@zekrMIT biweekly programs, Quran Study and Dua Kumayl, will resume after the summer break in the Fall semester, starting September 5th, insha’Allah.

Our virtual Lecture Series and Special Topics sessions will also return in the Fall.

https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRagz8v-1fF7_AqcNeT2M9iFTWu86TL0m

🔻Lecture Series
"Qur'an and Yemen", 6 Sessions
speaker: Dr. Farhad Ghoddoussi
May 11 - Jun 15, 2025

summary:
In this lecture series, we explored chapters and verses of the Qur'an that were, in various ways, connected to Southern Arabia. Broadly defined, this region included present-day Yemen and Oman—specifically the ancient kingdoms of Himyar, Saba', and Hadhramaut—as well as Ethiopia (historically known as Habashah).

Our aim was to gain a deeper understanding of the meaning and significance of these surahs and verses by examining the religious, political, social, and cultural contexts—as well as the historical events—of pre-Islamic Southern Arabia.

#Quran_Pre_Islamic_South_Arabia

Special Event, Commemorating the Demise Anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

Speaker: Dr. Sadik Kassim (Bio)
Lecture: "The Prophet’s Light: A Legacy That Never Dies"

Date
Thursday August 21st, 2025
7:15 pm to 9:30 pm (Eastern Time)

Location
MIT Tang Center, E51-335, 2 Amherst St, Cambridge, MA 02142

Schedule
7:15-7:20 Quran Recitation
7:20-7:50 Dua Kumayl
7:55-8:15 Prayer
8:15-9:00 Lecture and Q&A, in English
9:00-9:05 Ziyarat
9:05-9:30 Dinner

https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT

إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا.

Al-Ahzab, Verse 56:
Indeed, Allah showers His blessings upon the Prophet, and His angels pray for him. O believers! Invoke Allah’s blessings upon him, and salute him with worthy greetings of peace.

Please note today program will take place in room E51-335.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHp9CNUtSJA&t=16s

"The Prophet’s Light: A Legacy That Never Dies"
speaker: Dr. Sadik Kassim
Aug 21, 2025

🏴 28 Safar (Aug. 22): Martyrdom of Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (p), 50 AH

السَّلامُ عَلَیْکَ یَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِینَ، السَّلامُ عَلَیْکَ یَا ابْنَ أَمِیرِ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ، السَّلامُ عَلَیْکَ یَا ابْنَةَ فَاطِمَةَ الزَّهْرَاء، السَّلامُ عَلَیْکَ یَا حَبِیبَ اللَّهِ، السَّلامُ عَلَیْکَ یَا صِفْوَةَ اللَّهِ، السَّلامُ عَلَیْکَ یَا أَمِینَ اللَّهِ، السَّلامُ عَلَیْکَ یَا حُجَّةَ اللَّهِ، السَّلامُ عَلَیْکَ یَا نُورَ اللَّهِ، السَّلامُ عَلَیْکَ یَا صِرَاطَ اللَّهِ، السَّلامُ عَلَیْکَ یَا بَیَانَ حُکْمِ اللَّهِ، السَّلامُ عَلَیْکَ یَا نَاصِرَ دِینِ اللَّهِ، السَّلامُ عَلَیْکَ أَیُّهَا السَّیِّدُ الزَّکِیُّ؛ السَّلامُ عَلَیْکَ أَیُّهَا الْبَرُّ الْوَفِیُّ، السَّلامُ عَلَیْکَ أَیُّهَا الْقَائِمُ الْأَمِینُ، السَّلامُ عَلَیْکَ أَیُّهَا الْعَالِمُ بِالتَّأْوِیلِ، السَّلامُ عَلَیْکَ أَیُّهَا الْهَادِی الْمَهْدِیُّ، السَّلامُ عَلَیْکَ أَیُّهَا الطَّاهِرُ الزَّکِیُّ، السَّلامُ عَلَیْکَ أَیُّهَا التَّقِیُّ النَّقِیُّ، السَّلامُ عَلَیْکَ أَیُّهَا الْحَقُّ الْحَقِیقُ، السَّلامُ عَلَیْکَ أَیُّهَا الشَّهِیدُ الصِّدِّیقُ، السَّلامُ عَلَیْکَ یَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ الْحَسَنَ بْنَ عَلِیٍّ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَ بَرَکَاتُهُ.

🏴 Last day of Safar (Aug. 24), Martyrdom of Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (p), 203 AH

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى عَلِیِّ بْنِ مُوسَى الرِّضَا الْمُرْتَضَى الْإِمَامِ التَّقِیِّ النَّقِیِ‏ وَ حُجَّتِکَ عَلَى مَنْ فَوْقَ الْأَرْضِ وَ مَنْ تَحْتَ الثَّرَى الصِّدِّیقِ الشَّهِیدِ صَلاَةً کَثِیرَةً تَامَّةً زَاکِیَةً مُتَوَاصِلَةً مُتَوَاتِرَةً مُتَرَادِفَةً کَأَفْضَلِ مَا صَلَّیْتَ عَلَى أَحَدٍ مِنْ أَوْلِیَائِکَ‏.

The Crescent Moon of the Month of Rabi al-Awwal 1447 A.H.
From the Moon-Sighting Committee of The Council of Shia Muslim Scholars of North America - Read more here:
https://ow.ly/68Bo50WJARI

8 Rabi al-Awwal (Sep. 1): Martyrdom of Imam Hasan al-Askari (p), 260 A.H.
12 Rabi al-Awwal (Sep. 5): The arrival of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hp) to Yathrib (al-Madina), marking the start of the Islamic calendar.
17 Rabi al-Awwal (Sep. 10): Birth Anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hp), 53 B.H.
17 Rabi al-Awwal (Sep. 10): Birth Anniversary of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (p), 83 A.H.
18 Rabi al-Awwal (Sep. 11): Establishment of Masjid al-Nabi in the city of al-Madina in the first Hijri year

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSm82XW01vU&list=PLRagz8v-1fF74N9aiC4SHiQUiU1vaF1-U&t=1s

🔻"Sunni Views on Imam Hussain (a.s.) Movement"
Lec1: Classical Period
speaker: Dr. Farhad Ghoddoussi
Aug 3, 2025

summary:
In the first lecture of this series, we focused on the views of the scholars of the classical period. In this context, we can discuss the spectrum of Sunni Muslims' views by looking to their views regarding the person and character of Imam Husayn (ع) or his movement or his opponent Yazid ibn Mu'awiyah.

As it was thoroughly discussed during the lecture after the effective establishment and consolidation of the basic tenets of Sunni Islam in the first of third century A.H. by the hand of scholars such as Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Nasibi views (pro Umayyad and hostile to Ahlul- Bayt) did not find any official and recognizable place in the hadith and theology of Sunni Islam, but traces of some of their views were remained, not so manifestly, in the body of Sunni scholarship and sources which later on was exploited and emphasized by scholars like Ibn Taymiyah.

As a result of the above development and due to the existence of the verses such as Q42:23 (مودة), Q33:33(تطهیر), Q3:61(مباهله) in the Qur'an and hadiths on the lofty of status Ahlul- Bayt like Hadith Thaqalayn(ثقلین), Hadith Noah's Ark (سفینة النجاة) and Hadith of Cloak(کساء) in the Sunni collection of hadithes such as Bukhari and Muslim, nearly all the Sunni Muslim scholars express their respect and love for Ahlul-Bayt including Imam Husayn (ع), although they do not consider him infallible.

Therefore, the discussion of the Sunni views on the person or character of Imam Husayn (ع) does not produce enough differentiation to reflect the spectrum of Sunni views on Imam Husayn's movement. This spectrum is most discernable when the character and actions of Yazid ibn Muawiyah, the opponent of the Imam Husayn (ع) is considered, which was what we mainly focused on, in this lecture.

This discussion was arranged around the five category division of classical era Sunni views in regard to Yazid as it is proposed by the well-known US based Sunni scholar and speaker Dr. Yasir Qadi in his lecture titled "An Analysis of the History of Yazid b. Mu'awiyyah (Muharram 1444)":

1) Scholars who considered Yazid kafar (not a Muslim by heart) and that he deserved to be cursed (لعن).

2) Scholars who consider him only nominally Muslim but practically immoral and dissolute and deserved to be cursed.

3) Scholars who consider him immoral and wicked and his actions reprehensible and condemnable. This group which consists of the largest of the 5 groups strongly criticize Yazid character and actions but avoid and recommend not cursing him.

4) A group which prefer to keep silent and avoid criticizing him and leave the matter to God and hereafter.

5) A minority but with an influence more than their number specially on the neo-salafi movements that considers the caliphate of Yazid legitimate and has partially tried to rehabilitate his character and justify his actions in regard to the events in Karbala and also atrocities in Medina and seize of Mecca and partial destruction of Ka'ba by his army. Some in this group have gone as far as writing book on the virtues of Yazid.

In the course of this lecture, we discussed in more detail regarding some of the scholars who belong to each of these categories and looked to some of the representative examples of their views.

#Imam_Hussain_Movement_Sunni_Views

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aknVXU838Eo&list=PLRagz8v-1fF74N9aiC4SHiQUiU1vaF1-U&t=1s

🔻"Sunni Views on Imam Hussain (a.s.) Movement"
Lec2: Contemporary Intellectuals
speaker: Dr. Farhad Ghoddoussi
Aug 4, 2025

summary:
In the second lecture of this series, we focused on contemporary (lay) intellectuals.

From a political stand point, the movement (نهضت) of Imam Husayn (ع) with its emphasize on "Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil" and with its dimensions of sacrifice and martyrdom obviously exercises a powerful attraction for all the modern Shi'i or Sunni reform or revolutionary movements, whose goal is challenging the established order in the Muslim world.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, when partly as a consequence of the modernism associated with the names of Seyyed Jamaluddin Asadabadi (Afghani) and Muhammad 'Abduh, many a hallowed stereotype in Islamic history has been revised, the meaning and nature of Imam Husayn's (ع) uprising too has gradually come under fresh scrutiny and interpretation.

But any contemporary Muslim political activist, with a rationalist turn of mind, and anxious to mobilize all the resources of the Muslim historical conscience in the service of a political cause, cannot use this drama for his purpose without first tackling a problem inherent in the drama, relating to Imam Husayn's leadership. The problem is whether Husayn acted responsibly and wisely by launching a revolt without adequate foresight and power, and if his revolt was merely an act of self-sacrifice, whether the long-term results justified its immediate negative consequences for the Shi‘i community, or Muslims in general, and therefore whether or how it should be emulated?

For the Shi'is the problem is more intricate, any attempt to addressing the above question cannot avoid the implications of their answer for the Shi'i theology and political theory and its understanding of nature of knowledge and function of Imams as infallible guides.

Perhaps it was because of the relative ease of their task and their earlier and more intense engagement with western colonialism and therefore the urgent sense for reform and change, the first Muslim writers in recent history to question the traditional accounts of the Imam Husayn movement were the Sunnis. But they had to confront to a lesser degree some Sunni scholars who had evaluated negatively Imam Husayn (ع) movement as a disruption of the prevailing consensus, and to a more degree those views that consider the Imam Husayn (ع) movement although justified, but as an ill-considered move which was bound to end in failure.

Ibn Khaldün's the outstanding historian is among those who has expressed the second line of criticism. He asserts that rebellion against Yazid was justified because of his wickedness. Imam Husayn was therefore right in regarding a revolt against Yazid as a duty incumbent on those who had the power to execute it.

But Ibn Khaldun thinks that Husayn was wrong in confusing his qualifications with his power. His qualifications were as good as he thought, and better, but he was mistaken as to his strength. Yazid, on the other hand, was wrong in trying to justify his actions against Husayn by arguing that he was fighting evildoers, because any such action should be undertaken only by a just ruler, which he was not.

Nearly all the contemporary lay, secular and even Marxist thinkers who have tried to give a fresh and new interpretation of Imam Husayn (ع) movement have tried to address the above two criticism specially the second one.

The contemporary lay and somewhat secular intellectuals and thinkers, which we briefly discussed their views, were:
1) IbrähIm 'Abd al-Qädir Mäzini (1889-1949).
2) 'Abbäs Mahmüd al-'Aqqäd (1889-1964).
3) 'Abd al-Rahmän al-Sharqäw'i ( 1920-1987).

#Imam_Hussain_Movement_Sunni_Views

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tDd6w9W64c&list=PLRagz8v-1fF74N9aiC4SHiQUiU1vaF1-U&t=1s

🔻"Sunni Views on Imam Hussain (a.s.) Movement"
Lec3: Contemporary Clergies (Religious Scholars)
speaker: Dr. Farhad Ghoddoussi
Aug 5, 2025

summary:
In the third lecture of this series, we focused on modern/contemporary religious scholars and writers.

The Sunni reinterpretation of the events in Karbalä' has not been confined to lay, more secular or Westernized enclaves, but also strongly discussed among the clerical or religious minded circles.

These clerical and religious minded circles similar to their lay and secular counterparts had to deal with to a lesser degree with the views of some of the classical era Sunni scholars who had evaluated negatively Imam Husayn (ع) movement as a disruption of the prevailing consensus (represented by Abu Bakr ibn al-Arabi(1076-1148AD) ), and to a more degree deal with those views that consider the Imam Husayn (ع) movement although justified, but as an ill-considered move which was bound to end in failure (represented by Ibn Khaldun(1332-1406)) .

In this third lecture we discussed briefly the views of the following religious Sunni scholars and writers and effectively we can divide those which we discussed into two categories of modern (all Egyptian and deceased):
1) Muhammad Kämil al-Bannä,
2) Muhammad Ghazzäli (1917-1996),
3) Abd al-Raqim Füdah,
4) Muhammad Abü Zahrah (1898-1974) and
5) Khälid Muhammad Khälid (1920-1996)

and contemporary ones:
6) Farid al-Bahraini (Salaft/Wahhabi social media personality),
7) Sheikh Omar Suleiman(1986-) and
8) Sheikh Yasir Qadhi(1975-).

We can summarize the previous survey of the view of both lay/secular and clerical/religious thinker and writers by saying that all the contemporary Sunni writers mentioned in the last two lectures (maybe with the exception of Farid al-Bahraini) are unanimous in their rejection of Abu Bakr Ibn al-'Arabi's apologia for Yazid as an honorable man. They also contest Ibn Khaldün 's verdict that Imam Husayn's movement was based on his erroneous estimation of his strength, and was therefore a wrong move, because they maintain that the matter should not be judged on pragmatic and utilitarian grounds, otherwise the central meaning of Imam Husayn's martyrdom will be lost.

Some writers praise Imam Husayn for moral, others for political, reasons and in the course of their arguments, they all somewhat moved closer to the Shi'i understanding of the Imam Husayn movement. None of these writers, however, bases his argument on a critical analysis of historical texts with a view to discovering their inconsistencies and inaccuracies, which is what the academic western scholarship is mostly concerned about. Rather, they all rely on individual reflection and speculation, and simply reinterpreted or read their present thoughts into the traditional sources.

#Imam_Hussain_Movement_Sunni_Views

upcoming events

@zekrMIT biweekly programs for the Fall will begin on Friday, September 5 with Quran Study, followed by Dua Kumayl on Thursday, September 11, inshaAllah.

We will also be hosting virtual lecture series—details to be announced.

visit us:
https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeciD-CbxOU&list=PLRagz8v-1fF64syWCOntMn8fHSwQMxjFp&t=1s

🔻"Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 53", Lec07
speaker, H. I. Hasan Doagoo
Jun 19, 2025

#Nahj_al_Balagha_Letter_53

The series will continue with Lecture 8 on September 25.

8 Rabi al-Awwal (Sep. 1): Martyrdom of Imam Hasan al-Askari (p), 260 A.H.

السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا مَوْلايَ يَا أَبا مُحَمَّدٍالْحَسَنِ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ الْهادِي الْمُهْتَدِي وَرَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ وَبَرَكاتُهُ، السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا وَ لِيَّ اللّٰهِ وَابْنَ أَوْ لِيَائِهِ، السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا حُجَّةَ اللّٰهِ وَابْنَ حُجَجِهِ، السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا صَفِيَّ اللّٰهِ وَابْنَ أَصْفِيَائِهِ، السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا خَلِيفَةَ اللّٰهِ وَابْنَ خُلَفائِهِ وَأَبا خَلِيفَتِهِ، السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا ابْنَ خاتَمِ النَّبِيِّينَ، السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا ابْنَ سَيِّدِ الْوَصِيِّينَ، السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا ابْنَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ،

Special Topic Lecture Series

🔻Lecture 4 (last): Was Yazid ibn Muawiyah Part of the First Campaign Against the Byzantine (Roman) Empire — and Why Does It Matter?

🌐 Virtual, EN Lecture

Date
Sunday September 7th, 2025
7:15 pm to 9:00 pm (Eastern Time)

Location
Online, Detail Below

Schedule
7:15-7:20 Login to zoom
7:20-8:45 Lecture, in English, Dr. Farhad Ghoddoussi
Title: "Sunni Views on Imam Hussain (a.s.) Movement", Lec4 (last)
8:45-9:00 Q&A

- About Speaker (Bio)

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

#Imam_Hussain_Movement_Sunni_Views
https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT

Quran Study, Maryam [19:73-80]

🌐 Hybrid, EN Lecture

Date
Friday September 5th, 2025
7:30 pm to 9:30 pm (Eastern Time)

Location
MIT Tang Center, E51-376, 2 Amherst St, Cambridge, MA 02142

Schedule
7:30-7:50 Prayer
7:50-8:00 Ziyarat Ale-Yasin
8:00-8:50 Exegesis (Tafsir), in English, Dr. Ammar Pabaney
Topic: "Chapter 19, Maryam, Verses 73-80"
8:50-9:00 Q&A
9:00-9:30 Dinner

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

- About Speaker (Bio)

https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT

upcoming events, Sep 7-11, 2025

▫️Sun, Sep 7, 7:15-9:00 pm (virtual, EN)
Special Topics, 4, "Sunni Views on Imam Hussain (a.s.) Movement", Farhad Ghoddoussi, Wayne State University, Michigan.

▫️Tue, Sep 9, 8:30-10:15 pm (virtual, FA w/ Subs)
Lecture Series, 01, "Structure and Argumentation in Islamic Theology", Hassan Ansari, IAS, Princeton.

▫️Thu, Sep 11, 6:45-9:30 pm (in-person, EN)
Dua Kumayl & Lecture, Dedicated to the Birth Anniversaries of Prophet Muhammad (p) and Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (p).

- All times US Eastern Time

visit us:
https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT