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Through the interview with my father, I hope to gain a better understanding of the service he has done for our community over the years. I know that each Ismaili child begins as a volunteer at a young age and usually carries this through their whole life. I want to know more about how my dad started off his life in volunteering in Pakistan as I am sure it must be different from my experience starting off. I would also like to see from a family member’s perspective how Varas Muhammad Remu is viewed and what accomplishments are more emphasized.

While there is no living relative of mine that could tell what life was like in Gwadar, Pakistan during the time of Varas Muhammad Remu, much can be learned simply by researching historically what his life may have been like living in that region at the time. Hence, before conducting my interview, I looked into the general significance of the Gwadar port both historically and in modern-day. This allows for comparison of the economic status of then versus now and what changes the port city may have undergone in that time. In doing so, I will gain a better understanding of what it may have meant for my great great grandfather to be a successful fisherman in his time.

I also did some preliminary research on the Ismaili lifestyle under Omani rule. This is because that was how the city of Gwadar was governed during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Finally, I examined the more modern day Ismaili community and recent events within the community.

A name never to be forgotten. I vaguely remember it being mentioned to me here and there as a child. But it wasn’t until I had grown that my family really told me about this ancestor of mine. Still, all that I was told was that Remu was an important man in the Ismaili community and greatly respected by the Imam (our spiritual guide). In wanting to learn more, I was able to find this page that essentially summarizes the life of Varas Muhammad Remu. The man was born and grew up in the late 1800s and lived a life of moving forward. He took over his father’s fishing business and was the first to export tin packaged fish, advancing the business significantly. Beyond his success in the fishing industry, Remu contributed to the building of the first Jamatkhana (place of prayer) of Gwadar and served a lifetime in service of the Imam. In fact, the Imam of the time once said that Varas Muhammad Remu was a part of the Imam’s family, a statement not to be taken lightly.

While my family was able to help me in gaining an understanding the importance of Muhammad Remu, they would have trouble telling any specifics on him as a person. This page helped fill in those gaps of knowing what it was like to live in his shoes. Although it may not traditionally be considered the most reliable source, the page provided useful information that my mother was able to confirm as well.

Since my project stemmed from the man himself, it seems only fair that I keep a source solely dedicated to his life. While my parents could confirm much of the information presented in the page, even they were surprised to learn some of the information there. For example, they didn’t know that Remu had also played a key role in the starting of a library in Gwadar. Additionally, to confirm that I am in fact related to him, my grandfather’s name is mentioned at the end of the page as part of Remu’s lineage.

Abid, Massarrat, and Ayesha Ashfaq. “CPEC: Challenges and Opportunities for Pakistan.” Pakistan Vision, vol. 16, 2016.

The importance of Gwadar as a deep-sea port extends beyond my great great grandfather’s time when it was under Omani rule to modern-day with the new agreement between China and Pakistan known as the “China-Pakistan Economic Corridor”. Abid and Ashfaq explain that this new agreement will essentially be the revival of the old Silk Roads, going along the same paths to connect the countries of Asia. Collectively, the two countries have invested upwards of $46 billion into the construction of this corridor, with the hopes of the long term goal being met by the year 2030. In order for this trade to work, the Gwadar port must be fully functional as it plays an integral part in connecting the two countries to one another as well as to points in the Arabian Sea. However, the implementation of the project has been proven to be difficult due to some political unrest in Pakistan. Many are not in support of the corridor as they believe it doesn’t provide equal benefits to all districts of Pakistan. Abid and Ashfaq insist that the project will prove to be beneficial for the economy of both countries and that each district will benefit equally.

Throughout the paper, the authors display compelling evidence for why this project is a good thing for the country. They addressed both the benefits and the challenges that would arise with the implementation of the corridor. Some of the benefits being the fact that it would push Pakistan forward and help develop the infrastructure of the area more as well as connect countries. Some challenges include the fact that a considerable number of people are not in favor of the agreement as well as the cost of implementing the project. However, there was a very apparent bias present throughout the paper in favor of the agreement. While the challenges and the opposing view were topics addressed, they were also dismissed without much consideration. I can see why they are in favor of the corridor but I also believe the other side must have some weight to their arguments if so many people are against it.

Although not much of my family still resides in Gwadar today, it is still interesting to know how they would have been affected if they were to remain traders in the fishing industry. It is clear that they would benefit from this agreement as it helps develop the sea port more and boost the economy of the city. I would imagine it would be the equivalent to when the British India Company resided in the port city. Obviously there will be those that will possibly suffer if they are unable to keep up with the changing times, but overall it should prove to be a large benefit based on what the authors of the paper point out.

Khan, Shabir Ahmad. “Geo-Economic Imperatives of Gwadar Sea Port and Kashgar Economic Zone for Pakistan and China.” IPRI Journal XIII, no. 2, 2013, pp. 87–100.

In his article on the CPEC agreement between China and Pakistan, Khan emphasizes the benefits of the corridor for both countries. For China, it provides a way to develop the land-locked Xinjiang whereas for Pakistan, it helps in improving the infrastructure of the Gwadar port. He goes on to discuss that the improvements brought about to the port city by this project would greatly influence the declining economy of the region. According to Khan, the level of poverty had increased by 41% and the economy had suffered at the cost of the “war on terror”. The plans of developing infrastructure should increase Pakistan involvement in trade within Asia. In general, both countries’ economies will benefit immensely from the China-Pakistan free trade along with the many amenities of textiles, agriculture, energy, and more.

Khan makes a strong point of the mutual gain from the bilateral trade to come about from the construction of the corridor. Additionally, much of his points are fact-based rather than a string of just opinions, thus contributing to a more compelling argument for the CPEC. He speaks beyond just the benefits geographically but also the cost benefit of trading between these two countries. Khan also addresses the positive impacts on the surrounding countries involved with China and Pakistan.

As mentioned before, it is interesting to know how the fishermen in Gwadar today are being affected by the new advances on the deep-sea port. I would like to think that my family would have been able to keep up with these changing times should we have remained in Gwadar.

Reuters. “Parched Pakistani Port Aims to Become a ‘Next Dubai’.” PressReader.com -Connecting People Through News, Kuwait Times, 25 Apr. 2018, www.pressreader.com/kuwait/kuwaittimes/20180425/28204 6212704974.

Fishing has played a large role in the lives of those living in Gwadar for centuries and the Pakistani government aims to improve the port to advance the trading industry even further. Unfortunately, the extensive fishing along with other environmental factors have left the port city in less than desirable conditions. There is a considerable drought present with little to no drinking water readily available to the citizens along with unreliable electricity. Because of this, the locals see little benefit in the plans of CPEC. These problems have become obstacles in the pathway for Gwadar to be the “next Dubai” for which the governments of both Balochistan and China are working to remove. The governments have invested in desalination plants and electricity plants to overall improve the quality of life of those living in Gwadar while also protecting the CPEC plan in motion by hopefully gaining more support from the locals.

This article helped to provide better insight on the living conditions within Gwadar in today’s date, especially in relation to the CPEC plan discussed earlier. While the other paper is fully for the agreement between the countries, this article exposed the true feelings of those living in the actual city who are not completely for the plan. Nonetheless, the author of the article acknowledges the fact that the goal of the corridor should ultimately help the port city in becoming the next Dubai of trading.

When my great great grandfather was in the fishing industry in the late 1800s, he had been thriving off the trade of packaged fish. It is intriguing that the same is not true for local fishermen in Gwadar today due to the climate change and over-fishing. The lack of fresh water has placed a damper on the quality of the locals’ lives.

“The Ismaili Community.” The.Ismaili, Islamic Publications Limited, 8 Oct. 2017, the.ismaili/community-0.

One of the biggest parts of of both my and my family’s identity is our religious affiliation: being Ismaili. The Ismaili community has grown exponentially in the past century, but who are Ismailis and why are they different? Ismailis are muslims belonging to the Shia sect of Islam. After the death of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the muslims at the time split along those who followed the succession of his cousin Hazrat Ali and those who did not. The followers of Ali became known as Shia (also spelled Shiite) Muslims while those who did not believe in the succession of Ali became known as Sunni Muslims. Within the Shia branch, there was another split in which Ismailis earned their name in following the succession of Imam Jafar as-Sadiq’s eldest son Ismail. The Imam is essentially the spiritual leader of all Ismailis around the world and is chosen based on being the direct descendant of Hazrat Ali. In general, we are a religion of peace and balance in one’s life.

Since much of this is information I grew up simply knowing, I would have never looked up what it meant to be Ismaili and found this description for an outsider’s perspective. I had always believed we as Ismailis were the most prominent group of Shia Muslims when in fact we are the second largest group. The explanation provided a solid foundation for the question of what it means to be Ismaili.

People have always asked me who are Ismailis and what is it like to be one? I have never been able to give a solid answer as we are a more private religion and I never know what I can or cannot say. However, this page gives enough information for one to understand and appreciate the religion. This is incredibly helpful as this helps in solving an issue I have dealt with every day for my whole life of explaining who I am.

“Khojas.” Muscat: City, Society & Trade, by Willem Floor, Mage Publishers, 2015, pp. 78–80.

Of course, while the fundamentals of Ismailism have not changed over the years, the way Ismailis have lived and practiced their faith has evolved since the time of Muhammad Remu. In Muscat: City, Society, & Trade, Willem M. Floor goes into the life of those living in Muscat before and after Omani rule. For this project, I mainly concerned myself with the Khojas living after/during Omani rule. Floor explains that Khoja was a term given to individuals in the Indian sub-continent who had converted to Nizari Ismaili Islam. These individuals who found themselves in Muscat created a community of their own within the trade city. Despite living a good distance away from their homeland, it is said that many kept with the customs of Gujarat and Kutch. It is even said that there is a possibility the fort in Matrah may have been built and inhabited by the Khoja people. However, there is little evidence to support or deny this claim.

In their day-to-day lives, Khojas were traders and merchants, mainly of dried fish. Floor describes that from an outsider’s point of view, it seemed the Khojas lived a simple and clean life. However, upon closer examination, it could be seen that the general quality of life was not very high. The living quarters were not the most sanitary and were also quite crowded. This is due to the fact that the women had as many children as they could due to the fact that there had been a high rate of child mortality. Their lives became especially more difficult after the British no longer laid any sort of claim on them and considered them Omani subjects. This hurt many of the traders who were originally benefitting from the British trade.

While my family lived in Gwadar and not Muscat, they were also under Omani rule during the time of Varas Muhammad Remu. Therefore, reading about Muscat helped to give some insight of what it was like to live as an Ismaili in that time and place. It’s interesting that no matter the time or place, Ismailis always find each other and form a tight-knit community of helping hands.

Asani, Ali S. “From Satpanthi to Ismaili Muslim: The Articulation of Ismaili Khoja Identity in South Asia.” A Modern History of the Ismailis: Continuity and Change in a Muslim Community, by Farhad Daftary, I.B. Tauris, 2011, pp. 95–122.

For much of my life, I had believed that we descended only from Pakistani Ismailis, a sect of Shia Muslims that follows the direct line of Prophet Muhammad’s descendants. However, in his paper “From Satpanthi to Ismaili Muslim: The Articulation of Ismaili Khoja Identity in South Asia,” Ali Asani discusses the development of the Khoja people in South Asia and how they were originally Indians who had migrated from Sind and Gujarat and converted to Ismailism. The term of Khoja was given to distinguish them as followers of Pir Sadr al-Din, a prominent Muslim Saint. According to Asani, Pir Sadr al-Din and the Khoja people are to be credited for the establishment of Ismaili Jamatkhanas, or prayer halls, and the tradition of Ginans and Qasidas, the equivalent of hymns or religious poetry. They essentially set part of the foundation of the religious traditions we practice around the world today.

It is refreshing to see the customs I grew up with put into words. Asani clearly explains the significance of each tradition as well as its origins in a way that can be understood by a complete outsider to the religion. He consistently relates the current customs within Jamatkhanas around the world to their beginnings in the Khoja community. In comparison to other sources, this one provided the most understandable description of my faith.

My faith has played a large role in my life since the day I was born. While I always heard stories in religious class of our ancestors creating Jamatkhanas around the world, it is different to read about it in a more secular setting. It removes much of the story-like aspect and makes it feel more as a real phenomenon. It is interesting to know that still, after all this time, our religion plays a large role in connecting our community in similar ways as with the Khoja people.

“BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF PIR SABZALI RAMZAN ALI.” Muhammad and Education, www.ismaili.net/Source/pirsabzali/biog1.html.

In reading on my great great grandfather, I found that he had actually taught one of the Pirs, or saints, during his time. Because of this, I became intrigued in the life and works of this Pir that studied under my ancestor. Pir Sabzali was apparently one of bad habits and behaviors before his older brother sent him to learn from Varas Muhammad Remu. In moving to Gwadar and learning more about the religion, Pir Sabzali began to fix his more undesirable habits. Once Varas Muhammad Remu had deemed Pir Sabzali as well educated in our religion, he sent him to Pasani to become the Kamadia, a position in which one helps in leading Jamatkhana prayers as well as deal with affairs pertaining to that Jamatkhana. He became known as a well versed missionary even by the Hazir Imam himself. Later in life he was given more opportunities in both trading and in the Jamatkhana until he was officially declared a Pir. He is known more for his travel diaries and religious lectures than other Pirs known for their poetry or hymns.

In my own religious education, we are rarely taught about the Pirs specifically, rather just told what the Pirs in general did for the Ismaili community in the more artistic sense. This page helped me get a better glimpse in the process of becoming a Pir doesn’t involve one to be heavily invested in the religion from birth. Rather it is more of a learning curve and something earned with time and dedication without asking.

My family has never been one to brag about our successes in life or the achievements of our ancestors. Thus, it came as more of a shock to me to find that my great great grandfather had set the religious foundation for a well known Pir. This is no little feat as he in turn played a hand in influencing the interpretation of our religion by Pir Sabzali.

“Ginans.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 11 Nov. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginans.

Similar to many other religions and cultural traditions, hymns have brought together the Ismaili community for centuries. Each child is put into Ginan classes kept in the Jamatkhana as early as 4 years old and will usually continue until they graduate high school at the age of 18. Thus, it plays a large role in the shaping of Ismaili children. Ginans are generally written by Pirs, with the earliest dating back to the 12th century, and are recited before, during, and after Jamatkhana ceremonies. It is important to note that there is no one standardized language in which these Ginans are written. Depending on what the Pir spoke, it can be in Gujrati, Urdu, Punjabi, or any other dominant South Asian language. Similar to Ginans are Qasidahs that are generally written in Arabic, Persian, or Tajik. However, what most Ismaili children are not taught in classes is that these Ginans were used by the Pirs to preach the teachings of Islam and spread the religion.

As I mentioned, I had never been taught the origins of Ginans and Qasidahs, I was simply told how to recite them and once in a while given a general translation. It is intriguing to learn that these hymns once had a purpose beyond use during prayers. I also found it interesting how there can be influences of Hindu tradition and ideas found within many of the Ginans as that was one of the dominant religions in the area at the time.

The musical tradition of Ginans and Qasidahs have played a large role in my identifying as Ismaili in my life as well as in my parents’ lives when they were younger. My mother especially has always emphasized the importance of keeping in touch with my religion through Ginans.

Sadardin. “Duniyaa Sirjine Shah More.” ISMAILI.net, 1934, ismaili.net/heritage/node/3759.

A large part of Ismaili tradition is the recitation of Ginans, or hymns, during prayer services. Each Ginan has a specific message from the Pir on topics relating to the creation of man and devotion to Allah. The Khojas primarily followed the guidance of Pir Sadardin under the Hazir Imam. One of the most common Ginans written by Pir Sadardin that is taught to children as early as first and second grade is Duniyaa Sirjine Shah More. Translated, the Ginan is essentially a creation story focused on the graciousness of God as He has provided man with sustenance after giving him life. However, man became greedy with what he was given and fell to temptation, for which he would be punished. Thus, Pir Sadardin urges followers to be grateful for what they have and to give thanks through good deeds for others.

The words and translation were found on the official Ismaili website containing all Ginans, Qasidahs (another type of hymn), and works of Pirs on record. Translations of Ginans and whatnot tend to vary slightly as most are originally written Gujrati, Urdu, Sindhi, and other languages of South Asia. Because of this, some phrases might sound off as there isn’t a clear direct translation. For example, the translation of one verse states that if one were to forget their purpose in this world, then their brain would come out of their ears. While morbid, this was obviously not the meaning as they simply meant to state that they would be punished for their wrongdoings. Still, the message can be understood as even a general rendering of the hymn communicates the major lesson to be learned.

Ginans have played a large role in my life as well as in the lives of my parents in rooting us in the Ismaili culture. The first Ginan I ever learned didn’t even come from an actual class, rather I learned it from my mother sitting on her bed when I was four years old. I have even helped the younger members of our Jamatkhana learn this specific Ginan but never learned the meaning of what I was teaching.

Afzal, Ahmed. Lone Star Muslims: Transnational Lives and the South Asian Experience in Texas. New York University Press, 2015.

In the United States, the area with the most concentrated Ismaili community is definitely in Texas. This is known amongst all Ismailis living in the United States as the High Profile Ismaili Center of the U.S. is located in Houston, Texas. However, it never occurred to me why that is. According to Ahmed Afzal, there was quite a bit of vacancy after the collapse of the real estate market. That along with the lure of the oil industry brought many Pakistani immigrants to Houston. As time went by there were more opportunities for the working class and there became more professionals educated in medicine, oil, and energy. The South Asian community also cultivated in this area drew the attention of more immigrants and people of Pakistani descent as they would be able to find more Indian products that are difficult to find elsewhere. Thus the increase in Muslims in the area can be contributed to both increased opportunities as well as the sense of a piece of home in this foreign land.

This source applies both an objective and subjective point of view as the author is also Pakistani living in the area. Thus he is able to provide insightful information through surveys done across all social statuses of Muslims who have both moved to the U.S. and who were born in the U.S. to immigrant parents. One would normally just assess the economic benefits as to why so many Muslims have moved to Houston. I would not have thought of the community and social aspect involved with Pakistanis wanting to find their own in a new country. Though it makes sense that they would gravitate towards what is familiar when the environment around them is anything but.

Personally, I have quite a bit of family living in Dallas and Houston that warrants a trip every few years to visit relatives or attend a wedding. Every time we go to the Jamatkhanas there or even any event there, my parents are sure to find old friends they grew up with in Pakistan. Many of their old friends had moved to California, Georgia, or Texas when first arriving to the U.S. It is interesting to learn of the reasons why so many have stayed in Texas after leaving their homes in Pakistan.

“USA Diamond Jubilee Visit: Welcoming the Jamat to Atlanta.” The.Ismaili, Islamic Publications Limited, 13 Mar. 2018, the.ismaili/diamond-jubilee/usa-diamond- jubilee-visit-welcoming-jamat-atlanta.

In more recent events, the Hazir Imam, or current spiritual leader, celebrated his Diamond Jubilee of Imamat. In celebration of 60 years of leadership, Ismailis across the world held festivities in his honor. As he had done during his Golden Jubilee, the Hazir Imam traveled around the world to make visits to as many countries in which Ismailis reside as he could. One of these places was Atlanta. For this event, thousands of volunteers helped in preparing for the thousands more people coming to Atlanta from across the nation. Months of planning had paid off as the Hazir Imam blessed the Jamat with his Mulaqat (translates closely to “visit”) and all went smoothly.

Overall, this page provides a fairly basic background on the event and how important a visit from the Hazir Imam is to Ismailis. They particularly emphasized the work of the volunteers in accommodating those traveling from afar and making sure that each and every member was well taken care of. Of course, this article was written before the actual event and mainly covers the preparations made in anticipation of the visit and little on the visit itself.

This past year was a very big and momentous occasion for Ismailis around the world as we were able to witness the Diamond Jubilee of our Hazir Imam. This is the third time this has ever happened in all years of Imamat. I had been blessed with the opportunity of being a student leader of sorts during this year and have incredible memories from both the days leading up to the visit and the visit itself. It was then that I was truly able to see the Ismaili community coming together from across the nation to experience this once in a lifetime opportunity.

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