Welcome to F.I.E.L.D.- the First Ismaili Electronic Library and Database.

Journalism in East Africa

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddin

The Jubilee Bulletin started in 1945, which earned the name of Ismaili Prakash in 1947. The Diamond Jubilee Souvenir published in 1946. It was followed by Majlis. In 1950, with the existence of Ismailia Association for Kenya in Nairobi, the Africa Ismaili started and shifted its venue very soon from Mombasa to Nairobi. Africa Ismaili was the first communal journal in Africa to complete 25 years, which formerly used to appear as Ismaili Prakash.

Meanwhile, a journal Education Bulletin appeared in 1939 from Mombassa and disappeared very soon. The same position with the following journals:- Old Boys Education Bulletin (1939), Old Boys (1945), Pukar (1945), Nuten Jyoti (1946), Bhawi Praja (1947), Mithi Mauj (1947), Paigham (1948), Awaz (1950), Imamat (1956), My Flag (1956) Awake (1964), etc.

A weekly paper also appeared in Mombasa in 1938, known as Africa Tribune which last for 12 months. Hence, none among the above survived more.

In Nairobi, the most prominent among the short-lived papers were:- Zahur (1939), edited by A.M. Sadruddin, Zaban and Awaz (1945), Al-Hussain (1947) and Waezeen Digest (1960), etc.

In 1933, Uganda had Ismaili Yuvak which disappeared very soon as if it had never published. Kismu and had Ismaili Welfare Bulletin in 1940, also printed one Una Voc (one voice) between 1965 and 1966. In 1953, Uganda magazine, Ismaili News, started in 1953 and continued till 1960.

From different centers, some other magazines also appeared, including Special Number from Jinja in 1946.

Tanzania was rich in its contribution. The famous journals were:- Africa Comrade (1925), Ismailia Bhagyodaya (1925), Jagrutti (1931), Chatanya Yug (1932), Tarun (1932) ed. by Ghulam Ali Pirbhai, Mithi Mauj (1933), Chaitanya Yuga (1933), Young Tanganika (1934), Shafiq. (1934), edited by A.M. Sadruddin. Gulshan-e-Ilm (1935), ed. Jafar Ali Sufi. Ismaili Voice (1936), edited by A.M. Sadruddin, Ismaili Mission Message (1940), Paigham (1948), On the March (1968). Mission Digest (1962) ed. by Abdul Hussain Daya and Sultan Ali Muhammad in Kisumu, Kenya. Ismaili Bagyada'i, etc. All of them disappeared within a few years, some of them lasted only a few months.

The Ismailia Association for Tanganika started Khidmat and Platinum in 1951, which later merged into Ismaili Crescent in 1961. African Sentinel edited by missionary Haji Muhammad Fazal, started in 1941 and continued till 1944 in Tanzania.

Among minor publication from up-country centers was Unity in 1959 from Mwanza. In addition, the Ismailia Association for Portugal published Al-Noor from Lisbon in 1980, Al-Kitab in 1985; and Al-Hidayat (1984) by Ismailia Association for Zaire.


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