Africa Federation Archives - Fifty Years of the World Federation
The World Federation of Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Communities (World Federation) was formed at a conference convened in London in October 1976. Delegates from Africa, England and the United States attended to give their formal assent to its formation. The gathering at Hammersmith Imambara marked a significant milestone in the history of the community, reflecting a shared commitment to keeping a community spread across continents connected, supported and united in faith.
The circumstances of that time made this vision particularly important. Political and social changes, including the events in Uganda, had led many families to leave their homes and resettle across the world. Communities that had once been closely connected now faced new challenges in religious guidance, education, welfare and community life. Requests for Aalims, religious literature, marriage advice and educational assistance highlighted the need for a coordinated response.
In his inaugural address, Mulla Asgharali M.M. Jaffer, then Chairman of the Federation of Khoja Shia Ithna Asheri Jamaats of Africa (AFED), explained how these circumstances brought the idea of a global organization into focus. He recalled that the Khoja Shia Ithna Asheri Supreme Council was receiving requests from former community members who had emigrated from Uganda and settled in different countries.
Recognizing that these requests reflected the growing needs of a community now spread across the world, the leadership saw the importance of establishing an organization with a global reach, building on the experience of serving Jamaats in Africa while extending coordinated assistance to community members wherever they had settled. On 20 July 1975, the United Kingdom Jamaats held a meeting in London, where the proposal for a World Federation was unanimously accepted.
This vision was shaped in part by the experience and institutional development of the Africa Federation (AFED), which had spent years responding to the needs of Jamaats across East and Central Africa and beyond. Its work in education, housing, welfare and community development had demonstrated the importance of organised structures, consultation and practical solutions grounded in local realities.
Leaders such as Mulla Asgharali M.M. Jaffer, Alhaj Abdulrasul Lakha and Alhaj Hassan Jaffer, among others, guided the community through periods of political change, migration and resettlement. Through established systems and direct engagement with Jamaats, Africa Federation developed valuable experience in addressing diverse community needs. This experience provided an important foundation for the wider vision of a global federation.
The idea behind the formation of the World Federation was simple but powerful. It aimed to bring together Khoja Shia Ithna Asheri Jamaats from Africa, the United Kingdom, Europe and North America under one umbrella, while respecting the strength and role of each local Jamaat. Its objectives focused on three main areas: religious education, financial and welfare assistance, and unity among Jamaats. These aims reflected the community’s long-standing values of caring for one another and remaining connected through faith, wherever its members lived.
Africa Federation's contribution extended beyond the experience of its leaders. Its administrative structures, consultative approach and functional departments offered valuable lessons for a global organisation. As described in Dhows to Diaspora, decades of regional experience in religious education, community welfare and housing initiatives provided a valuable framework for addressing the needs of a wider, geographically dispersed community. The World Federation built upon these foundations through the contributions of Jamaats and leaders from different parts of the world.
The early years were marked by efforts to understand the realities facing Jamaats worldwide. Leaders travelled extensively, meeting community members, listening to their concerns and assessing religious, educational and welfare needs.
By the time the first Ordinary Triennial Conference was held in 1979 in Hammersmith Imambara, London, the World Federation had begun establishing its place as a coordinating institution for the wider community. Its development reflected the shared efforts of founding leaders, Jamaats and associations, alongside the experience and institutional foundations that helped shape its beginnings. What had started as a response to the challenges of a changing world was taking shape as a lasting commitment to global cooperation and service.
Fifty years later, the formation of the World Federation stands as a reminder of what foresight, consultation and collective effort can achieve. This milestone invites us to remember not only the institution that emerged in 1976, but also the circumstances that made it necessary, the experience that helped shape it and the people whose dedication gave the vision direction.
As we reflect on this journey, Africa Federation's contribution to the World Federation's inception remains an important part of our shared history. Decades of regional experience helped shape the global vision, while the participation of Jamaats and associations across continents gave it wider reach. Together, these contributions reflect a community united by faith, shared values and a commitment to serving one another.
May Allah (SWT) reward all those who contributed to the formation and growth of the World Federation, as well as those who continue to serve through Africa Federation and Jamaats worldwide. May He guide these institutions in strengthening unity, nurturing faith and serving the community with wisdom, sincerity and compassion for generations to come.
SECRETARIAT
ARCHIVES SECTION OF THE AFRICA FEDERATION
16th October 2026/ 4th Jamadiul Awwal 1448 AH
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