Companions of ‘Ali Series: Muhammad b. Abi Bakr, the Governor of Egypt

As the 19th of Ramaḍān has once again come, the night on which ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib (d. 40/661) was fatally struck, it would be of benefit to share some details about his close companions, and in this particular case Muḥammad b. Abī Bakr (d. 38/658).  Muḥammad b. Abī Bakr, as his name identifies, wasContinue reading “Companions of ‘Ali Series: Muhammad b. Abi Bakr, the Governor of Egypt”

Majlis-i Husayn, an Institution: An Exposé into the Practice of Emotive Choreography

Written by: Agha Shabbir Abbas Introduction If one were to type into a search engine the words ‘Shia Muslim India’ or ‘Shia Muslim Pakistan’ the very first images to be displayed would be that of muharram mourning processions, typically consisting of violent forms of self-flagellation. While the scenes may depict chaos and anarchy, the truthContinue reading “Majlis-i Husayn, an Institution: An Exposé into the Practice of Emotive Choreography”

Open Letter to the Imams of Friday Prayers, From Concerned American Muslims

  بسم لله و بالله و الحمد لله وكفى وسلام على عباده الذين اصطفى In the name of Allah, by Allah, all praise is due to Allah, and peace be upon those servants of His whom He has chosen al-Salamun ‘Alaykum Hadrat al-Shaykh / al-Sayyid al-Muhtaram: The pulpit of our beloved Prophet (s) is aContinue reading “Open Letter to the Imams of Friday Prayers, From Concerned American Muslims”

Story of Imam Musa al-Kazim and a descendant of ‘Umar b. al-Khattab

Story of Imām Mūsā al-Kāẓim and a descendant of ‘Umar b. al-Khaṭṭāb Translated by Shabbir Agha Abbas We find in Tārīkh al-Baghdād, continuing Ḥasan b. Muḥammad b. Yaḥyā al-’Alawī’s (d. 358/969) narrative of the life of Imām al-Kāẓim (d. 183/799) based on his grandfather Yahyā b. al-Ḥasan’s* report. The report is as follows: “My grandfatherContinue reading “Story of Imam Musa al-Kazim and a descendant of ‘Umar b. al-Khattab”

Visiting and Constructing Mazārāt : Practice of the Prophet (s) and the Companions (r)

Visiting and Constructing Mazārāt : Practice of the Prophet (s) and the Companions (r)   In the month of Shawwal, Muslims solemnly mark the destruction of Jannat al-Baqi’ (1345 AH/1925) and other religious sites, specifically gravesites, throughout the Hijāz (region consisting of Makkah and Madinah), by the Saudi family and their para-military known then asContinue reading “Visiting and Constructing Mazārāt : Practice of the Prophet (s) and the Companions (r)”