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

an email received "National Council, including LIF gave the following guidance from Hazar Imam. Question to Leaders - Why then are you not doing what Hazar Imam is saying below ? – For example
• They are not meeting or answering questions including Nagib and Alnaz. Those who ask are marginalised..
• They are not giving farmans, and refusing Mukhis and Waezeens to explain them or rites -ginans to the Jamat
• They are not giving the Ismaili Constitution to the Jamats
• They are not teaching or release books on our tariquah
• They are not giving annual reports of programs,or telling the Jamats how they are spending the Jamat's money given to our Institutions, for the Jamat and the Jamat’s benefit and the interest
“ NATIONAL AND REGIONAL COUNCIL PRESENTATION - GUIDANCE (FARMANS) FROM HAZAR IMAM –
For those of you who were unable to attend the joint council dialogue sessions with the JK in Vancouver last week, I was presented with the opportunity on Saturday, to listen to President Talib and the National Tariqah Chairman talk about thei experience during the meeting of all global National and Regional Council leaders that was held in Ottawa in June this year. I thought I should share the highlights with you.
Hazar Imam also provided his vision and guidance of the Jamat and our Institutions, 10 - 15 years from now:
1 Imam sees the Jamats National and International institutions as (Ismaili Centres, Global Centre for Pluralism in Ottawa, AKDN promotional and partnership activities from the Delegation of the Imamat in Ottawa, Museum and various Parks development projects
2 Ottawa waterfront, Wynford Drive Toronto, Deer Lake Park Vancouver, Edmonton) are raising a positive profile for Islam not only in the West , but to have an impact on the Ummah. Wynford Drive JK, Museum and public Park for eg. is situated in one of the most highly concentrated Muslim population in N. America .
3 Imam has great pride and confidence in the Canadian Jamat to play a leadership role in the endeavour of being able to articulate and to serve as examples of how to live the values of Islam, that are tried and tested, and avoiding those 'Occidental' values that have harmful effects on the individual, family and community as a whole.
4 Specifically Imam is referring to:
a. learning to live the concept of not separating Din and Duniya - i.e. every decision made in secular life should be in accordance with the and ethics of Islamic values for which he has provided guidance in his firmans.
b. Education - get the best available, but understand that its purpose is not for self-promotion only (the focus on individualism in the west) but first to apply it to understand Allah's creation, and then to endeavour to benefit your family, community, society and the nation.
c. He gave the example of the current financial crisis as being due to the brilliant graduates from the best schools, not thinking of the impact their decisions have had on the person on the street, but only of the company bottom-line or their corporate standing.
5 The jamat and community must learn to build an ethos of working for their collective needs in a cooperative way by building jamati institutions and capacity, and not waiting for Councils and ITREB to come up with 'programs' to meet community needs.
6 Groups (can be professional or just those with common skills or interests) can become proactive to form committees to meet needs that they see existing in the jamat to address issues of the poor who are reluctant to reveal their predicaments and are marginalized, youth marginalization, elder care, immigrant needs etc. on a volunteer basis.
7 By realizing this in our characters, interactions and dealings with non-Ismaili colleagues or business associates, and in our local and international insitutions, we can build a quiet ripple effect that will change the perception of what the real meaning of Islam is.
8 Some of the discussion then centred around how we can inform and mobilize the youth and young adults to become involved in this vision, particularly as JK attendance is very poor in this age group. Lot of input was provided from the jamat during the interactive sessions –
a. dress code
b. expectations,
c. clickiness,
d. no sense of belonging as the the JK offers little after the services, services themselves are conducted in languages they do not understand, and
e. our curriculum does a very poor job of explaining our tariquah, and the symbolism and values of our rites ceremonies and different traditional practices. Not understanding them.
9 Statistics were provided:
a. 30% of our jamat marry non-Ismailis - how can they be included in this vision.
b. 65% of the population will be over 55 years old in 10 - 15 years –
c. young adults have to be groomed into taking on leadership positions.
d. 3rd generation of an immigrant population fare poorly as they have become less motivated and to develop a sense of entitlement.
10 Where will we reach this in 10 - 15 years, and need to think of how this can be avoided.
11 Hazar Imam says that involving the youth and young professionals in development projects in the countries of their grandparent's origins might enable them to appreciate the benefits they enjoy today, and bring an element of humility into their attitudes and lives.
12 What about the rest of the guidance and more important what are the solutions and the programs to address the solutions
HOW CAN WE ADDRESS THESE ISSUES AND IMAMS GUIDELINES WHEN THE COPIES OF THIS FULL GUIDANCE IS NOT GIVEN TO THE JAMAT , WITH THE REPORTS OF THE PROGRAMS FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS, AND THE NEXT 3 YEARS ? SINCE JUNE 2012 WHY DID THEY NOT TELL US WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO DEAL WITH THIS AND SHARE A COPY OF THEIR 15 YEAR PLAN AND KEPT IT TO THEMSELVES