Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s) received his first revelation from Allah through Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) in the Hira cave which is on Jabl al Nur (Mount of Light) shown in this photo. The peak is visible… Continue reading
BY MALIK MERCHANT Publisher-Editor, http://www.simergphotos.com and http://www.simerg.com Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His Light is a niche wherein is a lamp — the lamp is in… Continue reading
Compiled by Malik Merchant (Publisher-Editor, Simergphotos) A UNIQUE PORTRAIT OF MAWLANA HAZAR IMAM, HIS HIGHNESS THE AGA KHAN THE WILL OF IMAM MAWLANA SULTAN MAHOMED SHAH, THE 48TH IMAM Ever since the time… Continue reading
Text and photos by Malik Merchant Thousands of Ismailis gathered at the Toronto International Centre on Sunday June 30, 2013 to celebrate His Highness the Aga Khan’s ascension to the throne of Imamat. Mawlana Hazar… Continue reading
THE LAUNCH OF STORYTIME AT RIDEAU HALL A traditional custom around Canada Day is the launch of Storytime at Rideau Hall, the residence of the Governor General of Canada, which is located just across… Continue reading
Qayl’s Inspiring Encounters with Great Astronauts Qayl Azeem Maherali pictured as an astronaut when he was 6. Photo: Qayl’s Collection © Copyright. The picture above was taken three years ago. I am 9… Continue reading
Text by: Gulshan Chunara Photos by: Salina Hasan The Pivotal Role of the 46th Ismaili Imam, Shah Hasan Ali Shah, Aga Khan I This vintage engraving depicts the portrait of Aga Khan I… Continue reading
Neighbouring Cities Show Passion and Enthusiasm for Improving Humanity From a distant, Waterloo Square, 75 King Street in Waterloo, Canada, site of the World Partnership Walk for the past 3 years. Several hundred people from the… Continue reading
Post compiled by Malik Merchant, Editor, Simergphotos.com and Simerg.com Introduction: Victoria Day is a federal Canadian public holiday celebrated on the last Monday before May 25, in honour of Queen Victoria’s birthday. Queen… Continue reading
Prince Rahim Aga Khan – A Brief Profile Date and place of birth: October 12, 1971, Geneva, Switzerland. Relationship to His Highness the Aga Khan, 49th Ismaili Imam: Prince Rahim Aga Khan is… Continue reading
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… Continue reading
Compiled by Malik Merchant, Editor Customs of welcoming a new baby vary around the world. This photo essay looks at the cultural traditions around birth in a rural community in Indonesia (pink shade, map below), the… Continue reading
THE SPRING EQUINOX Navroz, Nowruz, Novruz, Navruz, Nooruz, Nevruz, Nauryz Mubarak In the alternation of night and day, and what God has created in the heavens and the earth — surely there are… Continue reading
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… 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
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… Continue reading
BY ELIA BADRUDIN Salaam , al Salaam, O salaam to all of humanity, Peace al Salamiyeh , KNOW that Peace will be again. the heavens will smile on you again. all humanity which… 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
The website for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) reported as follows on January 22, 2007: The Aga Khan visited NATO Headquarters on 22 January 2007 to meet with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop… Continue reading
BY KHIZAR HAYAT “…Indeed, the scout movement has forever embodied amongst the noblest of human aspirations amongst the most admirable of the qualities of the human heart – courage with self-sacrifice, independence with… Continue reading
AN INTRODUCTION TO NAAD-E-ALI* By HUSSEIN RASHID Who is the Ali, the universal hero of Islam? The last of those who are known as the Rightly Guided Caliphs, the greatness of Imam Ali (a.s)… 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
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… 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
Introduced by Malik Merchant On an occasional basis 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… Continue reading
By Malik Merchant Editor, Simergphotos.com and Simerg.com The White House is a serious place, where important legislative matters affecting the USA are handled on a daily basis. Amidst all the complex and tense… Continue reading
By Shamas Nanjijuma (Exclusive to Simerg) The rooftop Islamic Garden at the London Ismaili Centre. Photo: Shamash Nanjijuma Collection. With a burbling fountain, delightful plants and flowers, the rooftop garden is one of… Continue reading
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… Continue reading
Compiled by Malik Merchant, Editor (On some browsers, please refresh page if only thumbnails appear) I. 1885: Enthronement at Age Seven as 48th Ismaili Imam November 2, 2015, marks the 138th birth anniversary of… Continue reading
Alberta: A Brief Introduction Alberta is a province of Canada. It had a population of 3,645,257 in 2011 making it the most populous of Canada’s three prairie provinces. Alberta and its neighbour, Saskatchewan,… Continue reading
PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY (President from 1961 – 1963) ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ A MEMORANDUM PREPARED FOR PRESIDENT KENNEDY PRIOR TO HIS MEETING WITH HIS HIGHNESS THE AGA KHAN ~~~~ ~~~~ WATCH A SHORT… Continue reading
INSTITUT DE FRANCE, THE WORLD MONUMENTS FUND AND HIS HIGHNESS THE AGA KHAN WORK IN PARTNERSHIP FOR THE RESTORATION OF FRANCE’S HIDDEN GEM Introduction: The Foundation for the Safe-keeping and Development of the Chantilly Domain created… Continue reading
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… Continue reading
Originally aired on PBS to a word-wide audience exceeding 150 million people “CANDID, THOUGHTFUL AND VISUALLY STUNNING” – Los Angeles Times Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s) changed world history in 23 years and continues to… Continue reading
Kenya This a very rare collection of photos of the 48th and 49th Ismaili Imams, Sir Sultan Mahomed Shah Aga Khan and Prince Karim Aga Khan respectively, taken during their visits to Kenya.… Continue reading
By Malik Merchant INTRODUCTION One of the better investments I made during my recent 4,500 km road trip from Toronto to Vancouver, via the USA, was the purchase of the 2013 edition of… Continue reading
BY SHARIFFA KESHAVJEE When I was a little girl, one of my favourite pastimes was to be in the presence of adult company. As the youngest in the family I was too often… Continue reading
Tashkorgan Tashkorgan is a vibrant market town nestled amongst the Pamir Mountains in China’s Xinjiang province. The town is situated at an altitude of 3,600 meters (11,811 ft) on the borders of both… Continue reading
By MALIK MIRZA THE JOURNEY BEGINS While I was on a training assignment related to micro-finance in Bahawalpur, a thought came across my mind: Why not visit the mausoleums of our ancient Pirs,… Continue reading
By Malik Merchant “…Your gift of this unique volume, which was prepared by your father, Alwaez Karim Pirani, and which contains articles and drawings by numerous Ismaili individuals as well as messages of… Continue reading
By Muslim and Nevin Harji Summary: There are no words to describe the hospitality, kindness, love and gentleness of the Iranian people. We have ventured into over forty countries, but never have we… Continue reading
Compiled from the resources of the Institute of Nautical Archaelogy “Drop a light bulb. Try to put it back together again. Drop three light bulbs. Stir the pieces. Then try to put them… Continue reading
By Ali M. Rajput I am pleased to share with readers of Simerg an account of my memorable trip to the Ismaili Castle of Alamut, which became the capital of Ismaili power for… Continue reading
By Muslim and Nevin Harji Exclusive to Simerg During the past 8 years, we have visited dozens of cities in over forty countries all around the world. We have to say that the… Continue reading
