Theme 6 - Becoming Ambassadors - Resource Pack

JUBILEE PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES TASK FORCE
JAMATI PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES TASK FORCE

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Table of Contents

v Theme Framework
§ Overview
§ Objectives
§ Outcomes
§ Key Messages
§ Resources
§ Menu of Suggested Learning Activities

v Detailed overview along with relevant content for each of
the proposed activities for different segments.

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THEME FRAMEWORK

Theme:

Becoming Ambassadors of Islam: Understanding our Contemporary Context

Month of implementation:

June 2018 and July 2018

Introduction and Overview:

Throughout history, Muslims have held diverse interpretations of the faith of Islam. This plurality
has been motivated by an ethos, rooted in the Qur’an, of tolerance of difference both within
Islam and of those who are not Muslim. Faithful Muslims across time and geography have sought
to live by the ethics of the faith and to worship the Divine, thus presenting positive examples of
a peaceful, pluralistic face of Islam.

The misrepresentation and misperception of peoples around the world is a challenge that has
existed since the time humanity has encountered its own diversity. Since early European
exploration of the “Orient”, misrepresentations and misperceptions of the Muslim world have
flourished and found a strong foothold in contemporary society. Harmful tropes and negative
stereotypes of Muslim societies and civilizations, as well as other faith traditions, cultivated and
rooted in these early eras have survived, and continue to inform depictions of Muslims and
Muslim civilizations in mass media and culture today. Even Muslims may be ignorant of aspects
of Muslim civilizations, such as the historic diversity of interpretations, the role of the intellect
and the contributions of Muslim scholars. Equally, as a result of European colonialism and the
political and economic subjugation of parts of Africa and Asia, anti-Western sentiments have
developed among some segments of Muslim societies, also rooted in stereotypes of the Western
world.

Today, the challenge of countering these negative and harmful misperceptions has become more
pronounced than ever before. The nature of the contemporary global environment is one in
which the extreme actions and views of a minority can rapidly define and represent the character
of the majority. Encounters with difference, due to the mass travel and movement of people of
different backgrounds are more common today than ever before. One reaction to these
encounters has been the retreat into comforting spheres of familiarity, where the “other” is
ostracized, and complex cultural and religious histories reduced to crude and cruel caricatures.
This reaction can be attributed in part to fear and ignorance, and to particular global political and
economic circumstances, not to profound theological difference.

In His Address to Both Houses of Parliament in Ottawa, Canada on February 27th 2014, Mawlana
Hazar Imam remarked,

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“When the clashes of modern times have come, they have most often grown out of
particular political circumstances, the twists and turns of power relationships and
economic ambitions, rather than deep theological divides. Yet sadly, what is highly
abnormal in the Islamic world gets mistaken for what is normal. Of course, media
perceptions of our world in recent years have often been conveyed through a lens of
war. But that is all the more reason to shape global conversation in a more informed
direction.”

In today’s polarizing global environment, it becomes easy for some to regard these
misperceptions as symptomatic of a more deeply rooted and inevitable conflict or “clash of
civilizations” between the Muslim and non-Muslim world. Yet such a view is problematic in that
on the one hand it assumes a profoundly simplistic and reductionist view of both Western and
Muslim society while imbuing each of these “civilizations” with an inherently violent and
conflictual nature character on the other. Thinking and acting in false dichotomies can be
harmful. Mawlana Hazar Imam in delivering the Samuel L. and Elizabeth Jodidi Lecture at Harvard
University on November 12th, 2005 cautioned that:

“It is perhaps in our nature to see life as a series of choices between sharply defined
dualities, but in fact life is more often a matter of avoiding false dichotomies, which can
lead to dangerous extremes. The truth of the matter is that we can address the
dysfunctions of fragmentation without obscuring the values of diversity.”

What has been defined as a “clash of civilizations” may perhaps be better described as a “clash
of ignorance.” In His Address to the Global Philanthropy Forum on April 23rd, 2009, Mawlana
Hazar Imam explained,

“The relationship of these two worlds is a subject of considerable importance for me —
a relationship which some define, regrettably, as an inevitable Clash of Civilizations. My
own observation, however — and my deep conviction — is that we can more accurately
describe it as a Clash of Ignorances. It is not my purpose tonight to detail the
misunderstandings which have plagued this relationship. Let me only submit that
educational systems on both sides have failed mightily in this regard, and so have some
religious institutions. That at this time in human history, the Judeo Christian and Muslim
societies should know so little about one another never ceases to astonish, to stun and
to pain me.”

An additional challenge, particularly faced in Muslim societies, but also by Muslims living in the
Western world, is related to how Muslims perceive other communities of interpretation in Islam.
Quite often this is the more immediate form of ‘other’ that is encountered in Muslim societies,
wherein members of diverse interpretations of Islam are also viewed through stereotypes and
misperceptions. This diversity includes historically-rooted differences in models of authority that
emerged after the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), diversity in interpretations of
founding vision of Islam, and the wide variety of forms of prayer and rituals as well as the spaces
in which various communities gather in to engage in such acts of worship. Learning more about
other Muslims and their beliefs through a stance of humility and lens of empathy can help to
break stereotypes and to see other Muslims as seeking to sincerely practice the faith, especially

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when we recognize the commonalities that are held between communities. These include a belief
in the oneness of Allah, the Prophethood of Muhammad, the revelation of the Qur’an as Divine
guidance, the endeavor to live by the ethics of the faith, and to engage in acts of piety and
worship of Allah.

How then do we respond to the challenges of misrepresentation and misperception? A
confident and competent response requires at least three deeply interrelated elements. The first
element is possessing a strong grounding and literacy in the faith so that we are able to
confidently speak about the rich diversity - both historical and contemporary - that exists in Islam.
This will enable demolishing monolithic constructs that view Islam in an antithetical and polarized
manner from other civilizations and traditions. Such a critical and intellectually informed outlook
will also enable one to contextualize isolated and “ugly” acts of violence and intolerance
perpetuated in the name of the faith of Islam to their actual political, ideological, and socio-
economical roots, “causes” and impulses.

The second element is to understand, appreciate and support the work of the Ismaili Imamat
and its various institutions which try to combat the “clash of ignorance”, enhance quality of life,
mutual understanding and nurture a pluralistic ethos. In this regard, we need to understand,
appreciate and be able to articulate the ethical framework and principles animating and
informing the work of the Imamat, including the AKDN that is rooted in a shared Muslim history
and universal “cosmopolitan” ethic.

The third and final element is to actively and confidently live, think, and act in accordance with
these ethics and values in our everyday lives. In addition to showing a real commitment to engage
in dialogue, demonstrating and being true to our values is one of the most effective and powerful
ways of being “silent ambassadors” of our faith!

Relevant to Western contexts and the challenges of misperceptions of Islam, Mawlana Hazar
Imam has provided guidance on how we may best achieve this goal in a Farman made in Houston,
Texas in 2002 left us the following responsibilities and trust:

“It is important, therefore, that as you look ahead, to your lives in the United States,
every day, every hour, in your actions, in what you do, you should show a different face
of Islam, that you should show the face of Islam which is of peace, which is of generosity,
which is of care for society. This is a message which my Jamat in the United States can
convey, by each and every one of you in your personal lives being the ambassador of
our faith and our tariqah. This is an opportunity to convey a new image, to explain, to
help people who are not Muslim understand the meaning of Islam.”

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Similarly, in majority Muslim contexts and the challenges of misperceptions of the Muslim
‘other’, Mawlana Hazar Imam has also provided guidance on how to achieve peace and unity in
an Irshad made in Al-Khawabi, Syria in 2001:

“The Shahada, La-illaha-Illallah-Muhammadur-Rasullilah — binds a thousand million
people who, over the centuries, have come to live in different cultures, speak different
languages, live in different political contexts, and who differentiate in some
interpretations of their faith. Within the Ummah, the Ismaili Jamat reflects much of the
same pluralism. The plurality of the Muslim world is not just an irreversible historical
fact, but it is a strength for which we must be grateful, and a strength that must be
continuously harnessed to the building of the future within the ethics of Islam. Any
differences must be resolved through tolerance, through understanding, through
compassion, through dialogue, through forgiveness, through generosity, all of which
represent the ethics of Islam.”

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Objectives:

The JPA task force strives to nurture a sense of reflection and gratitude to Imam-e-Zaman for his
bounties and favors upon us over the past six decades and strengthen our love and loyalty
towards him. This theme focuses on the important need and role within the Jamat to become
effective Ambassadors of Islam, a role which Mawlana Hazar Imam has asked us to undertake.
The theme strives to:

§ Foster a better understanding of the rich historical and contemporary diversity of the
various interpretations, expressions and cultures that make up Muslim Civilizations,
including the diversity that exists within the Shia Imami Ismaili traditions.

§ Reinforce the pluralistic ethos of the Qur’an, making reference to the notions of common
humanity, shared heritages, ideals and values and a cosmopolitan ethic.

§ Nurture a better understanding and appreciation of key factors and forces, as well as the
historical and contemporary root causes that have influenced and impacted mainstream
perceptions of Islam.

§ Provide tools and resources (intellectual, frameworks, content, and approaches) to
enable capacity building (especially with key segments) for rationally, confidently and
comfortably responding the “Clash of Ignorance” (being ambassadors).

§ Understand how the work and institutions of the AKDN and the Ismaili Imamat reflect,
and are guided by an ethical framework that is rooted in a shared Muslim history and
appreciate the plurality of mediums through which the values and ethics of Islam can be
demonstrated, including through art and architecture, the built environment, music,
education etc.

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Expected Outcomes:

By the end of this theme, the global Jamat should have meaningfully engaged with ourselves and
the Imamat via the work of Imam-e-Zaman. In so doing, the Jamat should:

v Have an increased understanding that:
§ The Muslim Ummah is diverse and includes a plurality of communities of
interpretation.
§ The historical and contemporary causes and forces that have resulted in the mutual
Clash of Ignorance that exists between the Western world and the Muslim world,
are rooted in misperceptions and misrepresentations of one another.
§ The values and ethics of the Ismaili Tariqah are rooted within a common and shared
Muslim heritage.
§ These same values and ethics are reflected in contemporary society through the life
of the Imam, and the work of his institutions.
§ We have an obligation to think, live and act in accordance with these values and
ethics throughout our everyday lives.

v Have the capacity to articulate:
· The diversity of the Muslim Ummah and its various communities of interpretation.
· The diversity of traditions within the Ismaili Tariqah.
· These historical and contemporary misconceptions and misperceptions of Islam and
are often the product of political and economic circumstance rather than theological
difference.
· How the values and ethics of the Ismaili Tariqah are part of a shared and common
Muslim history.
· Historical examples from both Sunni and Shia traditions that demonstrate the values
and ethics of Islam.
· How the values and ethics of Islam are embedded and reflected in the contemporary
work and institutions of the AKDN and the Ismaili Imamat.

v Be motivated to reflect or take action by:
· Living the ethics and values of our faith in our everyday lives as a way to act as an
ambassador of Islam.
§ Supporting the work of the Imamat institutions in addressing the Clash of Ignorance

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Key Messages:

Importance of Understanding and Articulating the Historical and Contemporary Diversity of
the Muslim Ummah:

§ A critical intellectual tool to combat stereotypes and false constructs regarding “Islam” and “Muslims”
is to deconstruct and challenge the myth of “Islam” and “Muslims” as monoliths and singular static
entities.

§ Instead, the rich historical and contemporary diversity (geography, language, culture, contexts,
interpretations, expressions etc) existing within the Ummah needs to be noted and highlighted:

“The news-capturing power of this trend contributes to the Western tendency to perceive all Muslims
or their societies as a homogenous mass of people living in some undefined theocratic space, a single
"other" evolving elsewhere. And yet with a Muslim majority in some 44 countries and nearly a quarter
of the globe's population, it should be evident that our world cannot be made up of identical people,
sharing identical goals, motivations or interpretations of the faith. It is a world in itself, vast and varied
in its aspirations and its concerns. Is there not something intellectually uncouth about those who
choose to perceive one billion people of any faith as a standardised mass?

…From the seventh century to the thirteenth century, the Muslim civilisations dominated world culture,
accepting, adopting, using and preserving all preceding study of mathematics, philosophy, medicine
and astronomy, among other areas of learning. The Islamic field of thought and knowledge included
and added to much of the information on which all civilisations are founded. And yet this fact is seldom
acknowledged today, be it in the West or in the Muslim world, and this amnesia has left a six hundred
year gap in the history of human thought.” [Baccalaureate Address at Brown University, May 26,
1996]

§ The principle of diversity both in creation and within the Muslim Ummah is a divine blessing that is
rooted in the Qur’an.

“O mankind, be careful of your duty to your Lord, who created you from a single soul and created from
it its mate and from them twain hath spread abroad a multitude of men and women. And fear Allah,
through whom you ask one another, and the wombs. Indeed Allah is ever, over you, an Observer.”[4:1].

“It is in that spirit that we can nurture bonds of confidence across different peoples and unique
individuals, welcoming the growing diversity of our world, even in matters of faith, as a gift of the
Divine. Difference, in this context, can become an opportunity – not a threat – a blessing rather than
a burden.” [The 88th Stephen Ogden Lecture, at Brown University, March 10, 2014]

§ Contrary to popular representations of Islam as the intolerant “other”, Muslim Civilizations bear
testimony (by and large) to a history of inclusivity and pluralism:

“This lack of knowledge and appreciation of the civilizations of the Muslim world is a major factor that
colors media stereotypes, by concentrating on political hotspots in the Muslim world, and referring to
organisations as terrorist and Islamic first, and only obliquely, if at all, to their national origins or
political goals. No wonder that the bogey of Islam as a monolith, irreconcilable to the values of the
West or, worse, as a seedbed of violence, lurks behind its depiction as being both opposed to, and
incapable of, pluralism. This image flies directly in the face of the respect that Islam's cherished
scripture confers upon believers in monotheistic traditions, calling upon Muslims to engage with them

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in the finest manner, and with wisdom. History is replete with illustrations where Muslims have
entrusted their most treasured possessions, even members of their families, to the care of Christians.
Muslim willingness to learn from Jewish erudition in medicine, statecraft and other realms of
knowledge, is well exemplified by the place of honour accorded Jewish scholars at the court of the
Fatimid Imam-Caliphs of Egypt…” [Keynote Address to the Governor General's 2004 Canadian
Leadership Conference: 'Leadership and Diversity', Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, May 19, 2004]

Understanding the Historical and Contemporary Factors that have Influenced Negative
Representations and Perceptions of Islam

§ The misrepresentation of people, including Muslims is not a new phenomenon. It is a challenge that
Muslims societies have faced for centuries.

o Since early European exploration of the East (“Orient”), misperceptions of the Muslim world
have flourished and found a strong foothold in today’s society.

o Harmful stereotypes of Muslim societies in these early times have survived, and continue to
inform modern depictions of Muslims in mass media and culture.

§ Every society and faith has had, at some point in history, movements that hold “exclusivist”
interpretations and engage in violence and terrorism. These movements emerge in specific historic
circumstances and are products of a complex array of issues within the contexts in which they are set.

§ Rarely, if ever, are these movements simply about religion or religious interpretation. Often, they are
motivated by the political, ideological and socio-economic interests of diverse peoples, and are
products of deeply complex situations.

“We all need to take a closer look to comprehend the reasons behind terrorism. Unfortunately, far too
little attention has been paid to this until now. Terrorism has many causes. Poverty, underdevelopment
and despair are without doubt among the most important causes. And unsolved political conflicts
dating back decades can nearly always be found in the background. If you take Kashmir or
Afghanistan, Iraq or Palestine: colonialism, cold war and other political disputes have left their mark.
One can hardly blame Islam for this. Religion has been added on to the political conflicts, to lend
greater legitimacy to personal interests. But the original conflicts themselves have nothing to do with
Islam. This is a very important difference if want to take the trouble to understand things.”
[Mawlana Hazar Imam in an Interview with Peter Hahne, Essen Germany, 2015]

§ The global media also has a significant role to play in terms of shaping how people view Muslims

o Muslim world is often reported on through a lens of war or “crisis reporting”- which creates
a perception that the Muslim world is violent and constantly in conflict.

o Only the exceptional events are reported (consumed in 30 second sound bites without full
context) and not the everyday picture of the Muslim world. This shapes perceptions in the
minds of media consumers over time.

“When developments in Islamic societies break into the headlines, few journalists, and even fewer of
their readers can bring the slightest sense of context to such news. These failures are compounded by
our pernicious dependence on what I call crisis reporting – the inclination to define news primarily as
that which is abnormal and disruptive. As one journalist puts it: ‘It is the exceptional cat, the one who

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climbs up in a tree and can’t get down, that dominates our headlines, and not the millions of cats who
are sleeping happily at home’… Unfortunately, much of what the world thinks about Islam nowadays
has been the result of crisis reporting.” [Commonwealth Press Union Conference, Cape Town, South
Africa, October 17, 1996]

§ At the heart of the issue is the fundamental gap in education and mutual ignorance rather than an
inherent clash of values, principles or civilizations.

“We have heard predictions for some years now about some inevitable clash of the industrial West
with the Muslim world. These multiplied, of course, in the wake of the 9/11 tragedies and other violent
episodes. But most Muslims don’t think that way; only an extreme minority does. For most of us, there
is singularly little in our theology that would clash with the other Abrahamic faiths, with Christianity
and Judaism. And there is much more in harmony. What has happened to the Islamic tradition that
says that our best friends will be from the other Abrahamic Faiths, known as the “People of the Book”,
all of whose faith builds on monotheistic revelation? Of course, much of what the West has seen about
the Muslim world in recent years has been through a media lens of instability and confrontation. What
is highly abnormal in the Islamic world thus often gets mistaken for what is normal. But that is all the
more reason for us to work from all directions to replace fearful ignorance with empathetic
knowledge” [Stephen Ogden Lecture Delivered by Mawlana Hazar Imam at Brown University on 10
March 2014]

A Clash of Ignorance rather than a Clash of Civilizations

§ Understanding that the relationship between the West and the Muslim world is one that can be
characterized as a “Clash of Ignorance” rather than a “Clash of Civilizations” helps us in understanding
that education is a powerful tool that can help span knowledge and empathy gaps that may exist
between the different worlds.

§ In today’s polarizing global environment, it becomes easy for some to regard misperceptions about
Islam as symptomatic of a more deeply rooted and inevitable conflict or “clash of civilizations”
between the Muslim and non-Muslim world. What has often been referred to as a clash of
civilizations can be better understood, as has been repeatedly articulated by Mawlana Hazar Imam,
as a “clash of ignorance”

“Some years ago, Professor Samuel Huntington warned of an impending “clash of civilisations”
between the West and the Islamic world as the next great confrontation following the end of the Cold
War. My position is somewhat different… What we are now witnessing is a clash of ignorance, an
ignorance that is mutual, longstanding, and to which the West and the Islamic world have been blind
for decades at their great peril.

For a number of years I have voiced my concern that the faith of a billion people is not part of the
general education process in the West - ignored by school and college curricula in history, the sciences,
philosophy and geography. An important goal of responsible education should be to ring fence the
theologising of the image of the Muslim world by treating Muslims as it treats Christians and Jews, by
going beyond a focus on theology to considering civil society, politics, and economics of particular
countries and peoples at various points in their history. This will reveal the fundamental diversity and
pluralism of Muslim peoples, cultures, histories, philosophies and legal systems.”

[Mawlana Hazar Imam at Banquet in Honour of Governor Perry, Houston, USA, June 23, 2002]

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§ There is a lack of understanding on the part of both the Muslim and non-Muslim worlds about each
other.

“Let me only submit that educational systems on both sides have failed mightily in this regard – and
so have some religious institutions. That- at this time in human history- the Judeo Christian and Muslim
societies should know so little about one another never ceases to astonish – to stun – and to pain me.“
[Mawlana Hazar Imam at the Global Philanthropy Forum 23 April 2009]

“This lack of knowledge and appreciation of the civilizations of the Muslim world is a major factor that
colors media stereotypes, by concentrating on political hotspots in the Muslim world, and referring to
organisations as terrorist and Islamic first, and only obliquely, if at all, to their national origins or
political goals. No wonder that the bogey of Islam as a monolith, irreconcilable to the values of the
West or, worse, as a seedbed of violence, lurks behind its depiction as being both opposed to, and
incapable of, pluralism.” [Leadership and Diversity Conference, Gatineau, Canada, May 19, 2004]

§ Critical for all of us (Institutions and individuals) is to fill the “knowledge gap”

“Too often, as the world grows more complex, the temptation for some is to shield themselves from
complexity, we seek the comfort of our own simplicities, our own specialities. As has often been said,
we risk learning more and more, about less and less. And the result is that significant knowledge gaps
can develop and persist. The danger is that knowledge gaps so often run the risk of becoming empathy
gaps. The struggle to remain empathetically open to the Other in a diversifying world is a continuing
struggle of central importance for all of us. The danger of having knowledge gaps grow into empathy
gaps – that was the theme of my address in 1996. I discussed then what was becoming an enormous
knowledge gap, nearly an ignorance gap, between the worlds of Islam and the non-Muslim world.”
[Stephen Ogden Lecture Delivered by Mawlana Hazar Imam at Brown University 10 March 2014]

§ Enhancing Education (basic religious literacy) is the antidote to many of the issues plaguing peaceful
co-existence:

“If we can commit ourselves, on all sides, to that objective, then the current crisis could become an
educational opportunity—an occasion for enhanced awareness and broadened perspectives.
Ignorance, arrogance, insensitivity—these attitudes rank high among the great public enemies of
our time. And the educational enterprise, at its best, can be an effective antidote to all of them.”

[Remarks by Mawlana Hazar Imam at Evora University Symposium: "Cosmopolitan Society, Human
Safety and Rights in Plural and Peaceful Societies" Evora, Portugal, 12 February 2006]

Responses of the Ismaili Imamat (Institutional) to the Clash of Ignorance and Promoting
Peaceful Coexistence (Pluralism)

§ Over the course of his Imamat, Mawlana Hazar Imam has worked tirelessly through his words, action
and creation of institutions to dispel ignorance and promote pluralism.

§ The work and institutions of the AKDN and the Ismaili Imamat reflect, and are guided by an ethical
framework that is rooted in a shared Muslim history.

§ The Ismaili Imamat has developed a number of institutions that aim to educate the diversity and
history of Islam and through their work, programmes and architecture exhibit the values of the faith.

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Some of these institutions include the Aga Khan Museum, the Ismaili Centers, the Global Centre for
Pluralism, and the Institute of Ismaili Studies.

§ The Institutions of the Ismaili Imamat utilize a plurality of mediums through which the values and
ethics of Islam can be expressed, including art and architecture, the built environment, music,
education etc.

§ Knowing where, and how the Institutions of the Ismaili Imamat express this common ethical
framework is essential in equipping us with the resources necessary to act and serve as ambassadors
of Islam. The following are examples of the work of the Ismaili Imamat that are ambassadorial in
nature, and which we can use as tools to help us articulate the key values of Islam as we, too, seek to
become ambassadors of our faith.

The Ismaili Centres: Ambassadorial buildings

§ They are symbolic markers of the permanent presence of the Ismaili community in the regions in
which they are established. Architecturally unique, each building incorporates spaces for social and
cultural gatherings, intellectual engagement and reflection, as well as spiritual contemplation.

§ They serve as ambassadorial hubs, representing the Ismaili community's attitude towards the Muslim
faith and modern life, while extending a hand of friendship and understanding to enhance
relationships among faith communities, government and civil society.

§ Through their design and function, the Ismaili Centres reflect a mood of humility, forward outlook,
friendship and dialogue. They facilitate the promotion of cultural, educational and social programmes
from the broadest, non-denominational perspectives within the ethical framework of Islam.

§ A central purpose of the Ismaili Centres is to encourage mutual exchanges and understanding
between diverse peoples, communities and faiths. The Centres are, therefore, not only places for
spiritual search, but also spaces for broadening intellectual horizons and fostering an appreciation of
pluralism.

“We saw them as structures where we could receive other communities and institutions in a dignified
manner, and where we could demystify our faith - which was sometimes badly misunderstood.”
[Mawlana Hazar Imam, Ottawa, Canada, November 27, 2013]

“We will seek to demonstrate that spiritual insight and worldly knowledge are not separate or
opposing realms, but that they must always nourish one another, and that the world of faith and the
material world are the dual responsibilities of humankind” [Mawlana Hazar Imam, Opening of the
Ismaili Centre, Dushanbe, Tajikistan, October 12, 2009]

Aga Khan Museum

“Despite the advances we have witnessed through improved technology and through globalisation, a
knowledge gap continues to exist and perhaps even grow, and the result of that gap is a vacuum within
which myths and stereotypes can so easily fester, fed by the amplification of extreme minority voices.
Symbols become confused with emblems. Images of demagoguery or despotism, of intolerance and
conflict, come to dominate in such an environment with global repercussions. That context is precisely
the reason that the potential contribution of an institution such as the Aga Khan Museum can be so
important. I believe strongly that art and culture can have a profound impact in healing
misunderstanding and in fostering trust even across great divides. This is the extraordinary purpose,
the special mandate, to which this Museum is dedicated. In its role to reveal and to stimulate dialogue

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between different cultures, the Aga Khan Museum will continue a long history of cultural sharing
between Islam and the West.” [Speech Made by Prince Amyn Aga Khan at the Opening of the Aga
Khan Museum in Toronto, 12 September 2014]

“The Museum's focus on the arts of Islam will make it a unique institution in North America,
contributing to a better understanding of Islamic civilisations – and especially of the plurality within
Islam and of Islam's relationship to other traditions… In a world in which some speak of a growing
clash of civilisations, we believe the Museum will help address what is not so much a clash of
civilisations, as it is a clash of ignorances.” [Mawlana Hazar Imam, Toronto, May 28, 2010]

“This brings me to Toledo which has so successfully preserved, over many centuries, the evidence of its
three-fold culture: magnificent churches, synagogues and mosques. This was an era when each of
these cultures, Christian, Jewish and Muslim, retained its independent identity while all worked and
came together in a glorious intellectual and spiritual adventure. The legacy was a truly enabling
environment conducive to prosperity, harmony, scientific discovery, philosophical insights and artistic
flowering - all the defining features of a thriving civilisation”. [Mawlana Hazar Imam, Toledo, Spain,
March 2, 2006]

Educational institutions

§ Institutions like the IIS and AKU’S ISMC engage in scholarship, publication, curriculum development,
and educational programs, through which they educate the Jamat and others about the rich history
and diversity of Muslim civilizations, the ethics and values of Islam, and various other aspects of Islam
and Muslim culture with an aim to increase the religious literacy of people, so that they are able to
comfortably and confidently articulate informed responses to the misperceptions of out there.

Individual Responses- Being Ambassadors

§ We can play the role of ambassadors by (i) engaging in constructive dialogue and (ii) by demonstrating
and living by the values of our Faith

§ We must show a real commitment to engaging in dialogue - to helping people understand that Islam
is a peaceful and pluralistic religion, with a wide diversity within the Ummah.

§ Rather than backing away from a discussion, engage in it as per guidance of Mawlana Hazar Imam:

“… So I say to you today … Stand up, do not run away. Speak openly and frankly about what is our
interpretation of Islam.” [Farman, Dar-es-Salaam, July 17, 2002]

“You, probably more than any other people in Canada from my Jamat, in other words, this age group,
is open to questions about militant Islam – about whether Muslims are totally uncivilized, about
whether Islamic law means doing terrible things everyday all one’s life – and I say to my Student Jamat:
don’t fail Islam. Don’t react, because these comments are comments from people totally unaware of
the meaning of Islam, of the practice of Islam and what is causing this situation. And tonight, I will be
speaking publicly about the misperception of Islam in the Western World and it seems to me that you,
as the elite of the educated in my Jamat, have a unique occasion to demonstrate that Islam is not
revolution, Islam is not hate, Islam is not vengeance – it is something totally different. But react
maturely, intelligently and wisely because the perception of Islam in the Western World is going to be,
for you important, for your children, much more important.

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Therefore, I say to my Student Jamat, today, don’t respond to these sort of challenges. On the contrary,
correct people who are misinformed and do it kindly, and do it with a sense of dignity because a lot of
times, people are just basically ill-informed.” [Farman, Students Mulaqat, Toronto, April 27, 1983]1
§ Living in accordance with the ethics of our faith is a powerful way in which we can act as
ambassadors of Islam in our everyday of our lives.
“.. It is important, therefore, that as you look ahead, to your lives in the United States, everyday, every
hour, in your actions, in what you do, you should show a different face of Islam, that you should show
the face of Islam which is of peace, which is of generosity, which is of care for society. This is a message
which my Jamat in the United States can convey, by each and every one of you in your personal lives
being the ambassador of our faith and our tariqah. This is an opportunity to convey a new image, to
explain, to help people who are not Muslim understand the meaning of Islam.”[Houston, Texas on
June 24, 2002]

1 This Farman is authorized for reading in Canada only. As the Farman is not part of a Jamati readout but enriching
and reinforcing the key messages it is hereby provided

15

BACKGROUND RESOURCES
Becoming Ambassadors of Islam: Understanding our Contemporary Context

Stereotypes of Muslims and the West

· Edward W. Said, Orientalism (1979)
· Karim H. Karim, “The Historical Resilience of Primary Stereotypes: Core Images of the

Muslim Other” (1997)
· Carl W. Ernst, “Introduction: Islamophobia in America” (2013)
· Ameer Ali, “From Islamophobia to Westophobia: The Long Road to Radical Islamism”

(2016)
· Kelly Devine Thomas, Book Review of Occidentalism: The West in the Eyes of Its Enemies

(2007)

The Clash of Civilizations and Responses

· Samuel P. Huntington, “The Clash of Civilizations?” (1993)
· Edward W. Said, “The Clash of Ignorance” (2001)
· Azim Nanji, “Beyond the Clash of Civilizations” (2001)
· Carl W. Ernst, “‘The West and Islam?’: Rethinking Orientalism and Occidentalism” (2010)
· Aleem Karmali, “Material Culture's Role in Dispelling the 'Clash of Civilisations' Theory”

(2015)

Religion, Violence, Peace and Pluralism

· Rabbi Alan Lurie, “Is Religion the Cause of Most Wars?” (2012)
· Karen Armstrong, “The Myth of Religious Violence” (2014)
· Karen Armstrong, “The True, Peaceful Face of Islam” (2001)
· Karim H. Karim, “Violence and the Media: Islamic Peril (chapter 1)” (2003)
· Ali S. Asani, “On Pluralism, Intolerance, and the Qur’an” (2002)
· John L. Esposito, “Islam and Other Religions: What Everyone Needs to Know About

Islam”
· Shams Vellani, “What is the Contribution of Religions to Peace?” (2000)
· Craig Considine, “Religious Pluralism and Civic Rights in a “Muslim Nation”: An Analysis

of Prophet Muhammad’s Covenants with Christians” (2016)
· Ali S. Asani, “Enhancing Religious Literacy in a Liberal Arts Education through the Study

of Islam and Muslim Societies” (2011)

16

Speeches and Interviews of Mawlana Hazar Imam
· Clash of Ignorance / 9-11 response: Banquet hosted in honour of Governor Perry, 2002
· Media Representations of Islam: Commonwealth Press Union Conference,1996
· Misperceptions of Islam: Opening Ceremony of the Ismaili Centre, Burnaby, 1985
· Clash of Ignorance / “Cartoon Controversy” response: Evora University Symposium,
2006
· Pluralism: “Tolerance” Award at the Tutzing Evangelical Academy, 2006
· Pluralism / Fragmented world: Stephen Ogden Lecture at Brown University, 2014
· Aga Khan Museum’s Role in Clash of Ignorance: The 'Musée-Musées' round table, 2007
· Relationship of Islam and the West / Terrorism: Interview with Deutsche Welle, 2004
· Clash of Ignorance / Terrorism: Interview with CBC, 2006

TEDx Talk
· Shafique Virani: “Confronting the Clash of Ignorance”

17

Menu of Suggested Activities:

· The table that follows provides an overview of the activities designed for the diverse
segments of the Jamat to enable achievement of the outcomes developed.

· A variety of platforms, modalities and avenues, both traditional and new (utilizing current
technology) are included to ensure that we engage with maximum number of murids
across the globe.

· While specific activities have been inserted and suggested for particular segments, their
utilization does not need to be confined only to that group but can creatively be adapted
for multiple other segments, platforms and pathways.

· The ITF cluster heads will work with the NTFs of each country to ensure appropriate
tailoring of the activities to suit their respective contexts and provide any additional
support and resources required to enable successful implementation.

· It is understood that more activities are provided than each country will be able to deliver
in a two month window. As such, activities that are expected to be implemented for the
general Jamat as a bare minimum are shaded in the table. Additionally, each country
should aim to deliver, at the very least, one activity per age segment, and multiple
activities for the general Jamat.

· For the column under outcomes (of the table) that each activity aspires to accomplish, a
number is provided rather full text of each outcome (repeated) to ensure ease of reading.
The numbers correspond to the following outcomes:

· By the end of this theme, the global Jamat should have meaningfully engaged with
ourselves and the Imamat via the work of Imam-e-Zaman. In so doing, the Jamat should:

v Have an increased understanding that:

1.1 The Muslim Ummah is diverse and includes a plurality of communities of
interpretation.

1.2 The historical and contemporary causes and forces that have resulted in the mutual
Clash of Ignorance that exists between the Western world and the Muslim world,
are rooted in misperceptions and misrepresentations of one another.

1.3 The values and ethics of the Ismaili Tariqah can be rooted within common and
shared Muslim heritage.

1.4 These same values and ethics are reflected in contemporary society through the life
of the Imam, and the work of his institutions.

1.5 We have an obligation to think, live and act in accordance with these values and
ethics throughout our everyday lives.

18

v Have the capacity to articulate:
2.1 The diversity of the Muslim Ummah and its various communities of interpretation.
2.2 The diversity of traditions within the Ismaili Tariqah.
2.3 The historical and contemporary causes and forces that have encouraged and
resulted in misperceptions and misrepresentations about Islam and Muslims.
2.4 How the values and ethics of the Ismaili Tariqah are part of a shared and common
Muslim history.
2.5 Historical examples from both Sunni and Shia traditions that demonstrate the values
and ethics of Islam.
2.6 How the values and ethics of Islam are embedded and reflected in the contemporary
work and institutions of the AKDN and the Ismaili Imamat.

v Be motivated to reflect or take action by:
3.1Living the ethics and values of our faith in our everyday lives as a way to act as an
ambassador of Islam
3.2Supporting the work of the Imamat institutions in addressing the Clash of Ignorance

19

Menu of Suggested Activities2

Segment: Jamat

Engagement Details Outcomes Resources Provided
Activities
Series of 5 Readouts: 1, 2, 3 § Texts of 5 Readouts
JK Readings3 § Misperceptions and Misrepresentations § Texts of 4 Reflection

Engagement of Islam Readings
Seminar: § Clash of Ignorance and the Education

Gap
§ Understanding Violence Committed in

the Name of Islam
§ Being Ambassadors of Islam
§ Responses of the Ismaili Imamat to the

Clash of Ignorance and Promoting More
Peaceful Coexistence

Series of 4 Reflections Readings
· Consisting primarily of words of MHI

(Speech and Farman excerpts)
· Readouts to be translated into multiple

languages.
· To be implemented across all JKs on

high attendance days
· The above can easily be implemented

(without any specialized resources)
across all JKs and regions.

· Becoming Ambassadors of Islam: 1, 2, 3 § PPT slide deck with
Understanding Our Contemporary
Context - Engagement Seminar facilitator notes
§ Activity handouts
· Multi-media and interactive session to be led by
experienced facilitators provided
§ Video clips
· The content of this seminar is very relevant and
inviting for the youth, post-secondary, adult embedded/link
professionals and mixed families
provided
· Can be creatively delivered in a variety of ways
and venues i.e. brunch & networking event for
professionals, camp setting etc

· Can be taped or webcast to isolated Jamats

2 Further details and texts of content (i.e. readouts etc.) provided and fleshed out in next section of this document.
For very large PPT files – links are provided to download for review.
3 Can also be adapted and utilised at: campus JKs (if relevant); reading circles and discussion; RE classes; teachers;
waezeen and other educators can utilize in their engagement opportunities. The Reflections pieces (consisting of
Speech & Farman excerpts of Mawlana Hazar Imam) are ideal for smaller discussion groups after JK or in the RE
class, camp setting, etc.

20

Video, Chai and § Jamat to watch a short video clip 1.2 – 1.5 § 3 Videos
Chat 2.3 § PPT slides
and then have a discussion. 3.2 § List of Questions
§ Choice of 3 videos provided
§ Can be easily undertaken – without § PPT Slides
§ Activity Overview
specialized resources- for variety of § AKM Handout

segments-especially, youth, young § Activity guidelines
§ Links to resources
adults/professionals, mixed families, § Activity guidelines
§ Links to resources
even seniors
§ Activity guidelines
Museum § Deepen understanding of How 1.1, 1.4, § Links to resources
Objects Activity Museum Objects help respond to the 1.5 § Activity guidelines
Clash of Ignorance 2.1, 2.4, § Links to resources
2.5, 3.2 § Activity guidelines
§ Links to resources
Segment: ECD/Primary § Activity guidelines
§ Links to resources
I am an Ismaili § Reading, singing and discussing 1.3-1.5
3.1-3.2
Muslim § Reflections on values of Islam

I.S.M.A.I.L.I § Exploring unity and diversity in Islam 1.1, 1.3,
1.5, 2.1,
2.4, 3.4

This is Me § Exploring ethics and values 1.1-1.3
§ Sharing these values 3.1- 3.2

Precious Gems § Reflections on guidance of MHI re 1.1-1.5
values, pluralism, living our faith

The Best Part of § Exploring individual diversity and 1.1-1.5
Me common ground & shared values

Engaging § Speech discussion-GCP 3.1-3.2
Identities § How to put these values in action

21

Segment: Secondary/Youth

Ambassadors of § Creating mind maps- re what it 1, 2, 3 § Activity guidelines
Islam § Links to resources
means to be an Ismaili Muslim today § As above
Engagement § Discussion on how above relates to · As above
Seminar: · As above
being ambassadors of our faith
§ As above · As above

Video, Chai & § As above · As above
Chat:

Museum § As above

Objects Activity

Segment: Seniors

Engagement As above
Seminar (in
Gujarati or Farsi

Video, Chai & · As above
Chat: tailored to
needs of
segment

22

Detailed Contents (texts/resources) and
Overview of Each Activity

23

Jamatkhana Readings
Jamatkhana Readings Consisting of:

· 5 Readouts
· 4 Reflections

24

Readout #1: Misperceptions and Misrepresentations of Islam

This evening we will begin an exploration of the sixth Diamond Jubilee International Education
Theme titled Becoming Ambassadors of Islam: Understanding our Contemporary Context.

Today, we live in a world of mass media and new communications technology that make the
spread of information, pictures, and videos easier and faster than ever before. These
technologies bring benefits and disadvantages. They have allowed for the sharing of new
information and new knowledge, but at the same time they have made the spread of
misinformation easier.

In the global media, Islam and Muslim societies are frequently linked with acts of violence,
terrorism, and the oppression of women that do not represent the true character of Islam. These
misrepresentations, when left unchecked and uncorrected, easily lead to feelings of suspicion,
animosity, fear and hostility.

Mawlana Hazar Imam has often described this lack of understanding as a mutual problem
between the West and the Muslim world. In many Muslim societies, ignorance and stereotypes
about the West also exist, which can feed into anti-Western sentiments. In extreme cases, this
results in acts of violence targeting symbols that represent the West.

The misrepresentation of people, including Muslims, is not a new phenomenon. Since early
European exploration of the East, Western misperceptions of the Muslim world flourished and
these harmful stereotypes have survived until today.

These misperceptions are spread due to various factors. The first is a lack of understanding and
education. In Western education systems, there is almost a total absence of teaching about Islam,
the diversity of the Muslim Ummah, and the history of Muslim societies. Similarly, Muslim
education often fails to understand the diversity and history of the West.

The second cause of misperceptions is the failure to understand or discuss the historical, political,
economic, and cultural contexts from which actions, beliefs and traditions arise.

Third, events and actions that make the news in the Muslim world are often the result of political
and economic interests rather than theological or religious factors. When we understand the root
causes of these misperceptions, we are better positioned to correct them.

To correct misrepresentations of our faith, Mawlana Hazar Imam has often reminded us to act as
Ambassadors of Islam. We end with a Farman of Mawlana Hazar Imam made in Dar-es-Salaam,
Tanzania on July 17, 2002:

[Please Recite the Salawat]

“The world has been changing very quickly in recent months, and our faith, the faith of Islam,
has been drawn into all sorts of unacceptable conditions, circumstances, and presented to the
world as if it was identified with the sorts of activities which have been so unacceptable… This
is a situation which you and I will have to face. It is a reality of the world in which we live, but

25

it is not the reality of Islam and it is not the reality of the Ismaili tariqah within Islam… So I say
to you today… Stand up, do not run away. Speak openly and frankly about what is our
interpretation of Islam. Speak about the fraternity and the peace and the respect that we wish
from society and we wish to offer society. Speak of the discipline, of the humility, of the care
that Islam teaches us in our social reactions and actions… This is very important that every
Muslim around the world, who understands Islam and practises Islam, should convey this
message so that those who have used Islam for non-Muslim objectives should not be
representative, in the eyes of the world, of our faith.
And it is important, I think, today, that my Jamat worldwide… should reaffirm the traditions
that we have, the rectitude and correctitude of our interpretation of Islam, of the role, within
Shia Islam, of the intellect, of the human intellect, so that the young, the less young, the old,
all of you, wherever you are, are ambassadors of Islam – the Islam that we believe in, that we
practise, and that guides us in our lives.”
[Please Recite the Salawat]
Over the coming weeks we will examine what it means to be an Ambassador of Islam, and how
to Act as an Ambassador of Islam in our everyday lives.
Ya Ali Madad / Jamat ke Hai Zinda

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Readout #2: Clash of Ignorance and the Education Gap

Today, we continue to explore how we can become Ambassadors of Islam by examining how
ignorance leads to the spread of misunderstanding and how we can fill this gap through
education and knowledge.

The relationship between Muslim and Western societies is sometimes described as a “Clash of
Civilizations,” in which they are in conflict because of deep cultural and religious divides.
Mawlana Hazar Imam has often countered this, such as in his convocation address at Sciences Po
in Paris on June 15, 2007, saying:

[Quote] “We hear a great deal these days about a clash of civilizations between the Islamic
world and the West. I disagree profoundly. In my view, it is a clash of ignorance which we are
facing. And the answer to ignorance is education.” [Unquote]

The educational gap between the Western and Muslim world is grounded in stereotypes and
misperceptions about one another. In the West, many misperceptions are held about Muslims,
such as that Muslims are violent, backwards, un-intellectual, intolerant of other faiths, and that
Muslim women are oppressed.

In responding to such stereotypes, we can emphasize the immense diversity of the Muslim
Ummah of over 1.5 billion people. Muslims do not all believe or do the same thing. Throughout
history, there have been different interpretations of Islam practiced by people living in different
cultures and climates, speaking different languages, from different socio-economic classes,
influenced by different forms of political governance.

Muslim history also provides examples for us to draw on in responding to misperceptions. The
Charter of Medina, a document drafted by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his
family) outlined principles of peace, tolerance and cooperation between the early Muslims and
other tribes living in Medina, including many Jewish communities.

Muslim civilizations throughout history built peaceful, tolerant societies in many parts of the
Muslim world. In Spain, Muslim rulers created a society in which Muslims, Christians and Jews
lived and worked together in peaceful coexistence. Similarly, the Fatimids, under the rule of the
Ismaili Imams, also built an inclusive society where freedom of worship was protected and in
which non-Muslims could rise to the highest positions in the government based on merit.

These societies were also at the forefront of knowledge in their time. Centres of learning were
established in cities across the Muslim world, making contributions in the sciences, medicine,
astronomy, architecture and the arts. Scholars freely studied knowledge from other civilizations,
built upon that knowledge and shared it with others. The works of some leading Muslim scholars
were later translated into Latin and studied in Europe.

In combating the view of Muslim women as oppressed, mention can be made of Bibi Khadija, the
Prophet’s beloved first wife, who was a wealthy merchant in her own right. Another example is
Queen Arwa, who ruled Yemen for over five decades in the 11th and 12th centuries. More recently,

27

several Muslim countries have had female heads of state, including Bangladesh, Indonesia,
Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and Turkey.
As ambassadors of Islam, it is our responsibility to correct such misperceptions by explaining our
faith patiently and calmly. We end with a Farman of Mawlana Hazar Imam made in San Antonio,
Texas on April 13, 2008:
[Please recite the Salawat]
“At this time, in parts of the world, our faith, the faith of Islam, is being misinterpreted, is being
misunderstood, and I would like my Jamat to reflect on how to respond to this situation. What
should be your attitude in the face of this difficult time in our history?
It is not a difficult question because, during the life of Prophet, in the hadith, it is said, time and
time again, repeatedly: if people do not understand you, explain; do not react in anger, explain.
If they do not understand, continue to explain and let them make their judgements, whatever
they will be. But do not react in anger for those or to those who do not understand. If they do
not understand, leave them in their state of mind, in their shallow understanding of our faith.
But do not react in anger or in aggravation.”
[Please recite the Salawat]
Ya Ali Madad / Jamat ke Hai Zinda

28

Readout #3: Understanding Violence Committed in the Name of Islam

We continue the theme of Becoming Ambassadors of Islam. Today, we examine a common and
highly erroneous misperception of our faith, which is the belief that that acts of violence are
prescribed by the faith of Islam.

Mawlana Hazar Imam has frequently described Muslim expressions of violence as largely being
a result of political situations and biased media reporting. In his address to the Canadian
Parliament in 2014, Mawlana Hazar Imam said:

[Quote] “When the clashes of modern times have come, they have most often grown out of
particular political circumstances, the twists and turns of power relationships and economic
ambitions, rather than deep theological divides. Yet sadly, what is highly abnormal in the
Islamic world gets mistaken for what is normal. Of course, media perceptions of our world in
recent years have often been conveyed through a lens of war.” [Unquote]

However, there are those who see this violence as part of the faith of Islam, citing verses of the
Holy Qur’an, without reference to their historical context, that appear to encourage violence
against unbelievers.

Verses of the Qur’an were revealed in response to changing events and circumstances in the life
of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), and persecution and violence were
often directed towards him and his followers by the Meccans, ultimately forcing the Muslims to
flee Mecca and migrate to Medina. Certain verses that allow for violence were revealed
specifically in response to the persecution of the Muslim community by the Meccans of that time,
and only as a means of self-defense.

Therefore, such verses were time and context specific and not making a statement of universal
relevance. Instead, the Qur’an emphasizes the higher principles of brokering peace agreements,
forgiveness and mercy.

In addressing the misunderstanding of Islam as a religion of violence, we can refer to the ethical
principles and values of the sanctity of life, tolerance, peace, and pluralism that resonate
throughout the Qur’an. This pluralistic attitude towards humanity appears on the Diamond
Jubilee emblem in Surat al-Hujurat, Ayah 13, which says:

[Quote] “O humankind! Indeed We created you male and female and We made you (diverse)
peoples and tribes so that you may come to know one another. Indeed the noblest among you
in the sight of Allah is the most pious. Indeed Allah is All-knowing and All-Aware.” [Unquote]

In his tireless work to build more peaceful and pluralistic societies, Mawlana Hazar Imam has
condemned the use of violence. He publicly referred to the 9/11 attacks in the United States as
[Quote] “repugnant to the very spirit of Islam” [Unquote]. We end with a similar message from
an Irshad Mubarak made in Rushan, Tajikistan on May 27, 1995:

[Please recite the Salawat]

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“…because we are Muslim, conflict must be replaced by a peace which is predicated on the
ethics of our faith. We must not kill to resolve our differences, whatever they may be. They
must be resolved, as I have said, within the ethic of our faith through dialogue, through
compassion, through tolerance, through generosity and forgiveness. These are the pillars on
which to build a strong society in modern times - not through weapons.”
[Please recite the Salawat]
Ya Ali Madad / Jamat ke Hai Zinda

30

Readout #4: Being Ambassadors of Islam

Today we will explore what it means to be an ambassador of Islam. While educating others about
Islam and the Shi’a Ismaili Tariqah is important, being an ambassador of Islam also means living
and acting in accordance with the values and ethics of the faith in our everyday lives. This applies
equally to the Jamat living in Western societies and the Jamat living in the Muslim world.

Mawlana Hazar Imam speaks to this in the following Farman made in Dubai on January 25, 2018:

[Please recite the Salawat]

“And I would say today, as I think about the world in which you live, how important it is that
you and our brothers and sisters in Islam, should know about their culture, should position their
culture as one of the great human gifts of time, so that our faith, our principles, our values, can
be known, understood, and shared by all those -- Muslims and non-Muslims -- who have
goodwill amongst peoples around the world.”

[Please recite the Salawat]

In living these ethics and values, we demonstrate an alternate face of Islam. One way to do this
is to live within the ethics of the faith, to act in accordance with the values of peace, compassion,
mercy, and tolerance. Another way is to live life in the pursuit of excellence. Islam urges its
believers to serve others and to acquire knowledge to be used in service of Allah’s creation. This
is a face of Islam that is not always seen in the media today.

Even in contexts with large Muslim populations, there may be those who view diversity in Islam
as a threat to be erased, or there may exist tensions between Muslims and members of other
faiths. By living by our value system, as guided by our Imam, we present a peaceful, pluralistic,
service-oriented face of our faith that allows us to build bridges with others.

If we look to the past for inspiration, the history of Muslim societies and civilisations tell a story
of Muslims who pursued excellence. Little heard of are the contributions of Ibn Khaldun to the
field of history, of al-Kashi to astronomy, of Ibn Rushd to philosophy, of Ibn Sina to medicine, of
Ibn al-Haytham to optics, and of Al-Biruni to anthropology, and the list goes on and on.

Mawlana Hazar Imam, in the Stephen Ogden Lecture delivered at Brown University on March 10,
2014, remarked:

[Quote] “In fields of learning from mathematics to astronomy, from philosophy to medicine
Muslim scholars sharpened the cutting edge of human knowledge. They were the equivalents
of thinkers like Plato and Aristotle, Galileo and Newton. Yet their names are scarcely known in
the West today. How many would recognise the name al-Khwarizmi – the Persian
mathematician who developed some 1,200 years ago the algorithm, which is the foundation of
search engine technology?” [Unquote]

31

Today, we should aspire to this same ideal and seek to stand at the forefront of our respective
fields of endeavour, be it in art and architecture, education, academia, diplomacy, law, medicine,
neuro-science, or space exploration. The story of these thinkers, scholars, and artists is not only
a story of excellence and accomplishment. It is also a story of how these individuals sought to
fulfil a divine imperative, to seek knowledge wherever it is found, and to use that knowledge in
the service of humanity.
This same spirit and ethical impetus continues to inform and guide the work of the Aga Khan
Development Network. The AKDN Ethical Framework explains that, [Quote] “Service of God is
not only worship, but also service to humanity, and abiding by the duty of trust towards the
rest of creation. Righteousness, says the Quran, is not only fulfilling one's religious obligations.
Without social responsibility, religiosity is a show of conceit. Islam is, therefore, both din and
dunya, spirit and matter, distinct but linked, neither to be forsaken.” [Unquote]
In the next readout, we will explore the nature and scope of the endeavours of the Ismaili Imamat
to responding to the Clash of Ignorance and promoting more peaceful coexistence.
Ya Ali Madad / Jamat ke Hai Zinda

32

Readout #5: Responses of the Ismaili Imamat to the Clash of Ignorance and
Promoting More Peaceful Coexistence

Tonight, we will examine the ways in which Mawlana Hazar Imam – in his words, deeds, and
institutional endeavors – has contributed to a better understanding of Islam and Muslim
Civilizations, confronting the “clash of ignorance” with profound clarity and consistency.

Mawlana Hazar Imam, through the work of various Imamat institutions, has provided mediums
which address, and which the Jamat can use to address, misperceptions of Islam. Two examples
are the Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) and the Aga Khan Museum.

The IIS engages in academic scholarship and teaching about Islam and Muslim civilizations. This
work is not confined to the theological and religious heritage of Islam, but seeks to explore the
relationship of religious ideas to broader dimensions of society and culture. Its books are found
in many university libraries as reference works for those in Islamic studies. Additionally, the IIS
seeks to address the Jamat’s religious education needs. This includes research on the Jamat’s
history and heritage; the study of the Jamat’s intellectual and literary traditions; the creation of
teaching materials including the Pre-Primary, Primary Talim and Secondary Curriculum; and the
training of educators, including the Secondary Teacher Education Programme, or STEP, and the
training of Waezeen. The IIS’ educational materials provide excellent frameworks, vocabulary
and resources for all members of the Jamat, regardless of what part of the world they live in, to
build their capacity to be effective ambassadors of Islam.

Similarly, the Aga Khan Museum, through art and culture, provides an alternate way in which
misperceptions of Islam can be challenged and addressed. At its Foundation Ceremony in Toronto
on May 28th 2010, Mawlana Hazar Imam remarked that,

“It will be a place for sharing a story, through art and artefacts, of highly diverse achievements
— going back over 1 400 years. It will honour the central place within Islam of the search for
knowledge and beauty. And it will illuminate the inspiration which Muslim artists have drawn
from faith, and from a diverse array of epics, from human stories of separation and loss, of love
and joy — themes which we know reverberate eloquently across the diverse cultures of
humanity. In a world in which some speak of a growing clash of civilisations, we believe the
Museum will help address what is not so much a clash of civilisations, as it is a clash of
ignorances. The new Museum will have a strong educational vocation: it will be a place for
active inquiry, for discussion and research, for lectures and seminars, and for an array of
collaborative programs with educational institutions and with other museums.”

Countering the misperceptions of Islam is not easy. It requires hard work to educate ourselves
and our children so that we can confidently, peacefully and patiently challenge these
misperceptions where we find them. It requires us to live as ambassadors of Islam and act in
accordance with the values and ethics of the faith in our everyday lives.

At the same time this work has been made easy. We are blessed in this effort, to have our Imam,
who, in his very being, embodies the values and ethics which we aspire to uphold; who has,
through his institutional endeavors, provided us an abundance of tools and resources to achieve

33

this; and who, in his guidance, provides an articulation of Islam that is in keeping with the needs
of the time.
We end with a Farman made by Mawlana Hazar Imam in London on August 5, 1994:
[Please recite the Salawat]
“As you look to the future, remain united as brothers and sisters. Keep true to the ethic of the
faith and do not let yourselves be influenced by some of the ill-informed comment that you
and I read every day about Islam. Our tariqah is one of peace, of unity, of intellect and of
conviction. Those magnificent strengths are the pillars upon which you can build your future,
unitedly and competently, wherever you live and wherever you work.”
[Please recite the Salawat]
Ya Ali Madad / Jamat ke Hai Zinda

34

REFLECTION # 1

To guide us to better understand the nature and significance of countering misperceptions of
Islam and Muslims, as well as build capacity to become effective Ambassadors of our faith, we
will be undertaking a series of “Reflections Readouts” over the next few weeks comprising of
Speeches and Farmans made by Mawlana Hazar Imam on this topic. We begin tonight with
excerpts from Mawlana Hazar Imam’s speech at the Banquet Hosted in Honour of Governor
Perry in Houston on June 23, 2002

(Quote) “…this is the first time I have had the opportunity to speak publicly in the United States
about the events of September 11th of last year. Since then many perspectives have been
articulated in many settings - diplomatic, academic, the media, and in public opinion as expressed
in the streets and measured in opinion polls.

That the acts of September 11th and all that is behind them are repugnant to the very spirit of
Islam and to the beliefs and yearnings of the vast majority of Muslims around the world, is beyond
question. In the words of the Quran, it is as if the entirety of humankind had suffered a death
with every life that was so brutally ended. The shared destiny of the ethos of the Abrahamic
tradition that unites Christians, Jews and Muslims is governed by the duty of loving care to help
nurture each life that is born to its God-given potential.

Some years ago, Professor Samuel Huntington warned of an impending "clash of civilisations"
between the West and the Islamic world as the next great confrontation following the end of the
Cold War.

My position is somewhat different. It is based on my perspective as the leader of a Muslim
community that now lives in the West as well as in the Islamic world, and from an engagement
in international dialogue, development and cross-cultural education for more than forty years.
What we are now witnessing is a clash of ignorance, an ignorance that is mutual, longstanding,
and to which the West and the Islamic world have been blind for decades at their great peril.

For a number of years I have voiced my concern that the faith of a billion people is not part of
the general education process in the West - ignored by school and college curricula in history,
the sciences, philosophy and geography. An important goal of responsible education should be
to ring-fence the theologising of the image of the Muslim world by treating Muslims as it treats
Christians and Jews, by going beyond a focus on theology to considering civil society, politics, and
economics of particular countries and peoples at various points in their history. This will reveal
the fundamental diversity and pluralism of Muslim peoples, cultures, histories, philosophies and
legal systems

Within the Islamic world there is work to do as well, starting with a better understanding and
appreciation of the pluralism of cultures and interpretations among Muslims.” (Unquote)

We end with a Farman of Mawlana Hazar Imam made in Houston on June 24th, 2002

[Please recite the Salawat]

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“It is important, therefore, that as you look ahead, to your lives in the United States, every day,
every hour, in your actions, in what you do, you should show a different face of Islam, that you
should show the face of Islam which is of peace, which is of generosity, which is of care for society.
This is a message which my Jamat in the United States can convey, by each and every one of you
in your personal lives being the ambassador of our faith and our tariqah. This is an opportunity
to convey a new image, to explain, to help people who are not Muslim understand the meaning
of Islam.”
[Please recite the Salawat]
Let us offer our sincere shukrana to Mawlana Hazar Imam for his continuous grace and guidance
and pray that may we comprehend and fulfill our beloved Imam’s aspirations and expectations
of his Jamat.
Ya Ali Madad / Jamat ke Hai Zinda

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REFLECTION # 2

Tonight’s reflection on the theme of Becoming Ambassadors of Islam focuses on the need to
challenge notions of Islam and Muslims being a singular homogeneous entity or – monolith - and
instead to highlight the immense diversity of the Muslim Ummah. We begin with an excerpt from
our beloved Imam’s speech at the Opening Ceremony of the Ismaili Centre, Burnaby on Friday,
23rd August 1985.

(Quote) “Islam is the last of the world's great monotheistic faiths to be revealed and is essentially
tolerant. It entertains no opposition to earlier beliefs. On the contrary it recognises them as being
part of God's message to mankind. To all Muslims – Shia and Sunni alike – the “people of the
book” are the people of all monotheistic faiths, and a wide, all-embracing, vision of the
brotherhood of man and the unity of God is among the most fundamental of the faith's teaching.

Muslims are spread around the globe – basically in the Third World… They come from numerous
ethnic backgrounds and speak hundreds if not thousands of local languages. Yet all 800 million
share the same faith.

I believe that like Canadians, Muslims can draw strength from their diversity but they certainly
cannot be condemned if they sometimes fail.

Unfortunately the general public in the industrialised world sometimes accepts the facile and
totally erroneous image that the Ummah is a monolithic block of believers, whose national
disputes are part of their religion. Until the Iranian revolution the term “Shia” was little known in
the West. In the absence of better understanding, Shi'ism has since been shown exclusively as
the faith of that revolution and its ramifications. Yet in reality there are far more Shia Muslims
outside Iran than there are within that country, including the Ismaili community here in Canada.

I feel it particularly important that the breadth and basic tolerance of our faith should be
appreciated in areas where Muslims are minorities. If it is not, there is a great risk that pressure
groups sheltering behind the façade of the faith, but whose real aims are perhaps more political,
social or economic will be wrongly taken as expressing its nature.

Few Christians would regard the Inquisition in the past or the IRA today as being representative
of Christian principles. Similarly contemporary pressure groups within the Islamic world are not
necessarily characteristic of the central message of the faith.

I do not mean that the disputes and upheavals in certain Islamic countries, which so often
dominate the headlines, should be disregarded, any more than such occurrences among other
nations should be. The rest of the world needs to learn about their causes in order to help remove
them and the threat they constitute to peace.

What I wish to stress is that they are not born of the essence of the faith nor does the silent
majority of Muslims necessarily participate in, or approve of, the objectives behind them
anymore than all Sikhs in India or Africans in Uganda support extreme forms of action.

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Muslims living in the West can, and indeed must, contribute to improving the comprehension of
what their faith does stand for, and to dispelling misconceptions which, both in the short and the
long term, pose a serious threat to international understanding.” (Unquote)
We end with a Farman made by Mawlana Hazar Imam in Zanzibar on August 24, 1997
[Please recite the Salawat]
“…carry in your heart, in your work, the ethics of Islam: the directions of respect, of humility, of
integrity, of honesty, of generosity which Islam teaches to all who practise the faith of Islam, no
matter what interpretation they give to Islam. This is what I, as the 49th Imam, call the ethics of
Islam, the principles on which individuals within the Ummah live in their daily lives…..
I give you my best loving blessings, for happiness, good health, long lives, unity, strength on sirat
al-mustaqim and the fulfillment of all your wishes. Khanavadan, Khanavadan, Khanavadan.”
[Please recite the Salawat]
Let us offer our sincere shukrana to Mawlana Hazar Imam for his continuous grace and guidance
and pray that may we comprehend and fulfill our beloved Imam’s aspirations for his Jamat.
Ya Ali Madad / Jamat ke Hai Zinda

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REFLECTION # 3

Tonight’s reflection on the theme of Becoming Ambassadors of Islam discusses the important
role of the media in undertaking responsible and competent reporting and providing a proper
context to events being reported. We begin with excerpts from Mawlana Hazar Imam’s speech
to the Commonwealth Press Union Conference in Cape Town, South Africa on October 17th 1996:

(Quote) “If asked to characterise Islam, many non-Muslims would have little to say, except
perhaps that the world of Islam seems to them a distant and different world, a strange and
mysterious place, a world which makes them a bit uncomfortable, and perhaps even a bit afraid.

The cultural contexts in which over one billion Muslims have been reared and shaped are simply
not understood in much of the world. Even the most basic elements of 1,400 years of Islamic
civilisation are absent from the curricula in most of the world’s schools. The subject is just not on
the world’s educational radar screen. And the result is an enormous vacuum. When
developments in Islamic societies break into the headlines, few journalists, and even fewer of
their readers can bring the slightest sense of context to such news.

These failures are compounded by our pernicious dependence on what I call crisis reporting —
the inclination to define news primarily as that which is abnormal and disruptive. As one
journalist puts it: “It is the exceptional cat, the one who climbs up in a tree and can’t get down,
that dominates our headlines, and not the millions of cats who are sleeping happily at home.”

Most of the public, however, has no context in which to place the story of the exceptional cat
that climbs a tree. And without that context, the casual reader or viewer, never hearing about
the cats that stay home, comes to think of all cats as tree-climbing pests who are forever imposing
on the fire departments of the world to bring out their ladders and haul them down to safety.

Unfortunately, much of what the world thinks about Islam nowadays has been the result of crisis
reporting. When terms like Shia and Sunni first entered the world’s vocabulary, for example, it
was in the emotional context of revolutionary Iran. Similarly, recent press references to the
shari’a, the traditional Islamic system of jurisprudence, are illustrated by its manifestations in
Afghanistan.

… Without a proper sense of context, it is little wonder that those exceptional instances of
Muslims theocratising Islamic politics are mistaken for the norm, and that the humanistic temper
of Islamic ethics is overlooked. Among some observers, there is even a tendency to see political
violence as a function of the faith itself — when in fact nothing could be further from the truth.

… I am not suggesting that every journalist must become an expert on Islam. But it would help
greatly if more journalists at least were aware of when, and where they need to turn to find out
more.

It should not be forgotten that journalists also have a broader educational role — a responsibility
to provide readers and viewers with a context in which to understand individual events
properly.” (Unquote)

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We conclude with excerpts of Farman made by Mawlana Hazar Imam in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
on July 17, 2002
[Please recite the Salawat]
“… So I say to you today … Stand up, do not run away. Speak openly and frankly about what is
our interpretation of Islam. Speak about the fraternity and the peace and the respect that we
wish from society and we wish to offer society. Speak of the discipline, of the humility, of the
care that Islam teaches us in our social reactions and actions… This is very important that every
Muslim around the world, who understands Islam and practises Islam, should convey this
message so that those who have used Islam for non-Muslim objectives should not be
representative, in the eyes of the world, of our faith.”
[Please recite the Salawat]
Let us offer our sincere shukrana to Mawlana Hazar Imam for his continuous grace and guidance
and pray that may we comprehend and fulfill our beloved Imam’s aspirations for his Jamat.
Ya Ali Madad / Jamat ke Hai Zinda

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REFLECTION # 4

To better understand our role in rectifying misperceptions of Islam, tonight’s Reflection reading
is from Mawlana Hazar Imam’s address at the Leadership and Diversity Conference in Gatineau,
Canada on May 19, 2004

(Quote) “A secure pluralistic society requires communities that are educated and confident both
in the identity and depth of their own traditions and in those of their neighbours. 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. Perhaps the greatest obstacle to
pluralism and democracy, however, is the lacuna in the general education of the populations
involved.

A dramatic illustration is the uninformed speculation about conflict between the Muslim world
and others. The clash, if there is such a broad civilizational collision, is not of cultures but of
ignorance. How many leaders even in the West, whether in politics, the media or other
professions which in their own ways shape public opinion, grow up aware that the historic root
cause of the conflict in the Middle East was an outcome of the First World War? Or that the
tragedy that is Kashmir is an unresolved colonial legacy, and that neither had anything to do with
the faith of Islam? To what extent is the public aware that the deployment of Afghanistan as a
proxy by both sides in the Cold War, is a major factor in her recent history of tragic woes?

These matters, which now touch the lives of all world citizens, are simply not addressed at any
level of general education in most Western countries.

Humanities curricula in many educational institutions in the West, rarely feature great Muslim
philosophers, scientists, astronomers and writers of the classical age of Islam… This lack of
knowledge and appreciation of the civilizations of the Muslim world is a major factor that colors
media stereotypes, by concentrating on political hotspots in the Muslim world, and referring to
organisations as terrorist and Islamic first, and only obliquely, if at all, to their national origins or
political goals.

No wonder that the bogey of Islam as a monolith, irreconcilable to the values of the West or,
worse, as a seedbed of violence, lurks behind its depiction as being both opposed to, and
incapable of, pluralism. This image flies directly in the face of the respect that Islam’s cherished
scripture confers upon believers in monotheistic traditions, calling upon Muslims to engage with
them in the finest manner, and with wisdom. History is replete with illustrations where Muslims
have entrusted their most treasured possessions, even members of their families, to the care of
Christians. Muslim willingness to learn from Jewish erudition in medicine, statecraft and other
realms of knowledge, is well exemplified by the place of honour accorded Jewish scholars at the
court of the Fatimid Imam-Caliphs of Egypt.

Intellectual honesty and greater knowledge are essential if current explosive situations are to be
understood as inherited conflicts and—rather than being specific to the Muslim world—driven
by ethnic and demographic difference, economic inequity and unresolved political situations.”
(Unquote)

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We end with a Farman made by Mawlana Hazar Imam in Vancouver on June 10, 2005:
[Please recite the Salawat]
“There are parts of the world where the face of Islam is being looked at as a faith of division, a
faith of cruelty, a faith of conflict. And I want to say to my spiritual children that, though you may
hear this, this is not correct. Our faith, our values, the values of the Shia Ismaili Tariqah, are
values of peace, of generosity, of harmony, of philanthropy, and of caring for the weakest in
society. There is no reason that these values should, in any way, be changed as time moves
forward. Keep those values, live those values, share those values with others. And I believe that
the future will show that these are the values which will be associated not only with the Shia
Ismaili Tariqah of Islam but, indeed, Islam generally.”
[Please recite the Salawat]
Let us offer our sincere shukrana to Mawlana Hazar Imam for his continuous grace and guidance
and pray that may we comprehend and fulfill our beloved Imam’s aspirations for his Jamat.
Ya Ali Madad / Jamat ke Hai Zinda

42

Engagement Seminar

Segment: Jamat/Post-Sec/Youth
Theme Objectives:
The JPA task force strives to nurture a sense of reflection and gratitude to Imam-e-Zaman for his
bounties and favors upon us over the past six decades and strengthen our love and loyalty
towards him. This theme focuses on the important need and role within the Jamat to become
effective Ambassadors of Islam, a role which Mawlana Hazar Imam has asked us to undertake
and strives to:
§ Nurture a better understanding and appreciation of key factors and forces, as well as the
historical and contemporary root causes that have influenced and impacted mainstream
perceptions of Islam.
§ Provide tools and resources (intellectual, frameworks, content, and approaches) to
enable capacity building (especially with key segments) for rationally, confidently and
comfortably responding the “Clash of Ignorance” (being ambassadors).
§ Understand how the work and institutions of the AKDN and the Ismaili Imamat reflect,
and are guided by an ethical framework that has is rooted in a shared Muslim history and
appreciate plurality of mediums through which the values and ethics of Islam can be exhibited
including art and architecture, the built environment, music, education etc.
§ Appreciate how our personal behaviour and interactions in society can impact the
perceptions of Muslims held by those we interact with

Resources:
· Comprehensive slide deck with facilitator notes, videos and other related resources to be
downloaded from the following link:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/vu2tiahgzlnewzv/AADCRkIXeCTYQfkZeBSctVA7a?dl=0

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Video, Chai and Chat:

Segment: Jamat/Post-Sec/Youth
Theme Objectives:
Depending on how these activities are delivered, some of the other objectives from this theme
could be covered; however, the following are the focus of this activity.
· Nurture a better understanding and appreciation of key factors and forces, as well as the
historical and contemporary root causes that have influenced and impacted mainstream
perceptions of Islam
· Provide tools and resources (intellectual, frameworks, content, and approaches) to
enable capacity building (especially with key segments) for rationally, confidently and
comfortably responding the “Clash of Ignorance” (being ambassadors)

Resources:
· Video: Public Islamophobia – What Would You Do?, ABC Primetime
· Video: Sleeper Cell (clip) – True Jihad
· Video: Mawlana Hazar Imam CBC Interview excerpt
Click link below to download PPT slides the videos:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/vz6qx18t1k53i5t/AAAuFdPQdlH9A5S7GkrNPBPma?dl=0

Activity: Chai and Chat
This activity can take place as an after Jamatkhana activity or can be combined with other
activities to target specific audiences. This could reach the entire Jamat, including mixed families.
Please note: Due to the sensitive and emotional nature of the content, not all three videos may
be considered appropriate to show in all contexts. Facilitators may choose to implement one,
two or all three videos, depending on the context in which they are delivering the session.

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The three videos are:
1. A social experiment from America, conducted by the television network ABC, showing a
scenario in which a shop clerk harasses a Muslim woman in a hijab to see how people react and
respond to the situation (8 min 49 sec)

2. A clip from the American fiction television show, Sleeper Cell (2005-6) depicting two
conversations about the true nature of jihad between an Imam and a young Muslim man who
thinks violent jihad is acceptable (4 min 24 sec)

3. An excerpt of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s interview with CBC’s Peter Mansbridge from 2006
in which they discuss the Clash of Ignorance and the causes of terrorism and violence that stems
from the Muslim world (5 min 38 sec)
Prior to watching the videos, display the questions on the screen or share them as a handout.
Allow the participants to reflect on the questions. The facilitator could even begin with a short
discussion on what the participants believe the Clash of Ignorance to be. After the video, the
questions can be discussed in partners or small groups and then shared with the larger group.

Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. Where do the stereotypes and misperceptions about Islam and Muslims come from?
2. What are the root causes of acts of violence committed in Islam’s name?
3. What can we learn from the examples of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and
his family) and Hazrat Imam Ali (alayhi’s -salaam)?
4. How can we educate those around us – both Muslims and non-Muslims – about the true
nature of Islam?
5. How should we react to people who carry misperceptions and negative stereotypes
about Islam?
6. What can we do to act, as Mawlana Hazar Imam has guided us to do, as ambassadors of
Islam?
7. What has Mawlana Hazar Imam and his institutions done to change misperceptions of
Islam?

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Activity: How Museum Objects Respond to the Clash of Ignorance

Segment: Jamat/Post-Sec/Youth

Theme Objectives:

Depending on how these activities are delivered, some of the other objectives from this theme
could be covered; however, the following are the focus of this activity.

We are striving to nurture a sense of reflection and gratitude to Imam-e-Zaman for his bounties
and favors upon us over the past six decades and strengthen our love and loyalty towards
him. This theme strives to:

· Provide tools and resources (intellectual, frameworks, content, and approaches) to
enable capacity building (especially with key segments) for rationally, confidently and
comfortably responding the “Clash of Ignorance” (being ambassadors).
· Understand how the work and institutions of the AKDN and the Ismaili Imamat reflect,
and are guided by an ethical framework that is rooted in a shared Muslim history and appreciate
the plurality of mediums through which the values and ethics of Islam can be exhibited including
art and architecture, the built environment, music, education etc.

Resources4

· Aga Khan Museum Collection: Sayings of Pythagoras
· Aga Khan Museum Collection: Canon of Medicine
· Aga Khan Museum Collection: Planispheric Astrolable
· Article: Material Culture's Role in Dispelling the 'Clash of Civilisations' Theory

Overview

This session allows the participants to examine how museums can be used as response to
misperceptions of Islam. In a group activity, the participants will be given images of various
objects from the Aga Khan Museum collection, which they will use to discuss how museum
objects can dispel some of the stereotypes commonly held about Islam and Muslims.

In this regard, we need to appreciate the significance of the Aga Khan Museum as a “learning
center” and not just a museum. For museum pieces create attractive pedagogies and storytelling
opportunities which educators within our Jamat worldwide use as a source of their teachings.

Materials Required

· Audio-Visual – projector, screen
· PowerPoint slides: Click link below to download PPT slides and other resources

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/p6o0hnrzecjgktf/AAAZ3a5X6pNCA2Kv7na6S-f-a?dl=0

· Printed color images of three museum objects and descriptions

4 Trying to locate a video excerpt by Henry Kim which discusses the role of AKM to engender a more
comprehensive understanding of Islam and therefore the work of the Imam- will add if found.

46

Introduce Activity
One of the central aims of the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, which opened in 2014, is to
address prevalent misperceptions of Islam. In this activity, the participants will be engaging with
three objects in the Museum’s collection and exploring how they help to address this
knowledge gap. Show the PowerPoint slides and have a facilitator present about the Clash of
Civilizations and the Clash of Ignorance.

Activity: Engaging with Museum Objects
In pairs or small groups, provide the participants with three images from the Aga Khan
Museum’s collection and the background information.
Give them time to look at and discuss the various objects, focused on the following:
1. What is this object?
2. Which civilization or culture does it come from?
3. Does it break any stereotypes about Islam or Muslims?
4. What does it tell us about the nature of civilizations?

Debrief Activity
The facilitators can debrief by having some of the groups explain some of their discussion.
Hopefully, they will have reached some conclusions about the three objects:
1. Sayings of Pythagoras – this is originally a Greek work that was translated into Arabic,
and the image shows Pythagoras depicted as an Arab shaykh. It shows that Muslim civilizations
absorbed knowledge freely from other civilizations. It challenges stereotypes about Muslims
being unintellectual or closed-minded to the ideas of others.
2. Canon of Medicine – this famous medical work by Ibn Sina (Avicenna) consolidates the
medical knowledge of several civilizations, and was later translated into Latin, being widely
used as a medical reference work until the 18th century. This demonstrates the fluid nature of
how civilizations exchange ideas. It also challenges stereotypes about Muslims being
unintellectual.
3. Planispheric Astrolabe – this object was created in Andalusia in Spain after the territory
had fallen under Christian control, but has inscriptions in Arabic and Latin – and later
inscriptions in Hebrew. This demonstrates that it was created and used by people of various
faiths and cultural backgrounds living together in Spain. It challenges stereotypes about
Muslims being unable to coexist and live peacefully with people of other faiths and cultures.

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Overall, this activity is meant to demonstrate that the Aga Khan Museum is an important
ambassadorial institution for presenting the culture and history of the Muslim world, and for
challenging the idea that civilizations are static, monolithic and solid objects that only interact
with one another through violence – an idea at the heart of the Clash of Civilizations theory.
Rather, civilizational exchange is fluid and demonstrates the free transfer of ideas across cultural
lines. The objects also challenge stereotypes about Muslims being opposed to the use of the
intellect and their willingness to share ideas and peacefully coexist with others.
You can close the session with a quote from Prince Amyn Aga Khan’s speech at the opening of
the Aga Khan Museum on September 12, 2014:
“Here in Toronto, visitors from all over the world will be uniquely able to experience and
appreciate the intellectual, cultural and artistic heritage of Muslim civilisations in all of its rich
diversity. Simply by emphasising that diversity, the Museum will make an important point that
is so often now misunderstood by both the Muslim and non-Muslim worlds…
As I reflect on this diversity, the word ‘connection’ comes to mind for it will be the special
opportunity of this Museum to connect a broad array of Muslim cultures with one another,
while also connecting visitors from other cultures to the richness of the Muslim past. Cultural
connection will be at the heart of the Museum’s mission: to increase and illuminate the
dialogue between different Muslim civilisations themselves and between those civilisations
and non-Muslim civilisations.”

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Activity: I am an Ismaili Muslim

Segments: ECD, Lower Primary
Objectives:
· Provide tools and resources (intellectual, frameworks, content, and approaches) to
enable capacity building (especially with key segments) for rationally, confidently and
comfortably responding to combating the “Clash of Ignorance” (being ambassadors).
Resources:
· Handouts below
Activity Summary:
· Cut and paste the following boxes on the person below. The parents and facilitator can
discuss each card as they paste them on the person.
Suggested Discussion:
· I am a Muslim and Muslims respect all of Allah’s creations; this includes people of all
faiths.
· I am a Muslim and it is my duty to be good and take care of all of Allah’s creations.
· I use the gifts Allah has given me to do good in this world ie.i.e. hands, feet, intellect etc.

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I am an Ismaili Muslim.

With my hands With my mouth
I help others. I use kind words.

With my eyes With my mind
I appreciate Allah’s Creation. I think about the Imam’s

With my ears I listen to my guidance.
parents and teachers.
With my heart
I care for others.

With my feet I attend
Jamatkhana regularly.

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