ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

Compiled by MALIK MERCHANTPublisher/Editor Simerg, Simergphotos and Barakah We wish to thank one of our readers for drawing our attention to ArchDaily's 2022 building awards, in which a new -- yet to be opened -- Ismaili Jamatkhana and Community Centre in Mumbai has been nominated as one of the buildings for the award in the religious buildings category. The following piece ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

"At Kabul's Pul-e-Sokhta bridge, the health workers face the grim, and heavy chore of removing the bodies, hauling them up to the street and away for burial. If no family can be located, they will be laid in an unmarked grave, with no one to mourn their loss. It is the mark of shame to be buried alone in Afghanistan." Introduced ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

By MALIK MERCHANTPublisher/Editor Simerg, Simergphotos and Barakah Exactly a year ago, on Thursday, January 21, 2021, my beloved mum "Mrs. Merchant" (Alwaeza Maleksultan Jehangir Merchant) passed away peacefully at the age of 89. Tributes and condolences poured from all over the world, which deeply touched the entire family. The family also received a Talika of blessings from Mawlana Hazar Imam, His ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

Insights from Around the World At not quite 8 years old, Sanam is a bacha posh: a girl living as a boy. One day a few months ago, the girl with rosy cheeks and an impish smile had her dark hair cut short, donned boys' clothes and took on a boy's name, Omid. The move opened up a boy's world: playing ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

By MALIK MERCHANTPublisher/Editor Simergphotos, Simerg and Barakah Simerg will be publishing a multi-part series on Alzheimer's in 2022, and we plan to launch the series in early 2022 with a special piece on Princess Yasmin who has been involved with the Alzheimer's Association since 1981. Alzheimer's contributed to her mother Ms. Rita Hayworth's death at the age of 67 in 1987. ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

By MALIK MERCHANTPublisher/Editor Simerg, Barakah andSimergphotos Dr. Farouk Topan was very well known to my parents Jehangir and Malek Merchant, and as a teenager it was always a privilege to meet him when he visited my dad at the Ismailia Association offices located on the ground floor of Dar es Salaam's Darkhana Jamatkhana. His discussions with my dad and "Din" who ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

By MALIK MERCHANTPublisher/Editor Simerg, Barakah andSimergphotos Simerg's series entitled "Books by Ismaili Authors" continues with UK teacher and writer Shairoz Lakhani's book "Shine Brighter". We follow the same Q/A format as our presentations of books written by Shelina Shariff Zia, Ali Lakhani, Nizar Sultan, Nargis Fazal, Nazlin Rahemtulla, Azmina Suleman, Alnasir Rajan, Shafeen Ali, Mansoor Ladha, Zeni Shariff and Shamas Nanji. ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

[This is our special correspondent's fifth report from Kabul to provide the global Ismaili Jamat and our readers with reliable information regarding recent development in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover. Read the first four letters HERE - August 26, HERE - August 29, HERE - September 5, 2021 and HERE - December 4, 2021 -- Ed.] LETTER FROM AFGHANISTAN Monday, December ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

[This is our special correspondent's fourth letter from Kabul to provide the global Ismaili Jamat with reliable information regarding recent development of the living conditions of the Jamat in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover. Read the first three letters HERE - August 26, HERE - August 29 and HERE - September 5, 2021. We advise readers to note that in some ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

By KARIM H. KARIM The Ismaili Center Houston (ICH) promises to be an architecturally innovative building. It draws inspiration from several design traditions and will likely generate discussion and debate about present-day Muslim architecture. The confluence of Muslim and non-Muslim motifs in the Center very much reflects the centuries-long Ismaili openness to diverse cultures (e.g. see my article Ismailis: A Pluralist ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

Those of us reading this book several thousand miles away from the Pamir Mountains cannot fail to be moved by the celebration of human diversity and dignity. I hope this book will act as a spur to other such works, and to the preservation and celebration of other such ancient cultures, wherever they are in the world" -- HRH The Prince ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

By FARAH TEJANI Dare to dream and soar the skies, Without ever questioning or wondering why; Life is the canvas and you are the brush, With so many hues, there is no need to rush. Discover your gifts and leave no stone unturned, It's your time to claim all that you have yearned; Travel the world, give birth to a precious ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

Chinook salmon successfully leaps over a 6 foot dam on Humber River at Etienne Brulé Park Park in Toronto, October 5, 2021. Image clipped from video by Malik Merchant/Simerg, see video of leap below. By (LATE) ESMAIL THAWERBHOY Introduced by Malik Merchant (Publisher-Editor, Barakah, Simerg and Simergphotos) The transliteration and meaning of the popular Ismaili Ginan Ooncha (or Uncha) Re Kot... ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

A Short Story by FARAH TEJANI Illustration by LEE MATHISON Mr. Sneaky Peeky was an elephant-like no other, For he wore a dark black mask unlike his mom and dad or brother, And when he wore this super mask it made him feel so invincible, But his father was not at all impressed, because he was the school's principal At recess ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

Simerg proudly recognizes the hundreds of Ismaili volunteers who participated in the Ismaili Civic Day that was held in numerous countries around the world on September 26, 2021 to improve the quality of life of the communities in which they live, regardless of faith, gender and background. We are pleased to share with our readers links to a selection of news ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

"I am optimistic that Taliban Leaders could be persuaded to permit vaccinations again" -- Professor Zulfiqar BhuttaAga Khan University's Professor Zulfiqar Bhutta. Photo: Aga Khan University. Click photo to read article. "The world must work with Kabul's new rulers to get polio and other diseases under control....The Taliban now running the country has an opportunity to show a pragmatic, reformist face ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

Part of Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Aga Khan Cultural Services (Afghanistan) has recently launched Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages that will be a repository of verified information on potential dangers to heritage landmarks in Afghanistan. We invite you to read Melissa Gronlund's report in the September 23 edition of The National. Please also read below, after photo, important recent developments ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

Prepared and compiled by MALIK MERCHANT (Publisher-Editor, Barakah, Simerg and Simergphotos) This is the first in a two-part series on projects that are underway to preserve and digitize Ismaili texts that are in danger of destruction, neglect or physical deterioration. We begin the short series with initiatives undertaken by Endangered Archives Programme with respect to rare Ismaili and other Central Asian ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

Ismaili CIVIC This is an update to our recent post Ismaili CIVIC to Host Supply Drive For Afghan Refugees at 3 Chicago Jamatkhanas on September 4 which referred to an article by Tom Robb in Journal & Topics. Tom Robb now reports in the September 8 edition of Journal & Topics that the drive on September 4 at the Jamatkhanas resulted ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

In a story dated August 31, 2021, Tom Robb reports in the on-line edition of Journal and Topics that members of the Ismaili CIVIC organization will host a supply donation drive-thru to create welcome kits for Afghan refugees at three locations: Glenview Jamatkhana at 100 Shermer Rd., the Ismaili Jamatkhana in Chicago's North Side Edgewater neighborhood, and the Ismaili Jamatkhana in ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

Dozens of cars lined up outside the Ismaili Jamatkhana to show support for the hundreds of Afghan refugees who are about to call Central Texas their new home. Local organizations are making sure refugee families have what they need when they arrive....Click HERE or on image below to see video and read report by Ricardo Lewis on CBS Austin.Dozens of volunteers ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

Introduced by MALIK MERCHANTPublisher/Editor Simerg, Barakah andSimerg Photos This is the second in our series of on-going reports from our special correspondent in Afghanistan who is covering for us the developments in his country that are impacting the lives of the Ismaili Jamat. Our first report dated Thursday, August 26, 2021 can be read HERE. We urge all members of the ...

Click to view ❯❯❯

Prepared and Compiled by MALIK MERCHANT (Publisher-Editor, Barakah, Simerg and Simergphotos) Albuquerque doctor Sharmin Dharas and her husband, Shams Mehri, are desperately waiting to hear whether more than 100 extended family members -- some of whom worked for Americans in Kabul -- will be among those flown to safety as the deadline for Americans and some Afghans to leave by August ...

Click to view ❯❯❯