Guest Speaker Dr. Salima Dadani

Our speaker this week, Dr. Salima Dadani, gave an excellent talk on what it is to be a Shia Ismali Muslim. Ismalis adhere to the faith of Islam which is an Abrahamic faith of great diversity within the Muslim world. Muslims are divided into Shia and Sunni faiths. Shia believe in the leadership of Iman Ali after the Prophet's death and represent 40% of the Islamic faith of which the Ismali are about 12%. Iran is mainly Shia. The Sunni believe in elected leadership and comprise 60% of the faith. Iraq is mainly Sunni. The current descendent of the Prophet is the Aga Khan the 47th in succession. At its height Islam was the ruling forces far as France and Spain, southern Poland and Hungary. Islam had a huge influence in philosophy, geometry, mathematics and medicine. The Aga Khan stresses 3 principles: Meritocracy, Pluralism and Civil Society. There is an interrelationship of faith and the world ( Din and Danya) and the idea of Kalifa, a responsibility to creation. The Aga Khan is involved in many charitable works and foundations. Ismalis help in fund raising. They are smart, well educated women as well as men. Dr. Dadani gave us great insight into the Islamic and Ismali faiths in terms that gave us a better understanding of current events. Notes this week by Teddie Pasut.