QUR’AN JOURNALLING SESSIONS AT HUJJAT STANMORE

VIDEO RECORDINGS OF THE THURSDAY NIGHT SESSIONS
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Journalling the Qur’an Audio

01 August 2025

THE MONTH OF SAFAR (01)

DUA SAHAR (BAHAA)
I absolutely love this dua and would like to share it with you.
– Narrated from Imam Ridha that Imam Baqir read it every morning (Sahar).
Sahar is the most significant time of the day to connect with Divinity (Last one third of night before Fajr is called Sahar)
1. Time for munajat
2. Forgiveness
This dua moves mountains…

The following paragraph introduces the Du’ā al-Saḥar in Muhammad Baqir Majlisī’s book – Kitāb Zad al-ma’ād:
“As for this great du’a, it has been related that Imam `Ali Riḍā stated that this is a dua that Imam Muhammad Bāqir would recite in the mornings. He would say that if people knew its greatness, the speed with which it would be answered, they would draw swords in order to obtain it And if I took an oath that the great names (ism Allāh aI-a`ẓam )is in this dua, I would be stating the truth. Thus, when you recite this dua , recite it with concentration and humility….”

Some more on Dua Sahar
Reading about the life of Imam Hasan Askery (pbuh), I came across a narration as to why the capital was moved from Baghdad to Samarrah (Surr man ra’aa- who sees it rejoices) by Mu’tasim.
It said that the Turkish soldiers who formed a large contingent of the Abbasid army were harassing the women in Baghdad and were getting away with it because of being part of the army (sound familiar)….
The people of Baghdad went to complain to the Khalifa and when he asked what they would do – their answer was that they would fight him with Dua Sahar…..

05 August 2025

THE MONTH OF SAFAR (02)

PRISONERS OF THE MIND
It is Ashre Zaynabiyya and the focus is on the prisoners of the house of the Ahlulbayt….. Shackled, humiliated and harassed, they turned Yazid’s plot of demeaning the status of the Prophet (pbuh) and revelation into one where the eyes of those present (and those to come) were opened to the reality of Divine guidance.

Being imprisoned is not only being shackled by chains and handcuffs.

Franklin D. Roosevelt said: “Human beings are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds.”
Our ability to have thoughts and make decisions is what makes us the best of creation but it is also that which imprisons us making us the lowest of the low.
Although we have been granted freewill, we are not free from our own minds.
There is in all of us a need to be free because inwardly our soul is free and we aspire to that freedom.
Along with this need is the terrible fear that we have limited our freedom by involving ourselves with people and situations.

One of things that frees us is to face responsibility and to be accountable for our actions and the consequences created by them.
A simple example is to pick up the phone and apologise to someone one has hurt. It diminishes suffering both in the person hurt and oneself.
Forgiveness is amazingly liberating. The feeling of freedom that comes from the act of forgiving is a breakthrough of joy. For if we can forgive another person, we can forgive ourselves.
Nelson Mandela realised that, even if released, he would remain in a prison of his own making if his feelings of bitterness and hatred towards his captors continued. Thus, in forgiveness, he found his freedom.
Viktor Frankl, the renowned psychiatrist and World War II concentration camp survivor, said that when all human dignity is stripped away from you, one last freedom is left to you, and that is the freedom to choose how to respond to the situation you’re in.

And finally…. lets not forget today in particular what a prisoner of conscience is
It is…..”any person who is physically restrained (by imprisonment or otherwise) from expressing (in any form of words or symbols) any opinion which he honestly holds against a political or social system…”

07 AUGUST 2025

THE MONTH OF SAFAR (03)

ZIYARA ‘ARBAEEN
Ashre Zaynabiyya are days to reflect on Ziyara ‘Arbaeen and make a practise of reciting it regularly.
Imam Hasan Al Askery (pbuh) lists the recitation of Ziyara ‘Arbaeen as one of the signs of a believer.

Ziyara ‘Arbaeen is a pledge to continue to follow the path of justice and righteousness and reject injustice and speak up against oppressors making a promise to fashion our lives on the life of Imam Husayn (pbuh).

– It is the statement below made to Imam in the Ziyara that got me thinking
“And my affairs are in accordance with your orders..”
Do I know the orders of Imam? What did he say? Inspired me to read his words and I am overawed…. Here’s some extracts from his talks…..
“ If you don’t believe in any religion and don’t fear the Resurrection Day, at least be free in this world”
“Beware that the needs of people to you is amongst the blessings of God to you. So do not scare away needy people when they come to you, for HIS blessings will return and go elsewhere”
“Avoid bullying the one who does not have anyone other than God…”
“Whoever sorts out a problem of a believer, God sorts out his difficulties of this world and the here-after”
“If you heard a person discredit the dignity and the honour of others , try to keep away from him…”
And the one that I absolutely love “You deserve Janna , don’t sell yourself for anything less…”

5 SIGNS OF A BELIEVER (another hadith gives more signs)
Imam Hasan Al Askery (pbuh)
1. Begins every action with Bismillah
2. Wears a ring on his/her right hand
3. Prays 51 rakats daily
4. Has a mark of sujood on his/her forehead
5. Recites Ziyara ‘Arbaeen

08 AUGUST 2025

THE MONTH OF SAFAR (04)

TO MAKE US THINK 🤔
WHEN?
When you can’t see any logic in what’s going on and your heart asks why this is happening, recall Prophet Nuh (pbuh) who built the biggest ship ( ark) without questioning on a land where there was no sea.

When you are hurt by the people closest to you recall Prophet Yusuf (pbuh) who was betrayed by his brothers and Ali Al Akber when he stepped out on the battlefield on Ashura to face his mums family

When you are stuck in some problem and find no way out, recall Yunus (pbuh) who was stuck inside the belly of a whale and Musa (pbuh) when he was at the shores of the Red Sea with Firawn’s army behind him

When you fall ill and your whole body cries with pain, recall Ayyub (pbuh) and Imam Sajjad.

When someone slanders you, recall Sayyida Fatema (pbuh) in the court of the Khalifa and her daughters who were not only slandered but taken as prisoners from city to city

These days are called Ashre Zaynabiyya to recall the strength of a phenomenal woman who said
MAA RA’AYTU ILLAA JAMEELAA
( I see nothing but beauty)
My two pennies worth
Recite Z Arbaeen today and every day and recall the journey of the prisoners of the Ahlul Bayt.
It is said that in Karbala, there were 42 children, on reaching Shaam only 14 were left.
Sayyida Zaynab would dig their graves with her bare hands and write on them with her fingers “HAAZHAA MUHSIN KARBALA”
(This is the Muhsin of Karbala)

13 AUGUST 2025

THE MONTH OF SAFAR (05)

THE ARBAEEN OF IMAM HUSAYN (pbuh)
‎ فَٱجۡعَلۡ أَفۡـِٔدَةً مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ تَهۡوِىٓ إِلَيۡهِمۡ وَٱرۡزُقۡهُم مِّنَ
‎ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَشۡكُرُونَ
….make the hearts among people incline toward them and provide for them from the fruits that they might be grateful. 14:37

The word ‘hawa’ means desire or passion or intense longing.
This was the dua of Prophet Ibraheem(pbuh) many centuries ago – The hearts of people to incline towards his family and therefore towards the Prophet (pbuh) and his ahlulbayt.
And today we see it when millions of people go to Karbala for the ‘Arbaeen of Abaa Abdillah and those whose ❤️ hearts are longing to be there….

ZIYARA ‘ARBAEEN
Imam Hasan Al Askery (pbuh) lists the recitation of Ziyara ‘Arbaeen as one of the signs of a believer.
Ziyara ‘Arbaeen is a pledge to continue to follow the path of justice and righteousness and reject injustice and speak up against oppressors making a promise to fashion our lives on the life of Imam Husayn (pbuh).
In the introductory salutations of the ziyara Imam Sadiq (pbuh), lists the spiritual lineage of Imam Husayn (pbuh).
There is then the bearing of witness of his status and the goals for his uprising.
This is followed by a glimpse at his oppressors and learning life lessons.
Finally the Ziyara ends with a pledge of allegiance to the Aimma and a summary of the beliefs of the followers of the Ahlulbayt.

1. THE NUMBER 40 (Arbaeen)
   “The earth weeps when a believer dies for 40 days” Prophet (pbuh)
2.  The journey of the prisoners from Karbala to Kufa to Damascus to Karbala took 40 days. Arrived in Karbala on the 20th of Safar 61 AH (The Day of ‘Arbaeen)
3. “The heavens cried for 40 mornings for the martyrdom of Imam Husayn (pbuh)” Imam Baqir (pbuh)
4. To bring a lifestyle change, persist for 40 days (6 weeks).