Ismaili.NET - Heritage F.I.E.L.D.

Museums in the contemporary world have expanded their missions to become viable educational institutions, actively seeking to broaden their constituencies. Collections and exhibitions have become dynamic tools for instruction, debate and reflection, and for attracting large numbers to the cultural life of societies. They also act as catalysts for cultural exchange and communication, contributing to the development of civil society.

"Alamut is a historical fortress of the Nizari Ismailis. Its location in mountainous terrain lies about 100 km. Northwest of Tehran, and situated in the high peak of Elburz mountain. Alburz generally was pronounced as Elburz, is the name given to great mountain range, dividing the high plateau of Iran from the low lands of Caspian Sea. The original Iranian word Alburz is derived from two Zand words, signifying the high mountain. The fortress of Alamut is 600 feet high, 450 feet long and 30 to 125 feet wide and is partly encompassed by the towering Elburz range.

"The succession to the Prophet is the key question in Shi'ite Islam, and a principal factor separating them from the Sunni majority. It is seen that the Prophet had nominated Ali bin Abu Talib as his successor by rule of nass (investiture) and nass wa-ta'yin (explicit investiture).

The Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) carries out the Network's economic development activities. It consists of three groups of companies, especially active in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia: Industrial Promotion Services (IPS), Tourism Promotion Services (TPS) and Financial Services Companies.

The IOMM will be a part of the redevelopment of Zanzibar's Stone Town and its waterfront. It will be located in the recently restored Stone Town Cultural Centre, in direct proximity to the port. The museum programme will be constructed around the theme of the Indian Ocean as a context for the exchange of goods, ideas and myths in which diverse civilizations have coexisted, interacted and shared intrinsic common values over time.

"Alauddin Muhammad, or Muhammad III was born in 609/1213. He was succeeded by his father at the age of 9 years. The administration of the state affairs was governed by his gifted mother for about six years, which was the first instance when a woman administered at Alamut.

There are many places around Mecca of this name, the best known is that between Mina and Mecca. It is a mountain-road, or a place difficult of ascent on a hill or acclivity. Here the Prophet had secret meetings with the men from Medina at the pilgrimage of the year 621 and 622 A.D. In 621 A.D., twelve persons from Medina were present and they gave the Prophet an undertaking known as the pledge of Aqaba and at the second in 622 A.D., seventy three and two women took oath of allegiance.

"The ayat al-kursi (the verse of the throne or sedile), is also known as ayat al-hifz. It is a single verse of the Koran (2:255) of more than average length, consisting ten sentences, is one of the principal verses of refuge and protection. It is the loftiest verse of the Koran, and according to George Sale, "It is a magnificent description of the Divine Majesty and Providence". Wherry writes that it is "one of the grandest verses of the Koran." Ayat al-Kursi is one of the most excellent verses of the Koran, and played a key role in piety.

Pir Shihabuddin Shah (d. 1301/1884) married to Bibi Arus Khanum, who gave birth of a son, Abul Hasan Shah and six daughters, viz. Talah, Nushi, Turan Malek, Khadija, Tuman Malik and Zarin Taj. Upon the death of Pir Shihabuddin Shah, Imam Aga Ali Shah declared his infant son, Abul Hasan Shah as a next Pir. In this context, the farman follows:

It means the year of grief. Soon after the annulment of the social boycott in the tenth year, i.e. 619 A.D. of the mission, the Prophet suffered two severe calamities in the death of his uncle, Abu Talib, which was followed by that of his wife, Khadija. With the death of Khadija, the lamp of the Prophet's house was extinguished. One protected him with the influence that derived from his noble rank, while the other guarded him with her material and wealth.

"Muhammad Abuzar Shah, surnamed Abuzar, was also called Nuruddin. He is also known as Shah Nuruddin bin Gharib Shah in the Syrian works. Like his father, he also passed a darwish life in Anjudan. He had however advised his followers to exercise precautions in view of new religious tendency and political cataclysm in Iran.

In 41/661, Hasan bin Ali bin Abu Talib had relinquished the power in favour of Muawiya after ruling for 6 months and 3 days. Thus, the year of his abdication became known as A'am al-Ja'ma (the year of the community), and prevented a bloody military solution of the conflict.

The word adl means equity. It is used in the Koran in quasi-legal contexts, but elsewhere to mean being fair or fairness. The Koran employed the term adl but relatively rarely 14 times in the sense of justice or equity and in a much broader fashion, vide ta'dlin (6:70), adlun (2:48, 123, 282; 4:58, 85, 5:95, 106; 6:70, 16:76, 106:90, 49:9, 65:2) and li adli (42:15). While God's words are described as adl in 6:115.

It is a sonorous word intoned by the faithful at the end of the every dua as a confirmation or its corroboration. It means be it so. When one recites the dua, the listeners uttered a'amin (be it so)

"Imam Aga Ali Shah, His Highness Aga Khan II was born in 1246/1830 at Mahallat, where he spent the first decade of his age. In the outset of 1256/1840, Imam Aga Ali Shah had been taken to Iraq, where he stayed a few years with his mother. Under the instruction of Iranian and Arab teachers, eminent for their piety and learning, he had been taught the oriental languages, and he achieved a reputation as an authority on Persian and Arabic literature, as a student of metaphysics and as an exponent of religious philosophy.

The word is derived from the verbal root ta'abbada means what remains for a long time or eternity. The word abad occurs thrice in the Koran, means post-eternity, ever-lastingness or that which has no end.

"He was the son of Imam Hasan Ali Shah. Marium Khanum, also called Khanum Baji, who died on May 21, 1894 was the third wife of Imam Hasan Ali Shah. She was the mother of Aga Jhangi Shah and Bibi Saheba, the wife of Suleman Khan.

Abbas, the uncle of the Prophet had a son, Abdullah, who never tried to establish his own caliphate. Abdullah and his son, Ali bin Abdullah resided in Humayma. It was the latter's son, Muhammad bin Ali to have taken the charge of Kaysaniya sect from the dying Abu Hashim. Thus, the house of Abbas inherited the party and organization of Abu Hashim along with his claims. Muhammad bin Ali led the Kaysaniya sect, and propagated in the name of Ahl al-Bayt, declaring that the caliph should be from Alid descent and the Umayyads had no right to rule.

The first of a planned network of Aga Khan Academies dedicated to expanding access to education of an international standard of excellence in Asia and Africa was inaugurated in Mombasa, Kenya on December 20, 2003 in presence of the President of Kenya, Mr. Mwai Kibaki. The network of Academies will feature a curriculum based on the framework of the International Baccalaureate (IB). At the centre of this approach is a broad education in the humanities from pre-primary years through to higher secondary.