Ramadhan With The Holy Qur’an, 30 Lessons in 30 days
Chapter1
Author(s):
Muhsin Qara'ati [3]
Thirty lessons for youth written as an easy but comprehensive guide throughout the Holy Month of Ramadhan in order to give them a gist of the great religion of Islam and its teachings produced from the words of the Holy Qur’an and exegesis as well as points from traditions and narrations from the Divine Purified Household.
Translator(s):
S.L. Al-Hakim [4]
Category:
General [5]
Youth [6]
Fasting [7]
General [8]
Topic Tags:
Ramadhan [9]
Qur'an [10]
Quran [11]
Ahlul Bayt [12]
Miscellaneous information:
Ramadhan With The Holy Qur’an, 30 Lessons in 30 days By Mohsen Gharaati Translated by S.L. AlHakim ISBN of Translated Book: 978-600-5421-36-1, 2013. Images used compliments of Amin Daryanavart Arts @amindaryanavard on Telegram. For information on Hujjat Al Islam Mohsen Gharaati, please visit http://gharaati.ir/ Translators contact: @SamerHakim on Telegram Islamic Republic of Iran: +98 902 1 505 247 Australia: +61 432 44 11 96
Featured Category:
Introducing Islam [13]
Person Tags:
Prophet Muhammad [14]
14 infallibles [15]
Author's note
All Praise Is To Allah,The Sustainer Of The Worlds, And May Allah’s Blessings Be Upon Mohammad And His Purified Household.
Dear Reader,
Peace Be Upon You
In the Holy Month of Ramadhan, 13921, friends came up with the idea of a small booklet be produced for the Qur’anic Competition that was small, easy to read and understand based on the Exegesis of Noor with some alterations as needed.
The thirty lessons of this booklet, Ramadhan With The Holy Qur’an, has been produced from the words of the Holy Qur’an and exegesis as well as points from traditions and narrations from the Divine Purified Household. We hope that the choices made and summary produced is a step towards being more familiar with the Holy Qur’an and Narrations and be a means of saving your precious time in this fastpaced world.
We wish you all the Allahﷻ accepts your sincerity and give you blessings and accepts your worship and efforts in the Holy Month of Ramadhan and all other months and hope these lines and efforts are appreciated and we ask from all, for I am in need of it, your prayers and supplications.
Mohsen Gharaati
1. July/August 2013
Translator’s Note
In The Name Of Allahﷻ Most Merciful, Compassionate
Thanks to the All Mighty Lord and praise and blessings to the Prophet and his Pure Progeny peace be upon them and may the return of Imam Al-Mahdi(pbuh) Our Savior, be hastened in this troubled world, for surely, the time for his return is soon, although the enemy sees it as far.
Forgiveness is sought for any shortcomings in the translation of this work, firstly from the Merciful Allahﷻ from the Prophet’ and from his Pure Progeny and from the author of the work.
This translation is, first and foremost, dedicated to Syeda Fatima Massooma, Peace and Blessings Upon Her. And my father and mother, whose unwavering support keeps me strong, as well as my brother and sister, and my wife for overviewing the translation.
After over a year of working slowly but surely, this translation has finally come to an end as the second translation of a series of booklets published by the author. His works are easy to understand and answer some complex questions in a simple manner, bringing to light to the youth the essence of faith in a bite sized format that’s easy to swallow.
We hope this translation reflects those efforts, and we ask for your prayers.
S.L. Al-Hakim
Tuesday, 24 October 2017
Lesson 1: Ramadhan
A Month Hosted By Allah
ِنﺎَﻗﺮُﻔْﻟٱو ﱝَﺪﻬْﻟٱ ﻦﻣ ٍﺖَٰﻨِﻴﺑو ِسﺎﻨﻠّﻟ ىًﺪﻫ ُناءﺮُﻘْﻟٱ ﻪﻴﻓ لِﺰﻧا ىِﺬﻟٱ َنﺎﻀﻣر ﺮﻬَﺷ}
مﺎﻳا ﻦﻣ ٌةﺪﻌَﻓ ٍﺮَﻔﺳ َﻠﻋ وا ﺎﻀﻳِﺮﻣ َنﺎﻛ ﻦﻣو ﻪﻤﺼﻴْﻠَﻓ ﺮﻬﺸﻟٱ ﻢﻨﻣ َﺪِﻬَﺷ ﻦﻤَﻓ
ﺎﻣ َﻠﻋ ﻪﻟٱ اوﺮِﺒُﺘﻟو َةﺪﻌْﻟٱ اﻮُﻠﻤُﺘﻟو ﺮﺴﻌْﻟٱ ﻢِﺑ ُﺪﻳِﺮﻳ و ﺮﺴﻴْﻟٱ ﻢِﺑ ﻪﻟٱ ُﺪﻳِﺮﻳ ﺮَﺧا
{َنوﺮْﺸَﺗ ﻢﱠﻠﻌَﻟو ﻢﯨَﺪﻫ
“The month of Ramadhan, wherein the Holy Qur’an was sent down to be a guidance to the people, and as clear signs of the Guidance and the Salvation. So let those of you, who are present at the month, fast it; and if any of you be sick, or if he be on a journey, then a number of other days; God desires ease for you, and desires not hardship for you; and that you fulfil the number, and magnify God that He has guided you, and haply you will be thankful.” (Surah Al Baqarah 2:185).
Ramadhan is a word that comes from the root word "ﺾﻣر" which means to burn, but a burning which is not accompanied by smoke and ash. The reason for this name is that in the month of Ramadhan, the sins of mankind are burnt and destroyed.
The month of Ramadhan is the month in which the Holy Qur’an was sent down and is the only month that has been named in the Holy Qur’an. The Night of Qadr (commonly translated to the Night of Power) is also in this month. The Prophet said that “All of the divine books were sent down during the month of Ramadhan, the best of Allah’sﷻ months”.1 On the last Friday in the month of Sha’ban (the month before Ramadhan), a detailed speech was delivered by the Prophet regarding the significance of the month of Ramadhan which is made available to us through some of the commentaries of the Holy Qur’an and through books of narrations. Also in the Sahifa Sajjadia, Imam Sajjad (pbuh) greets this Holy Month with a supplication and farewells it with a heart wrenching supplication.
In Ramadhan, believers are invited as guests to hosted by Allah (Swt) with the following Ayah of the Qur’an:
ﻢﱠﻠﻌَﻟ ﻢﻠﺒَﻗ ﻦﻣ ﻦﻳِﺬﻟا َﻠﻋ ﺐﺘﻛ ﺎﻤﻛ مﺎﻴﺼﻟا ﻢﻴَﻠﻋ ﺐﺘﻛ اﻮُﻨﻣآ ﻦﻳِﺬﻟا ﺎﻬﻳا ﺎﻳ}
{َنﻮُﻘﺘَﺗ
O believers, prescribed for you is the Fast, even as it was prescribed for those that were before you - haply you will be Godfearing – Surah Al Baqarah 2:183
And this invitation has the following special characteristics:
1. The host is Allah (swt) and the guests have been personally invited.
2. The reception is made up of the Night of Qadr, the sending of the Holy Qur’an, the landing of the Angels, the answers to supplications, the beneficence of the soul, and to be distanced from the Hell-fire. 3. The time and duration of the reception is the month of Ramadhan, which according to narrations, the first of which is mercy, the middle of which is forgiveness, and the conclusion of which is reward.
4. The way the guests are greeted in the Night of Power is one guarantees the provisions for guests for the one year and the earth is decorated with the descending of the Angels to it.
5. The food served in this month is nutrition for the soul which is needed for spiritual growth, not food for the body. The benefit of the food of this month, which are the Ayahs of the Holy Qur’an for which the recitation of one Ayah in the month of Ramadhan, is equivalent to the recitation of the entire Holy Qur’an during other months.
This invitation cannot be compared to or be likened to any worldly invitation; the All Knowledgeable, Needless, Creator, Everlasting, Beloved, Exalted, is the host for mankind who are ignorant, poor, perishable, created, servile and needy.
In Wasa’il Al Shia2, in detailed narrations of the characteristics of a fasting person, we read “A fasting person must avoid lying, sin, dispute, jealousy, back biting, opposing the truth, swearing, blaming, anger, sarcasm, oppression, abusing people, neglect, being social with those who sin, slander and gossip, eating non-permissible things, while paying special attention with regards to prayers, patience, truthfulness and being in constant remembrance of the Day of Resurrection”.
Conditions of entry in to the reception is not only the withstanding of hunger. We read in narrations “anyone who does not obey the Divine Guide in relation to personal and family matters, behaves badly and without mercy with their spouse, and/or refuses legitimate means of obtaining their needs or wants,
and/or if the parents are not happy with them, the fasting of that person is not accepted nor have the conditions of being a guest been fulfilled.
The value of Ramadhan, is with the descending of the Holy Qur’an. The worth of the human can also come with some penetration of the Holy Qur’an inside them.
The Sermon of Sha’ban
Imam Ali (pbuh) narrates that the Prophet (pbuh), on the last Friday of Sha’ban3, gave a speech in which after he Praised Allah (swt), he stated4:
“O People !
“Indeed ahead of you is the blessed month of Allah. A month of blessing, mercy and forgiveness. A month which with Allah is the best of months. Its days, the best of days, its nights, the best of nights, and its hours, the best of hours. It is the month which invites you to be the guests of Allah and invites you to be one of those near to Him. Each breath you take glorifies him; your sleep is worship, your deeds are accepted and your supplications are answered.
So, ask Allah, your Lord; to give you a sound body and an enlightened heart so you may be able to fast and recite his book, for only he is unhappy who is devoid of Allah’s forgiveness during this great month. Remember the hunger and thirst of the day of Qiyamah (Judgement) with your hunger and thirst; give alms to the needy and poor, honor your old, show kindness to the young ones, maintain relations with your blood relations; guard your tongues, close your eyes to that which is not permissible for your sight, close your ears to that which is forbidden to hear, show compassion to the orphans of people so compassion may be shown to your orphans.
Repent to Allah for your sins and raise your hands in dua during these times, for they are the best of times and Allah looks towards his creatures with kindness, replying to them during the hours and granting their needs if he is asked...
“O People! Indeed your souls are dependent on your deeds, free it with Istighfar (repentance) lighten its loads by long prostrations; and know that Allah swears by his might: That there is no punishment for the one who prays and prostrates and he shall have no fear of the fire on the day when man stands before the Lord of the worlds.
“O People! One who gives Iftaar to a fasting person during this month will be like one who has freed someone and his past sins will be forgiven.
Some of the people who were there then asked the Prophet (s): “Not all of us are able to invite those who are fasting?”
The Prophet (s) replied: “Allah gives this reward even if the Iftaar (meal) is a drink of water.”
“One who has good morals (Akhlaq) during this month will be able to pass the ‘Siraat’...on the day that feet will slip...
“One who covers the faults of others will benefit in that Allah will curb His anger on the day of Judgement...
“As for one who honors an orphan; Allah will honor him on the day of judgement,
“And for the one who spreads his kindness, Allah will spread His mercy over him on the day of Judgement.
“As for the one who cuts the ties of relation; Allah will cut His mercy from him...
“Who so ever performs a recommended prayer in this month Allah will keep the fire of Hell away from him...
“Whoever performs an obligatory prayer Allah will reward him with seventy prayers [worth] in this month. “And who so ever prays a lot during this month will have his load lightened on the day of measure.
“He who recites one verse of the Holy Qur’an will be given the rewards of reciting the hole Holy Qur’an during other months.
“O People! Indeed during this month the doors of heaven are open, therefore ask Allah not to close them for you; The doors of hell are closed, so ask Allah to keep them closed for you. During this month Shaytan (Saten) is imprisoned so ask your Lord not to let him have power over you.”
Imam Ali then asked the Prophet(pbuh) what the best deed is for this Holy Month? To which the Prophet replied – Oh Abu Al-Hassan, the best deed is Taqwa (the love of and fear from Allah (swt) and abstaining from that which has been forbidden by Him. After his response, the Prophet started crying, and when Imam Ali (pbuh) asked why… the Prophet(pbuh) replied: Oh Ali, I can see what will happen to you during this Holy Month, while you pray, the most wretched will strike you on the head and your beard will be coloured by the blood of your head. Imam Ali (pbuh) asked if his religion at that point will be protected?
The Prophet (pbuh) replied affirmatively, adding:
“Oh Ali, whoever kills you will have killed me, and whoever angers you will have angered me, and
whoever becomes your enemy will have become my enemy. That’s because you are from me, your soul is from my soul and your presence is from my presence”
Of course, we must monitor ourselves to be sure to supplicate, worship in an appropriate manner and without causing a racket, nor be bad mannered towards family and friends or be wasteful or extravagant, unjust as guests and during the breakfast (after a long day fast), so that not only will we reap no rewards from our fast but we will have committed a heavier sin.
----------
1. (Al Burhan - نآ ﺮﻘﻟا ﺮﻴﺴﻔﺗ ﻓ نﺎﻫﺮﺒﻟا)
2. ( Wasa'il Al Shia ﺔﻌﻴﺸﻟا ﻞﺋﺎﺳو )
3. The lunar month just before the Holy Month of Ramadhan.
4. Translation compliments of Al-Islam.org, Supplications for the Month of Ramadhan. Available from http://www.al-islam.org/supplications-month-ramadhan/sermon-given-prophe... [16], date cited 01/02/16.
Lesson 2: Fasting
Effects and Blessings of Fasting
ﻢﱠﻠﻌَﻟ ﻢﻠﺒَﻗ ﻦﻣ ﻦﻳِﺬﱠﻟا َﻠﻋ ﺐﺘﻛ ﺎﻤﻛ مﺎﻴﺼﻟا ﻢﻴَﻠﻋ ﺐﺘﻛ اﻮُﻨﻣآ ﻦﻳِﺬﱠﻟا ﺎﻬﻳا ﺎﻳ} {َنﻮُﻘﱠﺘَﺗ
O believers, prescribed for you is the Fast, even as it was prescribed for those that were before you - haply you will be god-fearing (Al Baqarah 2:183).
“Taqwa” is with the meaning of holding yourself back from sin. Most sin originate from two sources; anger and desire, and fasting controls those two instincts and so reduces corruption and adds to “Taqwa”.
God consciousness and the fear of God, or Taqwa, is the most important externally apparent and internally hidden result of fasting.
Fasting is the sole worship which can go unnoticed and hidden from others. Prayer, pilgrimage, Jihad (religious struggle), Islamic Tax (Zakat)1 and khums2 can all be seen by others, but fasting is not something that can be seen. Fasting strengthens the will of human beings.
Someone who for one month can refrain from bread and water and their spouse, can control themselves with respect to the property and chastity of others. Fasting is the cause of strengthening the feeling of kindness. Someone who for one month has tasted hunger and thirst, can feel the pain and understand the difficulty and struggle of hunger.
The Prophet (pbuh) stated that fasting is half of patience.
The fasting of the general population is that of the abstaining of bread, drink and spouse, however amongst the more noble, along with the abstinence of the items which break a fast, necessary is also the abstinence from sin, and the fast of those who are the noblest of the noble is not only abstinence of the items which break a fast, abstinence from sin, but also emptying the heart from everything but Allah (swt). Fasting makes people like angels, angels that are far off from eating, drinking, and desires.
The Prophet’ stated that anyone who fasts for the sake of Allah (swt), their entire sins will be forgiven. In the Holy Narration it is also stated that Allah (swt) stated
ﻪﺑ یﺰﺟأ ﺎﻧأو ﻟ مﻮﺼﻟا
Fasting is for Me and I will reward for it.3
The importance of fasting is so much so that many of the rewards of worship in narrations are equated
to the reward of observing fast. Although fasting was also prescribed for many nations before, the fasting of the Month of Ramadhan was specific to Prophets, and only became obligatory upon all with the Nation of Islam.
It has been narrated from the Prophet that he stated that for everything there is an Islamic Tax (Zakat), and the Islamic Tax (Zakat) of the body is fasting.4
Etiquette And Conditions Of Observing Fast
ﻠﻋ و ﺮَﺧا مﺎﻳا ﻦﻣ ٌةﱠﺪﻌَﻓ ٍﺮَﻔﺳ ﻠﻋ وا ﺎﻀﻳِﺮﻣ ﻢﻨﻣ َنَﺎﻛ ﻦﻤَﻓ ٍتادوُﺪﻌﻣ ﺎﻣﺎﻳا} ْاﻮﻣﻮﺼَﺗ نا و ﻪﱠﻟ ﺮﻴَﺧ ﻮﻬَﻓ ًاﺮﻴَﺧ َعﻮَﻄَﺗ ﻦﻤَﻓ ﻦﻴﺴﻣ مﺎﻌَﻃ ٌﺔﻳْﺪﻓ ﻪَﻧﻮُﻘﻴﻄﻳ ﻦﻳِﺬﱠﻟا {َنﻮﻤَﻠﻌَﺗ ﻢُﺘﻨﻛ نا ﻢﱠﻟ ﺮﻴَﺧ
for days numbered; and if any of you be sick, or if he be on a journey, then a number of other days; and for those who are able to fast, a redemption by feeding a poor man. Yet better it is for him who volunteers good, and that you should fast is better for you, if you but know. (Al Baqarah2:184)
Islam has a suitable law for every person and under every condition. In this Ayah, the law for those who are travelling, or are ill, and are able bodied have been clarified. If under certain conditions one is unable to fast, they must compensate for that fast on another occasion so that they may enjoy the benefits of fasting.
Surrendering to the Divine Laws has its merit. If the rule of observing fast is given, a fast must be observed and if the command is to break the fast, the fast must be broken. In Tafsir Majma’ Al Bayan ((نآ ﺮﻘﻟا ﺮﻴﺴﻔﺗ ﻓ نﺎﻴﺒﻟا ﻊﻤﺠﻣ it has been narrated that a group of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) maintained their fast while travelling and did not desire to break it. The Prophet identified them as sinners. Imam Sadiq(pbuh) stated that if someone observes a fast during travel, I will not be praying upon his body the prayer of the deceased5.
In any case, if the traveler or the sick observes a fast it is considered void and it must be compensated for later.6
Imam Sadi(pbuh) stated even if the mother is concerned about her breastmilk for her child, she must break her fast and this is a symbol of the kindness of Allah7.ﷻ
Breaking The Fast
The Prophet’ stated that anyone who provides for others food or water to breakfast (after fasting) purchased with halal income, will have praise sent for them every hour by angels and on the Night of Power by Archangel Jibrael.8
Breaking the fast is one form of worship provided it is with purity and intention is solely for nearness to Allahﷻ
ﻪـﱠﻠﻟا ﻪﺟﻮﻟ ﻢﻤﻌْﻄُﻧ ﺎﻤﱠﻧا
We feed you only for the Face (sake) of God. (Al Insan 76:9)
Providing breakfast to believers according to Imam Sadiq(pbuh) is like the Night Prayer which is a cause of salvation and prosperity.
مﺎﻌﻄﻟا مﺎﻌﻃإ تﺎﻴﺠﻨﻤﻟا
Providing breakfast is a kind of honour and instilling happiness to believers.
Providing breakfast is a cause for softening of the heart, maintaining familial relations, cause for the removal of grudges and hypocrisy.
Providing breakfast is a source of forgiveness for oneself and family, and source of benefit and goodness to parents.
Providing breakfast is a vehicle for invitation and showing the right path and guidance.
The aim of providing breakfast must not be showing off.
The invitation to breakfast must not be only for the rich and those with status and position.
The dining table must not be one of crime or sin or despise and backbiting or provocation.
It must not be disrespectful and without manners and the guests not be greeted with contempt.
It must not be so decorated and beautified, vying with each other and competing with each other, and be conducted with jealousy.
It must not be accompanied with illogical remarks and harassment of the spouse and family and others. It is narrated that the reward of one who provides breakfast to those who have observed the fast is like the reward of the have observed the fast.
----------
1. Islamic Tax
2. Religiously compulsory charity on earnings in excess of one’s necessary expenditure.
3. (Tafsir Maraghi - ﻏا ﺮﻤﻟا ﺮﻴﺴﻔﺗ)
4. (Bihar Al Anwar راﻮﻧﻷا رﺎﺤﺑ ) V60 P380
5. Similar to requiem prayer.
6. (Tafsīr Nūr al-Thaqalayn - ﻦـﻴـﻠـﻘـﺜـﻟا رﻮـﻧ ﺮـﻴـﺴـﻔـﺗ )
7. (Al Burhan - نآ ﺮﻘﻟا ﺮﻴﺴﻔﺗ ﻓ نﺎﻫﺮﺒﻟا)
8. (Kanz Ul Amal - لﺎﻤﻌﻟا ﺰﻨﻛ ) V8 P459
Lesson 3: Contemplation in The Holy Qur’an
Complaint from The Forlorn Holy Qur’an
{ارﻮﺠﻬﻣ َنآﺮُﻘْﻟا اَﺬٰـﻫ اوُﺬَﺨﱠﺗا ﻣﻮَﻗ ﱠنا ِبر ﺎﻳ لﻮﺳﺮﻟا لﺎَﻗو}
The Messenger says, 'O my Lord, behold, my people have taken this Holy Qur’an as a thing to be shunned.'(Furqan, 25:30)
“Forlorn” or “Shun” includes the separation by deed, body, tongue, and heart. So the connection of man with the Heavenly Book must be constant and under all circumstances, that’s why the term “Hijr”, translated as shunning, is used where there is a connection between a thing and mankind. Therefore, we must struggle from all angles until the Holy Qur’an is brought out of the state of being shunned and the Holy Qur’an is made to be the pivotal point of all dimensions of our practical and scientific life until such time as the satisfaction of the Prophet is attained. Not reciting the Holy Qur’an, preferring anything but the Holy Qur’an, not using it as our pivot, not contemplating in it, not teaching it to others and not applying the Holy Qur’an in practice, form the evidences of the shunning of the Holy Qur’an. Even if someone acquires the Holy Qur’an but then puts it aside and not look at it nor commit to it, is another form and evidence of shunning the Holy Qur’an. This Ayah is a statement of great sorrow and distress from the Prophet, although because he is a mercy to all the worlds, he would therefore not curse. Yet in the day of judgement the Prophet will be one of those complaining against us. And so the shunning of the Holy Qur’an, the great sorrow of the Prophet and our responsibility is definite and simply reading the Holy Qur’an on the surface of it is not enough, but rather what is required is bring the Holy Qur’an out of this state. Imam Redha (pbuh) states that the reason we recite the Holy Qur’an in our daily prayers is to bring the Holy Qur’an out of the state of being shunned. He also advices us to recite fifty Ayahs of the Holy Qur’an every day and our aim should not be to simply reach the end of the Surah, we should read tranquilly and our hearts are to take refuge in the recitation of the Holy Qur’an, and where ever our hearts are troubled, such is if in the darkness of the night we are attacked, we should take shelter with the Holy Qur’an.1 Here, we narrate some of the commentaries by the greats on the issue of the forlorn Holy Qur’an: A) Mulla Sadra, in his introduction to the commentary on Surah Al-Waqia’a (Surah 56), says; So much research was conducted in to books written by sages that I was of the opinion that I became somebody, however, after just a little insight, I saw myself as empty of true knowledge. Towards the end of my life my thoughts went towards contemplation of the Holy Qur’an and the narrations of Mohammad PBUH
and his Purified Household. I was certain that my work was baseless, as my whole life was spent standing in the shadows instead of in the light. From sorrow, my soul caught on fire and my heart was in f lames, until the divine mercy caught my hand and lead me to the secrets of the Holy Qur’an and I started contemplating and commentating on the Holy Qur’an, I knocked hard on the door of the house of inspiration, the door opened and the curtain moved aside and I saw the angels say to me “Peace be upon you all, you have all been blessed, so enter it for eternity”. B) Faidh Kashani said: I have written books and letters, I have researched, yet I have not find a single cure for the pain I have and found the water for my thirst to be evasive, I feared for myself and ran towards Allahﷻ, begging for guidance through in depth understanding of the Holy Qur’an and narrations. C) Imam Khomeini showed regret in one of his speeches for not spending his entire life in the way of the Holy Qur’an and advised Islamic Seminaries and students to place the Holy Qur’an in all of its dimensions as the highest goal to head towards lest the end of our life be met with regret with regards to how our youth was spent.
The Necessity For Contemplation In The Holy Qur’an
{بﺎﺒْﻟا ﻮُﻟوا ﺮﻛَﺬَﺘﻴﻟو ﻪﺗﺎﻳآ اوﺮﺑﱠﺪﻴّﻟ ٌکرﺎﺒﻣ َﻚﻴَﻟا هﺎَﻨْﻟﺰﻧا بﺎَﺘﻛ}
The Necessity For Contemplation In The Holy Qur’an {بﺎﺒْﻟا ﻮُﻟوا ﺮﻛَﺬَﺘﻴﻟو ﻪﺗﺎﻳآ اوﺮﺑﱠﺪﻴّﻟ ٌکرﺎﺒﻣ َﻚﻴَﻟا
A Book We have sent down to thee, Blessed, that men possessed of minds may ponder its signs and so remember. (Saad 38:29)
The image of the Holy Qur’an in this Ayah has been drawn in the following way: a) The text of it has been written - بﺎَﺘﻛ (A Book). b) Sourced from the Divine Revelation and Infinite Knowledge - هﺎَﻨْﻟﺰﻧا (We have sent down). c) The recipient is Divinely Guided – َﻚﻴَﻟا (to thee). d) Its content is full of blessing – ٌکرﺎﺒﻣ (Blessed). e) The aim of it being sent is to contemplate – اوﺮﺑﱠﺪﻴّﻟ (may ponder). f) Knowledge, awareness and to learn the points with in it are necessary first steps in the spiritual journey and being closer towards Allahﺮﻛَﺬَﺘﻴﻟو – ﷻ (and so remember). g) Wise is the one who succeeds in achieving this. Therefore, contemplation in the Holy Qur’an is considered to be of the highest significance, because:
One who does not contemplate the Ayahs of the Holy Qur’an is deserving of Divine humiliation. {ﺎﻬُﻟﺎَﻔْﻗا ٍبﻮُﻠُﻗ َﻠﻋ ما َنآﺮُﻘْﻟا َنوﺮﺑَﺪَﺘﻳ ََﻓا}
What, do they not ponder the Holy Qur’an? Or is it that there are locks upon their hearts? (Muhammad 47:24)
From the point of view of the Qur’an, a spiritual scholar is someone whose concern is to learn and teach the Qur’an.
{َنﻮﺳرْﺪَﺗ ﻢُﺘﻨﻛ ﺎﻤِﺑو بﺎَﺘْﻟا َنﻮﻤّﻠﻌُﺗ ﻢُﺘﻨﻛ ﺎﻤِﺑ ﻦﻴِﻴﻧﺎﺑر اﻮُﻧﻮﻛ}
Be you masters in that you know the Book, and in that you study (Al Emraan 3:79).
Imam Ali (pbuh), with regards to the infinite concepts and lessons of the Holy Qur’an, states
هﺮﻌﻗ کرﺪﻳ ﻻ ﺮﺤﺑ
The Holy Qur’an is a sea for which its bottom can never by understood. Usually, over a period of time, the sayings and writings of an individual changes and evolves and contradictions may occur. However, over twenty-three years of revelation, under a multitude of circumstances such as war and peace, fame and exile, strength and weakness, ups and downs, from one who himself never went to learn, there was never a contradiction nor any evolution or change, reason being that these words are from Allahﷻ and not taught by mankind. So the Holy Qur’an cautions:
{اﺮﻴﺜﻛ ﺎًﻓَﺘْﺧا ﻪﻴﻓ اوُﺪﺟﻮَﻟ ﻪـﱠﻠﻟا ِﺮﻴَﻏ ِﺪﻨﻋ ﻦﻣ َنﺎﻛ ﻮَﻟو َنآﺮُﻘْﻟا َنوﺮﺑَﺪَﺘﻳ ََﻓا}
What, do they not ponder the Holy Qur’an? If it had been from other than God surely they would have found in it much inconsistency. (An Nissa 4:82)
Why is it the Holy Qur’an is not contemplated over? Where had it been from a source other than from Allahﷻ, there would have been definitely many contradictions.
The order to contemplate over the Holy Qur’an is for everyone and for every era and generation, clear through the fact that every thinker from every era, will arrive at new points from it. With a little attention in the Ayah, we can benefit from some beautiful points: 1. No thinking in the Holy Qur’an is a cause for Divine reproach and taunt. 2. Contemplation in the Holy Qur’an is a curative medicine for hypocrisy. 3. The way to Islamic orientation and Holy Qur’an is to think and contemplate, not imitation. 4. The Holy Qur’an has called for all to contemplate and to understand the lessons being taught in it. 5. The thought that with in the Holy Qur’an there are contradictions and differences are a result of shallow anxiety and lack of contemplation and attention to detail. 6. The fact that there are no contradictions with in the Holy Qur’an and the single voice in which the Holy Qur’an is said, is a sign that its source is one that is not changeable. This is because anything that is from Allahﷻ is the Truth and Constant and is far from any contradiction, contrast and possibility of being scattered
----------
1. (Tafsīr Nūr al-Thaqalayn - ﻦـﻴـﻠـﻘـﺜـﻟا رﻮـﻧ ﺮـﻴـﺴـﻔـﺗ )
Lesson 4: Points About The Qur’an
ﻦﻳِرِﺬﻨﻣ ﺎﱠﻨﻛ ﺎﱠﻧا ﺔﻛرﺎﺒﻣ ﺔَﻠﻴَﻟ ﻓ هﺎَﻨْﻟﺰﻧا ﺎﱠﻧا
We have sent it down in a blessed night (Ad Dukhan 44:3).
The Holy Qur’an is blessed from all aspects. From the point of view of: 1. Who sent it down:
َنﺎَﻗﺮُﻔْﻟا لﺰَﻧ یِﺬﱠﻟا َکرﺎﺒَﺗ
(Blessed be He who has sent down the Salvation. Furqan 25:1). 2. Where it was sent down:
ﺎﻛرﺎﺒﻣ َﺔﺒِﺑ
(at Bekka, a place holy. Al Imraan 3:96).
3. When it was sent down:
ﺔﻛرﺎﺒﻣ ﺔَﻠﻴَﻟ ﻓ
(in a blessed night. Dukhan 44:3). 4. Its content and text:
ٌکرﺎﺒﻣ َﻚﻴَﻟا هﺎَﻨْﻟﺰﻧا بﺎَﺘﻛ
(A Book We have sent down to thee, Blessed. Saad 38:29).
A Book With Dignity ِ
بر ﻦﻣ ﻞﻳِﺰﻨَﺗ َنوﺮﻬَﻄﻤْﻟا ا ﻪﺴﻤﻳ ٍنﻮُﻨﻣ ٍبﺎَﺘﻛ ﻓ ﻢﻳِﺮﻛ ٌنآﺮُﻘَﻟ ﻪﱠﻧا} {ﻦﻴﻤَﻟﺎﻌْﻟا
It is surely a noble Holy Qur’an, in a hidden Book, none but the purified shall touch, a sending down from the Lord of all Being. (Waqi’a 56:77-80). In the Qur’an, Allahﷻ and anything associated with it is described as ﻢﻳﺮﻛ which means “with dignity, generous, kind, noble, honourable etc”. 1. The Lord is generous:
ﻢﻳِﺮْﻟا َﻚِﺑﺮِﺑ َکﺮَﻏ ﺎﻣ ُنﺎﺴﻧا ﺎﻬﻳا ﺎﻳ
(O Man! What deceived thee as to thy generous Lord. Infitaar 82:6). 2. The Holy Qur’an is noble: ﻢﻳِﺮﻛ ٌنآﺮُﻘَﻟ ﻪﱠﻧا
(Waqi’a 56:77). 3. The Messenger is noble:
ﻢﻳِﺮﻛ لﻮﺳر ﻢﻫءﺎﺟو
(and a noble Messenger came unto them. Dukhan 44:17). 4. The medium in which the Holy Qur’an was sent through, (Archangel Jibrael), is noble:
{ﻢﻳِﺮﻛ ٍلﻮﺳر لﻮَﻘَﻟ ﻪﱠﻧا}
Truly this is the word of a noble Messenger. (Takweer 81:19). The human being is also addressed as the best of God’s creation, a recipient of nobility. {مدآ ﻨﺑ ﺎﻨﻣﺮﮐ ﺪﻘﻟ و} We have honoured the sons of Adam (Al Isra 17:70).
And Imam Ali(pbuh) in speech number 152 of Nahjul Balagha, states the Purified Household are the dignitaries of the Qur’an.
نآﺮﻘﻟا ﻢﺋا ﺮﮐ
Yes, the Holy Qur’an is the key to honor and nobility of an individual and society. Looking at it, reciting it and memorizing it (with preservation), contemplating in it and seeking advice from it, is a source of growth and honor for mankind. For it is certainly a Noble Qur’an.
Some of the distinctions this infinitely and everlasting miraculous Holy Qur’an have been described in Tafseer Nur under Ayah 38 of Surah Yunus as follows:
1. The assertion of big lessons in small words: For example with regards to man and women, the Holy Qur’an states
{ﻦﻬﻟ سﺎﺒﻟ ﻢُﺘﻧاو ﻢﱠﻟ سﺎﺒﻟ ﻦﻫ}
They are a vestment for you, and you are a vestment for them. (Al Baqarah 2:187).
And to indicate the weakness of everything other than that of Divine Strength, it uses the simile of the spiders’ house. Or like the inability of anyone to be able to create even a single fly:
{ﺎﺑﺎﺑُذ اﻮُﻘُﻠْﺨﻳ ﻦَﻟ}
Shall never create a fly (Al Hajj 22:73).
2. The sweetness of the statements and its profound influence: Even if read a thousand times over, it never grows old, on the contrary, every time it is read, a new point can be obtained.
3. The musical tone of the words: The reverberations and the tone of the words is unique and if an Ayah of the Holy Qur’an is stated amongst a speech or among narrations, the Ayah stands out on its own and is easily identifiable.
4. The comprehensive of the Qur’an: With in the Holy Qur’an there is everything from clear evidence through to parables, from this world to the afterlife, from issues of family, rights, political, military, through to morality, history and more…
5. Its realities: The contents of the Holy Qur’an are not based upon guesswork and opinion. Even its stories are based on realities.
6. For all obstacles and conditions: People of all classes and in all places can take benefit from it and the Holy Qur’an is not a specialized book.
7. Everlasting and Eternal: The more that one’s life passes and knowledge is gained, more of the secrets of the Holy Qur’an are revealed.
8. Stimulant for growth: Despite having many enemies and having been attacked so much, it has grown stronger throughout its life.
9. A miracle in the hand: This is a miracle that is in the hands of all and is the kind of literature that is available to everyone.
10. It is a book of preaching as well as a book of laws and regulations.
11. It has come from one who did not study and from an area that was deprived of literacy.
12. Nothing has been added to it nor anything taken away from it, and is immune from all alteration.
13. The source of healing and mercy. The Doctor of this medicine not only knows us, but also loves us and the result of the prescription is eternal, without any parallel or anything like it.
The Miracle of The Holy Qur’an
ﻦﻣ ﻢُﺘﻌَﻄَﺘﺳا ﻦﻣ اﻮﻋداو ٍتﺎﻳﺮَﺘْﻔﻣ ﻪﻠْﺜﻣ ٍرﻮﺳ ِﺮْﺸﻌِﺑ اﻮُﺗﺎَﻓ ﻞُﻗ هاﺮَﺘْﻓا َنﻮُﻟﻮُﻘﻳ ما}
{ﻦﻴﻗِدﺎﺻ ﻢُﺘﻨﻛ نا ﻪـﻠﻟا ِنود
Or they may say, "He forged it," Say, "Bring ye then ten surahs forged, like unto it, and call (to your aid) whomsoever ye can, other than Allahﷻ! - If ye speak the truth! (Hud 11:13)
The Holy Qur’an is not only a miracle with regards to its eloquence and its delivery of the message, but also is its lessons, sermons, proofs, news of the unseen and its laws are all miracles, and so the sentence
{ﻢُﺘﻌَﻄَﺘﺳا ﻦﻣ اﻮﻋداو}
and call (to your aid) anyone you can…
is a call to all of mankind, not only to the Arabs who understand the eloquence and the message of the Holy Qur’an. Likewise, in another Ayah the Holy Qur’an states:
ﻪﻠْﺜﻤِﺑ َنﻮُﺗﺎﻳ ِنآﺮُﻘْﻟا اَﺬٰـﻫ ﻞْﺜﻤِﺑ اﻮُﺗﺎﻳ نا َﻠﻋ ﻦِﺠْﻟاو ﺲﻧا ِﺖﻌﻤَﺘﺟا ﻦﺌﻟ ﻞُﻗ}
{اﺮﻴِﻬَﻇ ٍﺾﻌﺒﻟ ﻢﻬﻀﻌﺑ َنﺎﻛ ﻮَﻟو
Say: "If the whole of mankind and Jinns were to gather together to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and support. (Al-Israa 17:88)
There are many sides to the miracles of the Qur’an: the pleasance and sweetness of the in recitation of the words, the uniformity of its content despite its revelation over 23 years, the exposition of scientific facts that were until that time unknown to mankind, the foretelling of events that letter occurred, news of civilization in history long gone that no longer have any traces left behind, the delivery of complete and comprehensive instructions in all aspects of individual and social life of mankind, remaining far from any form of distortion, any change, aging, and the continuation of the guarantee against it being forgotten. But with all the concessions and all the incentives, mankind remains feeble. In one place the Holy Qur’an states
{ِنآﺮُﻘْﻟا اَﺬٰـﻫ ﻞْﺜﻤِﺑ اﻮُﺗﺎﻳ نا}
To gather together to produce the like of this Holy Qur’an (Al-Isra 17:88)
And in another Ayah, it eases the challenge to producing just ten ayahs like that of the Qur’ans, and elsewhere, a further easing to just one Surah:
{ﻪﻠْﺜﻣ ﻦﻣ ةرﻮﺴِﺑ اﻮُﺗﺎَﻓ}
Then produce a Surah like thereunto (Al Baqarah 2:23).
In addition to reducing these challenges, there are also various instigations included. Such as the Ayah that states even if all the men and Jinn come together, they cannot meet the challenge. And elsewhere, summon all the mind power on earth, and you all can still not produce anything like the Qur’an.
History has proven that despite all the wars by the enemy against Islam, and with all the conspiracies, they have not been able to bring a single surah like that of the Qur’an. Is a miracle anything other than this?
The Distinction Of Qur’anic Stories
ﻦﻣ ﺖﻨﻛ ناو َنآﺮُﻘْﻟا اَﺬٰـﻫ َﻚﻴَﻟا ﺎَﻨﻴﺣوا ﺎﻤِﺑ ِﺺﺼَﻘْﻟا ﻦﺴﺣا َﻚﻴَﻠﻋ ﺺُﻘَﻧ ﻦﺤَﻧ}
{ﻦﻴﻠﻓﺎَﻐْﻟا ﻦﻤَﻟ ﻪﻠﺒَﻗ
We will relate to thee the fairest of stories in that We have revealed to thee this Holy Qur’an, though before it thou wast one of the heedless. (Yusuf 10:3)
The distinction of Qur’anic stories over others include:
1. Stories narrated by Allahﷻ – “We will relate”
2. They have a goal –
{َکداﻮُﻓ ﻪِﺑ ﺖِﺒَﺜُﻧ ﺎﻣ ﻞﺳﺮﻟا ءﺎﺒﻧا ﻦﻣ َﻚﻴَﻠﻋ ﺺُﻘﻧ}
We relate to thee of the tidings of the Messengers is that whereby We strengthen thy heart. )Hud 11:120).
3. They are fact, not fiction –
{ﻖﺤْﻟﺎِﺑ ﻢﻫﺎﺒَﻧ َﻚﻴَﻠﻋ ﺺُﻘَﻧ}
relate to thee their tidings truly (Al Kahf 18:13).
4. Based on science, not conjecture –
{ﻢْﻠﻌِﺑ ﻢِﻬﻴَﻠﻋ ﻦﺼُﻘَﻨَﻠَﻓ}
We shall relate to them with knowledge
(Al Araaf 7:7).
5. A tool of contemplation, not stupefaction –
{َنوﺮَﻔَﺘﻳ ﻢﻬﻠﻌَﻟ ﺺﺼَﻘْﻟا ِﺺﺼْﻗﺎَﻓ}
So relate the story; haply they will reflect (Al Araaf 7:176).
6. A tool of education, not entertainment.
{ٌةﺮﺒﻋ ﻢِﻬﺼﺼَﻗ ﻓ َنﺎﻛ ْﺪَﻘَﻟ}
In their stories is surely a lesson (Yusuf 12:111).
Variety of Reciters of The Holy Qur’an
{َنﻮﻤﺣﺮُﺗ ﻢﱠﻠﻌَﻟ اﻮُﺘﺼﻧاو ﻪَﻟ اﻮﻌﻤَﺘﺳﺎَﻓ ُنآﺮُﻘْﻟا ىِﺮُﻗ اَذاو}
And when the Holy Qur’an is recited, give you ear to it and be silent; haply so you will find mercy. (Al Araaf 7:204)
Imam Baqir (pbuh) states that there are three groups of reciters of the Qur’an:
• A group that consider the Holy Qur’an a form of earning income and work and to pay for their living expenses, impose upon others this expectation.
• A group that only bring to life the Holy Qur’an through their tongue but with regards to practical application, do not care for its laws.
• And a group that have recited the Holy Qur’an and know it as medicine for their pain and are intimate with the Qur’an, and Allahﷻ will with this medium protect these individuals from torment and for their sake will cause rain to fall, and such people are very
----------
rare.1
1. (Al Kafi ) V2 P627
Lesson 5: Supplication
The Importance of Supplication
{ﺎﻣاﺰﻟ ُنﻮﻳ فﻮﺴَﻓ ﻢُﺘﺑﺬﻛ ْﺪَﻘَﻓ ﻢﻛوﺎﻋد ﻮَﻟ ﺑر ﻢِﺑ ْاﻮﺒﻌﻳ ﺎﻣ ﻞُﻗ}
Say: 'My Lord esteems you not at all were it not for your supplication, for you have cried lies, and it shall surely be fastened. (Al Furqan 25:77)
The sentence “'My Lord esteems you not at all were it not for your supplication” indicates that the Lord does not hold for a group of people any value, due to their past actions, had they not been under the shadow of their supplications and worship.
Of course, with regards to the words “your supplication”, there are two meanings. One is supplication and crying with special attention to Allahﷻ, such is in the narrations when we read: A person of supplication is a person who will not perish.1 So from a group of people who were not of those who supplicated, the complaint will be that instead of supplication, you opted to go towards idols, desires and tyrants, and so retribution will be seen. And one where the meaning is the invitation from Allahﷻ to people, because His Divine Tradition is one that invites people with Truth and complete proof over them. What makes one a better presence and of more value is the very acceptance of the invitation of Allahﷻ,
yet you did not accept the invitation and belied it, so hope of good in you is non-existent and retribution for your action will be delivered.
In one place Allahﷻ states in the Holy Qur’an:
{ِنوُﺪﺒﻌﻴﻟ ا ﺲﻧاو ﻦِﺠْﻟا ﺖْﻘَﻠَﺧ ﺎﻣو}
I have not created jinn and mankind except to serve Me. (Ad Dhariyat 51:56)
And when combined with the Ayah above, that had it not been for your supplication you would not have had any value, it is apparent the supplication is the heart and soul of worship.
Yes, even with the fact the Allahﷻ is All Knowing of everything, yet supplication remains our duty. Supplication in every place and at every moment is beneficial. This is because Allahﷻ states
{ﺐﻳِﺮَﻗ ّﻧﺎَﻓ}
I am near (Al Baqarah 2:186)
So if we are sometimes recipients of the wrath of Allahﷻ, it is because the distance we have placed between our self and Allahﷻ through the effect of sin.
The Attention of Allah To Those Who Supplicate
ﻟ ْاﻮﺒﻴِﺠَﺘﺴﻴْﻠَﻓ ِنﺎﻋد اَذا عاﺪﻟا َةﻮﻋد ﺐﻴِﺟا ﺐﻳِﺮَﻗ ﻧﺎَﻓ ﻨﻋ ىِدﺎﺒﻋ َﻚَﻟﺎﺳ اَذا و}
{نوُﺪُﺷﺮﻳ ﻢﻬﻠﻌَﻟ ﺑ ْاﻮُﻨﻣﻮﻴْﻟ و
And when My servants question thee concerning Me -- I am near to (I) answer the call of the caller, when he calls to Me; so let them respond to Me, and let them believe in Me; haply so they will go aright. (Al Baqarah 2:186).
Supplication, is a reason for so much affection from the Lord that in this Ayah, Allahﷻ uses the first person pronoun seven times (see underlined words above). This affection occurs in the instance where the person wants to seek help from Allahﷻ through supplication.
Question: Why is it that sometimes our supplications are not answered?
Answer: In “Al-Mizan: An Exegesis of the Qur'an”, we read that in this Ayah, Allahﷻ states that
{ِنﺎﻋد اَذا عاﺪﻟا َةﻮﻋد ﺐﻴِﺟا}
I answer the call of the caller, when he calls to Me (Al Baqarah 2:186).
Allahﷻ will answer the call of the caller that only calls upon Him, with complete sincerity, and requests good. So if a supplication has not been answered, it is either because our request from Allahﷻ was not for the better, and in reality would have been for the worse for us, or if it was in reality for the better for us, we did not request frankly and with complete sincerity where it was contaminated with an appeal to others. Or it could be that the answering of the supplication would not lead to our benefit, such as that stated in the narrations, in such cases in we are protected from calamity or our future generations are protected or compensation is granted in the Hereafter.
In Usul Kafi, we read that the one who consumes what is unlawful or does not enjoin good and forbid evil, and who supplicates without attention or presence of the heart, their supplications are not answered.
The meaning of supplication is not to leave earning a living and work, but rather reliance upon Allahﷻ along with effort. That’s why in the narrations we read: Supplication without effort will not be answered. May be the placement of an Ayah of supplication in amongst Ayahs relating to fasting is due to it being more appropriate that the month of Allahﷻ be spent along with supplication.
Question: Given that the work of Allahﷻ is fixed based upon law and based upon deeds and traditions, what role does supplication play?
Answer: Just as the rules relating to the prayers and fasts of a traveler are different to that of one who is
in their own residence, one who supplicates is different to one who is negligent of Allahﷻ and the tradition of Allahﷻ benefits the former, not the latter. Yes, supplications and conversations with Allahﷻ increase the capacity of one to be able to accept the beneficence of Allahﷻ.
Likewise, the invocation and the visitation of vicegerents ﺎﯿﻟوا ) of Allahﷻ changes the condition that one is in. Just like if a father takes along his child as a guest, the host will accept them with more love and affection than if they went alone. So supplication, visitation and invocation is reason for the changing of the conditions of someone, not the disruption of the Absolute Divine Tradition.
The Etiquette Of Supplication
َنﻮُﻠُﺧْﺪﻴﺳ ﺗدﺎﺒﻋ ﻦﻋ َنۇِﺮﺒَﺘﺴﻳ ﻦﻳِﺬﻟا ﱠنا ﻢَﻟ ﺐِﺠَﺘﺳا ﻧﻮﻋدا ﻢﺑر لﺎَﻗ و}
{ﻦﻳِﺮﺧاد ﻢﻨﻬﺟ
And your Lord hath said: Pray unto Me and I will hear your prayer. Lo! those who scorn My service, they will enter hell, disgrace (Ghafir 40:60).
Supplications have etiquettes and conditions that need to be met including:
I. Supplication must be with faith and deed.
{ ِتﺎﺤﻟﺎﺼﻟا اﻮُﻠﻤﻋو اﻮُﻨﻣآ ﻦﻳِﺬﻟا ﺐﻴِﺠَﺘﺴﻳ}
He answers those who believe and do righteous deeds (Al Shura 42:26).
III. With sincerity
{ﻦﻴﺼﻠْﺨﻣ ﻪـﻠﻟا اﻮﻋدﺎَﻓ}
So call unto God sincerely (Ghafir 40:14).
V. With humbleness and in secret
{ًﺔﻴْﻔُﺧو ﺎﻋﺮﻀَﺗ ﻢﺑر اﻮﻋدا}
Call on your Lord, humbly and secretly (Al Araaf 7:55).
VII. With fear and hope
{ﺎﻌﻤَﻃو ﺎًﻓﻮَﺧ هﻮﻋداو}
And call unto Him with in fear and hope. (Al Araaf 7:56).
IX. During some special hours
{ ﺸﻌْﻟاو ةاَﺪَﻐْﻟﺎِﺑ ﻢﻬﺑر َنﻮﻋْﺪﻳ}
Call upon their Lord at morning and evening (Al Anaam 6:52).
XI. The one who is supplicating should benefit from the heavenly divine names
{ﺎﻬِﺑ هﻮﻋدﺎَﻓ َﻨﺴﺤْﻟا ءﺎﻤﺳا ﻪـﻠﻟو}
To God belong the Names Most Beautiful; so call Him by them (Al Araaf 7:180).
Of course, we must bring to attention that some deeds such as sin, oppression, and not forgiving those who have sought forgiveness from us, are a barrier to the answering of supplication. Or sometimes, the answering of a supplication means the need to break the world order of creation. Like the example of the student that answered a geography question incorrectly, that the surface of the sea is higher than that of the mountain top, the student requested from Allahﷻ that the two be swapped. Anyway, Allahﷻ being All Able, is also All Wise.
The answering of supplication is two sided. That means that if people are awaiting the answering of their supplication, they also need to answer and accept the invitation of Allahﷻ so that your supplication can also be answered by Allahﷻ.
{ﻢﻴِﻴﺤﻳ ﺎﻤﻟ ﻢﻛﺎﻋد اَذا ِلﻮﺳﺮﻠﻟو ﻪـﻠﻟ اﻮﺒﻴِﺠَﺘﺳا}
Respond to God and the Messenger when He calls you unto that which will give you life (AlAnfaal 8:24).
The Beautiful Names of Allah
{ﺎﻬِﺑ هﻮﻋدﺎَﻓ َﻨﺴﺤْﻟا ءﺎﻤﺳا ﻪـﻠﻟو}
To God belong the Names Most Beautiful; so call Him by them (Al Araaf 7:180).
Although all Divine names and attributes are beautiful and good, and Allahﷻ has all the Perfection which cannot be comprehended nor counted, in the narrations we have 99 names which have been emphasised and anyone who calls upon Allahﷻ with these names will have their supplications answered. In the Qur’an, up to 145 names of Allahﷻ are noted and 99 names in the narrations, either because some of the names can be combined and are practically applied to be the same as each other, or it could mean that the names of Allah are not limited to a number. In some narrations and supplications there are even more names that have been noted, like in the supplication of Jawshan Kabeer. Of course, some of the Divine Beautiful Names have special effects, blessings and importance.
Imam Redha(pbuh) states: We, the Purified Household, are the Beautiful Names of Allahﷻ for which the deed of none will be accepted without comprehending us.
2ﺎﻨﺘﻓﺮﻌﻤﺑ ﻻإ ﻼﻤﻋ دﺎﺒﻌﻟا ﻦﻣ ﻪﻟا ﻞﺒﻘﻳ ﻻ ﺘﻟا ﻨﺴﺤﻟا ءﺎﻤﺳﻷا ﻪﻟاو ﻦﺤﻧ
He also stated any time you come across problems and hardship, invoke help from Allahﷻ though us as a medium, and then recited
{ﺎﻬِﺑ هﻮﻋدﺎَﻓ َﻨﺴﺤْﻟا ءﺎﻤﺳا ﻪـﻠﻟو}
To God belong the Names Most Beautiful; so call Him by them.
(Al Araaf 7:180).
It has also been narrated from him that he stated
ﻪﺴﻔﻧ ﻪﺑ ﻒﺻو ﺎﻤﺑ ﻻإ ﻒﺻﻮﻳ ﻻ ﻖﻟﺎﺨﻟا نإ
The Creator cannot be described except with how He described Himself.
That means we cannot ascribe names to Allahﷻ of our own, such as calling him chaste, brave and the
like. 3
----------
1. (Al Kafi ) V4 P228
2. (یﺮﺸﻋ ﺎﻨﺛا ﺮﯿﺴﻔﺗ - Twelver Interpretation)
3. (نﺎﻗﺮﻓ ﺮﻴﺴﻔﺗ - Tafseer Furqan)
Lesson 6: Importance of Prayers
Luqman’s Advice
ِﺮﻨﻤْﻟا ﻦﻋ ﻪْﻧا و ِفوﺮﻌﻤْﻟﺎِﺑ ﺮﻣا و َةﻮَﻠﺼﻟا ﻢﻗا َﻨﺑﺎﻳ}
{رﻮﻣا مﺰﻋ ﻦﻣ َﻚﻟاَذ ﱠنا َﻚﺑﺎﺻا ﺎﻣ ﻠﻋ ﺮِﺒﺻا و
O my son, perform the prayer, and Enjoin Good and Forbid Evil. And bear patiently whatever may befall you; surely that (patience) is true constancy (Of importance and what is obligatory). (Luqman 31:17).
A brief summary with regards to the advice that Prophet Luqman (pbuh) gave to his son concerning prayers and enjoining is as follows:
• Prayers is the simplest, deepest, and most beautiful method of communication and connection with Allahﷻ which was part and parcel of all heavenly religions.
• Prayers is the only worship for which it has been advised to, before performing it, to have those with the best voices to rise and with a loud voice, invite to prayer through the slogans “Hasten to prayer, Hasten to success, Hasten to the best deed”. With it silence is broken and another cycle of the pure thoughts if Islam is declared and those who are neglectful are awakened.
• Prayers is so important that aim of settling Prophet Abrahams× wife and son in the dry, arid and waterless lands of Mecca was to uphold the prayer, not the pilgrimage rites.
• Imam Hussein (pbuh), for the sake of performing prayers during midday on the day of Ashura, was struck in the shield of his chest by the arrows of the enemy.
• The Holy Qur’an conveys the order to Prophets Abraham and Ismael to build and purify the Masjid Al Harram (The Mosque in Mecca) in preparation for those who perform prayers. Yes, prayers are so important that Zakaria, Maryam, Abraham, Ismael^ where all servants of places of worship and where prayers were performed.
• Prayer of an individual is in effect from the time of birth, in which a newborn has the Adhan and Iqqamah recited in to their ears, through to after death, where the prayer of the deceased is performed upon the body in the cemetery.
• Prayer is the key to the acceptance to all deeds and Imam Ali (pbuh) advices his governor to ensure his best time is reserved for prayers and to be aware that all of their actions will be accepted in light of their prayers.
• Prayer is the remembrance of Allahﷻ. And remembrance of Allahﷻ is the only calmer of the heart.
• Prayer, is proposed in most Surah’s of the Holy Qur’an form the longest Surah (Al Baqarah) though to the shortest (Kawthar).
• There are prayers for earthly events such as earthquakes and strong winds that instill fear, as well as heavenly events such as eclipses where prayers become obligatory. There are even prayers prescribed for requesting rain.
• Prayers keeps one from committing many vices and obscenities.
In prayers, our attention and desires are directed towards perfection, consider the following:
• Cleanliness and hygiene, in everything such as brushing teeth, ablution, ghusl1, cleanliness of the body and cloths.
• Valor, audacity and calling loudly is learnt from the Call to Prayer.
• Presence in an arena is taught through Mosques.
• Attention to justice is considered through the selection of a just person to be leader of the congregation.
• Attention is drawn to the perfection and value of those who stand in the first line of the congregational prayer.
• Independent orientation is felt through the Qibla. Jews perform their worship in one direction and Christians in another, while Muslims must also have their own independent direction to face, therefore as the Holy Qur’an states, The Ka’baa is the independent Qibla of Muslims so that they find their independence.
• Attention to the rights of others – by way of prayers having to be performed with clothing worn that has not been usurped, not even a single thread of it.
• Attention towards political movements is felt here where we read in the narrations: Prayers are not accepted where they are not combined with the acceptance of the Guardian and Divinely Guided Leader.
• Attention is brought to order through straight lines in which we pray congregational prayers in, and attention towards martyrs through the use of the soil of Karbala to prostrate on, and attention to surrounding hygiene and cleanliness which are as per recommendations given for the cleanliness and purity of Mosques and Mosque goers.
• Attention is brought towards Allahﷻ during the entire prayer, attention to resurrection while reciting “Master of the Day of Judgment” (Al Fatiha 1:4), attention to the path we choose to take through “Show us the straightway” (Al Fatiha 1:6), attention to choosing the right people to associate with through “the path of those whom Thou hast blessed” (Al Fatiha 1:7), and avoiding association with those who have strayed and who have wrath upon them through “not of those against whom Thou art wrathful, nor of those who are astray” (Al Fatiha 1:7), attention towards the Prophet and his pure progeny through the Tashahud and towards the pure and righteous ones through the greetings “Peace be upon us and upon the Allah’s Righteous worshippers.”
• We see attention to healthy nutrition here through advice such as anyone who consumes alcoholic drinks, will not have their prayers accepted for 40 days.
• Apparent adornments are seen here through advice that the best clothes, perfume and ornaments should be utilised in prayer and even women are advised to wear adornments during prayers.
• Attention is brought towards our spouses where we read in the narrations that should we have quarrelled with or annoyed our spouse or spoken badly to them, the prayers of neither of them will be accepted.
In the Ayahs of the Qur’an, “prayers” and the “Enjoining good and forbidding evil” appear together and affect each other, such as in the following Ayahs:
{ﺮﻨﻤْﻟاو ءﺎَﺸﺤَﻔْﻟا ﻦﻋ ﻬْﻨَﺗ َةَﺼﻟا ﱠنا}
Lo! worship preserves from lewdness and iniquity (Al Ankaboot 29:45).
{ِتﺎﯩِﻴﺴﻟا ﻦﺒﻫْﺬﻳ ِتﺎَﻨﺴﺤْﻟا ﱠنا}
Lo! good deeds (such as prayers) annul ill-deeds (Hud 11:114).
{ِﺮﻨﻤْﻟا ﻦﻋ ﻪْﻧاو ِفوﺮﻌﻤْﻟﺎِﺑ ﺮﻣاو َةَﺼﻟا ﻢﻗا}
Perform the prayer, and enjoin the good and forbid the evil (Luqman 31:17).
ِفوﺮﻌﻤْﻟﺎِﺑ اوﺮﻣاو َةﺎﻛﺰﻟا اﯘَﺗآو َةَﺼﻟا اﻮﻣﺎَﻗا ِضرا ﻓ ﻢﻫﺎﻨﻣ نا ﻦﻳِﺬﻟا}
{ِﺮﻨﻤْﻟا ﻦﻋ اﻮﻬَﻧو
Those who, if We give them power in the land, establish worship and pay the poor-due and enjoin good and forbid evil (Al Hajj 22:41).
----------
1. A methodological and systematic approach, with intention, to cleansing the body necessary after certain events such as a women cycle, intercourse, or touching the deceased.
Lesson 7: Enjoining The Good And Forbidding The Evil
Importance of Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
ِفوﺮﻌﻤْﻟﺎِﺑ َنوﺮﻣﺎﻳو ِﺮﻴَﺨْﻟٱ َﻟا َنﻮﻋْﺪﻳ ٌﺔﻣا ﻢﻨﻣ ﻦَﺘْﻟو}
{َنﻮﺤﻠْﻔﻤْﻟٱ ﻢﻫ َﻚﺌَﻟواو ِﺮﻨﻤْﻟٱ ﻦﻋ َنﻮﻬْﻨﻳو
And there may spring from you a nation who invite to goodness, and enjoin right conduct and forbid indecency. Such
.(are they who are successful. (Al Imran 3:104
Enjoining right conduct means advice to do good and forbid indecency and to arrest or detain the doing of evil. The accomplishment of these two orders is not limited to a specific age group, and thus Luqman (pbuh) says to his son”
{ِﺮﻨﻤْﻟا ﻦﻋ ﻪْﻧاو ِفوﺮﻌﻤْﻟﺎِﺑ ﺮﻣاو َةَﺼﻟا ﻢﻗا َﻨﺑ ﺎﻳ}
O my dear son! Establish worship and enjoin kindness and forbid iniquity… (Luqman 31:17).
Enjoining good is a sign of love for the faith, love for the people, a desire for the wellbeing of society and a sign of freedom of expression, religious zeal, a friendly association with other people, a sign of an awakened natural instinct, general control and presence in the society.
Enjoining the good and forbidding the evil is the reason for encouragement of those who do good, making aware those who were ignorant, being aware for the prevention of offenses and the formation of a form of societal control. The Holy Qur’an states
{ِﺮﻨﻤْﻟا ﻦﻋ َنﻮﻬْﻨَﺗو ِفوﺮﻌﻤْﻟﺎِﺑ َنوﺮﻣﺎَﺗ ِسﺎﻨﻠﻟ ﺖﺟِﺮْﺧا ﺔﻣا ﺮﻴَﺧ ﻢُﺘﻨﻛ}
You are the best nation ever brought forth to men, bidding to honour, and forbidding dishonour (Al Imran 3:110).
Imam Ali (pbuh) states that enjoining the good and forbidding the evil is in the interest of the public.1
Likewise in another narration, we read anyone who does not stand against evil is like someone who leaves an injured on the road until they pass away.2
Prophets like David and Jesus peace upon them would curse upon those who do not stand against evil.
{ﻢﻳﺮﻣ ﻦﺑا ﺴﻴﻋو دوۇاد ِنﺎﺴﻟ َﻠﻋ ﻞﻴﺋاﺮﺳا ﻨﺑ ﻦﻣ اوﺮَﻔﻛ ﻦﻳِﺬﻟا ﻦﻌُﻟ}
Cursed were the unbelievers of the Children of Israel by the tongue of David, and Jesus, Mary's son (Maida 5:78).
The revolution of Imam Hussein (pbuh) was for the enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, “I want to enjoin good and forbid evil”.3
Silence and indifference in the face of sin is the reason for the normalization of sinning, those who sin find courage, we become heavy hearted, Satan finds contentment and Allahﷻ will be displeased with us. The Holy Qur’an states that if you find yourself in the company of those who insult the Holy Qur’an, leave the company in protest until such time the conversation changes.
If one invites another to do good deed, a partnership in the reward is forged, but if in the face of corruption, deviation and sin we sit silently, step by step the corruption grows and corrupt and seditious individuals will end up governing society. One must at the onset of sin, not only show displeasure with the tongue and forbidding the evil, but also utilize all available legal avenues and abilities to end the continuation of evil.
Enjoining the good and forbidding the evil are two divinely ordained laws, and the imagination that the sin that others do have nothing to do with me, and we should not take away the freedom of others, I am a shy and scared person, one change won’t make any difference anyway, Jesus has his religion and Moses has his religion, we won’t be buried in the same grave, there are others, why should I be the one forbidding evil?, by forbidding evil friends and customers will walk away, and other examples like these, are not able to lift this responsibility from our shoulders.
Manners and Conditions
Enjoining the good and forbidding the evil must be done with knowledge, a soft heart, with wisdom, and even with a level of secrecy. Sometimes it is ourselves that must do the talking, but where we won’t make any impression, the duty does not lapse, but rather we must seek the assistance of others so that they may speak up. Even if we can just for a small period of time forbid corruption, we must forbid it and if repetition can lead to a result, we must repeat.
Enjoining the good and forbidding the evil can be conducted in two ways:
1. Through general responsibility of everyone where all participate to the extent of their own abilities.
2. A responsibility of a group of organizations that are held responsible for and of the following up of such matters and are able to act upon such issues with power.
Such as the example of a driver that drives in the wrong direction, both the drivers of other vehicles object to the offending driver with their car horns and beam lights and also the police can issue punishments in line with the offence such infringement notices, impound the vehicle or withdraw the drivers license of the offender.
Enjoining The Good, Is A Sign Of The Best Nation
َنﻮُﻨﻣﻮُﺗو ِﺮﻨﻤْﻟا ﻦﻋ َنﻮﻬْﻨَﺗو ِفوﺮﻌﻤْﻟﺎِﺑ َنوﺮﻣﺎَﺗ ِسﺎﻨﻠﻟ ﺖﺟِﺮْﺧا ﺔﻣا ﺮﻴَﺧ ﻢُﺘﻨﻛ}
{ﻪـﻠﻟﺎِﺑ
You are the best nation ever brought forth to men, bidding to honour, and forbidding dishonour, and believing in God. … (Al Imran 3:110).
This ayah points to the general requirement to enjoin good and forbid evil with conditions and points to consider including:
1. Being the best nation is not a slogan, enjoining good and forbidding evil with faith and belief: “You are the best nation… bidding”.
2. A nation of silent and fearful people is not the best of nations: “You are the best nation… bidding…. forbidding”.
3. Enjoining good and forbidding evil is of such importance it is a measure of distinction of the nation: “You are the best nation”.
4. Enjoining good and forbidding evil is achieved once Muslims act as one nation, I.E. a sovereign nation: “You are the best nation”.
5. Muslims are responsible for the reformation of all other communities: “brought forth to men”.
6. Advice to do good without the struggle to end evil comes to little fruition: “bidding to honor, and forbidding dishonor”.
7. Every member of the nation must contribute to enjoining good and forbidding evil (A nine-year-old girl has that entitlement over the president of the nation).
8. On the issue of enjoining good, age, location, race, literacy, economic or social status has no relevance: “You are the best nation… bidding…. forbidding”.
9. Muslims must be positioned to enjoin good and forbid evil with authority, not with weakness and
entreaty: “Bidding”.
10. Enjoining good precedes forbidding evil: “Bidding… forbidding”.
11. Enjoining good and forbidding evil can be effective when its foundation is rooted in faith: “Bidding, forbidding… believing”.
Effects And Blessings
A hint at the effects and blessings of enjoining good and forbidding evil, even in the instance where it has no effect (on others), is indicated below:
1. Sometimes, the effect is not apparent immediately, but in history we see the nature and judgement of others have an effect. Such as the martyrdom of Imam Hussein× in his mission to enjoin good and forbid evil, which has awakened the conscience of mankind throughout history.
2. Sometimes the bidding and forbidding is to protect the space for others. The call to prayers, the Adhan, is recommended even if there is no one to hear it. Stopping at a red traffic light is an obligation, even if there are no other cars. So the preservation of the law and space and the respect of the law, is an obligation.
3. Sometimes the sinner may not stop committing their sin, but successive reminders will leave a bitter taste in their mouth and at least would not be committing the sin with ease of mind, and one day, their conscience will awaken and be affected.
4. For the protection of freedom, it is necessary to enjoin good and forbid evil, for otherwise society will be turned into an environment of palpitation, fear, and silence.
5. Enjoining good and forbidding evil is for mankind a praiseworthy task, even if others do not listen. The Holy Qur’an states
{ﻪـﻠﻟا َﻟا ﺎﻋد ﻦﻤﻣ ﻮَﻗ ﻦﺴﺣا ﻦﻣو}
And who is better in speech than he who invites to Allah (Fusilat 41:33).
6. If we are not able to affect the actions of others, at least for our own sake it is a one form of nearness to Allahﷻ, inculcation, practicing bravery, facing pain and engagement.
7. Enjoining good will provide salvation from the wrath of Allahﷻ
8. Enjoining and forbidding gives some form of contentment to consciousness, one would say to
themselves that I have fulfilled my duty. This contentment is valuable, even if others do not listen. Enjoining good and forbidding evil is the way of the Prophets, even if others did not listen. The Holy Qur’an states multiple times that people did not heed the warnings and right path of the Prophets and turned their backs against them. They fulfilled their religious duties and were martyred in the path of enjoining good and forbidding evil so that the Truth is not lost.
----------
1. (Nahjul Balagha) Hikmah 252
2. (Kanz Ul Amal - لﺎﻤﻌﻟا ﺰﻨﻛ ) V3, P170
3. (Bihar Al Anwar راﻮﻧﻷا رﺎﺤﺑ ) V44 p328
Lesson 8: Commentary On Surah Hamd
﴾١﴿ ﻢﻴﺣﺮﻟا ﻦٰـﻤﺣﺮﻟا ﻪـﻠﻟا ﻢﺴِﺑ
﴾٣﴿ ﻢﻴﺣﺮﻟا ﻦٰـﻤﺣﺮﻟا ﴾٢﴿ ﻦﻴﻤَﻟﺎﻌْﻟا ِبر ﻪـﻠﻟ ُﺪﻤﺤْﻟا
ﻢﻴﻘَﺘﺴﻤْﻟا َطاﺮﺼﻟا ﺎَﻧِﺪﻫا ﴾٥﴿ ﻦﻴﻌَﺘﺴَﻧ َکﺎﻳاو ُﺪﺒﻌَﻧ َکﺎﻳا ﴾٤﴿ ﻦﻳِّﺪﻟا مﻮﻳ ِﻚﻟﺎﻣ
﴾٧﴿ ﻦﻴّﻟﺎﻀﻟا و ﻢِﻬﻴَﻠﻋ ِبﻮﻀْﻐﻤْﻟا ِﺮﻴَﻏ ﻢِﻬﻴَﻠﻋ ﺖﻤﻌْﻧا ﻦﻳِﺬﻟا َطاﺮﺻ ﴾٦﴿
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate; Praise belongs to God, the Lord of all Being; the All-merciful, the All-compassionate; the Master of the Day of Judgment; Thee only we serve; to Thee alone we pray for succour; Guide us in the straight path; the path of those whom Thou hast blessed, not of those against whom Thou art wrathful, nor of those who are astray. (Al Hamd 1:1-7).
{ﻪـﻠﻟ ُﺪﻤﺤْﻟا} Is the best form in which to thank Allahﷻ with. Anyone, anywhere, with any language, any form of praise of any perfection or beauty, is praising the source of the perfection and beauty. Of course, praising Allahﷻ is not inconsistent with praising the created on the condition that it be in the matter of Allahﷻ and in His line and path.
Allahﷻ has made it incumbent upon Himself to be merciful:
{َﺔﻤﺣﺮﻟا ﻪﺴْﻔَﻧ َﻠﻋ ﻢﺑر ﺐَﺘﻛ}
Your Lord hath inscribed for Himself (the rule of) mercy. (Al-Inaam 6:54).
And the shadow of His mercy is spread over all things.
{ءَﺷ ﻞﻛ ﺖﻌﺳو ﺘﻤﺣرو}
My mercy extends to all things. (Al Araaf 7:156)
Likewise, the Prophet (pbuh) and his book is the source of Mercy
{ﻦﻴﻤَﻟﺎﻌْﻠّﻟ ًﺔﻤﺣر}
A Mercy to the worlds (Al Anbiya 21:107).
His creation and nourishment is based upon mercy and if punishment is given it too is from the point of view of kindness.
The pardoning of sins, acceptance of repentance and the concealment of their shortfalls and the giving of an opportunity to make up for mistakes, are all manifestations of His mercy and kindness. Notwithstanding that Allahﷻ is the True owner of all things at all times, his ownership on the day of judgement and resurrection is of a different manifestation.
The sentence “we serve” also points to this in that prayers prayed in congregation shows that all Muslims are brothers and on the one path, in prayers, even though one person is representing all the worshippers in saying Oh Lord, not only am I but all of us are your worshippers, and not only I but all of us are in need of your kindness.
This surah introduces the straight path as the path of those who have been blessed with the Divine favors and consist of: The Prophets, the truthful ones, martyrs and pious ones1. Directing our attention to the path of those magnanimous people and our hopes being in them and inculcating this hope in ourselves, we are taken back from the deviated and dangerous paths. And after desire, we seek from Allahﷻ that He does not allow us to follow the path of those whose God’s wrath is upon or have gone
astray.
The meaning of “Thou has blessed” is the blessing of Guidance. Such is way the Ayah before was with respect to guidance. As well as that there is the material blessings of the disbelievers and astray and others.
Even if we are guided, it is still a dangerous course to traverse and we must always seek from Allahﷻ the path that is not the paths of those whom God’s wrath is upon or have gone astray.
Educational Lessons From Surah Hamd
1. With ﻪـﻠﻟا ﻢﺴِﺑ we cut all hope from all other than Allahﷻ.
2. With ﻦﻴﻤَﻟﺎﻌْﻟا ِبر and ﻦﻳِّﺪﻟا مﻮﻳ ِﻚﻟﺎﻣ we feel that all ownership and nourishment belongs to Allahﷻ and on that basis we should place aside all selfishness and vanity.
3. With the word ﻦﻴﻤَﻟﺎﻌْﻟا we see ourselves as a part of disciplined existence and far from being a solo and sequestered life.
4. With ﻢﻴﺣﺮﻟا ﻦٰـﻤﺣﺮﻟا we see ourselves under the shadow of His kindness.
5. With ﻦﻳِّﺪﻟا مﻮﻳ ِﻚﻟﺎﻣ neglect from the future is filed away.
6. By saying ُﺪﺒﻌَﻧ َکﺎﻳا hypocrisy and the desire for fame is disappears.
7. With ﻦﻴﻌَﺘﺴَﻧ َکﺎﻳاو with nothing but the power of Allahﷻ do we seek shelter.
8. With saying ﺖﻤﻌْﻧا we acknowledge that from Him are all blessings.
9. With ﺎَﻧِﺪﻫا guidance is sought to The True and Correct Path and The Straight Path.
10. With ﻢِﻬﻴَﻠﻋ ﺖﻤﻌْﻧا ﻦﻳِﺬﻟا َطاﺮﺻ we announce our association with the followers of Truth.
11. With saying ﻦﻴّﻟﺎﻀﻟا و ﻢِﻬﻴَﻠﻋ ِبﻮﻀْﻐﻤْﻟا ِﺮﻴَﻏ disgust at and distancing oneself is expressed from falsehood and those who follow it.
The Importance Of Bismil-Lah
The Importance Of Bismil-Lah
ﻪـﱠﻠﻟا ﻢﺴِﺑ
{ﻢﻴﺣﺮﻟا ﻦٰـﻤﺣﺮﻟا ﻪـﱠﻠﻟا ﻢﺴِﺑ}
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Is not only the beginning of the Qur’an, but is the start of all the Heavenly Books. The start of all of the tasks and works of the all the Prophets began with “The Name of Allahﷻ” . Prophet Sulaiman also started his letter to Queen Seba with the sentence ﻢﻴﺣﺮﻟا ﻦٰـﻤﺣﺮﻟا ﻪـﻠﻟا ﻢﺴِﺑ.
Imam Ali (pbuh) stated that the words ﻪـﻠﻟا ﻢﺴِﺑ is the source of blessing of our work and its omission is the cause of a bead ending. The utterance of the words ﻪـﻠﻟا ﻢﺴِﺑ is recommended to begin any work, when eating and sleeping and sitting, riding, travelling and many other tasks, even where an animal is slaughtered without the name of Allahﷻ, its meat become sinful to consume.
ﻪـﻠﻟا ﻢﺴِﺑ is the slogan and token of Muslims and all works performed by Muslims must have a tinge of Divinity in it. Just like how the products of a manufacturer have the logo and symbols of that manufacturer imprinted on their products, whether partially or in its entirety. Or like the flag representing the country being perched on the desks and offices of administrative buildings, schools, garrisons, national ships of that country sailing the high seas.
Imam Sadiq (pbuh) has been narrated to have stated that ﻪـﻠﻟا ﻢﺴِﺑ is the crown of the Surahs. The only surah in the Holy Qur’an which does not start with this Ayah is Surah of Bara’at2 (or repentance, ninth surah), and according to Imam Ali (pbuh), this is because ﻪـﻠﻟا ﻢﺴِﺑ are the words of security and mercy while the proclamation of this Surah is the disownment from disbelievers and polytheists, and is not compatible to start with the words showing affection3.
ﻪـﻠﻟا ﻢﺴِﺑ causes the Satan to flee. Anyone who is accompanied by Allahﷻ, Satan will not be able to influence.
The Straight Path
طاﺮﺻ is the name of a bridge crossing over Hell which on the day of resurrection all people must cross over.
In the quest for being on the Straight (Path), the one and only request that every Muslim requests from Allahﷻ in every prayer, even the Prophet and his Purified Household, peace and blessings be upon them, request that they remain on the Straight Path.
The Straight Path has levels and stages:
{ىًﺪﻫ ﻢﻫداَز اوَﺪَﺘﻫا ﻦﻳِﺬﻟاو}
Those who are guided aright, them He increases in guidance (Muhammad 47:17).{ﻢﻴﺣﺮﻟا ﻦٰـﻤﺣﺮﻟا ﻪـﱠﻠﻟا ﻢﺴِﺑ}
Even those who are on the True Path such as the Saints of Allahﷻ (Divinely Guided), must supplicate in order to remain on that path and to further illuminate their guidance.
The Straight Path means moderation and temperance, and abstinence from any form of excessiveness and delinquency, whether it be in faith or in action.
In narrations, the Divinely Guided state that the We are the Straight Path4. Meaning they are the Divine Guides, perfect theoretical and practical examples of the Straight Path and role models in following their footsteps in that path. The provided guidance in all aspects of our life from work, pleasure, earning, feeding, spending, criticising, anger, compromise, relations with children etc., and advised us to live in moderation and temperance.5 Interestingly, it is on this very same Straight Path that Satan lies in ambush:
{ﻢﻴﻘَﺘﺴﻤْﻟا َﻚَﻃاﺮﺻ ﻢﻬَﻟ ﱠنَﺪﻌْﻗ}
I (Satan) shall surely sit in ambush for them on Thy straight path (Al A’raaf 7:16).
In the Holy Qur’an and narrations many examples are present with regards to emphasizing temperance on the Straight Path and abstinence from excessiveness and delinquency. Islam does not look at only one dimension that looks at only one aspect and ignores all others; but rather in every part action temperance and moderation and the straight path is recommended.
Wrath In The Holy Qur’an
In the Qur’an, people such as Pharaoh, Qaroon, Abu Lahab and such nations as Aad, Bani Israel, are identified as those who have Wrath upon them and some have been named as those who have strayed such as Satan, Pharaoh, Samiri, bad friends, deviated leaders and ancestors. In numerous Ayahs, the characteristics of those who have strayed and who have attracted wrath upon themselves and their instances have been presented.
We, in every prayer, request that we don’t end up being like those have had wrath upon them. That means we desire not to be from the people who deviate Ayahs and consume usury, nor of those who escape struggles. Likewise, we desire not to be of those who have gone astray, those who have parted from the Path of Truth and who chase the falsehood and in religion and our own beliefs, exaggerate and are extravagant, or who follow their own whims and desires or those of others.
The grow bed for deviation in the Holy Qur’an develops from
1. Fantasies and vain desires6: ﻪـﻠﻟا ﻪﻠﺿاو هاﻮﻫ ﻪﻬٰـَﻟا َﺬَﺨﺗا
2. Idols7: ﻪﻠﻴِﺒﺳ ﻦﻋ اﻮﻠﻀﻴّﻟ اداَﺪﻧا ﻪـﻠﻟ اﻮُﻠﻌﺟو
3. Sins8ﻦﻴﻘﺳﺎَﻔْﻟا ا ﻪِﺑ ﻞﻀﻳ ﺎﻣو :
4. The acceptance of false guardianship 9: ﻪﻠﻀﻳ ﻪﻧﺎَﻓ هﻮَﺗ ﻦﻣ ﻪﻧا
5. Ignorance and foolishness10: ﻦﻴّﻟﺎﻀﻟا ﻦﻤَﻟ ﻪﻠﺒَﻗ ﻦﻣ ﻢُﺘﻨﻛ ناو
Mankind in this Surah testifies and expresses the passion, interest and self-navigation towards Prophets and martyrs and the pious and their path, and declares innocence and distance from the recipients of wrath and those who have strayed in history. That is the application of association and disownment.11
-----------
1. ﺎًﻘﻴﻓر َﻚﺌٰـَﻟوا ﻦﺴﺣو ﻦﻴﺤﻟﺎﺼﻟاو ءاَﺪﻬﺸﻟاو ﻦﻴﻘﻳِّﺪﺼﻟاو ﻦﻴِﻴِﺒﻨﻟا ﻦﻣ ﻢِﻬﻴَﻠﻋ ﻪـﻠﻟا ﻢﻌْﻧا ﻦﻳِﺬﻟا ﻊﻣ َﻚﺌٰـَﻟوﺎَﻓ لﻮﺳﺮﻟاو ﻪـﻠﻟا ﻊﻄﻳ ﻦﻣو
(And whoever obeys Allah and the Apostle, these are with those upon whom Allah has bestowed favors from among the prophets and the truthful and the martyrs and the good, and a goodly company are they!) An Nissa 4:69.
2. To declare innocence from any association with another – disownment.
3. Tafsir Qartabi and Majma Albayan
4. (Bihar Al Anwar راﻮﻧﻷا رﺎﺤﺑ ) V87 P3
5. (Al Kafi ) – Chapter of Economy and Worship
6. him who has taken his caprice to be his god, and God has led him astray (Al Jathiya 45:23)
7. And they set up compeers to God, that they might lead astray from His way. (Ibrahim 14:30)
8. He leads none astray save the ungodly (Baqarra 2:26)
9. that whosoever takes him for a friend, him he leads astray (Al Hajj 22:4)
10. though formerly you were gone astray. (Baqarra 2:198)
11. یﺮﺒﺗ و ﻟﻮﺗ
Lesson 9: Night Prayers
ﺴﻋ َﻚﻟ ًﺔَﻠﻓﺎَﻧ ﻪِﺑ ْﺪﺠﻬَﺘَﻓ ﻞﻴﻠﻟا ﻦﻣو}
{ادﻮﻤﺤﻣ ﺎﻣﺎَﻘﻣ َﻚﺑر َﻚَﺜﻌﺒﻳ نا
And as for the night, keep vigil a part of it, as a work of supererogation for thee; it may be that thy Lord will raise thee up to a laudable station. (Israa 17:79).
"دﻮﺠﻫ" gives the meaning of sleep and “ﺪﺠﻬﺗ” gives the meaning of keeping away from sleep with acts of worship. In the word ﺎﻣﺎَﻘﻣ there is a hidden meaning (due to the ً vowel) and in narrations, ادﻮﻤﺤﻣ ﺎﻣﺎَﻘﻣ
(laudable station) is that very intercession.
Three things were obligatory upon the Prophet and that are recommended to all of us: Night prayers, use of miswak1, and rising early in the morning.
Night prayers is a prayer full of virtue and in Surahs Muzammil and Mudathir the recommendation was emphasized:
{ًﻴﻠَﻗ ا ﻞﻴﻠﻟا ﻢُﻗ}
Keep vigil the night, except a little (Al Muzzammil 73:2).
In narrations, more than 30 virtues have been listed for night prayers, some of which are listed below: • All of the Prophets performed night prayers. Night prayers is the secret of a healthy body and the light of the grave. The night prayers will positively affect ones manners and etiquettes, daily earnings and wealth, keeps away sorrow and grief, tools of religion, the enlightenment of the face and the brightening of the eyes.
• Night prayers suppresses the sins of the day and is the light of the Day of Judgement.
• Imam Sadiq(pbuh) states the reward of Night Prayers is so much so that Allahﷻ says
ﻦﻴﻋا ةﺮُﻗ ﻦﻣ ﻢﻬَﻟ ﻔْﺧا ﺎﻣ ﺲْﻔَﻧ ﻢَﻠﻌَﺗ ََﻓ}
{َنﻮُﻠﻤﻌﻳ اﻮُﻧﺎﻛ ﺎﻤِﺑ ءاﺰﺟ
No soul knows what comfort is laid up for them secretly, as a recompense for that they were doing. (Sajda 32:17).
• Imam Sadiq (pbuh) states the honour of a believer is the Night Prayer and his glory is not hurting and persecuting people.
• We read in the narration that unfortunate is the one that is deprived of Night Prayers.
• Abd Dhar, next to the Ka’ba, advised people to perform two rakaat prayers at night to assist against the fear and loneliness of the grave.
The Prophet (pbuh) states that the best of you is one whose words are good and proper, feeds the hungry, and while others are asleep, recites the Night Prayers.
The Prophet (pbuh) three times said to Imam Ali (Pbuh) Upon you is the Night Prayer:
،ﻞﻴﻟا ةﻼﺼﺑ ﯿﻠﻋ
،ﻞﻴﻟا ةﻼﺼﺑ ﯿﻠﻋ
.ﻞﻴﻟا ةﻼﺼﺑ ﯿﻠﻋ
Imam Sadiq (pbuh) states the ornament and pride of the believer is the recitation of the Night Prayer. Someone said to Imam Ali (pbuh) I have been deprived from the recitation of the Night Prayer, Imam Ali (pbuh) replies
ﻚﺑﻮﻧذ ﻚﺗﺪﻴﻗ
Your sins have tied you up.
Imam Sadiq(pbuh) states that the Prophet in his Watr prayer2, would seek forgiveness 70 times over.3
Rising Early and Night Vigil
{ًﻴﻗ مﻮْﻗاو ﺎﯩْﻃو ﱡﺪَﺷا ﻫ ﻞﻴﻠﻟا َﺔﯩﺷﺎَﻧ ﱠنا}
Surely the first part of the night is heavier in tread, more upright in speech (Al Muzzammil 73:6).
Allahﷻ was sworn an oath on all parts of the day: I swear by: The Dawn, The Morning, The Day, The
Afternoon, but has done so thrice with regards to Dawn
{ ِﺮﺴﻳ اَذا ﻞﻴﻠﻟاو}
By the night when it journeys on!
{ﺲﻌﺴﻋ اَذا ﻞﻴﻠﻟاو}
By the night swarming
{ﺮﺑدا ْذا ﻞﻴﻠﻟاو}
And the night when it retreats
The oath in the above three ayahs is an oath by the night as it ends.
And with regards to seeking forgiveness at dawn and rising early, two Ayahs have been revealed
{ِرﺎﺤﺳﺎِﺑ ﻦﻳِﺮﻔْﻐَﺘﺴﻤْﻟاو}
Imploring God's pardon at the daybreak.
{َنوﺮﻔْﻐَﺘﺴﻳ ﻢﻫ ِرﺎﺤﺳﺎِﺑو}
And in the mornings they would ask for forgiveness
Allahﷻ says to Moses (pbuh) Oh Moses, a liar is he who imagines he loves Me but while when the night falls, instead of conversing with Me, asleep he falls.
The Prophet states that two rakaat in the heart of the night is more beloved to me than the world and everything that’s in it.
……….….
1. Tooth cleansing twig.
2. The final supplication of the Night Prayer.
3. (مﺎﺣﻻا ﺐﻳﺬﻬﺗ Tahdhib al-Ahkam) V2 P120
Lesson 10: The Two Forgotten Obligations
First: Islamic Tax (Zakat)
ِبﺎَﻗِﺮﻟٱ ﻓو ﻢﻬﺑ ﻮُﻠُﻗ ﺔَﻔﻟﻮﻤْﻟٱو ﺎﻬﻴَﻠﻋ ﻦﻴﻠﻤٰﻌْﻟٱو ﻦﻴٰﺴﻤْﻟٱو ءآﺮَﻘُﻔْﻠﻟ ﺖَٰﻗَﺪﺼﻟٱ ﺎﻤﻧا}
{ﻢﻴﺣ ﻢﻴﻠﻋ ﻪﻟٱو ﻪﻟٱ ﻦﻣ ًﺔﻀﻳِﺮَﻓ ﻞﻴِﺒﺴﻟٱ ﻦﺑٱو ﻪﻟٱ ﻞﻴِﺒﺳ ﻓو ﻦﻴﻣِﺮَٰﻐْﻟٱو
The freewill offerings (zakat) are for the poor and needy, those who work to collect them, those whose hearts are brought together, the ransoming of slaves, debtors, in God's way, and the traveller; so God ordains; God is All-knowing, All-wise. (Tawbah 9:60).
The commandment for Islamic Tax (Zakat) came down in Mecca, however due to the very few Muslims and limited wealth for the giving of Islamic Tax (Zakat), people would pay themselves. After the forming of the Islamic government in Medina, Islamic Tax (Zakat) was collected from people and placed in the Islamic Treasury (Bayt-ul-Mal) and the wealth was concentrated under the control of an Islamic governor.
{ًﺔَﻗَﺪﺻ ﻢِﻬﻟاﻮﻣا ﻦﻣ ْﺬُﺧ}
Take of their wealth a freewill offering (Tawba 9:103).
Islamic Tax (Zakat) is not specific to Islam, rather was also a present in religions prior to it. Prophet Jesus× said in his cradle:
{ةﺎﻛﺰﻟاو ةَﺼﻟﺎِﺑ ﻧﺎﺻواو}
and He has enjoined me to pray, and to give the alms (Maryam 19:31).
And Prophet Moses(pbuh) stated Bani Israel
{َةﺎﻛﺰﻟا اﻮُﺗآو َةَﺼﻟا اﻮﻤﻴﻗاو}
And perform the prayer, and pay the alms (Al Baqarah 2:43).
And with regards to Prophethood in general, we read
ءﺎَﺘﻳاو ةَﺼﻟا مﺎَﻗاو ِتاﺮﻴَﺨْﻟا ﻞﻌﻓ ﻢِﻬﻴَﻟا ﺎَﻨﻴﺣواو ﺎَﻧِﺮﻣﺎِﺑ َنوُﺪﻬﻳ ًﺔﻤﺋا ﻢﻫﺎَﻨْﻠﻌﺟو}
{ةﺎﻛﺰﻟا
And appointed them to be leaders guiding by our command, and we revealed to them the doing of good deeds, and to perform the prayer, and to pay the alms (Anbiyah 21:73).
In the Qur’an, four expressions have been used for Islamic Tax (Zakat):
1. Giving of one’s wealth.
{ﺑﺮُﻘْﻟا یِوَذ ﻪِﺒﺣ َﻠﻋ لﺎﻤْﻟا َﺗآو}
To give of one's substance, however cherished, to kinsmen.
(Al Baqarah 2:177).
2. Freewill offering (Al Tawbah 9:103, see above)
3. Expend
{اﻮُﻘﻔﻨﻳو َةَﺼﻟا اﻮﻤﻴﻘﻳ}
They perform the prayer, and expend (Abraham 14:31).
4. Islamic Tax (Zakat).
{َةﺎﻛﺰﻟا َنﻮُﺗﻮﻳو َةَﺼﻟا َنﻮﻤﻴﻘﻳ}
Perform the prayer and pay the alms (Al Maidah 5:55).
The Importance Of Islamic Tax (Zakat)
Generally, in the Holy Qur’an Islamic Tax (Zakat) comes alongside prayer and there is no other obligatory deed that has been so strongly associated with prayer, and according to narrations, the condition in which prayers are accepted are the payments of Islamic Tax (Zakat). This relationship delivers the link between the connection with Allahﷻ and the connection with people.
It is forbidden for Saddat1 to receive Islamic Tax (Zakat), when a group of people from Bani Hashim2
requested from the Prophet (pbuh) that they be in charge of collecting the Islamic Tax (Zakat) of cattle, and from that be able to be paid a portion of the Islamic Tax (Zakat) for their collection work, the Prophet (pbuh) stated that Islamic Tax (Zakat) is forbidden upon you and I, unless it be that both the recipient and giver are both Saddat.
The law of Islamic Tax (Zakat) is not for Islam to be inclined towards having a group of poor people be recipients while the rich be donors, but rather is a solution to an outside problem in society. The rich are also afflicted with such phenomena as theft, fire, collisions, war and captivity, and in the Islamic system there must be a budgetary measure for social security.
In the narrations, it says that Allahﷻ has placed a certain amount of wealth in the hands of the rich for the purpose of solving the problems of the poor and if it is known that this was insufficient, the wealth would be increased for them. If the rights of the poor are all paid to them the lives of all will be good and if the rich paid the Islamic Tax (Zakat) of the poor, there would be no existence of poverty3.
Contrary to the beliefs of some with regards to limiting the growth of individual income and limiting its growth, Islam believes that we must give a proportion of our freedom so that mankind struggles to work hard, initiate, and reaps rewards the rewards of nature to grow, but also to pay taxes. The condition of paying the Islamic Tax (Zakat) “in the way of Allahﷻ” is not just for the poor, but for any cause that will assist the sovereign line of Islam.
For the sake of saving society from the evil of the wicked, we can use Islamic Tax (Zakat) to our benefit and this spending would be considered part of “Softening of the Hearts4” spending.
If someone has upon their neck a blood money debt to pay which they cannot pay, this can be considered “Debt”5 and Islamic Tax (Zakat) money can be used to assist them.
Perhaps the term “Upon the necks”6 can also be considered part of Islamic Tax (Zakat) spending towards freeing prisoners and securing their expenditure.
The spending of Islamic Tax (Zakat) need not be equally distributed amongst its allowable expenditure, but rather, can be at the discretion of the Islamic jurist and be distributed according to the needs and necessities.
Islamic Tax (Zakat), is a means of adjusting the distribution of wealth.
Islamic Tax (Zakat), is an act of thankfulness to the divine blessings.
Islamic Tax (Zakat), diminishes socio-economic classes and removes hatred between the rich and the poor.
Islamic Tax (Zakat), develops the soul of generosity and mercy in mankind, and reduces material desires and dependence.
Islamic Tax (Zakat), is the bankroll to the security of the deprived in society. To the poor it says don’t worry, to the bankrupt it says renew your efforts, to the traveller it says don’t be afraid of becoming stranded, to the workers it says your share is protected, and to the slaves - it gives the promise of freedom, it booms the market for the divine mercy and the hearts of others are attracted to Islam. Neglecting Allahﷻ, human exploitation, hard heartedness, tyranny and debauchery, is the fruit of rivalry in worldly matters and wealth, while Islamic Tax (Zakat) is the medicine for this disease.
Islamic Tax (Zakat), as well as reducing deprivation, it orientates others towards Islam or at least it prevents leaning towards working with the enemies of Islam. Just as noted in the narrations, sometimes those with weak faith can have their faith made firm through a little financial help and by being closer to Islam.
Islamic Tax (Zakat), being part of the schematic of the Islamic system, is the foundation of societal justice, elimination of poverty, security for workers, international popular relations, freedom of slaves and the imprisoned, movement of potential energy and protecting the religion and royalty of Muslims and the spread of its services in general.
Second: Khums
According to narrations and the Shia belief, Ayah 41 of Surah Al Anfaal covers all forms of income broader than business, work, and trade and one source of khums has been mentioned in this Ayah while others have been mentioned in the narrations
{ﻪﺴﻤُﺧ ﻪـﻠﻟ ﱠنﺎَﻓ ءَﺷ ﻦﻣ ﻢُﺘﻤﻨَﻏ ﺎﻤﻧا اﻮﻤَﻠﻋاو}
Know that, whatever booty you take, the fifth of it is God's
(Al Anfal 8:41).
Khums, in the narrations, is of such importance that it is said that anyone who does not pay Khums of their wealth, their wealth is not lawful to them and they are not allowed to utilise their wealth, and the clothes worn in prayers which has not had its khums paid is problematic.
The jurists have identified seven items in which khums needs to be paid on:
1. Profit and benefits of business and annual income
2. Treasure
3. Minerals
4. Gem stones obtained through sea-diving
5. Unlawful wealth mixed with lawful wealth
6. Land purchased by a non-warring disbeliever buys from a Muslim
7. War spoils7
It’s clearly obvious that Allahﷻ is not in need of khums, but rather Allah’s portion is to be used for the governance of Allah’s Law and the government of the Prophet, propagation and deliverance of the call of Islam to the ears of the world, saving those who are oppressed and weak and preventing corruption. Based on narrations, Gods portion is under the authority of the Prophet along with the Prophets share, and after him, under the authority of the Imam. And these are, during the time of occultation, under the authority of the specified representatives of the general representatives of the Imam, meaning the jurist with all the conditions fulfilled, and the jurisprudential judge.
Of other spending that khums can be utilized for as per the narrations, the impoverished and those stranded in travel that are of the Bani Hashim heir, it is forbidden for impoverished Saddat to receive Islamic Tax (Zakat), they are able to utilise the khums stream of funds to secure their needs8. In fact, Islam has made obligatory two things which would eradicate poverty in society: The first is Islamic Tax (Zakat) which is in relation to all societies poor, and the other is khums, part of which has been dedicated to the needy Saddat, and both khums and Islamic Tax (Zakat) payable is to be as much as one years’ worth of their needs, no more.
--------------
1. Saddat are people who are linked to the Prophet through paternal linkage.
2. Who themselves are Saddat.
3. ( Wasa'il Al Shia ﺔﻌﻴﺸﻟا ﻞﺋﺎﺳو ) V6 P4
4. ﻢ5. ﻦﻬﯿﺑﻣرﺎﻐﻮﻟﻠاﻘوﻟا ﺔﻔﻟﺆﻤﻟا
7. (Tafsir Safi ـ6. بﻓﺎـﺎﺼﻗﺮﻟـاﻟ ﻓا ﺮ وـﻴﺴـﻔـﺗ )
8. ( Wasa'il Al Shia ﺔﻌﻴﺸﻟا ﻞﺋﺎﺳو ) V6 The Chapter of Khums
Lesson 11: The Father and The Mother
ﺎﻤﻫُﺪﺣا ﺮﺒْﻟا َکَﺪﻨﻋ ﻦَﻐُﻠﺒﻳ ﺎﻣا ﺎًﻧﺎﺴﺣا ﻦﻳَﺪﻟاﻮْﻟﺎِﺑو هﺎﻳا ا اوُﺪﺒﻌَﺗ ا َﻚﺑر ﻀَﻗو}
ﺎﻤﻬَﻟ ﺾﻔْﺧاو ﺎﻤﻳِﺮﻛ ﻮَﻗ ﺎﻤﻬﻟ ﻞُﻗو ﺎﻤﻫﺮﻬْﻨَﺗ و ٍفا ﺎﻤﻬﻟ ﻞُﻘَﺗ ََﻓ ﺎﻤﻫَﻛ وا
{اﺮﻴﻐﺻ ﻧﺎﻴﺑر ﺎﻤﻛ ﺎﻤﻬﻤﺣرا ِبر ﻞُﻗو ﺔﻤﺣﺮﻟا ﻦﻣ ِلﺬﻟا حﺎَﻨﺟ
Thy Lord has decreed you shall not serve any but Him, and to be good to parents, whether one or both of them attains old age with thee; say not to them 'Fie' neither chide them, but speak unto them words respectful, and lower to them the wing of humbleness out of mercy and say; 'My Lord, have mercy upon them, as they raised me up when I was little.' (Al Isra 17:23-24)
In narrations, with regards to being good to parents, much advice has been given while hurting them is disapproved of:
The reward of a merciful look towards your parents is the acceptance of pilgrimage. Their approval is Divine approval and their anger is Allah’sﷻ anger. Goodness towards the father and the mother extends one’s life and becomes the cause of our own children’s goodness towards us.
In the narrations, it is said that even if they strike you, do not say “fie”, don’t give them disobedient look, do not raise your hand, do not walk ahead of them, do not call them by their names, do not do anything which may cause enmity from people towards them, do not sit before they do and assist them in their needs before they request assistance.
A man who was carrying his mother on his shoulders for the circumambulation during pilgrimage saw the Prophet (pbuh) at that moment, and asked; Have I filled my obligation towards my mother? The Prophet (pbuh) replied, you have not even fulfilled your obligation in return for a single moan she cried during your childbirth!
In narrations, it is stated that even if the parents hit their own children, the children should say “May God forgive you”, the words which are the very same “respectful words”.
The Prophet (pbuh) was asked if there were good deeds for the parents after their passing away? He replied affirmatively, reciting prayers for them and seeking forgiveness on their behalf, fulfilling their commitments, paying for the misdeeds and respecting their friends.
A man complained to the Prophet about his father. The Prophet (pbuh) sought the father and when questioned, the old man said there was a day when I was strong and wealthy and assisted my children, but today he is the wealthy one and does not assist me. The Prophet (pbuh) cried and stated there is no stone nor sand that heard this story and did not weep, then said to the son, you and everything you own is your fathers.
Goodness towards parents is of the characteristics of the Prophets. As Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was characterised as “ﺗَﺪﻟاﻮِﺑ اﺮﺑو” (to cherish my mother)1 and Prophet Yahya(pbuh) as “ﻪﻳَﺪﻟاﻮِﺑ اﺮﺑو” (and cherishing his parents2).
If parents are aware such is the case that the Holy Qur’an advices us to be good to parents after monotheism, it would stimulate life in to invite their own children to monotheism.
So we can derive some points from this Ayah:
1. Serving parents and goodness towards the father and mother is a character of a true monotheist. -
you shall not serve any but Him, and to be good to parents.
2. The order of kindness towards parents is like the order of monotheism, definite, and never to expire. –
decreed.
3. Goodness towards parents comes next to monotheism and obedience to Allahﷻ to point out that this deed is not only an intellectual and humane obligation, but also a religious one - Thy Lord has decreed you shall not serve any but Him, and to be good to parents.
4. The new generation must, under the shadow of faith, have a strong relationship with the past generations - you shall not serve any but Him, and to be good to parents.
5. In goodness towards parents, being a Muslim is not a condition - and to be good to parents.
6. In goodness to the father and mother, there is no differentiation between the two - and to be good to parents.
7. Do good to your parents without an intermediary and with your own hands - be good to parents.
8. Doing good is higher than spending and includes showing love, politeness, teaching, consultation, obedience, thankfulness, attention, and the like - be good to parents.
9. Goodness towards parents is has no borders or limits - be good to parents. (Unlike the poor, where the obligation is until satiety is reached, and jihad, where it is only required until sedition is lifted, and fasting where it is only until dusk sets in.)
10. The Holy Qur’an’s advice to do good is directed at the offspring, not parents - be good to parents.
That’s because parents are naturally good and kind to their children and no advice is needed as such. 11. The more physical and psychological need the parents have, the stronger the obligation is to do good towards them - whether one or both of them attains old age.
12. A healthy father and mother should not be sent to a nursing home, but rather need to be looked after nearby - with thee.
13. Both good action and polite and good speech is required - be good… speak unto them words respectful.
14. With regards to doing good towards parents and generous words, there is no condition for anything in return. That means even if they do not return the generosity, you still need to fulfil your obligation, speaking well and doing good.
15. Under all circumstances, and in all their perfection, needs to stay humble towards their parents and
not to show off their perfection - and lower to them the wing of humbleness.
16. Humility with regards to parents must be out of kindness and love, not superficial and made up, or for the sake of their wealth - and lower to them the wing of humbleness out of mercy.
17. Children must with regards to their parents be not only humble, but also seek mercy for them on their behalf from Allahﷻ ‐ My Lord, have mercy upon them.
18. The supplication of the child for their parents is one that is answered, otherwise, Allahﷻ would not have given the command to supplicate for them - and say; 'My Lord, have mercy upon them’.
19. Supplication for the father and mother is a Divine order and a sign of gratitude towards them - say;
'My Lord, have mercy upon them’.
20. The mercy of Allahﷻ is in return for the pain and trouble parents go through in raising children - 'My Lord, have mercy upon them, as they raised me up…’. Sometimes Allahﷻ says to the offspring; do not be regretful of your own mercy, and seek help from Allahﷻ for one is never able to discharge their obligation towards them.
21. Do not forget your past, the hard times and the problems your parents bore for your sake during your childhood and tender years - as they raised me up.
22. The father and mother must raise their children based upon love - have mercy upon them, as they raised me up.
23. One must be thankful and show their gratitude towards their tutors - have mercy upon them, as they raised me up.
In Ayahs 83 of Surah Al Baqarah, 36 of An Nissa, 151 of An A’am, and 23 of Al Israa, advice has been given to do good to your parents, but in Ayah 14 of Surah Luqman (pbuh), goodness towards parents has been given in the shape of divine advice:
{ﻪﻳَﺪﻟاﻮِﺑ َنﺎﺴﻧا ﺎَﻨﻴﺻوو}
And We have charged man concerning his parents (Luqman (pbuh) 31:14).
Yes, respect towards parents is a human right, not an Islamic one, an eternal right, not a seasonal or temporary one.
In the narrations, we read that goodness towards parents is an obligation under all circumstances, be it they are bad or good, be it they are dead or alive.
The Prophet was seen to be more respectful towards his sister3 than towards his brother through breastfeeding, when asked for the reason why, he said that because she showed more respect towards her mother4.
We read in the Holy Qur’an that both Prophets Jesus (pbuh) and Yahya (pbuh) were ordered to show respect towards their parents.5
The Prophet (pbuh) states that after the prayers at the peak of their time, a deed better than respect towards parents does not exist6.
An Extension Of The Meaning Of Parents
In the Islamic culture, your heavenly guide, teacher, tutor and father-in-law can all be coined the term father. In some narrations, the Prophet (pbuh) and Imam Ali (pbuh) are known as the fathers of the Islamic Nation.
ﺔﻣﻷا هﺬﻫ اﻮﺑأ ﻠﻋو ﺎﻧأ
Ali and I are the fathers of this nation.
Just as Prophet Ibrahim (pbuh) is considered the father of the Arabs
{ﻢﻴﻫاﺮﺑا ﻢﻴِﺑا َﺔﻠﻣ}
Being the creed of your father Abraham (Al Hajj 22:78).
In the final days of the Prophets life while he was on his nurse bed, he said to Imam Ali,(pbuh) to go to the people and say with a loud voice
• May Allah’sﷻ curse be upon anyone who is disobedient to their parents
• May Allah’sﷻ curse be upon any slave that runs away from their master
• May Allah’sﷻ curse be upon anyone who is does not pay the right of the worker and whom they hire Imam Ali (pbuh) left and stated these words amongst the people then returned. Some of the companions thought this advice to be simple and plain, and wondered: The advice regarding parents and masters and workers was previously heard, it’s not a new message for it to be sent to us from the messengers nursing bed.
The Prophet, realizing the people did not comprehend the depth of the message, sent Imam Ali× back to the people with a follow up message, asking him to say that what was meant by disobedience to parents, is disobedience to the Divine Guide. Oh Ali (pbuh), you and I are the Fathers of this Nation and one who escapes from us, gives cause to receive of Allah’sﷻ anger. You and I have become hired to guide these people and anyone who does not pay the right of the hired gives cause to receive of Allah’sﷻ anger.
In this incident, an observation is made that though goodness and obedience towards parents is one apparent and official meaning, yet in Islam, the issue is a much wider one.
-----------
1. Holy Qur’an Surah Maryam 19:32
2. Holy Qur’an Surah Maryam 19:14
3. This refers to his sister in whom he shared a wet nurse with rather than a biological sister from the same parents.
4. (Al Kafi ) V2 P118
5. Holy Qur’an Maryam 19:14 and 32.
6. (Mizan Al-Hikmah ﺔ
Lesson 12: Thankfulness and Gratitude
{ٌﺪﻳِﺪَﺸَﻟ ِﺑاَﺬﻋ ﱠنا ﻢُﺗﺮَﻔﻛ ﻦﺌَﻟوْ ﻢﱠﻧَﺪﻳِز ﻢُﺗﺮَﺷ ﻦﺌَﻟ ﻢﺑر َنذﺎَﺗ ْذاو}
And when your Lord proclaimed, "If you are thankful, surely I will increase you, but if you are thankless My chastisement is surely terrible."' (Ibrahim 14:7).
Imam Sadiq (pbuh) states that gratefulness towards blessings is far from sin. He also stated gratitude is where one knows their blessings are from Allahﷻ (and not know their blessings as being a result of their cleverness, knowledge, mind and efforts or of others) and is content with what has been given to them from Allahﷻ, and those very blessings should not be used as a means to sin, true gratitude is when one uses the blessings of Allahﷻ in the way of Allahﷻ
Gratitude for divine blessings are many, and cannot be listed.
We read in the narrations that Allahﷻ inspired to Prophet Moses (pbuh), to deliver my (Allah’sﷻ right of gratitude, Prophet Moses (pbuh) replied that he could not possibly do so, as each word to thank itself requires another thanks. The inspiration came down that that very confession you make and that you know everything is from Me, is the best way to thank me.1
Gratitude towards others is gratitude towards Allahﷻ, it has been brought to us through narrations that: Anyone who is not thankful of the created, is not thankful of Allahﷻ.
2ﻞﺟوﺰﻋ ﻪﻟا ِﺮﺸﻳ ﻢَﻟ ﻦﻴﻗﻮُﻠﺨﻤﻟا ﻦﻣ ﻢﻌﻨﻤﻟا ِﺮْﺸﻳ ﻢَﻟ ﻦﻣ
If the blessings of Allahﷻ are spent in a way contrary to the rights in which it must be spent in, that shows ingratitude and is the foundation of blasphemy. “If you are thankless”, or as in another Ayah “those who exchanged the bounty of God with unthankfulness”3, are those who exchanged the blessings from Allahﷻ in to blasphemy.
Thanking Allah
Allah has no need for our worship and gratitude and the Holy Qur’an has repeatedly indicated and stated this: Allahﷻ is all sufficient and not in need of you.4 But our attention towards him is our capital for our own honor and growth, just as the sun is not in need of us, we benefit from its sunlight.
One of the praises that Allahﷻ has of Prophets is their spirit of gratitude. For example, Prophet Noah, because of all his patience and perseverance in the face of an unfaithful wife, children and people, Allahﷻ in the Holy Qur’an recognizes his gratitude and knows him as being thankful:
{ارﻮَﺷ اًﺪﺒﻋ َنﺎﻛ ﻪﻧا}
He was a thankful servant (Al-Isra 17:3).
Many times, Allahﷻ complains from many people from their (lack of) gratitude.
Of course, the grace of gratitude is one that one must be sought from Allahﷻ just like Prophet Sulaimaan (pbuh) requested the same:
{َﻠﻋ ﺖﻤﻌْﻧا ﺘﻟا َﻚَﺘﻤﻌﻧ ﺮْﺷا ْنا ﻨﻋِزوا ِبر}
My Lord, dispose me that I may be thankful for Thy blessing wherewith Thou hast blessed me. (An Naml 27:19).
“Dispose me” means to ask Allahﷻ to inspire, make me attached to, and to love, being thankful towards Your blessings. We are mostly aware of and thankful for the blessings that we deal with on a daily basis, and are negligent of many blessings, such as the blessings that have come to us through inheritance and good people, or the thousands of calamities that have been prevented from befalling us, and the spiritual blessings such as faith in Allahﷻ and His Guides, or the dislike of blasphemy and debauchery and sin, such as how Allahﷻ reminds us in the Qur’an:
قﻮﺴُﻔْﻟاو ﺮْﻔْﻟا ﻢﻴَﻟا هﺮﻛو ﻢِﺑ
ﻮُﻠُﻗ ﻓ ﻪَﻨﻳَزو َنﺎﻤﻳا ﻢﻴَﻟا ﺐﺒﺣ ﻪـﻠﻟا}
{َنﺎﻴﺼﻌْﻟاو
God has endeared to you belief, decking it fair in your hearts, and He has made detestable to you unbelief and ungodliness and disobedience. (Al Hujarat 49:7).
As well as that which has been mentioned, some of the supplications of the Divinely Guided concentrate on the blessings of Allahﷻ and show gratitude and gives thanks for them, so that the spirit of gratitude is brought to life and strengthened.
Thanking Allahﷻ is sometimes with the tongue and through speech, and sometimes through action and deed. In the narrations, we read that every time we are thoughtful of a blessing from the Divine blessings, in gratitude to it one should prostrate upon the earth, and even if we are riding on a horse, we come down and do this and if we can’t, we put our forehead (in prostration) on the higher part of the saddle, and if we can’t do that either, we place our forehead (in prostration) on our hand and be thankful of Allah5.ﷻ
Examples Of Practical Gratitude
1. Prayer, is the best form of gratitude to Allahﷻ Allahﷻ says to His Prophet:
{ﺮَﺛﻮْﻟا َکﺎَﻨﻴَﻄﻋا ﺎﻧا}
Surely We have given thee abundance;
{ﺮﺤْﻧاو َﻚِﺑﺮﻟ ﻞﺼَﻓ}
So pray unto thy Lord and sacrifice.
2. Fasting, just as gratitude was shown by the Prophets of Allahﷻ towards Him for their blessings through fasting.6
3. Serving the people. The Holy Qur’an states that if an illiterate person asks a literate person to write a letter, the literate person should not turn the request down in gratitude to the blessing of literacy and write the letter.
{ﻪـﻠﻟا ﻪﻤﻠﻋ ﺎﻤﻛ ﺐُﺘﻳ نا ﺐﺗﺎﻛ بﺎﻳ و}
And let a writer write it down between you justly, and let not any writer refuse to write it down, as God has taught him. (Al Baqarah 2:282).
Here, writing a letter in the service of people is a form of gratitude to the blessing of literacy.
4. Contentment. The Prophet (pbuh) states that
ِسﺎﻨﻟا ﺮْﺷا ﻦَﺗ ﺎﻌﻨَﻗ ﻦﻛو
Be content and you will be the most gratuitous of the people.7
5. Take care of orphans. Allahﷻ says to the Prophet (pbuh), in gratitude to you being sheltered as an orphan, do not oppress an orphan:
{ﺮﻬْﻘَﺗ ََﻓ ﻢﻴﺘﻴْﻟا ﺎﻣﺎَﻓ}
As for the orphan, do not oppress him. (Ad Dhuha 93:9)
6. Assisting the deprived and the needy. Allahﷻ says to the Prophet (pbuh), in gratitude to you having been in need and I made you needless, do not scold the needy that requests your assistance:
{ ﺮﻬْﻨَﺗ ََﻓ ﻞﺋﺎﺴﻟا ﺎﻣاو}
And as for the beggar, scold him not. (Ad Dhuha 93:9).
7. Gratitude towards others. Allahﷻ says to the Prophet, In gratitude and incentive to those who pay Islamic Tax (Zakat), send your praise towards them, for your praise brings tranquility to them:
{ﻢﻬﻟ ﻦﺳ َﻚَﺗَﺻ ﱠنا ﻢِﻬﻴَﻠﻋ ﻞﺻو}
And pray for them; thy prayers are a comfort for them.
(Al Tawba 9:103).
Gratitude In The Face Of Hardship
The Holy Qur’an states
{ﻢﱠﻟ ﺮَﺷ ﻮﻫو ﺎﯩﻴَﺷ اﻮﺒﺤُﺗ نا ﺴﻋو ﻢﱠﻟ ﺮﻴَﺧ ﻮﻫو ﺎﯩﻴَﺷ اﻮﻫﺮَﺗ نا ﺴﻋو}
Yet it may happen that you will hate a thing which is better for you; and it may happen that you will love a thing which is worse for you. (Al Baqarah 2:216).
If we knew, others have more problems.
If we knew, problems increase our attention towards Allahﷻ.
If we knew, problems break our vanity and gets rid of hard heartedness.
If we knew, problems remind us of those afflicted with ill fate.
If we knew, problems bring our thoughts to defense and initiative.
If we knew, problems remind us of our previous blessings.
If we knew, problems are the atonement of our sins.
If we knew, problems are the reason for reward in the hereafter.
If we knew, problems are a warning to us and the alarm that awakens us to resurrection.
If we knew, problems are the reason we become acquainted with patience or know who our real friends are.
And if we knew, it could be that greater problems or harder ones may befall us, whereby we would recognize although our problems are externally bitter, they can be sweet in the right place.
Yes, for children, dates are sweet but onions and hot pepper are avoided, while for mature, grown parents who have foresight, the benefits of both sour and sweetness are known.
Imam Ali (as) during the War of Uhud, states that fighting in the battlefield is a blessing that we must be thankful for.8 And his daughter, Zeinab)as) in response to the felonious Bani Ummia stated with regards to Karbala9 – I saw nothing but beauty.10
--------------
1. (Tafseer-e-Namoona)
2. (Bihar Al Anwar راﻮﻧﻷا رﺎﺤﺑ ) V71 P44
3. Holy Qur’an Ibrahim 14:28
4. See Surahs AnNaml 24:40 and Luqman 31:12
5. (Al Kafi ) – Chapter of Gratitude V25
6. ( Wasa'il Al Shia ﺔﻌﻴﺸﻟا ﻞﺋﺎﺳو ) V10 P446
7. (Mustadrak al-Wasā’il ﻞـﺋﺎـﺳﻮـﻟا کرﺪـﺘـﺴـﻣ ) V11 Hadith 12,676
8. (Nahjul Balagha) Speech 156.
9. Karbala is the site in which Imam Hussein, the brother of Syeda Zeinab (pbuh), son of Imam Ali (pbuh) and Seyda Fatima (pbuh) and grandson (pbuh) of the Prophet (pbuh) was massacred along with 72 companions.
10. (Bihar Al Anwar راﻮﻧﻷا رﺎﺤﺑ ) V45 P116
Lesson 13: Divine Delegates
Animals Are Divine Delegates
ﺎﻤَﻠَﻓ ﻪَﺗﺎﺴﻨﻣ ﻞﻛﺎَﺗ ِضرا ُﺔﺑاد ا ﻪﺗﻮﻣ َﻠﻋ ﻢﻬﻟد ﺎﻣ تﻮﻤْﻟا ﻪﻴَﻠﻋ ﺎَﻨﻴﻀَﻗ ﺎﻤَﻠَﻓ }
{ ﻦﻴِﻬﻤْﻟا ِباَﺬﻌْﻟا ﻓ اﻮُﺜِﺒَﻟ ﺎﻣ ﺐﻴَﻐْﻟا َنﻮﻤَﻠﻌﻳ اﻮُﻧﺎﻛ ﻮﻟ نا ﻦِﺠْﻟا ِﺖَﻨﻴﺒَﺗ ﺮَﺧ
And when We decreed that he should die, naught indicated to them that he was dead but the Beast of the Earth (termites) devouring his staff; and when he fell down, the jinn saw clearly that, had they only known the Unseen, they would not have continued in the humbling chastisement. (Seba 34:14).
Many times, in the Qur’an, the role and delegation given to animals has been demonstrated. As examples:
1. Part of a sacrificed cow (The Cow of Bani Israel) brought back to life a murdered man to bear witness
as to who killed him.
{ًةﺮَﻘﺑ اﻮﺤﺑْﺬَﺗ نا ﻢﻛﺮﻣﺎﻳ ﻪـﻠﻟا ﱠنا}
'God commands you to sacrifice a cow.' (Al Baqarah 2:67)
2. A spider that protected the Prophet while he was in the cave.
{ﻪـﻠﻟا هﺮﺼَﻧ ْﺪَﻘَﻓ هوﺮﺼﻨَﺗ ا}
If you do not help him, yet God has helped him already (Al Tawba 9:40).
3. A crow became the teacher of man.
{ ﺎﺑاﺮُﻏ ﻪـﻠﻟا ﺚﻌﺒَﻓ}
Then God sent forth a raven (Al Maida 5:31).
4. A hoopoe bird that was assigned to to deliver the letter of Prophet Suliman (pbuh) to Queen Baqlis, the ruler of the Land of Seba:
{اَﺬٰـﻫ ِﺑﺎَﺘِﺑ ﺐﻫْذا}
Take this letter of mine.(An Naml 27:28).
5. Small birds that were charged with the task of throwing stones upon the Army of the Elephant:
{ﻞﻴِﺑﺎﺑا اﺮﻴَﻃ ﻢِﻬﻴَﻠﻋ ﻞﺳراو}
And He sent upon them birds in flights (Al Fil 105:3).
6. A serpent, a means for truth for Prophet Moses(pbuh):
{ﻦﻴِﺒﻣ ٌنﺎﺒﻌُﺛ ﻫ اَذﺎَﻓ}
and behold, it was a serpent manifest. (Al A’raf 7:107).
7. A whale, commissioned to punishment for Prophet Yunus(pbuh):
{تﻮﺤْﻟا ﻪﻤَﻘَﺘْﻟﺎَﻓ}
Then the whale swallowed him down (As Saffat 37:142).
8. Termites, the means in which the death of Prophet Sulaiman (pbuh) was discovered:
{ﻪَﺗﺎﺴﻨﻣ ﻞﻛﺎَﺗ ِضرا ُﺔﺑاد}
The Beast of the Earth devouring his staff. (Seba 34:14).
9. The dog, a companion of the people of the cave, was responsible for guarding them:
{ِﺪﻴﺻﻮْﻟﺎِﺑ ﻪﻴﻋارِذ ٌﻂﺳﺎﺑ ﻢﻬﺒْﻠﻛو}
and their dog 'stretching its paws on the threshold.
(Al Kahf 18:18).
10. Four birds (Peacock, pigeon, cock, and crow) provided contentment to Prophet Ibrahim(pbuh)
{ِﺮﻴﻄﻟا ﻦﻣ ًﺔﻌﺑرا ْﺬُﺨَﻓ}
Take four birds. (Al Baqarah 2:260).
11. A donkey, the reason for certainty of Prophet Uzair(pbuh) in the Resurrection:
{َکِرﺎﻤﺣ َﻟا ﺮُﻈﻧاو}
And look at thy donkey. (Al Baqarah 2:259).
12. The camel, cow, and sheep in the Hajj Pilgrimage, become divine symbols:
{ﻪـﻠﻟا ِﺮﺋﺎﻌَﺷ ﻦﻣ ﻢَﻟ ﺎﻫﺎَﻨْﻠﻌﺟ َنْﺪﺒْﻟاو}
And the beasts of sacrifice - We have appointed them for you as among God's waymarks (Al Hajj 22:36).
13. Animals, become a means to know God:
{ﺖَﻘﻠُﺧ ﻒﻴﻛ ﻞِﺑا َﻟا َنوﺮُﻈﻨﻳ ََﻓا}
What, do they not consider how the camel was created?
(Al Ghashiya 88:17).
14. Animals, become a means of a test to mankind:
{ﻢﺣﺎﻣِرو ﻢﻳِﺪﻳا ﻪُﻟﺎَﻨَﺗ}
that your hands and lances attain (Al Maida 5:94).
15. Animals, become the miracles of God:
{ﻪـﻠﻟا ُﺔَﻗﺎَﻧ هِﺬٰـﻫ}
This is the She-camel of God. (Al Araf 7:73).
16. Animals, are a means of Divine anger and punishment:
{َعِدﺎَﻔﻀﻟاو ﻞﻤُﻘْﻟاو داﺮﺠْﻟاو}
The locusts, the lice and the frogs (Al Araf 7:133).
Lesson 14: All That Is Sacred In Islam
Respecting All That Is Sacred In Islam
ِلﻮَﻘْﻟﭑِﺑ ۥﻪَﻟ اوﺮﻬﺠَﺗ و ِﺒﻨﻟٱ ِتﻮﺻ قﻮَﻓ ﻢَﺗٰﻮﺻا اﻮﻌَﻓﺮَﺗ اﻮُﻨﻣاء ﻦﻳِﺬﻟٱ ﺎﻬﻳﺎﻳ}
{َنوﺮﻌْﺸَﺗ ﻢُﺘﻧاو ﻢُﻠٰﻤﻋا َﻂﺒﺤَﺗ نا ٍﺾﻌﺒﻟ ﻢﻀﻌﺑ ِﺮﻬﺠﻛ
O believers, raise not your voices above the Prophet's voice, and be not loud in your speech to
him, as you are loud one to another, lest your works fail while you are not aware. (Al-Hujurat 49:2).
With all the different principles and beliefs, the respective elders of each group is respected in a special way. Cities, streets, universities, airports, schools and organizations are named after such people. Likewise, in Islam, individuals and even some plants and inanimate objects are considered sacred.
In Islam, the roots of what is sacred and great is linked to its relationship with Allahﷻ Himself and the stronger that relationship, the more sacred and great they become and we must give and protect the respect due to them. However, note that with regards to to being sacred:
1. Allahﷻ is the source of all sacredness and polytheists that equate others with God, will on the day of resurrection confess to their deviation and say to their imaginary idols – the secret of our misfortune is our equating you (the idols) with the Lord of the Worlds:
{ﻦﻴﻤَﻠٰﻌْﻟٱ ِبﺮِﺑ ﻢﻳِﻮﺴُﻧ ْذا}
When we made you equal with the Lord of all Being.
(Ash Shu’ara 26:98)
In the Qur’an, the glorification and perfection of Allahﷻ is repeated often, which means we must respect and sanctify Allahﷻ where we recognise that it cannot even be imagined that Allahﷻ has an iota of imperfection or shortcoming. Not only Allahﷻ in His nature, but His name is also pure:
{َﻠﻋٱ َﻚِﺑر ﻢﺳٱ ﺢِﺒﺳ}
Magnify the Name of thy Lord the Most High. (Al A’la 87:1).
2. The book of Allahﷻ also is sacred and respected. When Allahﷻ knows the Holy Qur’an as Great:
{ﻢﻴﻈﻌْﻟا َنآﺮُﻘْﻟاو}
And the Mighty Qur’an (Al HIjr 15:87).
We must therefore know the Holy Qur’an as Great, and when the Holy Qur’an is known (Holy Qur’an 56:77), we must then revere it, and since the Holy Qur’an is praiseworthy (Qur’an 50:1), we must
therefore praise it.
3. The rights of the Divine Guides, all of the Prophets and their successors and especially that of the Prophet (pbuh) and his Purified Household (pbuh), have been given a special status which in the aforementioned Surah1, the respect they deserve has partly been mentioned such as not going ahead of them, not raising or voice to be louder than theirs, and in other Ayahs, to send our praises to the Prophet (pbuh).
اﻮﻤّﻠﺳو ﻪﻴَﻠﻋ اﻮﻠﺻ اﻮُﻨﻣاء ﻦﻳِﺬﻟٱ ﺎﻬﻳﺎﻳ ِﺒﻨﻟٱ َﻠﻋ َنﻮﻠﺼﻳ ۥﻪَﺘﺌَﻠﻣو ﻪﻟٱ ﱠنا}
{ﺎﻤﻴﻠﺴَﺗ
God and His angels bless the Prophet. O believers, do you also bless him, and pray him peace. (Al Ahzab 33:56).
Of course, it must be noted that after the passing of the Prophet, the above respect will also apply to and for visitation of the Prophets resting place, and to the resting places of his Purified Household (pbuh), and Progeny (pbuh), and those who have taken his place, and everyone around him who are associated with him, especially the scholars and just jurists and the religious authorities, as per narrations, those who are in place of the Prophet (pbuh), all deserve our utmost respect. In the narrations it is stated that anyone who refutes a just jurist says, is like the one who refutes what the Purified Household (pbuh), of the Prophet have said, and one who refutes what they have said, is like one who refutes what Allahﷻ says.2
Not only the Prophets in person, but what is linked to them also has sanctity and greatness. In the Holy Qur’an we read
ﺎﻤﻣ ٌﺔﻴﻘﺑو ﻢِﺑر ﻦﻣ ٌﺔَﻨﻴﺳ ﻪﻴﻓ تﻮﺑﺎﺘﻟٱ ﻢﻴﺗﺎﻳ نا ٓۦﻪْﻠﻣ َﺔﻳاء ﱠنا ﻢﻬﻴِﺒَﻧ ﻢﻬَﻟ لﺎَﻗو}
ﻢُﺘﻨﻛ نا ﻢﱠﻟ ًﺔﻳاءل َﻚﻟَٰذ ﻓ ﱠنا ُﺔﺌَﻠﻤْﻟٱ ﻪُﻠﻤﺤَﺗ َنوﺮٰﻫ لاءو ﺳﻮﻣ لاء َکﺮَﺗ
{ﻦﻴﻨﻣﻮﻣ
And their Prophet said to them, 'The sign of his kingship is that the Ark will come to you, in it a Shechina from your Lord, and a remnant of what the folk of Moses and Aaron's folk left behind, the angels bearing it. Surely in that shall be a sign for you, if you are believers.'(Al Baqarah 2:248).
The chest that Prophet Moses’(pbuh) placed him in when she sent floating, was used after his death to
place the tablets and scrolls and of what was with him in terms of prophetic miracles and the belongings of his offspring. The chest was so sacred that the Angels would carry it and then bring it back to lead them to victory against an evil powerful tyrant.
4. In Islam, the parents have a special sanctity and greatness associated with them. In the Qur’an, monotheism precedes respecting and doing good to the parents five times and showing gratitude towards them is placed next to showing gratitude to Allahﷻ.
{َﻚﻳَﺪﻟٰﻮﻟو ﻟ ﺮْﺷٱ}
'Be thankful to Me, and to thy parents. (Luqman 31:14).
Respecting the parents is to the point where looking at them with the look of love and respect is considered worship and we are advised to not raise our voices above theirs, and if we go on a trip that causes harm to them is prohibited, and prayers during that travel must be prayed in full (not shortened). 5. In Islam, certain periods of time, such as the Night of Power, some places, such as Mosques, some rocks, such as the Black Stone, some waters, such as Zam-Zam, some soil, such as the soil of Imam Hussein×, some clothes, such as the pilgrimage clothing, are considered sacred and special respect must be duly given to them. Prophet Moses× in respect of the “Valley of Moses” took off his footwear when he entered:
{ىﻮُﻃ ِسﺪَﻘﻤْﻟٱ ِداﻮْﻟﭑِﺑ َﻚﻧا َﻚﻴَﻠﻌَﻧ ﻊَﻠْﺧﭑَﻓ}
Put off thy shoes; thou art in the holy valley, Towa. (Taha 20:12).
The Holy Mosque of Mecca is considered sacred and non-Muslims have no right to enter it
{ ماﺮﺤْﻟٱ َﺪِﺠﺴﻤْﻟٱ اﻮﺑﺮْﻘﻳ ََﻓ ﺲﺠَﻧ َنﻮﻛِﺮْﺸﻤْﻟٱ ﺎﻤﻧا}
The idolaters are indeed unclean; so let them not come near the Holy Mosque. (At Tawba 9:28).
Places of worship and mosques are sacred and when we go to such places, we should go clean and well presented.
{ٍﺪِﺠﺴﻣ ﻞﻛ َﺪﻨﻋ ﻢَﺘَﻨﻳِز اوُﺬُﺧ}
Take your adornment at every place of worship. (Al Araf 17:31).
And anyone who is in a state of uncleanliness or impurity (Junub) has no right to pause in a mosque:
{اﻮُﻠﺴَﺘْﻐَﺗ ﱠﺘﺣ ﻞﻴِﺒﺳ ىِﺮِﺑﺎﻋ ا ﺎﺒُﻨﺟ و}
Or defiled unless you are traversing a way - until you have washed yourselves (An Nissa 4:43).
The Mosque is of such an honourable status that such people as Abraham, Ismael, Zakariyah and Maryam (pbuh), may peace and blessings be upon them all, were charged with the responsibility of purifying them:
{ﺘﻴﺑ اﺮِﻬَﻃ}
Purify My House (Al Baqarah 2:125).
Even the mother of Maryam, who thought she was carrying a son, swore her child to serving the Al Aqsa Mosque
{ارﺮﺤﻣ ﻨْﻄﺑ ﻓ ﺎﻣ َﻚَﻟ ترَﺬَﻧ ّﻧا}
Lord, I have vowed to Thee, in dedication, what is within my womb. (Al Imran 3:35).
6. A person with belief also has sanctity and greatness, so much so that the honor of the believer is more than the honor of the Ka’baa and the persecution and backbiting them is prohibited and defending their right is obligatory, and even after death, it is prohibited to exhume the grave.
Insulting The Prophet (pbuh), Allah’s Defence
بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم
انااعطینک الکوثر(1)فصل لربک والنحر(2)ان شانئک هوالابتر(3)
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate Surely We have given thee abundance; so pray unto thy Lord and sacrifice. Surely he that hates thee, he is the one cut off (Al-Kawthar 108:1-3).
The stronger the attack on religion and what is sacred in it, the stronger the defence must be. There were many bold attacks upon the Prophet, accused as a sorcerer, fortune teller, poet and possessed, all of which were rebuffed in the Holy Qur’an. He was told that he was possessed by jinn, but Allahﷻ says:
{ٍنﻮُﻨﺠﻤِﺑ َﻚِﺑر ﺔﻤﻌﻨِﺑ ﺖﻧا ﺂﻣ}
Thou art not, by the blessing of thy Lord, a man possessed. (Al Qalam 68:2).
He was told that he was not a messenger of God, for which Allahﷻ states:
{ﻦﻴﻠﺳﺮﻤْﻟٱ ﻦﻤَﻟ َﻚﻧا}
Thou art truly among the Envoys (messengers) (Ya Sin 36:3).
He was accused of being a poet possessed, but Allahﷻ states:
{ﻪَﻟ ﻐﺒﻨﻳ ﺎﻣو ﺮﻌّﺸﻟٱ ﻪٰـَﻨﻤﻠﻋ ﺎﻣو}
We have not taught him poetry; it is not seemly for him. (Ya Sin 36:69).
To that individual, an Ayah was revealed:
{ﺮَﺘﺑﻻٱ ﻮﻫ َﻚﯩﻧﺎَﺷ ﱠنا}
Certainly, he who insults you is the one who is cut off. (Al Kawthar 108:3)
Indeed, the answer to the one who insults the best of creations as being “cut off” is to be given Kawthar, and the everyone’s eyes were bedazzled and everyone’s mind was awed.
For the last Ayah of Surah Al-Kawthar (108:3), we understand that Kawthar is the opposite of “cut off”.
The Prophet (pbuh) was mocked as being one who is “cut off”3, but Allahﷻ states in the Holy Qur’an “he is the one cut off” (Al-Kawthar 108:3).
“Cut off” is a term used by Arabs to describe one who is left with no heir as a result of having no sons, and with their death, they leave no trace behind. “Kawthar” in this Surah is used as an answer to that mockery, and the best evidence of it are the twelve Divinely Guided leaders from Syeda Fatima(as), the daughter of the Prophet.
Of course, “Kawthar”, or as translated “Abundance”, has a general meaning and includes every abundant good, but not every abundance is “Kawthar”. The Holy Qur’an states:
ﺎﻬِﺑ ﻢﻬﺑِّﺬﻌﻴﻟ ﻪﻟٱ ُﺪﻳِﺮﻳ ﺎﻤﻧا ﻢﻫُﺪَٰﻟوا و ﻢﻬُﻟٰﻮﻣا َﻚﺒِﺠﻌُﺗ ََﻓ}
{َنوﺮﻔٰﻛ ﻢﻫو ﻢﻬﺴُﻔﻧا ﻖﻫﺰَﺗو ﺎﻴْﻧﺪﻟٱ ةﯜﻴﺤْﻟٱ ﻓ
So let not their possessions or their children please thee; God only desires thereby to chastise them in this present life, and that their souls should depart while they are unbelievers (Al Tawba 9:55).
During the events of the liberation of Mecca, in which the disbelievers entered Islam in waves and waves, Allahﷻ gives the single order of glorification:
{ﺢِﺒﺴَﻓ ﺎﺟاﻮْﻓا ﻪـﻠﻟٱ ﻦﻳِد ﻓ َنﻮُﻠُﺧْﺪﻳ سﺎﻨﻟٱ ﺖﻳارو}
When comes the help of God, and victory, then glorify (An Nasr 110:2-3).
But in return for being given “Kawthar”, Allahﷻ states to the Prophet:
so pray unto thy Lord and sacrifice (Al Kawthar 108:2).
Indicating the provision of “Kawthar” is more significant than the waves of disbelievers entering Islam.
-------------
1. Al-Hujurat 49:2
2. (Bihar Al Anwar راﻮﻧﻷا رﺎﺤﺑ ) V27 P238
3. Having no surviving son to be his heir.
Lesson 15: Migration
Migration For The Sake Of Religious Attainment
ﻓ اﻮﻬﻘَﻔَﺘﻴّﻟ ٌﺔَﻔﺋﺎَﻃ ﻢﻬْﻨﻣ ﺔَﻗﺮﻓ ﻞﻛ ﻦﻣ ﺮَﻔَﻧ ﻮَﻠَﻓ ًﺔﻓﺎﻛ اوﺮﻔﻨﻴﻟ َنﻮُﻨﻣﻮﻤْﻟا َنﺎﻛ ﺎﻣو}
{َنورَﺬﺤﻳ ﻢﻬﻠﻌَﻟ ﻢِﻬﻴَﻟا اﻮﻌﺟر اَذا ﻢﻬﻣﻮَﻗ اورِﺬﻨﻴﻟو ﻦﻳِّﺪﻟا
It is not for the believers to go forth totally; but why should not a party of every section of them go forth, to become learned in religion, and to warn their people when they return to them, that haply they may beware? (At-Tawba 9:122).
To become learned in religion means to strive for the attainment of a deep and meaningful understanding of the religion, its fundamental beliefs and jurisprudence. Sometimes, this goal can be for worldly desires, social status, a desire to learn, to argue, debate and for amusement. And so as not to fall behind with regards to friends, and sometimes it is for the sake of religion itself, for Allahﷻ paradise and for the sake of saving the Nation of Islam. The above Ayah recognizes the latter as the one of value, where they warn their people and invite them to the path of Allahﷻ “that haply they may beware”…
The Prince of the Believers Imam Ali× advices his child “Be Learned in religion for the learned are the inheritors of the Prophets”1. Imam Hussein×, on the night of Ashura, Praised Allahﷻ in sentences such as Praise Allahﷻ that has made me learned in religion.2
Imam Sadiq (as) was asked what to do if something happens to the Imam, to which he replied with the above Ayah and the advice that from each city and each group of people some must act for the sake of knowing their Imam.3
Individuals from each location must go to religious center points for the sake of attaining religious knowledge and return to their own locations until such time that all locations have enough religious scholars to satisfy that area’s needs. Yes, migration is an inherent part of faith. Migration should be either for the defense of religion, or for acquiring religious knowledge.
Therefore, the acquisition of knowledge in religion and then passing on the knowledge and teaching the people of one’s birthplace is an obligation that is lifted from the rest if fulfilled by others. So for the students of Islamic Seminaries, there are two obligatory migrations, one is from their hometown towards the Islamic Seminaries and learning centers, and the other from those centers back to their own homeland. So, remaining in Islamic Seminaries, with the exceptions of the teachers themselves, is not permitted.
Of course, acquiring this knowledge is not just about jurisprudence, but all of the sciences related to religion and able to be researched, in detail and in depth…. “to become learned in religion.”
Religious knowledge is of value where the scholar is aware of the times and surroundings and of the devilish ways and tactical strategies of the enemy so that they can warn and make aware. In that way the speech of one Islamic scholar can be relied upon… to become learned… to warn their people (it is possible to have one scholar per area that would be enough as proof to act upon).
Scholars must go after people and not wait for their invitation “when they return to them” and not wait for everyone’s unwavering support and following because a group of people from every area will never accept the path of religion and God – “that haply they may beware”.
The Historic Migration of The Prophet (pbuh)
اووآ ﻦﻳِﺬﻟاو ﻪـﻠﻟا ﻞﻴِﺒﺳ ﻓ ﻢِﻬﺴُﻔﻧاو ﻢِﻬﻟاﻮﻣﺎِﺑ اوُﺪﻫﺎﺟو اوﺮﺟﺎﻫو اﻮُﻨﻣآ ﻦﻳِﺬﻟا ﱠنا}
ﻦﻣ ﻢَﻟ ﺎﻣ اوﺮِﺟﺎﻬﻳ ﻢَﻟو اﻮُﻨﻣآ ﻦﻳِﺬﻟاو ٍﺾﻌﺑ ءﺎﻴﻟوا ﻢﻬﻀﻌﺑ َﻚﺌٰـَﻟوا اوﺮﺼَﻧو
{اوﺮِﺟﺎﻬﻳ ﱠﺘﺣ ءَﺷ ﻦﻣ ﻢِﻬﺘﻳو
Those who believe, and have emigrated and struggled with their possessions and their selves in the way of God, and those who have given refuge and help -- those are friends one of another. And those who believe, but have not emigrated -- you have no duty of friendship towards them till they emigrate… (Anfal 8:72).
In the thirteenth year after the Revelation and after ten years of public invitation to Islam by the Prophet (pbuh) the disbelievers of Mecca have not yet stopped harming and persecuting the Prophet (pbuh) and Muslims, and day by day they increased the persecution against them until they conspired to kill the Prophet (pbuh) and destroy Islam from its roots.
With the Prophets (pbuh) knowledge and the self-sacrifice and devotion of Imam Ali (pbuh), a night was prepared for the migration of the Prophet (pbuh) and the Prophet (pbuh), on the first of the month of Rabi’Alawal, began his journey towards a cave called “Thawr”4 and by way of miracle, stayed hidden there for three days. During that period only Imam Ali (pbuh) brought him food and news from outside. In the end, the Prophet (pbuh) advised Imam Ali (pbuh), based on the announcement of the migration of Muslims to Yathrib and bringing his family along with him, continued his journey towards Yathrib and after travelling approximately 400 kilometers arrived in Qiba on the 12th day of Rabi’Alwal and the rest of the migrants also continued to arrive in Qiba.
The people of Yathrib prepared for the coming of the Prophet (pbuh) and migrants to their city and greeted them with open hearts. The name of the city was changed from Yathrib to Madinat Al Nabi and Madinat Al Rasool5. At the point, in order to prevent and distance the city from division, the Prophet paired up the approximately three hundred migrants and Ansar6 as brothers and poured brotherhood upon them, and the base for the first Masjid of Islam was founded and Masjid Qiba was built.
The migrants are those that believed in the Prophet in Mecca and because they were under considerable pressure there, they left their homes and belongings in Mecca to join the Prophet in the migration and the Ansar are the Muslims of Medina that gave the Prophet (pbuh) and the migrants a place amongst them and supported them.
Generally, nations mark the most important events faced in their social, scientific, and religious history
and know it as a conjunctive to the narrative of their history, such as the birth of the Messiah (pbuh) for Christians, or the Year of the Elephant (the year in which the army of Abraha from Yemen attacked Mecca but were divinely annihilated) to the Arabs, both examples having set the beginning of the year. From the point of view that the religion of Islam is the most complete and comprehensive heavenly religion and at the same time is independent of all other religions, and so Muslims did not mark the beginning of their calendar with the birth of the Messiah (pbuh), nor with the Year of the Elephant notwithstanding it was the same year in which the Prophet (pbuh) was born. Not even the year in which the Revelation came down upon the Prophet was marked as the start of the Islamic history. But the migration to Medina in which an independent Islamic government was formed and Muslims were able at that point to act freely, the Prophet (pbuh) personally declared the Hijri calendar. As such we can derive from “from the first day” in the Ayah
ﻪﻴﻓ مﻮُﻘَﺗ نا ﻖﺣا مﻮﻳ ِلوا ﻦﻣ ﱝﻮْﻘﺘﻟٱ َﻠﻋ ﺲﺳا ٌﺪِﺠﺴﻤﻟ}
{ﻦﻳِﺮِﻬﻄﻤْﻟٱ ﺐﺤﻳ ﻪﻟٱو اوﺮﻬَﻄَﺘﻳ نا َنﻮﺒﺤﻳ لﺎﺟِر ﻪﻴﻓ
A mosque that was founded upon godfearing from the first day is worthier for thee to stand in; therein are men who love to cleanse themselves; and God loves those who cleanse themselves. (Al Tawba 9:108).
As being the building of Masjid Qiba as well as being for the foundation for the Hijri year as the first action taken by the Prophet in the migration was the building of Masjid Qiba. Indeed, if it was not for the migration, most, if not all of Islam, would have been limited and destroyed.
Of course, in the dawn of Islam two migrations were faced: One in the fifth year after the Revelation in which a group of Muslims migrated to Ethiopia, and the other in the 13th Year after Revelation, the migration from Mecca to Medina.
The Effects And Blessings Of Migration
Most of the disasters that befall us are a result of drowning ourselves in creature comforts and leaving migration that is the source of building foundations. If all the great Muslim minds, experts and professionals that are in the west migrate to back to their own countries, not only is it a blow to the enemy but also a cause of strength for Islam and Islamic nations.
Migration is not limited to the Prophet (pbuh), but rather migration from an environment of disbelief, idol
worship, and sin, for the salvation of religion, faith and for leaving the environment of disobedience to Allahﷻ, is obligatory. So in answer for those who give the excuse of unhealthy environment for their polluted self and perpetration of sin, the reply will be that Was not Gods Earth large enough for you to migrate elsewhere…?:
{ًﺔﻌﺳٰو ﻪﻟٱ ضرا ﻦَﺗ ﻢَﻟا اﻮُﻟﺎَﻗ ِضرٱ ﻓ ﻦﻴﻔﻌﻀَﺘﺴﻣ ﺎﻨﻛ}
'We were abased in the earth.' The angels will say, 'But was not God's earth wide…’(An Nissa 4:97).
Of course, with attention to the term “abased”, it becomes apparent that if one is able to uphold the good and forbid the evil, that one must carry that obligation out and not leave that society in order to repair it. Imam Sadiq (pbuh) states that if you live on a land in which there is disobedience of Allahﷻ, migrate from there to another land.
70ﺎﻫﺮﻴﻏ ﻟإ ﺎﻬﻨﻣ جﺮﺧﺎﻓ ﺎﻬﻴﻓ ﺖﻧأ ض
رأ ﻓ ﻪﻟا ﺼﻋ اذإ
So migration for the purpose of obtaining knowledge and migration for the sake of distributing ones knowledge to others are both obligatory.
-------------
1. (Bihar Al Anwar راﻮﻧﻷا رﺎﺤﺑ ) V1 P216
2. (مﺎﻣﻻا تﺎﻤﻠﮐ ﺔﻋﻮﺳﻮﻣ)
3. (Tafsīr Nūr al-Thaqalayn - ﻦـﻴـﻠـﻘـﺜـﻟا رﻮـﻧ ﺮـﻴـﺴـﻔـﺗ )
4. Literally means “Bull”
5. Meaning the City of the Prophet and the City of the Messenger.
6. Ansar are what the people of Yathrib are referred to upon accepting the migrants.
Lesson 16: Exegesis Of Surah Qadr
بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم
The term “Qadr – رﺪﻗ ” in the Holy Qur’an is used to mean a number of things:
A) Status and position, such as in the following Ayah:
{ٓۦهِرْﺪَﻗ ﻖﺣ ﻪـﻠﻟٱ اورَﺪَﻗ ﺎﻣو}
They measured not God with His true measure. )Al Ana’m 6:91).
B) Estimation and decree, such as in the following Ayah:
{ﺳﻮﻤٰـﻳ ٍرَﺪَﻗ َﻠﻋ ﺖﯩِﺟ}
Then camest hither (to this sacred place), Moses, according to a decree. (Ta Ha 20:40).
C) Constriction and difficulty, such as in the following Ayah:
{ﻪُﻗْزِر ﻪﻴَﻠﻋ رِﺪُﻗ ﻦﻣو}
As for him whose provision is stinted to him. (At Talaq 65:7).
The first two meanings are suitable for the term commonly translated as “Night of Power” (97:1), such as elsewhere in the Holy Holy Qur’an where it states, with regards to that night,
{ﻢﻴﺣ ٍﺮﻣا ﻞﻛ قﺮْﻔﻳ ﺎﻬﻴﻓ}
Therein every wise bidding. (Ad Dukhan 44:4).
Therefore, the “Night of Power” is not restricted to the night in which the Holy Qur’an descended nor to the time of the Prophet (pbuh), but rather every Holy month of Ramadhan there is a Night of Power in which the affairs of the year ahead through to the next Night of Power is determined.
Staying awake and keeping vigil on that night with supplication and prayers and reciting the Holy Qur’an is the advice given to us by the Prophet (pbuh) and the Ahlul Bayet (pbuh) and is considered to be one of three nights the night of the 23rd of the holy Month of Ramadhan being the one of most certainty. A person asked the Prophet (pbuh) that, due to the great distance from his house to the city, to advise him of which one night to come to the city (in the month of Ramadhan), to which his Holiness replied… come to the city on the Night of the 23rd.1
Imam Sadiq (pbuh), while he was ill, requested he be taken to the mosque on the night of the 23rd.2
While Syeda Fatima Az Zahra (pbuh) on this night, would keep her children awake by sprinkling water on their faces.3
It has also come in to narrations that the Prophet (pbuh) would pack up his bed in the last ten nights of the Holy month of Ramadhan and keep vigil those ten nights.4
In a long narration from the Prophet (pbuh) we read that Prophet Moses (pbuh) implored Allahﷻ for nearness to which the reply was
رﺪﻘﻟا ﺔﻠﻴﻟ ﻆﻘﻴﺘﺳا ﻦﻤﻟ ﺑ ﺮﻗ
Nearness to Me is keeping vigil on the Night of Power.
He asked: Oh Nurturer, I implore your Mercy. The Answer, My Mercy is for those who were merciful to the needy on the Night of Power.
رﺪﻘﻟا ﺔﻠﯿﻟ ﻦﯿﮐﺎﺴﻤﻟا ﻢﺣ
ر ﻦﻤﻟ ﺘﻤﺣ ر
He said: Oh My Lord, I seek permission to cross upon the Straight Path. The Answer: That is for those who give alms on the Night of Power.
رﺪﻘﻟا ﺔﻠﻴﻟ ﻓ ﺔﻗﺪﺼﺑ قﺪﺼﺗ ﻦﻤﻟ ﻚﻟذ
He said: My Lord, I seek the trees of paradise and the its fruits. The reply: that is for those who glorified a glorification on the Night of Power.
رﺪﻘﻟا ﺔﻠﻴﻟ ﻓ ﻪﺤﻴﺒﺴﺗ ﺢﺒﺳ ﻦﻤﻟ ﻚﻟذ
He said: My Lord, I seek to be rescued from the Hellfire. The Answer: That is for those who sought forgiveness on the Night of Power.
رﺪﻘﻟا ﺔﻠﻴﻟ ﻓ ﺮﻔﻐﺘﺳا ﻦﻤﻟ ﻚﻟذ
In the end, he said: My Lord, I seek your satisfaction. The reply: My satisfaction is for those who prayed two raka’at prayers on the Night of Power.
5رﺪﻘﻟا ﺔﻠﻴﻟ ﻓ ﻦﻴﺘﻌﻛر ﻠﺻ ﻦﻤﻟ یﺎﺿ ر
One of the strangest realities of history is the striking of Imam Ali (pbuh) on the Night of Power, in which he was in the sanctuary of worship and in the state of prayers. Yes, the most honorable of Gods creations, in the most honourable of places, in the most honorable of time and in the most honorable state, was martyred.
The length of time the Night of Power is a complete night on Earth which takes up 24 hours, not that it is particular to a specific place such as Mecca where a night may be for eight hours. Just as the Celebration of the end of Ramadhan, Eid Al Fitr, is a complete 24-hour cycle that every part of the world participates in.
Perhaps the comparison of the Night of Power for mankind with that of the Holy Qur’an descending to earth is a symbol of the relationship between mankind’s decree and the Holy Qur’an. If one follows the Holy Qur’an, it leads to happiness and redemption, and if one is distant from it, it leads to adversity and misery for them.
Abu Dhar says: I asked the Prophet (pbuh) if the Night of Power was for the times of the Prophets and if it was for them and that after the departure of the world, that the Night of Power and the descent that occurs on that night stops? To which he replied: The Night of Power will continue through to the Day of Resurrection.
Perhaps the secret behind which night is actually the Night of Power is so that people can keep Vigil on more than just the one night, for someone who keeps vigil one night does not become so proud and for the one who missed a night, does not become hopeless.
It has been stated in traditions that a good deed on the Night of Power is better than a good deed of a thousand months without the Night of Power.6
The decree on the Night of Power is with the decent and presence of angels:
{ٍﺮﻣا ﻞﻛ ﻦﻣ ﻢِﻬِﺑر ِنْذﺎِﺑ ﺎﻬﻴﻓ حوﺮﻟٱو ُﺔﺌَﻠﻤْﻟٱ لﺰَﻨَﺗ}
In it the angels and the Spirit descend, by the leave of their Lord, upon every command.
The meaning of Peace in this Surah is that of favour blessings from Allahﷻ upon his worshippers on this night who seek security, mercy and blessings and seek to close the doors of curse and punishment, as the whisperings of Satans in those nights have no effect. In the Night of Power, angels descend on earth and send their greetings upon every man and woman that is in the state of worship. Just as in the Day of Resurrection where the people of heaven are greeted with a “Salam”:
{ﻦﻳِﺪﻠٰـَﺧ ﺎﻫﻮُﻠُﺧدﺎَﻓ ﻢُﺘﺒﻃ ﻢﻴَﻠﻋ ﻢٰـَﻠﺳ}
'Peace be upon you! Well you have fared; enter in, to dwell forever.' (Az Zumar 39:73).
The Angels in the Holy Qur’an
1. Angels are the honoured servants (Holy Qur’an 21:26).
2. Infallible and submissive to Allahﷻ (Holy Qur’an 66:6)
3. The running of certain affairs is in their hands (Holy Qur’an 79:5, 51:4)
4. Are watchful and vigilant as to what humans speak and say (Holy Qur’an 50:18).
5. Are the writers of the books of those in the world (Holy Qur’an 43:80).
6. Are the givers of good tidings to the warriors of war on the battlefield, providing the good tidings of answers to prayers and news of offspring and the good tidings to the believers at the moment of death (Holy Qur’an 9:40, 19:7, 41:30).
7. Are ordered to punish a divine punishment the criminals (Holy Qur’an 11:77).
8. Are the protectors of mankind (Holy Qur’an 6:61).
9. Ask forgiveness for those who believe (Holy Qur’an 40:7).
10. Provide intercession (Holy Qur’an 53:26).
11. Curse the disbelievers (Holy Qur’an 2:161).
12. Rescuers of battlefield warriors (Holy Qur’an 3:125).
13. Punish criminals at the time of their death (Holy Qur’an 8:50).
14. Greet those heavenly bound (Holy Qur’an 13:24).
15. Are responsible for punishment in Hell (Holy Qur’an 74:30).
16. Are responsible for taking the souls (Holy Qur’an 6:61).
17. Have class and position (Holy Qur’an 37:164).
18. Responsible for the bringing down of revelation (Holy Qur’an 16:2).
19. Sometimes appear in the form of human (Holy Qur’an 19:17).
20. Are tireless worshippers (Holy Qur’an 41:38).
21. Also communicate with those who are not Prophets (Holy Qur’an 19:19).
22. Some angels are selected over others (Holy Qur’an 22:75).
23. Faith for angels is a must (Holy Qur’an 2:285, 4:136).
It has come in narrations that one should protest those who reject the “Imams” with Surah Al Qadr, because on the basis of this Surah, angels descend upon the earth every year. At a time when the Prophet was on this earth, they would come down with his presence, however, after his passing upon whose presence will they descend?
It is clear that not everyone can host the heavenly angels and one who does, must be like the Prophet, divinely guided and guardian of the matters of mankind, and he is no other than a Divinely Guided Imam for which in our time, is the Honourable Mahdi# and angels descend upon earth on the Night of Power in his presence.
---------------
1. ( Wasa'il Al Shia ﺔﻌﻴﺸﻟا ﻞﺋﺎﺳو ) V3 P307
2. (Bihar Al Anwar راﻮﻧﻷا رﺎﺤﺑ ) V95 P169
3. (Bihar Al Anwar راﻮﻧﻷا رﺎﺤﺑ ) V94 P10
4. (Majmaul Bayan Fi Tafsir Al-Quran نآ ﺮﻘﻟا ﺮﯿﺴﻔﺗ ﻓ نﺎﯿﺒﻟا ﻊﻤﺠﻣ )
5. ( Wasa'il Al Shia ﺔﻌﻴﺸﻟا ﻞﺋﺎﺳو ) V8 P20
6. (Man la yahduruhu al-Faqih ﻪﻴﻘﻔﻟا هﺮﻀﺤﻳ ﻻ ﻦﻣ ) V3 P158
Lesson 17: Allah’s Decrees
Types of Decrees
﴾ِﺐَٰﺘْﻟٱ ما ٓۥهَﺪﻨﻋو ﺖِﺒْﺜﻳو ءﺂَﺸﻳ ﺎﻣ ﻪﻟٱ اﻮﺤﻤﻳ﴿
God blots out, and He establishes whatsoever He will; and with Him is the Essence of the Book. (Ar’ad 13:39).
Based on the Ayahs of the Holy Qur’an and narrations, the Divine Decrees are of two types:
The first, matters that have an eternal benefit, and so its laws are also eternal. Such as the Ayahs
{ىَﺪَﻟ لﻮَﻘْﻟٱ لﺪﺒﻳ ﺎﻣ}
The Word is not changed with Me (Qaf 50:29).
{ٍراَﺪْﻘﻤِﺑ ۥهَﺪﻨﻋ ءَﺷ ﻞﻛو}
Everything with Him has its measure (Ar R’ad 13:8).
Everything has a detailed register of accounts with the Lord and as such, the Divine Decrees are recorded in a guarded tablet1 and only the nearest to Allahﷻ and with His permission can have knowledge of it.
{َنﻮﺑﺮَﻘﻤْﻟٱ هُﺪﻬْﺸﻳ مﻮُﻗﺮﻣ ﺐَٰﺘﻛ}
A book inscribed, witnessed by those brought nigh. (Al Mutaffifin 83: 20-21).
The second, are matters which are not definite and their benefits depend upon the actions and behaviors of the people, such as repentance from sins which has the benefits of forgiveness, or alms giving which has the benefits of repelling calamities, or oppressions which brings about Divine Wrath upon the sinners. So Allahﷻ is not hand tied with the matters revolving around the administration of all his creation, and with His eternal wisdom and knowledge that He has, he can change some conditions to change the creations and the laws with in it. It is clear that these changes are not a result of ignorance or a change in view, or even regret on His part, but rather, it is based on His wisdom and the changed conditions and/or end of that period in question.
The Holy Qur’an with regards to this presents many examples, some of which are:
1. Supplicate to me, I will answer you (Holy Qur’an 40:60). Mankind, can with supplication, bring about benefits to himself and change his own denouement.
2. Allah’sﷻ rules are not fixed everywhere, perhaps Allahﷻ upon the fulfilling the necessary conditions, will rewrite a new program and bring something new to pass (Holy Qur’an 65:1).
3. He has a specific status for every specific day (Holy Qur’an 55:29).
4. Because some people choose a deviated path, Allahﷻ leads their hearts astray (Holy Qur’an 61:5).
5. With faith and piety, Divine Wrath changes to Divine kindness and blessings (Holy Qur’an 7:96).
6. Allahﷻ will not change the denouement of any nation unless they change themselves (Holy Qur’an 13:11).
7. One who repents, believes, and performs a good deed, Allahﷻ will change that individual’s bad deeds in to good (Holy Qur’an 19:60).
8. If you return, We too shall return (Holy Qur’an 17:8).
Of course, Allah’sﷻ knowledge is based on the foundation of cause and effect, in such a way that He knows that if one uses a particular method, a particular result will occur, and the use of another method results in an alternative outcome.
What Is A New Manifestation?
In Shia Islam, New Manifestations ((ءاﺪﺑ is something that becomes apparent that we, contrary to its reality, suspected, not a change in the knowledge of Allahﷻ and the discovery of contradiction for Allahﷻ.
New Manifestation in creation, is like a law that supersedes an older one, just as we thought that a particular law was eternal… yet later realize that it has changed. Of course, this does not point to a regretful lawmaker or their ignorance, but rather the changed conditions that brought about changes in laws. The correct prescription the doctor writes remains correct so long as the condition of the patient is unchanged… but once it changes, a new prescription needs to be written.
Here, we present some examples of New Manifestations in the Holy Qur’an:
1. We suspected that Allahﷻ ordered Prophet Ibrahim× to slaughter his son, wanting his son Ismael× dead and his blood scattered on the earth. Yet later it becomes apparent that the will of Allahﷻ in this matter was a test of the father, not of the slaughter.
2. We suspected that the promise of Allahﷻ with Prophet Moses× consisted of a period of thirty-night period, but then realise that it was always intended to be forty nights (Holy Qur’an 7:142), but was divided in to two periods in the form of a test, the first being thirty, the latter being a further ten nights. 3. We suspected that the direction for which Muslims will face to pray will always be that of Al- Quds, but then Ayahs were revealed changing the direction eternally to the House of Allahﷻ, The Ka’ba.
4. Once the signs of Divine Wrath started to appear, even Prophet Yunus× was sure that the punishment was coming and his disbelieving nation would be annihilated, and so left his people. But then the nation started to believe and the Divine Wrath was lifted (Holy Qur’an 10:98).
At any rate, New Manifestation does not implicate change in His knowledge or ignorance, as Allahﷻ knew from the outset the blood of Ismael (pbuh) would not be shed by his father, the period of litany for Prophet Moses (pbuh) was always going to be forty nights, the direction to which Muslims eternally pray towards will be the Ka’ba and the Nation of Yunus (pbuh) will be saved. Yet the style and syntax in which the stories are narrated may give a superficial impression otherwise.
So it was not a change in His knowledge, but our view of the story in a new light.
New Manifestations have a specific role in cultivating lessons, one of which is that one must till the last moment in their life, must maintain hope in the changing conditions, the spirit of reliance upon Allahﷻ should be brought to life, not become a slave to the apparent outlook and faith in the unseen and Allah’sﷻ ability increased. One must make an effort with repentance, alms giving, litany and supplication until the way of events and Divine Wrath are changed for the better.
-------------
1. {ظﻮُﻔﺤﻣ حﻮَﻟ ﻓ } - in a guarded tablet (Al Buruj 85:22)
Lesson 18 The Purified Household
The term ﺎﻤﻧا (translated as “only”) here indicates that this Ayah is most certainly restricted to in relation to only this particular Household, Divinely Purified.
The term ُﺪﻳِﺮﻳ (translated as “desires”) is an Existential Will1, because the will of Allahﷻ in the legislative sense is that all mankind be should be purified.
The term ﺲﺟِﺮﻟٱ (translated as “abomination”) relates to any impurity, apparent or internal.
The term ِﺖﻴﺒْﻟٱ ﻞﻫا (translate as “People of the House (pbuth)”) are not all the members of the Prophets family, but of certain members whose names havhe been mentioned in both Shia and Sunni references. They are Imam Ali, Syeda Fatima Zahra, Imam Hassan and Imam Hussein (Pbut)
Question: What is the basis of this restriction? And why is it that this part of the Ayah is not in relation to all of the Prophets (pbuh) wives and house members?
Answer One: Narrations from the Prophets wives themselves, even from Aisha and Um Salma who
asked the Prophet if they were members of the Purified Household? To which the Prophet replied in the negative.
Two: We read in multiple narrations that the Prophet placed a cloak over those five members of the Household, of whom one was the Prophet himself, and stated that these are the members of My Household and no one else has permission to enter it.
Three: The Prophet, in order to establish the exclusivity of the five members of the Purified Household, would pass by the home of Syeda Fatima Zahra÷ for six months (or eight, or nine months in some narrations) for the dawn prayers and state the words:
ﻢﻛﺮِﻬَﻄﻳو ِﺖﻴﺒْﻟٱ ﻞﻫا ﺲﺟِﺮﻟٱ ﻢﻨﻋ ﺐﻫْﺬﻴﻟ ﻪﻟٱ ُﺪﻳِﺮﻳ ﺎﻤﻧا ﺖﻴﺒﻟا ﻞﻫا ﺎﻳ ةﻼﺼﻟا
اﺮﻴِﻬْﻄَﺗ
Time for Prayers, oh People of the Household (pbuth) God only desires to put away from you, the People of the Household (pbuth), abomination and to cleanse you.
In the book Restoration Of The Truth by Al-Hilli2, more than seventy narrations were from wellrespected Sunni sources were identified that identify this Ayah as one that is specific to those five members of the Purified Household, and in the well-respected book , over 130 narrations based upon this foundations are narrated.4 5
In any case, this Ayah does not encapsulate the wives of the Prophet because:
They were sometimes caught up in sin. In Surah At-Tahrim, we read that the Prophet (pbuh) confided in with some of his wives with a secret but the trust was breached with the secret being told to another. This, in the Holy Qur’an was identified as a sin:
{ﺎﻤﺑ ﻮُﻠُﻗ ﺖَﻐﺻ ْﺪَﻘَﻓ ﻪﻟٱ َﻟا ﺂﺑ ﻮُﺘَﺗ نا}
If you two repent to God, yet your hearts certainly inclined. (At Tahrim 66:4).
Aisha, a wife of the Prophet (pbuh), initiated the War of the Camel against Imam Ali(pbuh) and later regretted her actions, for many Muslims were killed in battle.
Answering Doubts
1. Doesn’t “cleanse you “implicate that the Purified Household (pbuth) were impure to start and then Allahﷻ cleansed and purified them?
A precondition to purification is not to be impure, as the Holy Qur’an states, the Houris6 are described as purified, where as they have not committed an ounce of sin. Likewise, to “cleanse you” here is to keep them purified and guard them from all impurities, not to cleanse them of previous sins.
2. If this Ayah is with regards to only five people, why is it amongst an Ayah relating to the wives of the Prophet (pbuh)?
A) The part of the Ayah starting with “God only desires” was revealed separately from the Ayah in which it is found, however, it was placed within that particular ayah while the Holy Qur’an was being collated. B) In the Exegesis of Majamaa’ Al Bayan, it is explained that the poets, writers and eloquent speakers would commonly state something new and important in between other sentences in order to maximize
its effect. Just as in the new bulletin when the reporter breaks his sentence to say something such as “We have breaking news… or with news just in…”, this gives a sort of mental shock to the listener promoting the news item.
The view of this Ayah is that of Surah Maida, Ayah 3, that discusses issues relating to guardianship, leadership and perfection of religion and all of the blessings and seeking the satisfaction of Allahﷻ, and the despair for the unbelievers, while being in relation to a revelation describing amongst other items pork meat and blood. This is a secret of its compilation which safeguarded the Holy Qur’an from the hands of the non-believers. Just as when women may hide their jewelry inside their pillow filling when they leave their homes, not because gold has anything to do with cotton, but because they want to guard themselves from the hands of the thieves.
C) In the middle of the Ayah advising the wives of the Prophet (pbuh), all of a sudden, the Ayah changes tone towards the Purity of the Purified Household (pbuth), effectively saying: Oh wives of the Prophet (pbuh), you are living amongst a household whom are Divinely Guided and Purified, so you must have greater care and attention to your piety for sure.
D) When it comes to the Purified Household (pbuth)… the pronoun used is collectively for majority male persons, contrary to when discussing the wives Prophet (pbuh), the pronoun used was collective feminine.
Part of the Household (pbuth) Or Not?
In the Holy Qur’an, Allahﷻ states
{ﺢﻠٰﺻ ﺮﻴَﻏ ﻞﻤﻋ ۥﻪﻧا َﻚﻠﻫا ﻦﻣ ﺲﻴَﻟ ۥﻪﻧا حﻮُﻨٰﻳ لﺎَﻗ}
He said: "O Noah! He is not of thy family: For his conduct is unrighteous. (Hud 11:46).
While many narrations from the Prophet (pbuh) and Ahlul Bayet (pbuth) that have reached us start with “Not of us are they who…” For example, the Prophet (pbuh) stated
ﺎﻨﻣ ﺲﻴﻠﻓ ًﺎﻤﻠﺴﻣ ﺶﻏ ﻦﻣ
Whoever cheats another Muslim is not of us.
Elsewhere it is narrated he said whoever respects another out of fear is not of us. While it has also been narrated the Prophet (pbuh) stated
ﻢﻠﺴﻤﺑ ﺲﻴﻠﻓ ،ﻦﻴﻤﻠﺴﻤﻟا رﻮﻣﺄﺑ ﻢﺘﻬﻳ ﻢﻟو ﺢﺒﺻأ ﻦﻣ
Whoever wakes up in the morning without giving thought as to how they can serve the Islamic Nation, is not a Muslim.
Elsewhere, the traditions narrate a friend of the Prophet (pbuh) is one who submissive to Allahﷻ even if he has no relation with the Prophet (pbuh), while his enemy is one how is non-submissive to Allahﷻ regardless of how close he was to the
Prophet.
--------------
1. ﻨﯾ ﻮﺗ هدا را
2. ﻠﺣ ﻪﻣﻼﻋ :ﻖﺤﻟا قﺎﻘﺣا
3. ﻞﯾ ﺰﻨﺘﻟا ﺪﻫاﻮﺷ
4. (Tafseer-e-Namoona)
5. (Tafsīr Nūr al-Thaqalayn - ﻦـﻴـﻠـﻘـﺜـﻟا رﻮـﻧ ﺮـﻴـﺴـﻔـﺗ )
6. Beautiful, big, and lustrous eyed partners… rewarded to the believers in the heaven.
ًﻴِﺒﺳ ۦﻪِﺑر َﻟا َﺬﺨﱠﺘﻳ نا ءﺂَﺷ ﻦﻣ ا ٍﺮﺟا ﻦﻣ ﻪﻴَﻠﻋ ﻢُﻠـﺳا ﺂﻣ ﻞُﻗ}
Say: 'I do not ask of you a wage for this, except for him who wishes to take to his Lord a way.' (Al Furqan 25:57).
And in another form, as stated in the Ayah at the start of this lesson. And in the following Ayah we see that the benefit of the spiritual compensation being sought is for the people themselves:
ءَﺷ ﻞﻛ َﻠﻋ ﻮﻫو ﻪﻟٱ َﻠﻋ ا ىِﺮﺟا ْنا ﻢَﻟ ﻮﻬَﻓ ٍﺮﺟا ﻦﻣ ﻢُﺘْﻟﺎﺳ ﺎﻣ ﻞُﻗ}
{ٌﺪﻴِﻬَﺷ
Say: 'I have asked no wage of you; that shall be yours. My wage falls only upon God; and He is witness over everything.' (Saba 34:47).
So the Prophet (pbuh) announces that if I was to seek any compensation and ask for you to love my kinship, the Purified Household (pbuth), it is for the reason that the benefit of this will fall back to yourselves, because anyone who has a close relationship with the Purified Household (pbuth), will be followers and supporters of the Purified Household (pbuth) and anyone who is a proactive supporter of the Divinely Guided will be following the path of Allahﷻ.
“…except for him who wishes to take to his Lord a way”, is like the example of a teacher that says to their students I seek nothing from way but that you study the subject well, a benefit that will go back to the students themselves. So therefore, the reward of the message is two: One is to choose to follow the Path of Allahﷻ and the other is for the Love of the kinsfolk. It is of interest that in both phrases the term “except” is used, indicating that my reward is that and only that.
With a little reflection, we come to understand that following the path of Allahﷻ and the love of the Purified Household is one and the same, because if they were two, it would be a contradiction, that is, it cannot be said I will only study in winter and then say I will only study in summer. The restriction must be for the one thing only.
The Prophet is ordered once to seek compensation from the people in the form of only following the path of Allahﷻ and in another instance, is ordered to seek compensation in the form of only love of kinship. In reality, these two requests are one. That is, the path of Allahﷻ is the love of the Purified Household. From the point of view of love of the Purified Household (pbuth), two things are necessary: One is comprehension of and knowledge of the Purified Household, so who does not know them cannot possibly be passionate for them. The second, is submissiveness and adherence, as love without
obedience is a form of fakery, a sham, a form of lip service and a lie. So, anyone who takes orders from any other than the Purified Household of the Prophet is yet to follow the path of Allahﷻ. That is what the Holy Qur’an is telling us.
As for the intellect, the rewards must be as heavy and weighty as the action. There is nothing as weighty or worthy of a reward for the message other than Imamate. The reward of the message is the continuation of the guidance it delivers, the reward of one Divinely Guided, is passing on the guidance to another Divinely Guided. The reward of the just, is passing on the work to another just person.
Our intellect tells us that where there is kindness there also needs to be gratitude, and if today the kindness of the Prophet has reached us and we have been guided to Islam, then we should compensate for it and if the reward for the guidance is the love of his kinship, today there must also be present his kinship for us to show love and obedience. Yes, today indeed we must show obedience and adherence to the Imam of our time, Imam Mahdi (pbuh).
Otherwise, how could it be that we say Muslims, at the outset of Islam, were ordered to pay compensation for their guidance by being obedience to and showing love for the kinship of the Prophet, but in today’s Islam, such a requirement is not present? Or that there is no kinship for us to be obedient and submissive to? Of course, the obedience and submissiveness to the Imam of our time, Imam Mahdi (pbuh), during the period of his occultation, is to work towards his message and go follow those he has entrusted, the scholars that are just and that have control over whims and desires.
Our intellect understands that, from the love of kinship as the reward for the Prophet that has led to hundreds of millions to guidance, happiness and great divine bounties, the kinship and those who fall under the banner requiring the love of kinship, are the best of the best and Divinely Guided. Therefore, the reward for the Divinely Guided Prophet can never be to love and follow one who has committed sin. It simply cannot be believed that people who have committed sin be loved and supported as compensation for all of time and obligated upon Muslims, and no Islamic group (other than Shia Islam) can identify their leader as Divinely Guided, sinless, and no one or group till now has ever narrated sin being committed by the Divinely Guided^ nor have they named a teacher for them.
Intellect tells placing guidance in the hand of a guide that is not Divinely Guided is not only oppressing human kind but oppression upon all of existence. That’s because all of existence was created for mankind (all Ayahs indicate the existence was created for use by and the pleasure of mankind). So is it not oppression upon mankind and all of existence that for mankind to reach spiritual and real perfection, and to reach a level of divinity, to be guided by one who is not himself Divinely Guided?
If narrations tell us that the foundation of religion is to know, support and be guided by the Divinely Guided:
1ﺔﻳﻻﻮﻟا...ﺲﻤﺧ ﻠﻋ مﻼﺳﻻا ﻨ
And if Imam Ali(pbuh) divides people between those who will go to heaven and those who will end up in hell:
2رﺎﻨﻟاو ﺔﻨﺠﻟا ﻢﻴﺴﻗ
And if prayers are not accepted where there is no acceptance of the Guidance by the Divinely Guided3, and if the love of kinship is a good deed4, and if their visitation and seeking their assistance has been advised, it is all because of the chemistry of the love for kinship.
Two great Sunni scholars, Zamkhshari and Fakhrirazi, in their own exegesis have stated that the Prophet has stated:
• Whoever dies upon the love of the Purified Household of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) dies a martyr.
• Whoever dies upon the friendship of the Purified Household of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) dies repentant.
• Whoever dies upon the love of the Purified Household of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) dies with perfected faith.
• Whoever dies upon the love of the Purified Household of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) dies based upon the tradition of the way of the Prophet?
So, the question now is, can love of kinship without submissiveness also be considered for martyrdom, forgiveness and perfection?
Under those very exegeses in the explanation of this Ayah they state that the Prophet said:
ﻪﻴﻨﻴﻋ ﻦﻴﺑ بﻮﺘﻣ ﺔﻣﺎﻴﻘﻟا مﻮﻘﻳ مﻮﻳ ءﺎﺟ ﺪﻤﺤﻣ لآ ﺾﻐﺑ ﻠﻋ تﺎﻣ ﻦﻣ و ﻻا
ﷻﻪﻟا ﺔﻤﺣ ر ﻦﻣ ﺲﯾآ
Whoever dies with animosity and hatred towards the kinship of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) will be raised on the day of resurrection with writing between his eyes: They are despaired and deprived from the Mercy of Allahﷻ.
اﺮﻓﺎﻛ تﺎﻣ ﺪﻤﺤﻣ لآ ﺾﻐﺑ ﻠﻋ تﺎﻣ ﻦﻣو ﻻا
Whoever dies with animosity and hatred towards the kinship of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) dies an
unbeliever.
ﺔﻨﺠﻟا ﺔﺤﺋا ر ﻢﺸﻳ ﻢﻟ ﺪﻤﺤﻣ لآ ﺾﻐﺑ ﻠﻋ تﺎﻣ ﻦﻣو ﻻا
Whoever dies with animosity and hatred towards the kinship of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) will not smell the aroma of paradise.
Fakhrirazi in his exegeses states that once the Ayah for the love of kinship was revealed, it was asked of the Prophet who is it that it has been obligated upon us to love? The Prophet replies Ali, Fatima and her sons (pbuth), and then adds that the Prophet (pbuh) states
ﺎﻬﻳذﺆﻳ ﺎﻣ ﻨﻳذﺆﻳ َﻨﻣ ﺔﻌﻀﺑ ÷ﺔﻤﻃﺎﻓ
Fatima (pbuh) is a part of me, whoever hurts her, hurts me, and whoever hurts the Prophet (pbuh) is punished with the curse of Allahﷻ:
ﺎﺑاَﺬﻋ ﻢﻬَﻟ ﱠﺪﻋاو ةﺮﺧﺎـْﻟٱو ﺎﻴْﻧﺪﻟٱ ﻓ ﻪـﻠﻟٱ ﻢﻬَﻨﻌَﻟ ۥﻪَﻟﻮﺳرو ﻪـﻠﻟٱ َنوُذﻮﻳ ﻦﻳِﺬﻟٱ ﱠنا}
{ﺎًﻨﻴِﻬﻣ
Those who hurt God and His Messenger them God has cursed in the present world and the world to come, and has prepared for them a humbling chastisement.
(Al Ahzab 33:57).
In the narrations, we read that Imam Hassan (pbuh) under the Ayah
{ﺎًﻨﺴﺣ ﺎﻬﻴﻓ ۥﻪَﻟ دِﺰﻧ ًﺔَﻨﺴﺣ فِﺮَﺘْﻘﻳ ﻦﻣو}
…and whosoever gains a good deed, We shall give him increase of good in respect of it. (Ash Shura 42:23).
Stated that a good deed is the love of us, The Purified Household.
88ﺖﻴﺒﻟا ﻞﻫا ﺎﻨﺗدﻮﻣ ﺔﻨﺴﺤﻟا فا ﺮﺘﻗا
-------------
1. (Al Kafi ) V2 P18
2. (Bihar Al Anwar راﻮﻧﻷا رﺎﺤﺑ ) V5 P186
3. (Bihar Al Anwar راﻮﻧﻷا رﺎﺤﺑ ) V27 P168
4. (Bihar Al Anwar راﻮﻧﻷا رﺎﺤﺑ ) V43 P362
Lesson 20: Imammat and Wilayet
The Final Message from The Prophet
َﻚِﺑر ﻦﻣ َﻚﻴَﻟا لِﺰﻧا ﺂﻣ ْﻎّﻠﺑ لﻮﺳﺮﻟٱ ﺎﻬﻳﺎﻳ}
ِسﺎﻨﻟٱ ﻦﻣ َﻚﻤﺼﻌﻳ ﻪﻟٱو ۥﻪَﺘَﻟﺎﺳِر ﺖْﻐﻠﺑ ﺎﻤَﻓ ﻞﻌْﻔَﺗ ﻢﻟ ناو
{ﻦﻳِﺮﻔْٰﻟٱ مﻮَﻘْﻟٱ ىِﺪﻬﻳ ﻪﻟٱ ﱠنا
O Messenger, deliver that which has been sent down (with regards to the Wilayah of Imam Ali×) to thee from thy Lord; for if thou dost not, thou wilt not have delivered His Message. God will protect thee from (the evilness of) men (and those who are unable to tolerate hearing this message). God guides not the people of the unbelievers. (Al-Maida 5:67).
In all of the Holy Qur’an this is the one and only place that the Prophet (pbuh) has been threatened with regards to reservation in delivering the message, in that if he does not announce it, all of the 23 years of deliverance will be useless.
The Honourable Messenger (pbuh) said to Imam Ali (pbuh) that if he I do not deliver the message relating to your guardianship all of my deeds will be erased.
In this Ayah, a few points come to light relating to this topic:
1. Surah Al Maida is of the last Surahs that were revealed to the Prophet (pbuh).
2. In this Ayah, instead of saying Oh Prophet, the term Oh Messenger has been used, indicating the significance of the message.
3. In place of ﻎﻠﺑا the term ﻎﻠﺑ has been used for the word “deliver”, which is a means of signifying a decisive, formal and important message.
4. The Prophet is threatened with the loss of his entire life’s work being nullified if he does not announce this single important message.
5. The Prophet is not afraid for his own life, as history shows that when he was fighting idol worshippers alone and in the battles with the disbelievers, he was never afraid of danger. (while there were showers of stone and his companions were being tortured…now why would he be afraid for his life towards the end of his life and amongst his own companions?).
6. The message of the Ayah is not related to monotheism, Prophethood or resurrection, as these fundamentals where already established at the outset of the revelation in Mecca and there is no need for all this advice at the end of his life.
7. The message of the Ayah is not related to prayers, fasting, pilgrimage, Islamic taxes or Jihad, as these were clarified over the span of 23 years of revelation and invitation to Islam, and the people also acted upon these deeds and there was no concern over them.
All exegetists of the Shia and some of the Sunni schools indicate this Ayah is proof of the guardianship of Imam Ali(pbuh) and that it was revealed on the 18th of Dhil Hijja in the tenth year of Hijra on the return trip from the Farewell Pilgrimage and is when the well-known narration was stated:
هﻻﻮﻣ ﻠﻌﻓ هﻻﻮﻣ ﺖﻨﻛ ﻦﻣ
Whomever I was guardian over, so Ali (pbuh) is their guardian. It was when the choices that need to be made for salvation and its path was made clear. Imam Baqir (pbuh) stated:
دﺎﻨﻳ ﻢﻟو ﺔﻳﻻﻮﻟاو ﺞﺤﻟاو مﻮﺼﻟاو ةﺎﻛﺰﻟاو ةﻼﺼﻟا ﻠﻋ :ﺲﻤﺧ ﻠﻋ مﻼﺳﻻا ﻨﺑ هﺬﻫ اﻮﻛﺮﺗو ﻊﺑرﺄﺑ سﺎﻨﻟا ﺬﺧﺄﻓ ،ﺔﻳﻻﻮﻟﺎﺑ یدﻮﻧ ﺎﻤﻛ ﺸﺑ
Islam is based upon five foundations: Prayers, Islamic Tax, Fasting, Pilgrimage, and Guardianship (of the Purified Household (pbuth)), so the people accepted four and left this (the fifth, being guardianship).
The Wilayah/Guardianship Is the Perfection and Completion of The Message
ِنﻮَﺸْﺧٱو ﻢﻫﻮَﺸْﺨَﺗ ََﻓ ﻢﻨﻳِد ﻦﻣ اوﺮَﻔﻛ ﻦﻳِﺬﻟٱ ﺲﺌﻳ مﻮﻴْﻟٱ}
{ﺎًﻨﻳِد ﻢَٰﻠﺳٱ ﻢَﻟ ﺖﻴﺿرو ﺘﻤﻌﻧ ﻢﻴَﻠﻋ ﺖﻤﻤْﺗاو ﻢَﻨﻳِد ﻢَﻟ ﺖْﻠﻤﻛا مﻮﻴْﻟٱ
Today (the day of the appointment of the Guardianship to Imam Ali (pbuh)) the unbelievers have despaired of your religion; therefore fear them not, but fear you Me. Today I have perfected your religion for you, and I have completed My blessing upon you, and I have approved Islam for your religion. (Al Maida 5:3).
According to both Shia and Sunni schools, this part of the Ayah, starting from “Today I have perfected…” was revealed after the appointment of Imam Ali (pbuh) as the guardian in Ghadir Khum1.
Without even looking at narrations that have been passed on, from an intellectual point of view this relationship can be confirmed as the Ayah discusses four features of the day:
1. The day the disbelievers despaired.
2. The day the religion was perfected.
3. The day that the blessings of Allahﷻ upon mankind was completed.
4. The day Islam was accepted and approved as a complete religion by Allahﷻ, and no other days other than the Day of Appointment for the Prophet (pbuh), migration, the liberation of Mecca, the victories of battles… and all the rest with all their value, none could add up to the four important features identified in this Ayah.
So it is only this day in Ghadir Khum that can have the four points combined in the one place:
• As for the despair of the disbelievers, it is because the allegations, war and ill intentions towards the life of the Prophet (pbuh), would remain unsuccessful, having had his death as being their only hope. With the appointment of Imam Ali (pbuh), it became understood by all that the death of the Prophet (pbuh) no longer meant the annihilation of his religion, because a personality such as Imam Ali (pbuh)
would take the Prophets (pbuh) place as guardian of the Nation. Here it was that all the disbelievers became hopeless.
• As for the perfection of the religion, it is because of all the religious requirements concerning the laws and principles of the religion were stipulated, but a Guardian over the religion was not appointed, a provision of the religion would remain missing.
• As for the completion of blessings, it is because the most significant blessing the Holy Qur’an points towards is the identification of the Guardian. The Prophet passing away and the Nation remaining without a Guardian would be an action that a shepherd would never do to his flock. How could it be that the Divine Blessing be completed without the appointment of a Guardian.
• As for the approval of Allahﷻ, it is for the reason that every time a law is completed and justly carried out, it becomes the reason for His satisfaction.
For these reasons (perfection of religion, completion of blessings, Divine Approval and despair of disbelievers), we have in narrations of the Purified Household (pbuth) that he Eid of Ghadir is considered one of the most significant festivals.
Sometimes the effect of something depends on gathering all the requirements together, such as fasting, where breaking the fast even moments before the call to prayer will render the fast void. From this point, the term “complete” is used:
{ﻞﻴﻟٱ َﻟا مﺎﻴﺼﻟٱ اﻮﻤﺗا}
Then complete the Fast unto the night (Al Baqarah 2:187).
And sometimes, it is that every part of the whole can have its own effect, such as the recitation of the Holy Qur’an, in that reciting the whole Book is its completion or reading any part of it has its own rewards.
Sometimes, some parts are such that if they were not there, a part would be missing, despite the rest of the parts being present. Look at the example of the pilot and driver where an airplane and car without them would mean they are useless. Wilayah and the True Guardianship are just like that, because mankind is connecting to Allahﷻ and without Guardianship, creations and blessings become troublesome and mankind will not reach Allahﷻ.
Who Is the Guardian?
َةﯜﻛﺰﻟٱ َنﻮُﺗﻮﻳو َةﯜَﻠﺼﻟٱ َنﻮﻤﻴﻘﻳ ﻦﻳِﺬﱠﻟٱ اﻮُﻨﻣاء ﻦﻳِﺬﱠﻟٱو ۥﻪُﻟﻮﺳرو ﻪﻟٱ ﻢﻴﻟو ﺎﻤﱠﻧا} {َنﻮﻌﻛٰر ﻢﻫو
Your friend is only God, and His Messenger, and the believers who perform the prayer and pay the alms, and bow them down. (Al Maidah 5:55). The reason for the revelation of this Ayah, in both Sunni and Shia schools, is that a poor man entered the Mosque of the Prophet and sought help from the people. No one paid him alms. Imam Ali (pbuh), while in a state of prayer, and specifically in rukoo’, gifted him his ring. In honoring this generosity, revealed this Ayah. The Prophet (pbuh) in Ghadir Khum, in order to show the status of Imam Ali (pbuh), recited this Ayah, and Imam Ali (pbuh) recited this Ayah multiple times to indicate the same. It’s true that the best form of introduction is one where the quality and characteristics of the individual is stated and the audience find the individual themselves through that introduction (The Ayah does not mention the name of Imam Ali (pbuh) but describes his qualities and actions). The Guardianship of Islamic Jurist is in line with the Guardianship of the Divinely Guided. In Maqboola of Omar Bin Handhala2, we read a narration that states Imam Sadiq(pbuh) said look at he who narrates our traditions, and looks at our rules of what is permitted and forbidden, and knows our laws, so accept his judgement as it is I that have placed him as a judge over you
ًﺎﻤﮐﺎﺣ ﻢﯿﻠﻋ ﻪﺘﻠﻌﺟ ﺪﻗ
-----------
1
. Ghadir Khum is the name of the location in which these Ayahs were revealed. 2.
ﻪﻠﻈﻨﺣ ﻦﺑ ﺮﻤﻋ ﻪﻟﻮﺒﻘﻣ
Lesson 21: The Imam of The Time Allah’s Successor in The World
ﺎﻤﻛ ِضرٱ ﻓ ﻢﻬﱠﻨَﻔﻠْﺨَﺘﺴﻴَﻟ ِﺖٰﺤﻠٰﺼﻟٱ اﻮُﻠﻤﻋو ﻢﻨﻣ اﻮُﻨﻣاء ﻦﻳِﺬﱠﻟٱ ﻪﻟٱ َﺪﻋو} ِﺪﻌﺑ ﻦﻣ ﻢﻬﱠﻨَﻟِّﺪﺒﻴَﻟو ﻢﻬَﻟ ﻀَﺗرٱ ىِﺬﱠﻟٱ ﻢﻬَﻨﻳِد ﻢﻬَﻟ ﻦَﻨﻤﻴَﻟو ﻢِﻬﻠﺒَﻗ ﻦﻣ ﻦﻳِﺬﱠﻟٱ ﻒَﻠْﺨَﺘﺳٱ ﻢﻫ َﻚﺌَﻟوﺎَﻓ َﻚﻟَٰذ َﺪﻌﺑ ﺮَﻔﻛ ﻦﻣو ﺎـﻴَﺷ ِﺑ َنﻮﻛِﺮْﺸﻳ ﻨَﻧوُﺪﺒﻌﻳ ﺎًﻨﻣا ﻢِﻬﻓﻮَﺧ {َنﻮُﻘﺴَٰﻔْﻟٱ
God has promised those of you who believe and do righteous deeds that He will surely make you successors in the land, even as He made those who were before them successors, and that He will surely establish their religion for them that He has approved and will give them in exchange, after their fear, security: 'They shall serve Me, not associating with Me anything.' Whoso disbelieves after that, those - they are the ungodly. (An Nur 24:55). In the narrations, there are many traditions where we read from the Divinely Guided the full extent of this Ayah is the day of governance of Imam Mahdi (pbuh) In the Holy Qur’an, the ultimate government will be run by the righteous is stipulated multiple times. For example:
{ﻪّﻠﻛ ﻦﻳِّﺪﻟا َﻠﻋ هﺮِﻬْﻈﻴﻟ}
That He may uplift it above every religion (Al Tawba 9:33).
Meaning that Islam will succeed over all other religions. Elsewhere:
{َنﻮﺤﻠٰﺼﻟٱ ىِدﺎﺒﻋ ﺎﻬُﺛِﺮﻳ ضرٱ ﱠنا}
The earth shall be the inheritance of My righteous servants. (Al Anbiya 21:105).
And:
{ﻦﻴﻘﺘﻤْﻠﻟ ُﺔﺒﻘٰﻌْﻟٱو}
The issue ultimate is to the godfearing. (Al A’raf 7:128, Al Qasas 28:83).
The meaning of “successors” in this Ayah is either that of the righteous successors from Allahﷻ or the ruin of the corrupt governments and replacing them with the righteous government.
“Qurtabi”, in his exegesis, in regard to the complete success of Islam narrates a number of hadiths that say on Earth, not a single dwelling will remain where Islam has not entered that house.
The Prophet, on the return trip of his last Pilgrimage in Ghadir Khum, appointed Imam Ali (pbuh) as his successor on the order of his Lordﷻ, and the Ayah was revealed that states today Allahﷻ has chosen for you Islam as your religion (Holy Qur’an 5:3). In the same Ayah Allahﷻ promises the victory of this religion which he has approved:
{ﻢﻬَﻟ ﻀَﺗرٱ ىِﺬﻟٱ ﻢﻬَﻨﻳِد}
Their religion for them that He has approved (An Nur 24:55).
And the religion the Allahﷻ has approved and announced is that very religion of Ghadir Khum. Messages that can be taken away from this Ayah are:
1. Islam is the future religion of the world. The future of history will be for the benefit of the believers and the demise of the dominating disbelievers. “God has promised…, and that He will surely establish their religion”.
2. The disadvantaged believers are given hope so that they can withstand the pressures and hardships they are going through, and they do not despair as a result of them. “God has promised those of you who believe”
3. The key and secret ingredient to obtaining rightful and widespread governance is only faith and good deeds. “God has promised those of you who believe and do righteous deeds…” is a promise who have faith and perform good deeds, not just who have faith.
4. Religion and politics are not separate, but rather, politics and government is there for the preservation of religion. “make you successors in the land….'They shall serve Me”.
5. In propagation and guiding the community, in order to make them believe, an example of history is indicated. “Even as He made those who were before them successors”.
6. The final victory will be to those who are with the Truth, one Divine Tradition. “Even as He made those who were before them successors”.
7. The goal for the victory of the people of Truth and faith is the settlement and stability of the Divine Religion on earth, and to arrive to monotheism and complete safety and security. “He will surely establish their religion…and will give them in exchange….not associating with”.
8. The religion of Islam is the only religion that will be to the Divine Contentment of Allahﷻ. “ Religion for them that He has approved”.
9. True security and safety comes under the shadow of a theocratic government. “And will give them in exchange, after their fear, security.”
10. Under the pious government will be a group that will be deviated. “God has promised…. Whoso disbelieves after that”.
Remnant of God
Remnant of God ﷻﻪﻟا ﺔﯿﻘﺑ
In narrations, wherever there is a blessed presence of the Divine Will for something to be retained from humanity, is referred to as “Remnant of God”, or ﻪﻟا ﺔﯿﻘﺑ (Baqqiyat Allahﷻ) , an example, are the believing soldiers that return triumphantly from the battlefield, and are so called, having survived with the will of Allahﷻ, Remnants of God.
In reference to the Imam of our Time#, the term is also used, because by Divine Will, he has been held back for the guidance of mankind’s remembrance and guarded away from the people.
In narrations, we have that one of his blessed names is Remnant of God and we refer to him by this name:
ﻪﺿرا ﻓ ﻪﻟا ﺔﯿﻘﺑ ﺎﯾ ﯿﻠﻋ مﻼﺴﻟا
Peace be upon you of Remnant of God on His land.
At the time of his reappearance, the Ayah 86 of Surah Hud will be recited
{ﻦﻴﻨﻣﻮﻣ ﻢُﺘﻨﻛ نا ﻢﱠﻟ ﺮﻴَﺧ ﻪﻟٱ ﺖﻴﻘﺑ}
God's remainder is better for you, if you are believers. And I am not a guardian over you. (Hud 11:86).
And he will then say I am he who is the Remnant of God.
Of course, this tile has also been given to the other Divinely Guided.
Lesson 22: Intercession
Intercession and Conditions of Intercession
{ﻮَﻗ ۥﻪَﻟ ﺿرو ﻦٰﻤﺣﺮﻟٱ ﻪَﻟ َنِذا ﻦﻣ ا ُﺔﻌَٰﻔﺸﻟٱ ﻊَﻔﻨَﺗ ٍﺬﺌﻣﻮﻳ}
Upon that day the intercession will not profit (anyone), save for him to whom the All-merciful gives leave, and whose speech (the one who seeks or gives the intercession) He approves. (Ta Ha 20:109).
Denial of intercession is in contradiction of the Holy Qur’an and narrations and is the source of despair for believers who commit sins, and acceptance of unconditional intercession or qualification is the reason for the defiance of wrongdoers and is contrary to Divine Justice, so the Holy Qur’an has clarified for us that there is accounting and record keeping required for intercession.
In the Holy Qur’ans point of view, intercession, gives a window of hope for those who sin and a vehicle for a relationship with the Divine Chosen Guardians and to be able to follow them.
Intercession requires the permission from Allahﷻ and those who can enjoy it will only be those who pivot around monotheism, have the correct logic and fundamental beliefs of Truth, what they say is of the acceptance of Allahﷻ, that is, they proclaim the Two Witnesses (That there is No God but Allahﷻ and that the Mohammad is His Prophet) is not thematic, seasonal, coerced, shallow or based on mockery or hypocrisy. In that case, if their deeds come short of the necessary requirements then intercession can come in to play.
From this point of view, the Holy Qur’an views as null and void the intercession of idols for the idolworshippers in this world and in the hereafter.
Intercession does not mean that all the sins of the followers of Prophet Jesus (pbuh) are cleansed or that the Shia Muslims have their sins purified through the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (pbuh), although the Imam is one of the major intercessors on the Day of Judgement, however, it must be known that the aim of his martyrdom was not to intercede on behalf of his followers.
In relation to this Ayah, Imam Baqir (pbuh) stated that the intercession of the Prophet (pbuh) is only for those whose views and words were accepted, and lived for the love of the Purified Household (pbuth), and dies for it:1
ﻪَﻟ ﺿر و ٍﺪﻤﺤﻣ ِلآ ﺔﻋﺎَﻄِﺑ ﻪَﻟ َنِذا ﻦﻣ ا ﺔﻣﺎﻴﻘْﻟا مﻮﻳ ص ٍﺪﻤﺤﻣ ُﺔﻋﺎَﻔَﺷ لﺎَﻨﻳ
ﺎﻬﻴَﻠﻋ تﺎﻣ و ﻢِﻬﺗدﻮﻣ َﻠﻋ ِﻴﺤَﻓ ﻢِﻬﻴﻓ ًﻤﻋ و ﻮَﻗ
Intercessors and those who Receive Intercession
ﻦﻤﻟ ﻪﻟٱ َنَذﺎﻳ نا ِﺪﻌﺑ ﻦﻣ ا ﺎـﻴَﺷ ﻢﻬُﺘﻌَٰﻔَﺷ ﻨْﻐُﺗ ِتٰﻮٰﻤﺴﻟٱ ﻓ ٍﻚَﻠﻣ ﻦﻣ ﻢﻛو}
{ﺿﺮﻳو ءﺂَﺸﻳ
How many an angel there is in the heavens whose intercession avails not anything, save after that God gives leave to whomsoever He wills and is well-pleased.
(An Najm 53:26).
{ﻦﻴﻌﻔﺸﻟٱ ُﺔﻌَٰﻔَﺷ ﻢﻬﻌَﻔﻨَﺗ ﺎﻤَﻓ}
Then the intercession of the intercessors shall not profit them. (Al Muddathir 74:48).
In the Holy Qur’an and in the narrations we read that on the Day of Resurrection, certain individuals will be granted permission to intercede on behalf of others.
The Prophet (pbuh): In a narration from the Prophet (pbuh) we read that he stated I am the first of intercessors.2
ﻊﻓﺎﺷ لوا ﺎﻧا
The Holy Qur’an: Imam Ali (pbuh) states that the Qur’an is an intercessor.3
Prophets: It has come in to narrations that Prophets provide intercession on the Day of Resurrection.4
ءﺎﯿﺒﻧﻻا ﻊﻔﺸﯾ
The Divinely Guided Guardians and the True Shias: A narration from a Divinely Guided Imam (pbuh)
states that In the Resurrection, intercession will be for us and our supporters.5
ﺔﻋﺎﻔﺷ ﺎﻨﺗدﻮﻣ ﻞﻫﻻ و ﺔﻋﺎﻔﺷ ﺎﻨﻟ
Angels and Martyrs: On the Day of Resurrection, permission has been given to angels and martyrs to intercede on behalf of whomever they wish.6
اﻮﻌﻔﺸﻳ نا ءاﺪﻬﺸﻟا و ﺔﺋﻼﻤﻠﻟ نذﺆﻳ
On that Day, every martyr can intercede on behalf of seventy individuals from their family.7
Worship: From the reasons for intercession on the Day of Resurrection is the worship performed.
Fasting and the Qur’an are intercessors to the worshipper on the Day of Resurrection.”8
ﺔﻣﺎﻴﻘﻟا مﻮﻳ ﺪﺒﻌﻠﻟ نﺎﻌﯿﻔﺷ نآ
ﺮﻘﻟاو مﺎﻴﺼﻟا
Conditions for Receiving Intercession
The Holy Qur’an and narrations point to conditions for those who will be able to enjoy intercession:
• People of faith, prayer, charity in the Cause of Allahﷻ and who do not waste away their life. Then the intercession of the intercessors shall not profit them. (Al Muddathir 74:48).
• Allahﷻ will give permission for the intercession to take place. Who is there that shall intercede with Him save by His leave? (Holy Qur’an 2:255).
• Passes away with faith.
• There is a relationship between the intercessor and the one receiving intercession. One who does not have a faith inter-relationship with the intercessor will not be able to be a recipient of their intercession.
QUESTION: Is not intercession a form of “it’s who you know or related to”?
ANSWER: No. Because:
• One who receives intercession will make intercession possible by their own thoughts and deeds. So, contrary to “who you know or are related to”, intercession is based upon laws and criteria.
• In intercession, no rights are forgone. Whereas in intervention through relationships, someone else’s rights are abused.
• The intercessor does not have any expectations from the one seeking intercession. Where as in intervention through relations, there is an expectation of the recipient.
• The goal of the intercessor for the one receiving the intercession is for their redemption and salvation. Where as in intervention through relations, is a worldly success.
• Intercession is a form of nurturing and growth, because the recipient will have a spiritual relationship with those close to Allahﷻ, the intercessors.
QUESTION: Will intercession not encourage people to sin?
ANSWER: Never, because firstly it is not known who will be granted intercession and secondly, will the formulation an anti-venom encourages people to get themselves poisoned and consume venom!?
---------------
1. (تﺎﻳﻵا ﻞﻳ وﺄﺗ - Taw'eel Al Ayat)
2. (Sahih Muslim) V2 P130
3. (Nahjul Balagha) Speech 176
4. (Musnad Ahmad) V3 P12
5. (لﺎﺼﺧ Khisal) P624
6. (Musnad Ahmad) V5 P43
7. (دواد با ﻦﻨﺳ - Sunan Abu Dawood) V3 P15
8. (Musnad Ahmad) V2 P174
Lesson 23: Sins And Disobedience
Kinds of Sins
{ةﺮﻔْﻐﻤْﻟٱ ﻊﺳٰو َﻚﺑر ﱠنا ﻢﻤﻠﻟٱ ا ﺶﺣٰﻮَﻔْﻟٱو ﻢْﺛٱ ﺮﺌﺒﻛ َنﻮﺒﻨَﺘﺠﻳ ﻦﻳِﺬﻟٱ}
Those who avoid the major sins and immoralities, only [committing] slight ones. Indeed, your Lord is vast in forgiveness. (An Najm 53:32).
Every sin is referred as an immorality, such as adultery. For the term “slight ones”, ﻢﻤﻠﻟٱ, different
meanings could be derived. Such as:
1. Sins that are heedless and not consistently committed.
2. Sins that have been decided upon, but not acted on.
3. Sins that have been committed but then forgiveness and repentance is sought for.
4. Sins that have no punishment promised for them.
5. Sins that have not had a punishment assigned to them.
Disobedience of Allahﷻ, no matter how small, is significant, however by the same token, not all sins are equal. Some sins such as lying and back biting are considered more obscene and have higher severity in punishment assigned to them. Likewise, the time the sin is committed, the place the sin is committed, the intention of the sinner who committed the sin, their knowledge or ignorance with regards to the sin, insistence upon its commitment or otherwise, all have implications.
Imam Ali (pbuh) stated that the worst of sins is one that considered small or light.
ﻪﺒﺣﺎﺻ ﻪﺑ ﻒﺨﺘﺳا ﺎﻣ بﻮﻧﺬﻟا ﺪﺷا
Imam Redha (pbuh) indexes sins in the following manner:
Killing a soul, adultery, theft, consuming alcohol, dissatisfaction of and disownment of parents, running away from the battlefield, acting oppressively with the wealth of an orphan, consuming meat of a dead animal (not slaughtered in the Islamic manner), consuming blood and pig, and anything not slaughtered in the name of Allahﷻ, taking usury, taking bribery, gambling, selling items with less weight than stated, throwing allegations at virtuous women, homosexuality, false testimonies, losing hope in the mercy of Allahﷻ, considering oneself hell-bound with certainty, despair from the Divine Mercy, assisting and relying on oppressors, lying under oath, withholding the rights of others, lying, arrogance, squandering, wastefulness, treason, shortcomings in performing the pilgrimage (when one was able to), enmity towards the Divinely Guided Guardians, being engaged in entertainment and play, and insistence upon sin.
Some factors and conditions will change “minor” sins in to “major” ones, such as:
Consistency in the committing of minor sins, considering the sin minor and light, feeling of joy or satisfaction while committing the sin, committing the sin out of rebellion, making ones sins apparent to others, sins of those who have a high status in society.
The Effects of and Consequences of Sin
Sin and disobedience has an effect on the soul and psychology of an individual, their family and society, place, time and the generations that follow will be greatly affected. For example, the Holy Qur’an and narrations tell us that some of the effects of sin and disobedience are: The bringing of Divine Punishment (considering sin is contrary to intellect and natural instinct), hardening of the heart, the stripping of blessings, the rejection of supplication, the changing of provisions granted, being deprived of the ability to pray the Night Prayers, sudden calamities, lack of rain, the destruction of homes, disgrace, shortening of one’s life, earthquakes, poverty, illness, being dominated by evil…. etc.
The Path to Restitution
1. Repentance and compensation to make up for sins:
{ﺎـﻴَﺷ َنﻮﻤَﻠْﻈﻳ و َﺔﻨﺠْﻟٱ َنﻮُﻠُﺧْﺪﻳ َﻚﺌَﻟوﺎَﻓ ﺎﺤﻠٰﺻ ﻞﻤﻋو ﻦﻣاءو بﺎَﺗ ﻦﻣ ا}
Save him who repents, and believes, and does a righteous deed; those they shall enter Paradise, and they shall not be wronged anything; (Maryam 19:60).
2. Faith and good deeds:
ىِﺬﻟٱ ﻦﺴﺣا ﻢﻬﻨﻳِﺰﺠَﻨَﻟو ﻢِﻬﺗﺎـِﻴﺳ ﻢﻬْﻨﻋ ﱠنﺮّﻔُﻨَﻟ ِﺖٰﺤﻠٰﺼﻟٱ اﻮُﻠﻤﻋو اﻮُﻨﻣاء ﻦﻳِﺬﻟٱو}
{َنﻮُﻠﻤﻌﻳ اﻮُﻧﺎﻛ
And those who believe, and do righteous deeds, We shall surely acquit them of their evil deeds, and shall recompense them the best of what they were doing. (Al Ankabut (29:7).
3. Seeking forgiveness for one’s own self and for others:
{لﻮﺳﺮﻟٱ ﻢﻬَﻟ ﺮَﻔْﻐَﺘﺳٱو ﻪﻟٱ اوﺮَﻔْﻐَﺘﺳﺎَﻓ}
And prayed forgiveness of God, and the Messenger had prayed forgiveness for them (An Nissa 4:64).
4. Prayers:
{ﻦﻳِﺮﻛﺬﻠﻟ ﱝﺮﻛِذ َﻚﻟَٰذ ِتﺎـِﻴﺴﻟٱ ﻦﺒﻫْﺬﻳ ِﺖَٰﻨﺴﺤْﻟٱ ﱠنا ... َةﯜَﻠﺼﻟٱ ﻢﻗاو}
And perform the prayer... Surely the good deeds will drive away the evil deeds. (Hud 11:114).
5. Avoiding major sins:
{ﺎﻤﻳِﺮﻛ ًَﺧْﺪﻣ ﻢْﻠﺧْﺪُﻧو ﻢﺗﺎـِﻴﺳ ﻢﻨﻋ ﺮّﻔُﻧ ﻪْﻨﻋ َنﻮﻬْﻨُﺗ ﺎﻣ ﺮﺋﺂﺒﻛ اﻮﺒﻨَﺘﺠَﺗ نا}
If you avoid the heinous sins that are forbidden you, We will acquit you of your evil deeds, and admit you by the gate of honour. (An Nissa 4:31).
6. Joining struggles and martyrdom:
{ﻢِﻬﺗﺎـِﻴﺳ ﻢﻬْﻨﻋ ﱠنﺮّﻔﻛ اﻮُﻠﺘُﻗو اﻮُﻠَﺘَٰﻗو}
And fought, and were slain -- them I shall surely acquit of their evil deeds (Al Imran 3:195).
7. Paying alms and helping those in need:1
ﺔﺌﻴﻄﺨﻟا ﺮﻔﺗ ﺮﺴﻟا ﺔﻗﺪﺻ
Charity given in secrecy covers the mistakes.
8. Solving the problems of others:
فﻮﻬﻠﻤﻟا ﺔﺛﺎﻏا مﺎﻈﻌﻟا بﻮﻧﺬﻟا تا
رﺎﻔﮐ ﻦﻣ
From the atonement of the great sins are coming to the aid of the heart broken.
9-11. Greeting with a “Salam” (Peace be Upon you), giving food and Night Prayers:
مﺎﻴﻧ سﺎﻨﻟا و ﻞﻴﻠﻟﺎﺑ ةﻼﺼﻟا و مﺎﻌﻄﻟا مﺎﻌﻃا و مﻼﺴﻟا ءﺎﺸﻓا :تا رﺎﻔﮐ ثﻼﺛ
Three atonements: The giving of greetings (Salam), the feeding of food, and the Prayers of the Night while people are asleep.
12. The recitation of praise upon Mohammad and his Purified Household:
ًﺎﺒﻧذ بﻮﻧﺬﻟا مﺪﻬﺗ ﺎﻬﻧﺎﻓ
For it destroys the sin of all sins.
Seeking Forgiveness
{ﻦٰﻤﻳﭑِﺑ ﺎَﻧﻮُﻘﺒﺳ ﻦﻳِﺬﻟٱ ﺎَﻨﻧٰﻮْﺧو ﺎَﻨَﻟ ﺮﻔْﻏٱ ﺎَﻨﺑر}
Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers, who preceded us in belief. (Al Hashr 59:10).
Forgiveness is the coming out of the pit, while repentance is the movement.
Forgiveness is the cleansing of the sin; repentance is to return to a pure heart.
The Prophet was himself amongst those who sought forgiveness as well as one who advised Seek forgiveness from your Nurturer and then repent to him.
ﻪﻴﻟا اﻮﺑ ﻮﺗ ﻢﺛ ﻢﺑ ر اوﺮﻔﻐﺘﺳا
We should not only seek forgiveness for ourselves, but should also ask the Divine Guardians to seek intercession on our behalf.
{ﺂَﻨﺑ ﻮُﻧُذ ﺎَﻨَﻟ ﺮﻔْﻐَﺘﺳٱ ﺎَﻧﺎﺑﺎﻳ}
Our father, ask forgiveness for us (Yusuf 12:97).
The Prophet stated that my life and death for you is to your benefit. In my life, Allahﷻ will takes punishment away from reaching you and after my death, with your deeds being presented to me, with your requests of forgiveness and pardon through me, will also be to your benefit.
ﻪﻟٱ اوﺮَﻔْﻐَﺘﺳﭑَﻓ َکوءﺂﺟ ﻢﻬﺴُﻔﻧا اﻮﻤَﻠﻇ ذا ﻢﻬﻧا ﻮَﻟو}
{ﺎﻤﻴﺣر ﺎﺑاﻮَﺗ ﻪﻟٱ اوُﺪﺟﻮَﻟ لﻮﺳﺮﻟٱ ﻢﻬَﻟ ﺮَﻔْﻐَﺘﺳٱو
If; when they wronged themselves, they had come to thee, and prayed forgiveness of God, and the Messenger had prayed forgiveness for them, they would have found God turns, Allcompassionate. (An Nissa 4:64).
Just as seeking forgiveness through the Prophet is of benefit (Ayah 4:64 above), so is seeking it through the pious and the angels. In the Holy Qur’an, each of these has been proposed.
{ِضرٱ ﻓ ﻦﻤﻟ َنوﺮﻔْﻐَﺘﺴﻳو ﻢِﻬِﺑر ِﺪﻤﺤِﺑ َنﻮﺤِﺒﺴﻳ ُﺔﺌَﻠﻤْﻟٱو}
And when the angels proclaim the praise of their Lord, and ask forgiveness for those on earth. (Ash Shura 42:5).
{اﻮُﻨﻣاء ﻦﻳِﺬﻠﻟ َنوﺮﻔْﻐَﺘﺴﻳو}
And they ask forgiveness for those who believe (Ghafir 40:7).
The visitation of the Divine Guards and appealing and begging through them, is supported through the Holy Qur’an.
Of course, the Prophet (pbuh) is not who forgives the sins, but is rather an intermediary to Divine Forgiveness. Therefore, for those who have erred, they must at first be regretful and return to the path of truth, thereafter for the strengthening of their relationship with Allahﷻ request help from the Prophetic Mission.
ﻢِﻬﻴﻓ ﺖﻧاو ﻢﻬﺑِّﺬﻌﻴﻟ ﻪﻟٱ َنﺎﻛ ﺎﻣو}
{َنوﺮﻔْﻐَﺘﺴﻳ ﻢﻫو ﻢﻬﺑِّﺬﻌﻣ ﻪﻟٱ َنﺎﻛ ﺎﻣو
But God would never chastise them, with thee among them; God would never chastise them as they begged forgiveness. (Al Anfal 8:33).
The above Ayah indicates the reservation of the unleashing of the wrath of Allahﷻ upon the Muslims by the grace of the presence of the Prophet amongst them, just as in the delaying of punishments of previous nations, despite there being certain people deserving of Divine Punishment.
Disobedience and committing of some sins are the cause of the deliverance of Divine Punishment and the way towards restitution is repentance and seeking forgiveness.
{َنوﺮﻔْﻐَﺘﺴﻳ ﻢﻫو ﻢﻬﺑِّﺬﻌﻣ ﻪﻟٱ َنﺎﻛ ﺎﻣو}
God would never chastise them as they begged forgiveness. (Al Anfal 8:33)
And
{َنﻮﺤﻠﺼﻣ ﺎﻬُﻠﻫاو ﻢْﻠُﻈِﺑ ﱝﺮُﻘْﻟٱ َﻚﻠﻬﻴﻟ َﻚﺑر َنﺎﻛ ﺎﻣو}
Yet thy Lord would never destroy the cities unjustly, while as yet their people were putting things right. (Hud 11:117).
We also have in the narrations that until such time that amongst the people are virtuous and pious individuals, Allahﷻ would withhold punishment and the delivery of hardship to the others. Such as the eradication of the Nation of Lot(pbuh), where Prophet Abraham(pbuh) asked the angels to deliver their punishment that amongst them is Prophet Lot(pbuh), meaning would they deliver the punishment while he was amongst them? The angels replied that they are aware of his presence, and have ordered him to leave that area.
Or such as Imam Ali (pbuh) after the passing of the Prophet, stated that one of two of your security has passed, so keep the second, which is forgiveness, well protected.
Or Imam Redha(pbuh) when he said to Zakaria son of Adam, that you should remain in Qom so that just as the Divine Punishment did not fall upon the people of Baghdad for the sake of Imam Kadhim(pbuh), based upon your presence, calamities upon that city will be distanced.
Seeking forgiveness pushes away calamities. Repentance and seeking forgiveness has significance and value with Allahﷻ, so much so that the final destination of a nation may be rewritten - God would never chastise them as they begged forgiveness.
Sinners must not despair; seeking forgiveness, repentance and visitations of Divine Guardians is a route to spiritual return and upliftment. Of course, seeking forgiveness for disbelievers and hypocrites has no value or effect.
{ﻢﻬَﻟ ﺮﻔْﻐَﺘﺴَﺗ ﻢَﻟ ما ﻢﻬَﻟ تﺮَﻔْﻐَﺘﺳا ﻢِﻬﻴَﻠﻋ ءآﻮﺳ}
Equal it is for them, whether thou askest forgiveness for them or thou askest not forgiveness for them. (Al Munafiqun 63:6).
--------------
1. Translators note: See also Holy Qur’an 2:271
- 19/06/03