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Dr. D.S. Merchant's Articles

  • 101 Ismaili Heroes Volume 1
    This book represents the first known attempt to prepare a comprehensive and well-researched collection of biographies of one hundred and one eminent individuals who have helped to shape the Ismaili Community during the last two centuries. The table of contents, which lists the names of these individuals in alphabetical order, includes such giants as Alidina Visram, Laljibhai Devraj, Major Lakhpati, Fidai Khorassani. The author has also included many less well-known individuals, whose contributions have not been widely recognised, but are as important if not more so. These biographies are preceded by a foreword and preface.
  • 60 Minutes Report on Hoodia
    Kruiper led 60 Minutes crews out into the desert. Stahl asked him if he ate hoodia. "I really like to eat them when the new rains have come," says Kruiper, speaking through the interpreter. "Then they're really quite delicious."
  • A Guide to Hoodia Cactus Plant Extract
    Before choosing a Hoodia product you should know that there are many kinds of Hoodia plant, but only the Hoodia Gordonii type has an astonishing 'appetite suppressing' quality. These properties have been known about for centuries by a primitive tribe known as the 'Sans Bushmen'. During mid 1990s an institute called the C.S.I.R. 'Council for Scientific and Industrial Research' was conducting a study of native plants eaten by the 'Sans Bushmen'. Basically, the study was to see what foods, the 'Sans Bushmen' were taking that protected the toxic compounds. When the C.S.I.R. studied Hoodia Gordonii, they found it was not only non-toxic, but also it helped to suppress the appetite of animals it used to feed to.
  • Abdullah Hashim Gangji, Count
    Hashim Gangji was a native of Bhuj, Kutchh but migrated to East Africa in 1871. His son Abdullah was however born in Zanzibar in 1906, where he did his early schooling and subsequently went into business. He was an eminent clove merchant.
  • About the South African Hoodia Gordonii Cactus
    The South African Hoodia Gordonii Cactus is known by many names. It is called xshoba or xhooba by the San Bushmen who have used it to treat indigestion, minor skin infections and as an appetite and thirst suppressant during long hunts. The scientific name is Hoodia Gordonii. It is actually a succulent so the names Hoodia cactus and South African desert cactus are actually misnomers, but they are commonly used. The plant resembles a cactus when seen growing wild in the Kalahari Desert.
  • Abu Abdullah As-Shii
    "Abu Abdullah al-Shi'i was hailed from Kufa. He espoused Ismailism by the hand of da'i Firuz. Imam Radi Abdullah sent him to Ibn Hawshab in Yamen for further training in esoteric doctrines as well as affairs of the state, where he stayed for a year. Ibn Hawshab then sent him towards Maghrib.

    Abu Abdullah set out from Yamen in 279/892. He arrived in Mecca during pilgrimage, where he contacted the Katama pilgrims of Maghrib and exhorted them the merits of Ahl al-Bayt. The pilgrims were pleased to know that Abu Abdullah was heading towards Egypt, which was on their route to the Maghrib. After a short stay in Egypt, he reached Maghrib in the Katama homeland on 14th Rabi I, 280/June 3, 893. He established his base in Ikjan near Satif, a mountain stronghold, where he spent seven years in propagating the cause of Ahl al-Bayt among the Berber tribes. Very soon the tribesmen in the vicinity began to trek to Ikjan.
  • Abu Ali Sina
    "Abu Ali ibn Sina, Ibn Sina or Avicenna, known in the West as Prince of Physicians, was born in 370/980 in the village of Afshana near Bukhara. He was an encyclopeadist, philosopher, physiologist, physician, mathematician, astronomer, logician and poet. He gained the titles of Shaikh al-Ra'is (leader among the wise men) and Hujjat al-Haq (proof of God), displayed a remarkable aptitude for learning from an early age. His father Abdullah hailed from Balkh and was in the service of the Samanid court. During the rule of Nuh bin Mansur (366-387/976-997), Abdullah was posted to Bukhara as a revenue collector. Ibn Sina can be described a very gifted child prodigy and learnt the Koran at the age of 10 years, and also mastered the logic and mathematics. Next he embarked upon the fields of physics, metaphysics and medicine, and at the age of 16 years he was well steeped in all the sciences of his days.
  • Abu Aly Alibhai Aziz, Dr., Missionary
    Varas Amir Chand (1837-1911) sprang from a noble family of gupti Ismailis in Punjab. He was employed in a governmental department in Amritsar and retired in 1880. He inherited land from his forefathers, and became one of the most famous landlords in Punjab. In 1882, Imam Aga Ali Shah appointed him Kul Kamadia for Punjab, Frontiers and few regions near Afghanistan. He performed his duties with such marked distinction that during his first visit to Amritsar in 1897, Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah appointed him Mukhi on January 1, 1897 with a title of Varas for Punjab and Frontier province, including the regions lying on the borders of Afghanistan. He also travelled with the Imam in Sialkot between January 2, 1897 and January 11, 1897. Varas Amir Chand visited Bombay several times. His last visit took place in the middle of 1908 and gave valuable and informative statements twice in court during the Haji Bibi Case on July 28 and July 29, 1908. He is also credited to have converted a portion of the depressed class to Ismailism, as well as helping them financially to run their cottage industry.
  • Abu Yaqub As-Sijistani
    "Abu Yaqub Ishaq bin Ahmad as-Sijistani, nicknamed "cotton-seed" (Iranian, panba-dana, Arabic khayshafuj) was born in 271/883 in Bandan, a district in north of Sijistan and was trained in Yamen. He was a great philosopher and scholar and considered to be one of the major Ismaili thinkers whose share in the development of the Ismaili system of thought is considerable. Paul E. Walker writes in Abu Yaqub al-Sijistani: Intellectual Missionary (London, 1996, p. 13) that, "Yet, from the prominence of his books and the profoundly impressive intellectual contribution they (Ismailis) represent, we discover a truly significant mind and voice - one that deserves recognition as an outstanding figure in the Ismaili past and as a major force in Islamic thought in general."
  • Acnezine Can Combat All Types of Acne Scars
    Follicular macular atrophy is more likely to occur on the chest or back of a person with acne. These are small, white, soft lesions, often barely raised above the surface of the skin—somewhat like whiteheads that didn’t fully develop. This condition is sometimes also called "perifollicular elastolysis." The lesions may persist for months to years.
  • Acnezine Tips for Day to Day Acne Care
    You may use an over-the-counter treatment that contain substances such as benzoyl peroxide (gel or cream) or salicyclic acid. Start with the lowest strength and apply once a day about half an hour after washing. Never use more than 5 percent strength without consulting a physician.
  • Acnezine To Cure All Types of Acne Lesions
    Acne lesions range in severity from comedones (blackheads and whiteheads) to nodules and cysts. Here is a brief definition of acne lesions:
  • Acnezine To Improve Relationship between Hormone and Acne
    You can check the efficiency of your digestive system by eating sweet corn or sesame seeds and seeing how long they take to pass through. It is generally accepted that 24-36 hours is very good.
  • Acnezine Treatment for Acne in Pregnancy
    Plan Before You Get PregnantIf you are planning to get pregnant, it is important to discuss your acne treatments with your doctor. Many of these can harm the unborn baby. These include tetracycline antibiotics, oral isotretinoin (Roaccutane, Accutane) and topical retinoids (tretinoin, isotretinoin and adapalene). Erythromycin is the only antibiotic regarded as being safe in pregnancy, but it may not be very effective as many skin bacteria are now resistant to it. However, it's probably better to avoid all medications if possible.
  • Aga Khan Academy
    The first of a planned network of Aga Khan Academies dedicated to expanding access to education of an international standard of excellence in Asia and Africa was inaugurated in Mombasa, Kenya on December 20, 2003 in presence of the President of Kenya, Mr. Mwai Kibaki. The network of Academies will feature a curriculum based on the framework of the International Baccalaureate (IB). At the centre of this approach is a broad education in the humanities from pre-primary years through to higher secondary. The Academies will also feature a robust system of international student and teacher exchanges between Academies in different countries as well as with allied schools, including Phillips Academy in the United States and the Schule Schloss Salem in Germany. Proficiency in at least two languages, with English as the medium of instruction, and progressive mastery of information technologies will also be hallmarks of the programmes. To ensure access regardless of socio-economic status or other limiting factors, admission to the Academy is merit-based and means-blind. "An education must equip students with the tools that enable them to adapt, and thrive, in a world characterized by change," the Imam has said. "In such an environment, technical proficiency is not enough. Education that prepares children for life must go beyond fundamental skills to stimulate creativity, intellectual curiosity and honest inquiry. Advancement and development, both personal and societal, are dependant on these elements. Innovation and progress arise from the ability to approach a challenge in a new way and offer a solution."
  • Aga Khan Health Services (AKHS)
    The Aga Khan Health Services (AKHS) is one of the most comprehensive non-profit health care systems in the developing world. Building on the Ismaili community's health care efforts during the first half of the century, AKHS now provides primary health care and curative medical care in India, Pakistan, Kenya, Tanzania and Syria. It includes five general hospitals, the Aga Khan University Hospital in Pakistan, six maternity homes and more than 230 health centers. Organized in national service companies in Kenya, Tanzania, India and Pakistan, these health facilities are also linked in internationally through network-wide strategies in human resource development, hospital management, nursing development and primary health care.
  • Aga Khan Museum
    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. It is with this perception of the new role of museums that The Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) has moved forward to include their establishment in its Education and Culture Programme. To this end, two museum projects were launched in 2003 with a mandate to oversee and co-ordinate the conceptualization, design, building and operation of the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto and the Indian Ocean Maritime Museum in Zanzibar.
  • Ahl Al-Dhimma
    "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. All schools agree that it is not allowed to build new churches, synagogues, convent, hermitage or cell in towns or cities of Dar al-Islam (Muslim lands). When these injunctions were disobeyed, the Muslim leaders were authorized to treat the offenders as dwellers in Dar al-Harb (non-Muslim lands) and not as ahl al-dhimma in Dar al-Islam (Muslim lands), vide Subh al-A'asha fi Sina'at at al-Insha (Cairo, 1922, 13: 356) by Qalaqashandi (d. 821/1418).
  • Ahl Al-Kitab
    "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. Thus, the term ahl al-kitab means the possessors of the scriptures or the people of the Book. This term in Koran denotes the Jews and Christians, the repositories of the earlier books, al-Tawrat (the Torah), al-Zabur (the Psalms), and al-Injil (the Gospel).
  • Alamut
    "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. The fortress of Alamut is 600 feet high, 450 feet long and 30 to 125 feet wide and is partly encompassed by the towering Elburz range. The rock of Alamut is known at present as Qal'ai Guzur Khan.
  • Aligarh University
    "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. Willi Frischauer also writes in The Aga Khans (London, 1970, pp. 56-7) that, "How wonderful if Aligarh could become a full university to bring up a generation of young leaders and advance the cause of Islam. Here was a chance to follow in the footsteps of his ancestor who had founded al-Azhar, the first Muslim university, which greatly appealed to the young Aga Khan. He decided to put up money for the cause and persuaded wealthy friends to contribute. It was a long struggle but he missed no opportunity to plead for this cause and when Aligarh finally became a university two dozen years later, it was more to Muslims than a seat of learning. In retrospect it was recognized as the intellectual cradle of independent Pakistan and the Aga Khan's enthusiasm and support which made it possible earned him a place among Pakistan's founding fathers."
  • Alkab
    "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).
  • All India Muslim League
    "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. The deputation to the Viceroy consisted of the most influential leaders, such as Mohsin al-Mulk, Hakim Ajmal Khan, Sir Ali Imam, Sir Muzammallah Khan, Sir Rafiquddin Ahmad, Sir Muhammad Shafi, Sir Abdul Rahim, Sir Salimullah, Justice Shah Din, etc. Syed Razi Waste writes in Lord Minto and the Indian Nationalist Movement 1905-1910 (Lahore, 1976, pp. 69-70) that, "Minto received the Muslim Deputation on October 1, 1906. Thirty-five prominent Muslim leaders from all over India gathered in the Ball Room of the Viceregal Lodge at Simla. Their leader was a young man of twenty-nine years, H.H. Aga Sir Sultan Mohamed Shah Aga Khan from Bombay, who besides being the head of the rich Ismaili sect of Muslims had close and friendly relations with prominent British people." Lord Minto gave them a patient hearing, assuring that their political rights and interests as a community will be safeguarded in any administrative organization. The Imam realized that the Muslims should not keep themselves aloof from politics because the Congress was already proving incapable in representing the Indian Muslims. At length, the demands of separate electorate and weightage in number in representation to all elected bodies were accepted by the Viceroy Lord Minto, and incorporated in the Minto-Morley Reforms of 1909.
  • Arab
    The word arab or arabah is probably derived from a Semitic root related to nomadism. In the Arabic language, the word arab (derived from i'rab), means those who speak clearly as contrast with ajam (those who speak indistinctly). In Koran, the word arab has never used for the country of Arabia, but characterized the residence of Ismael, the son of Abraham as an "uncultivated land." In the time of Ismael his place of residence had no name, therefore, it was given the name of an "uncultivated land." In the Old Testament, the word midbar is used for Ismael's home, meaning a desert or a barren land, which closely corresponds to the Koranic description.
  • Are You Suffering From Hypothyroidism?
    The hormones produced by the thyroid gland control the body’s metabolic rate and a dysfunction to this gland can affect every organ in the body.When the thyroid is under-active it creates a general depression of many of the cellular systems and oxidative processes in the body that are needed for energy production. This can cause the metabolic activities in the cells to decrease. Metabolic wastes can then filtrate into the organs, causing them to become sluggish. Thyroxine determines how quickly nutrients are converted into energy and how efficiently food is burned within the body.

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