Community News

Art historians and enthusiasts often recognize the 10th through 13th centuries as a period that marked an increase in the usage of symmetrical, geometric patterns in the Muslim world. Most likely aided by Muslim mathematicians, artists and artisans produced a large variety of designs. Many of these geometric models developed interpretations of ornament that embody metaphysical intent.

The complex challenges facing our increasingly volatile world — from climate change to rural development to security — are also a source of opportunity for the next generation of leaders and changemakers. Around the world, young Ismailis like Rufayda Dhamani, Nurmuhammad Butabekov, and Aleem Rehmtulla are taking creative approaches to address these issues and prepare for the future of the global economy.

The Covid-19 pandemic has put economies around the world to the test. Unemployment has reached alarming levels, many industries have seen massive declines in revenue, and business models once thought reliable were disrupted. Surviving these circumstances required building new skill sets, adjusting career plans, and revising business strategies at an unprecedented pace. Inspiring stories have emerged of Ismailis who met these challenges with resilience as well as community institutions that stepped up to support the Jamat through times of hardship.

Take any highly successful person and chances are that person had a mentor to guide his or her journey, but when Kenyan-born Azan Virji set out to obtain a world-class medical education in the United States, he didn’t know whose path he could follow.

The phrase, Log kya kahenge meaning ‘what will people say,’ highlights a mindset within South Asian communities about the way people act, hold expectations, or even choose to participate in programs. This mindset has also been a contributing roadblock for many people when talking about and seeking out mental health support.