Multi talented – musician, poet, writer – Afraaz Mulji reflects on his favourite ceramic piece, the Simurgh, situated in the Bellerive Room of the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto.
Story by MALIK MERCHANT Publisher-Editor Simergphotos, Simerg, and Barakah with photographs by the author and SHAFIN JAMAL A close-up of a tulip at the Aga Khan Park, Toronto. The tulip is seasonal, and blooms in… Continue reading
Compiled by MALIK MERCHANT (Publisher-Editor, Simerg, Barakah and Simergphotos) THE PILGRIMS’ JOURNEY TO MECCA Between 1900 – 1920. To Sinai via the Red Sea, Tor, and Wady Hebran. Mecca pilgrims on deck a ship. Photo: US Library… Continue reading
More than 8,000 visitors attended the Doors Open event at the Aga Khan Museum and the Ismaili Centre on May 25-26, 2019. This post captures the event through a selection of photographs.
The Magnificent Alhambra Palace and the Mosque of Cordoba Through the Lens of Muslim Harji.
Ali and Dilshad Karim at Altit Fort, strategically located, precarious for enemies. Legends speak of the spot where they are standing as the capital punishment spot where enemies were simply pushed over the… Continue reading
Ismaili youth performing at Moscow concert against a backdrop photo of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s visit to Tajikistan. Introduced by Abdulmalik Merchant The Luzhniki Sports Arena became the venue on December 11, 2016, for… Continue reading
PREPARED BY ABDULMALIK MERCHANT (Publisher/editor — Simergphotos, simerg and barakah) (The photos on this page are representative of some thirty photo pieces that we published in 2016. The photos are not shown in… Continue reading
Ismail Gulgee Ismail Gulgee (1926 – 2007) COMPILED AND ADAPTED BY ABDULMALIK MERCHANT Editor/publisher, http://www.simergphotos.com Ismail Gulgee was born in Peshawar, Pakistan, in 1926. Since his childhood, Gulgee’s heart was in the visual arts. He dabbled in… Continue reading
I. A Photo Summary of the Six Winning Projects BAIT UR ROUF MOSQUE, DHAKA, BANGLADESH Architect: Marina Tabassum A REFUGE FOR SPIRITUALITY IN URBAN DHAKA, SELECTED FOR ITS BEAUTIFUL USE OF NATURAL LIGHT.… Continue reading
Editor’s Note: Our multi-part series of photos of His Highness the Aga Khan, Mawlana Hazar Imam, taken by the late Rai Abdul M. Ismaily (1926-1981), lovingly known as “Papa Jaan,” continues with this… Continue reading
Editor’s Note: Our multi-part series of photos of His Highness the Aga Khan, Mawlana Hazar Imam, taken by the late Abdul M. Ismaily, lovingly known as “Papa Jaan,” continues with this post containing… Continue reading
COMPILED AND PREPARED BY ABDULMALIK MERCHANT (Publisher-Editor http://www.simerg.com and http://www.simergphotos.com) As part of his famous Apostolic Journey to France in 2008, Pope Benedict XVI, on September 13, paid a visit to the “Institut De… Continue reading
GLIMPSES OF THE 49TH ISMAILI IMAM’S WORK From the Aga Khan University Convocations in East Africa to the Signing of Agreement to Establish the Seat of the Imamat in Portugal to the Opening of… Continue reading
~~~~~~ Date posted: November 27, 2015. ____________
Editor’s note: Muslim Harji’s series on Central Asia continues with a superb collection of photos of Dushanbe’s Ismaili Centre, which was inaugurated on October 12, 2009 by His Excellency Emomali Rahmon, President of… Continue reading
Editor’s note: Montreal’s Muslim Harji, pictured above with Ismaili students in Khorogh, continues his special series on Central Asia with this special feature on Ismaili prayer houses in Badakhshan. Thousands of readers have… Continue reading
Editor’s note: We are pleased to offer our readers a link to an extraordinary footage shown on Portuguese Cable News Channel, SIC Noticias, of the signing ceremony that took place in Lisbon establishing… Continue reading
Editor’s note: In this third part of a special photo series, Muslim Harji of Montreal focuses on Uzbekistan, with some stunning photos of Islamic buildings in the Silk Road cities of Samarkand and Bukhara,… Continue reading
Editor’s note: Our remarkable series of portraits from Badakhshan through the lens of (Montreal’s) Muslim Harji continues with this Part II exclusively dedicated to an Ismaili wedding in a small village in the Pamirs that… Continue reading
BY ABDULMALIK J. MERCHANT A fortnight ago, during the weekend of May 23-24th, 2015, the city of Toronto hosted its 16th Annual Doors Open allowing thousands of Toronto residents and visitors to explore… Continue reading
THE PATRON AND BUILDER Please click on photo(s) for enlargement THE INAUGURATION CEREMONY WITH PHOTOS OF THE AGA KHAN PARK ~~~~~~ COMPLETION AND CONNECTION “The Aga Khan Park now connects those buildings [the Aga… Continue reading
Photo: Muslim Harji Editor’s note: Montreal, Quebec, has by far the largest population of Ismailis from Afghanistan of any city in the Western world. Numbering in their thousands, one is often left wondering on major… Continue reading
I. THE ROTUNDA: GREAT CONTRIBUTIONS TO CIVILIZATION ~~~~~~~~ II. PRINTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS His Highness the Aga Khan ~~~~~~~~ Kedive of Egypt ~~~~~~~~ British Propaganda ~~~~~~~~ A Tajik Wedding Ritual ~~~~~~~~ Gracious Uzbek Lady… Continue reading
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Editor’s note: Intrepid traveller Muslim Harji never fails to have a trip of a lifetime wherever he goes. New Delhi, the Indian capital was no exception judging by the pictures that he has captured, which cover the… Continue reading
Compiled and Prepared by Malik Merchant Editor, Simergphotos and Simerg The images and quotes published below represent: Mawlana Hazar Imam’s family; the Imam’s affection and love for all his murids; the breadth and… Continue reading
Jamat and Volunteers Speak from the Heart on this Auspicious and Historical Day BY MALIK MERCHANT Editor, Simerg and Simergphotos Happy Ismaili youth pictured at the Park at 10:30 pm after completing their… Continue reading
BY MALIK MERCHANT Editor, Simerg and Simergphotos Tanzanian Altaf Hirani (centre) with friends I was hoping to be at the new Aga Khan Museum in Toronto well before it opened to the public… Continue reading
Editor’s note: Mohib Ebrahim, the founding publisher and editor of Nanowisdoms, recently visited the first North American purpose built high profile Ismaili Centre and Jamatkhana located in Burnaby, British Columbia, and came away… Continue reading
“As we all know, Canada is home to a well-established and fast-growing Ismaili community. His Highness has therefore become an increasingly frequent visitor, and always a welcome one.” — Prime Minister Stephen Harper… Continue reading
THE AGA KHAN UNIVERSITY When the Charter of the University was first granted in 1983, His Highness the Aga Khan concluded his speech on the occasion with the words, “In everything we do… Continue reading
Compiled and Prepared by Abdulmalik Merchant (Publisher-Editor, Simergphotos and Simerg) 1. SUCCESS STORY: THE CONSTITUENTS WHO MAKE IT HAPPEN “I am delighted, first of all, to extend my warmest congratulations to our graduands and to… Continue reading
“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… Continue reading
By Malik Merchant, Editor One would think that Gerald Ferreira of 3d Car Shows would only focus on cars. Only my love for cars and what Ferreira’s website represents would take me there, but yesterday I… Continue reading
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… Continue reading
INTRODUCTION Jabal Mashhad is one of the two mausoleums in Syria which is of special historical significance to Ismailis. The mausoleum is thought to hold the tombs of the 8th Ismaili Imam, Wafi Ahmed,… Continue reading
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… Continue reading
“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… Continue reading
AN OCCASIONAL SERIES Compiled By Malik Merchant, Editor From time to time Simergphotos will publish historical illustrations that underline an artistic, ethical, moral, religious or scientific theme. This second piece introduces readers to a rare copy of the… Continue reading
