In Memory of Roghaye, daughter of Hussein

Today is the day of martyrdom of Roghayya, the little girl of Imam Hussein (AS). She and other captives of the battle of Karbala in Ashura were in a house (like a prison) near the Yazid palace. She was crying so hard. Companions of Yazid take head of Imam Hussein for her to be calmed down. But she embraced head of her father and psalmed with him. She cried and cried until she dead.

Today after about 1400 years the largest Nazri food table was provided in the city of Qom in memory of Seyyeda Roghayeh :

Shia Readings

To be familiar with Islam and Shia, you should read the following books:
 

1. Quran

The holy and central religious text of Islam, a revelation from Allah, the Exalted. Unlike Torah and Gospel, Quran is not changed during 1400 years and nowadays all Muslims (Shia and Sunni) have the same Quran.

Daily reading of this book is advised in Islam and almost every Muslim has at least one Qoran in his home. Quran is in Arabic, but its translation in English and other languages is available at Tanzil.net

Some verses of Quran:

 

وَقَالَ رَبُّکُمُ ادْعُونِی أَسْتَجِبْ لَکُمْ

And your Lord says, "Call upon Me; I will respond to you." Surah Qafer, Verse 60

 

اللَّـهُ لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَیُّ الْقَیُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ

Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. Sura Baqarah, Verse 255

 

 فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَیَسَّرَ مِنْهُ ۚ وَأَقِیمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّکَاةَ وَأَقْرِضُوا اللَّـهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا ۚ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا لِأَنفُسِکُم مِّنْ خَیْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ اللَّـهِ هُوَ خَیْرًا وَأَعْظَمَ أَجْرًا ۚ وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا اللَّـهَ ۖ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِیمٌ 

So recite what is easy from it [Quran] and establish prayer and give Zakah and loan Allah a goodly loan [help poor people]. And whatever good you put forward for yourselves - you will find it with Allah. It is better and greater in reward. And seek forgiveness of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. Surah Muzammil, Verse 20

 

 یَا أَیُّهَا الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا کُونُوا قَوَّامِینَ بِالْقِسْطِ شُهَدَاءَ لِلَّـهِ وَلَوْ عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِکُمْ أَوِ الْوَالِدَیْنِ وَالْأَقْرَبِینَ

O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Surah Nisa', Verse 135

 

یَا أَیُّهَا الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا اسْتَجِیبُوا لِلَّـهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاکُمْ لِمَا یُحْیِیکُمْ

O you who have believed, respond to Allah and to the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life. Chapter Anfal, Verse 24
 

Islam Opinion About Mary

فَأَجَاءَهَا الْمَخَاضُ إِلَىٰ جِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ قَالَتْ یَا لَیْتَنِی مِتُّ قَبْلَ هَـٰذَا وَکُنتُ نَسْیًا مَّنسِیًّا ﴿٢٣﴾ فَنَادَاهَا مِن تَحْتِهَا أَلَّا تَحْزَنِی قَدْ جَعَلَ رَبُّکِ تَحْتَکِ سَرِیًّا ﴿٢٤﴾ وَهُزِّی إِلَیْکِ بِجِذْعِ النَّخْلَةِ تُسَاقِطْ عَلَیْکِ رُطَبًا جَنِیًّا

"And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, Oh, I wish I had died before this and was in oblivion, forgotten. (19:23)

But he -Gabriel -called her from below her, Do not grieve; your Lord has provided beneath you a stream.(19:24)

And shake toward you the trunk of the palm tree; it will drop upon you ripe, fresh dates. (Suraat Mariam 19:25) 

 

Several Quranic software for Windows, Linux, Android, iOS and other platforms are available and you can take them from Google Play and other App stores.

 

2. History of Islam

Every nation and religion has a history behind it and reading the history is very important for us to have a background of Islam. It also prevents us from making similar mistakes, previous Muslims performed. There are a lot of historical books and we can not say which one is better, but in Al-Islam.org you can find several historical readings. However, several historical documents are cited in Quran and Nahj-al-Balagheh as well.
 

3. Nahj al Balagha

Nahjul-Balagha (The Method of Eloquence) is a book gathered by Seyyed Razi from Sayings and Sermons of Imam Ali. Its eloquence is on top of all other Arabic books except Quran. Reading this book, you will be more familiar with Imam Ali (AS) the first Imam after the Prophet (SAWA). The following links are online version of Nahjul-Balaghah

Sermons
Letters and Sayings

 

 

4. Mafatih Al Janan Dua's (Supplications)

 

 

Islam and specially Shia, have a lot of holy texts taken from the Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) and his Ahle-Beyt (Fatima and 12 Imams). Some of them are in the form of Dua (supplication). These are not obligatory to be read in a regular manner, but reading Dua make a pleasant feel and we usually think we are more near with God after reading Dua.

The book Mafatih-Al-Janan (Keys of The Heaven) is the most popular book in Shia community so that almost all Shia Muslims have a Mafatih in their home and read some of it's Duas in special times.
 

5. Resalah

As a shia Muslim, you must follow a Grand Ayatollah (a religious expert with special conditions) to perform your religious doing (secondary principles) according to his Fatwas. For example these are two Fatwas from Imam Khamenei :

Q: There are some dead cells of the skin that at times fall off from the hands, lips and feet. Are they pure or najis?

 

A: The fine skin that separates by itself from the hands, lips, feet or any other part of the body, is pure. 

 

 

Q: What rule applies to university students who travel beyond the shar'i distance at least two days a week for the sake of studying? 
A: A trip for study is not considered as working trip. It is obligatory on them to shorten their prayers, and their fasting is not valid, unless they intend to stay there for ten days.

You can find complete list of Fatwas here: Fatwas of Imam Khamenei

Reference: Shia Muslim

A Believer Doesn't Lie

»Imam Reza (AS)

en: The Prophet (PBUH) was asked, can a believer be a coward? He replied: Yes. Asked, can he be a curmudgeon? He said: Yes. Asked may the believer be a liar? He said: No

سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص یَکُونُ الْمُؤْمِنُ جَبَاناً قَالَ نَعَمْ قِیلَ وَ یَکُونُ بَخِیلًا قَالَ نَعَمْ قِیلَ وَ یَکُونُ کَذَّاباً قَالَ لا

فا: از پیغمبر (ص) سؤال شد، ممکن است مؤمن ترسو باشد؟ فرمود: آری، عرض شد آیا بخیل می‏شود؟ فرمود: آری. عرض شد ممکن است دروغگو باشد؟ فرمود: نه‏

»Mahasen Barghi, P 118

Don't Curse Caliphs and Other Sahabis

Dear Shia brothers world wide, Please do not curse (لعن) Caliphs and Other Sahabis that are important among Sunni brothers. Our supreme leader, Imam Khamenei, prohibited this and you must know that: 

EVERY CURSE IN YOUR MEETINGS = BEHEADING OF A SHIA MUSLIM IN PAKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN, IRAQ AND SYRIA

Some Takfiris, play recordings of your Majalis in their meetings and at the same time decapitate several Shia Muslims while its playing. So, please don't buy Jahannam for yourself. I heared this statement from an informed source...

We are all Muslims and must respect each others.

ترجمه فارسی:

شیعیان عزیز در سراسر جهان،لطفا خلفای اهل سنت و برخی اصحاب پیامبر را که در نزد اهل سنت محترمند، لعن نکنید. رهبر عزیزمان، آیت الله خامنه ای این امر را حرام کرده اند. خوب است بدانید که :

هر لعنی که شما در مجالس خصوصی و عمومی که ضبط می شود، انجام می دهید = سربریده شدن یک مسلمان شیعه در پاکستان، افغانستان و عراق و سوریه

برخی تکفیریها مثل سپاه صحابه پاکستان، نسخه ضبط شده مجالس برخی مداحان تندرو را در بین جمعیت تکفیریها پخش می کنند و در حین پخش سر شیعیان را می برند، آنقدر که پخش ویدیو تمام شود. دوستان عزیز، جهنم را برای خودتان نخرید. خداوند در قرآن فرموده حتی به بتها و خدایان جعلی کفار دشنام ندهید، چرا که آنها هم به خدا دشنام می دهند. حالا شما چگونه فحش دادن علنی به خلفای اهل سنت و جناب عایشه را حلال می کنید؟ بنده موضوع سپاه صحابه را از یک مسئول رده بالای کشوری شنیدم. لطفا به عقاید و سنتهای یکدیگر احترام بگذاریم و بدانیم که هیچ مسلمان سنی با لعن و نفرین، شیعه نمی شود. 

العربیة:
ایها الشیعة فی العالم، لا تلعنوا الخلفاء الراشدین و الصحابة النبی الذین هم محترمون عند اهل السنة. زعیمنا العزیز، آیة الله خامنئی، یحرّمون هذا الامر. هو الجید لنعرف أن:
لأی اللعن تقولون فی مجالسکم الخاصة والعامة  = الحصول على قطع رأس مسلم شیعی فی باکستان وأفغانستان والعراق وسوریا
یرجى احترام معتقدات کل المسلمین و نعرف أنه لا ینقلب مسلم سنی الی الشیعة، مع لعنة.

Ashura 2014 - Photos

The following photos are taken in the day of Ashura in Iran and Iraq. In this day, Shia Muslims mourn for the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS), his brother Abalfazl and other companions, killed in the Batlle of Karbal (61 AH) in a brutally manner.

In this day Shia Muslims, word wide, march in the streets, weep for Imam Hussein and mourn in different styles like striking on chest and singing plaintive songs. Some small minorities also perform self flagellation which is prohibited by several Grand Ayatollahs.

For large images, please click on them. There are 16 beautiful photos of this ceremony; please be patient. 

                     

Self Flagellation in Shia

Unfortunately some minorities of Shia around the world, specially in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, mourn in the day of Ashura in Muharram in such a way that no sane person can confirm it. They harm themselves with some type of blades and say that we love Imam Hussein! 

Every year, hundreds of photos of these ceremonies are distributed over the web and if someone, unfamiliar with Shia believes, saw these pictures, he may think: o damn!, what an unconscionable religion!

However, almost all grand Ayatollahs of Shia prohibited these type of mourning. For example, Imam Khamenei, about 20 years ago said:

Tatbir is one of the wrong doings. I know some will say: “It would have been proper if he had not talked about Tatbir.” They will say: “What do you have to do with Tatbir? Some people practice it, let them do so!” No! One cannot remain silent towards such a wrong action.
It is wrong that some people hold daggers and hit themselves on the head to bleed. What are they seeking?! How can this be an act of mourning?! Of course hitting on the head with one’s hands is a sign of mourning. You have seen it several times that when people face suffering, they hit on their chests and heads. This is a typical symbol of mourning. But where have you ever seen a person who is suffering from the loss of a dear one, hit on their head with a dagger and make it bleed?! How can this be a form of mourning?
#Tatbir [#QameZani] is a fabricated tradition. It is among the issues that does not belong to the religion and undoubtedly God is not also pleased with such a practice.
The more I thought about it, the more truly I realized I cannot overlook informing our dear people about Tatbir- which is certainly an act of wrongdoing and a heresy. Do not practice it! I do not approve of it. If someone does something to pretend that they want to practice Tatbir, I will be truly dissatisfied with them. I am declaring this solemnly.
Ayatollah #Khamenei, June 07, 1994
#ImamHussain 

This act, that is well-supported by Western news channels like BBC, CNN and others, is also prohibited in Quran:

And spend in the way of Allah and do not throw [yourselves] with your [own] hands into destruction. And do good; indeed, Allah loves the doers of good.

Arbaeen, and Heart of the Believers

Arbaeen is the 40th day after Ashura in which Imam Hussein (as) and his companions martyred. In Arbaein, due to some historical documents, Imam Sajjad (AS), Hazrat Zeinab (the sister of Imam Hussein), and some other relatives of the Imam, came back to Karbala and mourned for Imam and other martyrs of the Ashura.

After Saddam, walking to Karbala was released. Since then, every year, millions of Shia Muslims from all over the world travel to Karbala, the holy city of Iraq, to commemorate the religious ceremony of Arbaeen, the 40th day after the martyrdom of the third Shia Imam.

The walk from Najaf to Karbala is one of the most enlightening acts of worship a pilgrim can perform. The suffering and hardship imposed on the family of Imam Hussain (as) and the grandchildren of Prophet Muhammad (s) is felt in every step, and thus the love and respect for this holy family increases in the heart of the believer with every step that is taken towards the holy land of Karbala.

The following video from AhlulBayt TV is an interview with people dealing with the event of Arbaeen 2013 in Iraq: (Link in Youtube)

 

On Arbaeen 2013 about 18 Millions pilgrims walked from Najaf to Karbala. Nowadays Iraqi People are preparing for Arbaeen 2014 on December 13.

See also:
Some Photos of Arbaeen 2013

Mokhtar-Nameh TV Series

This series is based on Mukhtar Al-Thaqafi who was an early Islamic revolutionary who led an uprising against the Bani-Umayyah Caliphs (60s AH or 670s AD). During the battle of Karbala, Mukhtar was in the prison of Ibne-Ziad. A few years later, he gathered his companions and decided to take vengeance for the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS). He killed almost all of the important people, participated in the battle of Karbala against Imam Hussayn (AS). Finally he took the leadership of Kufah for a short time. He was the Arab hero who could overcome the events and lead the greatest social revolt. He adopted political and social justice, and accomplished equal opportunities among the people, regardless of their nations and religions. 

 

If you want to be familiar with some Shia beliefs, the event of Ashura in Karbala, and several uprisings after it, we recommend to see this interesting series. This film is in Persian / Farsi with English subtitles and The film was also approved by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting. You can watch or download the whole series, in Qul site: Mukhtar Narrative. Also you can find this series in YouTube: Mukhtar Narrative HQ:
Please see the first part here:

 

Hadith from Imam Hussein

Imam Hussain (AS), the third Imam of Shia Muslims, martyred in the battle of Karbala in 61 AH (680 AD). His holy shrine in Karbala is the most interested place for Shia Muslims to be visited. Before he was martyred, he said that his martyrdom will produce a movement within Muslims and whenever a believer recalls the event of Ashura, he will cry for it. Now, after about 1400 years, Muslims mourn and lament for Imam Hussein and take Majalis for him and his companions:

(For larger image, save it or show in another tab)

»Imam Hussein (AS)

en: I KILLED FOR TEARS; EVERY BELIEVER WHICH REMEMBERS ME, TEARS FOR ME

أَنَا قَتِیلُ الْعَبْرَةِ لَا یَذْکُرُنِی مُؤْمِنٌ إِلَّا بَکَى‏
فا: من کشته اشکم، هیچ مومنی مرا یاد نمی‌کند مگر اینکه گریه می‌کند

»Kamel-Alziarat, Page 109

Shia Beliefs - Five Principles

Twelver Shia Muslims have five principles:

1. Tawhid (توحید): Allah is the only God in the world.
   He is not born of anyone nor gave birth to any one, nor is any one like Him
2. Prophethood (نبوت): Muhammad (PBUH) is the last prophet of Allah.
   Shia Muslims believe in all the Prophets that God has appointed to guide mankind.
3. Imamat (امامت): After the prophet, there are 12 Imams,
   responsible for guidance and leadership of Muslims. They are appointed by Allah.
4. Fairness: Allah is Fair, he doesn’t oppress anyone
   God does not punish people who have obeyed and worshipped him, and does not reward people who have disobeyed Him
   
5. Resurrection: All mankind will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment
   To be judged for their actions and rewarded or punished, depending on each individual’s worldly conduct

Read more about the principles of Shia