Abstract:
In this lecture series, we will explore chapters and verses of the Qur'an that are, in various ways, connected to Southern Arabia. Broadly defined, this region includes present-day Yemen and Oman—specifically the ancient kingdoms of Himyar, Saba', and Hadhramaut—as well as Ethiopia (historically known as Habashah).

This exploration will cover Surahs such as:
Al-Buruj (The Constellations, Q85)
Al-Fil (The Elephant, Q105)
Quraysh (Q106)

And verses from:
Saba’ (Q34:15–19)
An-Naml (The Ant, Q27:20–44)
Ad-Dukhan (Smoke, Q44:37)
Qaf (Q50:14)
Al Imran (The Family of Imran, Q3:61)
Al-Isra (The Night Journey, Q17:110)

Our aim is to gain a deeper understanding of the meaning and significance of these surahs and verses by examining the religious, political, social, and cultural contexts—as well as the historical events—of pre-Islamic Southern Arabia.

#Quran_Pre_Islamic_South_Arabia
https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT

درس گفتارهای تاریخ اندیشه و تمدن اسلامی

🌐 بصورت مجازی، به فارسی

«تاریخ اهل سنت و جماعت»
توسط دکتر حسن انصاری

جلسه چهارم، سه شنبه ۶ می، ۸:۳۰ تا ۱۰:۱۵ شب (به وقت شرق آمریکا)

Zoom Participation (webinar):
https://mit.zoom.us/j/93933325521

#سنت_و_جماعت
@azbarresihayetarikhi
https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT

Dua Kumayl & Lecture, Dedicated to the Birth Anniversary of Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (p)

🌐 Hybrid, in English

Date
Thursday May 8th, 2025
7:15 pm to 9:30 pm (Eastern Time)

Location
MIT Tang Center, E51-395, 2 Amherst St, Cambridge, MA 02142

Schedule
7:15-7:25 Quran Recitation
7:25-8:00 Dua Kumayl
8:00-8:10 Ziyarat Imam Ali al-Rida (p)
8:12-8:30 Prayer
8:30-9:10 Lecture, in English, Dr. Ammar Pabaney
Title: “Khushoo (Humility) – The Soul of Prayers” (Part II)
9:10-9:15 Q&A
9:15-9:30 Dinner

- About Speaker (Bio)

Zoom Participation (hybrid):
https://mit.zoom.us/j/95948516788

https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT

تاریخ اهل سنت و جماعت، دکتر حسن انصاری

جلسه چهارم: در اين جلسه چند سند مهم را خوانديم و تحليل کرديم. اين سندها که همگی متعلق به علمای دوره اموی و شاميان در دو قرن نخست اسلامی است نوع نگاه آنان به "سنت"، "جماعت" و مسئله خلافت را می تواند توضيح دهد و اينکه چگونه مرده‌ريگ اين تفکرات بعدها در مکاتب "سواد اعظم" به انحای مختلف حضور خود را حفظ کرد. (۶ می، ۲۰۲۵)

#سنت_و_جماعت
@azbarresihayetarikhi
https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRagz8v-1fF64syWCOntMn8fHSwQMxjFp

"Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 53"
Sessions 1-5
speaker: H. I. Hasan Doagoo

#Nahj_al_Balagha_Letter_53

Sessions 1-5 of Nahj al-Balagha Lecture Series, Letter of Imam Ali (p) to Malik al-Ashtar can be found here 👆. We will continue this series on Thursday May 22, inshallah.

We have received the limited number of Nahj al-Balaghah books by Prof. Tahera Qutbuddin, and inshallah will be distributed in the special event we will have for the Eid al-Ghadir on June 13. Each copy will be 50$ and information how to Zelle will be provided. (original price is 300$, this is a special discount from the publisher)

The book will be available only at the venue.

https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT

upcoming events, May 11-16, 2025

▫️Sunday May 11, 7:30-9:15 pm (virtual, in English)
Special Topics, 1, "Qur'an and Yemen", Farhad Ghoddoussi, Wayne State University, Michigan.

▫️Tuesday May 13, 8:30-10:15 pm (virtual, in Farsi | Eng Subs)
Lecture Series, 5, "The History of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah", Hassan Ansari, IAS, Princeton.

▫️Friday May 16, 7:30-9:30 pm (hybrid, in English)
Quran Study, Surah Maryam.

- All times US Eastern Time

visit us:
https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT

Special Topic Lecture Series, Qur’an and Yemen

🌐 Virtual, in English

Date
Sunday May 11th, 2025
7:30 pm to 9:15 pm (Eastern Time)

Location
Online, Detail Below

Schedule
7:30-7:35 Login to zoom
7:35-9:00 Lecture, in English, Dr. Farhad Ghoddoussi
Title: “Qur’an and Yemen: Looking at the Quranic Verses related to Pre-Islamic South Arabia”, Session 1
9:00-9:15 Q&A

- About Speaker (Bio)

Zoom Participation (virtual):
https://mit.zoom.us/j/92377466698

#Quran_Pre_Islamic_South_Arabia
https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT

درس گفتارهای تاریخ اندیشه و تمدن اسلامی

🌐 بصورت مجازی، به فارسی

«تاریخ اهل سنت و جماعت»
توسط دکتر حسن انصاری

جلسه پنجم، سه شنبه ۱۳ می، ۸:۳۰ تا ۱۰:۱۵ شب (به وقت شرق آمریکا)

Zoom Participation (webinar):
https://mit.zoom.us/j/93933325521

#سنت_و_جماعت
@azbarresihayetarikhi
https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT

Quran Study, Maryam [19:64-72]

🌐 Hybrid, in English

Date
Friday May 16th, 2025
7:30 pm to 9:30 pm (Eastern Time)

Location
MIT Tang Center, E51-376, 2 Amherst St, Cambridge, MA 02142

Schedule
7:30-7:40 Ziyarat Ale-Yasin
7:40-8:45 Exegesis (Tafsir), in English, Dr. Hassan Khalil
Topic: “Chapter 19, Maryam, Verses 64-72”, Part I
8:45-9:00 Q&A
9:00-9:30 Dinner
(prayer will be performed at Maghrib)

- About Speaker (Bio)

Zoom Participation (hybrid):
https://mit.zoom.us/j/95948516788

https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT

upcoming events, May 18-22, 2025

▫️Sunday May 18, 7:30-9:15 pm (virtual, in English)
Special Topics, 2, "Qur'an and Yemen", Farhad Ghoddoussi, Wayne State University, Michigan.

▫️Monday May 19, 8:30-10:15 pm (virtual, in Farsi | Eng Subs)
Lecture Series, 6, "The History of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah", Hassan Ansari, IAS, Princeton. (please note this week lecture will be on Monday due to scheduling issue)

▫️Thursday May 22, 7:00-9:30 pm (hybrid, in English)
Dua Kumayl & Lecture, Nahj al-Balagha Series.

- All times US Eastern Time

visit us:
https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT

تاریخ اهل سنت و جماعت، دکتر حسن انصاری

جلسه پنجم: در اين جلسه ديدگاه های امويان و مکتب شام را درباره خلافت امير المؤمنين (ع) و ادعای خلافت معاويه را بررسی کرديم و اسنادی را خوانديم که نشان می دهد با تأثيرپذيری از مکتب شام چطور تا زمان احمد بن حنبل خلافت حضرت امير (ع) هنوز مورد قبول همه اصحاب "سنت" نبود. از آن سو بحث کرديم که چگونه به تدريج ادعای خلافت از ناحيه معاويه مورد مناقشه قرار گرفت و با وجود مخالفت ها در ميان بخشی از اصحاب "سنت" مکتب شام و بعدها به ويژه حنبلی ها درصدد برآمدند خلافت او را مشروع جلوه دهند. در اين جلسه از اين نيز بحث کرديم که جنگ های ميان صحابه را بعدا اهل سنت چگونه مورد توجيه قرار می دادند؛ امری که در نهايت به خلق نظريه عدالت صحابه انجاميد. (۱۳ می، ۲۰۲۵)

#سنت_و_جماعت
@azbarresihayetarikhi
https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT

Special Topic Lecture Series, Qur’an and Yemen

🌐 Virtual, in English

Date
Sunday May 18th, 2025
7:30 pm to 9:15 pm (Eastern Time)

Location
Online, Detail Below

Schedule
7:30-7:35 Login to zoom
7:35-9:00 Lecture, in English, Dr. Farhad Ghoddoussi
Title: “Qur’an and Yemen: Looking at the Quranic Verses related to Pre-Islamic South Arabia”, Session 2
9:00-9:15 Q&A

- About Speaker (Bio)

Zoom Participation (virtual):
https://mit.zoom.us/j/92377466698

#Quran_Pre_Islamic_South_Arabia
https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT

درس گفتارهای تاریخ اندیشه و تمدن اسلامی

🌐 بصورت مجازی، به فارسی

«تاریخ اهل سنت و جماعت»
توسط دکتر حسن انصاری

جلسه ششم، دوشنبه ۱۹ می، ۸:۳۰ تا ۱۰:۱۵ شب (به وقت شرق آمریکا)

🔹درسگفتار این هفته استثنائاً دوشنبه برگزار خواهد شد.

Zoom Participation (webinar):
https://mit.zoom.us/j/93933325521

#سنت_و_جماعت
@azbarresihayetarikhi
https://sites.mit.edu/zekrmit/
@zekrMIT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1CFqPwFOKQ&list=PLRagz8v-1fF7_AqcNeT2M9iFTWu86TL0m&t=1s

"Qur'an and Yemen: Looking at the Quranic Verses related to Pre-Islamic South Arabia", Lecture 1
speaker: Dr. Farhad Ghoddoussi
May 11, 2025

Session 1:
In this first lecture, we looked to the traditional commentary of the surah 85 of Qur'an surah al-Buruj. This surah is an early Meccan surah. According to Nokdeke, it is the 22nd surah, which was revealed to prophet Muhammad(ص) and according to both 1924 Egyptian Qur'an printing (Sunni) and Ayat. Marefat (Shi'i) the 27th.

This surah, like a few of the other early Meccan surahs of Quran start with 4 oaths in its three first verses which is evident by the letter "و" which is among the oath particles (instruments, ادوات قَسَم). These oaths determine the structure of the surah. The 4 oaths in the first 3 verses themselves constitute what is called the objects of oath (مُقسَمُ به ) and then the 7 verses 10 to 16 in the two clusters of 10 and 11 and 12 to 16 constitute the subject of oath ( response to the oath, جواب القسم) which is evident from the particle of emphasize (حرف تاکید) اِن (inna) in the beginning of these verses although in the verses 14 to16 it is understood but elided.

The verses 10 and 11 consist of the core message of the surah, and its primary target is the polytheist of Mecca and the believers who were persecuted by these polytheists and unbelievers. Verses 12 to 16 emphasizing on the omnipotence and omniscience of God as a guarantor of the promises of verses 10 and 11. Verses 4-9, which have come between the objects and subjects of oath, consist of a short story of the believers who were persecuted by the companion of the ditch.

This interludes story acts as an instance or context for better appreciation of the general principles, which is emphasized and highlighted by the oath structure of the surah.

The 4 verses 17-20 make another short section, referring to 2 other groups of oppressors and transgressors besides people of Ditch that are hosts of Pharoah and Thamud, which could not escape the justice and punishment of God and their fate is another instance of the fulfillment of the promise stated in verse 10 of this surah regarding persecutors of the believers. The last two verses are about the loftiness of the Qur'an and its preservation.

Therefore the structure of the surah 85 al-Buruj is as the following 3 +6+ 7(2+5)+4+2=22 and its main theme is a stern warning (v10) to the unbelievers and a bisharah (good news, v11) to the believers. Our main interest and focus is on the story of the People of the Ditch, that is, verses 4 to 9. These verses pertain to a particular historical incident. Our goal is to examine and clarify its details and context. This clarification gives a deeper and better understanding of this surah.

#Quran_Pre_Islamic_South_Arabia