On 9 May 2025, the Islamic Centre of England held a vibrant multilingual celebration to mark the blessed birth of the eighth Imam, Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha (peace be upon him). The programme featured speeches in English, Persian, and Arabic, alongside recitations and a quiz competition.
Hujjat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen Seyed Hashem Moosavi, Imam of the Centre, addressed the audience in English and Persian. He spoke about the significance of Imam Ridha’s era, describing it as a time of cultural and ideological upheaval during the Abbasid rule. He highlighted how the Imam confronted widespread intellectual challenges through scholarly engagement, debates, and clear articulation of Islamic thought—preserving the identity and integrity of the Muslim ummah.
Moosavi emphasised the Imam’s role in safeguarding Islam from distortion, noting that his rational and dignified approach in debates set a lasting example for scholars. These debates, often held in Ma’mun’s court and attended by scholars of various faiths, allowed Imam Ridha (a) to demonstrate the depth of Shi’a beliefs and defend the truth of Islam. Many of these discussions were later compiled in the historical collection Majalis al-Ridha.
In the Arabic segment, Hujjat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen Seyed Saeed Khalkhali spoke about the virtues of the Imam and addressed misconceptions about his title. He clarified, through narrations from Imam Muhammad al-Jawad (a), that the title “Ridha” was given because both supporters and opponents were pleased with him—not because of his acceptance of the crown prince position, which he only agreed to under threat of death.
The evening concluded with joyful poetry in praise of the Ahlulbayt (a) and prize-giving for the winners of the Kahoot competition.
