Memorial Bench Tributes to Deceased Ismaili Muslims Buried at Calgary’s Rocky View Garden of Peace Cemetery
On January 19, 2024, a very young Ismaili, Rahim Salim Harji, passed away at the age of 41 after a brief illness. Rahim’s funeral and burial ceremonies were performed on Thursday, January 25, at Calgary’s Westwinds Jamatkhana and Rocky View Garden of Peace Cemetery, respectively. Rahim’s death hit me hard, coming just 6 months after the passing of his dad Salim, with whom I grew up in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. My tribute to Salim can be read HERE. Rahim leaves behind his mother Shirin, sister Farah, and uncles, aunts, and cousins.
I have attended many Ismaili funerals and burial ceremonies in Canada and the sense of discipline and organization at these events is heartwarming. At the funeral ceremony at Westwinds, the recitations of beautiful verses from the Qur’an, Ginans, the Salwat and Islamic Shahadah were uplifting. At Rahim’s burial at Rocky View Garden, the sun shone and there was warmth in the air. The temperature was a very comfortable 4C. After he was buried, the gathering of about 50 people, mostly young, placed incense sticks and roses on top of the sandy grave, to honour him and to express their affection and love. At departure from the graveyard, we recited a Fateha specifically for the deceased, followed by another one for the souls of all Ruhani (deceased) Ismailis buried at the cemetery. Later in the evening, the family members and the congregation participated in a Samar ceremony for Rahim and other recently deceased Ismailis around the world. The Samar includes the utterance by the congregation of the Salawat, “Allahumm-a Sall-i ‘Ala Muhammad-in Wa Al-i Muhammad”, meaning “O, Allah shower thy choicest blessings upon Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad”. The special prayer of Ziyarat-e Mayyat was also offered.
At the cemetery, as I walked back to my car, I saw several acres of untouched beautiful snow on the ground. Everything around was serene and looked beautiful and, in the absence of leaves in the trees, I could see a long distance. My attention was drawn to several memorial benches honouring deceased Ismailis.
During my visits to parks in and around Calgary and the Kananaskis as well as in cities across Canada, I have been touched and inspired by the beautiful memorial bench tributes honouring the dead. So was the case at Calgary’s Ismaili cemetery. I take this occasion to produce photographs of some of the Ismaili memorial benches that were on the cemetery ground.
Story continues after photographs
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However, a Muslim’s greatest comfort in times of death is a Qur’anic verse that is inscribed on almost every Muslim grave’s tombstone plaque. It says:
“Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un
“Surely we belong to God and to Him we return” — Holy Qur’an, 2:156
What is the meaning of life and are how should we lead it? The late 48th Ismaili Imam says in his Memoirs:
“Life is a great and noble calling, not a mean and grovelling thing to be shuffled through as best as we can but a lofty and exalted destiny.” — Mawlana Sultan Mahomed Shah, His Highness the Aga Khan III (1877-1957).
With that inspiring Qur’anic prayer and the profound thought of the 48th Ismaili Imam, I sincerely pray for the eternal peace of the souls of Rahim, his dad Salim, and all the Ruhani members of the Calgary Ismaili Muslim Jamat. Ameen.
Date posted: January 25, 2024.
Last updated: January 26, 2024.
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