Imam Hasan Al-Askari (A) And What He Expects From Shias

'A'udhu bi-Llahi min al-Shaytan al-rajim. Bismillah Al-Rahman Al-Rahim. Al-hamdulil-Lah Rabbi 'l-Alameen, wa salla Allahu 'ala Sayyidina Muhammadin, wa 'ala ahlih at-tahirin. Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad.

Always when we talk about Imam Hasan al-Askari, we come to the question of the hardship and restrictions of the Shi'a community, and I think what we can discuss tonight is what lessons can we learn from the life and Seerah of Imam al-Hasan al-Askari for our own time.

Always we think that our time is the worst of all times. We think that we are in the most difficult situation, the harshest restrictions, and we think that because of that probably responsibility is taken off our shoulders to convey the message to others. Conveying the message to others is one of the most important responsibilities that God has put on the shoulder of anyone who has received the message.

And remember the words of the Prophet peace be upon him, to Amir al-Mu'minin Ali ibn Abi Talib, who said, If God guides through you one man, one person, it is better for you than whatever sun has ever seen. That means whatever is on the earth, no matter how big it is, if you own it, it is not as much rewarding as if you guide one person, or one person is guided through you.

So this guiding - guidance, of course, guidance is in the hands of God. What we can do is we can convey the message, we can pass on the message to the hearts which are ready to receive it. There are hearts out there which have lost the way which are quite good, quite submissive, but they do not know. So if we can pass on this message to them, even one person, we have gained a lot, we shall achieve a lot in our life.

And this is why, despite all these restrictions that we are going to see in the life of Imam Hasan al-Askari, you see, he never desists and he never stops working. And that is a practical lesson for us, that we also should not ever desist trying to convey the message.

One thing I tell you, which is my firm belief, is that this battle between Haqq and Batil is not going to end. It is going to go on till the end of time. And the important thing is not that whether Haqq overpowers Batil or Batil overpowers Haqq. The important thing is that, which side we are standing. That is the important thing. If we are standing on the side of Haqq, then no matter what happens, we will gain from our lives. If we are taking the side of Batil, no matter whatever we gain, we have lost our lives.

Now look at the situation of Imam al-Hasan al-Askari and the way he actually tried to lead the community, to lead, to make the message, to keep the message alive. This is very important.

Now, the reason he is called Askari and his father as well, that is why we call them Askariyain, because his father, when he was two years old or twelve years old, according to different reports, his father, Imam al-Hadi 'alayhi as-salam, was summoned to the capital, Samarra. At that time, Samarra was the capital of the Abbasids. And they were placed in a garrison. They were actually accommodated in a garrison, not as prisoners, just under surveillance. And why they were in that garrison, because they wanted to have very close watch who contacts them, who goes, who comes. And 'Askar' means garrison. And the Askar or garrison was a bit outside the Samarra. And that is why people would say, for example in traditions, "I went and visited the Askar", the garrison, to meet Imam Hasan al-Askari or Imam al-Hadi 'alayhi as-salam.

And it was not only that. The situation became harder and harder as time passed by. When Imam al-Hadi passed away in Samarra, in that Askar, and he was buried there, Imam al-Askari, he was very young. He was twenty-two years old, he became the leader of the Shi'a community. It was not a small thing, the leader of the Shi'a community. We think that Shi'a community was quite small at that time. It was not. Things were underground, the Shi'as were underground, and it was a huge sort of network of connections.

Just to give one example. When Imam Hasan al-Askari passed away, his brother, his sort of not very righteous brother, Ja'far, Ja'far ibn Ali, he went to the wazir, 'Ubaidullah ibn Khaqan, wazir of the Caliph and he said that give me the position of my brother Hasan and I give you twenty thousand dinars every year. That means the khums which was coming to the Imam and was distributed, despite no one knew, the Caliph did not know how this happened, how the khums was coming, how it was distributed, no one knew how it happened. But it was so huge that Ja'far knew about it.

So he went to 'Ubaidullah ibn Khaqan and said that I give you twenty thousand dinar, and twenty thousand dinar you could buy a city with it at that time. I give you twenty thousand dinar every year, and you give me the position of my brother. You actually appoint me to that position. So silly, the man was, "appoint me".

Now what 'Ubaidullah ibn Khaqan said? He said exactly the same thing. You are stupid, because your brother was under severe surveillance. No one gave him this position and still the Shi'a were coming to him from everywhere, giving the khums, everything was distributed, and the Caliph was just eager to find one, one evidence to capture people, to imprison him. He could not.

Now, if you have the same respect among the Shi'a community, you do not need my appointment. If you do not have that respect, no matter who appoints you, no one would be coming to you. So you cannot get that position. This position is not something that by appointment of a sultan or a king, you can acquire it. And so he just kicked him out of the court and said to his guards that he never should should come back into the court again.

And of course, he made fun of himself, Ja'far ibn Muhammad, by then trying to say that I am the vicegerent or successor of Hasan al-Askari instead of his five year old son, and he was actually ridiculing how could that son, if he exists at all, could be the heir apparent of Imam al-Askari 'alayhi as-salam.

So this was the situation. So it was a huge network. However, at the age of twenty two Imam had this responsibility of leading this community under the severest, as I said, surveillances, watching over him, intermittent imprisonment, several times he was arrested and he was put in prison. And still nothing could stop the Shi'as to pay allegiance, pay respect and tribute to the Imam.

Now, I just mention one example. First of all, apart from as I said, things became harder and harder at his time. When his father passed away, Imam al-Askari had, apart from being in the Askar, he had to report to the court every Monday and Thursday. Of course, it was somehow given the appearance of an honor that - Yes, Hasan ibn Ali al-Askari is invited to the court every Monday and Thursday, and he has to come from Askar all that long, going to the court and going back. It took the whole day for the Imam probably. And no one thought that this is just like reporting to the police when you are under approbation or something like that. He had to report to actually the police of the court every Monday and Thursday.

This commuting and this is, Subhana Allah, the enemies are somehow hit from where they are, they are actually conspired against from where they conspired. Most of the time the Shi'a of Imam Hasan al-Askari could actually communicate with him through this commuting between the Askar and the court. They sat on the way. They waited for the Imam to go. They passed on a message sometimes to the Imam and received a message from the Imam, in that way by actually sitting on that way on the road.

Sometimes the situation was very difficult of course. It is reported that once Imam was going from Askar to the courts of the Caliph, and he actually sent a message to the Shi'as who were just sitting around here and there to see the Imam and to probably say something. And he sent the message, how these messages were spread we do not know. It was very difficult, but it happened. They had a very good network. That is why as soon as an edict was issued, as soon as something happened, whole Shi'a, from Egypt to Nayshaapur, in Khorasan, they were aware of it, next day probably. It was just like a telegraph sort of system, a huge network of communication.

Now, he sent a message: "Ala la yusallimana 'alayya ahaddun", today no one should say salam to me. No one point at me. No one raise eyes at me. Because you are in danger today. There are guards, sometimes they did put these guards to see who is a Shi'a, they wanted to capture them, they wanted to of course extract information from them. So on that day Imam realised that all these guards are around. So he said no one today, no one sends salaam to me, no one even looks at me with their eyes because there is danger. This is the extent of difficulty.

Now we think that we are living in difficult times. We are living in a very good time actually, we are not living in difficult times. The only thing is that we do not know that what is the importance of spreading the message, so that no matter what happens, we do that, with of course a manner which even defeats our enemies.

Imam Hasan al-Askari defeated his enemies, not by violence, not by force, by virtue. This is very important. And this is a lesson we can learn from. Defeated his enemies by virtue. That is why everyone respected this very young man. He died at the age of twenty eight. But everyone in all of not only Samarra, everywhere they respected him as a man of virtue.

A couple of times in which he was imprisoned, Banu Abbas went to the prisoners. Because apart from the public prison that they had, sometimes big personalities, important personalities were imprisoned in houses of people, because they had big houses, important people, and they had prisons inside their house actually, and they gave authority to them to imprison certain personalities.

Now, there were people from Banu Abbas who were very harsh and deep in their animosity against the cause of Shi'a, because it was not only theological, it was political, because Banu Abbas thought that A'imma, 'alayhim as-salam and the Shi'a, were a political threat to them. So their animosity was not only theological, their animosity was mainly political. Today we see I mean, this sectarian issue is not theological, it is political. Of course, it is somehow put the spices of theological issues as well.

Now here there is a reporter by someone who was named Muhammad ibn Isma'il al-Alawi, this is in Al-Kafi. He says that Abu Muhammad 'alayhi asalam, Imam al-Askari, was imprisoned with Ali ibn Awtamish, and he was one of the prominent people who was very deep in his animosity to Aali Muhammad 'alayhim as-salam, and very harsh to Aali Abi Talib.

But people thought that his behavior with Hasan al-Askari, who was his prisoner, was different. And sometimes these prominent figures of Banu Abbas went to his house, they had parties, and they used to advise him, be as harsh as possible to Hasan al-Askari. Do not let him rest, do not let him, do not relax the situation for him. "If'al bihi wa if'al", this is what is mentioned in tradition, do and do whatever you can against him.

Then he says that after a couple of weeks probably that he was in his house, Imam al-Hasan al-Askari was in his house, he felt a deep respect for him and out of his awesome sort of personality, he even could not look into his eyes. And actually he was taken away from him because he was converted somehow by the behavior, the 'ibada, the worship, the attitude that Imam had towards God. He was, he changed completely. 180 degrees from his animosity to friendship to Aali Abi Talib. And this is strange.

Another incident which is mentioned is in another prison. As I said, he was intermittently imprisoned for no reasons because, of course, it was just fear. Fear of Banu Abbas, fear of the Caliphs, that they thought that now the Shi'a's network has become very strong and Imam may do something, may send a message and things may somehow come against us, come over us.

So he was imprisoned with Salih ibn Wasif. And again, the Abbasiyun told him "Dhayyiq 'alayh", make the situation tight for him, be harsh to him. And he said, Do you think I have not been harsh to him? I do not know what to do with this man. I have appointed two of the harshest and hard-headed men to watch him and to torture him, and these two men have become his servants, seeing the way he worships all night, he fasts all day. This is what I say, he defeated his enemies by the power of virtue.

It is very important. I think you see, no matter how much we shout, no matter how much we have power, no matter how much violence we use, we are not able to defeat the hearts. We are not able to convert people to what is the right and righteousness unless we have the same virtue and we have the same righteousness. So he defeated everyone by that power of virtue.

And that is why the Caliph actually found themselves helpless. That is why they plotted to kill them. Otherwise, they did not have any intention of using violence, any intention of provoking people for a reward or anything like that. The Zaidis had, other Shi'a groups who were not following A'imma 'alayhum as-salam, they had. But Imams themselves, they did not have any intention to provoke anyone against the system because they thought it is useless. As long as people are not changed it is useless. For example, we make a revolution. Who is going to come in power? The people who are not trained, who do not have virtue. It is the same thing.

So they wanted to spread virtue first. And despite the attitude that they had, and the Caliphs knew that the A'imma who were leading the Shi'a community, they did not have any intention to provoke people for revolt, they were afraid of them because of their virtue, because they attracted hearts, because of their virtue.

So this is, I think, a lesson we can learn. Let's somehow train ourselves. Let us be good people. This is the most powerful weapon we can have in our hands. If we are good, if we are somehow turn into a role model for others, no matter what others may say about us, the virtue would win. The power of virtue is great in the hearts.

And of course, as I said, this is something that they could not kill. This was something they could not overpower. It is very important. In the year 259, he was released from prison. And when he was coming out of prison, look what he said, that someone says that I saw his handwriting, he wrote something and passed it on. And it was written on that paper: "Yuriduna liyutf'u Nur Allahi bi afwahihim, wa Allahu muttimu nurihi wa law kariha al-kafiroon" (61:8). 'They want to put out the light of God with their mouths, blowing at it or with foul sort of argument, but God is going to complete His light'. And completing His light of course is through people who are enlightened, the hearts which are enlightened. This is very important.

Now, a couple of things. I do not have time to of course, we do not have time to talk about that network, that network of Shi'a community which they had, as I said, a message spread very quickly everywhere. And that is why, for example, after the martyrdom of Imam Hasan al-Askari, there was confusion everywhere. Who is going to succeed him? Does he have a son, if he does not? And immediately, the farthest cities in which Shi'as lived, they realised that who is the Na'ib of the twelfth Imam, who is the twelfth Imam, who is his Na'ib, to whom they should write letters, how they should communicate, through what means they have to communicate, they knew all these things. And this were very, very important.

I sometimes think the Nawab of the Imam, they were not scholars per se, the Nawab of the twelfth Imam, the deputies of the twelfth Imam. But they were very, very trusted people. And we see great scholars all through the Muslim territory of Shi'a scholars, we have people like, say, for example, Kulayni, people at his caliber and his greatness spread all over the world, and still no one objected. When someone is appointed, no one actually doubted it.

And how did they get the information, how they were trusted, the information that they received. It shows that there was a great network there. And I think, I usually suggest those who want to do a PhD on the history of Islam, I actually suggest they take this as a topic, how this Shi'a network worked that instantaneously the message was heard by everyone all around?

Now, just two, very, very quickly, I know the time is over, very quickly, two hadith from Imam Hasan al-Askari. First of all, he said "Khaslatan laysa fawqahuma shay'un", there are two qualities above which there is no other quality, "al-imaanu bi-Llah, wa naf'u al-ikhwan", believing in God and benefiting your brethren. And I think this is the message all Prophets, we have the message of Jesus, isn't it? Love God, love your neighbor. The same thing. You cannot have just a good relation with people, cutting your relation with God, or a good relation with God, cutting your relation with people. Both wings, both qualities are needed, so "Khaslatan laysa fawqahuma shay'un: al-imaanu bi-Llah, wa naf'u al-ikhwan".

And also one other advice that he has given us. "Laysati al-'ibada kathrat ul-siyami wa as-salaat. Wa inmama al-'ibada kathratu at-taffakkur fi amr-Illah". 'Ibada is not to just profusely do fasting and praying. The true 'Ibada is to reflect about God. And the true 'Ibada, it does not mean that we leave Salat and Siyam, but do not try to just profusely or abundantly do it without thinking. When we do our Salat, when we do our Sawm, we do it with reflection. The truth 'Ibada, the spirit of 'Ibada, the core of that 'Ibada that we are doing is that Taffakkur and reflection. That is the soul of it. The body of it, of course, is what we do every day. 'Ibada has a body, has a soul. The body of it is what we do every day. But the soul of the 'Ibada, the spirit of the 'Ibada is that reflection.

InshaAllah we will learn from Imam al-Askari, and I think what we can discuss tonight is how can we actually imitate that model of the Shi'a community at the time of Imam Hasan al-Askari. The way, the solidarity that they had with each other and the way they followed the instructions of the Imam 'alayhi as-salam, I think we can discuss, wa salla Allahu 'ala Muhammad wa aalihi, at-tahireen. [Allahuma salli 'ala Muhammad wa aali Muhammad].

[Question from audience not audible] It is very interesting because after the Niyaba of the four finished and the last Na'ib of course, did not appoint anyone after him, there was confusion, people did not know what to do. And of course, it was quite natural, just put yourself at that time, it was quite natural that the people turned to those who were the scholars and asked them, what has happened, what should we do. There is no deputy of the Imam, we cannot communicate with him. And even the scholars because they also, for them they collected khums and they gave it to the Nawab. Now, khums was coming to them, they did not know what to do with it.

That is why we see, for example Sheikh at-Tusi says in his book, that there are several opinions about what to do with khums. It shows the confusion was there. And he says that some people believe that we have to keep it until the Imam comes back, and if we die, for example, we make it a Wasiyya to our children, there is khums money, keep it until the Imam comes back. They were expecting the return of their Imam very quickly.

And then he says, some people said that we have to bury them, the khums, we have to bury them. Because everyone knew that they have to give khums. Everyone, every Shi'a knew that this was a right that they had to do. This is the right, this is Ahlul Bayt's, and we have to give the khums. And khums was actually collected and brought to the Imam.

Now, the khums was collected and it was just somehow stopped at the scholars who collected the khums, the Wukala'. Now, then he says, some people say that we buried them and when the Imam Al-Asr comes he can find them with his knowledge, he can find them and he can use them. Not knowing, of course, the currency over the time would change and all these things.

And then he says another thing which the 'ulama would say is that we spend it in a way that we know the Imam would have spent it if he was here. This was actually the origin of how we spend the khums when the Imam is not there.

Now gradually the idea was formed that yes, Imam Ja'far Al-Sadiq for example in that instance said that "go to 'ulama, go to knowledgeable people" or Imam al-Askari in that instance said such and such, or that Na'ib said that after Imam go to people who know our traditions, for example and the idea was formed that there is a Niyaba. Niyaba means what? Deputyship.

Now they said, yes, of course there is Niyabat ul-Khassa, and Niyabat ul-Amma. Niyabat ul-Khassa, is specific deputyship in which the Imam appoints someone specifically. He says, this is my Na'ib. Niyabat ul-Amma, is that the Imam does not specifically appoint someone, but he says for example, everyone who has knowledge is my Na'ib in spreading knowledge, for example. Everyone who has this, for example, quality can do this on my behalf. This is Niyabat ul-Amma.

Now, the idea was right from the beginning that the scholars, the scholars have Niyabat ul-Amma from the Imam, not Niyabat ul-Khassa, because they were not specifically appointed, but they were generally appointed through many traditions that they are the ones to whom, of course, people should refer to. And they can do certain, they have authority on certain things that Imam himself or his specific deputies would have.

This idea was formed. Sheikh Mufid for example, who was the teacher of Sheikh Tusi, he mentions that yes, the fuqahaa' are the Nawab Al-Amm of the Imam. That is in the fourth century, the idea was formed, that fuqahaa' are the Nawab Al-Amm of the Imam.

Okay, then came another question, because you alluded to Wilayat ul-Faqih and all these things, because this has a historical sort of development. Another question was, OK, what is the extent of the Wilayah or authority of this Na'ib? Because when Imam appoints a Na'ib, he defines the scope of his authority. You are my Na'ib in this area for example, you can collect khums, or you can answer any question. Like for example the Nawab, the four Nawab, they had Wilayat ul-Amma, they had comprehensive authority. Everything they could do.

Now the question came, this Nawab Al-Amma, is their Wilayah, Wilayat ul-Amma or Wilayat ul-Khassa? Do they have very limited and restricted authority or they have comprehensive authority? This is the source of disagreement now. Those who believe in the Wilayat ul-Faqih, who are, this is not of course, a modern development. Since the time of Sheikh Mufid this idea was there that, yes, someone who and a scholar who is trusted, who is pious, who is righteous, he has the authority which Imam would have. That is Wilayat ul-Amma, the unrestricted authority.

And others said, no, at the time of Imam, because we only intervene in those areas are very urgent and necessary. Like for example, someone has died, there is no one to take care of him, this is the duty of the Imam. OK, as the Na'ib of the Imam, we have this authority. Or there is a, for example, property for orphans, someone has to look after them, Okay, we as the Na'ib of the Imam will look after them. However, we do not have the authority of the Imam of leading the community or implementing the Islamic laws or such things.

There were some fuqahaa' in that area of thought. And some others said, no, we cannot just leave this lapse in Muslim community that because the Imam is not present, we have to leave all the laws of Islam unattended to. We need that authority. And therefore the fuqahaa' who have the means that they have the Niyaabat ul-Amma, general deputyship, they have this Wilayat ul-Amma as well, they have the comprehensive authority as well. This is how the things have come.

Now, nowadays, the maraji'a are in two camps. Some of the maraji'a say that the Wilaya of a Marji'a is Wilayat ul-Khassa, very restricted. We cannot come and come out and claim that we want to implement the laws of Islam. We cannot because that is power, that is in politics, that means of course sometimes battle, corruption, we do not want to intervene in that, okay?

And some other fuqahaa' say, no, this is Islam. It cannot actually left abandoned even if the Imam is not there: "Wa ma Muhammadun illa Rasul, qad khalat min qablihi ar-Rusul, afa in mata aw qutila anqalabtum 'ala a'qabikum" (3:144). Muhammad, salla Allahu 'alayh wa aalih, was a Messenger. If he dies, you cannot leave, abandon the role of Islam. He was just a Messenger, the message has reached you. So this is how the camps are there, I do not know whether I was clear on that. [Audience] Yes, especially now, the specific and the comprehensive. Thank you very much.

[Audience] The reason, that is exactly what happened to the Shi'a and Sunni schools, because they did not follow the righteous person, the most knowledgeable person, Imam Ali 'alayhi as-salam. That is why the world of Islam has become into such a mess. If they would have listened and obeyed, 100 percent we would have reached to the best part. And I think it is the same thing with all the Marja's. If you choose the right person and we all follow according to God's law, then there won't be all this messing and all the Shi'a and Sunni killing each other.

How to bring people in the understanding that they have to accept the opposing view as well? And also, our sister here said that if we follow the rightful leader, of course, we never come to disagreement. That is true. The point is that we cannot agree on who is the rightful leader. That is the problem. And I think we have to agree that we disagree, and we have to accept each other as brothers in faith, but we have disagreements. "Inna Allahu yahkumu baynahum Yawm al-Qiyama, in ma kanu fih yakhtalifoon" (32:25). Allah will judge on the Day of Judgment between us. And we do not need to fight, we do not need to kill each other or put each other in danger, ostracize each other, we do not need to do that.

If we really believe that Allah is going to judge between us, we do not need to do that. We of course believe in something that you do not believe in, you believe in something, we do not believe in that. We should not provoke each other, that is very important. We should not insult each other's beliefs, that is very important.

I think what is lacking now, nowadays, in some areas, and it is the reason, Nadia, why we can not actually accept the opposing view, is that we try to somehow out-win others by insulting them, by calling them Kuffar, by calling them disbelievers. This would not solve anything. I mean, then we have two groups of disbelievers fighting against each other. It is not going to solve anything. We should have tolerance. And especially because we are followers of these role models, I think we have to have more tolerance. We really have to have more tolerance.

Last year, I think I mentioned this before here, last year when we went to Iraq, we had the honor of visiting Ayatullah Sistani, hafidha Ullah, and the issue was raised in his presence that what should we do with what is happening with the Shi'a. They are killing the Shi'a around the world, we are under pressure. And he said that we have to learn tolerance and patience from our A'imma. If we want to fight back, we just add to bloodshed. That, as I mentioned about Imam Hasan al-Askari defeating the enemy by virtue, defeating the enemy by patience, defeating the enemy by tolerance. This is what works. Otherwise, I mean, violence against violence, bloodshed against bloodshed, it is not going to solve anything. And eventually, one day, all of us would go before Allah, Subhana wa Ta'ala, and He will judge who is right and who is wrong, and of course, we defer to His judgment certainly.

Is the term "ithna 'ashari" developed after the, was that term, I know the Prophet declared the twelve when he was alive, but the time "Shi'a ithna 'ashari", was that developed after Imam Hasan al-Askari? Because I know there was a problem of knowing who the Imam Mahdi will be. Was that term developed...?

Of course, there are traditions from the Prophets which talk about the twelve Imams and even we have some traditions in which the Prophet has named the twelve Imams after himself. Also in Sunni ahadith we have some traditions which talks about twelve caliphs after the Prophet, that there will be or twelve princes after the Prophet. Of course the exact explanation of that has become very difficult for Sunni scholars to explain what does Prophet mean by twelve princes after me or twelve Caliphs after me, and as long as they are there, Islam has its dignity, would have its dignity. However for us, of course, we very readily interpret it as the twelve Imams after the Prophet.

However the term Twelver Shi'ism, probably is developed afterwards, after the number of the Imams were completed, everyone knew who the Imams were, so probably the name Twelver developed after that.

[Audience question not audible] Very shortly, Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, 'alayhi as-salam, said that if there is a city of ten thousand people, and there is a Shi'a in that city, and one person in that city is more virtuous than the Shi'a person, we do not regard that person to be our true Shi'a. This is a huge thing, isn't it? It means do not call yourself Shi'a by name, do not call yourselves Shi'a by name, call yourselves Shi'a by your virtue. It is power of virtue which makes you followers of A'imma 'alayhum as-salam.

Why in the Qur'an Allah says look, what is the distance in time between Nuh and Ibrahim? Several thousand years. Nuh calls to God and the Qur'an says: "Wa inna min shi'atihi la Ibrahim" (37:83). Ibrahim is one of his Shi'a, one of his followers. It is because of the virtue of Ibrahim that Allah calls him a Shi'a of Nuh. So if you want to be Shi'a of Ali ibn Abi Talib or Shi'a of Ja'far al-Sadiq 'alayhi as-salam, we have to show it by our virtue. It is not just words. It is not just thoughts. We have to show it by virtue, inshaAllah.

Thank you very much, a very enlightening presentation. It took a while to warm up, but also a very heart warming discussion. We appreciate your presence and your comments. Thank you very much Sheikh Bahmanpoor. We have a session next Friday again and we will be discussing the birthday of the Holy Prophet.