1. Silver Jubilee Message by Marhum Alhaj Mohamedali Meghji

2. Photographs of Mehfil-e-Abbas Dar-es-Salaam (Before and After Renovations)

 SILVER JUBILEE PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGE

To-day when we are celebrating the Silver Jubilee of the Federation of the K.S.I.  Jamaats of Africa, we are inclined to look back and review the record of the past 25 years and at the same time look forward to the coming 25 years.

The record of the past 25 years avokes mixed feelings, pride and satisfaction for the noteworthy achievement made by the Federation as a unifying factor and the role it has played in various communal and religious activities. Regret for its inability to do much more that could and should have been done.  On occasion like this we cannot afford to sit back and glare over our past achievement or cry over failures.

We have to take stock of the state of the Community to-day and draw lessons from our past success and failures and brace ourselves to face the challenges of the coming 25 years.  The task before   the community is to have a clear concept of its aspiration and foresee and anticipate the problems that are likely to arise and prepare itself to grapple with realities of life.

In this day and  age, when we are making an advent into the new decade of the  70’s,, do we find ourselves, our thinking and our ways of conducting the affairs of the community compatible with the  times we are living in?

It must be realized that in this technological age we cannot afford to run the affairs of the community the way we used to say 25 years ago. We are now citizens of the independent countries of Kenya,  Uganda,  Tanzania,  Malagasy,  Somalia,  Congo  Rwanda  and Burundi,  When the Federation was formed all these countries were under colonial rule and in consequence, our outlook and   thinking were considered influenced by the prevalent colonial mentality.  We cannot afford to perpetuate such mentality and to live in isolated water-tight compartments.

As faithful citizens of the respective countries we live in, it is only appropriate that we should fully understand, appreciate and identify ourselves with the National aspiration and outlook and play full and active role as useful citizens.  Therein only lies the future of ourselves and our progeny.

Our Federation is primarily a religious institution. Religion is the common factor, and the sacred bond which unites us all. Our religion is Islam, and I feel that Islam has adequately tackled every aspect of human life, and given its directive.  We have elected to confine to certain traditions and ceremonies.  The essence of religion and its true perspective are at times,    far from us.  Now if we do not understand and practice true Islam, we can very conveniently foresee a day when our identity will bear no relation with the faith we profess. The Federation is doing all it can to see that our Community lives and believes accordingly to the true Islam, but little can be accomplished without the support,  co-operation and active interest from the members.

The success of the Federation and for that matter the community as a whole does not solely rest with President, Office bearers and the Secretariat.  Each one member of the Community has a definite role to play.  Let us all join hands and with mutual respect, love and affection to each other, do our bit of good work for the Community.  The sum total of such selfless united efforts will not be lost.  We have a right to live and prosper in life. It is   therefore for us to strive and struggle and pray for Almighty’s Mercy.  Let it not be forgotten God does not change the state of the Community until it changes itself.

Let us ask ourselves, do we need to change our progress.  What can each one of us do to help ourselves and our Community.

MOHAMEDALI MEGHJI,

PRESIDENT

FEDERATION OF THE KHOJA SHIA ITHNA-ASHERI JAMAATS OF AFRICA

Any suggestions/comments can be sent to federation@raha.com