On behalf of the Jamati Institutions in Ontario, we extend our warmest Imamat Day Mubarak!  Today we rejoice and express our immense gratitude to Mawlana Hazar Imam for His continuous guidance. Imamat Day 2019 is particularly special because it marks the end of our term of office.

In the words of Rumi, "When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy".  It has been a joy and truly a privilege to serve the Ontario Jamat. Together, we have achieved so much and commemorated important milestones. Some of these include:

• the relocation of Downtown Jamatkhana to a more dignified and permanent space;
• the expansion of SEED Centres to benefit the youngest members of our Jamat and a more diverse offering of sports and STEM programs for our Youth;
• regular Foundations of Faith sessions to enhance the understanding of our faith;
• an incredibly historic Diamond Jubilee commemoration and several Diamond Jubilee initiatives including the promotion of artistry within our Jamat through Jubilee Arts and putting the ethics of our faith into action through Ismaili CIVIC; and
• most importantly, achieving impactful progress on improving the quality of life for our Jamat. 

We have tried our best to lead the Jamat with an even hand and the utmost compassion. If at any point during our term of office, we or our teams have made any errors or omissions, or unintentionally offended anyone, we humbly ask for your forgiveness. Let us look ahead and pledge to whole-heartedly support the incoming Jamati and institutional leadership that Mawlana Hazar Imam has appointed, so that they are able to move the Jamat and our beloved Imam’s work forward.

As a  Jamat, we in Ontario have so much to look forward to. This week, we begin the awareness campaign for the 100th anniversary commemoration of the Ismaili Volunteer Corps. This weekend, we will enjoy Imamat Day celebrations including dinner and cultural dancing; and in September, we will celebrate the 5th anniversary of the opening of the Ismaili Centre, Toronto. Still further ahead, we look forward to supporting the incoming team as they move into the design and construction of a permanent Halton Jamatkhana, and inshallah Richmond Hill, London and Pickering Jamatkhanas. They will also engage in the planning of the proposed new multi-generational housing project in Toronto, which will offer much-needed affordable housing and long-term care beds for our Jamat. 

We express our appreciation and gratitude to all who have donated their time, resources and talent and we thank the Jamat for consistently supporting all Institutional programs and initiatives. We are confident that this support and dedication will be extended seamlessly to the new leadership teams. Let us continue to ensure that we remain a strong, united and compassionate community that takes care of each other. 

On this Imamat Day, let us reaffirm our allegiance to Mawlana Hazar Imam, and offer gratitude for His benevolence, grace and guidance, and renew our commitment to the ethics of the faith. We pray for unity, Barakat, good health, safety, and the spiritual and material progress of the worldwide Jamat.  We offer our humble shukrana to the Imam of the time for being our beacon of light, and pray that we remain enveloped in His love and mercy.  Ameen.

Imamat Day Mubarak.

Sheherazade Hirji
President, Ismaili Council for Ontario

Amir Mirshahi
Chairman, Ismaili Tariqah & Religious Education Board for Ontario

Hussein Sunderji
Chairman, Grants and Review Board for Ontario

Dr. Karim Kurji
Chairman, Conciliation and Arbitration Board for Ontario

Dr. Moez Rajwani
Mukhi, Headquarters Jamatkhana