Asser Damani or The Asserwala family originated from Madhapar, Cutch, India. Asser had five sons and two daughters; Ladha, Jaffer, Moledina, Khalfan, Karim, Rehmat and Fatma Asser. Many of his grandsons migrated from Madhapar to Bukoba, Tanzania. It was believed that 75% of all the earliest members of Bukoba Jamaat were from this family. The first Imambargha in...
In the evolution of the Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Community, acquisition of graveyard or cemetery as a burial place has been of prime importance. Wherever they settled, members of the Khoja community have paid special attention to the acquisition of burial place before even building of a Mosque or Imambargha. There is a historical background to this outlook....
On December 3rd, 1941, Fatima Bai Ebrahim Paryani, gave birth to the first of her three children, Nargis Rehmtulla. Nargis was a very active and curious child. She enjoyed running around with her friends, climbing trees, picking flowers and reciting the holy Qur’an. She attended Government Secondary school in Lindi where she graduated in 1961, taking her grade...
AFED Loan Recipient Memoir – “My Life Experience” Alhaj Kassamali Akberali Parpia Since the inception of the Africa Federation 75 years ago hundreds of our community students have been able to pursue their studies through Higher Education Student Loans, known as ‘HELP’. Many of the recipients till today remember and have deep gratitude for the loans given to...
VERSI ADVANIIn 1835, Versi Advani migrated to Zanzibar from Bhuj, Gujarat, India with his three brothers: Khalfan, Abdulrasul and Gulamhussein. The other two brothers Mohamed and Khatau migrated later on.It is thought that Versi Advani was probably a Sindhi Khoja who may have intermarried with Khoja of Cutchi and Kathiawari origin. He was among the first converts to...
JOURNEY DOWN MEMORY LANE A personal reflection of Marhuma Baiji Sherbanu Ahmed J M Jaffer The word luminaries comes from the Latin word Lumen. The word literally means ‘a person who is an inspiration to others.’ I use the word luminary as gender-neutral word, applying it to both men and women. All societies need luminaries because they define the limits...
Alhaj Gulamhussein Saleh Allarakhia (Golo Saleh) In the annals of Zanzibar Khoja Ithnashri history the name ‘Golo Saleh’ (Gulamhussein) gets inscribed with golden letters. He was born to the family of Saleh Allarakhia (Saleh Madawa) whose spices/herbal medicine shop in one corner of Vaddi Bhajar (Hurumzi) was a household word. Such was its impact that to date shops dealing in...
Every old timer Zanzibari, wherever he or she may be, yearns for those good old days of Zanzibar, we call it the golden era! We Khoja Ithnashries in particular tend to recall several memorable occasions of the past and one event that obviously comes to mind is Khushali Bankro. It had an attraction of its own. On the eve of khushali...
HAJI DEWJI JAMAL – 200 YEARS HAVE PASSED, HIS GREAT CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MADH’AB OF AHLULBAYT (A.S.) IN THE KSI COMMUNITY REMAINS UNPARALLELED Haji Dewji Jamal (1820-1905) This year marks 200 years since the birth of Dewji Jamal who is considered one of the pioneers of the Khoja Shia Ithnaasheri Community. He was amongst the...
To coincide with the auspicious occasion of Eid el Ghadeer, the extension of Al Muntazir Nursery School operating under CBE of KSI Jamaat of Dar es Salaam was opened in Dar es Salaam on 3rd March 2002. This school has a capacity to house up to 950 children in 22 classrooms. The school which was first registered...
