Posted by Mawlana Hazar Imam succeeded his grandfather to the Imamate on 11 July1957. To mark his accession, several Takht Nashini (Masnadnashini) ceremonies were held in:
Dar es Salaam, Tanganyika (now Tanzania), on 19 October 1957
Nairobi, Kenya, on October 22, 1957
Kampala, Uganda, on October 25, 1957
Karachi, Pakistan, January 23, 1958
Dacca, Bangladesh, on February 12, 1958
Bombay (now Mumbai), India, on March 11,1958
“Bombay, as you have reminded, has very close associations with my family. It was here, and here alone, that my grandfather was acclaimed as the 48th Imam of the Shia Imami Ismailis. That was 73 years ago and at the time he was only eight years old. What tremendous changes have come about since those days! The Ismaili community has grown and prospered almost beyond recognition. Thanks to my grandfather’s guidance and wisdom, Ismaili families are to be found today all over the world, living peaceably beneath the flags of many nations, owing allegiance to a wide variety of governments.
In some ways, therefore, it could be said that Bombay is the birthplace of our modern world-wide community. I hope that the Ismailis who live here will remember this fact and their duty to set an example which other communities abroad will be proud to follow….
The Ismailis are a relatively small segment of the huge and complex tapestry we know as modern India. But I believe they will play a full and by no means unimportant part in the future development of this country. To all Ismailis here today, I would say this: there is nothing exclusive about you. While your religious faith will always preserve a special identity, your secular loyalty is solely to India and to its elected Government, I urge my community to keep this constantly in their minds, but they should do more still. The Ismailis have always prided themselves on their highly developed social conscience. Our faith teaches us that we have obligations far beyond our own or even our family’s interests. If you remain united, work towards community progress and respect your leaders, you will, I am sure, go far. As part of the nation of India, you must contribute your share to her advancement.”
Source: Ilm, July-Nov 1982 p6
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