The birthday of our beloved Present and Manifest Imam is a day to celebrate with our families and loved ones, as a community. Wherever we are, even if there is not a Jamatkhana nearby or if it is a small one, we get together, take our tasbih for a few minutes and pray on this happy occasion. Our prayers are always heard.
During the past months we have experienced unforgettable situations. Some of them have been happy, some of them not so much, but once again we have shown unity and strength as a community, able to face adversity as brothers and sisters in faith.
On this occasion, our prayers and thoughts go to the members of the Jamat in the Valencia region, after the catastrophic DANA, on the 29th October 2024, which caused the evacuation of numerous civilians and the loss of life, homes, jobs. Fortunately, our members in Valencia are in good health and remain united.
In these types of situations – when the lives, the wellbeing and the future of Ismailis are at stake – it is important to remember that one call or message with encouraging words can provide comfort to others. This reinforces one of the pillars of our Ismaili Tariqah: we are one. Even if we live in different localities, dispersed in the same country, we are members of one community and we must endeavor to maintain this unity. This unity also means to convey mercy and affection towards our Ismaili brothers and sisters and their families of other faiths, who are loved and welcome, especially at Salgirah celebrations.
As the Jamat of Spain we belong to the Portugal jurisdiction, which is willing to look after us in anything we may need. As a matter of proximity when it comes to geography, culture and language, our supporting country is Portugal. The jamat of Portugal is bigger in numbers and it celebrates events of different nature: religious, social, educational or sport oriented, amongst others. They always welcome us to join and be part of their celebrations. They are constantly thinking of us and in ways they can provide spaces and opportunities between Spain, Portugal and Mozambique.
In the past few months there have been in-person and online events, of which we will keep informing you through WhatsApp such as:
- Sports Festival in Lisbon where we had the privilege of having two participants from the Barcelona Jamat, the 26th and 27th October.
- Online cooking class, to prepare a healthy delicious apple and cinnamon cake, the 17th October.
- Online session initiation to mindfulness techniques and body-mind balance, the 20th November.
- In-person celebrations of Imamat Day, Salgirah and other events at the Ismaili Center in Lisbon.
From an international perspective, we encourage you to check the official website of the.ismaili, where we can find important educational information, such as:
- The new podcast “Gems of Wisdom” launched on the 23rd October, which includes Hazir Imam public speeches about relevant topics, such as: “The most important skill anyone can learn is the ability to go on learning.” “Cultural investments as a springboard for development.” “Diversity as an opportunity rather than a burden.” “In Islamic thought beauty and mystery are not separated from intellect.” “The Qur’an an inexhaustible well-spring of inspiration,” and “Musical language as an elemental expression of human spirituality.” Do not miss the weekly podcast at: https://gemsofwisdompodcast.podbean.com/
- Community services where members of the global Jamat, thanks to the Ismaili Civic’s group, participate in programs such as blood donation, beach cleaning or social soup kitchens. We encourage you to participate locally on any of these programs and receive the blessings of helping others. As our beloved Hazir Imam says: “When you give, it will be returned to you over 100 times”.
- Global Encounters Festival, which will take place in Dubai between the 20th and the 27th July 2025. Do not miss this opportunity of participating in numerous sports and arts categories. If you do not have a team yet, remember that the jamat of Portugal welcomes team members from Spain. You can check the information with our National Council’s member in Spain, Yasmín Shabudine, or on the following link: https://www.gefestival2025.ismaili/site/
- Online events such as book clubs, talks about health habits, professional careers, economy, and many others!
- Articles and relevant news about Imamat Institutions and the Ismaili Community, such as the recent interview with Princess Zahra, where she speaks about her childhood, her studies and her work in development together with Hazir Imam at Imamat institutions.
https://the.ismaili/us/news/interview-princess-zahra
https://tv.ismaili/watch/an-interview-with-princess-zahra-aga-khan - Other important articles reflect the Imamat's institutions' great commitment to promoting world peace and protecting the environment. In the.ismaili you will learn about the different initiatives and participation in high-level international and governmental events (COP 29, Paris Peace Forum 2024, Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations, the Peace Connection Award), some of which can be found in this edition of the newsletter.
Remember to tune into the Ismaili TV, where we can find hundreds of documentaries, musical videos, interviews, and educational programs: https://tv.ismaili/
Lastly, we remind you that you have the Ismaili Institutions Directory at your disposal (IIPT: IIPT Directory), where you must register as members of the Spain Jamat or update existing data.
On behalf of the Communications Team of the Spain Jamat, we convey our best wishes of health, happiness, peace, unity, harmony and spiritual and material barakah for the Jamat. Salgirah Mubarak!
