Replicant

(salam)
What we need to do is look at the act itself. Feeding believers in the name of the Imam (as) = brilliant.
Now the date. It seems like the date itself (or the time period) has emerged from culture. If so, what is wrong with this? If we say "Islam dictates that we must feed believers on fulan date", then yes this seems like a problem. However, if culturally, there is a significance for these dates, I would argue there is nothing wrong with picking them.
For example, I may decide that every year on the 28th June (or pick another Islamic date if you want to be more precise), I want to hold a majlis at my house because I was born on this day (for example) because in my culture, we hold majaalis on our birthdays. Does this become a bidah? I wouldn't think so.
Look at the act itself. The act is that we are holding a majlis. Holding a majlis is a great thing. The date itself was picked by the culture because holding a majlis doesn't have a set date, you can just make up the period yourself. Apply this with the koonday and feeding the believers example.
I don't see a conflict.
God knows best.

You can pray loads. There are many other prayers such Salaat of Jaffar Tayyar (http://www.duas.org/jafar-tayyar.htm), as well as the prayer of the Imams (as). This book contains all the prayers that you may try:
http://shiamasjid.com/books/Almanac/index.htm

You mushrik leaf worshippers!

"O Allah, truly, when You pardon my sins, overlook my mistakes, take a lenient view of my disorderly conduct, cover up my foul actions, show consideration in spite of my many transgressions committed willfully or negligently, I am tempted to ask for that which I do not deserve, from You Who, through Your mercy, gives me the daily bread, provides me with that which is suitable for me, through Your control; and distinguishes me with a favourable reply to my requests.
So I persist in calling out, believing in You, and I invoke You, talking familiarly, not afraid, nor shy, but assured of Your love and kindness whenever I turn to You.
A temporary setback, and I, out of ignorance, begin to despair, although perhaps slowing down may be a blessing in disguise. because You alone know all the consequences. I know no generous master who is more accommodating to dissatisfied servants that You are to me."
- Dua Iftitah

This one is relevant to today:
"O Allah! Show me the rightly guided face of the Imam (as), the praiseworthy moon and enlighten my vision by looking at him. And hasten his reappearance, make his arrival smooth, vasten his path, make me tread on his way and implement his authority and strengthen his back."
- Dua Ahad

"Who is more worse off than me, if now I am passed on in my present state to a grave that I have not prepared for my repose and I did not line with good deeds for my drowse,
And why would I not weep for I have no knowledge of my fate and I observe my self deceiving itself, and my days are fading away, and the wings of death have flapped close by,
So why wouldn't I cry?!
I cry for surrendering my life,
I cry because of the darkness of my grave,
I cry because of the narrowness of my grave,
I cry for the questioning of Munkar and Nakeer of me,
I cry from my leaving my grave (in the hereafter) naked, humiliated and carrying my book (of deeds) on my back,
I look to the right once and to the left once and I discover that people today have other concern than mine, for every person that day has a concern of his own, some faces today are bright, laughing and joyful, while other faces that day are dusty, loaded with submission and humility."
- Dua Abu Hamza Thumali
This one made me cry:
"Oh Lord have mercy toward my expatriation in this life,
And my tragedy upon death,
And my solitude in the grave,
And my loneliness in the grave,
And because whenever I am dispatched for judgment before Your hands, my situation is humiliated,
And forgive what is concealed from the humans of my (secretive bad) deeds,
And prolong for me what You veiled my (secret sins) with,
And confer Your benevolence on me when I am (laying) motionless on the (death) bed so that the beloved of my relatives surround me,
And grant me Your bountifulness when I am stretched on the funeral bath so that the good-deeded of my community may wash me,
And bestow Your kindred tenderness upon me when I am carried while my relatives hand over the extremities of my coffin,
And award me Your generosity when I am transported and finally delivered and left alone in my grave,
And have mercy on my solitary confinement in this new residence so that I may not be comforted by anyone but You."
- Dua Abu Hamza Thumali

^Subhan'Allah, amazing line.

After every prayer in Rajab, Imam Sadiq (as) used to read this. I particularly like the part where he grabs his beard:
"O Allah, bless Muhammad and his household.
O He from whom I can hope for all goodness And I am safe from His anger at every evil.
O He who gives a lot in exchange of a little.
O He who gives to one who asks Him.
O He who gives to one who does not ask Him and does not know Him,
Out of His affection and mercy.
Give me, for my request is only to You alone, All the good of this world and all the good of the Hereafter.
Keep away from me, for my request is only to You alone, All the evil of this world and the evil of the Hereafter. For indeed it is not diminishing what is given by You. Increase (for) me from Your bounty, O The Generous.
(Then the 6th Imam held his beard in his left hand and gave a movement to the index finger in his right hand saying):
O The Sublime and The Distinguished,
O The Bountiful and The Magnanimous,
O the Gracious and the Mighty,
Save my grey hairs of the beard from the fire (of Hell)."
All the words the Ahlulbayt (as) use to talk to God are amazing. The ones that leave me bewildered are ones such as Dua-e-Kumayl, Dua-e-Abu Hamza Thumali, Munajat Shabaniyyah, Munajat Masjid-e-Kufa, Dua Arafah, Dua Jawshan-e-Kabeer.

That is one of my favourites. I had the honour of actually reading it IN Masjid-e-Kufa :)

They push Taraweeh so much in Saudi Arabia apparantely. Just like in Muharram they push everyone to fast on Ashura rather than mourn Imam Hussain (as).

(wasalam)
http://www.al-islam.org/mahdi/nontl/Chap-6.htm

(salam)
What we need to do is look at the act itself. Feeding believers in the name of the Imam (as) = brilliant.
Now the date. It seems like the date itself (or the time period) has emerged from culture. If so, what is wrong with this? If we say "Islam dictates that we must feed believers on fulan date", then yes this seems like a problem. However, if culturally, there is a significance for these dates, I would argue there is nothing wrong with picking them.
For example, I may decide that every year on the 28th June (or pick another Islamic date if you want to be more precise), I want to hold a majlis at my house because I was born on this day (for example) because in my culture, we hold majaalis on our birthdays. Does this become a bidah? I wouldn't think so.
Look at the act itself. The act is that we are holding a majlis. Holding a majlis is a great thing. The date itself was picked by the culture because holding a majlis doesn't have a set date, you can just make up the period yourself. Apply this with the koonday and feeding the believers example.
I don't see a conflict.
God knows best.

Salaam - don't shoot the messenger.
There was a discussion on this issue at a mosque in the UK just now. A man at the discussion knew somebody in Iraq.
This somebody in Iraq was very close to the son of the late Ayatollah Baqir Hakim (ra)(Sayed Haidar Hakim). Haidar Hakim phoned the guy in Syria who is in charge of Hujr's shrine. The guy from Hujr's shrine said: The terrorists destroyed the shrine and wanted to exhume Hujr's body. They kept on digging and digging to get to the body but it was as if the earth kept filling up the more they dug. They continued to dig and dig but they couldn't get near the body. They then gave up and were instantly killed.
Ya Allah what a miracle!

Islam is not based on our whims and desires and how we feel. There are rules and regulations that we have to submit to. The scholars don't just make up rules about this just so they can have a laugh and make life difficult for everyone. Of course the religion says so, even in the Quran, in Chapter 32, Verse 18, Allah (swt) says the believers aren't equal to those who do not believe. So the argument of 'humanity' doesn't work.
Islam means submission - the rules are the rules. There are no interpretations on this matter because I'm sure the narrations are clear on what is najis and what isn't. It's not just picked out of thin air.
I know it's hard to not offend parents, but you can't offend the Creator in order to please the creation. I don't want to sound harsh at all, because I TRULY feel for the OP - it's easy for me saying all this whilst I don't have this problem, I ackowledge that. You can truly slate me for giving this advice if you wish because it's easy for me to preach it whilst at the same time I can't imagine what you must feel like - but these are the rules of the religion.
If you are fearing for your safety or something, then you MIGHT be allowed on grounds of Taqiyyah (don't take this as a ruling, I'm just suggesting there might be a chance, I don't know) but you need to ask a learned person and explain the full details of your situation.

If you don't like him and don't trust him, that's fine. But don't go making a thread defaming him for no reason. If he's made a mistake, why dwell on it when it's in the past, 6 years ago? Where's the forgiveness? Do you think it's fair to judge a person early in his career when he's less experienced?
If you were a noble person, you would have not made a thread about him and made a thread about the Qari's son instead, so that the topic is about him and we can discuss whether he converted or not. This would have been better than making a thread trying to make Sayed Ammar look bad.
Ridiculous.
I trust a person who has helped me change my life. In addition to that, I was with him for 10 days last year when we went Iraq - he is great and is very disciplined.
I repeat, if you don't trust him, don't listen to him but don't go making a thread attacking him.
"The most vicious person is he who looks for other people's defects while he overlooks his own faults."
- Imam Ali (as)

(salam)
If this information is false (I'm not suggesting it is because I don't know), then remember this was in his early lecturing days where he may not have been as disciplined with his sources as he is now. I don't think he would "lie" on purpose as you are making it out. As a speaker, you develop and get better over the years so it's unfair to bring up something in the past and use it as a black-mark on his character.
There's no need to defame him for not replying to emails - he is a busy guy and he's not even in the country.

It's quite refreshing to see a thread like this.

hassan32...guess what..nobody cares.

Subhanallah, and there are people who think that all of this was an accident.

We are meant to be God's servants, yet He is always serving us.

LOL!

Alhamdullilah, let's spend these holy nights bashing a Shia speaker who makes a lot of Muslims more religious and brings many towards Islam. Let's criticize his lifestyle even though we don't even know him personally.
Even though this was said a few years ago, let's make a thread bringing it back up so we can verbally slaughter him.
Let's speak ill of a speaker whilst I've never sat on a pulpit myself.
Let's make the world wide web know how much I disagree with this speaker, even though I could just email him personally to ask what he means and hence not have his dignity attacked.
Masha'Allah.

I caught a bit on TV..one of the unfunniest things I've ever seen.

I caught a bit on TV..one of the unfunniest things I've ever seen.

Subhanallah, and there are people who think that all of this was an accident.