Scholars attending the one-day conference presented papers and discussed the historical, religious and spiritual aspects of the Sahifah Sajjadiyah, a collection of 75 supplications of Imam Sajjad (AS).
According to the website of the center, the speeches were presented in English and Arabic.
Hojj. Syed Abdul Munom Sudani from Sudan in his speech in the Arabic session of the conference, underscored the role of Imam Sajjad (AS), especially after the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD, and said that the Imam (AS) chose prayers and supplications as a method of combating the oppression of the time and also a way to introduce the divine teachings to people.
He stressed that one can learn from all the supplications of the Sahifah Sajjadiyah in different family, social, and spiritual aspects.
Emad Hamroon, the head of Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS) Society in Paris, was another speaker in the Arabic session.
He described the Sahifah Sajjadiyah as a book on kindness, peace and friendship.
He also noted that the time of Imamate of Imam Sajjad (AS) was an era when the Shia identity was getting shape as an impendent identity and Islam’s political thought was being established.
In the English session, Gwen Griffith Dickson, a philosophy and theology professor at Gresham College, London, discussed the Sahifah Sajjadiyah in terms of spirituality in life.
She said for those who seek spirituality in their everyday life, the Sahifah Sajjadiyah reveals different layers of spirituality, mysticism and thought.
She said that the Sahifah Sajjadiyah should not be viewed as a description of Imam Sajjad’s (AS) life because many of the supplications are on people’s behalf.
Prof. Dickson added that the ups and downs of human’s life can be seen in all of the book’s supplications, 'the ups and downs that can get us closer to God.”
Next speaker was Dr. Rebecca Masterton who highlighted how the tradition of Irfan (mysticism) is indebted to Shia Islam.
She said many of the concepts used in Irfan have been previously mentioned by Shia Imams.
Hojj. Mohammad Ali Shomali, the head of the Islamic Center of England, in his address talked about the man-God relationship in view of Imam Sajjad (AS).
He also underlined that the Infallibles (AS), including Imam Sajjad (AS) taught humanity how to pray to God.
The conference concluded with a question and answer session.
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