ismailis from different cultures

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Rita-sy88
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 4:30 pm
Location: SY

ismailis from different cultures

Post by Rita-sy88 »

<P>i want to know the opinion of the members in the relationships among ismaili from different countries and different cultures, do we benefit of being different? do we share knowledge<BR>as mowlana hazir imam wants us to do? as he called " the Clash of Civilizations " <BR>"the clash of ignorance"<BR>thanks</P>
kmaherali
Posts: 25107
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2003 3:01 pm

Post by kmaherali »

There is always strength in diversity. We should share knowledge and material resources to benefit Jamat worldwide. There have been discussions in this forum under:

Qasidas & Geets --> Afghanistan Ismaili and other ismailies around the world. .

http://www.ismaili.net/html/modules.php ... sity+jamat

Current Issues --> Elders of the Jamat versus Pluralism

http://www.ismaili.net/html/modules.php ... 30&start=0
TheMaw
Posts: 106
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 9:57 pm

Re: ismailis from different cultures

Post by TheMaw »

I'm not sure how to answer, but I know that even in Pakistan, there are two Ismaili cultural solar systems: that of the Khojas and that of the other Ismailis. The latter group consists of a large number of non-Khoja groups speaking any of a dozen East Iranian, Indian or Dardic languages or Burushaski.

In addition, there are "post-Khoja" Ismailis in East Africa and indiginous communities in the Levant (Syria, etc.) and North Africa.

Certainly there is a different philosophical and conceptual approach to Ismailism between the Khoja and non-Khoja groups. Certainly those who focus on writers like Nasir-i Khusraw over, say, the Pir Sadruddin/ginanic tradition find a significantly different approach to the faith.

The ginans are beautiful, but for some Ismaili communities, they are unfamiliar. As a convert, I actually know Ismailis who are only familiar with the ginans from secondary exposure and hence my familiarity with them is equally as spotty. I am student of Arabic and Farsi and of the Fatimid and post-Fatimid writers and thinkers; to me, the ginans are new and facinating.

So for me, sure.
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