Vision Statement:
The World Federation
exists to achieve the
pleasure of Allah SWT by
developing spiritual and
vibrant communities
serving humanity
Mission Statement:
The World Federation
enables its member institutions
to promote the
values and practices of the
Islamic Shia Ithna Asheri
Faith for the spiritual and
material well being of
humanity at large
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SENIORS CONVENTION REPORT - 2002
1. Introduction
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
The Khoja Shia Ithna Asheri community is spread out in different parts of the world. Communities, and in particular the seniors, are surrounded by various kinds of environments and face innumerable opportunities and challenges, depending on which country they reside in. With this fact in hand, it is vital that the community as a whole does its utmost in order to address the specific needs of the seniors across the world in our communities. Facing challenges such as social isolation and feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, we must find a way to engage the seniors and improve their quality of life.
“If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honor." (17:23)
The senior’s desk will strive to facilitate and enable our communities world wide to seriously address the various needs of our seniors. With an overall goal to optimise function and improve quality of life, the seniors desk will champion initiatives in co-ordination with other jamaats and federations to start addressing the needs of our seniors.
The Holy Prophet (s): He who does not respect the elderly and is not kind toward old people is not amongst us (i.e. he is not a Muslim).
Imam As-Saadiq (a): The position of an old person among his people is like that of a position of a prophet amongst his nation.
2. Vision
q To elucidate the needs of seniors across the world in our communities in the areas of:
§ Religious and Spiritual needs
§ Social and Community Service needs
§ Cultural needs
§ Financial needs
§ Housing and settlement needs
§ Medical and Psychological needs
§ Educational Needs
q Increase the awareness amongst Jamaats and Regional Federations about the importance of seniors and their contributions in the progression of the community.
q To create a seniors network amongst the World Federation Communities world-wide.
q To achieve unity within and amongst the Khoja communities and individuals. Furthermore, establish and develop the communication and links with Muslim seniors’ organisations from non-Khoja communities.
q Set up a structure whereby seniors can share their experiences and problems/challenges in daily life.
q Creation of a forum where seniors can communicate with other groups of people and expertise of the community. The seniors network will facilitate in providing speakers and experts of various contemporary topics in all parts of the world.
3. Goals & Objectives
A) Internal strength amongst WF Member Jamaat
First and foremost, it is fundamental to have internal strength. Internal strength on an individual level means striving towards reaching a higher spiritual level and increasing one’s level of knowledge. Internal strength on community level involves unity and active seniors in the various jamaats.
Action:
- Establishing Seniors Bodies
- Identify jamaats that already have active seniors, and encourage and strengthen them. These jamaats can then be used as role models for others. Once the above are identified, actively encourage the remaining jamaats to establish an active seniors body.
- The WF Seniors Desk will set up a framework and guidelines that will facilitate the establishment of seniors bodies.
- Seminars
- Seminars to be held in the different regions on a regular basis on regional level. Also, seminar should be arranged where seniors from all parts of the world gather in one place. The community is, al-hamdulillah, blessed with a range of learned speakers, who can share their knowledge and experience from the various backgrounds and environments they come from.
- Guest Speakers - Arrange for the seniors to have access to chosen learned persons, who could answer their questions, religious as well as secular.
B) Establishing a database for seniors across the world and develop a communication system
It is critical that we have as accurate a possible database of the total number of seniors in our jamaats and regional federations. Strategies can then be implemented in an organised, co-ordinated and seamless manner. It will also be of paramount importance that we are able to communicate with the seniors in a variety of different ways through this database.
Action:
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Develop a database in partnership with the WF Information Technology desk in a variety of different languages (especially Gujrati and English) through jamaats and regional federations which is dynamic and can continuously be updated
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Publish and circulate (through this database), a seniors specific newsletter to all seniors in the community in Gujrati and English with interesting articles, news of other seniors, information about services, religious knowledge and articles etc.
C) Elucidating the needs of our seniors across the world
The Seniors Conference in Toronto has given the WF an excellent foundation of the needs of seniors, especially in North America and Europe. However, we still need to receive feedback from seniors in other parts of the world such as Africa, India, Pakistan, Middle East etc.
Action:
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The seniors desk will create a needs survey to receive information and feedback from seniors across the world
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This survey will be in Gujrati and English and will be circulated to the seniors through jamaats and regional federations
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The information will collated and analysed at the seniors desk and will be integrated with information from the Seniors Conference in Toronto, Canada.
D) Raising awareness about the importance of Seniors in our community
The seniors desk should be instrumental in raising awareness of the special importance and contributions of the seniors in the progression and development of our communities world-wide. This will allow the jamaats and regional federations to continuously engage them as a group in the important decisions of our communities and at the same time being sensitive to their needs.
Action:
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In partnership with Islamic Education Board of the WF, the seniors desk will create an audio CD of 40 Majaalis of Marhum Mulla Asghar Saaheb in Gujrati for distribution to seniors across the world
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In order to impress the world communities of the importance of seniors in our community, the WF will develop a process whereby jamaats and regional federations can provide feedback and information in the creation of a book of personalities. This book of personalities will be dedicated in the Memory of Marhum Mulla Saaheb and will profile the names, brief life histories and important contributions of 40 seniors who have made a significant impact in our communities in the past and present. This book will then be circulated to all households through jamaats and regional federations.
4. Role
The role of the Seniors Desk is to promote, enable and facilitate the activities of the seniors bodies across the world. This includes guiding and advising the seniors and seniors’ bodies in various matters. It also includes assisting them and providing them with necessary resources – physical, human and financial – where appropriate.
5. Structure
Following is an overall outline of the structure of the WF Seniors Desk (SD). Figure 1 gives and overview of the structure. The structure is based on a number of layers. The first layer consists of the Seniors Desk co-ordinator, at the WF secretariat. The next layer, WF SD Regional Representatives will be the SD’s arm on a regional level. These representatives will be the initial points of liaison towards the individual jamaats in each region. Finally, the outer layer represents the seniors’ bodies on individual jamaat level.
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