His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan

By Karim Imamdad Hunzai Paris

The elected 44^e American President Barrack Hussein Obama’s land slide victory heralds for a significant change in near future not only in American national and foreign policy but also expects positive changes towards peace in the entire world.

It is not  long time ago, in the early sixties, according to USA law, the segregation between whites and blacks in the American schools were enforced to practice, and it was also banned social mixed unions and also restricted the voting right to the Africans –Americans.

It is not only the financial crisis, which led Barrack Hussein Obama  to the political triumph over his opponent, rather his campaign based on the principal of Pluralism, Diversity, Tolerance, to unite and elevate the spirit of Americans, which is the sources of the unity and integrity in the multi-racial society in  a country like America. In the future, if the elected American President  would like to view the world on the same criteria of pluralism, with respect and tolerance for other cultures and religions of the world, the  America will not only restore his lost prestige and respect, but will also lead the world to disseminate and spread the values of democracy and peace.

The Imam of the time has explicitly emphasised already the universal importance of the pluralism for peace as the world has become a global village. The golden jubilee of the 49^th  Imam will be ear marked in the history of the Ismailism. The fifty years of the Imamat, which is one of the glorious period of the Ismaili history, is not for only the material development and progress in the community, but also for the remarkable events in the history of the humanity of the world. The first Russian satellite Spoutnik was sent into the space in 1957, which is considered a tremendous scientific achievement in the human history, it is also noteworthy, that in the same year Mawlana Hazir Imam become the 49^th Imam of the Ismailis.

The all positive changes such as end of cold war, and the demise of the communist totalitarianism and to the immediate aftermath, the appearing of newly Muslims states in the map of the Central Asia, and also the dismantlement of the Berlin wall, and opening of Socialist Republic of China to the external world. The most important current event is the newly elected American President from humble and multi-racial back-ground educated from Harvard with political acumen for changes in America and quite optimistic for world peace.

Hazir Imam has further elucidated the importance of pluralism, the difference in the form of the culture and linguistic, the diversity is not a weakness rather it is a blessing and strength. Hazir Imam has reprimanded and strongly disapproved the theory of the Harvard professor Samuel Huntington “ the clashes of the civilizations” by saying that it is simply  “clashes of the ignorance” which is caused by the lack of the knowledge and respect for other cultures and religions.

It is the time of reconciliation through dialogue and negotiations and not to make confrontations for any kind of issue in the community or out of the community.

The Ismaili community is the best example of the pluralism living under auspices guidance of Mawlana Hazir Imam, The love for Imam is above the language and cultural barriers, Syria had been a cradle for the Ismaili history, which  had been reinforced to establish Fatimid Khalifat in Cairo, The Indian Ismailis have been able to establish first head quarter (Dar Khana) in Bombay in 1848 under guidance of the first Aga Khan 46^th Imam, which  was a historical importance for all the Ismailis of world after the  13e century of Alamut period in Iran. The Ismailis delegates from all over the world used to come to Dar Khanna Bombay, to pay homage their beloved Imam. The Ismailis from central Asia, and Chitral and Hunza, Northern Areas of Pakistan, from the tradition of Nasir Khisraw, Mawlana Hazir Imam has elucidated the esteem about the Nasir Khisraw, in his holy Farman in India,  and said that “ the tradition of the Nasir Khisraw is very important and must not be forgotten”.

The Hunza ex-state was another example of the pluralism, it was an independent state with its own independent judicial system until 1974, and the late Mir Muhammad Jamaal Khan, ruler of Hunza was nominated President for the Ismaili of the Central Asia by the Mawlana Hazir Imam. It was the only Ismaili state in the world, with pluralistic views, and the state subjects from other Muslim faith such as Shias- Isnasharis and Sunnite Muslims were equally treated and fully respected under state regime unlike other states of Northern Areas.

The Hunza state was feudal and hierarchic in its ruling system, but same time it was very open unlike Nager state and others regions in northern areas to the external world, and several books and articles are written by the western and American travellers about the hospitality and openness of the Hunza people. The famous American novelist James Hilton and his well known fiction novel, the lost Shangri-La “the lost horizon” in 1933 who had chosen Hunza for his imaginary and ideal world for peace and tranquillity. The American lady writer Renée Taylor her famous book “Hunza Health Secret for long life and happiness” written in 1964 Englewood Cliffs New Jersey, is an another positive image of the Hunza in the world. The Burushaski is one of the world ancient language and most difficult to learn according to the world linguistics, besides the Burushaski, wakhi, Shina, and Duhmaki are also spoken in Hunza, but within Hunza, Burushaski remained a lingua -franca  and also spoken with different accents in Nager and in Yasin. The diaspora of Hunza people are in Gilgit, and in Skurdu, in the various different professions with settled life.

Mawlana Hazir Imam is the first Imam in the Ismaili history, who went to Hunza in 1960, after a hard journey from Gilgit to Hunza, in 16 hours for several hours on  by feet and also crossing hazardously the rivers by suspended bridges and cable of wires pulled by the volunteers. It was life long unforgetable souvenir and historical event for the jammat in Hunza.

The few Ismailis from Hunza who had been able to attend the Platinum  and Diamond Jubilee of the 48^th Imam Sir Sultan Mohammad Shah, in Bombay ,on their return  were honoured by the Mir of Hunza giving them the title of Al-Hajj, the same title for the muslims Pilgrimmers of the Kabah. The perilious trip from Hunza to Bombay almost was taking a month in that time. Once the delegation from Hunza with Mir Ghanzan Khan reached to Bombay and were presented to the 48^th  for blessings,  Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah assured the delegation came from Hunza after a hard and long journey, and said that “one day in near future your children will be able to travel by car to Hunza, which will be like little London”. Now, it is the blessings of the Imam of the Time that Hunza is one of the most developed area in the Northern Areas of Pakistan, where is the highest percentage of the female education. It is famous for all the visitors from all over the world, not only for its natural beauty but also for its peaceful environment, and for its openess for external world with plularistic views and respect for differences on the basis of humanity which is the real spirit of the Islam (Al Khalaq ul Ailhi) All the creation is like one family of the God. 

Contributor Karim Imamdad Belongs to Hunza and living in Paris from three decades.