Mahe Ramadhan 1431 programme at Hujjat Imambara, Stanmore, will commence on Wednesday 11^th August 2010 at 7.15pm with Darsa, Dua's, Salaat, Iftaar and Lecture. For further details of all programmes, please check the latest issue of the newsletter or programme information column. For ease of reference, we have prepared  an updated Timings for London for the month of Ramadhan 1431 (updated on 11 Aug 2010). Children's early programme will commence on Thursday 12 August 2010 at 1.15pm with Zuhr Salaat. Please remember each other during the Holy Month and May Allah (SWT) accept ALL our actions.

It has been narrated from the Commander of the Faithful Imam 'Ali (A) that:

“Don't say Ramadhan because, you don't know what Ramadhan is. Whoever says so must pay charity and must offer an atonement fast, instead of saying Ramadhan, say the way Allah has called it “the Month of Ramadhan.”

The most important duty of a devoted wayfarer in this great month is to understand the right of this Holy Month in which Allah (the Glorious, the Exalted), has invited the wayfarers of His path for a feast. Also he must understand the correct meanings of fasting and its relevance with Allah's invitation. Having discovered this reality he must endeavour that all his actions and deeds are accompanied with required devotion and sincerity in order to earn the pleasure of his host Allah (the Glorious, the Exalted).

KSIMC of London launched the Hujjat SMS Service in Muharram 1431AH. A communication tool that will keep members informed of important announcements, news of death, Kushali/Wafat programmes and moonsighting.

This service is an invaluable addition to the existing channels of communication such as the website and ansaphone, however, it provides instantaneous information as almost everybody carries a mobile phone.

To sign up, please fill in the application forms which can be found at the Jamaat desks in the Main Halls and ELC marquee.

The charge for this service is £5 per annum per mobile number registered. The current subscription will run up to 27^th Safar 1432AH.

Alternatively, you may signup by paying online under the "subscriptions" section.

Please note, that this service is solely for notification of Jamaat events and not private functions such as wedding etc.

He was born on the night of 15^th of Sha'ban in the year 255 AH. At the time of the death of his father, he was five years old.

God endowed him with wisdom and the distinction of speech. He made him a sign to the worlds. He endowed him with wisdom as He had endowed John the Baptist while still a boy. He made him an Imam while still in the state of apparent childhood just as He made Jesus, son of Mary, a prophet in the cradle.

The nomination of him had been given earlier to the community of Islam by the Holy Prophet, then by the Commander of the faithful, Ali bin Abu Talib, and the Imams, consecutively one after another, down to his own father, al-Hasan (al-Askari), had nominated him.

Hussein Hussein Hussein Hussein
***
If the enemy attacked me and ripped my body apart,
And the only organ remaining alive is the heart,
Guaranteed, every beat it shall take it will shout Ya Hussein,
As long as we’re alive, we strive to follow your lane.
***
Hussein your name is embedded upon my heart,
From it, your name shall never ever depart,
For from my master, there is so much to learn and take,
By following you, we have the chance to meet your father and Rasoolullah by the Kawther Lake.

Hadhrat Abbas was born in Medina on either 7^th Rajab or 4^th Shabaan 26 AH (645 AD). When the news of his birth reached Imam Ali, he prostrated himself on the ground as a token of his humble thanks to God. Imam Hussain took the baby in his arms and recited the Adhan and Iqama (Calls for Prayers) in his right and left ears respectively. Then the new born baby opened his eyes to see the beloved face of Imam Hussain. On the seventh day of his birth the ceremony of Aqeeqa (which is one of the emphasised traditions) was performed and Imam Ali named the child 'Abbas'.

A similar incident took place at the time of the birth of Imam Ali (A). He only opened his eyes when the Holy Prophet took him in his arms.

We should ponder over the great 'ibaadah (worship) of our fourth Imam and refelect upon possible reasons why some of us do not find the taste and pleasure in worshipping the Almighty. Why don't we enjoy performing salaat (both obligatory and recommended prayers), doing Du'as (supplicating and invoking the Almighty), and the tilawah (reading from the Holy Qur'an) the way the Holy Prophet (saw) and Imams (A) used to?

Let us examine a few incidents from the life of Imam as-Sajjad (A).

Incident 1

Shaykh al-Mufid states in Kitaab al-Irshaad that once Imam Abu Ja'far Muhammd al-Baqir visited his father Imam 'Ali bin al-Husayn. He saw that Imam as-Sajjad had reached an unprecedented state of 'ibadah. "His color had paled from keeping awake all night; eyes sored from weeping; forehead and nose bruised due to prolonged sajdahs; and his feet and ankles were swollen from standing in salaat." Such was the state of our fourth Imam during the worship that our fifth Imam says that he could not help breaking into tears. "I wept out of compassion that I felt for him," commented Imam al-Baqir. Some time passed before the Imam realized that his son has come. Upon seeing him, Imam as-Sajjad asked for the parchments which describe the great 'ibadah of Imam 'Ali bin Abi Talib (a). The fourth Imam read something from it and let it go from his hands in exasperation commenting, "Who has the strength to worship like 'Ali b. Abi Talib, 'alayhis-salaam?"

WELCOMING THE MONTH OF SHA’BAN

Imam Ali (A) once saw some Muslims arguing among themselves on the topic of fate and destiny, on the first day of Sha’ban.   He discouraged them from their preoccupation and instead drew their attention to the merits of this month. He said that the Lord had called it Sha’ban because His favours and bounties were scattered (sha’aba) all over during it. Allah presents His great bounties in this month which are easy to achieve, and inexpensive, said Imam Ali (A).  This could mean that the doing of ‘ibadah (acts of worship), performing other good deeds and abstaining from evils will carry manifold benefits.