IIS Alumni Newsletter 2007

IIS Alumni 

N E W S L E T T E R 2 0 0 7 

I N T H I S I S S U E 

Message from the 

Editors 

Alumni in the Field 

Your Chapter Group 

in 2007 

The IIS Alumni 

Reunion 

The Adventures of 

Fieldwork 

Creative Writing 

In Print 

Selected Events 

2008

We are delighted to bring you the third IIS Alumni Newsletter showcasing the 

talents and activities of our diverse alumni body. 2007 has proven to be an 

eventful and productive year for the Alumni Relations Unit at the IIS and the 

individual Chapter Groups in which we have reached out to increasing numbers of 

alumni across the globe. 

Message 

from the 

Editors 

This year, the Alumni Relations Unit saw the departure of the Alumni Relations 

Co-ordinator, Selina Kassam Ramji, who has worked in alumni relations at the IIS 

since its inception. Selina has moved to the IIS Department of Community 

Relations where she has taken up the post of Education Co-ordinator. We would 

like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank Selina for all the work she 

has undertaken in years past and express our hope that she remains an active 

member of the IIS Alumni Association. In November, Nazneen Sachedina joined 

the unit as our new Alumni Relations Officer. Nazneen is looking forward to all the 

opportunities and challenges this position will afford her, and the chance to build a 

strong relationship with the alumni body globally. 

The Chapter Groups have had a busy year with the elections, annual meetings 

and other local and regional programmes as well as making their plans for 2008. 

Earlier in the year, the Asian and European Chapters held their first annual 

meetings in Mombasa and London, respectively, and the North American Chapter 

held its second annual meeting in Toronto. We were delighted that so many alumni 

were able to participate in these events, and hope that in future years these 

numbers will continue to rise. We would like to thank the individual Presidents and 

Secretaries for all their hard work in 2007 and trust that they have found their 

experiences, though challenging, to be both rewarding and worthwhile. 

In September, the IIS hosted its second alumni reunion in London. Nearly 100 

alumni travelled from across the globe to participate in this three day event and to 

take advantage of the opportunity to not only renew friendships but also tap into 

the diverse resource base which their fellow alumni represent. The reunion 

culminated in the graduation ceremony for the GPISH Class of 2007 at which 

Prince Rahim delivered the keynote speech. Prince Hussain and Princess Khaliya 

also attended and we were very fortunate to have an alumni reception with the 

special guests following the ceremony. 

We would like to give special thanks to Rafiq Rahim Ajani (Class of 2006), 

Fayaz Alibhai (Class of 2002) and Sameer Huda (Class of 2000) for their 

support in the production of this year’s newsletter, and to convey our gratitude to 

Shayesteh Ghofrani (Class of 2006), the Alumni Relations Unit intern, for all her 

hard work over the past five months. We wish Shayesteh all the best in her 

future endeavours. 

Rafiq Rahim 

Ajani (Class 

of 2006) is 

engaged in doctoral 

research at the 

University of Exeter, 

U.K. His 

interdisciplinary 

research focuses 

on works of a philosophical, literary and 

religious nature in order to study the 

relationship between time and ethics. 

Rafiq’s focus is on how the understanding 

of time manifests itself within a religious 

context and how that understanding 

relates to the disposition of a human 

being. The framework for such a 

relationship has been created within the 

works of Martin Heidegger and Emmanuel 

Levinas, which Rafiq will be using to 

interpret time and ethics within the wider 

Muslim community and Ismaili Muslims in 

particular. 

Sehreen 

Noor Ali 

(Class of 

2006) has just 

completed the first 

year of her two-year 

fellowship at the 

U.S. State 

Department. In the 

summer, she worked at the U.S. Embassy 

in Nepal as the Assistant Public Affairs 

Officer. In this role, she represented the 

U.S. administration at various public 

events, drafted speeches for the U.S. 

ambassador, and conducted outreach 

activities with local youth groups. She 

also met with leaders of the small 

Nepalese Muslim community. Currently, 

Sehreen is on her first rotational 

assignment – a requirement of the 

Alum 

On behalf of the Alumni Relations Unit, we would like to thank all the alumni for 

their ongoing support and participation. Thank you and see you in 2008! 

Sara Cerfontyne and Nazneen Sachedina 

(Alumni Relations Unit)

fellowship – at the U.S. Mission to 

UNESCO. There, she works on the 

education portfolio and is a member of the 

U.S. delegation at the 34th General 

Conference of UNESCO. 

Zuhal 

Avzalshoeva 

(Class of 

2005) has started 

her PhD at the 

University of 

Sussex, U.K. Her 

work will focus on 

the treatment of 

violence against women in the justice 

system of post-Soviet Tajikistan. The 

criminal justice system has undergone 

changes in Tajikistan and Zuhal’s project 

will explore whether and how genderbased 

crimes are incorporated in the 

system. The study will also investigate a 

broader question regarding gender 

equality in Tajikistan through an analysis 

of the process of the ‘humanisation’ of the 

justice system which has taken place in 

this area and how state reforms, if at all, 

relate to women’s equality. 

Farida Juma 

(Class of 

1986) has 

worked for the Aga 

Khan Foundation, 

Canada (AKFC) 

since 2002. Until 

early 2007, she was 

AKFC’s Donor 

Relations Coordinator, working with 

significant donors and multi-year 

campaigns. She also acted as liaison with 

institutional partners such as AKU, IIS and 

AKF. Farida is now with the Programmes 

Management department where she is in 

charge of compiling and cataloguing 

resource materials accumulated over the 

last 20 years. One recent highlight has 

been researching, evaluating and 

implementing the software platform for 

catalogue development. 

Dr. Jan-e- 

Alam Khaki 

(Class of 

1983) is a faculty 

member at the Aga 

Khan University’s 

Institute for 

Educational 

Development (AKU- 

IED), and was recently awarded the 

prestigious “Outstanding Teacher Award 

for Sustained Excellence in Scholarship of 

Teaching” on the eve of AKU’s 20th 

Convocation at Karachi on 16th 

November 2007. 

Dr. Khaki joined the Aga Khan University 

in 1998 as a faculty member. He 

completed his PhD in Education from the 

Ontario Institute of Studies in Education of 

the University of Toronto. With three 

Masters Degrees in addition to a PhD, 

Dr. Khaki is currently engaged at AKU-IED 

in teaching at various levels, including PhD 

and MEd. He also serves as a national 

Board member for ITREB Pakistan. 

Farhad 

Mortezaee 

(Class of 

2005) has 

developed a pilot 

DVD project for the 

IIS, entitled Virtual 

Fatimid Cairo. The 

DVD supplements 

the Ta‘lim publication, Everyday life in the 

Fatimid Times, for Primary Five, with 

reconstructions of Cairo and Fustat. 

It features 14 houses and 4 mosques and, 

through animation and virtual ‘walkthroughs’ 

allows the viewer to explore 

these spaces. 

Farhad lives in Calgary and works as an 

architectural designer. He plans to 

commence his PhD studies soon, looking 

at virtual reconstructions of historic 

environments and the ways literal 

descriptions of space can be 

reconstructed, with reference to Nasir 

Khusraw's travelogue. 

Farhad teaches Ta‘lim Primary Five to 

Ismaili children in Canada. He is pleased 

to have had the opportunity to integrate 

his IIS education with his architectural 

background to respond to, what he feels, 

is a real need for such tools in teaching 

about the built environments in the 

Muslim world. 

Sharaf 

Oshurbekov 

(Class of 

2005) is pursuing 

his PhD at the 

School of Oriental 

and African Studies 

(SOAS) in London, 

U.K. He intends to 

analyse and explain the shrine culture of 

Badakhshan against a background of 

social, cultural and political transformations 

since the mid 19th century. Some of the 

issues Sharaf’s work will be dealing with 

are the changes and continuities in the 

shrine culture; understanding what has 

happened to the belief system of the 

Badakhshan people; and why this culture 

and its social status has been transformed 

among the people of Badakhshan. 

ni in the 

FIELD

ASIA: Over the last year, the Asian 

Chapter Group has focused on building a 

strong foundation for interaction amongst 

the alumni and for strengthening their 

relationship with their alma mater. Our 

objectives have been to establish strong 

knowledge and research networks, to 

enhance the involvement of alumni in 

Ismaili institutions, and to work together 

as a group to discuss issues affecting 

Ismailis and the larger Muslim Ummah in 

the developing world with a view to 

develop innovative ways in which to 

address them. This has involved ongoing 

virtual discussions, sharing of research, 

knowledge and best practices with reference 

to the ITREBs and other relevant institutions. 

The value of such a group has been 

tremendous in terms of experience and 

cross-cutting knowledge in various areas. 

Chapter Group Annual Meeting: With 

representation from alumni from over 15 

countries, the Asian Chapter Group held 

its second annual meeting in Mombasa, 

Kenya in May 2007. The three day 

meeting was not only a time to meet and 

network with other alumni and local 

Ismaili leadership, but also an opportunity 

for alumni to present their current and 

ongoing work and to hold discussions on 

a variety of contemporary themes. The 

keynote speaker was Dr. Moncef 

Benabdeljelil, Assistant Professor at AKU- 

ISMC. In addition to the formal business 

of the meeting, the gathering included a 

tour of Mombasa’s old town, including a 

visit to the Aga Khan Academy, 

presentations to the Ismaili community 

and ITREB, and time for alumni to relax 

and enjoy the wonderful environment of 

Mombasa. The next annual meeting is 

planned for Dubai in 2008. 

Future Plans: Looking to the future, the 

Asian Chapter has three key goals. The 

first is to build the country-specific local 

groups in India, Pakistan, Syria and 

Asian Chapter Group, Mombasa, May 2007 

Tajikistan through a series of local events, 

including social functions, lecture series, 

and presentations to the local Ismaili 

communities. The second is to share and 

build on the corpus of knowledge and 

research that exists among the alumni. 

The third is to facilitate the involvement of 

alumni with the community and its 

institutions by working with local leadership 

to identify opportunities and projects. 

President: Rahmat Ghassmi 

(Class of 1983) 

Secretary: Farzana Karim-Haji 


NORTH AMERICA: 

2007 has witnessed higher levels of 

participation and infrastructure 

strengthening for the North American 

Chapter Group. We maintained our focus 

on the following three key objectives: 

(a) Strengthening bonds between alumni 

by providing opportunities for contact and 

networking; (b) Continuing Education for 

alumni; and (c) Increasing involvement of 

alumni in Aga Khan Development Network 

and other Ismaili community institutions. 

Chapter Group Annual Meeting: The 

North American Chapter group held their 

annual meeting in Toronto in March. The 

day was devoted to presentations from 

alumni showcasing both their research as 

well as their professional achievements. 

Alumni were fascinated by the creative 

efforts of their peers and suggested that 

an even larger amount of time be devoted 

to such matters in future meetings. 

Institutional leadership from the National 

Council and ITREB was invited to witness 

the resource base represented by the alumni 

body. Candid dialogue took place between 

the alumni and the leadership with a view to 

better understand both the opportunities and 

the impediments to greater involvement of 

alumni in various community institutions. 

Local branches: Local branches of the 

IIS Alumni Association have now been 

established for Eastern Canada, Western 

Canada, and Texas. The branches meet 

locally, once every eight weeks. The 

branches have provided a sound 

framework for ongoing alumni networking, 

lively debates based on research by 

individual members, and follow up 

discussions on IIS seminars. Local 

branches are also beginning to connect 

with and contribute to local, national and 

international institutions. Alumni in 

Calgary are currently involved in creating 

a joint skills resumé in preparation for a 

meeting with local institutions in 

December. Texas and Vancouver have 

already made contact with local ITREBs 

and are contributing regularly to their 

activities. Recently instituted monthly 

YOUR 

Chapter 

conference calls, between the Regional 

Chapter and Local Branch leadership have 

galvanized the level of activity, accountability 

and co-ordination between branches. 

Contact Database: Much effort has gone 

into compiling comprehensive contact 

details of the 90 alumni that constitute the 

North America Chapter as well as 

individual branch membership. More 

significantly, renewed effort has been made 

to get to know many of the alumni through 

meetings and personal phone calls. 

Earlier this year, ITREB USA, in coordination 

with the Chapter leadership, 

contacted each American alumnus

North American Chapter Group, Toronto, March 2007 

individually to find out how they wished to 

get involved in ITREB USA’s activities. 

Significant effort was also put into working 

with the IIS alumni and newly formed 

Human Resource departments to 

encourage each alumnus to fill out an on 

line profile to allow the matching of their 

skill sets with those needed by various 

AKDN and other Ismaili community 

institutions. 

Group 

in 2007 

Voluntary Service to Institutions: 

Alumni in North America have actively 

served as faculty, speakers and 

facilitators for various programmes such 

as the College Program on Islam (which 

provides a detailed overview of Islam to 

university students and young adults), Al- 

Ummah Camps, Talim al-Islam, QUEST 

(Adult Religious Education), Teacher 

Education, and other initiatives of ITREBs. 

Alumni also continue to serve on ITREBs’ 

boards as members and institutional staff. 

In addition, many alumni have also 

served in outreach capacities, speaking 

at various churches, schools and 

professional seminars. Some alumni have 

undertaken an internship or travelled 

internationally to serve the institutions in a 

voluntary capacity. Examples include a 

Texan alumnus who ran capacitydevelopment 

seminars for the staff of 

ITREC in Khorog, Tajikistan, and a 

Vancouver alumnus who served as 

Education Manager for the International 

Professional Teacher Educators 

Programme (PTEP) training episodes in 

Toronto and Karachi. 

Alumni are also beginning to get involved 

in programmes to commemorate the 

Golden Jubilee of His Highness the Aga 

Khan’s accession to the Imamat. For 

example, Texas alumni were involved in 

training guides for the International 

Historic Cities Exhibition held in Houston 

in October 2007. Calgary alumni are 

involved in putting together the curriculum 

for the Ismaili Heritage Visits programme 

for Ismaili youth and young adults. 

President: Hanif Virani 


Secretary: Ruksanah Pirani 


EUROPE: After the elections in 

June 2007, Nacim Pak and Shah Hussain 

were appointed as the new President and 

Secretary, respectively, of the European 

Chapter Group (ECG). In July, they invited 

the alumni to a focus group meeting to 

share their views and expectations. It was 

an exciting session attended by 14 alumni 

who brought up various ideas, 

suggestions and concerns for discussion. 

These could be divided roughly into three 

areas: general issues about the Alumni 

Association, identified needs, and 

proposed projects and activities. This was 

a useful exercise in trying to identify the 

needs and aspirations of the members so 

that they could be addressed in planning 

activities for the year. 

Chapter Group Annual Meeting: The 

Annual General Meeting of the Chapter 

Group was held on 19th May this year 

European Chapter Group, London, September 2007 

and attended by 35 alumni. One of our 

alumni, Mr Alnoor Merchant, Keeper of 

the Ismaili Collection at the IIS Library, 

gave the alumni a sneak preview of its 

magnificent artefacts collection, with an 

in-depth analysis and exposition of some 

of the materials that made up the Spirit 

and Life Exhibition prior to its launch in 

London on 12th July. 

Other Programmes and Projects: This 

year’s Meet and Greet was held in 

October at the Holiday Inn Camden Lock. 

Over 80 GPISH and STEP students from 

the IIS as well as ISMC students and 

alumni attended this event. The 

participants had an opportunity to interact 

with each other during various activities, 

drinks and dinner, and the evening was 

rounded off with dancing. 

In November, a number of the ECG 

members attended the London premiere 

of Rumi: Unveil the Sun. This play, about 

the encounter between Rumi and Shams 

Tabriz, is part of the various international 

events commemorating the 800th birthday 

of Rumi, which is why 2007 has been 

designated by UNESCO as the 

International Year of Rumi. 

One of the activities that the alumni had 

proposed during the focus groups was the 

cataloguing of alumni and student 

research. The ECG is now looking into 

collecting and archiving this material. This 

may include creating an archive of various 

published and unpublished research 

reports, fieldwork documentation and 

photographs. Mr Rafiq Rahim Ajani, an 

alumnus currently pursuing his PhD 

studies at Exeter University will lead this 

project. 

President: Nacim Pak 


Secretary: Shah Hussain 

(Class of 2004)

Breaking 

Stereotypes 

and Refitting 

Moulds 

Fragments and Reflections on 

the Adventures of Fieldwork 

Rizwan Mawani (Class of 2000) 

View of Golunabad Jamatkhana, Iran 

Sometimes I wondered how I had 

got here. I wasn’t following 

anyone’s footsteps and yet I somehow 

felt that I was on a predetermined path – 

one that had been journeyed on 

previously. Since 2005, I had been 

fortunate to travel to ten countries for 

research I had undertaken for the IIS’ 

Department of Community Relations. 

The project, which explored spaces of 

worship in the Muslim world, had 

allowed me to work with more than forty 

Muslim communities in Syria, Lebanon, 

Turkey, Egypt, Iran, India, Pakistan, 

Tajikistan, China and Indonesia. 

The sign on the guesthouse in Chitral’s 

main city read “Take nothing but pictures 

and leave nothing but footprints.” I 

thought it was a good mantra and one 

that I had tried to follow thus far, even 

though I wasn’t aware of this particular 

bumper-sticker worthy slogan. 

The challenges were numerous; in 

addition to being in the field on my own 

for long stretches of time, issues of 

language, food, security, comfort and a 

heightened sense of the ‘eternal new’ 

became amplified. And yet, I found that 

most of these could be handled without 

strenuous effort. The one thing that was 

central to all of these mini-adventures was 

the innocent hospitality that inhabitants of 

many of these countries and members of 

these communities extended to guests. 

After only a few minutes, not only was a 

hand of generosity extended, it was done 

with the purest of hearts. Sometimes 

commonalities helped; that I was a 

Muslim or a male; sometimes it was by 

identifying where I had come from; 

Canada or the UK; a guest having 

travelled such a long way blessed a 

village and a community more often than 

it burdened it. Sometimes, the 

commonalities were less obvious. 

One sunny afternoon, after an intense 

search for the türbe of Pir Sayyid Hasan 

Hüsameddin in Istanbul’s Kasimpaþa 

district, I stumbled upon a non-descript 

building on a side-street. This was the 

asitane – the headquarters – of the 

Halveti Uþþaki tariqa of Sufis. The 

guardian of the shrine, the türbedar was 

an elderly man with a coral tasbih and a 

white hat, along with a bushy beard 

whose hue fell somewhere in between the 

two. I paid my respects to the interred 

grand shaykh, his family, and others who 

had been fortunate enough to be buried 

so close to him. My less than rudimentary 

Turkish failed me in trying to address the 

türbedar, a man I later learned was 

named Mustafa. Despite this, two hours 

passed in which frustrations were set 

aside, and through both our innate 

creativity and the larger symbols we 

shared as human beings, we managed to 

have a conversation that sat outside 

formal language in which secrets were 

shared and information exchanged. 

Language was always a challenge. 

Communication required much more 

imaginative means in the field. In some

of marga luyu kebatinan, an esoteric 

martial arts accompanied by breathing 

and the recitation of zikr, I saw a wallhanging 

on which a rotund figure of Simar 

was inscribed in Arabic with the shahada, 

meant to act as a talisman and protector 

against ill-wishes and the evil eye. 

Young students study the Qur'an after morning prayers at Shahi Masjid, Chitral 

countries, the language used on the 

streets changed every few hours you 

journeyed. In Pakistan, for example, it 

was not only Urdu whose sounds and 

inflections dominated conversations, but 

also Baluchi, Sindhi, Punjabi, Saraiki and 

Pashtu the further up your finger glided on 

the map. In its northern reaches, entirely 

different linguistic families emerged: 

Khoar, Shina, Burushaski, Balti and 

Wakhi. While sometimes an interpreter 

was useful, other times, the language of 

language had designs of its own. 

After several days in Lanzhou, the capital 

of China’s northcentral Gansu province, I 

became more acquainted with the city’s 

Hui Muslim population. On one of those 

early days in the city, I had made plans to 

visit the khanqah and mosque of the 

Jahriyya Sufis late one evening, hours 

after ‘isha prayers had already ended. 

The imam of the mosque kindly offered 

me and my interpreter, Mr Chen, some 

green tea. Mr Chen, an educated 

university lecturer in engineering and the 

sciences, was also introduced to Islam 

and its Chinese articulations through our 

interviews and visits to various mosques 

and tombs in the region. While I asked 

questions through Mr Chen to the imam, 

in English, they conversed in Chinese. I 

found that there was as much to explain 

to Mr Chen as there was that the imam 

had to explain to me. I also discovered 

that Mr Zhang, the imam, had studied in 

Qom and to my delight, spoke both 

Persian and Arabic. Due to his thick 

accent, however, I wasn’t able to penetrate 

the words behind his sounds in either of 

those languages. What ensued was a 

comical but practical solution: I addressed 

him in Arabic and he wrote his responses, 

also in Arabic, on paper for me to read. 

Sometimes, however, understanding 

cultural nuances proved to be much more 

difficult and had difficult consequences. 

One could not ignore the headscarves 

that women in Iran wear in public. This 

was despite the fact that their coverage 

waxed and waned depending on 

prevailing trend in the society. 

Complementing this was the manteau, the 

fitted urban cloak and equally necessary 

fashion accessory which although 

covered the body, changed in style and 

proclivity as often as the Paris catwalk. 

In the late afternoon, our taxi driver, 

Mehdi, pulled into one of the smaller 

Iranian villages in South Khurasan at 

about the same time as several men were 

returning from the barley fields astride 

their donkeys. Several curious villagers 

were whiling their time away and sharing 

with each other stories of their day on the 

raised cement patio of the village’s first 

house that seemed to be strategically 

positioned to greet us when we arrived. 

As I had done in earlier villages, I 

introduced myself and extended my hand 

in friendship and respect to all who were 

present. All was well until I came to a 

middle-aged woman, who caught between 

two models of decorum – honour and 

graciousness of the east and familiarity 

and politesse of the west – extended her 

right pinky which I shook hesitantly, not 

wanting to further offend her. 

The respect that people have for that 

which precedes is equally fascinating. In 

the heart of Indonesia, on the island of 

Java, the most populous Muslim 

landmass in the world, I was reminded of 

this the first time I encountered Simar, ‘the 

advisor’ in the Indonesian version of the 

Ramayana epic. At the house of a master 

This was later reinforced by the wayang 

kulit (buffalo hyde puppet) versions of 

Rama and Sinta (Indonesia’s Sita). The 

two most beloved characters of the epic 

associated with Hinduism were influential 

in the introduction of Islam to Java and 

puppet-masters’ eight-hour performances 

continue to draw millions of Indonesians 

to watch this traditional play. In centuries 

gone by – and still on some parts of the 

island today, especially in the royal courts 

– Muslims are required to recite the 

sekaten (shahada) before witnessing it’s 

marathon performance. 

Fieldwork never ceases to surprise; its 

beauty and pain lies in its ability to 

unceasingly force us to revisit our 

assumptions. It allows us to 

interrogate the lenses through which 

we see our world and the ways in 

which the world sees us. 

Rama and Sinta puppet show, Indonesia

The IIS 

Alumni Reunion 

Renewing Old Friendships and 

Creating New Memories 

Jasmin Mamani (Class of 2000) 

Three engaging days amongst friends, colleagues, and scholars, 

the IIS Alumni reunion last September was more than an 

opportunity to reminisce and catch up; it was a feast for the mind, the 

heart and the soul. We were welcomed with a keynote address by 

Dr. Aziz Esmail and had the opportunity to dialogue and investigate 

the challenges of modernity in contemporary Muslim societies. 

In addition, we had the privilege of meeting with Prince Rahim, 

Prince Hussain and Princess Khaliya at an informal reception 

following the graduation ceremony for the Class of 2007 of the 

Institute’s Graduate Programme in Islamic Studies and Humanities. 

Alumni Reception, London, September 2007

The full-day session on ‘Muslim 

Modernities’ was inspiring and 

intellectually stimulating. Like a master 

mariner, Dr. Amyn Sajoo directed us 

through the seas of contemporary 

literature written by the foremost 

intellectuals and scholars, debating the 

idea of modernity and discussing multiple 

and plural modernities in societies around 

the world. Dr. Sajoo facilitated the critical 

examination of the works of Richard 

Dawkins, Amartya Sen, Charles Taylor, 

Samuel Huntington, Ali Abdul Raziq, 

Sayyid Qutub and Karen Armstrong. 

The concept of modernity was explored 

within the context of intellectual thought, 

art and the global condition. In contrast to 

the notion of a single modernity that 

denies the richness of human identity, 

Dr. Sajoo stated that plural modernities 

create ethical space for identity and social 

change - but resist the “anything goes” 

attitude of relativism. 

The workshop that followed, consolidated 

the concepts by applying them in practical 

situations. Dr. Sajoo examined various 

development efforts of the Aga Khan 

Development Network, as a means of 

situating the work of these institutions 

within the ethical vision of His Highness 

the Aga Khan. He illustrated the 

commitment of these institutions to 

harness the inherent pluralism of 

humanity to engage communities in 

creating their own spaces for civil society 

and to have a place for their own 

aspirations to flourish; creating an ethos 

that was reminiscent of our earlier 

discussion on multiple modernities. 

Alumni Reception, London, September 2007 

Alumni Reunion, London, 

September 2007 

Alumni Reception, London, 

September 2007 

Graduation of GPISH Class of 2007, London, September 2007 

It is events such as these that make it so 

special to be an IIS Alumnus: to be invited 

to a reunion which not only brings us back 

to the place where it all started, but also 

ensures that we continue to move forward 

in the intellectual study of our faith; we 

continue to search and learn. There is a 

tie that binds all of us that is much greater 

than simply being graduates of the same 

institution. It is this tie that brings us back 

time and time again.

The IIS Alumni Reunion 

Reflections from Alumni 

Alumni reception, London, September 2007 

Aziza Hayat 


As expected, the reunion of IIS Alumni in 

September 2007 was an interesting 

educational exercise, enveloped with 

structured social activities. The highlight 

of the reunion was the graduation 

ceremony for the GPISH Class of 2007 

where we had the opportunity to meet 

with Prince Rahim, Prince Hussain and 

Princess Khaliya – it was a once-in-alifetime 

experience. While on the one 

hand Dr. Aziz Esmail and Dr. Amyn Sajoo 

took care of our mental nourishment with 

their intellectual discourses on 8th and 9th 

September, on the other the Alumni 

Relations Co-ordinator and her team 

made sure that our stay in London was 

comfortable. These reunions are not only 

memorable and inspiring, they also 

empower participants with the knowledge 

of contemporary areas of learning. 

Noorullah Iman (Class of 2005) 

Knowledge can only be utilised effectively when it is updated. It is like a tree which needs 

to be watered on a regular basis. No water, no fruit. Without updating knowledge, there is 

no difference between knowledge or the lack thereof. It is in such a context that I found the 

Alumni Reunion meaningful and fruitful. The Alumni Reunion 2007 was remarkable 

because it was not only a process of updating knowledge but it reflected a cultural diversity 

within Ismaili traditions where we shared our knowledge and experience. It appeared to me 

as a collection of fruits from different trees from different parts of the world in a global garden. 

Nadia Rehmani (Class of 1983) 

The Alumni reunion is a unique opportunity for all the alumni to meet and to share 

knowledge and expertise in our respective areas of study and professions. Not only did 

100 or so alumni travel far and wide to attend, but this reunion was marked by the 

presence of Prince Rahim, Prince Hussain and Princess Khaliya. I believe that all the 

alumni were deeply touched by their presence. Each one of them met us in an informal 

environment, showed interest in what we were doing and, at times, shared their thoughts 

and laughter with us. In 2003, we were honoured with the presence of His Highness the 

Aga Khan himself. We are indeed grateful to him and his family for honouring us. Their 

presence shows the importance they give to the alumni as well as their aspirations and 

expectations of us. 

This reunion opened with an illuminating talk by Dr. Aziz Esmail and an intellectually 

stimulating session on multiple modernities by Dr. Amin Sajoo. Both sessions were 

captivating, enlightening, and relevant. This was indeed a special event in the lives of all the 

alumni who were present. We are extremely grateful to the IIS for honouring us in this way. 

Farid Panjwani (Class of 1997) 

Communities are fragile. Now and again they need the injection of Communitas. Over 

time, the IIS, through its Alumni reunions, particularly those that integrate the social and 

the intellectual, has been successful in creating and sustaining the community of its 

graduates. The September reunion, the latest in the line of such endeavours, both 

renewed long standing friendships and provided new academic discourse for the group. Its 

high point was the generation of momentum for achieving something big - like being the 

vanguard for enhancing cultural life in the Ismaili communities. Over lunch and coffee, I 

observed many alumni conversing about transforming this enthusiasm into practice within 

their local contexts. This may be the beginning of responding to the perennial challenge of 

connecting global thinking with local actions.

creative 

writing 

Al-Azhar Park: 

A tribute to Family... 

Recently we were formally introduced to the full 

scale of the al-Azhar Park endeavour, from 

intellectual concept to concrete realisation. 

People marvelled at the end product, but were 

still looking for a religious cloister. Here I share 

what resonates the ‘Alid (exalted) tradition... 

You desire minarets? 

Look to the horizon: there are enough all around 

Instead, won’t you sense for a moment 

The inspired peace 

In this newfound oasis 

Of ancient Cairo 

Here, in sharp contrast to desert brown, 

Carpet is set solid, in grass-green 

Dome comes suspended, in sky-blue 

Walls float to dazzle, without frontier 

Windows are made of opportunity 

Here, in cool distinction from the trodden trek, 

Corridors are fluid 

Qibla? Why, that was already in place 

When your heart took 

Its awe-inspiring first-beat 

In mother’s womb 

Here, if you feel the present peace, 

Bow toward her in thanks 

While bearing in mind 

Whatsoever is good in you 

Has its root in your father 

By proof of your existence 

They have already earned eternal rest 

Albeit they never do... 

Fall Blessings 

Walking the grounds at Wash U campus, 

every tree aflame in hues of orange, 

gold and red 

Stately thrones on carpets of gold leaf 

Each a version of the glorious divine 

throne (arsh) 

Each inviting Your presence 

A sudden gust of wind, 

A shower of gold leaves overhead, 

I submit gratitude for the 

blessings that fell on me, 

the blessings of the Fall season 

I stoop to fold one leaf into my breast pocket 

a prayer that I may behold you one day with mine 

own eyes, 

laughing, resplendent, 

a royal presence on the arsh*. 

*arsh - divine throne mentioned in the Quran 

Hanif Virani 


Alnoor B. Kassam 

(Class of 1991)

In Print 

Dr. Miriam Ali-de-Unzaga 

“Qur’anic inscriptions on the so-called ‘Pennon 

of Las Navas do Tolosa’ and three Marinid 

banners” in Word of God, Art of Man: The 

Qur'an and its Creative Expressions, Ed. 

Suleman, F. (Oxford University Press in 

association with The Institute of Ismaili Studies, 

December 2007). 

Faranaz Keshavjee 

“Ismaili Muslims in the international scenario”, 

p.120-121; “Aga Khan IV: The Shiite Prince”, 

p.180-181 in Janus - Religiões e Política 

Mundial. As Mudanças de uma década. 

Conjuntura internacional, Politicas sociais 

comparadas (Publico in collaboration with UAL, 

January 2007) 

(Published columns in PUBLICO) 

“And what about after the 11th?”, 

6th February 2007 

“Citizen without a name but with a number”, 

22nd February 2007 

“Difference as a right and as a destiny”, 

3rd April 2007 

“Critical dialogues about knowledge”, 

30th April 2007 

“For a ‘dialogue of civilisations’ at the UN”, 

17th May 2007 

“A Shiite Prince in my life”, 11th July 2007 

“Female leadership, or its absence”, 

19th July 2007 

“Ramadan”, 4th October 2007 

Dr. Anil Khamis 

“Investigating Educational Change: The Aga Khan University Institute 

for Educational Development Teacher Education For School 

Improvement Model” in the International Journal of Educational 

Development, Vol. 27: 572-580, Khamis, A. and Sammons, P. (2007) 

Alnoor Jehangir Merchant 

“And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truthfulness and 

righteousness” in Word of God, Art of Man: The Qur'an and its Creative 

Expressions, Ed. Suleman, F. (Oxford University Press in association 

with The Institute of Ismaili Studies, December 2007). 

Dr. Fahmida Suleman 

Word of God, Art of Man: The Qur'an and its Creative Expressions, Ed. 

Suleman, F. (Oxford University Press in association with The Institute of 

Ismaili Studies, December 2007). 

Anis Waljee 

“Researching Transitions and Transmissions: Gender and Education in 

Tajikistan” in Gender, Education and Equality in a Global Context: 

Conceptual Frameworks and Policy Perspectives by Fennell, S. and 

Arnot, M. (London, Routledge 2007). 

Cover photos: Gary Otte 

Other photos: Rafiq Rahim Ajani, Rizwan Mawani, Alnur Sunderji 

The Institute of Ismaili Studies 

42-44 Grosvenor Gardens 

London SW1W 0EB 

Tel: +44 (0)20 7881 6000 

Fax: +44 (0)20 7881 6040 

Email: alumni@iis.ac.uk 

Website: www.iisalumni.org 

Selected 

Events 2008 

Conferences 

Durham University Shi'ite Studies 

Programme 

Institute for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies 

Conference in Medical, Ethical and 

Technological Challenges of the 21st Century: 

the response of Shi'ite jurisprudence 

28th and 29th April 2008 

1st Annual Durham International Affairs 

Conference 

The Politics of Virtual States 

The School of Government and International 

Affairs 

20th March 2008 

University of Essex Islamic Conference 

A Journey into Islamic Values 

23rd February 2008 

Middle Eastern Studies Association (MESA) 

Washington, DC (Wardman Park Marriott) 

22nd – 25th November 2008 

American Academy of Religion (AAR) 

Chicago, Illinois, USA 

International Focus: South Asia 

1st – 3rd November 2008 

5th Annual Duke-UNC Graduate Islamic Studies Conference 

Departments of Religion, Duke University and the University of North 

Carolina, Chapel Hill 

Conference: Embodying Islam: Religious Practice and Muslim 

Constructions of Self 

5th – 6th April 2008 

Workshops 

International Institute for the Study of Islam in thr Modern World (ISIM) 

Translational Circuits: Muslim Women in Asia 

21st – 24th February 2008 

Venue: International Conference on Inter-Asian Connections, Dubai 

Organizer: Social Science Research Council 

International Institute for the Study of Islam in the 

Modern World (ISIM) 

Everyday Cosmopolitanism: Living Together through Communal Divide 

12th March 2008 

Convenor: Asef Bayat 

Venue: 9th Mediterranean Research Meeting, Florence & 

Montecatini Terme 

Exhibitions 

Jameel Gallery of Islamic Art 

Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK 

(Permanent) 

Medieval and Renaissance Treasures from the Victoria and 

Albert Museum 

Wrightsman Exhibition Gallery, European Sculpture and Decorative 

Arts, 1st floor 

20th May - 17th August 2008 

Hidden Afghanistan 

International Exhibition Centre, Netherlands 

22nd December 2007 - 20th April 2008 

The Arts of Islam: Treasures from the Khalili Collection 

Emirates Palace Hotel, Abu Dhabi 

23rd January - 30th April 2008

IIS Alumni Newsletter 2007

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