By MOHAMED HAMIR [This special piece for Simerg is a revised version of the original article published in Khojawiki in July 2020 -- Ed.] In 1933, in the midst of a global recession, a landmark building, a prayer house, arose in the center of a small provincial town in the interior highlands of Africa. The story of this remarkable building had ...
By SALIM AND SULTAN SOMANI The authors, Salim and Sultan Somani, acknowledge with thanks Nizar Adatia and Sultan Allidina for their valuable feedback and contribution to this article. Introduction This brief essay on the history of the Jamat of Jinja was prompted largely by some historical photos found in our family album and also by other photos that we encountered on ...
By FARAH TEJANI Omnipotent and Merciful is He, Allah knows what is best, At certain times He chooses To put us through certain tests He observes our response To His Rightful Command, And on this He Judges, Just exactly where we stand. It is not meant to be easy, What would be the purpose, So we are challenged in truth, Our ...
The Hajj begins today, Tuesday July 28, and ends on August 2. Pilgrims must wear face masks and will only be able to drink holy water from the Zamzam well in Mecca that has been prepackaged in plastic bottles. Pebbles for casting away evil that are usually picked up by pilgrims along hajj routes will be sterilized and bagged before being ...
A Mother's Plea By FARAH TEJANI With one hand on his expanded stomach and another wiping his eyes, The hot sun shows no mercy, and the despondent mother cries. She has no fear and curses God, for how could this not shake her, She vows to make her reasons heard just when she'll meet her Maker. "Why must my babe go ...
By SAFDER ALLADINA In my recent piece about my paternal grandparents Alladin and Prembai (see The Story of Tanga's Alladin Bapu Family) I briefly noted that one of their sons Shariff Alladina (1910-1967), who happened to be my father, had a fine singing voice. I provided links to his Ginans that I had loaded into Soundcloud sometime ago (please click Shariff ...
Shamshu Jamal (1936-2019). Photo: Shamshu Jamal family archives. By KARIM H. KARIM(with contributions from Dolatkhanu Jamal, Rosemin Karim, Riyaz Jamal, Imran Karim and Irshad Karim) Shamshu Jamal has left a profound impression on the global Ismaili jamat. His music was "magical," declared a poem written in honour of his 80th birthday in 2016. The singer, musician, lyricist, composer, and music teacher had ...
Preamble to this series on life in the Ismaili community: This is the second in a series of articles dealing with life in the Ismaili community from the late 19th century onwards. The first in the series was on a Rare 100 year old photo. The piece that follows has been adapted by Safder Alladina from his book "Ties of Bandhana: ...
This special article for Simerg was written jointly by SALMA KHANJI, IMRAN HAKAMAILI, FARAH LADHA, RAMZAN SOMANI and SHAIZA JETHA, and edited by NURIN MERCHANT Picture yourself sitting in Jamatkhana on a Friday evening, listening to a Ginan or Qasida. Voices of fellow Jamati members resonate within the prayer hall, as they sing along in unison or chit chat amongst themselves. ...
Introduced by MALIK MERCHANTPublisher/editor Simerg, SimergphotosandBarakah My Spanish cousins, Yasmin and Shamsah, recently reminded me to watch a special program on Ismaili TV which among other things portrayed their grandfather's arrival in Spain in 1914, and how he raised a beautiful family that has now lived in Spain for more than 106 years! The short fascinating Youtube film provided at the ...
By MALIK MERCHANTPublisher/editor Simerg, SimergphotosandBarakh (2017) July 1, 2017 was 150th anniversary of Canada's founding. I had planned to be in Ottawa for the greatest Canada Day celebration in the country. However, my 45000 km road trip that began in Vancouver was delayed, and I arrived in Winnipeg on June 30th after having driven 2600 kms (including the detours I had ...
Introduced by MALIK MERCHANTPublisher/editor Simerg (2009), Simergphotos (2012)andBarakah (2017) When Ayaz Pirani is in your neighbourhood doing a reading from one of his books, please attend the event. You will become utterly relaxed listening to his beautiful poetry reading in a calm, gentle and soothing voice. He was in Toronto last year and I attended his reading at Knife Fork Books ...
by MALIK MERCHANT When I am in Toronto, I walk through the Aga Khan Park virtually every day. I take the east entrance, and first walk around to the Ismaili Centre, sit on a bench by tree number 49, and if it's evening time I contemplate. Often, I read newspapers. The other day I read my month's supply of the Toronto ...
By NAVYN NARAN They entered the Jamatkhana prayer hall, Sat on the patterned carpet or the seniors on chairs Closed their eyes. So some chatted to acquaintances Ya Ali Madad "ki ayon?" "Did you hear? Did you go...? Shukr Mawla..." Mukhi-Kamadiasaheban enter, we start. Every day, 365. A pandemic, unprecedented. A change. The place of prayer remained. And was attended, at ...
Simerg invites Ismaili families around the world to submit short obituaries or tributes to members of their families who have passed away during the Coronavirus pandemic, either due to Covid-19 OR any other cause. Please read the first part of tributes by clicking here or on the photo below. Submit the tribute to the editor, Malik Merchant, at simerg@aol.com. The tributes ...
By MALIK MERCHANT (Publisher-Editor, Simerg, Barakah, and Simergphotos) I consider Alidina Jamal, Allaudin Daya and Shamshu Bandali Haji to be among the list of my heroes for their inspiring and uplifting recitations of Ginans in East Africa and Canada. My first hero, in chonological sequence, was Alidina Jamal of Upanga Jamatkhana in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. I still recall the day ...
Introduced by Malik Merchant (Publisher-Editor, Simerg, Barakah, and Simergphotos) Alwaez Rai Jehangir Merchant (1928-2018) -- picture above with Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan -- is fondly remembered everyday single day by his beloved wife of 66 years, Alwaeza Raisaheba Maleksultan Jehangir Merchant, and all her family members. He passed away 2 years ago on May 27, 2020 at ...
By ROXANA JAFFER Well I Never ... Order of the day: "Stay at home" An opportunity to relax n catch up with sleep COVID 19, you came to destruct, And Lockdown 20, you came to obstruct Or a chance to question His existence deep No resistance now in the discovery of NUR? An - NUR the sacred sound of the universe ...
By NAVYN NARAN A grain of sand, Held in its shell. A pearl is born, hidden from sight These are reflective within the whole Under the opaque crystal Of the peaked Ismaili Centre dome Here grains of sand transform into pearls. A mountain peak risen From circular white granite The translucent glass faces His one time home. The moon is peeking ...
As announced a few days ago, we commence a special series of tributes to Ismailis as well as non-Ismaili members of Ismaili families who have passed away during the Coronavirus pandemic, either due to Covid-19 or any other cause. For details on submitting your tribute to a deceased family member or a very close friend, please read TRIBUTES and write to ...
By NIZAR A MOTANI, Ph.D This pandemic has brought the world humbling and tumbling to its knees which is actually the best position from which to beg for the Supreme Being's forgiveness mercy and blessings. Its economies have been battered and shattered and almost entire population of the world was imprisoned in their dwellings. He alone will eventually empower our scientists ...
In the age of the Coronavirus many families are unwilling or unable to claim bodies of those who have died, not just from the virus, but from other diseases and even accidents. In this situation, Surat's Abdul Rehman Malbari and his Ekta Trust step in....watch this highly inspiring video report by MOJO, with English subtitles, and read the BBC and Times ...
By MALIK MERCHANT (Publisher-Editor, Simerg, Barakah, and Simergphotos) The tributes may be submitted for passings due to Covid-19 or any other cause Some years ago, Simerg launched PASSINGS where Ismailis around the world were invited to submit obituaries or tributes to honour members of their families who had passed away, irrespective of the time frame. Over the past few years, we ...
By NAVYN NARAN The echoes of Nature Bring us back to the cave Wherein spirituality harkens the soul Hush What is this ? To "Read"? Not yet. First to calm down Slow down the thoughts And attend the Divine Intellect That which emanates within each of our souls Within the bear of this Magnificent body That is all too human But ...
By ROXANA JAFFER Heart in a pulsating mode; in rhythm with the breath Mind reaching its zenith; as thoughts meet their death Gratefulness taking over; Conveying lightness to the body Entire body in smiles; Perhaps the spiritual light in embody All because of the Dhikr, the constant chanting His attributes in tempo, energy in sync; all else negating Dhikr: What an ...
Calgary's Mayor Naheed Nenshi, seen taking a selfie at the inaugural ceremony of the Global Pluralism Award held in Ottawa, Canada on November 15, 2017 during the Diamond Jubilee Year of Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan. The Mayor served as a member of the jury that selected winners and honourable mentions for the Award. Photo: Copyright © Jean-Marc Carisse. ...
Social media portrait of Aniza Meghani, author of this post. By ANIZA MEGHANI Social media is the most powerful tool in the world, one that can make you or break you! Gone are the days of hearing genuine news by physically buying the newspaper or researching material by visiting the good old fashion library. No more writing a letter and posting it ...
Ubiquitous Harry's! You are everywhere today with your flashy bright yellow handle -- on BBC, CBC, CTV, The Guardian, CNN, NY Times, the Salt Lake Tribune, the Christian Science Monitor and so on -- even more now than when I first discovered you! Here is my story of intimacy with you! Harry's, I'm glad for my oversight, and re-trying you By ...
"I should like to assure you, my Islamic friends, that under the American Constitution, under American tradition, and in American hearts, this center, this place of worship, is just as welcome as could be a similar edifice of any other religion" -- President Dwight D. Eisenhower, June 28, 1957Islamic Center, Washington, D.C. Conceived in 1944, the site for the mosque was ...
Author Zahir Dhalla's Preamble: Khojas, and Indians in general, were not known for keeping personal journals. Thus, there is a dearth of records documenting our history. However, the practice of keeping family photo albums was quite widespread. Photos can fill in some of those blanks, provided someone can tell the stories behind them. This would be a valuable series, people digging ...
An Insight from the Christian Science Monitor The Christian Science Monitor has been one of my favourite newspapers since I first discovered it in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in the late 1960's. While the paper continues to publish under its 1908 founding title, the Monitor is a world class newspaper containing outstanding reporting and insights from around the world and includes ...
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un "Surely we belong to God and to Him we return" -- Holy Qur'an, 2:156Missionary Amirali Gillani passed away on April 8, 2020, and was buried in Toronto on April 14. Photo: Family Collection. By MALIK MERCHANT (Publisher-Editor, Simerg, Barakah, and Simergphotos) On Tuesday April 14, 2020, Missionary Amirali Gillani's shrouded body rested inside a grey ...
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un "Surely we belong to God and to Him we return" -- Holy Qur'an, 2:156 "Life is a great and noble calling, not a mean and grovelling thing to be shuffled through as best as we can but a lofty and exalted destiny." -- Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah, His Highness the Aga Khan III (1877-1957), 48th ...
"The Nature of Prayer' is a 14" x 10" mixed media acrylic painting on canvas. Secured on the canvas with gesso, a strong glue, are a handmade tasbih (prayer beads), and 3 dried leaves bearing the Arabic inscriptions reading from bottom to top, Allah, Muhammad and Ali. The whole piece represents keeping the memory of Allah, and making sure that every day ...
Naad E Ali, Original Song at Youtube, Munir Gillani Official Nade Ali, Nade Ali, Nade Ali Nade Aliyyan mazhar al-ajaib Tajidahu awnan lakafin-nawaib Kullu hammin wa ghammin sayanj-i Ali Bi wilayatika, Ya Ali! Ya Ali! Ya Ali! Note: The lyrics of the translation in the song are slightly different from the following translation: Call Ali call Ali call Ali, the manifestation ...
By MALIK MERCHANT (Publisher-Editor Simerg, Barakah, and Simergphotos) Thousands of Ismaili families across Canada are receiving phone calls from their respective Jamatkhana leadership including Mukhi/Mukhiani and Kamadia/Kamadiani inquiring about our well-being at this time of the Covid-19 pandemic. Their concern has deeply touched our hearts, and we sincerely thank them for the time they are taking to speak to us, and ...
(Note: The following recitation by Late Shamshu Bandali Haji includes a few verses at the end, which may not be part of the same Ginan. We will try and identify the source of the verses. When you start playing the recording, please scroll down to follow the transliteration and meaning of the Ginan. The recitation is from the superb and must ...
Conceived and created by Ottawa's Dr. Nurin Merchant, this Navroz greeting incorporates the rose and jasmine flowers which are extremely popular in Iran during the celebration of Navroz. The base of the picture shows shoots of wheat grass signifying robust evergreen health throughout the year. Abstract: Two beautiful recitations of the Navroz Ginan by Shamshudin Bandali Haji and Mumtaz Bhulji followed by ...
Mawlana Hazar Imam in Booni Chitral during his Diamond Jubilee visit to Pakistan in December 2017. Photo: The Ismaili/ Karim Sadruddin. By SHIRAZ PRADHAN As the world struggles to cope with the novel coronavirus pandemic, it is natural to become anxious. We live in extraordinary times. The closure of Jamatkhanas in almost all countries accentuates our anxiety. I do not intend this ...
Please click to read TIME article On January 9, 2020, Chinese TV confirmed a novel coronavirus in the city of Wuhan, citing laboratory tests. A 61 year old man living in the city died of pneumonia after testing positive for the virus. In a live update, Worldometer is reporting thousands of confirmed cases and more than 7000 deaths around the world. We ...
