Documentaries by Aleem Karmali
This documentary film explores the relationship in Shia Ismaili Islam between the Imam and his fo... more This documentary film explores the relationship in Shia Ismaili Islam between the Imam and his followers, the commemoration of Imamat Jubilees as an expression of that relationship, and the history of Imamat Jubilees since the 1930s.
This short documentary explores the significance of the various park and garden projects globally... more This short documentary explores the significance of the various park and garden projects globally undertaken by the Ismaili Imamat, including their role as spiritual and communal spaces, in environmental stewardship, their capacity to act as springboards for economic development, and their role as educational spaces to teach about the rich diversity and heritage of Muslim cultures and civilisations. The film was produced for the Aga Khan Development Network.
This video from 2006 provides a short introduction to Sufi Islam, which emphasizes the inward, sp... more This video from 2006 provides a short introduction to Sufi Islam, which emphasizes the inward, spiritual search for knowledge of God. It looks at the historical development of Sufi orders and the core concepts of their mystical approach. This shows a very different side of Islam from what is often depicted in the media.
Talks by Aleem Karmali
The following are edited remarks made during the panel discussion, "Theism, Humanism, or Scientis... more The following are edited remarks made during the panel discussion, "Theism, Humanism, or Scientism: Which is the Real Delusion?" hosted by the University of Alberta's Chester Ronning Centre for the Study of Religion and Public Life on February 6, 2014, which was billed as a trialogue between a Christian, Muslim, and Atheist. This talk presents a Muslim response, arguing that the teachings of Islam promote an integrated approach to theology, science, and ethics that moves beyond the categories of theism, scientism, and humanism. This is based on the common Muslim belief that faith (din) and world (duniya) are inseparable. The talk interrogates the literal readings of scripture that are found on both sides of contemporary debates on science and religion, and argues that there is no dichotomy between science and religion in the Muslim tradition. Similarly, Islam's humanistic traditions are rooted in a theistic worldview in which God places responsibility on each individual to care for creation, and which regards Divine judgment as providing ultimate accountability to human ethical conduct.
Articles by Aleem Karmali
This article will reflects on the purpose of Muslim gardens, arguing that Muslim gardens have his... more This article will reflects on the purpose of Muslim gardens, arguing that Muslim gardens have historically made positive and productive contributions to society. In the modern world, this role can extend to the pressing challenges of environmental conservation, as seen through the example of the Aga Khan Garden in Edmonton, Canada.
Originally published in the Institute of Ismaili Studies Alumni Newsletter 2018: https://iis.ac.uk/newsletter/alumni-newsletter-2018
Complementary article to a film I made, "Islamic Gardens: Catalysts for Change": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWL5doh7wFE
Samuel Huntington's “Clash of Civilisations" theory posited that there is a fundamental divide be... more Samuel Huntington's “Clash of Civilisations" theory posited that there is a fundamental divide between what he called "Islamic" and "Western" civilisations, marked by insurmountable cultural differences. Huntington’s argument details a history of conflict, ignoring the more dynamic, positive and creative interactions that have taken place over the centuries. Material culture, such as art, artefacts and architecture, can help to counter such rigid views of civilisations. In their very substance, objects contain evidence of the interactive nature of cultural interchange, including the borrowing of intellectual, technical and artistic approaches, and as such, many museums’ mandates include using material culture to educate the public about other cultures and societies.
Using three objects from the Aga Khan Museum's collection as an illustration, this article seeks to demonstrate that the intellectual and cultural boundaries between the Muslim and European civilisations were far more permeable than Huntington would suggest.
The article was published in the Institute of Ismaili Studies' 2015 Alumni Newsletter:
http://iis.ac.uk/newsletter/iis-alumni-newsletter-2015
The Ismailis are the second largest Shi'i Muslim community with a long and varied history. This r... more The Ismailis are the second largest Shi'i Muslim community with a long and varied history. This reading guide provides a summary of Farhad Daftary's book "A Short History of the Ismailis," including a discussion of historiography and sources of history, and a narrative of historical events broken into four phases: the early Shi'a and early Ismaili period, the Fatimid age, the Alamut period, and the post-Alamut phase, including the modern history of the Aga Khans. This is followed by a discussion of passages of relevance, including guiding questions.
This short article asks the question "what is Islamic art?" It explores the debated term "Islamic... more This short article asks the question "what is Islamic art?" It explores the debated term "Islamic art" and the forms traditionally associated with it, while arguing for an approach to view "Islamic" art through the notion of symbolic representation of the beliefs and values of Islam. It then explores how the essence behind modern forms of art and architecture still continue to represent these values, despite sometimes radically altered forms.
The article was published in The Ismaili United Kingdom magazine, Spring 2013 issue.
Our online actions on social media sites can affect individuals and communities globally. This ar... more Our online actions on social media sites can affect individuals and communities globally. This article explores the importance of applying our values and notions of ethical literacy, to the ways in which we communicate. Published in the Ismaili UK magazine, Winter 2012 edition.
This article reflects on the ethical teachings of Shia Ismaili Islam as they pertain to healthy l... more This article reflects on the ethical teachings of Shia Ismaili Islam as they pertain to healthy living and the guidance of Islam and the Ismaili Imams regarding unhealthy habits, such as drinking alcohol, using drugs, and smoking cigarettes.
Conference Presentations by Aleem Karmali
Under the leadership of the Nizārī Ismā'īlī imamate of Aga Khan IV, the Institute of Ismaili Stud... more Under the leadership of the Nizārī Ismā'īlī imamate of Aga Khan IV, the Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) has been producing religious education materials for primary and secondary Nizārī students over recent decades, which form the first standardized, global curriculum produced by the Nizārī imamate in history. In the Muslim Societies and Civilisations unit on the Fatimids, al-Qāḍī al-Nu'mān and the Da'ā'im al-Islām are discussed in the development of the Fatimid legal system. However, it neglects to mention the "Seven Pillars," let alone listing them or discussing them in any depth. This paper will explore this omission through an historiographic reading of the curriculum in order to assess whether the formula of the "Seven Pillars" is still relevant for Nizārīs today.
Conference paper presented at the 2nd International Ismaili Studies Conference, Carelton University, March 10, 2017
Under the leadership of the Nizārī Ismā'īlī imamate of Aga Khan IV, the Institute of Ismaili Stud... more Under the leadership of the Nizārī Ismā'īlī imamate of Aga Khan IV, the Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) has been producing religious education materials for primary and secondary Nizārī students over recent decades, which form the first standardized, global curriculum produced by the Nizārī imamate in history. In the Muslim Societies and Civilisations unit on the Fatimids, al-Qāḍī al-Nu'mān and the Da'ā'im al-Islām are discussed in the development of the Fatimid legal system. However, it neglects to mention the "Seven Pillars," let alone listing them or discussing them in any depth. This paper will explore this omission through an historiographic reading of the curriculum in order to assess whether the formula of the "Seven Pillars" is still relevant for Nizārīs today.
Since the 1990s, under the leadership of the Nizārī Ismāʿīlī imamate of Aga Khan IV, the Institut... more Since the 1990s, under the leadership of the Nizārī Ismāʿīlī imamate of Aga Khan IV, the Institute of Ismaili Studies has been producing religious education materials for primary and secondary Nizārī students. The secondary curriculum endeavors to present a reasonably objective picture of the diversity of Muslim interpretations on various questions and issues, exploring the complexity of Muslim civilizations, while also presenting normative Shīʿī or Ismāʿīlī views. In the context of teaching about the succession to Muhammad, a noteworthy decision has been taken to apply the honorific title of Hazrat to the first three caliphs, a departure from the Shīʿī arguments that Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, and ʿUthmān were usurpers of ʿAlī's rightful authority. This paper will explore how the curriculum attempts a balance between, on one hand, Aga Khan IV's emphasis on respecting the plurality of religious interpretations and, on the other hand, reinforcing the community's normative beliefs regarding the rightful succession of ʿAlī and his descendants as imams. Using an historiographical approach, the aim is demonstrate how the varying educational approaches to the Rāshidūn over time are products of the changing historical contexts and needs of the imamate. This paper was presented at the University of Chicago's Shi'i Studies Symposium held on April 1-2, 2016.
The following are an abstract and introductory remarks to the documentary film "Transmission: A p... more The following are an abstract and introductory remarks to the documentary film "Transmission: A portrait of an Ismaili Muslim family in Tajik Badakhshan," made at the University of Alberta's "Sounds and Spaces of Muslim Piety" Conference on April 30, 2011. The film explores how this family practiced religion under the watchful eyes of Soviet officials and how they passed on their religious beliefs and practices during the Soviet Union's repression of religion. It also shows the reinvigoration of their beliefs and faith in post-Soviet times, forged through a reconnection with the Ismaili Imam that began in the 1990s.
The following are introductory remarks for the documentary film "Home Away From Home: The Return ... more The following are introductory remarks for the documentary film "Home Away From Home: The Return of Ismaili Muslims to Uganda," made at the Gujarat Studies Association Conference on April 10, 2010. The film is about the return of Ismaili Muslim refugees who were expelled from Uganda in 1972 by then-President Idi Amin. It looks at the reasons they went back to Uganda after having settled down in countries such as Canada and the United Kingdom, and their feelings about being back and the challenges that the have faced since returning. The film argues that their return is for many reasons: personal, business, health and also for reasons that are distinctly related to the Shi'a Ismaili Muslim belief in the ongoing, continuous spiritual leadership of their Imams, a position held by His Highness the Aga Khan. By profiling members of a community of South Asian descent that were raised in Uganda, the film highlights issues of identity and demonstrates the interconnectedness of religion, culture, class and race in this particular context.
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Documentaries by Aleem Karmali
Talks by Aleem Karmali
Articles by Aleem Karmali
Originally published in the Institute of Ismaili Studies Alumni Newsletter 2018: https://iis.ac.uk/newsletter/alumni-newsletter-2018
Complementary article to a film I made, "Islamic Gardens: Catalysts for Change": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWL5doh7wFE
Using three objects from the Aga Khan Museum's collection as an illustration, this article seeks to demonstrate that the intellectual and cultural boundaries between the Muslim and European civilisations were far more permeable than Huntington would suggest.
The article was published in the Institute of Ismaili Studies' 2015 Alumni Newsletter:
http://iis.ac.uk/newsletter/iis-alumni-newsletter-2015
The article was published in The Ismaili United Kingdom magazine, Spring 2013 issue.
Conference Presentations by Aleem Karmali
Conference paper presented at the 2nd International Ismaili Studies Conference, Carelton University, March 10, 2017
Originally published in the Institute of Ismaili Studies Alumni Newsletter 2018: https://iis.ac.uk/newsletter/alumni-newsletter-2018
Complementary article to a film I made, "Islamic Gardens: Catalysts for Change": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWL5doh7wFE
Using three objects from the Aga Khan Museum's collection as an illustration, this article seeks to demonstrate that the intellectual and cultural boundaries between the Muslim and European civilisations were far more permeable than Huntington would suggest.
The article was published in the Institute of Ismaili Studies' 2015 Alumni Newsletter:
http://iis.ac.uk/newsletter/iis-alumni-newsletter-2015
The article was published in The Ismaili United Kingdom magazine, Spring 2013 issue.
Conference paper presented at the 2nd International Ismaili Studies Conference, Carelton University, March 10, 2017