Ismaili Ambassadors under the Ismaili constitution..

[mahebubchatur]

The Rise and Fall of the Umayyad and Fatimid Empires: Leadership & Authority - Titles Vazir & Diwan - Lessons for Today

Dear All , including Nazim Taz Karima LIF IIS AKF AKDN - Huzur UK - Councils

History is a powerful teacher. It doesn’t just show us great achievements to admire — it also reveals mistakes to learn from, so that we can shape a better future. As Hazar Imam has said repeatedly our future is today.

The Umayyad and Fatimid empires were two of the greatest chapters in Muslim history. They brought remarkable advancements. But both empires eventually fell — not because of a lack of power, but because of how that power was used by Leaders

Imam Sultan Mahomed Shah (Aga Khan III) taught us not to simply remember their rise & successes, but to critically and honestly understand why they fell & collapsed. He wrote:

“To understand such saintly thoughts it is necessary that the history of Islam, its glory and its downfall should be understood truly, and dispassionately with the critical faculty of modern histories.”
— Preface to The Great Omayyads

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Why Did These Great Empires Fall?

The real root causes of their downfall included:
• When leaders stopped serving all and began protecting only themselves.
• When privilege was preserved over fairness, justice, and respect for diversity (pluralism).
• When those in power no longer listened to the people they promised to serve.
• When their greed and the desire for control replaced honesty, responsibility, and compassion.

These are not just lessons from the past — they are urgent warnings to act now - in our time.

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What Is Happening in Our Community Now?

Today, we face similar concerns. Some leaders, such as Mr. Nazim Ahmad, have refused to listen to community feedback, ignored requests for accountability, avoided meaningful dialogue, and rejected the spirit of pluralism.

This is deeply troubling. If we allow such attitudes and behaviours to continue, we risk repeating the very mistakes that led to the fall of the Umayyad and Fatimid empires.

His Highness the Aga Khan — our Hazar Imam — has reminded us that we are shaping our future right now. The decisions and conduct of our leaders, and our own responses as murids, will define what kind of future we build for our Jamat.

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A Call to Reflect and Act

I have attached a chart below that outlines the rise and fall of these two empires, clearly showing the reasons for their collapse — many of which mirror our present-day situation:
• refusal to listen,
• rejection of pluralism,
• concentration of power, and
• self-interest and control replacing service and ethics.

This is a moment that demands both honest reflection and courageous action.

Let us respond with integrity. Let us follow the guidance of Aga Khan III — which remains the guidance of Hazar Imam — to study, understand, and pre-empt failure. Let us commit to building a future rooted in justice, inclusion, pluralism, and sincere service to all members of the community.

If I am mistaken, I invite correction — and I respectfully request that the Constitution and Farmans, still being withheld, be shared transparently with the Jamat as repeatedly directed by Hazar Imam

Thank you for your attention and for your commitment to this important cause.

Link to chart and tweet re Nazim
https://x.com/chaturmahebub/status/1948 ... 95214?s=46

With respect,
M Chatur
24 July 2025

[mahebubchatur]

For years, leaders at AKDN — including AKFED and AKF — have repeated what Hazar Imam has said: that the mandate is to enable and empower local communities to design, budget, and run their own programmes.

Mr Nazim Ahmad, Head of AKDN in Portugal and Mozambique, and on the Board of Ismaili Imamat the entity - represents this Ismaili Constitutional mandate in both countries.

I have asked:
Which villages or communities in Mozambique have actually been empowered in this way?

So far, there has been no answer. After many decades of AKDN’s presence, they should be able to name many. Why don’t they? They have an obligation to do so.

More at

“2019, August 8 - Aga Khan Network has invested US$300
million in Mozambique since 2001. The Aga Khan Development Network has invested about US$300 million (€267 million) in socio-economic projects in Mozambique since 2001, the agency's representative in the country said on Wednesday. The money has been spent on programmes in the agriculture and food security, health, financial inclusion, education and civil society and tourism sectors, Nazim Ahmad said in Maputo during a reception”

https://x.com/chaturmahebub/status/1945 ... hqfO552USg

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19Zgwt ... tid=wwXIfr