EXCERPT OF IMAM HUSSEIN'S (as) SPEECH
ON THE DAY OF ASHURA:
"...O people! Identify me and see who I am. Then you will come to your senses and reproach yourselves. You should reflect carefully whether it is permissible for you to kill me and to disregard the reverence due to me. Am I not the son of your Prophet's daughter? Is the wasi (vicegerent) of your Prophet and his cousin and the first person, who expressed belief in Allah and confirmed what was brought by His Prophet, not my father? Is the Doyen of Martyrs Hamza bin Abdul Muttalib not the uncle of my father?..."
NUDBA GROUP OF TORONTO
'So scheme whatever you wish to scheme,
And carry out your plots, and intensify your efforts,
For by Allah,
YOU SHALL NEVER BE ABLE TO OBLITERATE OUR MENTION'
- Zainab bint Ali (as) to Yazid
May my soul be ransom for you; for although you are hidden from us, you have never forsaken us.
May my soul be ransom for you; for although you are away, you have never been away from us.
May my soul be ransom for you; for you are the wish of an eager believing man or woman who mention you and miss you.
-Dua Nudba
O Allah (swt)! Be now and at all times for your deputy,
Hujjat ibnil Hassan (atfs),
May your blessings be upon him and his family,
Master, Protector, Guide, Helper, Proof, and Guard,
Until he resides peacefully on your earth and
let him enjoy your bounties for a long time (to come)
12th Imam Dua
About Us
Formed in 2005, our sessions began with a few participants. We held these sessions every Friday. This level of commitment was the foundation of our success. These gatherings were solely for women in our community who wished to come together to pray and form friendships with other women from our community through one common goal - the recitation of Dua e Nudba to "…get acquainted with the Imam of our time…Imam Mahdi (atfs)" and to seek the pleasure of Allah (swt). Since then, our group has grown significantly to over 500 people on our mailing list.
After seeing growth and further interest in our Friday sessions, we wanted to add the propagation of knowledge for the women attending these sessions. Starting with religious lectures, we moved onto other areas such as daily responsibilities, health and nutrition and community awareness therefore empowering women to lead and contribute to our community.
A few years ago, attendees of the sessions decided that they would collect their change in the name of the Imam of our time - Imam Mahdi (atfs) with the sole intention of contributing towards worthy causes. Alhamdulillah, over the last few years, the Nudba Group of Toronto has contributed towards many different worthy causes locally and throughout the world. More information on these causes is available below.
We hope that the group will continue to grow in strength and numbers and that the efforts of all those that organize and participate in our events are rewarded abundantly by the All Almighty.
Our Goals
"Let us get acquainted with the Imam of our time (atfs)"
This is what we have strived to achieve since our inception. With each recitation of Dua e Nudba during our sessions on Friday, we hope to seek closeness to Allah (swt) and our leader in occultation Imam Mahdi (atfs) praying for his reappearance in this world. During these sessions, we also propagate knowledge and wisdom from women for women in our community. We hope that with a little information, we can empower women in our community and around the world to lead successful and fruitful lives.
Furthermore, over time, we have been able to extend our help to many other worldwide charitable organizations through volunteering and on a monetary basis. Aiding others in whatever means we can is done solely for the pleasure of Allah (swt) on behalf of the Imam of our time - Imam Mahdi (atfs).
Dua Nudba
Dua means to call or to seek help. Nudba is to cry, wail or lament.
Taught by Imam Jaffer Sadiq (as), our sixth Imam after the Prophet (saw), this dua was written praising some prophets concentrating mostly on the last and most beloved of all prophets - Prophet Mohamed (saw) and the lofty status of his true successor Imam Ali (as).
The dua then goes on to lament the tragedies that befell upon the progeny of Prophet Mohamed (saw) especially the torment and injustice brought upon our third leader, Imam Hussein (as).
It then describes the lofty position of the current leader of the Ummah, Imam Mahdi (atfs) and his current absence whilst in occultation. Finally, the cry/wail for help to the current leader that calls on him to serve justice and bring peace to his followers, The Shia Ithna-Asheri and lead them on the true path in this world and in the afterlife.
Recitation of this dua brings us closer to Imam Mahdi (atfs) and helps us build enough strength for us not to be corrupted by the wiles of shaytaan. It is highly recommended to recite this Dua on Fridays and on the day of Eid. The reasons for its recitation is to hasten the reappearance of our beloved leader, Imam Mahdi (atfs) and to beseech Allah (swt) to accept our wishes.
Our Efforts
The Nudbah Group supports many efforts in the name of the Imam of our time (atfs). Our hope is that supporting these efforts in his name will allow us to raise awareness of his existence during his absence (occultation) and help spread the message of his forefathers. The Nudba Group does not singularly focus on a project but supports all worthy efforts including helping individuals and families in dire situations. The following are but some of the projects we have supported through the years:
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Sponsorship of Ahlul Bayt TV programs
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Aid for multiple surgeries for a sister in Tanzania as well a prosthetic replacement
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Rebuilding of a home for a widow in Kigoma, Tanzania
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Sponsorship of classes with Bilal Muslim mission in Dar es salaam for ladies who reverted to Islam
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Provision of diapers for children of, as well as basic necessities for new Syrian refugees
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Sponsorship of orphaned children studying in Dar Al Zahra School in Najaf, Iraq.
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Hosting Iftars in the name of the Imam of our time (atfs) around the world
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Donation to Ramadhan Campaign Against Hunger (RCAH)
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Provision of clothes to the orphan children of Dar Al Zahra School in Najaf, Iraq
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Sponsorship of Iftar packages with Feed O World campaign in Iraq during Ramadhan
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Aid to Sister in Iraq needing urgent surgery
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Aid for provision of goitre surgeries in Tanzania
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Sponsorship of a dishwasher to a lady in Toronto
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Hosting of Art exhibition with M.E.C.A - proceeds donated to Ahlul Bayt TV.
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Aid sent to Shaam for individuals affected by war
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Sponsorship in Live Goat Scheme with the Bilal Muslim Mission of Kenya during Hajj season
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Provision of nutrition to babies with acute malnutrition in Zanzibar in the name of Hazrat Ali Asghar (as)
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Donation given to New York Jamaat during the month of Muharram 1438 for the new centre
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Donation towards a learning centre for Chippewas of Georgian Island First Nation
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Provision of food for Zawaars of Imam Hussein (as) during Arbaeen.
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Donation to Food Bank during Muharram and Safar
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Donation for Sabil in Arusha
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Donation to a build a school in Basra, Iraq
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Donation to Anameel Rahma School of orphans in Diwaniya, Iraq
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Provision of wells in different parts of Tanzania not having quick access to clean water.
These are a few of our efforts that we have had the privilege to sponsor in 2016. We would like to sincerely thank all our supporters and hope they share our joy in improving the standard of life for many in need around the world. To find out more about our current efforts please contact us.
EPITHET OF IMAM ZAAMIN (as):
One day when Imam Ali Ridha (as) was on a journey from Madinah to Khorasan, he came across a hunter who was about to kill a deer. The deer was trying to get away and when she saw Imam Ali Ridha (as), she said something to him. The Imam (as) asked the hunter to free the deer so that she could go and feed her fawn (baby) that were very hungry. Imam Ridha (as) also told the hunter that once the deer had fed her fawn she would return. The hunter allowed the deer to go as the request came from the Imam (as), but he did not think the deer would come back. Imam Ridha (as) waited with the hunter until the deer returned along with her fawn. The hunter on witnessing this miraculous event, set the deer free as a mark of respect for the Imam (as). It is after this event Imam Ali Ridha (as) became known as Imam Zaamin (as).