A’udhubillah…rajeem

O Allah, send blessings on Mohammad and his Ahlul Bayt

O Allah, become, now and always, the Guardian, Shield, and Leader; Helper, Guide, and Protector; of Your wali (representative), Al‐Hujjat‐ibn‐Al‐Hasan (Your blessings be on him and his forefathers) so that he may become firmly established on Your earth, and govern for a long time.

Salawaat!

Our Holy Prophet (SAW) said:

“He who dies without recognizing the Imam of his age is like the one who had died during the times of jahiliyyah (before the advent of )”; in other words, he dies as a Kaafir.

The goal of this year’s series of speeches by the students of School is Mehdi Shanaasi, that is to understand and recognize Our Imam (AF) under the guidance of this Hadees of Rasool‐Allah (SAW). These speeches are available on the ALI School website.

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Mother of Hazrat Imam (a.s.)

Real name of Imam Mahdi's mother was 'Malika'. But was popularly known as 'Narjis in Islamic world. Apart from this, her other epithets were 'Susan’, 'Saikal’ and 'Rehana'. Name of her father was Yusha, son of Qaiser of Rome and her mother was from the progeny of Shamoon Al‐Safa, a great follower and vicegerent of Hazrat Isa (a.s.). When she was just thirteen her grand father. Qaiser desired to marry her to his nephew. For the grand occasion of marriage all preparations were made. All the dignitaries of the palace right from army commanders, Vazirs, ministers, jurists to priests were present to grace the occasion. When the ceremony was about to begin, suddenly the cross in the palace came down and shattered to pieces. All those present were astonished and regarded it as a bad omen. One night after this she saw a dream. She says, “In my dream I saw Hazrat Isa (a.s.) appeared with his disciples and suddenly Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) appeared and light was emitting from his face and turning towards Hazrat‐e‐ Isa (a.s.) sought my hand for his son Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.) and Hazrat‐e‐ Isa (a.s.) in turn asked Shamoon. Who accepted it with great respect". She concealed her dream and did not relate it to even her father. After four days she again had the vision of Bibi Fatema Zahra (s.a.) and Bibi Mariyam (s.a.) before whom she expresses her desire to have a glance of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.). Bibi Fatema (s.a.) explains to her that he could not come to her unless she becomes a real Muslim. She promptly embraces Islam and got the opportunity to see her husband.

Once Imam Hasan (a.s.) told her that her grand‐father was planning to dispatch an army against the and that she should disguise herself as a slave girl. She follows the instructions and is captured and sent to with other slave‐girls for sale.

Imam Ali Naqi (a.s.) entrusted his companion Bashir Ibne Sulaiman (from the lineage of Abu Ayyub‐e‐ Ansari) with a letter in Roman language along with a bag containing 220 Dinars and explained to him the characteristics of Bibi Narjis Khatoon (s.a.). He recognized her and gave the letter of Imam and also paid the price and brought her to Sammarra. Imam (a.s.) entrusted her to his sister Bibi Hakimah Khatoon and asked her to teach Bibi Narjis Khatoon (s.a.) basic principles of Islam. After sometime she was married to Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.).

(Kamaluddin, by Sheikh Sudooq pg. 417)

Bibi Narjis Khatoon (s.a.) commanded a very high position and Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) used to remember her with titles such as 'Best woman', 'Leader of woman'

(Muntakhabul Asar, chap. 42)

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Even Bibi Hakima Khatoon, whose piety and sagaciousness was known to all, used to recall her with titles such as 'my chief’ or 'my leader’ adding to her posi‐tion.

(Behaarul Anwaar , vol. 51, pg. 2).

There are two narrations regarding her death:

(a) As per slave girl of Abu Ali Khizrani, Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.) narrated to her the incidents about his demise which grieved her and she requested Imam to beseech Allah for her early demise during his life time. Consequently, she died during the life of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.) and it is engraved on her grave 'This grave is of Mother of Muhammad.’

(Behaarul Anwaar , vol. 51, pg. 5)

(b) Muhammad bin Husain says that she was alive after the death of Imam (a.s.) and was imprisoned by Mo’tamid, who ordered a strict vigilance over her through some women.

(Kamaluddin, vol. 2, pg. 474)

This means that she breathed her last in prison.

On 11th of Moharram. Ibne Saad sent the heads to Kufa, he remained with the army till the time of zawaal .He gathered those killed from his army and performed the funeral prayers for them then buried them, leaving the corpses of the Master of the Youths of Paradise and the fragrant flower of the most honourable Prophet (saws) and those of his AhlalBayt (a.s.) and companions unwashed, without shrouds, unburied, exposed to the wind and to the wild beasts of the desert.

On the dust, bare, should he remain? None to mourn him except his women?

Which folks were not touched by his corpse? Which hearts did not mourn him?

After the time of zawaal, Ibn Saad left for Kufa with the women, the children, the bondmaids, and the surviving families of Imam Hussain's companions. They included twenty women, whom they mounted on camels without saddles as was the custom then with Turks or Romans taken captive, although they belonged to the best of all prophets (saws). With them was Imam Ali ibn al‐Hussain (a.s.), who was twenty‐three years old. He was placed on a lean camel without a saddle, and he was worn out by sickness. His son Imam Mohammad Baqir, who was two years and a few months old,accompanied him.

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The ladies pleaded thus: “For the love of Allah! Please take us to those killed.” When they saw how they had lost their limbs, how the spears had drank of their blood, and how the horses had trampled upon them, they creamed and beat their faces in anguish

Bibi Zainab cried out, “O Muhammed (saws)! Here is Husain in the desert covered with blood, his limbs cut off! Here are your daughters taken captive and your offspring slaughtered!”

These words caused friends and foes alike to weep, even the horses' tears ran on their hooves. Then she put her hands under his sacred body and lifted it as she supplicated saying, “O Lord! Do accept this sacrifice from us.”

This stand demonstrates to us the fact that Bibi Zainab was then elevated to the height of sacred responsibility, that of holding a holy covenant, that she would henceforth carry out a sacred revival like the one started by her brother, Imam‐Hussain (a.s.), while keeping the difference in mind. Once Imam‐ Hussain (a.s.) carried out his responsibility through his martyrdom, the wise lady, Zainab, started her duty which included presenting the sacrifice to the Mighty Lord and promoting his cause. Then she, peace of Allah be upon her, shouldered her other responsibilities.

Bibi Sakina hugged the body of her father and kept telling him how she had heard him saying:

Aye Shio, Jab kabhi Thanda paani peena, toh meri ghurbat ko yaad karna,

Aur jab kisi ghareeb ka zikr sunna, toh meri ghurbat ko yaad karna.

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