By Ed Carty

Tuesday July 01 2008

HIS Highness the Aga Khan was yesterday honoured by the National University of Ireland, Maynooth for his work combating poverty and in promoting religious understanding.

The renowned racehorse breeder and spiritual leader of the world’s Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims received an honorary doctorate from NUI Chancellor Dr Garret FitzGerald. He is pictured (left) with his daughter Princess Zahra and Dr FitzGerald at yesterday’s ceremony.

The Aga Khan is the first member of the Islamic community to be honoured by the NUI.

He was cited by the university for “outstanding contributions to the elimination of global poverty, the advancement of women, the promotion of Islamic culture and the furthering of pluralistic values in society”.

NUI Maynooth President Professor John Hughes said: “The college is honouring an individual who has made a significant impact in the developing world.

“He has championed religious pluralism as a way of building a common understanding among millions of people throughout the globe.

“We in Ireland readily identify with this view given, that it brought peace to this island.

“This university is very proud to honour the Aga Khan.”

The Aga Khan Development Network is one of the world’s largest private development groups and is chaired by the Aga Khan, who is the 49th hereditary Imam leading Ismailis in 25 countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, North America and western Europe.

- Ed Carty

Source: http://www.independent.ie/national-news/
dr-khan-as-nui-honours-muslim-leaders-legacy-1424701.html

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ALISON HEALYTHE AGA Khan has received an honorary degree from NUI Maynooth for his work in eliminating poverty, encouraging the advancement of women and promoting Islamic culture and pluralism.

The Aga Khan (71) is the spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, whose 15 million-strong population is spread across 25 countries.

A key figure in the equine industry, he has close ties with Ireland and owns properties including Gilltown Stud in Kilcullen, Co Kildare.

He received an honorary Doctor of Laws from the chancellor of the NUI, Dr Garret FitzGerald, in a ceremony attended by his eldest child, Princess Zahra.

In his citation, NUI Maynooth president Prof John Hughes said the Aga Khan was the first member of the Islamic community to be honoured in this way.

“It is particularly fitting that this university should honour him at this time, steeped as it is, and proudly so, in the history of Catholicism in Ireland, but now a vibrant, multicultural and multi-denominational university,” Prof Hughes said.

“For the Aga Khan embodies the spirit of understanding, tolerance and ecumenism that should link the great religions of the world. For 50 years he has been a voice of moderation, a voice of reason, in promoting an Islam that embraces and indeed celebrates pluralism and diversity.”

The Aga Khan became Imam or spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims in 1957, at the age of 20, succeeding his grandfather, a former president of the League of Nations. The Aga Khan is founder and chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network, a group of development agencies which supports the developing world in areas such as education, health, enterprise and architecture.

Prof Hughes said the Aga Khan had become “a major activist for civilised humanity and universal values” and added that he had championed religious pluralism as a way of building a common understanding around the globe. “We in Ireland readily identify with this view, given that it brought peace to the island,” he said.

The Aga Khan said he was “deeply honoured” to receive the award, particularly as he was the first Muslim to do so. “Being the first Muslim does carry a level of symbolism with it, which I appreciate enormously because it means that institutions, particularly this institution, is looking at the wider horizons of our world,” he said.

He described NUI Maynooth as “a pathfinder” for people working in the developing world because of the way it linked research with economic development.

The visit had given “a wonderful opportunity to be able to look to this university and see how together we might build bridges for a better future between Ireland and the developing world,” the Aga Khan said.

Prof Hughes said the university was hugely excited by the possibility of collaboration with the Aga Khan as it already had outreach programmes in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. “I see enormous opportunities,” he said.

The university, which offers a BA in equine business, was keenly aware of the Aga Khan’s links with Ireland and Prof Hughes said the Aga Khan had played “a very significant role” in the Irish horse racing industry.

The Aga Khan also called for a greater pluralism in education and said it was essential to enhance the understanding that pluralism was an asset, not a liability.

People were not born with the capacity to see those from different backgrounds as equals, but with the right education, they could become pluralist without even being aware of it, he said.

Dr FitzGerald said it was a particular honour to present the honorary degree and he added that most people were unaware of the scale of educational work initiated by the Aga Khan.

© 2008 The Irish Times

Source:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0701/1214857997489.html

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Panorama
BY Jon Sarpong
June 26, 2008 10:29 AM

Individuals from Canada, the United States and around the globe will converge on London, England, to commemorate the golden jubilee of Prince Karim Aga Khan, the 71-year-old spiritual and temporal leader of Shi’a Imami Nizari ‘Ismaili’ Muslims.
The observance of this anniversary began in France on July 11, 2007, exactly 50 years to the day he became the 49th hereditary imam (Living Guide) of the pluralistic and pacifist minority Shi’a community.

Today, close to 15 million Ismailis practice their faith in more than 50 countries around the world.

The Ismaili branch of Islam is the second largest part of the Shi’a community, after the Twelvers. The Ismaili get their name from their acceptance of Ismail bin Jafar as the divinely appointed spiritual successor (imam) to Jafar al-Sadiq, wherein they differ from the Twelvers, who accept Musa al-Kazim, younger brother of Ismail, as the true Imam.

The Ismaili and the Twelvers both accept the same initial imams from the descendants of Muhammad through his daughter Fatima Zahra and therefore share much of their early history.

As Muslims, the Ismailis affirm the fundamental Islamic testimony of truth, the Shahada, that there is no God but God (Allah in Arabic) and that Muhammad is His messenger. They believe that Muhammad was the last and final Prophet of Allah, and that the Holy Qur’an, Allah’s final message to mankind, was revealed through him.

Muslims hold this revelation to be the culmination of the message that had been revealed through other prophets of the tradition before Muhammad, including Abraham, Moses and Jesus, all of whom Muslims revere as prophets of Allah.

During his week-long stay in the United Kingdom, the Aga Khan will be involved in meeting with representatives from various non-governmental organizations and charities with whom his global Aga Khan Development Network has been involved in humanitarian projects in various countries, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh and South Africa.

The pinnacle of celebration will be the special get together (Mulaquat) in solemn and tranquil surroundings with his spiritual followers at ExCel Centre in the London Docklands.

About 30,000 followers are expected to welcome Prince Aga Khan in jubilation of this monumental event. Adorned in a ceremonial religious robe and cap, and in possession of the Sword of Justice, Prince Aga Khan will wear the chain of office, which displays 49 links that inclusively symbolize his predecessors. With the signet ring used as the seal of the imam as far back as the 12th century, the Aga Khan will enter the Congregational Hall to continuous unified supplications, beseeching the creator to shower blessings on the Prophet Muhammad and his progeny (from whom The Aga Khan’s ancestors originated more than 1,400 years ago).

Affectionately referred to by his devout followers as ‘Hazar Imam’ (Present and Living Guide), the Aga Khan will be imparting spiritual and worldly advice as to how his followers should live and conduct themselves in their personal environment and impart religious knowledge and directives that reflect the ethics of their esoteric faith.

This historic event will mark a milestone in the lives of millions around the globe, as well as thousands of Toronto Ismailis participating in this event.

Visit www.akdn.org for details on the celebration of Prince Karim Aga Khan’s golden jubilee.

Jon Sarpong is a diversity consultant. He provides independent diversity training and consultation for various organizations. To suggest a story idea for Panorama, e-mail jsarpong@hotmail.com.

Source: http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/parkdale/Column/article/50903

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