Was That Just to Say, “Ali, I Love You”?

I have a story and would like to share it with you.

Last summer, it was extremely hot and I was hosting a great friend of mine and his family coming from Tehran to Mashad.  They stayed with us for a few days to do what they had come for to Mashad. Afterwards, they packed up to return to Tehran.  It was about midday, around 11 O’clock when they left.  After an hour, I called him on his mobile asking, where they were.  “We are about 50 km from Mashad on our way to Tehran.  We’ll in-shaa-Allah arrive in Tehran tomorrow.  Anything up?”, he replied.

-   Can you please drive back to Mashad as quickly as you can?  Something crucial has risen and I’ve got to talk to you about it.

*   What do you mean by crucial?

-   You just come back.  I’ll tell you what.

*   Come on! Please tell me over the phone. It’s really too hot to drive back to Mashad again.  I should be in Tehran by tomorrow for an important job to do.

-   No excuses! You should get back here right now.

*   Couldn’t you tell me later?

-    No way mate.  I should talk to you today.

Poor friend; I insisted and he found no way but to return to Mashad in such hot weather while his car had no air-conditioner.  While I found him so eager to hear the crucial matter, I told him, honestly from my deep heart, “I love you!” But I don’t understand why he got mad and why he looked at me so angrily.  He shouted, “Was that all???”  I just said, “Yes.”

*   You had already told me you loved me, hadn’t you?

-   Well, yes but this time it was more formal…

He was really angry with me when he understood I made him to get back this long distance just for telling I loved him.  His family was all angry and about to kill me.  But, believe me; I just tried telling him I loved him heartedly in front of others.

Whoever heard the story advised me what I did was absolutely wrong and foolish.  What about you?  What do you think?

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That’s right!  No wise accepts that.  I made them getting back in such miserably hot day only and only to tell him I liked him.

So how is it possible to agree with Sunnis claiming that the Holy Prophet stopped 120,000 people for 3 days in a hot desert under sharp sunshine just and just to say, “Ali, I love you”, “O people, Ali is my friend”?  I cannot believe he would do so.

الحمد لله الذی جعلنا من المتمسکین بولایت امیر المؤمنین و الائمة المعصومین علیهم السلام

Sent by Ma'sumeh Khosravi

Liverpool Shia Society

Dua Arafa and Eid Adhaa (Qurban)

Manchester Islamic Institute (MII) is to run Dua Arafa programme on 6 November 2011.  The programme will start at 14.00 and will be continued by commemorating Hazrat Moslem’s martyrdom anniversary.  Dua Arafa is one of the loveliest duas which has been recommended numerously.

In addition, MII will celebrate Eid Adhaa (Qurban) on 7 November 2011.  Celebration commences at 07.40 and the attendees will perform eid prayers at 08.00.  MII is used to prepare great celebration for Eid Adhaa and LSS encourages the Muslims to attend this memorable ceremony.

Hope to see you all.

Liverpool Shia Society

Daily Ghadeer Text Messages

We are approaching the greatest religious festive, Eid Ghadeer anniversary.  Against some sorts of beliefs presenting Ghadeer as a separation point among the nation of Islam, it is clearly a unity point.  However, lack of information with people, or in other words, preventing some facts to be heard by all Muslims has caused creation of the idea that Ghadeer would be a separation.  The best solution to remove such belief is to release information and propagate the truth to all at the best.

Vahid Nooraddini, a fellow from Iran, has developed some 18 short messages to be easily sent by mobile sets in the form of text messages.  Each message ends to one Shiite reference and one Sunni reference.  The messages try to show that Ghadeer does not only belong to Shiites but to all Muslims and that it does not perform as a separation point.

People seeing these messages are kindly requested to send these messages to their friends and families.

“Certainly, I just conveyed what I have been ordered to convey as an argument against everyone, be him present or absent, a direct witness or not, and already born or not yet born. Hence, everyone who is present should convey (this sermon) to those who are absent, every parent should convey it to his/her children, (and they should continue to do so) until the Day of Judgement.” – A part of Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH&HF) last public sermon delivered in Ghadeer Khum.

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Did you know that both Shiites and Sunnis believe Verse 67 in Chapter Al-Ma’ida has been revealed on Ghadeer day and for the sake of Imam Ali’s (PBUH) guardianship (walaya)?

Shiite: Usul Kafi, Vol. 1, Pg 290
Sunni: Shavahed at-Tanzil, Vol. 1, Hadith 249

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Did you know that both Shiites and Sunnis believe Verse 55 in Chapter Al-Ma’ida regards Imam Ali’s (PBUH) ring donation during prayers (salaah) and obliges acceptance of his guardianship (walaya)?

Shiite: Noor al-Thaghalain (tafsir), verse interpretation
Sunni: Ibn Kathir’s Tafsir, verse interpretation

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Did you know that Verse 9 in Chapter An-Nisa urges everyone to obey Imam Ali (PBUH) and the other Imams (PBUT)?

Shiite: Kamal ad-Din, Vol. 1, Pg 222
Sunni: Shavahed Tanzil, Vol. 1, Hadith 202

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Did you know that, according to Verse 3 in Chapter Al-Ma’ida, one’s faith is completed by accepting Ghadeer and Imam Ali’s (PBUH) successorship?

Shiite: Usul Kafi, Vol. 1, Pg 290
Sunni: Shavahed at-Tanzil, Vol. 1, Hadith 211

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Did you know that both Shiites and Sunnis believe Verse 7 in Chapter al-Bayyina is about Imam Ali’s (PBUH) guardianship and that he is the best benefactor?

Shiite: Al-Burhan (tafsir), verse interpretation
Sunni: Dur al-Manthur, verse interpretation

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Did you know that both Shiites and Sunnis agree Verse 7 in Chapter Al-Ra’d introduces Imam Ali (PBUH) as the best guide and director for Muslims?

Shiite: Al-Burhan (tafsir), verse interpretation
Sunni: Musnad Ahmad, Chapter 2, Hadith 990

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Did you know that Verse 7 in Chapter Al-Anbiya suggests Imam Ali and other Imams (PBUT) the meaning of “those who reminisce (possess) the Message?”

Shiite: Tafsir Saafi, verse interpretation
Sunni: Shavahed at-Tanzil, verse interpretation

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Did you know that both Shiites and Sunnis believe Imam Ali (PBUH) possesses full insight of the Holy Quran according to Verse 43 in Chapter Al-Ra’d?

Shiite: Usul Kafi, Vol. 1, Pg 229
Sunni: Shavahed at-Tanzil, Vol. 1, Pg 400

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Did you know that “holding fast by the rope Allah (SWT) has stretched for you” in Verse 103 in Chapter Al-i-Imran means grasping on belief in Imam Ali’s and other Imams’s (PBUT) guardianship?

Shiite: Ghayba No’mani, Chapter 2, Hadith 2
Sunni: Shavahed at-Tanzil, Vol. 1, Pg 168

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Did you know that Holy Prophet (PBUH&HF) introduced Imam Ali (PBUH) as his successor in his party after the reveal of Verse 214 in Chapter Ash-Shu’ara?

Shiite: Al-Burhan (tafsir), verse interpretation
Sunni: Musnad Ahmad, Number 841

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Did you know that both Shiites and Sunnis have identically narrated the famous hadith “Whomever I am his master, this Ali is his master?”

Shiite: Usul Kafi, Vol. 1, Pg 293
Sunni: Musnad Ahmad Hanbal, Chapter 39, Pg 297, Hadith 18497

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Did you know that Holy Prophet (PBUH&HF) told Imam Ali (PBUH) that, “Your position to me is like Aaron’s to Moses?”

Shiite: Ershad Mofid, Vol. 1, Pg 8
Sunni: Sahih Bukhari, Chapter 13, Hadith 4064

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Did you know that Holy Prophet (PBUH&HF) has said, “Ali is of me and I am of him; and he is the guardian of the faithful?”

Shiite: Managheb Shahr-Ashoob, Vol. 3, Pg 51
Sunni: Sunan Tirmizi, Chapter 12, Number 3653

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Did you know that Holy Prophet (BUH&HF) mentioned, “My successors (imams) are only 12 ones?”

Shiite: Uyun Akhbar al-Reda, Vol. 1, Pg 64, Hadith 31
Sunni: Sahih Moslem, Vol. 9, Al-Amaarah, Hadith 3393

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Did you know that Holy Prophet (PBUH&HF) said, “One who passes away while does not know the Imam of his time dies as those in the Jahiliyya era?”

Shiite: Usul Kafi, Vol. 1, Chapter ‘Ma Yajibo Ala an-Nas (What people are obligated to do), Hadith 2
Sunni: Musnad Ahmad, Chapter 34, Hadith 16271

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Did you know that Holy Prophet (PBUH&HF) said, “I pass away while I leave two invaluable evocations: Quran and my family (Itra)?”

Shiite: Vasayel ush-Shia, Hadith 33144
Sunni: Sahih Moslem, Chapter 12, Number 4425

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Did you know that Holy Prophet (PBUH&HF) said, “I am the capital of insight and Ali is its portal?”

Shiite: Kamal ad-Din, Vol. 1, Chapter 22, Pg 241
Sunni: Mustadrak Hakim al-Nishaburi, Chapter 10, Number 4614

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Did you know that Holy Prophet (PBUH&HF) said, “Ali is with the truth and the truth is with Ali?”

Shiite: Khesal Sadugh, Chapter 2, Pg 496
Sunni: Tarikh Baghdad, Chapter 6, Section ‘al-Ya’, dekri man esmoho Yousef (the story of who whose name is Yousef), Pg 312

Liverpool Shia Society

Some Articles from ‘Islamic Insights’

Islamic Insight is a weekly online magazine that seeks to cater to the religious, spiritual, cultural, social and political concerns of the North American Muslim community.  Their online issues have been welcomed by visitors greatly and they have some articles free to view and read.  The following articles can be of use due to their coincidence with the birthday anniversary of our current Imam (PBUH).

The Living Imam

Imam Mahdi’s Companions

The Final Victory of Truth

The 12^th Prince

Signs of the Return

If Imam Mahdi Appears

The Imam of Our Time: A Few Common Questions

Establishing a Relationship with Imam Mahdi

If you know some other routes working in this direction, please do inform us via our Contact Us page.

Liverpool Shia Society

‘Useful Links’, a New Category on the Web Site of Liverpool Shia Society

As communication between the communities is of outscored importance, web sites of similar natures try to bridge their users to other platforms so as to extend their knowledge and awareness.  This fact gains higher importance when the people in the communities are not of the majority but need to be in constant contact with each other to develop further activities and performance.  Religious bases are not exempted from this rule and make good effort to connect their visitors to other useful sources and resources.

Liverpool Shia Society has found this route of vital significance and has planned to introduce useful links to its visitors for better performance and higher outcome.  By the birthday anniversary of our Imam (may Allah advent his return) on the 15^th of Sha’ban, a new category as ‘Useful Links’ will be established.

We hope that the counterpart web sites whose addresses have been introduced on LSS web site will links us to their visitors as well.  Therefore, we will, by the help of the Almighty Allah (SWT), create a real web of web site to know each other, exchange knowledge and activities, and provide support for each other.  This will hopefully construct the foundation for further development among Shia.

Hereby, we would like to request you to kindly give us a hand and if you know any useful web site, please let us know by filling the form on our Contact Us page.  Thank you.

Liverpool Shia Society

Glorious Birthday Anniversary of Imam Mahdi (PBUH)

Great great congratulations on the anniversary of Imam Mahdi (May Allah hasten his advent).  Liverool Towhid Centre has arranged a programme to celebrate the anniversary of a fabulous day on which Earth took a deep breathe and seeds of hope to a better world were seeded.  The programme will start with Holy Quran recitation and Ziaarat Aale Yassin.  Lectures and poems have been included in the programme before Maghrib Call-for-Prayers.  After prayers, the guests are invited to have supper and do networking.

The programme is to commence sharp at 8.00 pm on Sunday, July the 17^th, and we would like to see all before the start so that every single person can get the benefits of listening to the message of Quran and ziaarat.  Programme will officially end at 10 pm.  Please do inform your other friends who may not see the ad.

Hope to see you all again.

Liverpool Shia Society

Demise Anniversary of Lady Zainab (PBUH)

Unfortunately, due to technical problems, Liverpool Towhid Centre has had to cancel the programme.

Liverpool Towhid Centre is running a programme to highlight the demise anniversary of Lady Zainab (PBUH) who was actually the messenger of the great event of Karbala.  With her speech in the Umawi Palace, she unveiled the truth of the battle of Karbala and discovered the real, nasty face of the Umawi dynasty to the people.  Without her efforts, the story of Karbala would not reach us and the Umawi dynasty could account for martyring the Master of the Martyrs, Imam Hussain (PBUH).

The programme is to start at 8.30 pm ending at 10 pm with saying the Maghrib and Isha prayers in group.  Please arrive on time so that you can use all the parts of programme in your best.  The guest will be served supper which is the time slot brothers and sisters can communicate for further improvement of the centre.

Hope to see you all again.

Liverpool Shia Society

P.S. LSS apologises for not covering the birthday anniversary of Imam  Ali (PBUH) due to temporarily losing its connection to the Net.

Lailat ul-Raghaib  –  The Night of Hopes

Peace and blessings upon the Holy Prophet, his Holy Household, and his Respectable Companions.

The night before the first Friday of Rajab is known as Lailat ul-Raghaib, the Night of Hopes. It is one of the brightest nights in one of the brightest months of the year per lunar calendar.

It has been narrated that the person, who recites Surah (Chapter) Al-Yaseen before going to bed and performs special prayers for Lailat ul-Raghaib, will be saved from the terror of the grave. The Holy Prophet (PBUH&HF) has said, these prayers are means of forgiveness and on the first night in our grave, the Almighty (SWT) will send the reward off this prayer in the best and the most enlightened and eloquent form. When it is inquired, it will reply, “my Beloved, glad tidings to you that you have found salvation from every hardship and horror.” When it is asked, “who are you? By God, I have not seen any one more beautiful than you, I haven’t heard a word sweeter than yours, and a fragrance better than yours?”, the reply is, “I am the prayer which you offered on the eve before the first Friday of the month of Rajab. I have come to you, to be your companion in this loneliness and to remove from you your fright and horror. Be lest assured that my shelter will be with you until the blowing of the Horn of the Day of Judgment.”

It is said that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HF) used to fast on the first Thursday of the Holy Rajab and recite 12 rak’ats of prayers in six sets of 2 rak’ats between Maghrib and Isha prayers. In every rak’at after reciting Surah al-Fatiha, recite 3 times Surah al-Qadr and 12 times Surah al-Ikhlaas (al-Towhid). After completing the full prayers:

Recite 70 times: «اَللّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلي مُحَمَّدٍ النَّبِيِّ الاُْمِّيِّ وَعَلي آلِهِ».
Translation: O Allah, send blessings on Muhammad, the Ummi Prophet, and on his descendants.
Transliteration: Allahumma s’alle a’laa Muhammadin an-nabiyy il-ummi wa a’laa aaleh.

Then do sajdah (prostration) and recite 70 times: «سُبُّوحٌ قُدُّوسٌ رَبُّ الْمَلائِکَةِ وَالرُّوحِ»
Translation: Holy and the most Holy is the Lord of the Angels and spirits.
Transliteration: Sobbuhun quddoos, rabbul malaaikati war-rooh.

Next sit and say 70 times: «رَبِّ اغْفِرْ وَارْحَمْ وَتَجاوَزْ عَمّا تَعْلَمُ اِنَّکَ اَنْتَ الْعَلِيُّ الاَعْظَمُ»
Translation: O Lord! Forgive, have mercy and be indulgent about that which Thou knows well, verily Thou art Sublime, Mighty.
Transliteration: Rabbi eghfir wa erham wa tajaawaz a’mmaa ta’lam, innaka anta al-a’liyy ul-a’zam.

Afterwards, do sajdah again and recite 70 times: «سُبُّوحٌ قُدّوُسٌ رَبُّ الْمَلائِکَةِ وَالرُّوحِ»
Translation: Holy and the most Holy is the Lord of the Angels and spirits.
Transliteration: Sobbuhun quddoos, rabbul malaaikati war-rooh.

Now, it is time to ask the Almighty Allah (SWT) whatever you wish.  It has been promised that you will achieve your wishes for good.

Allah (exalted is He) will condescend to notice that they have assembled there, and He will say, “My angels! Ask Me for whatever you wish!” Their response to this will be, “Our Lord! The request we wish to make is that You grant forgiveness to those who faithfully keep fasting in Rajab.” Whereupon, Allah (Exalted is He) will tell them, “I have already done!”

Don’t forget to pray for your brothers and sisters.

The video below can help you with understanding more about Lailat ur-Raghaib:

Liverpool Shia Society

By Zahra Karimi Nasab

Islamic Sessions for Young Muslims

One of the issues that Muslim families have in western countries is how to teach Islamic rules and beliefs to their youngsters and children.  The issue steps into more difficulties when the children are born in a country with non-Arabic language and there is no certain training on how to teach Fiqh and rules of Shriah to them.  Here an Islamic class in the language of the area will be of great help.  On the other hand, Muslims are supposed to know their duties on what they encounter daily.

Liverpool Towhid Centre, following its excellent performance since its latest re-development, has planned to run Islamic classes for the children and youngsters on biweekly basis.  Two main aims of the classes are to train the basic rules of Shriah and provide the ground for understanding the principles of Islam.  A native English who has studied Fiqh and Islamic studies in Qom will lecture within a very friendly environment.  Therefore, Liverpool Towhid Centre invites the parents to bring their children to the courses and also youngster to attend the classes.  It is expected that the attendees will learn and understand further about Islam to practise it with more wisdom and enjoy their religion.

Liverpool Shia Society

Acts of the Holy Month of Rajab

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) said, “The month of Rajab is the month of Allah (SWT); Sha’baan is my month; and Ramadhan is the month of my people. Therefore, if anyone observes fasting on a day of this month, he will be seeking the pleasure of Allah (SWT)…”

Here is the month of Rajab; the month for self-purification. May God help all of us purify ourselves from evil desires and bad habits, and help us overcome our worldly desires.
First day of the month of Rajab is the birthday anniversary of Imam Baqir (PBUH), the 5^th Imam of Shia and a famous figure in Muslim world. Congratulations to all.
Imam Mohammad Baqir said, “Learn the good words, even from those who do not act upon it.”
“Convey my greetings to my Shias. Order them to fear Allah, the Great. Their rich should visit their poor. Their sound should visit their ill. Their living should attend the funeral of their demised. They should meet each other in their houses. Indeed their meeting each other enlivens our affair. May Allah have mercy on one who enlivens our affair and puts the best of it into effect. Say to them, we will suffice nothing for them with Allah except through their good deeds. They will not obtain our intercession but through piety and hard work. Indeed the most intense of all people in regret on the Day of Judgment is the one who describes a certain deed, and then he does other than it.” (Uyun al-Akhbar wa Funun al-Atha)

The Holy Month of Rajab is upon us. The largest number of Islamic occasions in an Islamic year is within this month.

Important Dates and Events in Rajab
1^st – Birthday anniversary of Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (PBUH)
3^rd – Martyrdom anniversary of Imam Ali Al-Naqi Al-Hadi (PBUH)
10^th – Birthday anniversary of Imam Muhammad Al-Taqi Al-Jawad (PBUH)
13^th – Birthday anniversary of Amir ul-Mo’mineen Ali Ibn Abi Talib (PBUH)
14^th – Birthday anniversary of Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) (according to another source 1^st of Zhul Hajjah has been mentioned too)
15^th – Demise of Lady Zainab (PBUH)
25^th – Martyrdom anniversary of Imam Musa Al-Kadhim (PBHU)
26^th – Night of Me’raaj and Ba’that (proclaim) of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HF)
28^th – Imam Hussain Ibn Ali (PBUH) leaves Medina for Karbala

Islamic Insights – Allah loves us too much to let us fall behind in good deeds – He has gifted us with an opportunity in the form of Rajab that easily trumps the ‘business’ excuse! This blessed month is filled with simple ways to develop a stronger sense of God-consciousness; so why let it slip by unnoticed?

The Gifts of Rajab
Rajab is a month of many special days, including the birth anniversaries of our first, fifth and ninth Imams, the day when the Prophet (PBUH&HF) officially proclaimed Islam, and the day when he ascended to the heavens (Me’raaj). To top it all off, the Almighty Allah (SWT) has made it an especially honoured month for us to seek His forgiveness, to earn rewards, and – above all – to attain nearness to Him through worship.

Do not forget to pray for your brothers and sisters.

Liverpool Shia Society

Sent by: Zahra Karimi Nasab