PAMIR MEDIA: An Islamic Conscience in Khorog

Pamir Media

Pamir Media
English Version (translated from the Russian / Tajik original versions below)

Screening of the documentary film "Islamic Conscience: Aga Khan and Ismailis" in Gorno-Badakhshan

As it was reported by the producer Shamir Allibhai, the independent documentary film "Islamic Conscience: Aga Khan and Ismailis" was screened in Khorog town and several villages of the region. The film was made under guidance of a famous film director Bill Cran, the multiple winner of Emmy award.

Earlier the film was shown in Canada, USA, UK, and East Africa. On 29th of August the premiere was shown in Dushanbe in Dom Kino. [SA: Film was planned to be shown in Dom Kino but instead was shown elsewhere]

In Gorno-Badakhshan the screening of the film was initiated by its producer. According to the source, the main purpose of the screenings is to make aware the population about the activities of the Spiritual leader of Ismailis His Highness the Aga Khan, history and cultural traditions of Ismailism, one of the branches of Islam.

Russian version

В ГБАО СОСТОЯЛСЯ ПОКАЗ ФИЛЬМА: «ИСЛАМСКОЕ СОЗНАНИЕ: АГА ХАН И ИСМАИЛИТЫ»

Хорог. «Памир Медиа»./Шамс Рахматулло/. В Горном Бадахшане состоялся показ документального фильма «Исламское сознание: Ага Хан и исмаилиты».

Как сообщил продюсер фильма Шамир Алибхай, независимый документальный фильм «Исламское сознание: Ага Хан и исмаилиты» показан в городе Хорог и нескольких селах области. Фильм снят по сценарию известного кинорежиссера и многократного обладателя премии Эмми Билла Крэна.

Ранее фильм был показан в Канаде, США, Великобритании и Восточной Африке. 29 августа состоялась премьера фильма в душанбинском Доме кино.

Показ фильма в ГБАО состоялся по инициативе его авторов. По словам источника, фильм был показан с целью ознакомления зрителей с деятельностью духовного лидера исмаилитов мира Его Высочества Ага Хана IV, историей и культурными традициями Исмаилизма, одного из направлений Ислама.

Tajik version

ДАР БАДАХШОН ФИЛМИ «ТАФАККУРИ ИСЛОМ: ОҒОХОН ВА ИСМОИЛИЁН» БАРГУЗОР ШУД

Хоруғ. «Помир Медиа». Шамс Раҳматулло. Дар Бадахшон намоиши филм таҳти унвони «Тафаккури ислом: Оғохон ва исмоилиён» баргузор шуд.

Муаллифи филм продюсер Самир Алибай изҳор дошт, ки ҳадафи намоиши филм нишон додани чеҳраи фарҳангии ҷараёни исмоилия ва фаъолияти пешвои он Оғохони- IV ба бинандагон мебошад .

Филм аз тарафи коргардони мустақил таҳия шуда, намоиши он бо ташаббуси инфиродии гурӯҳи эҷодӣ сурат гирифтааст.

Филм дар 7 маҳалҳои мухталифи Бадахшон ба намоиш гузошта шуда, аз ҷониби мухлисон гарм пазироӣ гардид.

Harvard's newspaper: Documentary Depicts Life Of Islamic Leader

http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=521109

Documentary Depicts Life Of Islamic Leader

Film highlights religious tolerance, promotion of Islamic art and architecture

Published On Wednesday, December 05, 2007 1:11 AM

By JESSICA A. SEQUEIRA

Contributing Writer

Fresh snow and slick streets didn’t deter a large audience from attending the Monday night premiere of a documentary about the Aga Khan—the spiritual leader of millions of the world’s Shi’ite Ismaili Muslims—at the Kennedy School of Government.

The hour-long film, “An Islamic Conscience: The Aga Khan and the Ismailis,” depicted the spiritual leader’s message of religious tolerance as well as his heavy funding of development organizations in Asia and Africa to help eliminate poverty, to support women’s rights, and to promote Islamic art and architecture.

“In a post-9/11, post-London bombing world, we really need to examine the plurality of Islam,” said Shamir Allibhai, the documentary’s producer and a student at Harvard Divinity School. “Right now, there’s a lot of media coverage of Islam associated with terrorism and extremism. This project looks at a different side of things.”

In contrast with other Shia sects, Ismailis believe that the Aga Khan is a descendant of the Prophet Mohammed and trust in his interpretation of the faith. The documentary discusses the history of the Ismailis and the policies of the three previous Aga Khans. The current Aga Khan, Prince Karim al-Husayn, also appears in the film to reiterate the importance of tolerance during times of conflict.

The film screening was followed by a panel discussion with Alibhai, Emmy award-winning director Bill Cran, Islamica Magazine deputy editor Firas Ahmad, and Professor of Indo-Muslim Languages and Culture Ali Asani.

Cran, whose previous documentary was about jihad and al Qaeda, said that although he worried this documentary might be less “edgy” because it was so positive, it had to be made.

“The prejudice in our world is so extreme that we have to convey the simple fact that not all Muslims are extremists,” Cran said.

During the question and answer session, panelists responded to criticism of the film as portraying Sunni Muslims as aggressors and Shia Ismaili Muslims as a “rational” minority, which led to a debate over the role of journalists in propagating religious stereotypes.

Many viewers said they were impressed by the project’s attempt to portray a more tolerant side of Islam.

“It was a good introduction that broke the ice to understanding some of the problems of communication between the West and Islam,” said visiting Brown University freshman Areebah Ajani. “But I still think we have a long way to go.”

For Allibhai, who is himself an Ismaili, the documentary embodies a personal desire to promote change.

“This is a passion project on a number of different levels,” said Allibhai. “We hope the story of Aga Khan serves as a catalyst for people to rethink Islam.”