Sister Komal Zahra Hussain has summarized the english majalis for the 2008 Muharram series. Please click through to read them!

a.       Topic: Life and Sirat of Ahlul Bayt (AS)

                                                               i.      sirat: lifestyle, tradition, way of living

b.      Dhikr (remembrance) of Ahlul Bayt (AS)

                                                               i.      “Give zeenat (embellishment) to your discourses with the Dhikr of Imam Ali (AS) for it would be like you did my Dhikr and doing my Dhikr is like doing the Dhikr of Allah (SWT), which is an ‘Ibadat.” –Prophet Mohammad (SAW)

1.      therefore, we always do Dhikr of Ahlul Bayt (AS), repeatedly

c.       even before the Prophet (SAW) and his Message, Muharram was a respected month

                                                               i.      no fighting was allowed in this month

d.      3 things that provide Thawaab after death:

                                                               i.      an obedient child who prays for you

                                                             ii.      Sadaqa that you gave (or that which people gave in your name)  that helps people after your death

                                                            iii.      knowledge that you left behind

e.       Taqwa has different meanings

                                                               i.      to fear Allah (SWT)

                                                             ii.      to be pious

                                                            iii.      to safeguard against evil

f.        four stages of Taqwa:

                                                               i.      Muwwahid – accept oneness of  Allah (SWT)

                                                             ii.      Muslim – along with oneness of Allah (SWT), believe in Prophet Mohammad (SAW) and his being the Seal of Prophet-hood

                                                            iii.      Mo’min – have Iman and believe in Wilayat of Imam Ali (AS)

                                                           iv.      Muttaqi – be pious and safeguard against evil

g.       to increase Taqwa, we must have:

“Ikhlas ul ‘amal wa qasrul amal, wa ightinam ul mahal.”  – Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (AS)

                                                               i.      this phrase means:

1.      Actions with sincerity and …

2.      taking control of your desires, and …

3.      when you are given the opportunity (mahlat), avail it (make use of it: ightinam).

1.      importance of reading Quran properly

h.       rights of children over parents:

                                                               i.      to be given a good name

                                                             ii.      to be taught the Quran

                                                            iii.      to be married when he/she is of age

i.         3 different types of knowledge:

                                                               i.      Ilm-e-Huzoori – knowledge that is already within

                                                             ii.      Ilm-e-Husooli – knowledge that is acquired (what we learn in school, from others, etc.)

                                                            iii.      Ilm-e-Ladunni – knowledge of the unseen (like the knowledge of the Ahlul Bayt (AS)

1.       just like we know we have 5 fingers w/o thinking about it, they had knowledge of everything w/o thinking – Allah (SWT) gave them this knowledge

j.        story of Bahlool sitting on Ma’moon’s throne

                                                               i.      explaining to Ma’moon how he would be punished for sitting on that throne unrightfully for years, while he got such a bad beating just for sitting on it for a few minutes

a.       Rububiyat of Allah (SWT)

                                                               i.      in surah Fatiha, it says “Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Aalameen” not “Alhamdulillahi Khaliqul Aalameen”

1.      he is not just a creator

2.      like a father: a person can be a biological father but then not care for his kids

                                                             ii.      when we need guidance, we do not call on the creator, we call on the Rabb, the Lord

1.      a Khaliq will not test you like your Rabb does

2.      to help us reach perfection, we’re put through tests to see if we will pass them

3.      “There is no Mo’min who will not be harmed (put through a test) within every forty days.” – Prophet (SAW) ad Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (AS)

b.      Imamat

                                                               i.      if Nabuwwat/Risalat was the best ne’mat of Allah (SWT), then Prophet Ibrahim (AS) would have been given it later

1.      the last ne’mat that he was given was that he would become Imam

2.      Prophet Ibrahim (AS) responded by saying that Allah (SWT) should give this ne’mat to his Zurriyat

                                                             ii.      from Ismail (AS), we would get 12 princes = 12 Imams (AS)

                                                               i.      Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS) married Bibi Narjis Khatoon (AS), a descendant of Prophet Isa (AS)

1.      Bibi Narjis saw a dream in which the Prophet (SAW) was proposing on behalf of Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS) with Prophet Isa (AS) for her hand

                                                             ii.      birth of Prophet Musa (AS) is similar to that of Imam Mahdi (AJ)

1.      both their mothers’ pregnancies were not visibly seen/felt

                                                            iii.      Imam Mahdi (AJ) went into the Minor Occultaion (Ghaybat-al-Sughra) when he was around 5 years old

1.      when the Abbasid army went into the basement in which he stayed during Occultaion, they saw that he was praying, but there was water surrounding him

2.       he appointed representatives who could speak to his followers on his behalf, during his Minor and then Major Occultation

a.       Uthman ibn Said

                                                                                                                                       i.      was with the 10^th and 11^th Imams (AS) as well

                                                                                                                                     ii.      deputy for 2.5 yrs

b.      Muhammad ibn Uthman ibn Said

                                                                                                                                       i.      he and his father sold oil as a job, because oil was put in leather bags and people could put khums in the bags and give it to him which he’d take to Imam (AJ) and then fill the bags with oil

c.       Husain ibn Ruh

d.      Ali ibn Safawi

                                                                                                                                       i.      3 yrs

                                                                                                                                     ii.      Imam (AJ) gave him a letter 6 days before his death to tell him to prepare

3.      Shaikh Mufid

a.       brought out Ijtihad – he was the first Usooli mujtahid

b.      before it was Akhbari

                                                                                                                                       i.      following hadith only, not using intellect

                                                                                                                                     ii.      a few rare people who were very close to Imam (AJ) were justifiable in doing this

c.       when there are two hadith of the different nature on the same subject, it becomes a problem

                                                                                                                                       i.      human life is very important, BUT hurting a dead body is haraam

                                                                                                                                     ii.      Sheikh Mufid’s dilemma with the man whose wife was death, but had a live child in her womb

1.      Imam (AJ) came in the form of a little boy to inform the man of the right way to go about the situation, though Sheikh Mufid had told him otherwise

2.      Sheikh Mufid finds out that he had made the wrong decision and decides to stop, but Imam (AJ) tells him to continue what he is doing and if he makes a mistake, he (the Imam (AJ)) would come and help

d.      had the dream in which Bibi Fatima (AS) comes to him with her two sons asking him to teach them

                                                                                                                                       i.      a lady came to him the next day asking him to teach two little boys, Murtaza and Razi

1.      Syed Razi – the compiler of Nahjul Balagha

                                                           iv.      to communicate with him, spend the whole night every Wednesday night for 40 Wednesdays in the masjid

                                                             v.      difference between calling Imam Mahdi (AJ) and Imam Ali (AS), is that when you call Imam Ali (AS), he will come and help you, but when you call Imam Mahdi (AJ), all the other 11 Imams (AS) will come as well

a.       Topic: Resolving what appears to be contradictions in the lives of the Ahlul Bayt

                                                               i.      The path of Imams was one and the same but different circumstances required different approaches.  But the goal and path was the same.

                                                             ii.      Imam Ali was known to wear the most simple and meager clothes but Imam Jafar Sadiq was known to wear very nice clothes as did Imam Reza – which example do we take for us?

1.      Imam Ali was the leader of the state and there were people in his government were poor.  In this time the people were in a very harsh situation so he needed to live amongst them.

2.      Imam Sadiq – Discussed the concept “Muwasaat” aka to live with the people among the people so that they are comfortable with you and you are comfortable with them. 

                                                            iii.      Imam Hasan did a peace treaty while Imam Husain performed jihad – what example do we take for us with those against us today?

1.      It can be exploited where people can defend what they want by just picking which Imam’s situation fits what they want

2.      It was the situation that determines the approach.  Islam has certain principles and for these principles sometimes you need to go to war and sometimes you need to go for peace. 

                                                           iv.      We need to look at the Ahlul Bayt as just a series of stories and events, but as one whole unit who had one purpose. 

1.      to resolve what appears to be a contradiction in lifestyles you need to

a.       Topic: Journey to Allah (SWT)

                                                               i.      the traveler whose heart and mind is on a destination doesn’t sway from his path

1.      if our hearts and minds are set on Allah(SWT), we won’t sway from the path

2.      this world is just a part of the journey to Allah (SWT)

                                                             ii.      difference b/w Muslims and nonbelievers is that to a lot of nonbelievers, they’re journey ends at death, but a Muslim’s journey begins at Allah (SWT) and ends there as well

1.      even when everything that a person has gained and loved is taken away from him/her, if his/her journey is to Allah (SWT) and his/her mind is set on that destination, that person’s soul is Nafs-e-Mutma‘in”

                                                           iv.      Hajj and Jihad

1.      sabeel: path, way, journey

a.       feeh sabeelillah – Allah (SWT) mentions this word for Hajj and for Jihad

b.      Hajj is the outward journey whereas Jihad is the inward journey

                                                                                                                                       i.      Jihad-e-Akbar: when you fight within yourself to choose between what is right and wrong

                                                                                                                                     ii.      Hajj can’t be accomplished unless you move from your place, and Jihad can’t be accomplished unless you stand for your faith and choose what is right

c.       for every spiritual aspect, Allah (SWT) has kept a physical example

                                                                                                                                       i.      Wudhu – purification of soul

1.      the actions of Wudhu are cleaning the hands, feet, face, etc… BUT it is the INTENTION, the Niyyat that is cleansing the heart and soul

2.      Hajj is like a physical example of Jihad

a.       we are trying to get closer to Allah (physically by going to his house and spiritually by doing what he has commanded, choosing good actions over bad ones)

2.      Hajj it has now become like a retirement plan, but it was intended for the youth

a.       it was for young people to go and learn the lesson of life

3.      your intention for Hajj is not to be close to the House of Allah (SWT) but to be close to Allah (SWT)

a.       the Ka’ba is the object/destination in the eyes but Allah (SWT) is the destination in their hearts

                                                             v.      reward

1.      people complained to Prophet (SAW) about not getting anything in return for their worshipping of Allah (SWT) and for giving for His cause and in His way

a.       Prophet replied that there is nothing worthy enough in this world that Allah (SWT) could give them as a reward in for their services

b.      the reward will be in the Hereafter

                                                           vi.      Me’raj

1.      Allah (SWT) called upon the Prophet (SAW) in Me'raj, as his Abd (servant)

a.       when you introduce someone, you refer to his/her highest rank/status

                                                                                                                                       i.      you wouldn’t refer to a person who got his/her PhD a high school graduate

b.      what is great in Allah’s (SWT) eyes is that he’s His Abd, His servant

                                                                                                                                       i.      the highest quality that rises to Allah (SWT) is ubudiyat (obedience)

2.      Salaat

a.       if you don’t like or accept the first gift that some one brings to you, you can’t really expect a second one

                                                                                                                                       i.      Salaat is the Prophet’s (SAW) gift to us in this world and “Shifa’at” is his gift to us in the Aakhirat

                                                          vii.      Ayat al Mawwaddah

1.      asking for the love of Ahlul Bayt (AS)

a.       Ahlul Bayt’s (AS) love is the ‘ajr (repayment) of Nabuwwat, not just of the Prophet (SAW)

                                                                                                                                       i.      Madinar Risaalat – the Message of all the Prophets (AS)

b.      unlike obedience, love is a service that does not require any command

                                                                                                                                       i.      if you love Ahlul Bayt (AS), you would do more than what you are commanded to do

                                                                                                                                     ii.      obedience is love, love is just a higher form of obedience

c.       before love, there must be knowledge of the object of your affection – and that object of your love must also be worthy of your love first

                                                                                                                                       i.      you can not fall in love with a frog

a.       Surah Sad: importance of pondering over Quran

                                                               i.      “We revealed this Quran to you, so that you may reflect and ponder on these ideas.”

b.      Youth

                                                               i.      Youthfulness is of the heart and mind

                                                             ii.      It doesn’t matter your age, it is the faith that you have for Allah (SWT) in your heart

c.       Gratefulness

                                                               i.      If you have wisdom, you will naturally develop gratefulness towards Allah (SWT)

                                                             ii.      Imam Ali (AS) said that to be grateful for the sustenance provided to us by Allah (SWT), we should abstain from doing that which he dislikes