What makes us Shia? - Q&A with Maulana Syed Muhammad Baqir Qazwini

Questions and approximate times: 15:20 - Answering the claim that Shias place too much importance on Symbolism 20:20 - Marjaiyyat is a huge point of contention between Shiism and other sects. Why do we place such an importance on Marjaiyyat while no other sects see it as a necessary part of Islam? 25:40 - What kind of government do Shias support? Democracy or Aristocracy? 31:55 - During these times, when the number of oppressed around the world continues to rise, what can we practically do in the west for our brothers being oppressed worldwide, especially since protests & letters seem to be having little effect? 39:45 - How do we answer the stereotypes that people have of Shias? 46:03 - If we assume that scholars are necessary to oversee a democracy in order to guard against corruption, what sort of safeguards are there to protect against mismanagement by the scholars, who themselves are fallible? Moreover, what sort of selection process is there to select the scholars with oversight power over the government? Finally, how does this mesh with Ayatullah Sayyid Sistani's view (who is by far most followed Marja in Shia world) which is to favour guardianship of a jurist only when that jurist enjoys majority support among constituents (i.e. a full democracy)? 50:10 - Is it haraam for kids to celebrate halloween with friends? [of course not in muharram] and not believing in it? 56:25 - How can we explain feminism to non-muslims from a muslims perspective including the points you covered today? Especially with hijab as not everyone wears hijab and have different views on modesty? KautharWaNahr Muharram 1436 - October 2014