Majlis Reflections: Idara e Jaferiya Ladies Urdu Majlis - Syeda Mustajab Zehra - 28 Jun 2025 (2 Muharram 1447)

We missed the beginning of the majlis, and when we arrived, the Zakira was listing the qualities of Hazrat Salman e Farsi (RA):

-          He prioritised the wishes/desires of Imam Ali AS above his own

-          He would spend time with the poor

-          He was a learned person and could often be found gaining/imparting knowledge

I’ve just googled him and come across this interesting link for further research into his life:
https://al-islam.org/message-thaqalayn/vol-17-no-4-winter-2017/salman-al-farsi-great-companion-prophet-muhammad/salman

The point the zakira was making, was for us to emulate the ways of the great companions. Salman e Farsi placed a greater importance on the wishes of the Imam of his time, than on his own – as should be the case. But how many times are you and I able to do this? It becomes difficult to even follow the rules of halal and haram at times, let alone being mindful of other minutiae. Food is an easy example that comes to mind. All my life, I’ve heard about eating halal and nothing but halal. I thought eating halal food was the peak of consumable quality. But lo! We are commanded to eat the ‘halal and tayyib’ – the latter being easily forgotten. Which means that eating ‘halal’ is barely scratching the surface; there is a lot more depth that we need to delve into. Tying that in with what the Imam of our time would desire of us, surely those goals would be much loftier than deigning to do the bare minimum. And yet, I, the most basic of the basic followers, think that I can be among the Imam’s special companions??

As to spending time with those less fortunate… we hear this about many (if not all) the greats. But I genuinely don’t know how to go about it. As an introvert who avoids socialising, this seems to be almost objectively impossible for me. Perhaps the gist is to compare ourselves with those who are worse off, so that one is constantly in a state of gratefulness to Allah.

The knowledge bit is interesting. When I examine my life, I find so many opportunities for learning that I have been squandering away. Learning also needs to be accompanied by actions, though. In one of his lectures, Maulana Abid Hussain mentions that knowledge, like money, is not meant to be hoarded. It is meant to be used, applied, disseminated. Clearly Salman e Farsi excelled in that, but for someone like me, the problem is two-fold: finding the time/strength to break the chain of distraction and entertainment, and diverting myself to learning instead; and once acquired, reflection, action and the sharing on the basis of that. If we go deeper still, one would need to be so careful about the content being shared (to avoid spreading misinformation) while also being mindful of the *way* it was shared. This is… not easy, to say the least.

The zakira shared many more gems of wisdom, but its currently 3:03am and I’m aiming to write reflections daily. I’m realising that I may only be able to reflect on a tiny portion, so the follow are simply the notes I made during the lecture:-

-          عالم اپنے آپ اور دوسروں کو فائدہ دیتا ہے، جبکہ عابد صرف اپنے آپ کو

-          اہلِ علم کی زیارت کرنا عبادت ہے۔

-          دس دنوں میں دس قدم تو اہلِ بیت (علیہم السلام) کی طرف لیے جائیں۔

-          روح کی شِفا مانگیں۔

-          کوئی کام ایسا نہ کروں جس سے میرا خدا مجھ سے ناراض ہو جائے
(خدا محوری — سیرتِ اصحابِ اہلِ بیتؑ اور سیرتِ اہلِ بیت)۔

-          ہمارے کاموں میں مخلوقِ خدا کی رضا زیادہ ہے۔

-          خدا سمیع بھی ہے اور بصیر بھی۔

-          یہ پروردگار کا لطف ہے کہ اُس نے ہمارے گناہوں پر پردہ ڈالا ہوا ہے۔

-          چالیس دن ہر کام قُربۃً إلی اللہ کی نیت سے جو کرے — پروردگارِ عالَم اُس کی زبان پر حکمت کے چشمے جاری کر دیتا ہے۔

-          خدا سے حُسینؑ مانگنا، حُسینؑ سے خدا مانگنا۔

-          مجلس کے بعد دو رکعت نمازِ شکرانہ پڑھیں۔

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English translation of the above Urdu notes (by ChatGPT):-
Here is the English translation of all the bullet points:

• A scholar benefits both himself and others, whereas a worshipper benefits only himself.
• Visiting the people of knowledge is an act of worship.
• In ten days, take ten steps toward the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them).
• Ask for the healing of the soul.
• May I never do anything that would make my Lord displeased with me
  (God-centred living — guided by the lives of the companions and the Ahl al-Bayt [peace be upon them]).
• Our actions often seek the approval of God’s creation more than that of God Himself.
• God is All-Hearing and All-Seeing.
• It is the mercy of our Lord that He has veiled our sins.
• Whoever performs every act for forty days with the intention of seeking closeness to God — the Lord of the worlds causes fountains of wisdom to flow from their tongue.
• Asking God for Husayn (peace be upon him), and asking God from Husayn (peace be upon him).
• After the majlis, perform two units of prayer in gratitude (namaz-e-shukrana).