A website dedicated to photographs and videos from Canada and around the world with an emphasis on nature, wildlife, food, travel and sport as well as art, architecture and culture. In culture, the focus will be on projects related to the work of His Highness the Aga Khan, his Ismaili Muslim community and Islam in general.
Photo of the Day Inspired by a 1995 Quote of Mawlana Hazar Imam: On Land, in Water and in the Sky from Niagara Falls to Toronto’s 3 Aga Khan Projects
This post honours my late dad’s love for nature, and has been inspired by a beautiful quote on nature by Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, when he visited Badakhshan in 1995.
My late dad Jehangir’s fondness for nature was instilled in him by his father, Alibhoy Muhammad, who used to take him every year to a hill station town called Matheran, near Mumbai. While my dad passed away on May 27, 2018, I continue to think of him whenever I visit parks and forests in and around Toronto as well as other parts of Canada. Unlike my dad, my own appreciation for nature began much later in life, when I spent sometime in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The beautiful presence of Wasatch Mountains around the city had moved me from the time I arrived there in November 1979. The sighting of the new moon every 4 weeks was thrilling as it marked the start of a new month in the Islamic lunar calendar. Furthermore, as an Ismaili Muslim, the sighting of the new crescent or Chandraat as we call it, became an evening to dedicate more time to special extra prayers such as the Tasbih of Hazrat Bibi Fatima (A.S.) as well as the Salawat(please click on hyperlinks provided to read respective articles).
The night of Chandraat had been accorded a very special status by the 48th Ismaili Imam, Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan (1877-1957, Imam from 1885-1957). In a special message sent to the Ismailis during his lifetime, he highlighted the significance of the night and noted that it would generate within us immense spiritual peace.
Keeping my dad’s thoughts and his love of nature uppermost in my mind, I decided to spend the earlier part of this week driving to places not too distant from Toronto, armed with a camera. For today’s Photo(s) of the Day feature, I have chosen to focus on one specific object in each photo — it may be a living thing, a photo of nature or an element of human endeavour and creativity. Please enjoy the pictures.
A Vast Historic Gathering in the Pamirs, Mawlana Hazar Imam His Highness the Aga Khan on May 27, 1995, addresses Ismailis and non-Ismaili Muslims in Ishkashim, Badakhshan. Photo: The Ismaili.
The Qur’an refers very often to nature as a reflection of Allah’s power of creation, and it says, look at the mountains, the rivers, the trees, the flowers, as evidence of Allah’s love for the people whom he has created. Today, I look at the environment and I say to you, I believe Allah is smiling upon you, and may His smile always be upon you.” – Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, Rushan, Badakhshan, May 27, 1995.
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4 thoughts on “Photo of the Day Inspired by a 1995 Quote of Mawlana Hazar Imam: On Land, in Water and in the Sky from Niagara Falls to Toronto’s 3 Aga Khan Projects”
Kamrudin Rashid on said:
Yet another amazing post on the love of nature honoring your late dad and also beautiful reference to nature by our Beloved Hazar Imam with your following appropriate opening remarks:
“This post honours my late dad’s love for nature, and has been inspired by a beautiful quote on nature by Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, when he visited Badakhshan in 1995.”
Found the information so educational and inspiring and the pictures are simply awesome. Really made our day going through the post and our prayers are that you continue to provide all your blog readers and beyond such priceless material in the future.
Yet another amazing post on the love of nature honoring your late dad and also beautiful reference to nature by our Beloved Hazar Imam with your following appropriate opening remarks:
“This post honours my late dad’s love for nature, and has been inspired by a beautiful quote on nature by Mawlana Hazar Imam, His Highness the Aga Khan, when he visited Badakhshan in 1995.”
Found the information so educational and inspiring and the pictures are simply awesome. Really made our day going through the post and our prayers are that you continue to provide all your blog readers and beyond such priceless material in the future.
Amazing collection of Nature photos- Thanks for sharing
Awesome collection. Thank you very much.
As usual…beautiful pictures and article. Thank you for sharing. I love Nature too.
😊