July 11, 1957 is the Day when the present Imam assumed the reigns of the Imamat at the age of 21 years. Two days later, his father, Prince Aly Khan, introducing his son as the Imam of the Time, said, "I am very pleased and consider that my father's choice is a happy one for the future of the Ismail people." When Mowlana Shah Karim met his followers for the first time as the Imam, he said, "My grandfather dedicated his life to the Imamat and Islam, both of which for him always came first, and above all other considerations."
Repeating the passage from the Will of the previous Imam, Mowlana Sultan Muhammad Shah: "Ever since the time of my ancestor Aly, the first Imam, that is to say over a period of some 1,300 years, it has always been the tradition that each Imam chooses his successor at his absolute and unfettered discretion from among sons or remoter male issue, and in these circumstances and in view of the fundamentally altered conditions in the world in very recent years due to the great changes which have taken place including the discoveries of Atomic Science, I am convinced that it is in the interest of the Shia Muslim Ismaili community that I should be succeeded by a young man who has been brought up and developed during the recent years and in the midst of the new age and who brings a new outlook on life to his office as Imam." Mowlana Shah Karim said, "In the last month that I have spent with -ny grandfather, and in our many other times together, I have been privileged to work with him, and his guidance and wisdom will be of great help to me. My air-n in the future will be to continue the vast work of my grandfather, to do all in -ny power for the welfare and betterment of our community and its economic and financial institutions Maternity Homes, Boys' and Girls' Schools, Hospitals, Trusts, Clubs and European and American Scholarships." He further said, "I will do everything possible for your worldly and spiritual upliftment. As you were in i-ny beloved grandfather's heart and thoughts, you will be in mine." Soon after his succession, the Queen of England conferred the title of "His Highness" upon the Imam.
Early Life:
The auspicious news of his birth thrilled the entire Ismaili
world. The early days of his infancy
were
spent in Europe under the care of his devoted parents and the
personal supervision of his
grandfather,
Mowlana Sultan Muhammad Shah. Even as a child, he was very fond
of wearing Arab dress.
During
the second world war in 1941, when his revered grandfather was in
Switzerland and his devoted
father
had offered his services to the Allies , Shah Karim and his
brother Prince Amyn Muhammad
accompanied their mother to Nairobi, the Capital City of Kenya
where
they lived for four years. Mowlana Shah Karim's noble qualities
of self reliance, as well as his
sportsmanship, tenderness of heart, preservance, studiousness,
and above all, his spontaneous love
for
religion were prominent even during his childhood. He was very
fond of carpentry, gardening,
cycling,
riding, swimming and tennis. Our beloved Hazer Imam believes in
"A sound mind in a sound
body".
Skiing has been his favourite sport ever since he was a child He
started skiing when he was hardly
two
years old. During his school days in Switzerland, he excelled at
this sport and became the Juniors
Champion in Europe.
At the tender age of seven, Mowlana Shah Karim conducted the
ldd-ul-Fitr prayer (Namaz)
amidst a
large congregation of Ismailis in the Jamat Khana at Nairobi.
After the prayers were over, he
shook
hands with each and every Ismaili young and old for hours
together with ldd Mubarak. On being
asked
if he was tired, he charmingly said." I am not at all tired. I
am indeed very glad to greet and meet
the
whole Jamat and young children on this auspicious day of Idd.'
Memories of this Idd Day are still
cherished with pride by the Ismailis of Nairobi. During his stay
in Nairobi, Shah Karim paid
frequent
visits to jamatkhanas and mixed freely with the members of the
community.
Once when it was mentioned to Shah Karim that everyone, young and
old, men, women and
children
were all immensely pleased to see him when he visited the Jamat,
Shah Karim said, "Jamat is
happy on
seeing us, gives vent to Salwats and expresses pleasure by
clapping, because we are the
descendants
of Prophet Muhammad (may peace of God be on him)".
When the Second World War ended, Shah Karim went back to Europe,
where he joined the Le
Rosey
School in Switzerland. There he became a great friend of Duke of
Kent, the Queen's cousin,
whom
he used to call "Eddie". Besides the prescribed education at
school, he was tutored at home in
Arabic,
Islamic History and Urdu by Mustapha Kamil, who was specially
sent for by Mowlana Sultan
Muhammad Shah from the Muslim Aligarh University of the then
India. From the very childhood,
Shah Karim was the apple of hIs grandfather's eye. Once Shah
Karim's mother had remarked,
"My
Karim can have his problems solved by his grandfather as easily
as one can have one's own
problems
and mysteries of pleasures and mistakes solved through one's own
equal.
He is equally determined for the attainment of wisdom and
sympathy. On account of the link of
limitless friendship, he will be able to equip himself with
virtues, and due to that, he will be free
from
the thoughtless and suppressive disciplinary remedies. It is not
easy for a grandson to have the
advantage of friendship and paternal love at such a close range
from a grandfather. For this,
magnanimity of heart and mind is essential, but it is joined with
that link which is unbreakable, for,
there it is surrounded by confidence, faith, love and
tolerance."
At Harvard University:
After graduating from Le Rosey School, situated halfway between
Geneva and Laussane, Shah
Karim,
with his brother Amyn, went to the Harvard University. At the
university, because of his loveable
personality, modesty and intelligence, he endeared himself to all
the teachers as well as to his
fellow
students. He lived at Harvard's Leverett House, overlooking the
Charles River. Richard Gill, a
senior
tutor at the house, said of him that Shah Karim was very nice and
one of the top all-round men.
Professor Richard N. Frye, who occupies the Agakhan Chair in
Iranian studies, the gift of Shah
Karim's
grandfaher, said, "The young scion is intelligent, serious and
charming". During his stay at
Harvard
University, Shah Karim was a member of the Hasty Pudding Club and
of the Islamic Association.
He
was on the Freshman Soccer Team and for the last two years of his
stay there, played hockey with
Leverett House in Intramural COmpetition. He often used to ski
at Stowe, Vermont. On clear
days,
he was frequently seen rowing on the Charles River. College
associates said, "He was a quiet
fellow
and did not own a car. In his 3 years at Harvard, he had seldom
come to public attention."
In his freshman year, his room-mate was John Fell Stevenson, son
of the Democratic Presidential
nominee, A.E. Stevenson. Shah Karim has been a house guest at
the Stevenson home in
Libertyville.
The New York Times, in its issue of July 13, 1957, said, "He is a
"Straight All student. His name
appears regularly on the Dean's list - an index of high
scholastic achievement. He speaks English
and
French with about equal facility, although he admits to
occasional difficulty with American slang.
For
several years, he showed interest in Russia, her language,
customs and government."
One of his associates described him as a young man of gentle
dignity, whose bearing bespoke
great
refinement.
Mowlana Shah Karim is officially listed on the University roster
as Karim Khan. Scholastically,
he was
in group 1. He was working towards a Bachelor of Arts degree,
specializing in Middle East
History.
At the Harvard University, Mowlana Shah Karim had the opportunity
to mix with the world
renowned
professors of Islamic History like Professor H.A.R. Gib. There
he wrote several papers. Besides
his
papers on Islamic Sects and "Mysticism", his papers on "Rise of
the Nizaris" and "The Beginning
of
Da'wa in Indo-Pakistan" were greatly appreciated by the
Professors, as they contained material
from
original sources. He had not finished his paper on "Free Will
and Pre-destination in Islam", when
he
had to leave the University.
Mowlana Shah Karim spent his school holidays and University
vacations alternately with his
mother
at London, England and with his father at his (Prince Aly Khan's)
Riviera Villa, Chateau de
L'Horizon.
Shah Karim is well known on the Riviera, particularly as a
yachtsman. He and his younger
brother
Amyn had had a narrow escape at Saint Ropez when an accident
occurred on board his yacht. He
was
also a frequent visitor at his grandfather's residence, Villa
Yakymour, during his holidays. In
1954, in
accordance with the wishes of Mowlana Sultan Muhammad Shah, Shah
Karim paid a visit to
Pakistan,
India and Africa. He instructed the Jamats to impart proper
education to their children and to
look
after their health. In 1956, he visited Madagascar.
First Visit to the Followers:
Shortly after assuming the reigns of Imamat, Mowlana Shah Karim
started on whirlwind tour of
his
Ismaili communities. Before proceeding to Karachi, the
birthplace of his grandfather, in August
1957,
Imam-e-Zaman visited the Ismaili centres at London and Paris.
These visits were marked by
memorable scenes of devotion to the Spiritual Father.
While the Imam was on his way to Karachi, his plane made a brief
stop-over at the Beirut airport
in
the early hours of Sunday morning, August 4, 1957. The Lebanese
Government and the Ismailis
of
Syria and Lebanon accorded Hazer Imam a rousing reception. The
Lebanese Government, who
had
come to know of the visit through Mr. Hasan El Fyi and the
Ismailis of Syria and Lebanon, gave
the
Imam a Royal Welcome usually extended only to the Heads of
States. Mr. Izzat Khorchid was
appointed to receive Hazer Imam on behalf of the Government.
Senator Abdullah Al-Haj made a
speech of welcome. Over 600 Ismailis of Syria and Lebanon,
including Mr. Ahmed Mirza, agent
to
the Imam, Mr. Hasan El Fyl, Mr. Amir Mustapha Mirza, the
ex-Minister of Syria, and other
prominent
Ismaili leaders assembled at the airport to extend their Imam the
most affectionate welcome to
their
country.
Later, Mr. Hasan El Fyl specially sent his son, Mr. Abdul Hamid
Fyl to Bombay to request Hazer
Imam to pay a longer visit to the capitals of Syria and Lebanon
next time.
At Karachi, Mowlana Hazer Imam said, "You all know that my
grandfather was one of the
founders
of Pakistan. He, his associates and his co-workers, struggled
mightily for the establishment of this
country. He always had the profoundest faith in the destiny of
Pakistan. Those views and faith
are
mine. This country is in my heart, for as you know, my beloved
grandfather was born here."
After a short stay at Karachi, and a brief tour of East Pakistan
and Bombay, Mowlana Hazer
Imam
went to Africa to meet the Jamats there. At the Aden airport, in
the course of an interview with
the
press, Hazer Imam said, "Muslims in Pakistan are progressing very
well. Refugee problem is
becoming
colossal. Karachi, which had a population of two lakhs, has now
more than 20 lakhs inhabitants.
It
is not easy to provide for them all." (One lakh = 100,000).
Like his grandfather, Mowlana Hazer Imam has attached great
importance to the care of children,
their health and their education.
"The Mombasa Times" of East Africa in its issue of November 19,
1957, mentioned an interesting
episode. It said, "At least one ear was critically cocked during
the variety show given by the
pupils of
the Agakhan Boys', Girls', and Nursery Schools in the assembly
hall off Prince Charles Street on
Saturday evening. The ear belonged to the guest of honour, the
Agakhan, Spiritual Leader of the
Ismailis. He was listening to the greetings from the children
recited in several different languages.
The
youthful Imam is said to speak 10 different languages including
Russian. He smiled appreciatively
at
the school boy French, pursed his lips when it came to the
Arabic, grinned at the English and
laughed
out loud when one toddler blasted forth with "Jambo Bwana
Mkubwa".
SILVER JUBILEE
Over the years Mowlana Hazar Imam has became a well known
personality in the world of
international philanthropic activates. His knowledge and
judgement on investment and aid to the
Third
World Countries are regarded very highly by world Statesmen and
such international agencies as
CIDA, agencies of the United Nations etc.
In 1969, Hazer Imam married begum Salimah, the former Sarah
Croker-Poole of English birth
brought
up in India. They have three children, Princess Zahra born on
September 18, 1970, Prince Rahim
born
on October 12, 1971 and Prince Husayn born on April 10, 1974.
In 1982/83 Jamats throughout the world celebrated Mowlana Hazar
lmam's Silver Jubilee, and
were
graced with his Holy visit.
Since Hazar Imam assumed the office of Imamat in 1957, there have
been fundamental political
and
economic changes in most of the 25 countries where Ismailis are
found, mostly in the developing
nations of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Kenya, Tanzania,
Bangladesh and the Ivory Coast
have
become independent while India and Pakistan have lived through
two wars. It is a tribute to
Mowlana
Hazar Imam's diplomacy that He retains friendly relations with
succeeding heads of state.
Although, now only 46, Mowlana Hazar Imam can look back at some
major achievements as
Imam
of the time. He has adapted the complex system of administering
the various Ismaili communities
pioneered by His grandfather under the old colonial empires to a
world of nation states. To make
the
most of scarce resources, Hazar Imam has introduced modern
management techniques into the
organization of health, education and the housing programmes as
well as economic development
activities.
The Aga Khan Foundation owns for example three hospitals in
Kenya, has 72 health care centres
in
Pakistan, is building a 721-bed teaching hospital in Karachi and
has funded low cost housing
projects
and a series of village schools in India. Of all the social
institutions, the Foundation is taking up
dimensions of extraordinary size as it has now become a
collaborating agency of the United
Nations
with a delivery system that has already been proven in several
countries including Kenya,
Pakistan,
India, Bangladesh, U.K. and Canada.
The Foundation Head office in Geneva was established in 1967 as
Charitable Trust for the
Noorani
Family with the primary objective of promoting development and
social welfare through
philanthropic
activities in the developing world to improve the livelihood of
all people,
In Canada, the Foundation was established in July 1980 and is
recognized by Revenue Canada as
well
as CIDA and given the 'Charitable Status' and can therefore,
officially collect funds and offer
donations.
Within a year of its operation in Canada, it has given the
permission to collect 5 million dollars
most
of which will be channelled towards the building of Burnaby Jamat
Khana, the Hospital in Karachi
and
the Institute of Ismaili studies in London.
In addition, it provides each year a growing number of
scholarships to students in developing
countries
to continue their education in Europe and North America.
Foundation programmes are open not
only
to Ismailis but to all races and religions. For the academic
year 1982, Aga Khan Foundation
Canada
has approved scholarships to 19 students in far ranging subjects
and universities apart from some
50
other studying under the Geneva Scholarship program.
What are its aspirations? To be known world-over as a charitable
foundation most committed to
the
upliftment of primary health care and betterment of standard of
living in poor countries. There is
no
question that the way things are going, our community will some
day be considered a community
notable not just for its successful commercial base, prospering
industrial and tourism ventures but
also
for its Primary Health Care Activities, and this is where the
Imam is counting on us.
The Industrial Promotion Services group of companies was set up
in 1962 and now operates in
Kenya,
Tanzania, the Ivory Coast, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Its aim is
to create economic development
and
consequently employment by putting modern management and
technology together with local
know-how into a suitable investment package. It includes IBIC -
Ismailia Business Information
Centre and
the now successful program over 6 years the Small Business
Assistance Program. Basically,
controlled
from Aiglemont by a Committee under Hazer Imam's guidance, the
I.P.S. concept combines
private
investors both foreign and local with government and
international bodies. Over one hundred
enterprises have been launched in this way and range from
building materials and textiles to
mining and
tourism.
The Tourist Promotion Services operates basically in Kenya,
Tanzania and Pakistan harnessing
international funding - world bank, corporations such as
Lufthansa, Pan Am etc. and local
governments. The I.P.S. is now looking into Tunisia, Morocco and
Turkey - Hunza, Gilgit and
Chitral
may become vast areas of tourist activities. Sardinia, which is
now world famous has earned
Mowlana
Hazar Imam the title of the KNIGHT of GRAND CROSS from the
government of Italy. Prince
Amyn
Muhammad is in charge of the T.P.S. and its activities are also
directed from the Head Office in
Aiglemont.
The Diamond Jubilee Investment Trust (D.J.I.T.) successfully
operates mortgage and term
financing
through savings deposits as well as ownership of commercial real
estate in Kenya and Tanzania.
It
reports to a local Board of Directors who then report to Mowlana
Hazar Imam.
The Jubilee Insurance Co. which has been set up since the time of
Mowlana Sultan Muhammad
Shah's
Golden Jubilee in 1939, is the oldest insurance company in East
Africa and has recently felt a
renewed
resurgence of activities. Like D.J.I.T., it reports to Hazar
Imam through a Board of Directors and
it
also operates in Pakistan.
It is through Hazar Imam's continuous emphasis on the importance
of systematic planning,
systematic
implementation and systematic review that the Jamat has been able
to move forward. Hazar
Imam's
other projections include the Ismaili Centre in London, Nation
Newspapers, Alisarda Airlines,
Cerasarda- a ceramic factory in Sardinia etc. Hazar Imam's
future projections may include a
credit
union, possibly an Ismaili Bank, Manpower Data Bank and central
computer to coordinate
forecast
plans of all Business as well as Social institutions.
In recognition of the objectives and high standards of the Aga
Khan Hospital and Medical
College,
presently under construction in Karachi, the Government of
Pakistan granted the Medical College
and
the School of Nursing a "University Status" in 1981. It is now
known as the Aga Khan
University.
The only private university in the subcontinent, its primary
objective is to respond effectively to
the
perceived need for medical manpower in Pakistan, and aims to set
a standard of excellence worthy
of
emulation in the region.
Initially, the University will consist of a Medical College which
will graduate 100 doctors each
year
beginning 1983, and a School of Nursing which began classes in
October 1980 and will train 110
nurses annually. Attached to it will be a 721-bed teaching
Hospital which will begin admitting
patients
in 1984. Departing from traditional concepts of medical
education, the curriculum is specifically
designed to prepare future health professionals to work
effectively with other health workers at
the
community level.
The Aga Khan University will be the first international
university in a Third World country.
Besides
having a faculty of health sciences in Karachi, it will have
additional faculties in other countries of
the
developing world as well as in the West. New faculties will be
added later relating primarily to
the
development of human resources in the Third World countries, with
an emphasis on rural
development
and the management of social welfare institutions.
To assist in its development goals, the Aga Khan University is
collaborating with distinguished
universities such as Harvard in the United States, and McGill and
McMaster in Canada, as well as
the
College of Physicians and Surgeons in Pakistan.
Aga Khan University has taken the magnitude of the largest
projects undertaken by Imamat since
the
time of the Fatimid Caliphate. A Quote from Mowlana Hazer lmam's
telex depicts this
appropriately:
"The granting of University status to the Aga Khan Medical
College is an event of international
importance for the Jamat and for generations and generations to
come. In fact, I can think of no
single
event in our recent history which holds so much potential for so
many members of the Jamat".
According to a recent interview of Mowlana Hazer Imam with the
Pakistan and Gulf Economist
(PAGE) "There is an important development programme being worked
out for the Aga Khan
University to establish more faculties in Pakistan and other
parts of the world in due course so
that
Pakistan has a major international University working for the
good of the Country, the good of
the
Islamic World and the good of the Third World in general."
The Aga Khan Award for Architecture established in 1978 will give
five prizes of $100,000 every
three
years for outstanding architectural achievements in the Muslim
world. Architecture was the
greatest
of Islamic art forms, but today, it is strongly subject to
foreign influence. The object of award in
Hazar
lmam's words is "to provide an environment which future
generations of Muslims will recognize
as
their own".
Mowlana Hazer Imam made His first visit to China during October
1980 to attend the four-day
Aga
Khan Architectural Award Seminar held in Beijing in Peking.
After the completion of the four
day's
proceedings, Mowlana Hazer Imam and participants travelled to
Western China for a seven-day
tour
of Xian, Urumga, Turfan and Kashgar. The Beijing seminar is the
sixth sponsored by the Aga
Khan
Award for Architecture in the past four years. Other seminars
were held in Istanbul, Fez.
Jakarta,
Paris and Amman. Each were concerned with the challenges facing
urban and rural environments
in
the developing world.
Mowlana Hazar Imam's personal position is unique in the world
today. He is the spiritual and
religious
leader of a community which, while concentrated in the developing
countries, is now present in
the
West. He is also concerned with the Islamic tradition, to guide
the material well-being of His
spiritual
children and in this sense, directs an increasing number of
philanthrophic and development
organizations. it is however, Mowlana Hazer Imam's declared
policy and love for His people that
these
activities should specifically contribute to the progress of many
nations where the Ismailis
live.
In His message Mowlana Hazar Imam called for greater effort to be
directed towards improving
the
quality of life in the developing areas of the world:
"On this occasion of my Silver Jubilee, I would be deeply happy
if the members of my Jamat,
wherever
they are and whatever their age, would reaffirm in a visible and
united manner their commitment
to the
principles of Islam which bind all Muslims together, and which
are an unique example to all
mankind:
Belief in Allah, the fulfilment of His Message to Man, respect
and support for His greatest
creation,
Man himself. In this way let us establish even sounder
foundations for a good and proper life and
let
us extend our support to those living in the developing areas of
the world.
It is my hope that in the coming year members of my Jamat will
substantially contribute to
replacing
walls with bridges and to a more peaceful and better life for
mankind."
Throughout the Fatimid Period and in Alamut, the Ismaili Imams
had been the rulers of a state as
well
as the head of a religious community. After the fall of Alamut,
the situation was confused, but
again,
in the first half of the l8th Century, we find Mowlana Abul Hasan
Ali as Governor, ruling Kirman
for
the Zend kings. The First Aga Khan, Mowlana Shah Hasan Ali,
married the daughter of the
Persian
Shah. His son, the 47th Imam, Shah Aly Shah and his grandson,
Mowlana Sultan Muhammad
Shah
and his great grandson, the present Imam not only have royal '
blood from that union, but through
their
lineage, claim Royal descent from the Fatimid Caliphs, and as
Imams the same lineage traces back
to
Hazrat Ali, son in-law of Holy Prophet Muhammad.
His Highness Shah Karim Aga Khan, the eldest son of His Serene
Highness Prince Aly Khan, was
born
on December 13, 1936 in geneva. His mother's name is Princess
Tajud-dowlah. She is the
daughter
of Late Lord Churston and the Duchess of Leicester, the
descendant of King Edward the III of
England. Thus, in his veins runs thE blue blood of the Arabian
Prophet whose direct descendant
he is,
of the Egyptian and Persian Royalties who were his ancestors, and
of the Italian and English
Peerage,
from the father's and mother's sides, respectively.
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