The word dhiram is derived from Greek drachme. It is a monetary unit. It is a silver coin, originally of 2.97 grams (or 50 grains of barley with cut ends), later of varying value. Ten dhirams equaled the value of one gold dinar.

In Arabic, it means a porcupine or hedgehog. It is possible that it derived its name from its gait. It is a name of a gray mule of the Prophet, given to him by Mukawkis. The Prophet presented it to Ali bin Abu Talib, who rode on it in the battle of Camel and Siffin. It is said that on the legs of the dhuldul a rope was usually tied by Ali's groom named Qambar, who when accompanying his master, used to tie the rope around his waist.

"The generic term sharru or precentor in Assyria can be traced in the sha'ir or poet-soothsayer of the Arabs. The Assyrian hymn was the shire, and in it we recognize the Hebrew shir (song) and the Arabic shi'r (poetry). The Psalm of David in Assyrian was the zamaru, which equates with the Hebrew zimrah (song) and mizmor (psalm). Certainly the Assyrian shigu or penitential psalm is identical with the shiggaion of the Hebrew and the shajan of the Arabs in origin.

"The word ma'ad is derived from the verb ada or awd signifies to return to a place, and thus ma'ad means the ultimate place of one's returning. It is also treated as a synonym of raja'a, which is also used in the Koran (2:28) to indicate return to God: "Then He will make you die, then He will make you live, then you will be brought back to Him (ilayhi turjaun)". Its verbal form ada denotes to recommence or reiterate.

Tourism occupies a strategic position in AKFED's approach to economic development in the third world. It enables developing countries to use their advantages in climate and geography to revitalize local architectural and craft traditions. Tourism Promotion Services (TPS), AKFED's tourism development arm, was established in the early 1970s.

Launched in 1963 to reinforce private sector activity in industrial development in Asia and Africa, the Industrial Promotion (IPS) is an industrial development and venture capital institution. IPS companies exist in Bangladesh, Cote d'Ivoire, Kenya, Tanzania, Pakistan, Uganda and Zaire; in the developed world, there are now IPS joint ventures in small and medium-sized businesses in Canada and the United Kingdom.

The Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) carries out the Network's economic development activities. It consists of three groups of companies, especially active in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia: Industrial Promotion Services (IPS), Tourism Promotion Services (TPS) and Financial Services Companies.

The Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) carries out these Network activities in economic development. It looks for projects with development potential as well as financial viability and works to build them into companies with lasting institutional strengths.

AKFED provides an institutional umbrella for a number of leading finance and insurance companies in Africa and Asia. Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah founded most of these as small self-help companies in the first half of this century. During this period, colonial financial institutions had neither the interest nor the ability to provide banking services and insurance to the small traders and farmers of the community.

The Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) coordinates the Network's cultural activities, which focus upon building and spaces in societies in which Muslims have a significant presence. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, these are the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA) and the Historic Cities Support Programme (HCSP).

It was the Imam's own involvement in construction in developing countries during the 1960s and 1970s that evoked his concern with the deteriorating architectural heritage and inappropriate building practices in many Muslim societies. To sensitize those who build in the developing world to the unique heritage of Muslim history and architecture, the Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA) was founded in 1977.

In 1979, the Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) established the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture (AKPIA) with grants of some $. 12 million from the Imam. It mandate is to educate architects, planners, teachers and researchers who can contribute to building and design, which meet the needs of Muslim societies today. The professorships, scholarships and projects of the Program are supported by its endowment fund and by grants from the Trust.

The Trust's most recent initiative is the Historic Cities Support Programme (HCSP). It was established to promote the conservation and re-use of building and public spaces in historic cities in ways that can catalyze social, economic and cultural development. In HCSO's approach, the restoration and rehabilitation of buildings and public spaces cannot be conceived apart from broader processes of community development.

AGA KHAN FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS [ see AKDN ]

AGA KHAN FOUNDATION [ see AKDN ]

AGA KHAN FUND FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT [ see AKDN ]

AGA KHAN GYMKHANA [ see KHOJA PANJIBHAI CLUB ]

AGA KHAN HEALTH SERVICE [ see AKDN ]

AGA KHAN HOUSING BOARDS [ see AKDN ]

AGA KHAN INDUSTRIAL PROMOTION SERVICES [ see AKDN ]

Museums in the contemporary world have expanded their missions to become viable educational institutions, actively seeking to broaden their constituencies. Collections and exhibitions have become dynamic tools for instruction, debate and reflection, and for attracting large numbers to the cultural life of societies. They also act as catalysts for cultural exchange and communication, contributing to the development of civil society.

The IOMM will be a part of the redevelopment of Zanzibar's Stone Town and its waterfront. It will be located in the recently restored Stone Town Cultural Centre, in direct proximity to the port. The museum programme will be constructed around the theme of the Indian Ocean as a context for the exchange of goods, ideas and myths in which diverse civilizations have coexisted, interacted and shared intrinsic common values over time.

AGA KHAN TOURISM PROMOTION SERVICES [ see AKDN ]

AGA KHAN UNIVERSITY [ see AKDN ]

"Title is a name indicative of eminence, affording special distinction to the holder. Every title appears to have meaning or derivation from a word expressive of quality and historical background. Likewise, Imam Hasan Ali Shah, the 46th Imam was the bearer of the title Aga Khan. Fateh Ali Shah, the Qajari emperor invested him in 1818 in Tehran. Henceforward, he and his successors became known by this title. How this title was invested? What is its origin and meaning?

"Five months after his arrival in Medina, it was the Prophet's next task to find shelter and livelihood for the men who had accompanied him from Mecca. In their own home-town many of them were prosperous, but now they were all equally destitute.

"The word ahl al-bayt occurs twice in the Koran: "The mercy of God and His blessing are on you, O people of the house, ..." (11:73). This verse refers to the people of the house of Abraham (Kashf al-Asrar wa Uddat al-Abrar, 4:416), and to the house of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): "God desires only to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House! And to purify you a (thorough) purifying (33:33)".

"According to Islamic law, the non-Muslims inhabited in the Islamic state were called ahlu dh-dhimmati (people of protection) or simply al-dhimma or dhimmis. They included the Christian, Jewish, Magian, Samaritan and Sabian. Ahl al-dhimma were prohibited in the Muslim state from holding public religious ceremonies, from raising their voices loudly when praying and even from ringing their church bells aloud.

"The word ahl means those who occupy with one the same tent, the family or inmates, relative, folk, kin, kinfolk, family, people, members, followers, etc. Under these meanings, the word ahl occurs 31 times in the Koran. According to another view, it is derived from ahala, meaning to demonstrate (the family). The word kitab, comes from the root word kataba, meaning to write down. The word kitaba occurs in the Koran for the Divine Books revealed to various prophets.

The headquarters of the Present Ismaili Imam Shah Karim al-Husayni was Geneva, Switzerland between 1957 and 1976. Then, in 1976, the Imam moved his headquarters, the Secretariat de Son Altesse l'Aga Khan, from Geneva to Paris, building two replica 17th century chateaux on a large wooded estate at Aiglemont, Gouvieus, north of Paris

The Prophet not only laid down the principle of the oneness of humanity, but he also put it into practice. The Arabs, who regarded themselves as a superior race, had a very strong race and colour prejudice. To all non-Arabs, they gave the name of ajam, which means dumb, and ajma means speechless animal or brute. The immediate task before the Prophet was, therefore, to blot out the race, colour and language prejudices from the Arab mind.

No less than 67 chapters of the Koran (56 Meccan and 11 Medinan) contain verses on the day of judgment. It is spoken of under various names, the most frequent of which is yaum al-qiyama or the day of great rising, which occurs 70 times in the Koran. Next to it is al-sa'a means the hour, and occurs 40 times, yaum al-akhir or the last day, which occurs 26 times, while al-akhira as meaning the future life occurs 115 times.

(continued)
Resurrection is quite consistent with present knowledge

The Arabic term akhlaq (pl. of khulq) for ethics does not occur in the Koran. There are however few words that suggest technical terminology for the ethics. The most prominent word for virtuous conduct is salih or other words from the root, which occur some 171 times in the Koran. The root appears in verbal forms: "Who does right (man salaha) from among their fathers, wives, and offspring" (40:8, 13:23).

"Nuruddin Muhammad, surnamed Ala, also called Ala Muhammad or Muhammad bin Hasan, was born around 550/1155 or 553/1158 in Alamut. He is also known as Muhammad II, and sometimes as Ziaruddin Muhammad. His mother related to the Buwahid family. Immediately upon his accession, he arrested Hasan bin Namavar and his relatives and sentenced them to death, who were responsible to kill the Imam's father.

The word a'lam (pl. a'lamun) means world or realm. In the technical language of the philosophers and the mystics, it is often connected with various nouns and adjectives to distinguish between the visible and the invisible world. From the point of view of the phenomenal determination, the cosmos is described by Ibn Arabi in several different cosmological and ontological schems, in each of which diverse existential aspects of cosmic quantities are depicted.

"Alamut is a historical fortress of the Nizari Ismailis. Its location in mountainous terrain lies about 100 km. Northwest of Tehran, and situated in the high peak of Elburz mountain. Alburz generally was pronounced as Elburz, is the name given to great mountain range, dividing the high plateau of Iran from the low lands of Caspian Sea. The original Iranian word Alburz is derived from two Zand words, signifying the high mountain.

"Alauddin Muhammad, or Muhammad III was born in 609/1213. He was succeeded by his father at the age of 9 years. The administration of the state affairs was governed by his gifted mother for about six years, which was the first instance when a woman administered at Alamut.

"Ali, the son of Abu Talib and the cousin of the Prophet was born on Friday, the 13th Rajab in the 28th year of A'am al-fil (the year of elephants) or 600 A.D. inside Kaba in Mecca. He was brought up under the subtle care and affection of the Prophet. Ali himself cherished the memory of his childhood by saying: "The Prophet brought me up in his own arms and fed me with his own morsel. I followed him, wherever he went, like a baby-camel which follows its mother.

The descendants of Ali bin Abu Talib, not by Fatima, but from other wives, are known as the Alids (Alawi). He had 18 sons, but 14 sons according to Tabari, and 11 sons according to Masudi.

"Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah made his debut as an educational reformer, and visited The Mohammadan Anglo Oriental College in Aligarh (high fort), about 79 miles south-east of Delhi, on November 22, 1896 and had a productive meeting with Sir Syed Ahmad Khan (1817-1898), who was a great educationist and socialist. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan had founded the Aligarh College on November 1, 1875, and was the vice-President of the College Fund Committee as well as its Honorary Secretary.

"The term lakab (pl. alkab) was also termed nabaz (pl. anbaz), and by form labaz, and later on it became lakab. The ancient Arabs excelled in inventing nasty alkab for their enemies, but the Koran (49:11) forbade them not to use pejorative sobriquets: "Do not scoff at each other or give each other derisory nicknames" (wala talmizu anfusakum wala tanabazu bi 'l-alkab).

"The year 1324/1906 marks the cleavage and culmination of Muslim politics in the subcontinent, when Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah led the Muslim delegation and met Lord Minto (1845-1914), the Viceroy of India from 1905, at Simla to demand the political rights of the Muslims of India.

Allah is the proper or personal name (ism dhat) of the Divine Being, as distinguished from all other names which are called asma' al-sifat or names denoting attributes. The word Allah occurs 2702 times in the Koran, such as Allahu 980 times, Allaha 592 times, Allahi 1125 times and Allahumma 5 times. It is also known as the greatest name of God (ism a'zam).

In Sindhi and Kutchhi, Allah Tohar or Allah Toahar means with the help of God or reliance on God. It was a common phrase the scribes wrote in the beginning of the manuscripts of the ginans in Indo-Pakistan subcontinent.

"Prince Aly Salomone Khan, the son of Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah was born at Turin in Italy on June 13, 1911. Because he was a delicate child, his father decided against sending him to experience the rigours of an English boarding school. He was entrusted to the care of a private tutor, Mr. C.M. Waddington, the former Principal of Mayo College for the sons of Princes in India. He finished his education at Lincoln's Inn, London, though he was not called to the bar.

The word umra is the plural of amir means chiefs, thus amir al-umra means chief of the chiefs. It was a title created by the Safavid ruler, Shah Ismail (d. 930/1524). Imam Abuzar Ali (d. 915/1509) married to Sabira Khatoon, the daughter of Shah Ismail, and he was granted the title of amir al-umra. Imam Murad Mirza (d. 920/1514) was also invested the same title.

"The word amr means authority, occurring 89 times in the Koran, which explains the meaning of authority (amr) in stage-wise. At first, it insists that the authority of giving decision is the sole prerogative of God: "The authority rests with none but God. He commands you not to surrender to anyone else than Him. This is right way" (12:40) and "Beware! Creation is His and authority is (also) His" (7:54).

Prince Amyn Muhammad, the younger brother of the Present Imam was born on September 12, 1937 in Geneva. His mother Princess Tajudawla (d. April 26, 1997) was the daughter of Lord Churston and the 7th Duke of Leinslter, the descendant of King Edward III of Great Britain. The early days of his infancy with his elder brother, were spent in Europe under the care of his parents and the personal supervision of Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah.