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IIS UPDATE MAY 2008 Iisupdate2008.Qxp 14/05/2008 17:53 Page 3 iisupdate2008.qxp 14/05/2008 17:53 Page 2 Prince Rahim Aga Khan delivers the Commencement Address at the Institute’s 2007 Graduation Ceremony at the Ismaili Centre, London. Message from the Director ear Donors and Friends of In these challenging times, the necessity of an DThe Institute of Ismaili Studies, education that links Muslim identity and heritage to a As we celebrate and reflect upon global perspective, has become urgent. The growth of the significance of the Golden Jubilee the past decade has enabled the Institute to become a for the worldwide Jamat, we have an mature institution, acknowledged as an important centre opportunity to assess the place of the of academic studies on Islam. As echoed in Prince Institute within Mawlana Hazar Rahim’s Commencement Address to the graduating class Imam’s vision of building a knowledge society. in 2007, the Institute aspires to prepare the leaders of the Over a thousand years ago, as the Muslim world forged future, who have a deeper appreciation and its own knowledge societies, the Imams of the time created understanding of the cultures and histories of the centres of learning such as Al-Azhar and Dar al-Hikmah in different parts of the Muslim world and elsewhere, where Cairo. Later, the ethos of those centres was replicated in the Jamat lives. Additionally, they should acquire an Persia and Syria. Part of their mission and inspiration was to understanding of the processes of change that affect our attract the best scholars and to offer an intellectual space, to inter-connected lives and our shared future. build creatively on existing knowledge but also to extend it. In the Golden Jubilee year, I feel honoured to extend to Their institutional identity was grounded in Muslim views you, friends and supporters of the Institute, an invitation about the importance and significance of knowledge in to deepen your connection with it, but also to be inspired society and this pursuit embraced the sciences, arts, and share in its remarkable growth and potential for architecture as well as economics and material and political contributing to future generations. life. The expressive quality of literature that emerged at the time (much of it preserved at the Institute today), demonstrates the importance of these institutions as transmitters of knowledge and explorers of horizons beyond the knowledge that they had inherited. IIS UPDATE MAY 2008 iisupdate2008.qxp 14/05/2008 17:53 Page 3 10th September 2007 Commencement Address by Prince Rahim Aga Khan at IIS Graduation, London ismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim As I believe you all know, B the Aga Khan Development Distinguished guests; governors, Network (AKDN) is engaged in an faculty, staff and students of ever-wider set of activities across the The Institute of Ismaili Studies, Muslim world, and beyond. The families and very young children of work ranges from health and the graduates; ladies and gentlemen, education to media and I am thrilled to join the infrastructure, from finance to graduation ceremony in honour of manufacturing, from culture to those completing the IIS Graduate tourism. These efforts are focussed Programme in Islamic Studies and on improving the quality of lives of Humanities. To you, to your families peoples in myriad regions, from and to all those who have helped varying backgrounds, and of you in this achievement, I say different faiths. Our model, mash’Allah. You have my warmest however, even when it involves the congratulations not only for the world beyond Islam, and even when work you have done, and the goals it extends beyond the present you have accomplished, but also for decade, is also deeply rooted in the choice you made when you Muslim values. Among other things, decided to pursue, at an advanced our approach to development is Prince Rahim Aga Khan level, the systematic study of our holistic and conceived organically, traditions, cultures and history. meaning that our action is shaped I am sure that you are genuinely with the full involvement of the proud of your achievements, as you potential beneficiaries, rather than global network of Imamat should be. But even as you look prescribed or imposed from institutions, for these organisations back with great pride, I am also sure without. Only in this way, we believe, are also trying to understand and that you are looking ahead with can our work be self-sustaining. address the same challenges. great hopes. As you do, it is my own The implication of this approach, I was impressed to learn that hope that the education that you of course, is that the AKDN needs a amongst you are represented five have gained through this particularly sound and deep different nationalities, as are several programme will lead to great understanding of the environments diverse cultural traditions of our success in your chosen fields of in which it operates – their cultures, Jamat. I am certain that this diversity endeavour, whatever those may be. their norms, their traditions and has enhanced your classroom This being said, and in view of their faiths: precisely the areas of experience, and I am confident that your achievement, I am convinced scholarship that you have pursued. it will have given you a deeper that the institutions of the Imamat The AKDN also needs fresh minds, appreciation of the meaning and and of the Jamat could benefit endowed with cutting-edge value of diversity itself. directly from the contribution of knowledge of crucial sectors, in We are all aware that we live in a each of you, either in a professional order to remain effective. world where diversity is often or a voluntary capacity. Such a Education, international studies evoked as a threat and, more contribution would certainly be in and diplomacy, non-profit particularly, where diversity in the keeping with the ethic of our faith leadership, media, development, interpretation of a faith can be seen that makes it incumbent upon each law, and regional studies will all be as a sign of disloyalty. This of us to use our blessings – be they among the most relevant fields of phenomenon is sometimes material or intellectual – to assist expertise in the decades ahead. perceived to apply principally to our families, to serve the Jamat and This will be particularly true in the Muslims, but it also exists in other the Ummah, and to help improve developing world. In deciding to societies. Absolutist, exclusivist, and society, and indeed, all of humanity. attend the IIS, you therefore also rejectionist claims to the truth, The Jamat and its institutions need chose to analyse and understand especially to religious truth, are young and dynamic women and the problems of the developing increasingly heard from all men like you, who are able to draw world, and to address some of the quarters. Rather than seeing on the rich heritage of our past, and most intractable issues of our time. religion as a humble process of on the best educations of the I hope that as you look to life growth in faith, some people present, to address the challenges beyond the IIS programme, some of presume to claim that they have of the future. you will consider careers with the arrived at the end of that journey iisupdate2008.qxp 14/05/2008 17:53 Page 4 and can therefore speak with near- your words, by your attitudes, by As you look towards the future, I divine authority. your actions, and by example. hope that you will remember that Unfortunately, in some parts of The untrue and unfair, but intellectual pursuits should, the Muslim world today, hostility to increasingly widespread equating of wherever possible, seek to address diverse interpretations of Islam, and the words “Islam” and “Muslim” the universal aspirations of lack of religious tolerance, have with “intolerance”, sometimes even humankind, both spiritual and become chronic, and worsening, with the word “terrorism”, could concrete. Those aspirations, for our problems. Sometimes these lead some Muslims to feel generation more than for any attitudes have led to hatred and despair, indignation, or even before, are intertwined in a single violence. At the root of the problem shame. To me, however, the global community. is an artificial notion amongst some current global focus on the It can be overwhelming at times Muslims, and other people, that Muslim world, and on Islam itself, to ponder the vast array of new there is, or could ever be, a restricted, presents a golden opportunity problems which seem to multiply in monolithic reality called Islam. for us to educate and enlighten, this globalised world. Our Ismaili tradition, however, while actively exemplifying These include the implications of has always accepted the spirit of the counterpoint I mentioned new technologies and new scientific pluralism among schools of before. To my eyes, it creates an insights, raising new ethical and interpretation of the faith, and seen opportunity, and an even- legal questions. They include this not as a negative value, but as a greater obligation for us to delicate and complex ecological true reflection of divine plenitude. make a positive and visible issues, such as the great challenge of Indeed, pluralism is seen as impact on the world - on culture climate change. They include essential to the very survival of and art, science and matters ranging from the widening humanity. Through your studies philosophy, politics and ecology, gap between rich and poor, to issues you have known the many Qur’anic among others. of proper governance and effective, verses and hadiths of our beloved In order to respond to fair, and representative government, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon this opportunity, it will be crucial and to the spread of rampant him) that acknowledge and extol to reverse another damaging consumerism and greed, at the the value of diversity within human consequence of intolerance, which expense of others, or of our societies.
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