Introduced by Malik Merchant Publisher-Editor, Simergphotos.com and Simerg.com After viewing a collection of Muslim Harjis’s photos of India’s street foods, I was not surprised to read in Via Rail’s latest issue of Destinations magazine that Vikram Vij, the man behind Vancouver’s iconic formal dining restaurant Vij’s, travels to India every year and spends…
Compiled by Malik Merchant Editor, Simergphotos.com and Simerg.com THE EVERLIVING DIVINE INSTITUTION OF IMAMAT INTRODUCTION: Clause G of the “Preamble of the Ismaili Constitution” ordained on December 13, 1986 by the 49th and current Ismaili Imam, His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan declares: Mawlana Hazar…
“EDUCATING A WOMAN MEANS EDUCATING A WHOLE FAMILY” China’s Hui Muslims are unique in many respects. The country’s second-largest ethnic minority share linguistic and cultural ties with the majority in China that have allowed them to practice their religion with less interference and fewer restrictions…
INTRODUCTION (introduction adapted from The Metropolitan Museum of Art) An amulet [similar to a talisman] is any object that is imbued with protective powers, and all cultures and faiths have manifestations of such objects. In the world of Islam, they bear Qur’anic inscriptions, and religious narratives.…
TANZANIA’S NGORONGORO CRATER, SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK AND OLDUVAI GORGE Images clickable for enlargement Three striking and important areas of Tanzania in eastern Africa are shown in this color-coded shaded relief image from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. The largest circular feature in the center right is…
Compiled by Malik Merchant Editor, Simergphotos.com & Simerg.com INTRODUCTION: On Sunday November 25, 2012, Simergphotos began a weekly/bi-weekly series of historical illustrations that underline an artistic, ethical, moral, religious or scientific theme. This fourth piece is on the Blue Qur’an, an exquisite work of art, which has…
Editor’s note: During the short 4 month period since its launch in September 2012, Simergphotos has published over twenty remarkable photo stories as well as historical images. A few of the published photo essays have been adapted for this blog from the original pieces which first appeared at the companion literary website, Simerg.com,…
“THE ENDURING RESPECT IN THE 21ST CENTURY FOR A BOOK WRITTEN A MILLENIUM EARLIER IS A TESTIMONY TO IBN SINA’S ACHIEVEMENT” - Mona N. Tibi and Emilie Savage-Smith Compiled by Malik Merchant Editor, Simergphotos.com & Simerg.com INTRODUCTION: On Sunday November 25, 2012, Simergphotos began a weekly/bi-weekly series…
A WEEKLY/BI-WEEKLY FEATURE PRESENTeD BY SIMERGPHOTOS Compiled By Malik Merchant, Editor (material sources listed at the end of the article) On Sunday November 25, 2012, Simergphotos began a weekly (or bi-weekly) publication of historical illustrations that underline an artistic, ethical, moral, religious or scientific theme.This second piece introduces readers to a rare…
Introduced by Malik Merchant Weekly (or bi-weekly), commencing Sunday November 25, 2012, Simergphotos will publish an historical illustration which underlines an artistic, ethical, moral, religious or scientific theme.The following illustration was created/published in 1861, at just about the time the American Federal Goverment was making the abolition of slavery a Civil War goal. Description…
Compiled by Malik Merchant (Photographs and captions for this piece are from the Matson (G. Eric and Edith) Photograph Collection at the Library of Congress, USA. Introductory material on mainland Tanzania – then known as Tanganyika - and Zanzibar was compiled from Wikipedia) Zanzibar Zanzibar is composed of the Zanzibar Archipelago…
By Malik Merchant Isabelle Prondzynski’s flick photostream (prondis_in_kenya) has some marvellous photos of the Nairobi Aga Khan hospital grounds and the surrounding neighbourhood. When asked to comment about the hospital, Prondzynsk replied: The highest profile Ismaili buildings in Nairobi are probably those of the Aga…
