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in
ru_ismaili
why He chose Portugal
https://www.tsf.pt/opiniao/interior/quem-e-aga-khan-e-porque-vem-a-portugal-9487512.html
перевод на англ
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An enlightening article in which Hazar Imam explains why He chose Portugal over Canada for His Seat of Imamat
He is a prince and lives with the international royalty. He is received as head of state without state. He holds two secular titles - that of His Highness and that of Aga Khan - attributed by the British monarchies and Qajar dynasty.
He is a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad (Muhammad) and jokes also
He says that the work he has developed is neither charity nor philanthropy.
He is also the founder and President of the Aga Khan Development Network, which is part of the well-known Foundation, among other agencies for economic, social, scientific and cultural development in the world, including Portugal .
In the singular interview he gave to the Portuguese press , during the celebration of his Golden Jubilee, he made a point of making his position very clear: he is part of the foundational Islam, he said, both Sunni and Shiite, that an Imam assumes his responsibility first place, in the security of peoples, and then in improving the quality of life of the population in general, especially where poverty is critical.
It is the responsibility of an Imam to lead his leadership on the basis of the Islamic ethical principle of "helping people to help themselves."
The goal of my Imamate will always be to contribute to the populations becoming independent and masters of their own destinies.
He argues that unlike Judeo-Christian traditions, an Imam teaches the believer not to divide or separate faith from the affairs of the world.
For the Aga Khan, faith must be lived every day, at all times, and cannot consist only of "occasional entries," in situations such as baptisms, weddings, or funerals.
However, being different religious traditions, they should not be understood as conflictual.
Asked about the interreligious dialogue, the prince argued that he does not see in these any added value.
For him, the dialogues are not inclusive enough, because if on the one hand, non-believers are left out, on the other, even believers may have life circumstances in which they lose faith.
And then, he said, there is always the danger of religious proselytism.
That is to say, when ethics which represent only the faith are imposed, all the unbelievers who believe in an ethical society are left out.
Thus, if there is to be a dialogue, it will have to go through the construction of a society where ethics are global, and this can only be an "ethics of quality of life", a "cosmopolitan ethic".
The question that occupies the minds of Ismailis and not Ismailis is this: why did His Highness Prince Aga Khan IV choose Portugal to establish the Ismaili Imamat, when he could have chosen Canada - a larger, richer, pluralistic country, and where he has established other important institutions?
How can a small country, with an Ismaili community also reduced, be chosen, after approximately a thousand years since the Fatimid dynasty, to establish an Imamate that projects this "cosmopolitan ethic"?
Although he did not specifically refer to the establishment of the Imamate's headquarters in Portugal - something that was completely unknown to most believers and non-believers, - the prince pointed out in that interview four reasons for this choice:
In the first place, Portugal is a country where one can observe a "social construction in operation" instead of a "dysfunctional social construction".
Secondly, as a secular and secular country, there is a political will in Portugal to recognize the structures of faith, and to give them an important role for their development - something that does not happen in other secular and secular countries.
Third, Portugal has a history of pluralism that is unique; and even if the Portuguese themselves are unaware of this fact, one can only understand pluralism when one has already been exposed to it.
And "the truth is that there have been centuries of pluralism and acceptance of difference!"
This lack of knowledge probably results from a historiography that neglected the pluralism that existed throughout 700 years of Portuguese history, where Jews, Christians, Muslims and even non-believers worked and governed from pluralistic political and cultural models.
His Highness saw in this important factor the possibility of working with Portugal on the shortcomings of understanding and knowledge between Europe and the Islamic World; not only what is missing here but also the mutual lack of knowledge that exists outside this country.
Finally, he recognized in Portugal a strong, massive and active civil society. In a world where there are enormous governmental weaknesses, both in Africa and Asia, and which in its opinion, can last for decades, it will be fundamental that Portugal can, through this partnership between the Portuguese government and the Imamate, create the conditions to help other developing societies to strengthen their own civil society.
But can a minority like the Portuguese make a difference? Aga Khan responds to this conviction that we should never underestimate the power of minorities.
For this religious leader, it is precisely in the smaller ones that often lies the greater responsibility to change reality; and, in that sense, Portugal may not only be an example to follow but, indeed, a case study for the rest of the world.
* Researcher at the ISCTE-IUL International Studies Center♻
перевод на англ
--------
An enlightening article in which Hazar Imam explains why He chose Portugal over Canada for His Seat of Imamat
He is a prince and lives with the international royalty. He is received as head of state without state. He holds two secular titles - that of His Highness and that of Aga Khan - attributed by the British monarchies and Qajar dynasty.
He is a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad (Muhammad) and jokes also
He says that the work he has developed is neither charity nor philanthropy.
He is also the founder and President of the Aga Khan Development Network, which is part of the well-known Foundation, among other agencies for economic, social, scientific and cultural development in the world, including Portugal .
In the singular interview he gave to the Portuguese press , during the celebration of his Golden Jubilee, he made a point of making his position very clear: he is part of the foundational Islam, he said, both Sunni and Shiite, that an Imam assumes his responsibility first place, in the security of peoples, and then in improving the quality of life of the population in general, especially where poverty is critical.
It is the responsibility of an Imam to lead his leadership on the basis of the Islamic ethical principle of "helping people to help themselves."
The goal of my Imamate will always be to contribute to the populations becoming independent and masters of their own destinies.
He argues that unlike Judeo-Christian traditions, an Imam teaches the believer not to divide or separate faith from the affairs of the world.
For the Aga Khan, faith must be lived every day, at all times, and cannot consist only of "occasional entries," in situations such as baptisms, weddings, or funerals.
However, being different religious traditions, they should not be understood as conflictual.
Asked about the interreligious dialogue, the prince argued that he does not see in these any added value.
For him, the dialogues are not inclusive enough, because if on the one hand, non-believers are left out, on the other, even believers may have life circumstances in which they lose faith.
And then, he said, there is always the danger of religious proselytism.
That is to say, when ethics which represent only the faith are imposed, all the unbelievers who believe in an ethical society are left out.
Thus, if there is to be a dialogue, it will have to go through the construction of a society where ethics are global, and this can only be an "ethics of quality of life", a "cosmopolitan ethic".
The question that occupies the minds of Ismailis and not Ismailis is this: why did His Highness Prince Aga Khan IV choose Portugal to establish the Ismaili Imamat, when he could have chosen Canada - a larger, richer, pluralistic country, and where he has established other important institutions?
How can a small country, with an Ismaili community also reduced, be chosen, after approximately a thousand years since the Fatimid dynasty, to establish an Imamate that projects this "cosmopolitan ethic"?
Although he did not specifically refer to the establishment of the Imamate's headquarters in Portugal - something that was completely unknown to most believers and non-believers, - the prince pointed out in that interview four reasons for this choice:
In the first place, Portugal is a country where one can observe a "social construction in operation" instead of a "dysfunctional social construction".
Secondly, as a secular and secular country, there is a political will in Portugal to recognize the structures of faith, and to give them an important role for their development - something that does not happen in other secular and secular countries.
Third, Portugal has a history of pluralism that is unique; and even if the Portuguese themselves are unaware of this fact, one can only understand pluralism when one has already been exposed to it.
And "the truth is that there have been centuries of pluralism and acceptance of difference!"
This lack of knowledge probably results from a historiography that neglected the pluralism that existed throughout 700 years of Portuguese history, where Jews, Christians, Muslims and even non-believers worked and governed from pluralistic political and cultural models.
His Highness saw in this important factor the possibility of working with Portugal on the shortcomings of understanding and knowledge between Europe and the Islamic World; not only what is missing here but also the mutual lack of knowledge that exists outside this country.
Finally, he recognized in Portugal a strong, massive and active civil society. In a world where there are enormous governmental weaknesses, both in Africa and Asia, and which in its opinion, can last for decades, it will be fundamental that Portugal can, through this partnership between the Portuguese government and the Imamate, create the conditions to help other developing societies to strengthen their own civil society.
But can a minority like the Portuguese make a difference? Aga Khan responds to this conviction that we should never underestimate the power of minorities.
For this religious leader, it is precisely in the smaller ones that often lies the greater responsibility to change reality; and, in that sense, Portugal may not only be an example to follow but, indeed, a case study for the rest of the world.
* Researcher at the ISCTE-IUL International Studies Center♻