ZEKR, MIT Shia Muslim Association
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Ahlulbayt Islamic Society

To promote the teachings of the Qur'an, the Prophet Muhammad, and the Twelve Imams.
admin: eventszekrmit@gmail.com, website: https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
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@zekrMIT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDmLDDs_Ikc&list=PLRagz8v-1fF7_AqcNeT2M9iFTWu86TL0m&t=1s

"Qur'an and Yemen: Looking at the Quranic Verses related to Pre-Islamic South Arabia", Lecture 2
speaker: Dr. Farhad Ghoddoussi
May 18, 2025

Session 2:
In this second lecture of the Qur'an and Yemen lecture series, we mainly focused on the western academic discussions on the surah 85 of Qur'an sura al-Buruj.

In the beginning we looked to the meaning of the words بُروج (Constellations and Towers) and الاخدود (ditch, trench, and groove). We then read related Hadiths.

Our discussion of the western academic views regarding the sura al- Butuj and specially the "People of Ditch" was based on the article, "The Qur’an and Communal Memory: Q. 85 and the Martyrs of Najrān", by Walid Saleh. His abstract to this article summarizes the situation very well:

Sūrat al-Burūj, one of the early, short Meccan revelations, has attracted sustained interest from scholars working within the Euro-American sphere since the nineteenth century due to its association with a major event that took place in the Middle East in 523 CE: the massacre of a group of Christians carried out by the Jewish ruler of Yemen in the Christian town of Najrān in northern Yemen. As a result of the massacre, a major war broke out in the region that resulted in Ethiopia invading Yemen and imposing a new Christian regime.

The event reverberated throughout the Christian Middle East, and the invasion of Yemen was seen as just retribution.

The massacre was commemorated in Syriac Christian hagiography, and the victims came to be known as the Martyrs of Najrān. Although there is no explicit reference to the massacre in Q.85, the Islamic tradition (in the Qur’an commentary literature) tied this sura to the Najrān massacre, and early Muslims viewed Sūrat al-Burūj as a commemoration of this event. However, no non-Islamic sources on this massacre were available until some previously unknown Syriac writings that purported to be eyewitness reports of the massacre were unearthed in the late nineteenth century. Since it was the Islamic tradition that linked Q. 85 to the massacre, a debate ensued among modern scholars as to the veracity and historicity of this connection.

In terms of perspectives, European scholars can be broadly divided into two main camps when it comes to their views on the interpretation of this sura. One group of scholars – the majority – agreed with the Islamic tradition, that the sura indeed referred to the massacre.

The second group – a tiny minority – saw Q. 85 as a reference to the story of Daniel and the three youths in the ‘fiery furnace’ told in the Biblical Book of Daniel, chapter 3.

Soon, however, a third group of scholars emerged, who discounted any such historical connections and claimed that the sura referred to an apocalyptic scene of the torments of Hell rather than any historical event. This eschatological interpretation became the standard and dominant opinion in the European literature about this sura."

Different views were explored and discussed in this lecture.

#Quran_Pre_Islamic_South_Arabia
upcoming events, Jun 1-5, 2025

▫️Sunday Jun 1, 7:30-9:15 pm (virtual, in English)
Special Topics, 4, "Qur'an and Yemen", Farhad Ghoddoussi, Wayne State University, Michigan.

▫️Tuesday Jun 3, 8:30-10:15 pm (virtual, in Farsi | Eng Subs)
Lecture Series, 8, "The History of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah", Hassan Ansari, IAS, Princeton.

▫️Thursday Jun 5, 6:30-9:30 pm (in-person, in English)
Day of Arafah.

- All times US Eastern Time

visit us:
https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT
Special Topic Lecture Series, Qur’an and Yemen

🌐 Virtual, in English

Date
Sunday June 1st, 2025
7:30 pm to 9:15 pm (Eastern Time)

Location
Online, Detail Below

Schedule
7:30-7:35 Login to zoom
7:35-9:00 Lecture, in English, Dr. Farhad Ghoddoussi
Title: “Qur’an and Yemen: Looking at the Quranic Verses related to Pre-Islamic South Arabia”, Session 4
9:00-9:15 Q&A

- About Speaker (Bio)

Zoom Participation (virtual):
https://mit.zoom.us/j/92377466698

#Quran_Pre_Islamic_South_Arabia
https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT
درس گفتارهای تاریخ اندیشه و تمدن اسلامی

🌐 بصورت مجازی، به فارسی

«تاریخ اهل سنت و جماعت»
توسط دکتر حسن انصاری

جلسه هشتم، سه شنبه ۳ جون، ۸:۳۰ تا ۱۰:۱۵ شب (به وقت شرق آمریکا)

Zoom Participation (webinar):
https://mit.zoom.us/j/93933325521

YouTube Live:
https://www.youtube.com/@AhlulbaytIslamicSociety

#سنت_و_جماعت
@azbarresihayetarikhi
https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT
7 Dhu al-Hijjah (June 3, 2025): Martyrdom of Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (p) (Year 114 A.H.)

اللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ باقِرِ الْعِلْمِ، وَ إِمامِ الْهُدىٰ، وَقائِدِ أَهْلِ التَّقْوىٰ، وَالْمُنْتَجَبِ مِنْ عِبادِكَ. اللّٰهُمَّ وَكَما جَعَلْتَهُ عَلَماً لِعِبادِكَ، وَمَناراً لِبِلادِكَ، وَمُسْتَوْدَعاً لِحِكْمَتِكَ، وَمُتَرْجِماً لِوَحْيِكَ، وَأَمَرْتَ بِطاعَتِهِ، وَحَذَّرْتَ مِنْ مَعْصِيَتِهِ، فَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِ يَا رَبِّ أَفْضَلَ مَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَىٰ أَحَدٍ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّةِ أَنْبِيائِكَ وَأَصْفِيائِكَ وَرُسُلِكَ وَأُمَنائِكَ يَا رَبَّ الْعالَمِينَ.
https://youtu.be/eIfaaOtdO_U?list=PLRagz8v-1fF7hvJEPcEyp_xo0h7wSkz9N&t=7

"The History of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah", Lecture 7
speaker, Dr. Hassan Ansari
May 27, 2025

🟥 Lecture in Farsi, can be watched with closed caption (CC) and auto-translate on our channel.

Session 7:
In this session, we discussed the history of orthodox Sunni Islam regarding two topics: the Rightly Guided Caliphs (Khulafā' al-Rāshidīn) and the preference of the companions and caliphs. By revisiting documents from the third century, we showed how the scholars of Hadith and Sunnah made significant efforts to establish an orthodox position, despite differing beliefs about the caliphate. They aimed to create a structured preference for the caliphs and the subject of the wars during the period, which was referred to as the 'First Fitna.' Their goal was to establish this as an orthodoxy, categorizing it as 'Sunnah' in opposition to 'Bida' (innovation). This process involved marginalizing opposing views and beliefs from the domain of Sunnah. This transformation was particularly solidified during the period of the Mihnah (the inquisition) and the opposition of the Hadith scholars to the religious policies of the caliph Mamun and his successors. As a result, a new concept of the caliphate/political power emerged, and in the discussion of preference, they effectively positioned themselves as representatives of a 'preference tradition' that was concerned with criteria aimed at consolidating the political and religious authority of the Hadith scholars and the Ahl al-Sunnah (people of the tradition). In this framework, the companions of the Prophet (Sahabah) were assumed to be both just and the predecessors ('Salaf') of the Sunnah.

#sunnah_wa_jamaah
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تاریخ اهل سنت و جماعت، دکتر حسن انصاری

جلسه هفتم: در اين جلسه درباره تاريخ ارتودکسی اسلام اهل سنت و جماعت در خصوص دو موضوع خلفای راشدين و تفضيل صحابه و خلفا سخن گفتيم و با بازخوانی مدارکی از سده سوم نشان داديم که علمای اصحاب حديث و سنت چه تلاش هایی کردند تا با وجود اختلاف باورها درباره خلافت راشده، ترتيب در تفضيل خلفاء و موضوع جنگ های دوره آنچه به آن "فتنه اولی" می گفتند نوعی ارتودکسی را جا بياندازند و آن را "سنت" در برابر "بدعت" ها قلمداد کنند. این فرایند بیرون کردن عقايد و باورهای مخالف از محدوده سنت بود. اين تحول به ويژه در دوره محنه و مخالفت اهل حديث با سياست مذهبی مأمون و اخلافش تکمیل شد تا بدین ترتیب هم مفهوم تازه ای از خلافت/ قدرت سیاسی به دست دهند و هم در بحث تفضیل عملا خود را نماینده سنت "تفضيل"‌ی بدانند که ناظر به ملاک های متفاوت در راستای تحکیم قدرت/ مرجعیت دینی اهل حدیث/ اصحاب سنت بود. در این چارچوب، اصحاب حديث و سنت تداوم صحابه ای فرض شدند که هم عادل بودند و هم "سلف" سنت. (۲۷ می، ۲۰۲۵)

#سنت_و_جماعت
@azbarresihayetarikhi
https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT
Special Event, Day of Arafah

🌐 In-Person, in English

Speaker
: Dr. Ammar Pabaney
Lecture: "Imam Hussain (AS), Arafah, and Reverence of God"

Date
Thursday June 5th, 2025
6:30 pm to 9:30 pm (Eastern Time)

Location
MIT Student Center, 3rd Floor, Twenty Chimneys, 84 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

Schedule
6:30-6:35 Quran Recitation
6:35-7:45 Dua Arafah of Imam Husayn (p)
7:45-8:20 Lecture and Q&A, in English
8:20-8:30 Ziyarat Imam Husayn (p)
8:40-9:00 Prayer
9:00-9:30 Dinner

- About Speaker (Bio)

https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT
Special Event for Eid al-Ghadir, Friday June 13.

https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT
جلسات نهم و دهم (آخر) از درسگفتار "تاریخ اهل سنت و جماعت" توسط دکتر حسن انصاری دوشنبه و سه شنبه هفته آینده ۹ و ۱۰ جون، ۸:۳۰ تا ۱۰:۱۵ شب برگزار خواهد شد.

Zoom Participation (webinar):
https://mit.zoom.us/j/93933325521

YouTube Live:
https://www.youtube.com/@AhlulbaytIslamicSociety

#سنت_و_جماعت
@azbarresihayetarikhi
https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT
upcoming events, Jun 8-13, 2025

▫️Sun, Jun 8, 7:30-9:15 pm (virtual, in English)
Special Topics, 5, "Qur'an and Yemen", Farhad Ghoddoussi, Wayne State University, Michigan.

▫️Mon & Tue, Jun 9 & 10, 8:30-10:15 pm (virtual, in Farsi | Eng Subs)
Lecture Series, 9 & 10, "The History of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah", Hassan Ansari, IAS, Princeton.

▫️Fri, Jun 13, 7:15-9:30 pm (hybrid, in English)
Special Event, Eid al-Ghadir.

- All times US Eastern Time

visit us:
https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT
Special Topic Lecture Series, Qur’an and Yemen

🌐 Virtual, in English

Date
Sunday June 8th, 2025
7:30 pm to 9:15 pm (Eastern Time)

Location
Online, Detail Below

Schedule
7:30-7:35 Login to zoom
7:35-9:00 Lecture, in English, Dr. Farhad Ghoddoussi
Title: “Qur’an and Yemen: Looking at the Quranic Verses related to Pre-Islamic South Arabia”, Session 5
9:00-9:15 Q&A

- About Speaker (Bio)

Zoom Participation (virtual):
https://mit.zoom.us/j/92377466698

#Quran_Pre_Islamic_South_Arabia
https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT
درس گفتارهای تاریخ اندیشه و تمدن اسلامی

🌐 بصورت مجازی، به فارسی

«تاریخ اهل سنت و جماعت»
توسط دکتر حسن انصاری

جلسات نهم و دهم (آخر)، دوشنبه و سه شنبه ۹ و ۱۰ جون، ۸:۳۰ تا ۱۰:۱۵ شب (به وقت شرق آمریکا)

Zoom Participation (webinar):
https://mit.zoom.us/j/93933325521

YouTube Live:
https://www.youtube.com/@AhlulbaytIslamicSociety

🔸این بخش اول است؛ درباره گفتمان مکتب شام و دوران اموی. عصر عباسی ان شا الله در بخش دوم در آینده ارائه خواهد شد.

#سنت_و_جماعت
@azbarresihayetarikhi
https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT
Special Event, Eid al-Ghadir

🌐 Hybrid, in English

Speaker
: Dr. Sadik Kassim
Lecture: "The Camel Hunter of Kufa: Imam Ali’s Radical Wisdom"

Date
Friday June 13th, 2025
7:15 pm to 9:30 pm (Eastern Time)

Location
MIT Student Center, 3rd Floor, Twenty Chimneys, 84 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

Schedule
7:15-7:25 Quran Recitation
7:25-7:30 Poem
7:30-8:30 Lecture and Q&A, in English
8:30-8:40 Ziyarat Amin Allah
8:44-9:00 Prayer
9:00-9:30 Dinner

- About Speaker (Bio)

Zoom Participation (hybrid):
https://mit.zoom.us/j/95948516788

https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT
The Nahj al-Balaghah books by Prof. Tahera Qutbuddin have arrived and will be available at our event this Friday inshallah. We have a limited number of copies, offered at a special discounted price of $50 each (original price: $300, courtesy of a generous publisher discount).

@zekrMIT