Used to tag News Flash posts that point to an Editor's Choice email.
The term "Islamic art" refers to visual arts produced in Islamic regions but not necessarily for or by Muslims. It is generally contemplative and, as such, often incorporates prayers or verses from the Qur'an or Hadith. Curiously, these are not just rendered on places of worship, but even on everyday objects such as utensils and cooking pots. The breadth of ...
As Muslims, in the modern world, the words "modernity" and "tradition" unleash an uneasy cascade of conflicting emotions as we try, often unsuccessfully, to reconcile the two. Fortunately, Mawlana Hazar Imam, has provided his profound insights and perspectives on how to look at and reconcile the two, not just for today but for all time. At the heart of his ...
The castles inhabited by Nizari Ismailis from 1090 CE until the Mongol invasion in 1256 CE were researched by Peter Wiley over the course of 40 years. His final work, "Eagle's Nest: Ismaili Castles in Iran and Syria", published in 2005 by The Institute of Ismaili Studies, is recognised as the standard work on the subject. The Ismaili state, from ...
In June 1999, in Aiglemont, Mawlana Hazar Imam said: "You cannot know this, but I watch other immigrant communities. I don't just watch my Jamat, I watch others, and I watch what they are doing, and I draw lessons from that ..." And so, as a faith community, we decided to look at other faith communities to see what lessons ...
The Prophet Muhammad's is often thought of as "just the messenger of God's revelation," however , as the Qur'an makes clear, the scope of his spritual status and reglious roles are deep and comprehensive. According to Shia belief, that status and those roles did not extinguish at the Prophet's death but are, instead, carried forward by the Shia Imamat, so ...
There is nothing more moving for an Ismaili than to be in the presence of our Imam. And, some Ismailis have the rare honour of being with our Imams privately, even if just for a moment. However, by the grace of our Imams, humble stories of such meetings move all of us, whether we knew the person or not, whether ...
During the Diamond Jubilee, Mawlana Hazar Imam made a critical remark in Karachi: "There should be a dialogue between the Jamat and our institutions, and this dialogue should be an ongoing process of thinking together, of what will best serve the Jamat ... So we are seeking community wisdom, the wisdom of the Jamat, as to what are its needs, ...
Biryani. To the South Asian Ismaili community, the very word conjures up fond memories a favorite dish for special occasions. It's so much a part of the culture, that even Mawlana Hazar Imam jokes about biryani, again and again and again! 🙂 There are no end of creative ways to make biryani and The Ismaili Nutrition Centre has four mouth-watering ...
Although most people assume they know what introversion is, actually, they don't. As Susan Cain, author of Quiet, writes, "introversion is now a second-class personality trait, somewhere between a disappointment and a pathology" as if it's a "problem" to fix, like was once thought about left-handed people. Introverts don't need to be "fixed" any more than left-handed people need to ...
Intellectual diversity has been a hallmark of Ismaili literature. Throughout their history, and across the regions, Ismailis produced diverse literature in Arabic, Persian and Indian languages. Among others, subjects included science, philosophy, the doctrine of Imamate, legal compendia, esoteric interpretations of Revelation, histories of early Imams as well as a rich collection of religious and devotional poetry. The selection chosen ...
Take a trip back in time and relive major Imamat and Noorani Family events going back to Mawlana Sultan Mohammad Shah. These short, but engaging, historical newsreels from the early 1900s will make you feel like you were right there, experiencing it all over again. Warm regards RoundUp Video Series
Over the years, Mawlana Hazar Imam has spoken extensively about the media and their audiences, often delivering harsh criticisms of both. Times have changed and today social media has turned everyone into both a publisher and consumer of news and information. Each of us is now a small broadcasting station, adding to the information stream (and noise) others wade through ...
Ginans are an indispensable tradition for the South Asian Ismaili community. In these pieces, Dr. Ali Asani, perhaps the community's foremost authority on ginans and author of "Ecstasy and Enlightenment," explains, in non-academic language, their history and role in Ismaili practices today. Best regardsIsmaili Digest
Peer Review. The very words conjure up a spiritual sacredness and authority that no one dare challenge. But is that stamp of authority worthy of uncritical worship? Are peer reviewed journals a fortress against pseudo-science and superstition, store houses of "reliable facts?" Editors of the most prestigious peer reviewed journals don't think so. Richard Smith, who edited the British Medical ...
Volunteering has been the backbone of the Ismaili community since the very beginning and it can be, rightfully, said the Ismaili community has been built and sustained by volunteers, not just those within the institutions, but all those who have selflessly contributed to the communities progress. Mawlana Sultan Muhammad Shah famously said to the volunteers "Today I will give you ...
It's Summer and we could all use a nice, cold healthy drink. Here are 5 we're sure will hit the spot! "A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken." - James Dent Happy Summer! Ismaili Digest
"Although the development of sophisticated calligraphy as an art form is not unique to Islamic culture, it has been used to a much greater extent and in varied ways, and in all art forms and materials in Islamic civilisations." "Sources credit Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib, cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad and the first Imam of the Shia, as ...
