Quote of the Week

“…I am convinced that the key to improving the quality of human life, both in places that are
gifted with good governments and in places that are not so fortunate, is the quality of what I
describe as Civil Society. By Civil Society I mean that array of institutions which are neither
public, nor profit driven, but which are motivated by voluntary commitments and dedicated
to the public good. They include, for example, institutions dedicated to culture, to public
information, to the environment and to religious faith. And they include, very importantly,
the fields of health and education in which you are so centrally involved. A healthy Civil
Society is a meritocratic one, where ethics are honored, and excellence is valued.”

Mawlana Hazar Imam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, February 24, 2015

Quote of the Week

“…the [Aga Khan] university must continue its vigorous commitment to improve the
professional opportunities and status of women and understanding of their situation and
problems in contemporary societies. The School of Nursing has been a leader in Pakistan and
the developing world in this regard, but we must ensure that the problems of women and the
wisdom of women permeate the work of all parts of the university.”

Mawlana Hazar Imam, Karachi, Pakistan, November 19, 1994

Quote of the Week

“…I believe that the Islamic faith has played a particular role in the development of Islamic
architectural expression. For our faith constantly reminds us to observe and be thankful for
the beauty of the world and the universe around us, and our responsibility and obligation, as
good stewards of God’s creation, to leave the world in a better condition than we found it.
The garden is, in this context, a particularly important space in Islamic cultures…”

Mawlana Hazar Imam, Ottawa, Canada, November 27, 2013

Quote of the Week

“Among other things, new technologies can help us address growing environmental
urgencies. I think, for example, of the pressing need for energy and water conservation, and
of the risks associated with climate change, weather extremes and geological instability. Used
alertly and intelligently, new technologies can help us cope with bewildering environmental
challenges.”

Mawlana Hazar Imam, Doha, Qatar, November 24, 2010

Quote of the Week FEATURED VIDE

“In Islam, the Holy Qur’an says that man is God’s noblest creation to
whom He has entrusted the stewardship of all that is on earth. Each
generation must leave for its successors an enhanced and sustainable
social and physical environment. I am sure every responsible citizen in The Patient (
University)
every part of the world would share this aspiration.”

Mawlana Hazar Imam, New Delhi, India, November 27, 2004

Quote of the Week

“Diverse peoples, sadly, can sometimes interpret their differences as threats rather than
as opportunities, defining their own identity by those they are against, rather than what
they are for. On the other hand, closer interactions in our world will also produce
wonderful new opportunities for creative cooperation, for healthy inter-dependence, for
new discovery and inspiring growth. When that happens, the opportunity to engage
with people who are different from us need not be seen as a burden, but rather, as a
blessing.”

Mawlana Hazar Imam, Lisbon, Portugal, July 10, 2018

Quote of the Week FEATURED VIDEO

“…we must become full and even leading

participants in the Knowledge Society of the Mawlana Hazar Imam hosts
21st Century. That will mean embracing the The Duke and Duchess of
values of collaboration and coordination, Cambridge
openness and partnership, choice and
diversity – which will under-gird the
Knowledge Society, learning constantly to
review and revise and renew what we think
we know – learning how to go on learning.”

Mawlana Hazar Imam, Karachi, Pakistan,

December 6, 2006

Quote of the Week

“…in the last few decades, Agricultural Society and Industrial Society have gradually
been displaced by what has been called the Knowledge Society, propelled by new digital
technology and the expansion of cyberspace. As a result, enormous social influence has
been transferred from the owners and workers of farms and factories, to those whom we
now call ‘Knowledge Workers,’ people who create and exchange information. For them,
power attaches more to ideas and values than to money or physical force. Among them,
power itself is widely dispersed.”

Mawlana Hazar Imam, Cairo, Egypt, June 15, 2006

In his 2004 address to the Leadership and Diversity Conference in Gatineau, Quebec,
Mawlana Hazar Imam spoke about preventing the failure of democracy, reminding us
that “Democracies must be educated if they are to express themselves competently, and
their electorates are to reach informed opinions about the great issues at stake.”

Educating ourselves about the key issues and political options available, and exercising
our right to vote, are important ways in which the Jamat can contribute to Canadian
democracy.

Here is how you can vote in this election.

Quote of the Week

"In my own role as Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims over the past half
century, I have come to appreciate the importance of pluralism in ever-
expanding ways. The Ismaili community, after all, is itself a global
family, spanning many geographies, cultures, languages and
ethnicities—and sharing its life with people of many faiths. In addition,
much of my work over this time has dealt with highly diverse societies
in the developing world, often suffering from poverty, violence and
despair. In such circumstances, a commitment to pluralism comes as
no accident. For pluralism, in essence, is a deliberate set of choices
that a society must make if it is to avoid costly conflict and harness the
power of its diversity in solving human problems.”

Mawlana Hazar Imam, Ottawa, Canada, October 25, 2006

Quote of the Week

“One of the challenges that has concerned me over many years, and which I have
discussed with leading Muslim thinkers, is how education for Muslims can reclaim the
inherent strengths that, at the height of their civilisations, equipped Muslim societies to
excel in diverse areas of human endeavour. Clearly the intellectual development of the
umma, is, and should remain, a central goal to be pursued with urgency if we wish the
Muslim world to regain its rightful place in world civilisation.”
Mawlana Hazar Imam, London, UK, October 19, 2003

Quote of the Week

“I believe deeply that if developing countries are to be successful in their aim of
becoming modern economies with living standards comparable to the West, we must
focus not only on universal access to education for the majority or even all of the
population. We must also make available educational opportunities at the top
international standard for the exceptional students who stand out from the rest.

Mawlana Hazar Imam, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, March 17, 2005