Shamas in Ottawa recently. Photo: Nurin Merchant Shamas Nanji is a poet and writer living in Edmonton, Alberta. Shamas holds post graduate degrees from London and McGill. In 2008, he published his third volume of poetry entitled Meditations on Abraham. In verse and in prose, Shamas is doing his bit to ameliorate the knowledge deficit in Canada about Muslim civilizations as ...
Jesus & Muhammad The setting's in Baghdad Early in the tenth century With a bustling metropolis It's a free-market economy The story's told by Junayd About the calling of a Sufi To the seeker of an upgrade Spending the life of a softie He begins with Abraham Then relates Ismail's saga Speaks of Moses, then Job John and after Zachariah Jesus, ...
Questions to a Pilgrim by Pir Nasir Khushraw With gratitude to the Beneficent God for His favours, the pilgrims arrived in all their glory. They had performed the Greater and Lesser Pilgrimage and had safely returned home. In that party was a friend of mine - sincere, intimate and kind. "Tell me", said I, "How you escaped the hazards of that ...
Hodja and his son went on a journey once. Hodja preferred that his son ride the donkey and that he himself go on foot. On the way they met some people who said: "Look at that healthy young boy! That is today's youth for you. They have no respect for elders. He rides while his poor father walks!" The words made ...
By David Trilling, Central Asia News Editor, Www.Eurasianet.Org Map of Tajikistan. Courtesy Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, Please also visit source for article and slide show:Tajikistan: In Remote Badakhshan, Community Funds Spearhead Economic Independence Isolated from the rest of Tajikistan, with their own dialect and religious traditions, the people of Badakhshan have long complained of being ignored by the central government ...
News story -- Dr Daftary is currently Head of the Department of Academic Research and Publications and was until recently Acting Director of the IIS. Educated in Iran, Europe and the United States, Dr Daftary is an internationally acknowledged authority on Ismaili studies. He is the author of over 150 articles and several books on the subject, including The Ismailis: Their History ...
17 September 2009 - Penina Onyango, Head Teacher at Kawino Secondary School in Kisumu, Kenya, no longer awaits the arrival of Brown Onguko - her course facilitator at AKU's Institute for Educational Development, East Africa (AKU-IED, EA) - from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to help resolve her teaching challenges. Instead, she has a much better bargain: she can communicate with Onguko ...
Dalakhani leads the way with Stakes wins, while Azamour and Sinndar juveniles impress. CHINESE WHITE's victory in the Gr 2 Blandford Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday was the highlight of a prolific week for the Aga Khan Studs' stallions. The daughter of Dalakhani was winning her third consecutive pattern contest and is now firmly on course for the Prix de ...
A classy staying performance from John Oxx's four-year-old. ALANDI confirmed the promise he had shown over extended distances throughout this season when staying on well to take the Irish St Leger at the Curragh last weekend. Only once raced as a three-year-old, ALANDI has made solid progress throughout his three-year-old campaign which began with an easy victory in the Listed Vintage ...
Artist: Ataullah Asmate Location: Ataullah spends his time between Ottawa, Canada, and Kabul, Afghanistan. Profile: Ataullah's interest in arts goes back to his childhood when he started sketching using pencils. He then took an active interest in calligraphy and later started painting using oil and watercolour as the medium. Artist Statement: He says his inspiration is nature, especially where he senses ...
"I am a fish of the briny deep, Ah Love, hast Thou to succour me" Eji Ooncha Re Kot Bahoo Vech-Na of Pir Hasan Kabiru'd-Deen Freely rendered in English verse By (Late) Esmail Thawerbhoy (iambic tetrameter, rhyme scheme abab) Verse 1 So high the fort and climbing steep, And surging round its base the sea; I am a fish of the ...
Excerpts from Qadi al-Numan's work, Da'aim al-Islam "Say (O Muhammad): No reward do I ask (for my favours) except your love for my kith and kin" - Holy Qur'an, Sura 42, Ayat 23 "He who loves us will be with us on the Day of Judgement" - Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq 1. It is related from Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq that a group ...
News story -- The Rasa'il Ikhwan al-Safa' is a ca. tenth-century encyclopedia, unique in its combination of Greek philosophy (particularly Neoplatonism) with the Islamic faith, while drawing upon Persian, Indian and other sources. However, little is known of the anonymous authors, the Ikhwan al-Safa', but their possible Ismaili affiliation has been a topic of scholarly debate. This IIS project, which has been ...
Karachi, Pakistan, 11 September 2009 - The First MicroFinanceBank Ltd. (FMFB) recently signed an agreement with Harvard University to develop social performance indicators through a participatory approach whereby the poor articulate their needs and influence the Bank's creation of microfinance products and services. The ultimate aim of this project is to integrate the social performance indicators into the Bank's organisational performance ...
By Farhad Husseinali Patni INTRODUCTION "I leave behind me, amidst you, two great things, Holy Qur'an, the 'Book of God', and my progeny (itrat). Should you be attached to these two, never shall you go astray after me, for verily, these two will never be separated from each other until they meet at the Spring of Kauthar" -- Hadith Thaqlain [1] ...
Ali Eteraz, writing in the UK's Guardian newspaper, fears that a film being made in Qatar about the Islamic mystic, Rumi, may gloss over some of the more interesting aspects of his life. He feels, for example, that there is plenty in Rumi's historical life that would be of interest to the world today including the influence Shams al-Din Tabrizi, considered ...
The term Ginan is derived from the Hindi root-word Januna meaning 'contemplative or meditative knowledge'. It is the Ismaili view that Ginans are religious poetry pertaining to the spiritual and higher values of life. Ginanic literature emerged when Ismaili Missionaries, designated as Pirs, came to India to preach in accordance with the orders of their Imams who were centered in Iran. ...
News story -- Dr Bennison began her talk by highlighting issues of language relating to cities in the Muslim world - such as the uncritical use of the 'Islamic city' as a unit of analysis. The dominant Orientalist view of Muslim cities as disorganised and ill-planned was linked to what was seen as an irrational 'Muslim mind'. This was rooted, according to ...
Extraordinary Books, Extraordinary Objects About two years ago Simerg began offering its viewers a magnificent book of photographs by Prince Hussain Aga Khan called Animal Voyage. This unique book became part of this website's new category called Collections. We received one hundred signed copies of the book as well as an equal number of unsigned copies. These are now sold out. ...
Two iconic figures in their own right - first, Nelson Mandela, who suffered decades in prison under former South Africa's apartheid regime; however his sacrifices and struggles eventually led to his people being freed from oppression and inequality. Bilaal Rajan met this remarkable iconic freedom fighter known for his grace, generosity as well as the noble ethic to forget and forgive, ...
The Aga Khan Studs have announced that Christophe Lemaire will be retained as their first jockey in France next season. He recently signed a one year contract with the Niarchos Family and they will have priority on his services in 2010. When the jockey is not riding for them, he will ride the Aga Khan Studs French trained horses. Christophe Lemaire ...
HH Aga Khan tops French standings and takes two Listed victories across the Channel. A prolific summer for the Aga Khan's French stable has seen the owner gain the lead in the French owners' standings with almost 1.5 million Euros in prize money. Representatives of the famous green and red silks have demonstrated an exceptional strike-rate, with 60 victories and 92 ...
Publication: Encyclopedia IslamicaEditor: Dr Farhad DaftaryQuestions addressed in the interview:Given that there is already an Encyclopedia of Islam, why was there a need for another encyclopedia of a similar nature?What is the role of the IIS in producing Encyclopaedia Islamica? How is this effort situated in the academic agenda of the IIS?Who is the target audience of this work? ...
Publication: Towards a Shi'i Mediterranean Empire: Fatimid Egypt and the Founding of Cairo Translated by: Dr Shainool Questions addressed in the interview:1. Could you please elaborate on the title of the book and explain why you have chosen to call the Fatimids a 'Mediterranean Empire'? 2. The book's introduction gives a succinct and informative account of the origins of the Fatimids. ...
Publication:Epistles of the Brethren of Purity: Rasa'il Ikhawan al-Safa Editor:Dr Nader El-Bizri Questions addressed in the interview: 1. Can you briefly introduce the Ikhwan al-Safa' to our audience. 2. Can you briefly describe what were the Rasa'il Ikhwan al-Safa'. 3. What are the major themes covered in the Rasa'il and how do they relate to the intellectual situation of their time? 4. ...
Publication: A Companion to the Muslim WorldEditor: Dr Amyn B. Sajoo Questions addressed in the interview: 1. Many introductions to Islam and Muslims have been published recently. Why the need for this Companion? 2. What guided you in selecting the topics that the Companion explores? 3. You discuss the forgetting of Muslim heritage 'once colonial rule prevailed'. Could you elaborate on this? ...
President Barack Obama talks alone with Sen. Edward Kennedy in the Green Room of the White House March 5, 2009. White House Photo, Pete Souza A PROCLAMATION BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Senator Edward M. Kennedy was not only one of the greatest senators of our time, but one of the most accomplished Americans ever to serve ...
The 27th Altikat Commemoration Ceremony One minute silence on Sunday, August 23, 2009 Lale Eskicioglu Story and photos contributed by Lale Eskicioglu, shown at left. She is Executive Director of Council of Turkish Canadians. Ms. Eskicioglu also takes a keen interest in world literature and has a website Canadians of Turkish origin and their friends gathered once again in Ottawa ...
Author to visit Toronto and Vancouver in September, 2009 for Readings Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, who was interviewed recently by Simerg (Voices: 30 Questions for Columnist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown), will be visiting Canada in September, 2009, to promote and sign her book The Settler's Cookbook: A Memoir of Love, Migration and Food in two major Canadian cities, Toronto and Vancouver. The book has received ...
Artist: Mehboob Dewji Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Themes: Digital patterns inspired by the Alhambra Medium: Electronic using Photoshop The patterns were created using Photoshop. I started with just one straight line, gave it a texture and color and used filters to create geometric patterns. Again using different colors and texture, I added layers of different geometric shapes to create a "tile" ...
The Aga Khan Studs have announced that Christophe Soumillon will not be retained to ride the Aga Khan owned horses in France after the 2009 flat racing season. After 8 years under contract as the first rider in France, it has been decided as human relations have become difficult and after mutual agreement, that his contract will not be renewed for ...
Key Terms: Suddh, Buddh, Chande, Suraj and Satpanth Suddho Kari Jano I. The Tale of the Lion, the Cow and the Calf Pir [1] Sadr al-Din's ginan Eji Bindrare Vann Manhe Sukh Charere Gavantri[2] is a good example of a narrative appealing to the rural folk. For the narrative, in lilting verse, is made picturesque and moving, touching the very core ...
ITajikistan -- In Tajikistan, the celebration of Imamat Day -- or Roz-e Takht Nishini in Tajik -- traditionally includes family and neighbourhood gatherings with shared meals, music and dancing. In July 2009 the Aga Khan Development Network Resident Representative Office contributed to the festivities by hosting an education-themed Imamat Day reception. ...
Profile: Laila resides in Toronto and is a graduate of the Institute of Ismaili Studies. Professionally she is a teacher of ESL (English as a Second Language). She obtained her B.A. in Sociology from York University, Toronto, and thereafter, her graduate level Certificate in Teaching ESL, from George Brown College, Toronto. Besides this, she has a graduate level Diploma in Education ...
Nutrition Centre -- Those suffering from type 2 diabetes may be worried about observing the fast during the Muslim month of Ramadan. However, it is possible to fast safely if you are careful about managing your diabetes. Those suffering from type 2 diabetes may be worried about observing the fast during the Muslim month of Ramadan. However, it is possible to ...
Afghanistan -- During the course of the Golden Jubilee, many murids around the world pledged a nazrana of Time and Knowledge to Mawlana Hazar Imam. Shaheen Tejani reflects on the completion of her recent TKN engagement with the Aga Khan Agency for Microfinance. "Our duty is to try to free people from poverty. And to me, poverty means being without shelter, ...
"...Each one of us is only an instrument of the will and guidance of Mawlana Hazar lmam, and our duty and responsibility is to fulfill his wishes to the best of our abilities...." On June 13, 1983, His Highness Prince Aga Khan Shia Imami Ismaili Council for the USA hosted a dinner to commemorate the Aga Khan's Silver Jubilee visit to ...
The unbeaten colt is stylish winner of Newbury Listed. HH Aga Khan's champion racehorse has made a promising debut to his stallion career with three individual winners to date and a Listed third among his first crop of juveniles. His son AZMEEL added to these honours on Saturday when taking the Listed Usk Valley Stud Stakes at Newbury. The talented Elsdon ...
Armure and Shemima take 1 - 2 in Prix de Pomone and yearlings sell well at Deauville. Gilltown sire Dalakhani has enjoyed a successful weekend on the Normandy coast, with his daughters ARMURE and SHEMIMA battling out the finish of Saturday's feature Prix de Pomone. The tough and progressive ARMURE came out best by three quarters of a length to win ...
Iranian Ismaili Musician, Mansour. Photo by Tom King Mansour, an Iranian Ismaili, is a skilled musician who has been living in the United Kingdom for thirty years. He is qualified as a music conductor and also teaches and writes music. Over the years living and working in the UK, he has taught students from almost every nationality. His interest in music ...
