ABWA holds 5th International Competition for Young Ahl al-Bayt ('a) Followers

Posted: June 23, 2006

To commemorate this year (1386 AHS), which is named as the Year of Holy Prophet (s) (in Iran), and in order to promulgate the rich culture of the Holy Ahl al-Bayt (as) worldwide, the Bureau on Women and Children's Affairs of the Ahl al-Bayt World Assembly (ABWA) intends to hold the 5th International Competition for Children and Young Ahl al-Bayt ('a) Followers in the following fields:

* photography

* painting

* designing

* composition

* essay-writing

* short-story-writing

* poems

* memoirs

* plays

Themes:
* The Holy Prophet (s): Epitome of Mercy & Justice
* Lessons from the Childhood Period of Holy Prophet's Life
* A Day with the Holy Prophet (s) and His Infallible Household [i.e. the Ahl al-Bayt ('a)]
* An Eulogy and Tribute to the Holy Prophet (s) and His Ahl al-Bayt ('a)
* A Letter to the Kindest Celestial Father [i.e. the Holy Prophet (s)]
 
Terms of Participation:
* All youngsters and children all over the world can participate in the competition.
* Participants can send from 1 to 3 pieces of their works.
* The selected (outstanding) works shall be exhibited in an international festival.
* The received works shall not be returned to the senders.
* Participants outside Iran can submit their works to the representatives of the Ahl al-Bayt World Assembly or Cultural Offices & Iranian Embassies in their countries and take a receipt. Another choice is to send their works to the address mentioned below.
* Deadline (latest acceptable date) for sending your works shall be 23 November 2006.
 
Prizes:
1- Outstanding Winners in each field shall take part in a pilgrimage (ziyarat) tour.
2- Winners of lower grades shall be awarded with nice prizes.
 

Every participant has to give the following personal information along with his/her work(s):

* Name & Surname:

* Father's Name:
* Sex:

* Date of Birth:
* Nationality:

* Country of Residence:
* Level of Education:

* Email address:
* Postal Address & Tel./Fax No.:

Postal Address:
P.O. Box 14155-3831

Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Tel/Fax. (0098 21) 88971852
Email: [email protected] and [email protected]
 

SMERI acquires newly published 2-volume book on Arabic morphology

Posted: May 20, 2006

Shajaratun Muntazirah Educational and Research Institute (SMERI) recently acquires the following newly published 2-volume book on Arabic morphology suitable for English-speaking and -literate learners and students.

Ali Abdur-Rasheed, Al-Mujaz: A Summary of Tasreef (A Concise Treatise on the Morphology of the Arabic Word), 2nd ed. (Madani E-Publications, 2006), 2 volumes, 450 pages.

The said book is used as textbook at the New York-based Islamic Seminary of North America where the author has been teaching for many years.

Copy of the book will soon be available to the general readership at the SMERI Library located in Cotabato City.

SMERI acquires new learning Arabic software

Posted: May 13, 2006

As the 19th Tehran International Book Fair formally ends on May 12, 2005, SMERI acquires new software programs. One of these programs is the 3-CD Complete Guide to Learn Arabic.

The said program gives an intensive and interactive course in teaching Arabic language for non-Arabic speakers in a three-level base: beginner, intermediate and advanced.

The First Level contains many subjects such as the Arabic letter forms and pronunciation in all its conditions with condensed exercises; how to pronounce Arabic letters; long, short, intense voices; and nunnation with intensive exercises.

The Second Level contains three parts: (1) syntax and grammar, (2) live dialogues like acquaintance, the family, etc., and (3) important appendixes like numbers, the human body, etc.

The Third Level contains three parts: (1) syntax and grammar, (2) live dialogues like the post office, in the market, etc., and (3) important appendixes like government ministries, the names of Arab countries, etc.

In addition, the program is provided with English and French help, and every level contains a dictionary for the vocabulary listed in and its meanings in English language. It has also the following companion book:

Makkouk, Mazen. Basic Standard Arabic. Beirut: Al-Maaref Establishment, 2002.

SMERI holds Workshop on Ahkam al-Mayyit

Posted: May 1, 2006

On the occasion of 27th martyrdom anniversary of Ayatullah Murtada Mutahhari (May 1, 1979), Seminar-Workshop and Exhibit Department, Education Bureau of Shajaratun Muntazirah Educational and Research Institute (SMERI) holds today (May 1, 2006) one-day Workshop on Ahkam al-Mayyit here at SMERI, Cotabato City, Philippines.

The programs of the Workshop are as follows:

· Flash Presentation: “Last Breath”

· Introductory Film: “The Truth of Life of This World”

· Saqarat al-Mawt: Prior to Death

a. Wajib, mustahabb and makruh actions during saqarat al-mawt

b. Wajib, mustahabb and makruh actions just after death

· Before Burial

a. Bathing [ghusl al-mayyit]

b. Tahnit or hunut (applying camphor powder)

c. Shrouding [kafan]

· Burial

a. Prayer for the dead [salat al-mayyit]

b. Burial rites

· After Burial

a. Prayer on the night after burial [salat al-wahshah]

b. Prayer gift for the dead [salat al-hadiyyah al-mayyit]

· Concluding Film: “Never Forget

· Display of the Relevant References Available at SMERI Library

The Workshop is attended by Cotabato City residents as well as those coming from the provinces of North Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat.

After the Workshop, the attendants are invited to the SMERI Library where the books of Prof. Mutahhari, relevant CD programs and writings about him available at the library are displayed. They are also given free copies of Ziyarat Qubur with English transliteration and translation.

CD PowerPoint presentation of the Workshop is available free on request for non-income-earning individuals such as students and non-profit organizations in the country.
 

SMERI to hold Islamic Unity Week Audio-Visual Exhibit

Posted: April 1, 2006

In celebration of the Birth Anniversary of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s) this coming Rabi‘ al-Awwal 12 (April 11) as reckoned by the Sunni Muslims and Rabi‘ al-Awwal 17 (April 16) by the Shi‘ah Muslims, marking the International Islamic Unity Week as declared by the late Imām Khomeinī (my his soul be sanctified), Seminar-Workshop and Exhibit Department, Educational Bureau of Shajaratun Muntazirah Educational and Research Institute (SMERI) will hold Islamic Unity Week Audio-Visual Exhibit on Rabi‘ al-Awwal 12-17, 1427 AH (April 11-16, 2006) here at SMERI, Cotabato City, Philippines.

In this Exhibit, books and other reading materials pertaining to Islamic unity, Prophet Muhammad (s) and Imam Ja‘far as-Sadiq (‘a) (also born on Rabi‘ al-Awwal 17) available at SMERI Library will be displayed while relevant audio-video lectures and songs, and films will be played.

Books about Prophet Muhammad (s) will be categorized into (a) Prophet Muhammad’s Biography, (b) Prophet Muhammad’s Personality and Conduct, (c) What They Say about Prophet Muhammad, and (d) Prophecies about Prophet Muhammad.

The following fact sheets in both English and Filipino will be given free to the visitors:

· What Non-Muslims Say about Prophet Muhammad (s);

· What Non-Muslims Say about Islam;

· Why Follow the Family of the Prophet (s)?

· Who are the Twelve Successors of the Prophet (s)?

· Why Shī‘ah?

· Do the Shī‘ah Believe in a Different Qur’an?

Copies of the historic religious edict (fatwa) of Shaykh Mahmod Shaltut, Rector of the prestigious Cairo-based Al-Azhar University, recognizing the Shī‘ah Ithna ‘Ashari as a valid Islamic school of thought, in Arabic and its English translation will also be presented.

Simultaneous with the Exhibit is the enrolment period for the English-Math Summer Enrichment Program and Weekend Islamic Courses for kids from pre-school to high school as a joint project of SMERI and Social Services for Grassroots Community Development (SSGRCD), an NGO based also here in Cotabato City.

The Islamic subjects to be taught to children from four to 17 years old every Saturday and Sunday are Ethics (akhlaq), Qur’an, Jurisprudence (fiqh), and History (tarikh).

Young visitors of the Exhibit (whether enrollees or not) shall be given each with a gratis copy of Zamzam Magazine, a monthly magazine for children and young adults published in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

According to SMERI Administrator, the Exhibit will be open to the visitors from 8 am to 6 pm. He also said that lunch and snacks both in the morning and afternoon will also be offered throughout the six-day affair.

See you here at the Exhibit!

SMERI offers intermediate level Islamic correspondence course

Posted: March 1, 2006

Shajaratun Muntazirah Educational and Research Institute (SMERI) is a non-profit private institution, which aims at catering for the academic, intellectual and religious training needs of the nascent communities of Ahl al-Bayt-adherents in the Philippines. While its library is serving as the pivot, SMERI is divided into three bureaus: (1) Education Bureau, (2) Research Bureau, and (3) External Bureau.

Acknowledging the urgent need to impart Islamic teachings to our young generation in such a secular environment as ours, SMERI is pleased to inform you that it is now offering free intermediate level Islamic correspondence course--the first of its kind in the country for at least among the followers of the Prophet's Pure Household ('a)--as part of its various outreach programs.

What?

This course deals with three subjects--(a) Beliefs ('Aqa'id), (b) Laws and Ethics (Ahkam wa Akhlaq) and (c) History (Tarikh)--in 50 lessons all in all. See the list of lessons in each of the subjects here.

It is adapted from the Islamic correspondence course prepared in early 1990s by Mawlana Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi for the Toronto-based Islamic Education and Information Center.

Who?

This intermediate level course is intended for college students and graduates in any part of the Philippines who want to study or enhance their knowledge on Islam in a systematic manner.

How?
Any interested party may communicate to us through email or by post to express his/her interest to enroll in the course and to provide us with his/her personal information:

- Full name

- Gender

- Date of birth

- Level of education

- Email and postal address

Important notes:

1. The personal information of the student will be used for this purpose ONLY.

2. This is not a grammar course. So, feel free to express yourself in answering the essay-type questions of the course's lessons.

3. There is no due date for submitting the answer sheet of any of the lessons.

After receiving the said information, SMERI will give his/her student number.

.
At the end of the course, SMERI will give a beautiful Certificate to every student who will successfully pass the course.

Needless to say, the Islamic Correspondence Course Team is much willing to entertain questions regarding the content and conduct of the Islamic course.

SMERI has also launched earlier (May 25, 2005) free online Islamic courses for pre-school, elementary and high school students on four subjects--(a) Akhlaq (Morality), (b) Fiqh (Jurisprudence), (c) Qur'an, and (4) Tarikh (History). Read our open letter to parents regarding these courses.