Top L-R – Alhaj Mehboob Siwjee – ISIJ Mukhi/Director of Centre, Alhaj Arifali Hirji – WF Secretary General,
Alhaj Arif Jacksi – NASIMCO President, Alhaj Safder Jaffer – WF President, Alhaj Rizwan Khalfan – ISIJ President,
Alhaj Habib Meghji – Past President and WF Councillor, Alhaj Mazahir Dhirani – ISIJ Vice President,
Alhaj Rizwan Merchant – ISIJ Secretary
Bottom L-R – Shabnees bai Siwjee – ISIJ At-Large Director, Zehra bai Dilawar Hussain – ISIJ Chairlady,
Aziza bai Dungersi – ISIJ At-Large Director
On Friday, 20th May 2022, WF President, Alhaj Safder Jaffer and Secretary General, Alhaj Arifali Hirji, met with the EC of ISIJ of Toronto in the presence of the President of NASIMCO, Alhaj Arif Jacksi. They were warmly welcomed by the President of ISIJ, Alhaj Rizwan Khalfan and the EC members. The meeting focused primarily on the state of the community in Toronto as well as some of activities held at ISIJ, including the MCE curriculum amongst all the madaris. There were also discussions in exploring the enhancement of WF-AID activities in North America and Canada for humanitarian causes with Toronto Jamat, through NASIMCO and WF.
L-R – Alhaj Muhammadally Sherali – NASIMCO Executive Councillor, Alhaj Arifali Hirji – WF Secretary General,
Alhaj Safder Jaffer – WF President, Alhaj Gulamabbas Najafi – NASIMCO Vice President, Alhaj Arif Jacksi – NASIMCO President,
Alhaj Kazim Mehdi – NASIMCO Councillor, Alhaj Baqer Keshwani – NASIMCO Executive Councillor
Thereafter, they attended a meeting with NASIMCO at their offices, discussing mutual collaboration in a range of areas, in particular, humanitarian services, that can be optimized from North America and Canada. MCE was also discussed besides other projects and the President and Secretary General were satisfied with the relationships with NASIMCO and enhancement of that.
Alhaj Safder Jaffer, WF President, presenting Alhaj Arif Jacksi, NASIMCO President, with a sentimental gift
On Saturday, 21st May, the President and the Secretary General attended the 42nd Annual NASIMCO conference, where the President addressed the gathering during the opening session of the conference. The main points extracted from his speech primarily focused on The WF’s support to NASIMCO and its constituent members, highlighting the unique synergies between the two organisations, being that of strengthening and supporting the community. The President spoke about the commonality The WF shares with NASIMCO, that of serving not only Khoja communities but the wider Shia communities at large. The President quoted the founding members of The World Federation as follows:
Alhaj Safder continued addressing the audience and spoke of The WF’s activities and collaboration with NASIMCO over the past 12 months:
MCE – The rollout of a Single Curriculum is a momentous celebration. (Marhum Hassan Ali, author of Khojas – The Endangered Species, was concerned 25 years ago that all the madaris in Toronto, including the East and West Madrasah, had separate curriculums). Today, we are Alhamdulillah aligned with a single curriculum, not only in North America, but globally.
The President spoke highly of Center of Islamic Learning (CIL) and commended its efforts for effectively partnering with MCE in the roll out of the Tarbiyah curriculum as well as teacher training programs. CIL in conjunction with MCE has delivered Tarbiyah successfully in the USA and Canada. This has been done through training programs in particular highlighting the recent TSP. In addition to this, an MOU has been signed with IMAM that truly makes Tarbiyah the leading Madrasah curriculum in North America. NASIMCO has a major role to play and thanks was expressed to both the current NASIMCO President, Alhaj Arif Jacksi, and the Past President, Alhaj Razaq Damani, together with the previous Head of CIL, Alhaj Riyaz Jeraj and the Current Head, Alhaj Kazim Pirmohamed who have continued to work to strengthen the workings of CIL in North America and Canada .
The President touched upon the great pool of talent available throughout NASIMCO – which could be utilised in various global initiatives – humanitarian or religious. He stated that these talented volunteers can be tapped into with the global know how and experience and above all, the ethos of working in a diverse environment where preserving our faith and our heritage becomes critical to preserving our identity. The President spoke about understanding the needs and mindset of the new generation and WF’s plans for setting up a state of art research institute that caters for the diversity of opinions and allowing for an academic platform in a safe environment for the new generation. He stated that NASIMCO can play a major role in these areas and explicitly stated that ‘a strong NASIMCO is a strong World Federation’.
Alhaj Safder concluded by speaking of missed opportunities in relation to humanitarian work in North America and Canada – he pleaded that despite a global recession, communities in North America and Europe are wealthy – and small contributions from members of NASIMCO can change the destiny of our community especially the under privileged in the east. Our brethren in India, Pakistan and Africa are in dire need and some living in poverty, including Non-Khoja Sadaat living in the sub-continent. Economic upliftment through education, housing, and micro finance projects is imperative to help them. The WF relies heavily on donors and works with the highest level of transparency and governance, and Alhaj Safder urged the community in North America to support WF-AID in these initiatives. He appealed to NASIMCO to work hand in hand in tapping into these resources for the collective well being of our communities world-wide.
The President ended his address by inviting one and all to The WF’s next EXCO in Sydney, Australia between 23-25 September 2022.
The President was also invited to speak at a CIL organized event for teachers where he together with Shaykh Jaffer Jaffer, resident Alim of Brampton Jamaat, spoke on the subject of ‘Raising the Muslims of tomorrow’. The President then participated in an award ceremony in recognition of teachers across all the madaris run under CIL.
L-R – Alhaj Arifali Hirji – WF Secretary General, Alhaj Shabbir Jaffer – Director of MARC, Alhaj Safder Jaffer – WF President.
The WF President and WF Secretary General also visited the Mulla Asghar Research Center (MARC), where they were accompanied by Alhaj Shabbir Jaffer the Director of MARC.
Alhaj Shabbir provided a brief tour of MARC where they witnessed first hand the work on Khoja Heritage as well as a tour of the current exhibition on the Abrahamic Faiths.
