Hussain Jasani, Head of South Asian Studies (SAS) at The Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS), conducted a session titled “Researching our Heritage: South Asian Studies at IIS” on 2 August 2026 at the recently inaugurated Ismaili Centre in Houston.
The session highlighted the groundbreaking research of the Institute’s South Asian Studies unit on the history, heritage, and the intellectual and devotional traditions of Ismaili communities in South Asia. Drawing on multiple examples of research undertaken by South Asian Studies scholars, Mr Jasani explored the study and preservation of ginans and other Ismaili literary, devotional, and material traditions from the Indian Subcontinent. Some of the research projects he shared with the JamatAssembly or religious congregation; also a term used by the Nizari Ismailis for their individual communities. included: work on Kalam-i Mawla (a poetic manual of ethics drawing on the teachings of the first Imam, Hazrat Ali); the oldest audio recordings of Ginans; KhojkiA script historically developed among the Khojas of the Indian subcontinent to record their literature. manuscripts and Satpanth identity; Pirana Dargah (Shrine of Sayyid(pl. sāda/asyād) Arabic term for ‘lord’ or ‘master’. It is a pre-Islamic term and refers to a person who possesses dignity or enjoys an exalted position among his people. Amongst… Iamshah in Pirana) and Ismaili identity; and reconstructing the history of some prominent Ismaili individuals from the late –19th and 20th centuries. In addition to the Jamati leadership, Dr Suleman Lalani, a member of the Texas House of Representatives, was present for the talk. Dr Lalani is the first Muslim and the first South Asian lawmaker in the Texas Legislature.
The session also considered how this emerging scholarship can deepen the Jamat’s understanding of its history, heritage, and faith. Mr Jasani highlighted the importance of preserving historical materials held within families and communities. He invited members of the Ismaili community to share relevant heritage materials with IIS, thereby preserving these resources for future generations and for scholarly research.
During the visit to Texas, Mr Jasani also delivered a similar session at the Beaumont Jamatkhana on 31 July 2026. Both engagements inspired members of the community to come forward with useful information and potential research materials, opening new avenues of enquiry and contributing to the ongoing research agenda of the South Asian Studies unit.
