IMANews: Safar 1448 AH, Jul-Aug 2026 AD
- IMAN Center of Kirkland
- Jul 16
- 9 min read
As-Salāmu ‘Alaykum / Peace be upon you!
The Crescent Moon of the Month of Safar, 1448 A.H.
There were no verified sightings of the crescent moon by the naked eye at sunset on Tuesday, July 14th, 2026.
Therefore, Wednesday, July 15th, 2026, will be the last day of the month of Muharram, 1448 A.H.
Thursday, July 16th, 2026, will be the first day of Safar, 1448 A.H.
Important Islamic Events this Month:
Safar Aug Occasion
7 Jul 22 Wafat of Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (p), 50 AH
7 Jul 22 Birth of Imam Musa al-Kadhim (p), 128 AH
17 Aug 1 Wafat of Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (p), 203 AH
20 Aug 4 Arbaeen/Chehelom of Imam Hussain (p) & companions (61 A.H.)
28 Aug 12 Wafat of Prophet Muhammad al-Mustafa (pbuh&hp) (11 A.H.)
Wafat majlises for the occasions above are scheduled for the Thursday closest to the occasion. Schedules and events details will be posted on the web site. Details for Arbaeen program will be posted/updated in due course.
We ask God, the Most High, for success in performing good deeds and to hasten the Return of Our Master, Imam Mahdi (p).
Day of Arbaeen/Chehelom will be Tuesday, August 4th, 2026.
A two day program Arabeen program will be scheduled for the evening of Sunday August 2nd and Monday August 3rd. Details will be updated on our website in dure course.
Our guest speaker this Arbaeen will be Dr Ali-Reza Bhojani.
After completing an undergraduate degree and professional qualifications in Optometry, Dr Ali-Reza Bhojani began studying at the Al-Mahdi Institute, graduating from its Hawza programme in 2008. He then moved to Durham University for 1+3 ESRC funded doctoral programme with the Centre for the Advanced Study of the Arab World (CASAW). He was awarded a distinction for an MA in Research Methods (International Relations and Politics) and graduated from the doctoral programme at the Institute for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies in 2014. His thesis was published as Moral Rationalism and Sharī‛a (Routledge, 2015). He has held academic posts at the Al-Mahdi Institute where he lectured on legal theory, theology, and ethics, the Markfield Institute of Higher Education, the University of Nottingham and the University of Oxford, and is currently an Assistant Professor in Islamic Ethics at the University of Birmingham.
Growing Spirit of Congregational Prayer at IMAN
Alhamdulillah, we’ve seen a noticeable increase in participation for daily congregational prayers at IMAN. In the attendance reports table below, you’ll see green highlights indicating days when five or more individuals joined—no yellow or red highlights in sight!
The summer months offer an ideal opportunity to build a consistent prayer habit at IMAN, especially with students out of school and the serene beauty of Kirkland's sunsets on display. We warmly invite you to take a peaceful stroll along the scenic shore of Lake Washington, followed by joining us for Maghrib prayers, during which we also reflect briefly on a few verses from the Qur’an.
We’ve also heard from community members that some elderly individuals in and around Kirkland are eager to attend prayers but are unable to do so due to lack of transportation. If you’re able and willing to help with occasional rides, please email us at programs@iman-wa.org - your support can make a meaningful difference.
Just like people find joy and motivation in jogging or exercising with a friend, we can also uplift one another by encouraging attendance for congregational prayer. A gentle reminder or invitation might be all it takes to inspire someone to join.
✨ Spiritual Encouragement:
✅ Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said: “The one who performs prayer in congregation is better than the one who prays alone by twenty-five degrees.” Wasa’il al-Shi‘ah by Al-Ḥurr al-‘Āmilī, Vol. 5, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Chapter: The Superiority of Congregational Prayer Over Individual Prayer
✅ Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) said: “Whoever goes to the mosque in the morning or evening, Allah prepares for him a place of hospitality in Paradise every time he goes.” Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Adhan (10), Hadith 662 Sahih Muslim, Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer, Hadith 669
Religious Voices and Responsible AI
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming nearly every aspect of our lives—from education and healthcare to business, media, and public policy. As these technologies continue to evolve, it is increasingly important that their development is guided not only by technical expertise, but also by enduring ethical and moral values.
To help address this need, IMAN is partnering with AI and Faith (AIF) and Institute for Security and Technology (IST) on an exciting new initiative: Religious Voices and Responsible AI. The project seeks to equip pastors, imams, and religious educators with the knowledge and resources needed to help their communities understand AI's opportunities, challenges, and ethical implications while ensuring that faith traditions have a meaningful voice in shaping the future of AI.
As part of the initiative's pilot program, tailored curricula are being introduced in evangelical churches across Southern California and in Shia Muslim communities in the Bay Area and the Seattle–Tacoma region. Participants will also have the opportunity to contribute their perspectives to the ongoing development of these educational resources.
IMAN Center will host a two-day workshop on Friday evening, July 31, and Saturday, August 1, 2026, facilitated by Dr. Ali-Reza Bhojani, who will be joining us from the United Kingdom, together with members of the project team.
The workshop will explore:
The opportunities and risks presented by AI.
Ethical principles from faith traditions that can inform responsible AI development.
Educational resources for faith leaders and educators.
Ways faith communities can contribute constructively to public dialogue and AI policy.
This workshop is designed for religious leaders, educators, and community members interested in the intersection of faith, ethics, and emerging technology.
Space is limited. Additional registration details will be announced soon. We encourage those interested to reserve the dates and stay tuned for further information.
"Faith leaders hold trusted positions to shape community understanding of complex issues. Their voices on AI are essential to ensuring technology development prioritizes human well-being and ethical responsibility." — Religious Voices and Responsible AI Project
This initiative reflects IMAN's ongoing commitment to engaging thoughtfully with contemporary challenges while drawing upon the timeless ethical guidance of Islam.
Blood Drive July 3rd Update & September drive
Bloodworks Northwest and all of us at IMAN can’t thank enough all those who generously donated their blood to save lives.
Every pint counts; your blood drive will make a positive impact on the lives of local patients, including right at EvergreenHealth Kirkland!
11 donors registered
2 donors were deferred
9 units were collected
1 first-time donor participated
It’s so awesome to see that someone decided to donate blood, for the first time at your drive.
Also, it looks like a minor tried to participate, but did not have a signed permission form. Here is the link for young donors (16-17), who are welcome to donate, with a signed permission form, at your future events.
We look forward to the next drive scheduled for Saturday, September 19. Sign-up details will be provided in later in August.
Concluding Synthesis of Sūrat Al-Aʿrāf (The Heights)
Alhamdulillah our daily Qur'an Study Circle just completed deliberations on Sūrat Al-Aʿrāf which discusses "The Moral History of Humanity".
If Sūrat an-Nisā' lays down the architecture of a moral civilization, and Sūrat al-Mā'idah safeguards the integrity of a covenantal civilization, and Sūrat al-Anʿām establishes the intellectual and theological foundations of faith, then Sūrat al-Aʿrāf may best be described as: "The Moral History of Humanity" or perhaps even more precisely, "The Story of the Human Soul's Journey Between Guidance and Rebellion."
No other sūrah before this one surveys human history with such breadth.
Beginning with the creation of Adam and ending with the Prophet Muhammad (ṣ), Sūrat al-Aʿrāf follows humanity across generations, civilizations, and prophetic missions, asking one recurring question:
The sūrah is not primarily a historical chronicle. History becomes a mirror. Every nation becomes an example. Every prophet becomes a recurring voice. Every tyrant becomes an archetype. Every believer becomes a model. Every reader becomes a participant.
The Four Great Narratives
The sūrah unfolds through four interconnected narratives.
1. The Story of the Individual Soul
The opening chapters tell the story of Adam, Iblīs, temptation, repentance, and human dignity. This establishes that every external conflict begins internally. The battlefield of civilization begins inside the heart.
2. The Story of Civilizations
The missions of Nūḥ, Hūd, Ṣāliḥ, Lūṭ, Shuʿayb (peace be upon all of them) show that every civilization rises or falls according to its response to divine guidance.
Different sins appear: arrogance, injustice, exploitation, immorality, economic, corruption.
Yet the disease is always the same: rejecting Allah after truth becomes clear.
3. The Story of Power
The lengthy account of Mūsā and Firʿawn shifts attention from ordinary societies to political systems.
Here the Qur'an explores authoritarianism, propaganda, fear, manipulation, economic oppression, institutional corruption.
Firʿawn becomes the universal symbol of power divorced from submission to Allah.
Mūsā becomes the model of principled resistance.
4. The Story of Every Human Being
The final sections become increasingly personal. The Covenant of Alast. The scholars who abandon revelation. People who possess intellect but refuse to use it. The Beautiful Names. Listening to the Qur'an. The etiquette of remembrance. The angels who never tire of worship. History finally returns to the individual heart.
The Great Pattern of History
Perhaps the greatest contribution of Sūrat al-Aʿrāf is that it uncovers history's recurring pattern. The cycle repeats generation after generation:
Allah sends guidance. -> People initially respond. -> Prosperity follows. -> Comfort breeds arrogance. -> Desires replace revelation. -> Leaders manipulate religion. -> Truth is mocked. -> Warnings are ignored. -> Punishment arrives. -> History begins again.
This pattern explains not merely ancient civilizations but every civilization - including our own.
The Central Disease: Arrogance
Unlike Sūrat al-Anʿām, which emphasizes intellectual errors, Sūrat al-Aʿrāf repeatedly returns to one spiritual disease: Kibr (Arrogance)
It appears in: Iblīs. Firʿawn. The chiefs of every nation. The Children of Israel. The scholars who sold revelation. Those who mocked prophets. Those who refused to prostrate. Those who ignored the signs.
The Qur'an presents arrogance - not ignorance - as humanity's greatest obstacle to guidance.
The Central Virtue: Humble Submission
Against arrogance stands its opposite: Humility before Allah.
The successful believers are those who listen, reflect, repent, remember, fear Allah, hope in Him, remain patient, and submit.
The final verses beautifully end not with punishment, but with worship.
The angels who surround Allah "do not become arrogant in His worship."
This perfectly answers the opening story of Iblīs, who became arrogant.
The sūrah therefore begins with one being refusing to bow, and ends with angels eternally bowing.
This literary symmetry is extraordinary.
The Universal Covenant
One of the sūrah's deepest contributions is the reminder that guidance is not foreign to human nature.
Before earthly life, every soul testified: "Am I not your Lord?"
Every human being therefore enters history already carrying an innate recognition of Allah.
The prophetic mission is not to introduce something entirely new.
It is to awaken what already exists within the human soul.
Revelation and Human Freedom
Throughout the sūrah, Allah never compels belief.
Signs are shown. Messengers are sent. Warnings are repeated. Time is granted. Repentance remains open. Human beings remain free. The dignity of moral choice is preserved from beginning to end.
The Qur'an as the Final Reminder
Having surveyed thousands of years of prophetic history, the sūrah finally addresses the Qur'an itself. Listen attentively. Reflect deeply. Remember constantly. Respond humbly.
The Qur'an now assumes the role once fulfilled by earlier prophets.
History continues, but the final revelation remains.
The Place of Sūrat al-Aʿrāf Within the Qur'an
Seen together, the sequence of these Madinan and Makkan sūrahs forms a remarkable progression.
Sūrah | Central Theme |
An-Nisā' | Building a just moral society |
Al-Mā'idah | Preserving the covenant that sustains that society |
Al-Anʿām | Establishing correct belief and intellectual certainty |
Al-Aʿrāf | Demonstrating through human history what happens when societies either uphold or abandon that guidance |
The movement is deeply logical. First comes the structure. Then the covenant. Then the worldview. Finally, history becomes the classroom demonstrating the consequences of every moral choice.
The Enduring Message
Ultimately, Sūrat al-Aʿrāf is not about ancient peoples. It is about us. We all inherit Adam's dignity. We all face Iblīs' whispers. We all carry the primordial covenant. We all receive reminders. We all choose between humility and arrogance. We all leave behind a moral legacy.
The stories of Nūḥ, Hūd, Ṣāliḥ, Lūṭ, Shuʿayb, Mūsā, Firʿawn, Banī Isrā'īl, and the unnamed generations are not isolated episodes of a distant past—they are recurring patterns that confront every age and every soul.
The sūrah therefore invites every reader to ask not merely, "What happened to them?" but rather: "Where do I stand in this unfolding story of humanity?"
Will I respond like Adam—with repentance after error?
Like the believers—with patience and trust?
Or like Iblīs and Firʿawn—with arrogance in the face of truth?
In this way, Sūrat al-Aʿrāf transforms history into self-examination. It teaches that the rise and fall of civilizations begins with the rise and fall of the human heart. The destinies of nations are shaped by the moral choices of individuals, and every generation is called to renew the covenant with Allah through faith, justice, humility, and remembrance.
Thus, the sūrah stands as the Qur'an's sweeping panorama of humanity's moral journey - a timeless reminder that while the actors and settings of history may change, the contest between guidance and rebellion remains the defining drama of human existence until the Day when all will stand before their Lord.
Community members are encouraged to benefit through active daily participation, as well as by engaging with the Qur'an Study Circle being developed and shared each day.
Sunday School in Kirkland
As we prepare for the new Sunday School year, we are seeking dedicated volunteers to join the Sunday School Committee and also assist with teaching our future generation of community members.
If you are willing to invest your valuable time to help our community grow and thrive, please contact sundayschoolcommittee@iman-wa.org
Your support can make a lasting difference—thank you for considering this important opportunity to serve.
For monthly Sunday School News click: Sunday School - News
Community Dinner
Those interested to help organize future monthly community dinners, please contact Br. Abbas Kazmi or send mail to socialservices@iman-wa.org.
Supporting those in need
Sister Sidra has reserved several spots to provide meals to the needy at homeless shelters. If you are interested in helping, please contact Sister Sidra Naqvi or e-mail socialservices@iman-wa.org.