The Prelude to the Martyrdom of Imam Hussain a.s

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SHAFAQNA-When al-Hassan, peace be upon him, died, the Shia in Iraq began to make plans. They wrote to al-Husayn, peace be on him, about removing Mu'awiya and giving the pledge of allegiance to him. However, he refused them and pointed out that…

In commemoration of Hideous Crime – as Supreme Religious Authority described – committed by exploding Eskereyain Shrine

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SHAFAQNA- The shrines of the holy city of Kerbela, and the followers of the Ahlul-Bayet (Peace Be Upon Them) – all over the world – commemorated the 13th tragic anniversary of the devastation of the Eskereyain Shrine in the city of Samarra,…

The Message of Muharram

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SHAFAQNA- Call it an act of ignorance or obstinate attachment to the customs of the days of ignorance (Jahiliyya), the retaining of the practice of the pagan Arabs by the neo-Muslim rulers of Medina, to start the Islamic calendar on the 1st…

Imam Hussein (as) leader of the martyrs

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SHAFAQNA-Reynold Alleyne Nicholson (1868-1945) Sir Thomas Adams Professor of Arabic at the University of Cambridge. "Husayn fell, pierced by an arrow, and his brave followers were cut down beside him to the last man. Muhammedan tradition,…

The necessity of the 'isma of the Imam

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SHAFAQNA- In the previous articles we have pointed out that an Imam is not an ordinary leader who simply has to rule a country and protect its borders; rather, in addition to this duty, he has other weighty responsibilities, alluded to above.…

Imam Hussein (as)'s Revolution, Reasons & Motives

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SHAFAQNA-All those who are familiar with Imam Husseins life do certainly realize that his role in serving Islam had started very early in his life. He has contributed to the rising Islamic movement when he was a boy, and played a significant…

Companions’ Strictness in Admitting the Reports

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SHAFAQNA- The Rightly-guided Caliphs and great Companions particularly those giving legal verdicts – as is known before – used to evade and fear narrating hadith from the Prophet. Rather in fact they were turning away from this act, since…

To Lie Against Messenger of Allah

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SHAFAQNA- It is commonly agreed among all that lying is the worst of abominations, and no trait can ever be possessed by man worse than calumny, beside no group malady is there more problematic and incurable than slander. Despite the fact…

The Message of Devotion

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SHAFAQNA- "O People! The Messenger of Allah has said: If anyone witnesses an oppressive ruler who permits that which has been forbidden by Allah, breaks the divine covenant, opposes the Prophet's Sunnah and regulations, and treats Allah's…

Eid al-Ghadir and a Pious Leadership

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SHAFDAQNA- On the 18th of Zilhejjah of the 10th year after Hijra, a great event took place by a small pond which lay on the way between Holy Mecca and Medina. On that day the holy Prophet of Islam (May the blessing of Allah be upon him and…

Ghadeer Khum

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SHAFAQNA- Prophet Muhammed (P) went to Makkah in his last year of his life to perform the annual pilgrimage “Hajj”. He also invited all the Muslims to take part in the Hajj pilgrimage. In a short while, large number of Muslims was moving…

Hajj Day-by-Day

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SHAFAQNA- Day One: The 8th Day of Thul-Hijjah MinaOn the eighth day of Thul-Hijjah (Yawm-e-Tarwiyah), the pilgrim put on his Ihraam after the Salaat of Zohr & Asr and head out of Makkah to Mina. He spends the rest of the day and night…

Hajj At-Tamattu'

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SHAFAQNA- 01. Ihraam: 02. Wukuuf-e-Arafaat: or staying in Arafaat. 03. Wukuuf-e-Mash'ar (or Muzdalifa): or staying in Mash'ar (or Muzdalifa). 04. Ramy Jamrah Al-Aqabah: Stoning of Jamrah Al-Aqabah in Mina. 05. Qurbani: The slaughter…

‘Shi’a’ and Imamate

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SHAFAQNA- The term ‘Shi’a’ means ‘follower’, and now refers, conventionally, to the group of Muslims who, after the death of the Holy Prophet, believed that the function of leadership in the Islamic community was the prerogative of…

Imam Muhammed Al-Taqi (A.S.)

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SHAFAQNA-Birth:      10th Rajab 195 AH in Madina Parents:  Imam ‘Ali al-Ridha (a.s.) & Bibi Sabika Naubiyyah (a.s.) Titles:     ‘Al-Jawad’ (The Generous), ‘Al-Taqi’ (The Pious) Death:   …

Sayeda Fatimah Al-Zahra s.a & the Holy Quran

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SHAFAQNA-HER VIEWS ABOUT THE HOLY QURAN: When Fadak, the property which the Holy Prophet (saww) had gifted to his one and only daughter Fatimah (a.s.) was snatched away from her, she (a.s.) felt grieved by this action. Accompanied by some…

Hajj, a Time for Worship and Education

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SHAFAQNA- Hajj is a great Islamic conference. It is an ideal demonstration of faith in which diverse groups of every race, class and nationality join together at a given time and in a specific place. They repeatedly recite a single call,…

Zaydism and Its Branches

SHAFAQNA-The Zaydis are the followers of Zayd al-Shahid, the son of Imam al-Sajj?d. Zayd rebelled in 121/737 against the Umayyad caliph, Husham ibn 'Abd al-Malik, and a group paid allegiance to him. A battle ensued in Küfah between Zayd and…

Akhlaq Islami, Islamic Ethics

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SHAFAQNA- In this exceptionally competitive world where we are busy competing with each other in acquiring higher societal statuses through materialistic means, living a spiritual life sometimes seems farfetched. However, according to…

LOOK WHO ISN’T DEAD YET, PLEASE DON’T BE DISAPPOINTED

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SHAFAQNA- Hey, look! I’m talking about disability again! I began doing this openly a few years ago when I first experienced the implications of having a chronic, degenerative health condition myself. Whether I want to or not, I’ve been…

The Importance of a Connection to our Islamic Centers and Masajid

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SHAFAQNA- The most exposure that some of our Muslim kids today have with Islam are basic Sunday (or Saturday) school classes. There, they will learn Islamic tenets and rules. If they are lucky, and the teachers are knowledgeable, they will…

Towards a bold discussion on the historicity of the religious text and how to develop the Islamic thought

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SHAFAQNA- By Sheikh Youssef Sbeity Translated by: Manal Samhat The Quran constitutes what Allah has revealed to His Messenger, (Al-Mustapha – “The Chosen”) (p.) with the aim of guiding people to the straight path. Such…

Shia and its History

SHAFAQNA- To understand the concept of Shia, it is necessary to first know Islam, and then define Shia based on Islam. The basics of Islam start from the belief in Allah (SWT) and the belief in all the prophets up to the last of them…

The Holy Quran and the Parents

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SHAFAQNA- :Question What are the recommendations of the Holy Quran with respect to parents? :Answer Respecting parents and showing the proper behavior towards them are issues that are considered…

From Al-Sahifa Al-Sajjadiyya; The Whispered Prayer of the Abstainers

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SHAFAQNA- In the Name of God, the All-merciful, the All-compassionate 1 My God, Thou hast settled us in an abode which has dug for us pits of deception, and Thou hast fastened us by the hands of death in the snares of that abode's treachery! In…

Necessity of creating communicational charter of the Islamic Ummah

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SHAFAQNA-The conference of "Novel Islamic civilization (past, present, future) and the role and mission of Afghanistan's scholars" was held today at the "Sun of Wilayat" complex in Mashhad, Iran. During the event, Ayatollah Arafi head of Islamic…

INVESTING FOR THE HEREAFTER

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SHAFAQNA- Zubaydah was the wife of Haroon al-Rasheed, the Abbasid Caliph and also a secret follower of Imam Musa ibn Ja’ffar al-Kadhim (a.s.). Being the wife of the caliph and by virtue of being a queen, she was the most important…

Reliability of the Companions

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SHAFAQNA- The issue of reliability of the Companions is quite critical, about which much talk was there, beside lengthy dispute throughout all ages. Hence this subject deserves good attention and much care so as to have moderate opinion about…