Farman made by Mowlana Hazar Imam (Extract)
Geneva, Switzerland.
Saturday, July 13, 1957.
My beloved spiritual children,
My grandfather dedicated His life to the Imamate and Islam, both of which, for Him, always came first and above all other considerations.
Mowlana Hazar Imam then repeated the following passage from the Will of Mowlana Sultan Muhammad Shah:
"Ever since the time of My first ancestor Ali, the first Imam, that is to say over a period of 1 300 years, it has always been the tradition of our family that each Imam chooses His successor at His absolute and unfettered discretion from amongst any of His descendants whether they be 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 best interest of the Shia Moslem Ismailian Community that I should be succeeded by a young man who has been brought up and developed during recent years and in the midst of the new age and who brings a new outlook on life to His office as Imam."
... In the last month that I have spent with My 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 aim in the future will be to continue the vast work of My grandfather, to do all in My 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.
... I will do everything possible for your worldly and spiritual upliftment. As you were in My beloved grandfather's heart and thought, you will be in Mine.
Farman made by Mowlana Hazar Imam
London, England.
Friday, July 26, 1957.
My dear spiritual children,
This is a sad and a very happy occasion for Me. I see you for the first time since My beloved grandfather departed this world physically. You have lost the finest Imam we have had and I have lost a grandfather who was more devoted than any grandfather a man has ever had. I hope you do not think that because He is not physically with us, that He won't watch over you. In My time, I will do everything in My capacity to be worthy of and to see that the community lives very well and that the welfare of the community, I will see, is set on the lines My grandfather has set for you. At the same time, this is the most happy occasion for Me. I see you as an Imam for the first time and I give you My best Paternal, Maternal blessings. Khanavadan - Dua Ashish.
Farman made by Mowlana Hazar Imam
London, England.
Tuesday, March 7, 1961.
First of all to each and everyone of you individually, I give My best loving blessings, Khanavadan, Khanavadan.
The first thing I want to tell you is that I will be visiting East Africa in May this year for approximately a month. I hope also to be able to go to India later on in the year, but plans are not definite.
For those of you who are from East Africa, I hope that you have been following the situation very carefully. Personally I feel that you can have great confidence since the election in Kenya, although the situation is not perhaps at the optimum situation. I am worried however, for those of you who are from Mozambique. Are there any spiritual children from Mozambique here? Well you are lucky. I don't think you have to make yourselves too obvious in that area. The best thing to do is to stay quiet, keep your investments very tight, and do not keep too many stocks in your shop.
Now I come to a point which is important and particularly because most of you are students. I have been told that for some time there have been a certain number of acts of vandalism in the club. I do not like the irresponsibility, I do not like childishness. I do not like people who amuse themselves by destroying property which is not theirs, which is being helped by the Jamats all over the world. So those who are aware of the situation, who have taken part in this sort of thing, I must warn them. This is something I mention in Jamat because I would like you to keep in mind that this is the sort of irresponsibility which My spiritual children should not indulge in. If you start it here, later on you will carry the responsibility of family and children and I don't like this behaviour.
Apart from this, I would like the Jamat of London and particularly the students, to remember that you are to study, but not to take with you a series of bad habits. I should think 99.9% of you have Muslim names as I do. These names are our heritage and I would like you to value these names. There is no reason if you are called Amin, to call yourselves Johnny or Jim. We are not Johnny or Jim, our names are not Christian names, we have nothing to do with Christianity, we have a complete different heritage. All over the Muslim World today, there is this movement to go back to your heritage. Don't run away from it, on the contrary, we have every reason to be proud of it and I hope that students who are calling themselves Johnny or Jim or Jack, will now call themselves by their proper names they should carry.
I give once again to each and everyone of My spiritual children, My best blessings. I want you to remember that as students you probably indulge in these little jokes, but don't carry them past normal limits. You have responsibility towards your family if you are outside the area where you live and at this particular time they need all the manpower they can get. They need help, through the companies they must expand, because others are frightened and if we can take advantage of the situation in East Africa in particular, you should be able to do very very well in the future. So I hope you will not forget that though you are studying in London, your roots and responsibilities are very far from here and I hope that in the future I will not have to repeat this. It is important to remember that we have nothing to do with Christianity, nothing to do with Western European. Our world is Islam and I hope you will remember this. Khanavadan.
Farman made by Mowlana Hazar Imam (Extract)
London, England.
Thursday, June 18, 1964. 8:15 A.M.
My beloved spiritual children,
To all My spiritual children in London Jamat, I give My most affectionate loving blessings. Khanavadan.
I believe that My London Jamat is the Jamat who should produce during the years, some of the most eminent leaders for the Jamats in Pakistan, India and East Africa. And this, I would like, for those of you who have come here to complete your studies or to improve your knowledge in specific fields, to obtain the very best education you can obtain, and leave with only that knowledge which can be of use to yourself or to your Jamat but not to live here with social habits, social traditions which have nothing to do with Islam.
Two of these are smoking and drinking. Some of My younger spiritual children may be surprised that I should mention it today, but there is no longer any doubt whatsoever that smoking is provoking cancer disease and I would wish My spiritual children to remember that today there is no medical cure known for this disease and that every time you indulge in this bad habit, you are risking not only your life but you are also risking to cause immense unhappiness to those for whom you are working and for those who depend upon you for their lifetime.
The other social habit to abandon for those who have indulged in already, is drinking. There is no doubt that this is one of the most ugly habits which My spiritual children can pick up. This is something which you should stop your family or your children from indulging in. There is no end for this habit, it will not give you any increased worldly happiness and certainly can give you nothing but spiritual sorrow. This is a very unpleasant habit and I condemn it as I condemn smoking, most strongly indeed.
If My late grandfather mentioned this to the Jamat from time to time, it was because it was for your own interest not to pick up these sorts of habits.
Farman made by Mowlana Hazar Imam.
Paris, France.
Tuesday, September 28, 1965.
My beloved spiritual children,
First of all I want to give to all My spiritual children who are in Paris Jamat each one of you individually My most affectionate loving blessings. Khanavadan, Khanavadan.
My beloved spiritual children,
I want to begin today My Farman by telling you one important matter because My Jamat in Paris and the Mukhi here and My Mukhiani and My Jamat is worried sometimes if it is not possible for Me to see you as soon as you request Me to see you, but I would like My spiritual children to understand that at the moment we have many problems and I must work for My Jamats in East Africa, in Pakistan, in India and I cannot devote time to private interviews at a time such as this. My spiritual children here, many of you are from East Africa, some of you are from Pakistan and some from India. You understand what is the situation, you understand that there are many problems and these problems are to be solved and Allah has made the day with twenty-four hours and there are only twenty-four hours in a day and we must work within those twenty-four hours. I would like My spiritual children when they come to Paris or they ask for an appointment to have patience because I cannot organise My work everyday if there are requests and the Mukhi is coming to Me everyday and he is saying that Jamat is getting upset and they are unhappy. I realize that each one of you have your problems.
One other thing I would like My Jamat to remember is that this is unfortunate or fortunate, I personally am quite happy about this, the last time that I will be visiting Rue Prony to see My Jamat. This being the house which belonged to My father, it is now the Jamat's but we will be moving to the new Jamatkhana, the room that we have put aside for the Jamatkhana is much bigger than this one and I think My Jamat would be quite happy with this. I certainly will not let My Jamat shift to any place which is not entirely satisfactory.
For My spiritual children in East Africa I think you should not worry too much. I warn you and I have warned you for many years that there are bound to be ups and downs, there are bound to be difficult times, there are bound to be easier times. This is normal course of events and I personally am not excessively worried about the situation in East Africa. I would like you to go on, to be loyal to the countries of your homes, be loyal to Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and I do not want you to start getting involved in many territorial discussions as to whether this is right or that is right etc... You are private citizens and I would like you to go on living your lives peaceful, quiet and loyal to the country in which you live.
One other important matter, I have told and the Mukhi has told Me that the attendance in Jamatkhana in Paris is regular that the students studying here are regular and I can tell you that this has given Me the greatest happiness because the problems of all My spiritual children and the problems of all the Muslims today is to face life, staying with the tradition of the past and yet looking to the future. These are the problems that every single individual of My Jamat has to live with, has to reconcile in his own mind and regular attendance in Jamatkhana make Me believe that you have reconciled these two forces of your lives that they are part of you and that you are living with them happily. This is essential, this is the key to our strength. I would like now Mukhi to introduce the various families or individuals who have problems. I told the Mukhi I will not come to Paris Jamatkhana unless I could give you time.
(Mowlana Hazar Imam then addressed the following Farman to the students Jamat:)
I am addressing especially to My students in Paris Jamat, and to the students who have come from London or other parts of the world, but who are students. I have told you in the past many times, and I am emphasising today more than ever before that you guarantee in your ability, knowledge and qualifications that you will draw from your students' years. This is more true today than it has been, ever been in the past and I do want My spiritual children to remember this. It is the qualifications you get as students, the professional qualifications, the ability that you will acquire, it will carry you through and the world is such today that it does not matter where you are, if you have these qualifications, you have something that cannot be taken from you, whether there is revolution, whether there is socialism, whether there is communism, whether there is democracy, these qualifications cannot be taken from you - that they are part of your person, they are part of your make-up, they are the assets to you and they are assets to any atmosphere you are in, and this is important. This is more important than ever before, and in fact I was quite happy to notice that even the General Manager of Diamond Jubilee Investment Trust, who has only been working for the Jamat for a number of months, has understood that for us, the qualifications of our young men and young women is the essential factor of our future, and I insist upon this and I will go on insisting upon it, and I place considerable responsibility in the young boys and girls in our Jamat all over the world for our future. It is the qualifications on which we depend.
Lastly, I give to each and every one of you individually My warmest, most loving blessings. Khanavadan, Khanavadan, Khanavadan.
Farman made by Mowlana Hazar Imam
Paris, France.
Friday, June 30, 1972.
(Following the Welcome Address by Anou Pirbhay)
My beloved spiritual children,
To all My spiritual children of Paris and all those of you who have come from outside France, to your families and to your Jamats, I give My best and My most affectionate and My most loving blessings. Khanavadan, Khanavadan.
My beloved spiritual children,
Anou very clearly pointed out that it is three years since I got married and since I had last come to the Paris Jamat. But I would like to emphasize that My wife and I have been very busy in those three years and we have two children to show for it, and we also have a lot of work which has been done. I would like My spiritual children to keep in mind that if I do not visit the Jamat in East Africa, or India, or Pakistan, or the Middle East, or London, or Paris, or Brussels or Geneva more often, it is because I have a very clear choice of either doing the work which must be done in such a way that the Jamats' activities can continue or I spend more time on individual problems within the Jamat. This is a situation which is a 'situation de fait'. It is the fact of life today. If you think of what has happened in the past five years to the countries where the Jamat is living, you will understand that whereas you may be concerned by what is happening in Bangladesh, the Imam is concerned with what is happening in all the countries where the Jamat is living, and if you simply enumerate for yourselves, the areas where the Jamat is living and where there have been major changes in the last five years, you will appreciate the amount of work and some of the problems that have to be solved, and they must be solved quickly and effectively, not because you yourselves might be in particular difficulty, but it is your children and your grandchildren, it is the generation ahead of us that I am concerned about. It is for them that one has to work to establish new areas for the Jamat and try to safeguard what the Jamat has created already, in places such as Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Zaïre, Madagascar. I am simply naming places where there have been problems. I am not naming the countries where the Jamat has been able to live in the last fifteen years relatively undisturbed. I would like, therefore that My spiritual children should understand that if the Imam does not visit the Jamat as often as I did, between say 1957 and 1962, it is because the problems have changed. No doubt they will change again, no doubt this period of practically universal disturbance will change. When it does change, it will be easier for the Imam to spend a great deal more time with individual families and visiting parts of the world which I have not visited for a number of years. There are countries such as Syria which I have not visited for many many years, countries such as Lebanon, countries such as South Africa, Mozambique, Burundi. These countries I have not visited. So the Jamat in Paris says three years, these other Jamats can say ten years. So I would like My spiritual children to understand that these are the difficulties which must be solved.
The second point I wish to make today, is that from time to time I have said to My Jamat - I hope to achieve such and such by such and such a date. Very often I'll already have achieved what I have promised you, but I don't tell you. In other cases, such as the London Centre, I do not make an announcement simply because the people who are in charge of developing the new London Jamatkhana advise Me that this is not the right time in England to make a public statement or to make a statement which might become known publicly about the creation of a new Jamatkhana for a Jamat which is going to be of three to four thousand spiritual children. This is a very big Jamat in London today. But I can tell the Paris Jamat, not to make you envious, but I can tell you that those of you who wondered what is happening on the London Centre, the London Centre is going ahead very nicely and you need have no worries that we will have a very fine Centre in the relatively near future for My spiritual children in England. As for the Paris Jamat, the Mukhi has not yet asked for a new Jamatkhana, but by the number of people who are here today, I assume that in due course the Mukhi will be telling Me that we will need a new Jamatkhana in Paris and in that case, he will have to solve the problem.
My beloved spiritual children,
I would like to address Myself now to My students who are working in Western Europe, not only those who are studying in Paris but equally those who are studying in London or wherever it may be. Your parents as you will have seen, have been exposed in recent years to all sorts of pressures, and problems, in most of the areas where they have worked, lived, earned their living and found the means wherewith to support you in your studies. While you are here, I would like you to make every effort to take from Western Europe what is good but to leave aside what would be harmful for our Jamat, what would be harmful for the future of our community, not only in Western Europe but in other parts of the world. Certain habits take place, they gain acceptance, they become things which one practices, so to speak, to be "dans le vent", as the French say. This I advise My spiritual children again to stay away from. I am referring to all sorts of habits, smoking, drinking, and others and I am advising My spiritual children to stay away from them simply because I do not want you to grow up, have your own families, and be a burden on your family, and on the Jamat, and on the society within which you live. What I am saying, therefore, is that these habits do have basic negative medical effects. If you indulge in these habits at great length, you will do such damage to your brains that you will be incapable of looking after your families or your children when you grow older. I consider it as silly, as stupid to incapacitate your brains as it would be to go and cut off your right hand. It is the same thing. A man's life depends on his ability to earn his living, and the children that you will have will depend on you for many years for their livelihood and I am saying to you today when it comes to drinking, to drugs, to smoking, stay away. Not because the Quran has said you should not smoke, not because the Quran has said you cannot not take drugs, but because these habits are medically unhealthy, and the consequences are irretrievable. Once you have damaged your brain there is nothing that human medicine can do to restore it, and I make this point because it does not concern particularly the Paris Jamat but I do not want My spiritual children to indulge in habits which will be harmful.
The other point which I wish to make to My students is that while you are in Europe, you will be living in climatic and social conditions which are most probably more agreeable than the climate of Bangladesh or the climate of wherever it may be but this does not mean that your duties to your faith and to your Jamat are any the lesser. It is not because you live in France or you live in England or you live in America that the day you are no longer you will be judged any more kindly, that you will not be asked to answer questions on why you have done certain things during your lifetime. So be careful, it is not because Muslims are living in Western Europe that they should or can afford to behave differently than practising Muslims. I make this point because our Jamat is becoming more and more involved in living in France, England, Canada, the United States, Spain, wherever it may be. But don't make the mistake of thinking that the day your life is over, you will be asked or you will be allowed to answer, "I did not practise My faith because I was living in London - if I'd lived in Karachi I would have practised My faith". And I make this point to you because it is important that My spiritual children who are gradually moving to other parts of the world into societies which are not Muslim societies, I warn you, do not make the mistake of thinking that because you live in these societies, your religious obligations are any the lesser. They are as important - they must be fulfilled as regularly as if you were living in Nairobi, Kampala, Dacca, Karachi, Bombay, or wherever it may be. I make this point particularly to My students because I know that they are enjoying conditions of living which in many cases are different from the ones which they have at home. I want you to get the best out of what you can get here, but be careful not to indulge in passing habits which can have detrimental effects for good, and not to underestimate or to forget that even though you may be living in a Christian society, in a Western World, you are Muslims and when the Day of Judgment arrives, you will be asked the same questions as any other Muslim, any other part of the world. And this is an important thing for each spiritual child to remember. I would like My spiritual children also to keep in mind, that as you grow older, and I am referring now again to My students, the Jamat is going to need your services. So when you are qualified, I would like you to keep in mind that the Jamat will require qualified doctors, qualified teachers, qualified lawyers, qualified business people. We will require these spiritual children because our institutions must become wherever we are living, in due course, national institutions. And the services which these institutions render our Jamat must be as good if not better than those rendered by any other institutions in any given country. And I am referring now to medicine, our medical institutions, referring to education, our teachers, referring to our insurance companies, our banks, our industrial activity. We need spiritual children who are professionally qualified. So I would like that spiritual children who get good degrees should consider Jamati institutions in the total range of institutions for which they are considering working. I would be very sad indeed if a qualified doctor automatically applied to find work in a non-Jamati institution. Or if a qualified nurse automatically applied to go and work in an institution other than a Jamati institution. Because the Jamat will need your training, your experience, your intelligence if we want to continue to provide our children with better and better qualified institutions these institutions must benefit from the young boys and the young girls who are getting modern education in new fields. I mention this because I am finding great difficulty at the present time in having the Jamat be aware of the various positions that must be fulfilled in the Jamati institutions. I do not want announcements to be made everyday in the Jamatkhana saying the Aga Khan hospital in Nairobi needs an M.D. or the hospital in Karachi will need a medical secretary. I do not want these announcements to be made. I would prefer that the initiative should come from the Jamat and those spiritual children who are qualified, who know that institutions are developing. They should come forward and they should say we would like to work for such and such an institution. Because it is their loyalty to the Jamat and their loyalty to the institutions which are being developed, which should be the basic factor which makes that these spiritual children come towards for these institutions. And to the young amongst you, I want you to be quite clear on one thing, I do not want you to think that if you apply to an institution you will be expected to accept material conditions which are less good than those of other institutions. I know that doctors take the Hippocratic oath and they are supposed to be very ethical but in practice they like earning their living. This is true of any profession, and in the past, our institutions have expected spiritual children to work for them at conditions other than the normal conditions in a given country. This is no longer going to be the case. If spiritual children are going to work full time for a Jamati institution they must be able to gain the personal benefit which they would gain in a similar position in a non-Jamati institution. That does not apply to My councillors or any Jamati institutions other than education, health, and material institutions such as in insurance banking, etc.
My beloved spiritual children,
I hope, therefore, that those who are young, here, will remember that though you are living in Western Europe. I am concerned that you should continue to practise as practising Muslims remembering that whether you are a Muslim in Paris or a Muslim in Karachi, your duties are the same towards your faith and your duties are the same towards your Jamat.
I hope that in due course, from France, England, Germany, Canada, The United States, the Imamat will have a choice of hundreds of thousands of qualified spiritual children. This is what I am hoping for. Because if this is the case our spiritual children as a whole, our whole Jamat will be able to benefit from a quality of service from our institutions, which will be above the quality that can be rendered by any other institution to any other Jamat. This is My goal and I hope that the young amongst you will keep this in mind.
Lastly, to My spiritual children who are here today, no matter where you come from, I give you, each one individually, to you, your families, your Jamats, My best and My most affectionate blessings. Khanavadan. Lastly, I want to congratulate all the spiritual children who have been responsible for decorating the Jamatkhana, for painting the Jamatkhanas, and I am quite convinced that My wife will come back and give Me a glowing report on what she has seen. I want you also to know how happy I am to been able to bring My wife for the first time to the Paris Jamatkhana and to keep in mind that both of us would have liked to have been able to come a great deal earlier, but we are nonetheless happy that in these three years that we got married, we have given our Jamat a boy and a girl, and maybe, who knows... Khanavadan.
My beloved spiritual children,
My French Jamat and My French students have given My wife and My children some most lovely presents. And you really have spoilt us and I want you to know how grateful we are for these magnificent presents. We are very, very touched and very grateful and although our children maybe wouldn't be able to express themselves quite as freely as maybe I am able to, in due course when they come to the Jamatkhana, they will certainly be able to tell you how grateful and thankful they are themselves. I give to each and everyone of you, again, My best affectionate blessings. Khanavadan.
Before I leave the Paris Jamat, I want to make one short Farman to My spiritual children in the Paris Jamatkhana because there are many of you who have come from outside France. At the present time the Jamat is facing all sorts of difficulties in all sorts of parts of the world. And there have been moments when the Jamat has reacted out of fear or out of panic or out of misinformation. Very often rumours have circulated in the Jamat, Hazar Imam has said this, or Hazar Imam has said leave Tanzania or Hazar Imam has said everyone should go to Tanzania, Hazar Imam has said that everyone should leave Zanzibar, everyone should go back to Zanzibar. These rumours go around our Jamat and they go around like wild fire. I would like My spiritual children in the Paris Jamat to remember that if I have a Farman for the whole of My Jamat in any given country, I make that Farman in writing to the Council of that country who then circulates the Farman which is read to the Jamat. Until such an occasion arises, the Jamat must assume that there is no Farman which applies to every spiritual child in a given country. I make this Farman because very often spiritual children ask the Imam of the Time about individual personal problems and I give My answer to that spiritual child in accordance with what I consider is in his best interest. I made a comment on My recent visit to East Africa which is that if a spiritual child comes to Me and he says I have a problem with My teeth and I say go to the dentist, does that mean that every spiritual child have to go to the dentist? Well, it is that simple. That if a spiritual child has a problem and he asks Me about a personal matter I will advise him according to his personal circumstances. So, I do not want rumours circulating in My Jamat here or in England or in Africa or in Pakistan or India or Bangladesh - Hazar Imam has said the whole Jamat must do this. If I have a Farman which applies to the whole Jamat I make it in such a way that the whole Jamat knows that these are My recommendations or instructions. And I make this Farman to you today because there are many spiritual children who have come from outside France and who have questions about their personal circumstances. Some have come from Bangladesh, some have come from East Africa, some have come from Madagascar, some have come from Zaïre. There are people who have come from all different countries. These people and these people's circumstances are not the same as the circumstances of every single spiritual child in the Jamats from which they have come. And you should be very careful, not to induce My Jamat in error, by telling people around you or your friends or your families - I asked Hazar Imam what to do and He told Me do this, so everyone does that. And I want to emphasize this to you today because there are certain spiritual children who seek positions of eminence in the Jamat by pretending or leading people to believe that I have given them a special message for the Jamat of such and such country. If a spiritual child asks for advice I give him advice according to his personal circumstances and not for the whole of the Jamat. The only advice I would give which applies to practically all My spiritual children today is that when circumstances change, such as they will or have in Madagascar, in Burundi, in Bangladesh, in Pakistan, in East Africa, do not react out of panic. If you have got problems, the answer is not to try to solve the problem by turning your back and running away. This is the worst thing you can do. If a situation arose where I considered that My Jamat for a valid reason should turn its back on a given problem and leave as a Jamat, I would say so.
I consider that in the present circumstances in all the developing countries where the Jamat is living, if there are problems, the Jamat should think these problems out calmly and peacefully. Do not make the mistake of thinking that if you have lived in East Africa and you have had problems in East Africa, the answer is to go to Canada because Canada is heaven on earth. Or that if you have problems in Madagascar, you should run and live in Paris because Paris is heaven on earth. This simply is not true, and it would be a grave error to give up and to leave parts of the world where you have been established for generations, where you have excellent contacts, where you have institutions, where you have friends and turn your backs on these areas and run away from them, leaving everything behind. It would be a grave error to think that instability whether it be political or economic or social is only something which can be found in developing countries. Those of you who lived in France in May 1968, remember what circumstances were then, those of you who have been living in American Universities during the last five or six years, remember what circumstances have been. Remember what could happen if Mr. Powell came to power in the United Kingdom. Now these things can happen and there is no point looking at one area and saying all ill, all risk, all danger is here, and here it is heaven on earth. This simply is not the case. So what I am saying to My spiritual children today is to be careful, if you are facing difficulties not to make the mistake to think that these difficulties are restricted only to those areas where you are living. And do not give up one risk to replace it by a worse risk, do not give up one area where the economy is poor to go to another area where the economy could be even worse. Do not go from one currency into another currency without making absolutely sure, that in diversification you have got soundness. Because there is no guarantee that the currency which you leave and the currency which you go to, are not going to change in values. I am saying this to emphasize to My spiritual children today that this period of instability is not restricted to the areas where the Jamat has been living traditionally. It is a universal feature and it may continue to be a universal feature for a number of years to come. So My recommendation is, analyze each one of you individually your problems, but do not take solutions out of panic, but think carefully that if a situation swings against you in one area, it doesn't mean that it's not going to swing against you in the next area. And if it has swung against you in the next area, the first area which you left might swing for you again. And at that time you will have made a very poor transaction. So I am saying to My spiritual children, first of all, do not convey to the Jamat advice which I have given to you as individuals because you will be inducing them into error. And I am saying, secondly, although you may have problems in Zaïre, in Bangladesh, in Madagascar, in Burundi, in Pakistan, in Tanzania, in Zanzibar, and there are many other countries, do not think that those problems are problems which cannot affect your lives in other parts of the world. There are many spiritual children who left Tanzania to go to Pakistan and think what happened to them. There are many spiritual children who left Tanzania to go to Canada and who have run into difficulty. There are many spiritual children who have come to the United States and wanted to settle and have failed to succeed. Therefore, if you are in a position of instability of practically universal instability, try to diversify your activities in such a way that you do not take a major risk, in any given area. This is the meaning of diversification. If a family is fortunate enough to have three sons who are qualified, they should not all live in the same country, do the same profession. They should not all operate in the same currency. You should try to spread your risk between countries, between human activities. If you have savings, spread the savings out so that you are not always in the same currency.
Because as soon as there is fluctuation you pay for that fluctuation in one way or the other. So I would like My spiritual children to be calm, clear thinking, use as much foresight as you have and do not think that the problems you are facing in your countries of origin or the countries where you have been living for years and years and years are only problems restricted to those areas. Those problems can occur in many other parts of the world. I hope this is clear and I hope that My spiritual children will keep this in mind, that there is today, a practically universal mood of instability and this is affecting all areas of human activity. The only way we can protect the interest of the Jamat is by not taking unnecessary risks in any given area. And that applies to each family just as it applies to the Jamat as a whole.
Lastly, I give to each and every one of you individually My best and My most affectionate blessings. Khanavadan. Khanavadan.
(Duration: 32 minutes)
Farman made by Mowlana Hazar Imam
Paris, France.
Le vendredi 30 juin 1972
Aux étudiants
Pour les étudiants qui ne parlent pas l'anglais, Je voudrais que vous vous fassiez traduire Mon Farman d'aujourd'hui. Que vous l'écoutiez, et que vous tachiez de comprendre exactement ce que j'ai voulu vous dire. Réfléchissez clairement à ce que Je vous ai dit.
Souvenez vous qu'en tant que Musulman, que vous soyez Musulman vivant à Paris, que vous soyez Musulmans vivant à Karachi, que vous soyez Musulmans qui vivent même au Canada ou aux États-Unis, vous êtes Musulmans. Et le Jour du Jugement Dernier, on vous posera les mêmes questions à vous qu'on posera aux Musulmans de Karachi, qu'on posera aux Musulmans du Canada. Et ce n'est pas parce que vous vivez en Europe, dans un pays chrétien, dans un pays dont le climat est beaucoup plus agréable que les climats que nous connaissons, que vos obligations religieuses sont moindres. Elles sont toutes aussi importantes ici qu'elles ne le sont au Pakistan, qu'elles ne le sont aux Indes, qu'elles ne sont dans n'importe quel pays que vous puissiez imaginer.
Je vous le dis aujourd'hui parce qu'il est important que le Jamat qui quitte son pays d'origine, et qui s'établit dans un nouveau pays comprenne bien que le fait de changer de cadre physique ou de cadre national ne change absolument pas le devoir de chacun de servir son Jamat, d'être régulier dans ses prières, et de faire tout ce qu'il peut pour le bien de son Jamat. J'ajoute pour les étudiants, que jamais dans notre histoire, nous n'avons eu à faire face à autant de problèmes, à autant de difficultés que ces années récentes. Et le Jamat a besoin de nouvelles institutions, a besoin de cadres qualifiés, et Je compte sur vous pour soutenir le Jamat dans ses moments de difficultés.
Réfléchissez à notre histoire et vous vous souviendrez que les Ismaélis dans le passé n'ont jamais couvert autant de superficie du globe qu'aujourd'hui. Il y a des Jamats dans vingt-cinq, vingt-six, vingt-sept différents pays. C'est la première fois que cela nous arrive dans notre histoire. Il faut donc que nous soyons en mesure de défendre les intérêts de chaque Jamat, dans chaque pays. Et pour ce faire nous avons besoin de tous les hommes et de toutes les femmes que nous pouvons trouver et qui sont qualifiés. Je suis en train de vous traduire un peu ce que J'ai dit plus tôt et Je vais terminer simplement en disant ceci: quand vous qualifierez dans vos différentes professions, J'ai demandé que toutes nos institutions vous offrent des postes qui vous permettront de gagner votre vie comme dans n'importe quelle institution non Ismaélie. C'est-à-dire que dans le temps, par le passé, souvent on demandait aux membres du Jamat de travailler pour une institution communautaire à des conditions inférieures qu'à celles qui étaient disponibles dans le pays de l'institution. Aujourd'hui ce n'est plus le cas. J'estime qu'un homme ou une femme qui ont passé quatre, six ou huit ans à se préparer, à se qualifier et qui veulent servir le Jamat, doivent pouvoir servir le Jamat à des conditions qui sont identiques sinon meilleures que les conditions qu'on vous offre dans les institutions non Ismaélies. Donc à parité de conditions, Je demande que toute notre jeunesse nous aide à affronter des problèmes que nous aurons à résoudre dans l'avenir et que nous avons déjà à résoudre maintenant et Je compte sur vous parce que dans quelques années nous aurons à créer de nouvelles institutions en Angleterre, en France, au Canada, aux États-Unis, possiblement en Espagne, possiblement en Italie, possiblement en Allemagne. Il y a une internationalisation du Jamat, telle que dans les années à venir nous aurons besoin de tous les hommes et de toutes les femmes qualifiés dans quelque domaine que ce soit.
Je vous donne en dernier lieu, surtout aux étudiants qui présentent des examens, Mes meilleures bénédictions pour votre réussite. Khanavadan.
(Durée: 7 minutes)
Farman made by Mowlana Hazar Imam
London, England.
Sunday, September 23, 1973.
To all My spiritual children here today, to your families, to your Jamats, wherever they may be, I give to each and everyone of you individually, My best and My most affectionate loving blessings. Khanavadan, Khanavadan.
I would like at the beginning of this Farman, to congratulate all My spiritual children, who have participated in organizing this visit, of My wife and Mine here, of making the arrangements for the decorations, and who have contributed in work and materially in making this Didar possible for My Jamat in United Kingdom. To those spiritual children, I give My special affectionate blessings. Khanavadan, Khanavadan.
I would also at the beginning of this Farman, want to tell you how grateful My wife and I are for the most magnificent gift which you have offered us, and that you have offered our son and our daughter. I thought that this would be the appropriate occasion to inform My spiritual children that hopefully early next year we will have another member in our family.
(Applause).
My spiritual children here today are the first to know this information, and I will be informing the other Jamats today around the world.
My beloved spiritual children,
As you can imagine this news has brought My wife and Me very great happiness. But I want you to know also that this has been very difficult and very trying time. For the Jamat and for the Imam. We have lived through circumstances which have been more difficult than many that we have known in our history, and I wish to make a Farman to you today, which I would like you to remember, and which I would like you to implement.
At a time of trials and tribulations, at a time when men are taking irresponsible decisions in many parts of the world, it is not a time for our Jamat to behave irresponsibly. Irresponsibly or irresponsibility must be meet by responsibility.
When we are facing difficulties, we must face them with courage and good sense and I would like My spiritual children to keep in mind that the first thing when circumstances are difficult, is not to exacerbate these difficulties. I would like that My spiritual children, here and in all the other parts of the world where we are having difficulties should behave responsibly, should remain calm, should refrain from rumours, should refrain from making comments in the media, making comments which very often damage, both the Jamat's reputation and the ability that Jamat has and the means that I have to make arrangements for My spiritual children, to face these difficulties. I would like My spiritual children to remember, that though many of you have come from Uganda, it will not be possible for all My spiritual children, all over the world, every time there are difficulties, to live their country of citizenship, this is not a possibility. It is something which is totally and completely impossible. I mean by this that I would wish My spiritual children, not to encourage, not to encourage, panic in the jamat. Not to encourage fear, not to encourage apprehension, because I think you have realized, especially those of you who were originally in East Africa, that problems occur not only in East Africa, they occur in other parts of the world. These problems are not restricted to the African continent. Therefore, those of you who are here, who are settling down or who are intending to settle down elsewhere keep your peace, but do not provoke further fear, further panic, further apprehension in My jamat in other parts of the world. Remember, that in this present time of difficulty, of instability, diversification, spreading your risks, is one thing, turning your backs on everything which is being our past is the wrong thing. And I underline this because I know that My spiritual children, for example, in many countries in Africa, and in many countries of Asia, are living under considerable, psychological pressure, and I don't want them to feel that the first answer and the first solution to be taken, is the one that we have been forced to take, in the case of Uganda.
My beloved spiritual children,
Last time I visited My London Jamat, I had promised you, that by the end of that year which was 1969, I would have found some solution to the problems of our Jamatkhanas in the United Kingdom. I had hoped to be able to tell you what that solution was. Indeed a solution had been found, but the premises that were to be used, were under lease and it was necessary, and it is necessary, to create an acceptable Darkhana in London, to redevelop the site which has been chosen. This will be done Inshallah and it will be done relatively quickly, but the difficulties of finding in Western European capitals a site which can accommodate a Jamat of this size, is very very difficult indeed. I want My spiritual children in United Kingdom to know, that we are continuing, and it is a continuing process to look for suitable places, for My Jamat to have a Jamatkhana. Temporary solutions will have to be found, but I want to make a very clear point to My councils and to My Mukhis and Kamadias: If you make recommendations to use a particular building for the purposes of a Jamatkhana, it is your responsibility to ensure that this building is suitable for the use of a Jamatkhana. Suitable not only in terms of its situation, in the city involved but also in relation to the security of the building. This is a matter of very great concern to Me.
My beloved spiritual children,
The president has mentioned to you, some of the problems which we will be facing in the years ahead. And he has mentioned our living habits. I think it is appropriate, that once again I should remind you, that My late grandfather and I have repeated to you often, that you should stay away from social evils which have permanent effect on you. I mention this, because I do not believe that our spiritual children will be able to build for themselves a solid future not only for the people who are alive today, but for your children, and your grandchildren, if you indulge in debilitating activities which will reduce your ability to perform in a worldly and in a spiritual manner. By this Farman I wish to cover all activities which are physically debilitating these include tobacco, alcohol, drugs etc.
Those of you who follow these matters, will know that everyday more is known about the debilitating effects of these activities. And I would wish that My spiritual children should remain clear from all such matters.
Lastly I would like My London Jamat, and indeed My Jamat in all Western Europe, and in Canada, and in the USA that between the beginning of October, and the end of this year, I would be sending to visit you, My brother, and a number of people who work with Me, to see in which way the Imamat can best assist you in finding your feet materially in these countries of adoption. This will take time, the problems are different from the ones that we have known elsewhere, but I would like you to know, that these matters are of continuing concern to Me and, as such are being taken and will continue to be taken, to make sure, that in the years ahead, My Jamat in the United Kingdom, and elsewhere, has the institutions which are appropriate for its development and its well-being.
Lastly I give to each and every one of you individually, and to your families, and to your Jamats, My best and My most affectionate loving blessings. Khanavadan, Khanavadan.
I give My blessings to all the other spiritual children who have contributed to make this visit possible. Before leaving My jamat, I want to say, to all the young married couples, that My wife and I wish them every happiness, and I give to them, for their happiness, for their future, My best special blessings. Khanavadan Khanavadan.
(Duration: 17 minutes)
Talika Mubarak
Friday, November 25, 1977.
Inauguration of the Institute of Ismaili Studies
My dear President and Members,
On the occasion of the celebration of My birthday, December 13th, 1977, I give My most affectionate paternal maternal loving blessings to all My beloved spiritual children of Eastern Canada Jamat.
It gives Me great happiness to inform My Jamat of the formal inauguration in London of the Institute of Ismaili Studies. As My spiritual children are aware, not since the Fatimid period has there been in existence a Research Centre for Ismaili Studies, manned essentially by outstanding Ismaili men and women scholars. This is therefore a significant step in making it possible for My Jamat to secure the fruits of Ismaili scholarship in the history, philosophy, theology and literature of Ismailism and Islam by virtue of an academic institution created by our own efforts and resources.
Over the past decades I have given much thought to this project, and have also discussed it with a number of My spiritual children, as well as others whose experience I considered relevant to the creation of an institution of this nature. My Jamat is also aware that the formal plans for the establishment of the Institute of Ismaili Studies were finalized during the Ismailia Association Conference in Paris in April 1975 when a number of Ismaili leaders and scholars met to review with Me an international program of Ismailia Association endeavour. Since that time work on the many diverse aspects or establishing a recognized academic institution has continued, and I am happy to announce today to My Jamat that the Institute of Ismaili Studies is now in operation.
At the request of the leaders of the Jamat, I have accepted for the time being the position of the Chairman of the Board of Governors which will be responsible for the Institute's management. Being its Chairman gives Me the opportunity to supervise personally its overall policy and functioning. My primary concern in this role is to ensure that the work of the Institute is of direct relevance and benefit to My Jamat. In time to come, it is My wish that this institution should assume its correct position in matters such as religious education in the Jamat, through the preparation of material and manpower of a superior level. I have, therefore, directed that the Institute as part of its initial work program embark on compiling a History of Ismailis and undertake an international training program for creating Waezeen and religion teachers capable of imparting knowledge and understanding of our faith to our young generation. In the years ahead Inshallah, we shall create at the Institute a well stocked library as well as archives for manuscripts, books, artifacts, and other material of interest and relevance to Islam and Ismailism and others faiths.
It is My sincerest wish that in the future the Institute of Ismaili Studies will become one of the major institutions of My Jamat. It is My hope that from its modest beginnings, the Institute will grow into an internationally recognised academic centre, and that this day will be recalled with pride by Ismailis many years from now.
I extend My warm congratulations and give My most affectionate paternal maternal loving blessings to all those beloved spiritual children who over the years have worked on the creation of the Institute of Ismaili Studies. To those who are attached to the Institute now in either an honourary or professional capacity, I give My best loving blessings for success in their work.
I send My most affectionate paternal maternal loving blessings to all My beloved spiritual children of Eastern Canada Jamat on this happy occasion.
Yours affectionately,
AGA KHAN
The President and Members,
H.H. The Aga Khan Shia Imami Ismailia
Regional Council for Eastern Canada,
747 Don Mills Road,
Flemingdon Park Plaza,
Lower Mall,
Don Mills, Ontario .
M3C 1B5 Canada.
Talika Mubarak
Wednesday, February 15, 1978.
Ismaili Centre, London.
Sir Eboo Pirbhai,
President,
H.H. The Aga Khan Ismailia Supreme Council For Europe, Canada & USA.
I am very happy indeed to inform My Jamat of Europe, Canada and USA that we have finally succeeded in securing an extremely prestigious and valuable plot for our Darkhana in London after many months of difficult negotiations and in the face of powerful and influential competitors, a land lease is to be granted from the Greater London Council for an area of 28,750 square feet facing the Victoria and Albert and Natural History Museums, and close to the South Kensington Subway Station.
This is an island plot bounded by Exhibition Road, Cromwell Gardens and Thurloe Place. Its historic interest lied in the fact that it was originally acquired in 1851 by a national subscription as the first site for Britain's National Theatre, which was subsequently constructed on the South Bank.
The new Darkhana, which I hope will become a London Landmark, has been designed by one of England's leading firms of architects, Casson Conder and Partners. Apart from the prayer hall, it will include a Reading Room, Recreational facilities and a car park. It will also be linked by underground tunnel to the South Kensington Subway Station.
On this happy occasion, I send My most affectionate paternal maternal loving blessings to all My beloved spiritual children of Europe, Canada, U.K. and USA Jamat.
Yours affectionately,
AGA KHAN
Talika Mubarak
Paris, France.
Monday, October 9, 1978.
Canadian Visit 1978
I am most happy to inform My Canadian Jamat that I will visit the major centres of My Canadian Jamat's settlement in Canada before the end of this year, accompanied by Her Highness The Begum. I have asked My Supreme Council to prepare a programme for our visit and will decide on the precise dates of the visit as quickly as the programme can be finalized. I much look forward to being with My Canadian Jamat in the near future and for the first time, and give My most affectionate loving blessings to all My beloved spiritual children in Canada.
Affectionately,
AGA KHAN
Farman made by Mowlana Hazar Imam
Ottawa, Canada.
Chateau Laurier Hotel
Monday, November 13, 1978.
My beloved spiritual children,
To all My spiritual children of Ottawa Jamat, all the district Jamats, all the spiritual children who have come from outside Ottawa, to each one of you individually, I give My warmest, My most affectionate, and My best, best loving blessings. Khanavadan, Khanavadan, Khanavadan.
My beloved spiritual children,
I would like you to know today, how happy My wife and I are to be for the first time with the Canadian Jamat. This is an occasion to which we have been looking forward for many years; and I would like My Canadian Jamat to know that I would have wanted to visit you much sooner. I think you are all aware, that in other parts of the world, there have been ongoing problems, and it has been difficult, and it was even difficult on this occasion, to be able to find the time to spend that is necessary physically, with My spiritual children of Canada, but I would like you to know that this is just the first visit. What I mean by that is, that it is My wife's and My firm intention to visit you regularly and to ensure that the Imam is amongst you as often as is possible.
Today is an important occasion, an important occasion, because it is the first time that the Imam is able to give His Farman directly in person to the Canadian Jamat; and I have recognized in My Jamat today, spiritual children from all over the world. This is a truly international Jamat, but I wish to think of it - I wish to think of My Jamat here as My Canadian Jamat. I wish you to think of yourselves as Canadians, and those of you who are settled here or who are in the process of settling, I wish you to think of Canada as your homeland and as the homeland not only of yourselves, but of your families and of your children. Maybe later on in life, when they are older, they will want to spread their wings; they may wish to return to parts of the world where you were brought up and educated as young children, but the most important thing today is for My Canadian Jamat to establish its unquestionable and incontrovertible Canadian identity. I make this Farman to you because it is of fundamental importance for the future of My Jamat in Canada.
The second matter which I wish to raise with My spiritual children today, is that you are living in a country, which welcomes people of different faiths, of different backgrounds, of different cultures, and therefore, we are fortunate in living in a country where our traditions, our faith, our community institutions, not only can survive, but are welcomed, and I consider that this is extremely important. There is no reason, there are no pressures, there are no attempts to have My Canadian Jamat change its traditions, the practice of its faith or other matters which affect or are part of our everyday lives.
The Imam looks to the Canadian Jamat as one of the Jamats which, Inshallah will contribute substantially to the progress of My Jamat throughout the world. I am absolutely convinced that the young men and young women, being educated in Canada, will be able to make a major contribution to our Jamats in other parts of the world, and I look forward to the day when what I would call a technical know-how of Canada will be available to many, many spiritual children, to many Jamats, to many Jamati institutions in other parts of the world. But I want to underline to you that this must not be at the cost of losing your Canadian identity, loosing your Canadian citizenship. It is fundamental that those who are established in Canada today, should remain Canadian until they are fully recognized as Canadian citizens. During the years ahead, our Jamat institutions in Canada will need to adapt to the requirements of the Jamat in Canada. You are living in a different society from that of India or Pakistan or East Africa, and therefore, I look forward to our Jamati institutions adapting to our requirements. This adaptation is a traditional part of our Ismaili Tariqah, that is, that we are able to adapt to those parts, to those traditions, to those habits, to those requirements in various parts of the world, and that adaptation is one which I seek, which I wish for in the institutions of the Jamat, and during this visit, this is one of the matters to which I will attend.
I would like to finish this Farman to tell My spiritual children of Canada, that this is a most wonderful occasion for Me. It is a most wonderful occasion, because I am happy to see My Jamat establish itself in Canada. I wish your establishment to be sound, complete and I wish you to consider Canada as your home in the future. From here, those who wish, can serve other Jamats in other parts of the world.
Lastly, remember that no matter where you are, the practice of your faith is absolutely fundamental. For, at the end of your life, no one will say you lived in Canada, therefore you will be judged differently from if you had lived in India, or Pakistan, or Kenya, or Tanzania, or Uganda, or wherever it may be. And I remind My spiritual children of this, because I know that over the years, there will be pressures; one must accept that, one must recognize that. There will be minor, if not major, changes in cultural identity, in background, but the practice of our faith must continue in Canada, the way it must continue throughout the world.
I give to each and every one of you individually, to your children, to your families, to your Jamats wherever they may be, each one of you, My warmest, My most affectionate and My best loving blessings. Khanavadan, Khanavadan, Khanavadan.
(Duration: 11 Minutes)
Farman made by Mowlana Hazar Imam
Vancouver, Canada.
Coliseum Pacific
Tuesday, November 14, 1978.
(Following the recitation of the Ginan "Jirewala Janamo Janam ni dohagan..":)
My beloved spiritual children,
To all My spiritual children, each one of you individually, to your families, to your Jamats, on this first Mulaqat here in Vancouver, I give you My warmest, My most affectionate and My best special loving blessings. Khanavadan, Khanavadan, Khanavadan.
My beloved spiritual children,
This is a most happy day and a most wonderful day for Me and for My wife, as it is many years since we have been thinking about being present in the Canadian Jamat and being with you. The establishment of such a large Jamat in Canada is a new page in our history, and for those of you who know our history well you will know that new pages have often been the foundation of a new departure, of a new future, of new prospects, and when I see the magnificent organization of today's Mulaqat, then I am confident as your Imam that this new page is indeed a new page, and this gives Me great happiness and great pleasure.
I would like My spiritual children to think of Canada as their homeland, make it your homeland, work for your homeland, defend your homeland, and from here in the future assist the Jamats who are less fortunate than yourselves, think of the people in other parts of the world who can benefit from your knowledge, from your experience, but above all establish this as your home, as your permanent home. And I say this with total conviction because I would like My spiritual children today to think of Canada as their permanent home. I would like you to think of Canada as your permanent home, and I would like these words to remain in your minds, this is the Farman I give you today.
I would like on this Mulaqat also, to mention the immense happiness that I have in knowing from all My Jamati leaders, from your councils, from the Mukhis and the Kamadias, of the immense support and devotion and assistance which My younger spiritual children have given to the Jamat in Canada generally and especially on the occasion of this first Mulaqat here in Vancouver. Any Jamat in any part of the world that receives this sort of magnificent support can rest assured that the future should be bright and I am most happy and most proud as your forty-ninth Imam to know that today this support and this assistance is available to the Jamat in Canada, and I would like all My volunteers, all those who have assisted in organizing this Jamat to know that I consider that they have set an exceptional example and one which gives Me very great pride and happiness.
This morning a number of Jamati leaders and I have taken the decision to proceed with the Jamatkhana at Burnaby. I have requested the leaders to move as promptly as possible, and I would like My spiritual children to know that when the Jamatkhana is built, Inshallah, I will come and perform the opening ceremony Myself.
My beloved spiritual children,
During the years ahead you will establish yourselves in Canada, organize your children's well-being and future, but I would like to remind you that wherever you are, it is fundamental to maintain this unity within the Jamat and also to be regular in the practice of your faith, and one of the exceptional characteristics of Canada is the sincerity and warmth with which she has received people of different backgrounds and encouraged them to maintain their traditions. This is an encouragement which you should be aware of and which I repeat to you today on this first Mulaqat as I want you to be aware that our traditions, the practice of our faith must and will, Inshallah, continue in Canada as it did when My spiritual children, many of you here today, or your families moved from India or Pakistan to East Africa, and now from East Africa to Canada. These traditions, this unity, the strength of the practice of our faith is something which must continue in Canada, and there