Updated 18 April 2012

The President of the World Federation of KSIMC Dr. Asgher Moledina visited His Eminence Ayatollah Sistani in Najaf-al-Ashraf on 6 April 2012. The President conveyed condolences to His Eminence on the occasion of the Martyrdom of Bibi Fatema (SA). He also conveyed the community’s greetings and prayers for long and health life of His Eminence. The President reiterated that His Eminence was the centre point of unity for the Ummah and that the Khoja community in particular felt His presence as a source of love and father of the community. The President then presented the latest report of activities of the World Federation Secretariat and its respective departments.

His Eminence returned his Salams to the community and stated that he had a special place for the Khoja community in his heart. In particular, he stated that he remembers the Khoja community daily after his morning prayers and prays for the progress of the Khojas world-wide. He stated that the community needs to know that he affectionately loves each individual, young and old, man and women more that the love they have towards him. His Eminence also prayed for the well-being of the community both in this world and the hereafter and prayed for the community to be steadfast on the wilayat of Imam Ali (AS).

His Eminence also recalled the leadership of Marhum Mulla Asgher and stated that Marhum was a great leader and a pillar of the community. He felt Marhum had provided profound leadership to the Khoja community and that the current leadership should endeavour to preserve the unity of the community.

The President sought wise counsel from His Eminence on a range of religious and social issues. His Eminence stated that the World Federation’s attention to the madaris agenda was critical particularly because very limited time is available for students to study religious studies especially in the West. He emphasised particularly on:

• the need for regular short term summer crash courses,
• continual character development,
• learning of the Holy Qur’an including memorisation, and
• equipping the students with sound knowledge to be able to respond to challenging subjects and influences of other ideologies.

His Eminence stated that modern texts are required to educate the youth of today and mentioned his book ‘Code of Practice for Muslims in the West’ as relevant material for our young generation today in the madaris. His Eminence also stated that there were certain ideologies that were penetrating the broader Shia community and that our community needs to be educated and alerted about such trends. He stated that madaris was the best platform for educating our young generation.

Dr Moledina also sought advice on the future of theological studies for aspiring students. His Eminence stated that the Hawza in Najaf is now being redeveloped after the suppression during the era of Saddam Hussein. He stated that during the dictator’s era, over 250 leading Ulama were assassinated and many leading scholars in Najaf left for Qum. He stated that the Hawza in Najaf is now being revived and conditions for studies improving. He believed it was now the right time for students to come and seek theological studies in Najaf. He felt Najaf provided a free environment devoid of any political distractions and that a student would be able to fully focus on studies and concentrate on the fundamentals and depths of theological subjects.

His Eminence ended the meeting with prayers enjoining good for others the way we want good for ourselves and prevention for others from things we want to prevent ourselves from.

The President then called upon his son Syed Mohamed Ridha Sistani and discussed matters pertaining to the welfare of the Shia communities. He expressed the need for better and stronger ties with the community that would enhance stronger communication between Marjaiyyat and the Muqalideen. Syed Mohamed Ridha echoed and supported this need and promised to continue facilitating stronger level of communication with the community.

Meeting with Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki
The President of the WF Dr Moledina called upon the Prime Minister of Iraq Mr Nouri Al-Maliki at his office in Baghdad on Tuesday 3rd April 2012. Mr Maliki recalled the contribution of Marhum Mulla Asgherali M M Jaffer to the Iraqi society and recalled the days when he was Saddam's prisoner. [Marhum was imprisoned by Saddam Hussein for approx. 4 months during the 1980's and has written a book 'I was Saddam's prisoner’ also translated into Arabic by the Iraqi community].

Mr Maliki spoke about the new open democratic nation of Iraq and called upon communities (such as the Khojas) to utilise this opportunity in the new Iraq to enhance cultural, religious and social exchanges. He stated that after the fall of Saddam Hussein, the doors for intellectual freedom are widening in the new Iraq and felt that the School of the Ahlul Bayt has a lot to offer Iraqis as this was the 'moderate and balanced' approach to life and not only would this contribution assist the followers of Ahlul Bayt or Muslims, but it would also appeal to the wider society as a whole.

Dr Moledina expressed his best wishes to the PM under the new Iraq and praised his role. He called upon his support to African students intending to study in Iraq to attain both secular and religious education. The PM commented that the admission process was for the educational institutions in Iraq to deal with but that his Government would fully facilitate the immigration and logistical support required once admission is granted.

Meeting with Ayatollah Ishaq Faiyyaz
The President called upon Ayatullah Ishaq Faiyyaz at his residency. He conveyed the community’s greetings and enquired about the health of Agha. His Eminence stated that he was recovering well following his treatment in London and prayed for the community. Ayatollah Ishaq also offered support to the Khoja community in the development of a Hawza in Najaf and facilitated the delegation to visit the site of a major construction project of accommodation for seminary students in Najaf.

His Eminence recalled some of his experiences studying under the Late Ayatollah Khoi(RA) and stated that the success of previous Maraaje and in particular Syed Al Khoi was due to their absolute sincerity and nobility of character. He recalled that over the 40 years he studied under Syed Al Khoi, never had he heard a single negative remark about others from his teacher –on the contrary he spoke  good of even his enemies. He felt the society needed to back to the basics of Akhlaq, and that vices such as lying and backbiting needed to be overcome in a society that wanted to progress in the eyes of God.

Meeting with Ayatollah Bashir Najafi
The President of the World Federation called upon Ayatollah Bashir Najafi. Ayatollah Bashir expressed his desire to work closely with the Khoja community and felt that coming from the sub-continent, he understood the needs of the community better. Ayatollah Bashir then talked about the need for enhancing the quality of education in the seminaries and briefed the delegation about his on-going activities in the seminary of Najaf.

Later on, a separate meeting was held between Hujjatul Islam Ali Najafi (the son of his Eminence Bashir Najafi) and the President. A range of issues were discussed and Sheikh Ali briefed Dr Moledina in detail on some of the activities including crash courses, development of a programme for women in the hawza, and on the activities amongst the wider Shia community.  He also invited the World Federation to collaborate on some of these.

Visit to Hawzat Khoja  Alamiyya
 

Shaikh Safder Jaffer recited majalis commemorating the wafaat of Bibi Fatema Zehra(AS)

                                      Discussion with students and teachers
 

                                  Reciting Zohrain prayers with the students

The President later visited the Hawza run by Murabbi RazaAly Hirdji for the Madagascar students in Najaf. The Hawza is located near Masjid Hannana and accomodates both the Khoja students for Madagascar and the native Malagasi students. The President was impressed by what he saw and stated that the most interesting part was the extent of integration between the Khoja and Malagasi student which was an embodiment for others to emulate.

The President stated ‘It is remarkable to see how Khoja students and African students can study and stay together, side-by-side, all with one cause  and that is to understand and acquire the true path of the Ahlul Bayt right at the heart of the gate of knowledge. I commend RazaAlyBhai Hirdji, Shaikh Nawshad and his team for this remarkable achievement in such a short span of time’.
 

Visit to University of Humanity
Dr. Moledina also visited a private Unviersity in Najaf. Called the University of Humanity it has various faculties from the school of Dentistry, Computer Engineering, Engineering, Law, Islanice Studies, etc.  Soon they would be ready with the School of Pharmacy, and a full medical college. He was impressed by the standard at the Dentistry school which offers a great opportunity for our girls and boys to study in an Islamic environment.