Ottawa downtown, December 31, 2020, lit during the festive holiday season. Greetings at top and bottom are mine and not part of original photo. Photo: Nurin Merchant / Simerg. By NURIN MERCHANT My dad arrived at the grounds of the Aga Khan Park on the evening of December 31, hoping to take photos of the setting sun for the last time ...
MALIK MERCHANTPublisher/Editor Simergphotos, Barakahand Simerg "NO DEADLY VIRUS EVER, VACCINE FOR COVID-19, NO WARS, CLEANER WATER, HAPPINESS FOR EVERYONE IN THE WORLD" Before its latest shutdown due to provincial regulations, Toronto's Aga Khan Museum gave visitors an interesting opportunity to pen their heartfelt wishes on one of several beautiful pre-designed tiles available at the museum bookstore, and post them onto a ...
Global -- Welcome to The Ismaili Magazine 2020: A Year of Extraordinary Service. This digital magazine provides a whistle-stop tour across continents, highlighting the various programmes, initiatives, and events organised by AKDN and Jamati institutions around the world over the past 12 months. ...
The term 'rock crystal' is derived from the Greek word for ice, krystallos, because the Greeks thought that rock crystal was formed by water frozen on mountaintops at extreme temperatures that it could no longer melt. A pure form of the silica mineral quartz, rock crystal has been valued, since the third millennium BCE, for its transparency and flawless structure. The ...
Global -- It is tempting to think that we can just leave 2020 behind and look ahead to a fresh new year. However, this might be short-sighted. The bigger picture suggests that collectively, we have never learned so much in such a short space of time -- about the world, about each other, and about ourselves. It would be wise to ...
Ring in the New Year with the soothing sounds of two elite string instrumentalists achieving musical synergy on the Museum stage. In the fall, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's Zeyu Victor Li (violin) and Rémi Pelletier (viola) revisited two beloved classical string duets in the warm acoustic environs of the Museum's Auditorium. Watch their performance and be astounded by the grand emotions and ...
IZQUOTES.COM -- "Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never -- in nothing, great or small, large or petty -- never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy." - Winston Churchill ...
Global -- Since Navroz this year, every special occasion in 2020 has been celebrated quite differently to what we are used to -- and this New Year's Eve will be no different. With many stuck at home and large gatherings prohibited around the world, The Ismaili TV is pleased to provide the opportunity to celebrate the start of 2021 as One ...
The author, Eckhart Tolle's message is simple: living in the now is the truest path to happiness and enlightenment. And while this message may not seem stunningly original or fresh, Tolle's clear writing, supportive voice and enthusiasm make this an excellent manual for anyone who's ever wondered what exactly "living in the now" means. Power of now hence provides a true guide ...
USA -- Situated in Spring, a Houston suburb, this Jamatkhana has architectural elements that are reflective of the values and vision of traditional Islamic architecture, such as symmetry, balance, light, and geometry. The 26,000 sq.ft building sits on 7.74 acres of land and its design was inspired by and conceived with reference to the local Texas environment and the varied backgrounds ...
Haseebi (My Reckoner) Raheemi (My Merciful Lord) Kareemi (My Benevolent Lord) Al Madad tu kar madad Mawla (The only refuge, please come to my help) "Haseebi" is a fusion of traditional ...
[H/T MOHIB EBRAHIM] -- NATIONALREVIEW.COM -- [ISMAILI DIGEST ED: Hazar Imam, 2003: "[Education] must also stimulate students to consider a variety of perspectives on some of the fundamental questions: ... 'What are my duties to my fellow man, to my country and to *God*?' "] ARTICLE: Theories that religion has declined because educated people are inherently sceptical of religion is not supported by data. Religiosity is usually determined very early in life and all the data suggest that kids brought up in religious households stay religious and kids who aren't, don't. Furthermore, "the vast majority of declining religiosity is due to educational policy" Children learn more than reading, writing, and arithmetic at school. They imbibe a set of values. By excluding religious instruction, those values exclude religious ones and secularization becomes inescapable. "The content of education matters. Evidence shows that secular education explains nearly all religiosity's decline from the 1970s." For religious communities, it cannot be emphasized enough that education is the whole ball game. All other policy areas amount to little more than tinkering around the edges. Even worse, we can now see signs that the state-imposed educational ideology ...
ARCHIVE.VN -- William Clark, a high school senior of mixed race, is suing a taxpayer-funded charter school in Nevada over the "coercive, ideological indoctrination" arising from a new, so-called, civics curriculum which "inserted consciousness raising and conditioning exercises under the banner of 'Intersectionality' and 'Critical Race Theory.' ... They require pupils to 'unlearn' and 'fight back' against 'oppressive' structures allegedly implicit in their family arrangements, religious beliefs and practices [all of which are] subject to non-private interrogation." Clark was directed "in class to 'unlearn' the basic Judeo-Christian principles [his mother] imparted to him." The school repeatedly threatened him "with material harm including a failing grade and non-graduation if he failed to comply with their requirements." The school principal told Mrs. Clark "that the theoretical basis of the revamped course is known as 'intersectionality,' ...
Global -- Many of us spend our weekends having much needed downtime, catching up with chores or spending time with family. How willing would you be to give that up? Yasmin Heath from Brighton Jamatkhana in the UK did just this when she served on a TKN assignment in Europe. For one weekend every month, for six months, Yasmin travelled to ...
Karen Armstrong, author of Fields of Blood, spoke about how human impulses and cultural tendencies toward violence during her Interfaith Lecture Tuesday, August 12, 2014 in the Hall of Philosophy. This event was hosted by the Department of Religion. ...
Prepared by MALIK MERCHANT (Publisher-Editor Simerg, Barakah, and Simergphotos)Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, 49th Imam of the Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims, pictured at the Diamond Jubilee Darbar in Kenya. Photo: The Ismaili TALIKAS AND BLESSINGS FROM MAWLANA HAZAR IMAM March 2020 Please click:Mawlana Hazar Imam sends Talika on the occasion of Navroz with special blessings for mushkil asan, ...
Prepared by MALIK MERCHANTPublisher/Editor Simergphotos, Barakahand Simerg [Editor's note: The following images have been selected from articles published during 2020 on Simerg and its two sister blogs, Barakah and Simergphotos, and include historic photos from earlier years. We invite our readers to visit the table of contents for the 3 websites/blogs for links to 2020 posts as they relate to the ...
REASON.COM -- [ISMAILI DIGEST ED: Hazar Imam, 2006: "Governments alone cannot meet the educational challenges of the 21st century. Nor can private institutions ... The answer lies in the expanding role of voluntary institutions ... dedicated to community values and the public good."] ARTICLE: 18.DEC.2020 -- Insisting that "the push to reopen schools is rooted in sexism, racism and misogyny," the Chicago Teachers Union is fighting plans to return children to the city's public school classrooms. With similar battles playing out around the country, many families are heading for the exits. Public school enrollment is down in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Maine, Mississippi, and elsewhere. Homeschooling, however, is booming. In 2016 3.3% of children were homeschooled. That share roughly tripled this year to 9%. Gallup agrees. Families are leaving politicized lessons behind and the world they're creating is more diverse in terms of its ideas and better suited to the needs of parents and children. That shift is likely to permanently transform American education ...
WASHINGTONPOST.COM -- 2.DEC.2020 -- Whenever someone expressed concerns about the quality of remote education back in the early days of COVID-19, they were all but shamed into silence. Well here's how remote education has worked out since then: In Houston, the number of students with failing grades is exploding. In St. Paul, almost 50% of high school students will fail a class. In Fairfax County -- one of the wealthiest counties in the United States -- 10% failed at least two classes, and almost 20% of children with disabilities. All children need to get back to school but here the news is not good. In New York some elementary-school children are back, but the doors remain firmly shut to sixth graders and higher. Other major urban districts such as ...
GOOGLE.COM -- Heigh-ho! Wealth is a blessing, but health is a greater: better still is a virtuous heart. ~~ These two are not appreciated until lost -- youth and health. ~~ Confidence comes of a tranquil heart and a healthy body. ~~ If one is healthy, it is a pleasure to be alive. ~~ To give up desiring things is the most efficacious remedy. ~~ Shun the full stomach that sicknesses follow and evil dreams. ~~ Whoever will not suffer the deprivation of forbidden meats, sees his disease drag on. ~~ To conceal one's sickness from the doctor is ...
In his widely praised book, award-winning psychologist Jonathan Haidt examines the world's philosophical wisdom through the lens of psychological science, showing how a deeper understanding of enduring maxims-like: "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you, or What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" -can enrich and even transform our lives. Reviewer: Aziz Kabani Host: Asmita Ali ...
BREITBART.COM -- Queen Elizabeth II has hailed the "quiet, indomitable spirit" of her people through the coronavirus pandemic and described the importance of her Christian faith in her annual Christmas message to the British Commonwealth. "For Christians, Jesus is the light of the world, but we can't celebrate his birth today in quite the usual way," said the 94-year-old monarch, a devout Protestant. She lamented that people have been unable to come together as normal for many religious festivals, including "Passover, Easter, and Eid and Vaisakhi." "We continue to be inspired by the kindness of strangers and draw comfort that - even on the darkest nights - there is hope in the new dawn," she continued. "Jesus touched on this with the parable of the Good Samaritan. The man ...
BREITBART.COM -- Numerous Kentucky families will not have to worry about putting food on their tables for quite a while thanks to an anonymous person's generous gift. "Santa Clause is known for delivering toys to children but in Daviess County he just dropped off 246,300 pounds (123 tons) of food for families struggling this holiday season," the Kentucky State Police wrote in a Facebook post Tuesday. The anonymous benefactor reached out to Trooper Corey King, asking for help in finding somewhere to donate the non-perishable items. "This anonymous contribution to our community was a blessing by all means," said David Mudd, president of God's Outreach will help distribute the food. "This is usually the time of year when our troopers ...
BREITBART.COM -- A retired couple in Desert Hot Springs, California, is busy making toys for local children to enjoy this Christmas. "Mike Sullivan and his wife Judy spend their retirement making homemade wooden toys for children. They have been doing this since 2013," KESQ reported. Every Christmas, they donate their toys to needy children in the Coachella Valley. This year, they made 1,500. "Most times we don't even get to see the kids get them but they're going out" said Mike, who is an Army veteran. Despite the shrapnel left in his body from his time in the service, Mike said, "You have to adapt and overcome." The couple spends just about every day ...
THECULTURETRIP.COM -- In recent years, tourists have been coming to Iran in droves to witness the breathtaking mosques, ancient history, and untouched nature. But time and time again, they'll tell you that it's by and large the people that leave the most lasting impression. Here are 11 reasons why you'll fall in love with Iran's locals. They'll take you under their wing. Their hospitality is the stuff of legend. They have a strong sense of family. They have a playful sense of humor. They live in the moment. They are ...
"[Nabi Isa] said, 'Indeed, I am the servant of Allah. He has given me the kitab and made me a prophet. He has made me blessed wherever I am, and has enjoined upon me prayer and alms as long as I live.'" Holy Qur'an 19:30-31 On December 25 each year, Christmas is observed to mark the birth of Jesus, or Nabi Isa (alayhi-salam) as ...
The Altar of the Nativity, beneath which is the star marking the spot where tradition says the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus. Photo: ©Muslim Harji, Montreal, PQ. Please click on image for Barnaby Rogerson's piece. VERSES FROM THE HOLY QUR'AN ON THE BIRTH OF JESUS 19:17 Then We sent unto her Our Spirit and it assumed for her the likeness of ...
Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, is seen giving remarks as he visits the Aga Khan High School located in the Kololo suburb of Kampala during his tour of Uganda from February 20-27, 1972. He was accompanied by Begum Salimah. Photo: © Sultan Baloo. Id# 0022. By SULTAN BALOO Since its founding some three years ago, Barakah has published some ...
"...perhaps the real secret to the print's [paisley] immortality is...how it blends its rich historicism with a powerful adaptability, and how it is open to endless and unexpected re-invigoration and re-interpretation." Lindsay BakerImages: 25 Years in Pictures. The.Ismaili Resembling a droplet, the fig-shaped paisley motif is thought to have represented a combination of a floral spray (hence its Persian name boteh, ...
Taqwa is the central-most ethical principle of Islam. In this talk, Alwaez Attash explores several verses of the Qur'an where the notion of taqwa has been presented. Kindly give us your feedback by visiting ...
AZQUOTES.COM -- "Art, like morality, consists in drawing the line somewhere." -- Gilbert K. Chesterton ...
Portugal -- Amina Vali e Inaara Genebra Ahmad - Clã do Grupo 36 Lisboa - partilharam, na primeira pessoa, o impacto que a pandemia teve nas suas vidas pessoal, escolar e escotista, através de dois artigos de opinião que poderão elucidar um pouco a forma como muitos jovens (sobre)vivem a pandemia. Amina Vali e Inaara Genebra Ahmad - Clã Grupo 36 ...
Portugal -- Vivemos o dia-a-dia numa boa e atarefada corrida. Talvez agora menos acelerada devido à pandemia, que nos imobilizou em muitas das nossas apressadas responsabilidades. Mas nessa corrida do dia-a-dia, mais ou menos acelerada, certamente que já deve ter dado por si a refletir sobre algumas questões... English O que pode fazer hoje para colher frutos de felicidade amanhã? Um ...
Portugal -- Lançámos, na semana passada, em conjunto com o Youth & Sports, uma nova iniciativa. Na cozinha com... ArtSpark! A nossa herança gastronómica é muito própria e faz parte da nossa identidade como comunidade, porque é o resultado da vivência em diferentes continentes, em diferentes eras. Conta uma história. E essa história deve ser contada, partilhada e celebrada. Queremos manter ...
Portugal -- Gostaria participar num dos empolgantes cursos de curta duração, disponíveis como parte do Programa de Educação Continuada do Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS)? Então continue a ler. As supporters of the IIS, you or your family members may be interested in attending one of our exciting short courses, available as part of the IIS's Continuing Education Programme. In 2021 ...
Portugal -- Atualmente, na sociedade de consumo em que habitamos e especialmente nas épocas mais festivas, há uma maior tendência para ceder ao consumismo, especialmente por parte das crianças. Enquanto pais, é importante perceber como podemos ajudar as nossas crianças a não cair neste problema e tentação. Quando pensamos em consumismo, provavelmente a primeira imagem que nos vem à cabeça não ...
The Ismaili is pleased to present "Walk With Me," an expressive track calling for hope and kindness as we look towards the new year. Presented by artists from the USA, the song reminds us of our strength when we join hands and work together to positively impact the world around us. ...
Global -- Whether you define it as seva, khidmat, or serviço, the ethic of offering service has been at the foundation of many selfless institutions and individuals around the world. This ethic is seen within our community and beyond, which can help to foster an active and healthy civil society. Youth leaders from around the world have adapted this very mindset: ...
Global -- This summer, an Aga Khan Education Board collaboration unveiled Bridges, a six-week programme focused on learning and improving communication skills, while connecting students between the ages of 13-17, from across the globe. On 21 July, more than 100 participants from France, Portugal, the UK, the USA and Canada grabbed their virtual boarding passes and began their journey with the ...
QUILLETTE.COM -- [ISMAILI DIGEST ED: Hazar Imam, 2007: "The demands of dogma came to replace the disciplines of reason -- and education too often turned into indoctrination.... What the modern world requires, however, is an approach which is the polar opposite of indoctrination."] ARTICLE: In the liberal arts programs in particular, the question for many students has become not "What do I think?" but "What do they want me to write?" Of course, this ought to be a false dilemma, but that it exists at all raises troubling questions. Something has gone fundamentally awry. Students holding views that differ fundamentally from those taught must evaluate the risk that they will be penalized for their opinions, particularly when writing about politically contentious topics. This is not to say that every professor will mark heterodoxy more harshly than orthodoxy, but students hesitate to cite the work or the names of thinkers deemed 'controversial' or beyond the pale by whoever is responsible for grading their work. This has implications for the meaning and value of ...
