The Seventh Meeting of The World Federation Executive Council February 19-24, 2003 in Antananarivo, Madagascar

The grand Imambargah Complex of the Antananarivo Jamat buzzed with activity as it hosted The World Federation Executive Council Meeting and the Khoja World Economic Forum from February 19-24, 2003.  The largest gathering ever, in the history of community in Madagascar, attracted participants and Councillors from USA, Canada, UK, Kenya, Tanzania, Comoro Island, Reunion Island, Pakistan and Dubai.  Eleven members of the Secretariat were also in attendance.

The Khoja Shia Ithna Asheri Community in Madagascar numbers some 5000 with 16 Jamats, under the Regional Council of the Indian Ocean.  The Antananarivo Jamat is the largest with over 2000 members.  The impressive complex is one of the best in the Community and houses a Modern Islamic School, Dispensary, state of the art gymnasium for men and women and the Mulla Asghar Memorial Library.  The Jamat also has a number of housing projects and is in the final stages of establishing a school.

In his welcome address, Al Hajj Rafiq Ramjee, the young and energetic President of Antananarivo Jamat said: “We are proud to host the first ever World Federation meeting in Madagascar”.  Alhajj Mojiz Khamis, President of R.C.I.O., stated that it was a “dream realized to have The World Federation meeting in Madagascar”, and hoped that it would go a long way in enhancing contacts between the French and English speaking members of the Community.

Al Hajj Zulfikar Khimji, the Chairman of Africa Federation reported that The World Federation meeting had enabled the Africa Federation and R.C.I.O. to come closer and agree on making changes in the Africa Federation Constitution to accommodate greater participation of RCIO in the Africa Regions.  He also called for Career Guidance for Madagascar and invited the youths of Madagascar to attend the Youth Conference in April 2003 in Mombasa.

At the inauguration of The World Federation Exco Meeting on Friday, February 20, the RCIO conferred the Muhammadi Medal to Al Hajj Hasnain Walji, the President of the World Federation and to Yawar Abdulhusein, Razali Hiridjee, Huseinali Hiridjee, Mrs. Zebounissa Nourmamod Hiridjee in recognition of their services to the Community.

Citation honoring Al Hajj Mojiz Khamis, the President of RCIO and Al Hajj Roshan Jamil were read by The World Federation President on behalf of World Federation and Africa Federation.

For almost 90 minutes, the packed Conference hall with over 500 Councillors, invitees and observers, attentively listened as the World Federation President enumerate the challenges facing the KSI Community globally and the role of World Federation as an enabler and facilitator in meeting the challenges in the far and changing world.  Setting the tone for deliberations in the following days of the meeting, he urged the community to recognise its strengths and resources.  While the wider Shia Community had acknowledged the organised structure of the community, many within the Community did not seem to have grasped the value of the Jamats, Regional organizations and The World Federation.

Paying an emotional tribute to Marhum Mulla Asgher, he stated that it was hardly possible to contemplate the hardships he and other past leaders had faced in the establishment of our institutions and that the Community owed it to them in maintaining the strength and integrity of our organization.

While The World Federation had collected and spent around $75 million in the past 25 years, this sum amounted to a mere $24 per person per year.  Surely the Community was generating far more than that.  Obviously only a small proportion of our hukook funds were being channelled through our organisation.

Given the fact that the Marja had given the World Federation and other Khoja Institutions permission to collect and spend hukook for the benefit of the Community, why were some Community members actively helping outside in dispensing hukook funds away from the Community coffers?  What was the reason for channelling hukook to individuals who provide no accountability or transparency?

He urged the Community to alter its approach of handling hukook to ensure its optimum usage through our own institutions, which provide accountability and transparency. 

He also emphasised upon the need for input in drafting the Strategic Plan for the next decade.  A task force headed by the Vice President, Dr. Ahmad Hassam has been working on the document to be presented at the next Conference in October 2003.  Referring to the ‘Vision to Reality’ document, he stated that the 3 year vision for the term had helped in formulating policies and an active plan and hoped that at Conference 2003 will adopt the long range vision the strategic planning team was working on.

Reports from the Regions
On Saturday, representatives from regions and members of the Secretariat provided numerous reports summarised as under:

RCIO  
    
     Services rendered to members

• Subvention to 10 resident religious speakers in small communities
• Scholarships ($5,000 per year) to 36 students in Bangalore, 11 still there
• Visit of industrial exhibition in India
• In Reunion, construction of two mosques (one still in construction)

     Request for Assistance

• Higher education in Canada, USA for the 11 Bangalore students
• Boarding for university students in Paris

Tana  

     Services rendered to members

• 24 flats for widows
• Women’s rights to vote since this year
• Father’s Day (Imam Ali’s Wiladat) and Mother’s Day (Bibi Fatema’s Wiladat) organized by Women Association
• Youth Association: journal “al Haq”
• Scholarships to 80 students
• Renovation of the new and old cemeteries
• 11 small parts of land sold to community’s members

     Requests

• Construction of a Sports complex
• Construction of 16 flats for middle-income families.
• Boarding for girls (Women Association)

Tulear  

     Services Rendered

• Husseini Memorial School: about 1200 students (40% Indian students)

Majunga 

     Services Rendered to the Community

• al Noor School: about 600 students
• 21 flats for widows

     Requests

• project of construction of 12 flats + 2 shops : $200,000

Report of Africa Federation

The Chairman Al Hajj Zulfikar Khimji related the experiences of his visits to almost all Jamats under the Africa Federation.  He also expressed satisfaction for the support and excellent relationship enjoyed with The World Federation.  He stated that Mombasa and Arusha Jamats had embarked on Housing Projects.

In response, The World Federation President informed him that World Federation had been able to facilitate a donation from the Jaffer family of New York for a housing project in Dar es Salaam and asked him to convey this to the President of Dar es Salaam Jamat.

Treasurer’s Report

The Hon. Treasurer, Al Hajj Ahmed Daya presenting the regular quarterly report stated that of the £4.3 million received by The World Federation during the year 2002, $1,6 million was Khums which amounted to 37% of the total revenues.  This trend demonstrated a lower reliance on Khums for community projects.

He also explained the manner in which every two months an account was submitted to the office of the Marja requesting receipts which were then forwarded to donors.

Secretariat Report

Introducing the Secretariat team and the Secretariat report, the Secretary General Al Hajj Sibtain Panjwani proffered a high level view of the function of the Secretariat.

Calling it the mother of the organisation, he outlined the nurturing role of the Secretariat from being a reposing of information to the implementation of the decision of Conferences, Executive Council and the Office Bearers.

Islamic Education Board

Mulla Muhsin Jaffer acknowledged the progress of the Bilal Muslim Mission in Madagascar.  Since its establishment in 1982 in Morondova where he was also present and was instrumental in its establishment.

He enumerated the breadth of recent Tabligh activities in Thailand, Japan, Bosnia, Italy, Malta, Azerbaijan and Poland.

Focusing on Tabligh activities within the Community, he highlighted the role of Khoja Muballighs and Zakirs around the world and encouraged Jamats to avail platforms to help nurture Zakirs from within the Community.

He suggested that with the prevailing Islamophobic environment around the globe it was all the more necessary to explain the teachings of Ahlul Bait in a positive manner.

Zainabiya Child Sponsorship Scheme

In a moving address, Mohamed Visram, the ZCSS chairman, reported that the ZCSS now has 11,770 students with 671 students in universities.  The concept of using education to fight poverty, which is the raison de e’tre of ZCSS, was now paying dividends.

His submission of the impact of providing essential head start to a child who would otherwise have had no chance in life brought tears to many in the audience.  For as little as $15 per month one could help change not just life but an entire society.  This is what makes ZCSS such an enduringly effective scheme in meeting the objective of the World Federation.

Medical Advisory Board

On behalf of the Chairman of MAB, Dr. M.T.I. Walji, Dr. Ahmed Hassam elaborated on the activities of the MAB which had treated over 5000 patients since its inception.  The cases handled include kidney transplants, fertility treatments, heart surgery and many more.  He also highlighted the screening programmes conducted in UK and Europe and encouraged all Jamats to undertake Annual Screening programmes.

Career, Education and Advisory Board

On behalf of al Hajj Murtaza Datoo, Hassan Pirbhai informed the meeting on wide range of activities by CETAB such as career guidance and Mahmood Dhalla spoke on the SSN Network that assists students in colleges and Universities.

Youth Network Desk

Shafique Govani, the YND co-ordinator, introduced the YND concept and reported on the implementation of the YND objectives.  The successful Conferences in Africa, Europe and USA and visits to India had provided useful opportunities in implementing its objectives.

Women’s Desk

Dr. Ahmed Hassam reported on the Women’s Convention and following its recommendation, a Women’s Desk would be established at the Secretariat.

Disaster Prepardness Document

Dr. Ahmed Hassam reported that the document was now finalized, though only Zanzibar and Leicester Jamats had responded to its request for input.

Constitutional Review Committee

The Executive Council  noted with satisfaction the receipt of the CRC papers on schedule and the secretariat  distributed the same to the membership upon receipt.

Councillors’ Forum

Economic Forum:

Councillor Masum Somji responded on the various initiatives and the efforts of JIBA.  The economic forum initiated by the World Federation, to be held on Sunday would go a long way in establishing trading relationships within the Community.

Khums

In his landmark paper, Councillor Manzoor Kanani elaborated on the meaning, history and utilization of Khums.  He suggested that if the leadership could educate the community about the correct utilization of Khums, it would be better able to encourage them to accept and work through the principle of centralization.  He urged individual Ejaza holders to work within the system of our institutions and not channel it through individuals outside the community.  The community expected them to be loyal to it.

Conference 2003

The house unanimously accepted Dubai Jamat’s invitation to host the next Triennial Conference in Dubai.  The dates set for the Conference will be October 8-10.  This was to also accommodate a trip for Umrah on Shaban 15th (October 11/12) for those who wish to do so.

Business Network Forum

In a special session, chaired by Councillor Masum Somji on Sunday, February 22, the Antananarivo chapter was re-established with Al Hajj  Nawazaly R. Moloo as Chairman.

Bilal Muslim Mission Madagascar

Tuesday, February 18, the attendees to the World Federation Executive Council meeting participated in the 20th Anniversary celebration of the BMM Madagascar, which has over 37 centres all across Madagascar.  The Mission also runs a boys and a girls religious training centres.