The Dictations with Sayyid Ali Imran | New Series

[Ibn al-Hussain]

Introduction to Iqra Online's new series of talks called The Dictations (al-Amali) by Sayyid Ali Imran.

 

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[Ibn al-Hussain]

Episode 1. The Amali Genre | The Dictations

What were al-Amali works produced by Muslim scholars, particularly between the 3rd the 6th century hijri?

 

Timestamps

0:00 Intro to this series
3:55 Analysis of Verse 28 of Surah Maryam by Sayyid Murtada (355 - 436 AH/965 - 1044 AD) in his al-Amali
12:55 What is an al-Amali?
16:00 Ibn al-Shajari (450–542 AH/1058–1148 AD) and his al-Amali
17:03 How I got interested in Arabic grammatical discussions
19:25 Other names for al-Amali
20:05 When did the genre of al-Amali begin?
22:05 How would an Imla' session look like?
23:40 Ibn al-Samʿānī's (426/489 AH/1113-1166 AD) Adab al-Imlāʾ wa al-Istimlāʾ - a treatise on dictation as a method of transmitting texts and knowledge
28:18 Were only hadith scholars the authors of al-Amali?
31:03 What narrations are usually mentioned in al-Amali?
35:45 Aqa Buzurg Tehrani's (d. 1970) discussion on the genre of al-Amali in his al-Dharīʿa
40:40 The al-Amali of the Prophet (p) dictated to Imam 'Ali (a)
49:00 The al-Amali of Mirza Mohammad al-Akhbari (d. 1816)
51:45 Sayyid Murtada's al-Amali

[Abu_Zahra]

3 hours ago, Ibn al-Hussain said:

Introduction to Iqra Online's new series of talks called The Dictations (al-Amali) by Sayyid Ali Imran.

 

Don't forget to subscribe to the channel for updates.

Official Website: https://iqraonline.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IqraOnlineBlog/
Telegram: https://t.me/IqraOnline

For inquiries, sponsorship and other matters, email: info@iqraonline.net

Wa alaikum as salam, great idea. Looking forward to it inshaAllah. 

[Ibn al-Hussain]

2. Engaging with the Prophetic Seerah | The Dictations

In this second episode of The Dictations we discuss the importance of the Prophetic Seerah, the need to study the different dimensions of the Prophet (p), incorporating the Seerah in the Islamic Studies curriculum, and conducting thematic analysis on the Seerah.

Timestamps

0:00 Intro
2:30 Quote of Shahid Baqir al-Sadr (d. 1980)
10:30 Why the Shi'a have not focused on the Seerah?
13:10 What sparked my interest in the Seerah?
17:55 An example of using the Seerah for community building
24:40 Quote from Imam 'Ali (a) on the Prophet (p)
26:45 Who was the Prophet (p)?
35:10 Was the default personality of the Prophet (p) a legal one?
37:50 One response to those who say the default personality is a legal one
42:40 Seerah as part of the Islamic Studies curriculum
49:00 Examples of Thematic Analysis on the Seerah
52:05 A brief case study from the Seerah
1:00:05 Spiritual strength from the Seerah
1:11:00 A few books on the Seerah

Don't forget to drop a comment, like, share and subscribe!

[Ibn al-Hussain]

3. Arrogance & Conceit | The Dictations

In this episode of The Dictations, we explore the human tendency and inclinations towards arrogance and conceit.

 

Timestamps

0:00 Intro
1:10 An Urdu poem of Allama Iqbal (d. 1938)
7:30 The problem of arrogance (kibr)
15:50 Some remarks about al-Khutba of al-Qasi'ah (Sermon 192) in Nahj al-Balagha
19:05 Words of Imam 'Ali (a) on humility in the sermon of al-Qasi'ah
24:30 Wealth and arrogance
27:15 Conceit ('Ujb) the foundation of arrogance
30:55 Quote of Shaykh Baha'i (d. 1621) on conceit
34:15 Narration on two types of conceit
38:05 Narrations on conceit
46:30 Conceit in one's knowledge
49:45 Conceit in one's ancestry 
55:00 Conceit in one's beauty & looks
58:00 Conceit in one's physical strength
1:00:00 Conceit in one's position of power
1:03:30 Solutions for dealing with conceit

Don't forget to like, share and subscribe!

[Abu_Zahra]

On 12/31/2022 at 6:02 PM, Ibn al-Hussain said:

Episode 1. The Amali Genre | The Dictations

What were al-Amali works produced by Muslim scholars, particularly between the 3rd the 6th century hijri?

 

Timestamps

0:00 Intro to this series
3:55 Analysis of Verse 28 of Surah Maryam by Sayyid Murtada (355 - 436 AH/965 - 1044 AD) in his al-Amali
12:55 What is an al-Amali?
16:00 Ibn al-Shajari (450–542 AH/1058–1148 AD) and his al-Amali
17:03 How I got interested in Arabic grammatical discussions
19:25 Other names for al-Amali
20:05 When did the genre of al-Amali begin?
22:05 How would an Imla' session look like?
23:40 Ibn al-Samʿānī's (426/489 AH/1113-1166 AD) Adab al-Imlāʾ wa al-Istimlāʾ - a treatise on dictation as a method of transmitting texts and knowledge
28:18 Were only hadith scholars the authors of al-Amali?
31:03 What narrations are usually mentioned in al-Amali?
35:45 Aqa Buzurg Tehrani's (d. 1970) discussion on the genre of al-Amali in his al-Dharīʿa
40:40 The al-Amali of the Prophet (p) dictated to Imam 'Ali (a)
49:00 The al-Amali of Mirza Mohammad al-Akhbari (d. 1816)
51:45 Sayyid Murtada's al-Amali

I finally got round to watching this first episode. Since the topics are already highlighted above I won't rewrite the whole summary, just some key points.

The introduction is about the Amali genre of literature which are essentially narration-based lessons or discussions which the ulama used to spread information to the people.

It is interesting to note that these sessions and collections exist among the ahl us sunnah and zaidiyyah as well as the imamiyyah. The attendees were also not necessarily always from the same school of thought (e.g the sessions of Shareef al Murtadha)

Examples of typical discussions, the etiquette of the sessions and references to different authors are made. While these works are typically prepared by muhadditheen (hadith scholars) there are also others (grammarians, philosophers) who also had produced their own 'dictations' or Amali (sometimes also titled 'majaalis' , 'muqalaat' or 'malfudhaat')

Before this introduction I was personally only aware of the Amali of Sheikh al Mufid and Sheikh al Saduq so it was interesting to know that the genre was so widespread. 

I appreciate these works because in addition to familiarizing oneself with the narrations of the Prophet ((صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)) and the Ahlulbayt (عليه السلام) we also know that these narrations were specifically selected by important scholars to be presented to their audiences. 

They are also generally 'lighter' than famous hadith collections since they are often divided into sessions and organized accordingly (the structure of these works is also briefly discussed in the video)

Here are a couple of discussion points that came to mind after listening to this first session: 

-how has the role of the muhaddith evolved from the classical period to the contemporary period?

-is there an interest in contemporary works of the Amali genre and if so, how will they differ from classical works? 

[Abu_Zahra]

On 1/14/2023 at 3:34 PM, Ibn al-Hussain said:

2. Engaging with the Prophetic Seerah | The Dictations

In this second episode of The Dictations we discuss the importance of the Prophetic Seerah, the need to study the different dimensions of the Prophet (p), incorporating the Seerah in the Islamic Studies curriculum, and conducting thematic analysis on the Seerah.

Timestamps

0:00 Intro
2:30 Quote of Shahid Baqir al-Sadr (d. 1980)
10:30 Why the Shi'a have not focused on the Seerah?
13:10 What sparked my interest in the Seerah?
17:55 An example of using the Seerah for community building
24:40 Quote from Imam 'Ali (a) on the Prophet (p)
26:45 Who was the Prophet (p)?
35:10 Was the default personality of the Prophet (p) a legal one?
37:50 One response to those who say the default personality is a legal one
42:40 Seerah as part of the Islamic Studies curriculum
49:00 Examples of Thematic Analysis on the Seerah
52:05 A brief case study from the Seerah
1:00:05 Spiritual strength from the Seerah
1:11:00 A few books on the Seerah

Don't forget to drop a comment, like, share and subscribe!

The main topics covered in this video are listed above. The session starts with the emphasis on the importance of studying the seerah of the Prophet ((صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)) followed by an explanation of why there is limited classical work by the Shia on this crucial topic. 

This is later followed by some interesting questions on how Islam should be introduced to and adopted by new communities, keeping in mind that Islamic legislation was progressively introduced. 

The discussion then moves on to how the seerah of the Prophet ((صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)) has been studied and considered by scholars, particularly with respect to fiqh. Which aspects of the seerah cover the Shariah, and which ones were related to general principles or even to specific events at the time? How have different scholars evaluated this? 

The next topic is about how the seerah should effectively be integrated in education. The explanation is that the seerah should be taught in a thematic sequence rather than a chronological one. This would allow students to learn the seerah in a sequence that addresses questions or issues rather than as a story with elements that may not always have an obvious practical implication. 

Following this there is an interesting example of how in addition to fiqh, one can derive many other lessons from the seerah as well. A specific example is given of how the ansar welcomed the muhajireen in Madinah and how this can be a template for Muslimeen today on how to deal with newcomers and specifically refugees in their cities. 

Finally a few contemporary English works are recommended, such as Muhammad, The World-Changer by Jebara, Muhammad: Prophet of Peace by Juan Cole and Revelation by Dr. Mohiuddin.

Overall in one session a lot of interesting and important considerations were shared regarding the importance of the seerah, the different ways in which one can benefit from it and how this can be done in an effective manner.

[Ibn al-Hussain]

4. The Infallibility Cloak | The Dictations

In this episode, we discuss the phenomenon of humans draping themselves with a cloak of infallibility and how that impacts the way they interpret themselves.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3uMffsORAY

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro
1:05 An Arabic proverb: It's a goat, even if it flies
4:15 Putting an infallibility cloak over ourselves
6:00 Verse of the Quran
8:20 How we justify our moral vices
10:45 i) Reconstruct the moral perception
23:30 ii) Changing one's language
26:50 iii) Comparing with others
28:20 iv) Attributing responsibility to others
31:15 v) Blaming others
33:25 Infallibility cloak on others
35:30 The Halo & Horn Effect
42:30 Importance of learning about Islamic history fairly

Edited February 11 by Ibn al-Hussain

[Abu_Zahra]

On 1/28/2023 at 6:25 AM, Ibn al-Hussain said:

3. Arrogance & Conceit | The Dictations

In this episode of The Dictations, we explore the human tendency and inclinations towards arrogance and conceit.

Thanks for sharing this video.

This session covers a topic which every individual encounters and can personally relate to, and which can have devastating effects on the individual but also society/community. 

Kibr (arrogance) is unfortunately something which has not only become common but in some instances has even become praiseworthy and virtuous in a society which is very self-oriented/ego-centric.

After an opening anecdote comes the introduction elaborating the above points and then demonstrating how arrogance is often a trigger to many other sins.

A famous sermon from Nahjul Balagha is then presented, (sermon 192) emphasizing the criticality of humility since this is the key to opening up the heart to guidance. 

In the next part the difference between  'ujb and kibr is explained, the former being conceit (a sense of pride in one's own self) and the latter being arrogance (sense of superiority over others). The dangers of these ills are further elaborated, one of them being the risk of one even viewing their bad deeds as good ones.

In addition to pride in worship other examples are also discussed (pride in knowledge, pride in lineage etc)

 

Some thoughts after listening to this very beneficial session:

-while some sins are very far from worship and religiosity, the danger of 'ujb and kibr is that they can even feature in some of the best acts of worship. This is why extra vigilance and care is required. 

-the effects of pride/arrogance are not only dangerous to the individual but can also damage entire societies and civilizations. In fact the more responsibility and authority a person has, the more devastating their pride becomes, meaning that one should be extra vigilant when blessed with leadership.

May Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) protect us from conceit and arrogance. 

[Ibn al-Hussain]

5. Preliminaries of Reflection | The Dictations

In this episode, we discuss some of the prerequisites and preliminaries for proper reflection and thinking.

Watch:

0:00 Intro
1:30 Muhammad Nabi b. Ahmad Toyserkani's (d. 1902) remarks on why contemplation is greater than worship in his La'ali al-Akhbar
15:10 Shahid Qadhi Tabataba'i (d. 1979) and his works
18:30 His footnotes on Fadil Miqdad's (d. 826/1422) work al-Lawāmi' al-Ilāhīyya fi al-Mabāhith al-Kalāmīyya
21:15 How to access NoorLib
22:00 Discussion on Nazar (Necessity of investigating into religion)
23:05 Qadhi Tabataba'is footnote #3
24:30 i) Leaving intolerance & bias
26:15 ii) Moral courage
29:20 iii) Staying away from wants
31:08 iv) Leave or minimize pleasures
33:45 v) Adopting patience & steadfastness
39:45 vi) Not having an ulterior motive
42:30 Attempting to build a belief system from scratch 

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[Ibn al-Hussain]

6. Sincerity in Preaching: Muhaddith Nuri's Lulu wa Marjaan | The Dictations

In this episode of The Dictations, we explore the phenomenon of religious speakers and eulogy reciters charging money for lectures through the lens of a 19th-century Shi'i Imami scholar, Muhaddith Nuri (d. 1902).

Watch: https://youtu.be/PPyFfY9qUXs

0:00 Intro
1:03 Abu Aswad al-Du'ali's (d. 69/689) poem for Mu'awiyah
5:50 Theme of loyalty to the Ahl al-Bayt (a) in the Imami hadith corpus
8:00 Discourse on 'Scholars for Dollars' between 2006-2012 Western Shi'a communities
10:50 Discovering the book Lulu wa Marjaan of Muhaddith Nuri (d. 1902)
13:30 Advise for seminarians on how to strengthen their grasp on Farsi and Arabic
16:25 Some remarks on Muhaddith Nuri
19:10 Ikhlas (Sincerity) - summary of the first chapter of Lulu wa Marjaan
20:35 A fundamental premise: Making others mourn is an act of worship
27:10 Some observations on this premise
32:30 First consequence: Riya' (Showing off)
35:35 Second consequence: Becoming an instance of those who make the name of the Ahl al-Bayt (a) as a source of their livelihood
46:40 Are there any ways to justify the practice of charging money?
48:10 Comparing the role of the mu'adhdhin with the role of one who makes people mourn
52:30 Third consequence: Becoming an instance of those who have sold their Hereafter for the world
1:01:35 A complaint of Muhaddith Nuri
1:04:30 The community's moral duty towards the reciters