Photo Essay: Ismailis in China
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE PUBLISHER
Thursday, May 15, 2014
The rich history and literary traditions of the Ismaili community in China have been inadequately studied in modern times, and so it was a distinct honour for this website and its sister blog, www.simerg.com, to feature and publish, at the beginning of January 2014, the essay and photographs about the Ismailis in China by Kenyan-based Ghulam Panjwani. Ghulam’s piece is an outstanding eye-witness account of his many visits to Xinjiang, and vividly presents a ‘living’ community. During the last four and a half months, this essay has been viewed by thousands of readers from around the world (over 80 countries) and elicited a large number of comments, all very positive.
Unfortunately, and with much regret, I inform readers that the author, Ghulam Panjwani, has asked me to retract his essay and accompanying photos. Ghulam was most pleased with the presentation I had edited on Simerg and Simergphotos, and he has assured me that his decision to withdraw the photo essay is entirely personal. As Ghulam holds the copyright to the essay and the photos, I am obliged to follow the author’s personal request. I am hopeful that Ghulam will, in the future, contribute essays to Simerg of his travels to various regions of Central Asia.
Ghulam Panjwani’s photo essay, with its delightful anecdotes and unique insights, on the lives of the Ismailis in China cannot be replaced. Readers may wish to read the essay titled “The Nizari Ismailis of China in Modern Times”, by Amier Saidula, which is included in the volume A Modern History of the Ismailis: Continuity and Change in a Muslim Community, edited by Farhad Daftary, and published by I. B. Tauris (in association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies) in 2011. Saidula’s essay provides an overview of the history, beliefs, practices and life-cycle rituals of the Ismailis in China.
I apologize to all our readers for the disappointment in not being able to view Ghulam Panjwani’s essay and accompanying photos on this photo blog and http://www.simerg.com any more.
Thank you.
Abdulmalik J. Merchant
Publisher-Editor
www.simerg.com
www.simergphotos.com
simerg@aol.com
Ottawa, CANADA
I too wish I could see Ghulam’s collection. Hope he reconsiders and give us his gift. And to you Malik, many thanks for the great service you do, My prayers are with you and family.
Very nice to see this report. Thank you.
Amazing. Thanks for sharing.
It is my pleasure to know that we have a Jamat living in China and I hope to be able to contribute and provide support in whatever way I can towards their material improvement as we are all part of one large family under the guidance and leadership of Mawlana Hazar Imam.
Amazing, wonderful pictures
Thank you Mumtaz and Ghulam for this article and wonderful pictures taken during your visits to China.
Abdul Aziz,
Atlanta
Thank you so much for great info and pictures of our brothers and sisters. I was very happy to see and read about them. Thanks a lot for your hard work. Mawlo bless you and your family! Missing you and Mumtaz a lot.
Thanks a lot for sharing your precious collection.
Thank you! Beautiful !
Amazing collection! Thanks
Thank you for sharing these memorable photos. We pray that one day we will be in very close touch with our brothers and sisters in China.
Thank you very much…May mowla’s blessings with you….
It great to hear that our Chinese brothers and sisters are intact with their faith rather thriving and flourishing well despite centuries long isolation. Thanks to Ghulam Panjwani to explore into Chinese jamat and sharing with us, much appreciated. Now it is time to work more for the jamat in China by our institutions as well as volunteers to bring Chinese jamat at par with Jamat in other countries in terms of social, economic, religious education and development. Aziz Ali
Ya Ali Madad. Mr. Gulam Panjwani has done a wonderful job. Entire Ismaili community across the world are spiritual children of our beloved Hazar Imam and we should have to work together with objective to bring smile on those Ismailis faces who are presently underprivileged. The best thing which I would suggest here is to provide them quality education which ultimately will change their lifestyle. Not only lifestyle but quality education will change their families living standards for the generation and generation ahead.
Excellent! Awesome! Fantastic!
Zabardast, thanks for sharing
AH Boghani. Karachi
Thank you for sharing – so happy to have been able to see our brothers & sisters in the other part of the world – Inshallah one day they won’t be so remote. Ya Ali Madad.
Very hapy and fortunate to see glimpses of jamat and jamatkhanas in China. I say Sukhar to Mawla for this news and I pray for them and convey my Ya Ali Madad.
Regards from Gulshan
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Thank you for sharing this unique experience! May Mowla bless you in your work!