Being Muslim and being a Muslim leader has been tough in recent years
"Being Muslim and being a Muslim leader has been tough in recent years. The
Aga Khan's pursuit for pluralism is commendable and much needed. Tolerance
and dialogue are essential in our world and it is important that we
recognize that there is great strength in differences. In this time of
conflict and uncertainty, we must continue building bridges across
countries, creeds, cultures and communities faster than ever before - to
understand our differences and develop their creative potential. I believe a
look at the Aga Khan's life can serve as an example of how one can do so."
Foreword by James Wolfensohn
Former President of the World Bank
This article is copied from description in YouTube Video "Aga Khan Builds
Bridges"
Click HERE <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhiB6GVMZaY&feature=related> to
watch the video
The first time I saw His Highness the Aga Khan, he was playing soccer and I
was getting ready to play cricket at Harvard. The Aga Khan was a Harvard
student in 1957, the year when he became Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims. I
was enrolled in Harvard's Business School, just across the fence. We shared
playing fields and I saw him from a distance but I don't think we ever met
at this time.
Over the past 20 years, the Aga Khan and I have grown to become close
friends. We came into contact first when I was directing the Rockefeller
Foundation, and later at the World Bank. The Aga Khan's vision for humanity
to help the most marginalized people was very much in line with the work I
was doing to alleviate poverty. The Aga Khan has persevered, through his
foundation, to promote the well being of, not only his own followers, but
also communities at large - from all faiths and all backgrounds, especially
in the developing world.
In our early years, both of us realized that the differences between rich
and poor were not going to continue unaddressed and that people in poverty -
who constituted more than half of the world's population - were not going to
remain silent. There was also a sense that proactively tackling the issue of
poverty and deprivation was a matter of doing what was morally right; for
those who were more religiously-inclined, aiding those in need was the
result of religious teachings and religious practices. The Aga Khan, as a
leader of his faith, is a unique example of a visionary committed to promote
human welfare.
It is one thing to address spiritual values, which I am sure the Aga Khan
has always done in a remarkable manner, but nurturing the spirit alone is
not enough. What is extraordinary about the Aga Khan is that he addresses
the whole person: he looks at the question of how you can encourage poor
families to live a better life by giving them opportunities ranging from
providing education for their children so that there is no limitation on the
possibilities for their future, to giving them access to better healthcare
so that they can live longer and enjoy a healthier - qualitatively better -
life.
The Aga Khan understood the need for development very early on. His record,
for the past fifty years in terms of the number of schools, hospitals, and
local jobs he has created, is nothing but outstanding. Given my experience
at the World Bank, I can say there is no other community leader that I know
of who has done better. More importantly, he has done so in a multi-country
environment dealing with different political leaders and he has done it
through the sheer force of his personality, his goodness and his practical
wisdom.
Being Muslim and being a Muslim leader has been tough in recent years. The
Aga Khan's pursuit for pluralism is commendable and much needed. Tolerance
and dialogue are essential in our world and it is important that we
recognize that there is great strength in differences. In this time of
conflict and uncertainty, we must continue building bridges across
countries, creeds, cultures and communities faster than ever before - to
understand our differences and develop their creative potential. I believe a
look at the Aga Khan's life can serve as an example of how one can do so.
I congratulate the Ismailis and the Aga Khan at the time of his Golden
Jubilee and I congratulate Shamir Allibhai for persevering with this film
with a vision to help dispel prejudiced myths in the current climate where
many are associating Islam with terrorism. I look to the future with hope
that we will be able to bring about a confluence of cultures and faiths that
will realize the best in humanity - a goal shared by my friend, the Aga
Khan.
Foreword by James Wolfensohn,
Former President of the World Bank
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Pesantren Daarut Tauhiid - Bandung - Jakarta - Batam
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Menuju Ahli Dzikir, Ahli Fikir, dan Ahli Ikhtiar
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