Shadra Institute

Privatisasi & Oligarkhi Ekonomi

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 00:48:00 +0800

Uang ini sungguh benda jahat. Selalu membingungkan, baik waktu hendak mengeluarkan maupun waktu hendak menerima (Maxim Gorki, Ibunda)

Bermula dari hasil riset yang menyebut kalau pendapatan daerah dari hasil parkir tidak seperti yang diharapkan. Gagal meraih target pendapatan membikin pemerintah daerah berpikir serius untuk menambal kekurangan. Parkir menjadi kegiatan yang mendatangkan potensi pendapatan besar, dalam bilik pikiran kepala daerah. Karena politik otonomi maka beberapa daerah mulai mencari siasat untuk meraih pendapatan yang besar. Ide swastanisasi muncul dari sana yakni bagaimana menyerahkan urusan parkir tidak lagi pada komunitas masyarakat, melainkan pada usahawan yang mampu berpikir serba efektif. Swasta memiliki kelebihan dalam segala soal, terutama dalam pertanggung jawaban dan pengejaran setoran. Swasta karenanya menjadi pilihan dan tukang parkir sebutannya kelak berubah menjadi karyawan parkir[1].

Begitulah soal parkir ini bergulir dan menggema di Yogyakarta. Sebuah kawasan yang kini mulai menggeser peran dari yang semata-mata kota pelajar menjadi kawasan yang cocok untuk investasi. Disana kini direncanakan akan berdiri sejumlah Mall yang akan menyulap kota ini jadi lebih metropolis. Sejumlah sektor pekerjaan rakyat kini mulai direlokasi di pinggiran kota, agar wajah Yogyakarta jauh lebih berseri dan tertib. Peran-peran ekonomi rakyat mulai ditertibkan, terutama untuk pedagang kaki lima, agar akrab dengan logika ekonomi industri. Kota Yogyakarta karenanya menjadi kawasan yang harus memikat investor dan untuk itu digalakkan berbagai proyek swastanisasi. Salah satu diantara yang banyak memicu perdebatan sekarang ini adalah lahan parkir.

Swastanisasi adalah trend ekonomi pasar yang berangkat dari kepercayaan kalau pemerintah adalah organ yang brengsek. Penguasa selalu lekat dengan sifat korupsi, kolusi dan nepotisme. Praktek korupsi yang menyemut dan berakar dari pusat hingga daerah menunjukkan betapa bebalnya pemerintah dengan tugas wajibnya. Tugas melindungi, mencerdaskan dan mensejahterakan masyarakat sebagaimana kutipan undang-undang kini mulai tidak lagi dipercayai. Soeharto dan semua fasilitas kekuasaanya memberikan amsal yang buruk bagaimana kekuasaan sebenarnya mereka kelola. Soeharto menjalankan kekuasaan mirip dengan kerajaan di masa lalu yang penuh dengan bau persekongkolan, itikad buruk dan represif. Ekonomi yang dikelola oleh penguasa bertipe kerajaan ini pastilah tidak akan mampu menunjukkan prestasi.

Swastanisasi seperti mengulang sejarah kelam bagaimana ekonomi bangsa ini dijalankan. Suatu tatanan ekonomi yang menihilkan peran serta rakyat. Tatanan yang meyakini kalau kemakmuran ekonomi diukur dari angka dan puji-pujian lembaga keuangan International. Dalil ini begitu buas diyakini bukan hanya oleh para penguasa melainkan ilmuwan yang kini menduduki kursi akademis. Tampaknya keyakinan ini bukan muncul sekejap dari langit melainkan proses sejarah yang berakar dalam dan memakan waktu yang panjang. Tulisan ini berangkat dari keyakinan dasar itu, yakni bagaimana perjalanan sejarah telah mengukir panjang nilai-nilai absolut tentang kedigdayaan swasta dalam menyelesaikan segala persoalan ekonomi. Soal ekonomi tidak hanya diukur dari bagaimana kemampuannya mensejahterakan melainkan juga dilihat dari siapa yang memegang. ‘Siapa’ yang memegang inilah yang meyentuh prinsip ekonomi politik yang dasar, yakni kedaulatan!

[2] Bermula dari penelitian yang dilakukan oleh UGM tentang potensi PAD Pemkot Jogja dari retribusi parkir. Ternyata menurut hasil penelitian, potensi untuk menyumbang pendapatan asli daerah (PAD) sebesar 4,5 milliar. Jumlah yang sangat tinggi mengingat realisasi parkir tak lebih dari Rp 2 milliar. Pada tahun 2003 retribusi parkir baik dari jalan umum maupun kawasan khusus ditargetkan sebesar Rp 1,425 milliar. Dari target tersebut, yang terealisasi hanya Rp 1,263 milliar atau hanya sekitar 88 persen. Ini sebagian pihak, terutama kalangan pemerintah melihat adanya ‘tukang parkir berdasi’ yang melakukan praktik di lapangan dengan berperan sebagai makelar. Muncul kemudian gagasan untuk melakukan swastanisasi parkir yang menimbulkan heboh di kalangan tukang parkir. Bagi kalangan tukang parkir selayaknya Pemkot (pemerintahan tata kota) juga memaksimalkan beberapa lahan parkir yang selama ini dikelola secara liar. Langkah yang memang baru ditempuh saat ini adalah bagaimana merumuskan kerja Pokja (kelompok kerja) yang akan menjadi lembaga pengawas dan yang akan menampung 60 persen pendapatan dari pengelolaan parkir. Bernas Jogja, 3 Februari 2005 dan Radar Jogja 7 Februari 2005

[3] Tulisan mengenai perkembangan sejarah kekuasaan kolonial ini banyak penulis kutip dari karya Denys Lombard, Nusa Jawa: Silang Budaya, Gramedia,1996

[4] Lih Robert Cribb, Bangsa: Menciptakan Indonesia dalam Indonesia Beyond Soeharto, Donald K Emmerson (ed), Gramedia, 2001

[5] Kegagalan sistem tanam paksa, selain oleh kekejamanya, juga rontoknya koalisi pendukung berjalannya sistem ini. Seperti korupsi yang meraja lela yang menyebabkan sistem tanam paksa ini mengalami kegagalan. Lih RE Nelson, Dari State ke State: Rezim yang Berubah dari Produksi Ekspor Petani pada Pertengahan Abad ke 19 di Jawa, dalam J Thomas Lindblad, Fondasi Historis Ekonomi Indonesia, Pustaka Pelajar & Pusat Studi Sosial Asia Tenggara UGM, 2002

[6] Contoh kasus adalah pemrosesan tebu menjadi gula untuk ekspor semula hanya berlangsung di beberapa wilayah, tapi setelah penerapan program tanam paksa, maka perkebunan tebu meluas dan bahkan menjadi sebuah industri padat modal. Di Jawa mulai muncul penggilingan-penggilingan gula yang dibangun di daerah Jawa Tengah dan Jawa Barat apalagi dengan perbaikan jalan membuat transportasi menjadi dipermudah. Lih Yoshifumi Azuma, Abang Beca, Pustaka Sinar Harapan, 2001

[7] Lih Rikardo Simarmata, Kapitalisme Perkebunan dan Konsep Pemilikan Tanah oleh Negara, Insist Press, 2002

[8] Lih Noer Fauzi, Petani & Penguasa, Dinamika Perjalanan Politik Agraria, Insist Press, 1999

[9] Lih Gunawan Wiradi, Reforma Agraria, Insist Press, 2000

[10] Sjahrir, Perencanaan Ekonomi Indonesia: Ide, Perencanaan dan Implementasi, Prisma no 10, 1986

[11] Rizal Malarangeng, Mendobrak Sentralisme Ekonomi, KPG, 2002

[12] Yahya Muhaimin, Politik, Pengusaha dan Kelas Menengah Indonesia, Prisma 3 Maret 1984

[13] Prof Dr Selo Sumardjan, Akibat-akibat sosilogis dari Inflasi Moneter, Seminar KAMI, Sinar Harapan, 1984

[14] Prof. Dr. Ir. Moh Sadli, Masalah-masalah Ekonomi Moneter Kita yang Struktural, Seminar KAMI, Sinar Harapan, 1984

[15] Richard Robinson, Pengembangan Industri dan Ekonomi Politik Pengembangan Modal: Indonesia, YOI, 1998

[16] Jean Aden, Kewirausahaan dan Proteksi dalam Industri Jasa Perminyakan Indonesia, YOI, 1998

[17] Ahmad D. Habir, Konglomerat antara Pasar dan Keluarga, dalam Indonesia Beyond Soeharto, Gramedia, 2001

[18] Forum Keadilan No 40, 9 Februari 2003

[19] Kompas 11 Februari 2005

[20] Tamrin Amal Tomagola, Republik Kapling, Kompas 14-2-2005

[21] M Fajroel Rachman, Bangkitnya Negara Dagang, Koran Tempo 15-2-2005

Islamic Culture II

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 00:19:00 +0800

Islamic Culture II ... It was because those laws could not be found out by
individual experiment, and could only partly be detected
in the long run of history by a student and a thinker here
and there, that thy required to be revealed by a Prophet.
Otherwise they are as natural as the physical laws which
govern our existence evidently and which none would
dream of disputing.

Other religions promise success in another life to those
who qualify themselves for it by privation and austerity
on earth. Islam promises success and fruition in this life,
just as much as in the other, to all men, if they will but
obey certain laws and plain rules of conduct. The
division between this world and the other vanishes for
the true Muslim, since Allah is the Lord of the Heavens
and the Earth, the Sovereign of this world just as much as
of the others. The other life has its beginning now, and
not at death for all who perform the act of Al-Islam, that
Self-Surrender to the Will of God which the Holy
Prophet meant when he advised us: "Die before you die."
The success in this world promised by Islam is not the
success of one human being at the expense of others' nor
of one nation to the detriment and despair of others, but
the success of mankind as a whole. Five times a day,
from every mosque in the world, the call goes forth:
"Come to falah! Come to falah!"
The Arabic word "falah" means success through
cultivation. And there is another Arabic word, in
common use among Muslims, of which the original
meaning is often forgotten in its technical application:
'Zakat' meaning, "cultivation by pruning," or "causing to
grow straight" It is the name given to the Islamic poor
rate, so frequently enjoined in the Qur'an as a duty equal
to worship, which truly was a cause of cultivated growth
to the community.
"A tax shall be taken from the rich and given to the poor,"
said the Prophet (may God bless and keep him). When
that tax was regularly collected, the condition of Muslim
society became such that though the dispensers of
"Zakat" sought far and wide, no proper objects of "Zakat"
that is, destitute and ignorant Muslims, could be found
and the money was expended upon works of public
benefit.
In the Holy Qur'an we read:
"He is indeed successful who causeth it (the
human soul) to grow aright,
And he indeed a failure who stunteth and
starveth it."
And again
"He is successful who groweth
And remembereth the name of his Lord, so
prayeth."

Some may think that these are mere religious aspirations
and expressions apart from life. Islam is nothing if not
practical, and the expressions have been no dead letter in
Islam, since they were translated practically into a
system of organized relief and charity upon the grandest
scale ever attempted, and solved all social problems in
the Muslim world for centuries. The Qur'an informs us
that true religion is practical, not theoretical or formal.
"It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces
to the East and the West, but righteous is he
who believeth in Allah and the Last Day and
the Angels and the Scripture and the Prophets,
and giveth his wealth for love of Him to
kindred and to orphans and to the needy and
the homeless and to beggars and to set slaves
free, and those who keep their promise when
they make one, and the preserving in the
adversity and tribulation. These are they who
are sincere. These are they who keep from evil"
"Those who believe and do good."
How often does that phrase occur in the Holy Qur'an?
"Those who believe and do nothing" cannot exist in
Islam. “Those who believe and do wrong is
inconceivable, for Islam means surrender to God's
w i l l , and so obedience to His Law, which is a law of
effort not of idleness. There was no distinction between
secular education and religious education in the great
days of Islam. All education was brought into the religious sphere.
To quote a recent European writer: "It was the glory of
Islam that it gave to other sciences the same footing
which it gave to the study of the Qur'an and the Hadith
and Fiqh (that is, Muslim jurisprudence), a place in the
Mosque." Lectures on chemistry and physics, botany,
medicine and astronomy were given in the mosque
equally with lectures on the above named subjects. For
the mosque was the university of Islam in the great days,
and it deserved the name of 'university,' since it
welcomed to its precincts all the knowledge of the age
from every quarter. It was this unity and exaltation for all
learning, which gave to the old Muslim writers that
peculiar quality which every reader of them must have
noticed, the calm serenity of orbed [dauntless] minds.
In Islam, there are no such term as ‘secular and
religious,’ for true religion includes the whole sphere of
man's activities. The distinction drawn in the Holy Qur'an
is between good (that which is helpful to man's growth)
and evil (that which is detrimental and noxious to it).
Islam is a rational religion. It has no place for the man
who can say, with St. Augustine: "Credo quia absurdum
est" . . .I believe because it is incredible. Again and again
the Qur'an denounces irrational religion as a religion that
is evidently false. Again and again it appeals to man to
use his reason and especially his common sense in
religious matters. All historical experience goes to
prove that a large measure of free thought is absolutely
necessary to human progress, and at the same time that
nations which lose faith in God, deteriorate. Are the two
things, the living faith in God and the large measure of
free thought, incompatible?
A considerable school of thought in the West seems to
think that they are incompatible, yet Islam has proved
that they are perfectly compatible. In the early and
successful centuries of Islam, an intense faith in God
was combined with free thought upon every earthly
subject, for Islam held nothing upon earth so sacred as to
be immune from criticism. There was only One
Supernatural, only One Incomprehensible, Whose Unity,
having been once accepted, admitted of no further
discussion. He was One for all Beneficent and Merciful
towards all alike, and He had bestowed on man the gift of
reason, which is extolled by Muslim writers as the
highest gift, to be used quite freely the name of Allah,
that is to say, with the purpose of pursuing what is good
and eschewing what is evil, for which the Sacred Law
affords guidance and safeguards

There is no priesthood in Islam. All the prerogatives and
responsibilities which in other religions have been
abrogated to a priesthood, in the system of Islam are
vested in the individual human mind. So the most wise
and learned men became the natural leaders.
An unenlightened mind would be a sorry lamp to light
the steps of any man or woman, and so this exaltation of
reason carried with it the command for universal
education. The Prophet himself said:
"To seek knowledge is a duty for every
Muslim (male) and every Muslimah
(female)."
Universal education both for men and women thus
became the Sacred Law of Islam thirteen centuries
before it was adopted by the civilisation of the West. He
also is reported to have said (though the saying is not
well authenticated:
"Seek knowledge though it to be in China."
And the following well authenticated saying shows the
importance not only of acquiring knowledge but of
spreading knowledge among the people:
"Verily Allah doth not keep knowledge as a
thing apart that He withholdeth from His
servants, but He doth keep it in the grasp of
men of knowledge, so that if He shall cause
not a man knowledge to remain, mankind
will make foolish heads, and they will be
questioned and give fatwas, and they will err
and lead others into error."
The picture is too clearly of the present condition of
Islam, when we have plenty of narrow theologians, for us
to doubt, but that the meaning of the word ‘knowledge’
as here used in something wider and more human than
the knowledge they possess.
He [the holy Prophet Muhammad, p.b.u.h.] said:
! "The ink of scholar is more holy than the blood
of martyr."
! "An hour's contemplation and study of God's
creation is better than a year of adoration."
! "He dieth not who seeketh knowledge."
! Whosoever revereth the learned, revereth me."
! "The first thing created was reason."
! "Allah hath not created anything better than
reason. The benefits which Allah giveth are on
account of it, and understanding is by it; and
Allah's displeasure is caused by it, and by it are
rewards and punishments."
! "To listen to the words of the learned and to
instil into others the lessons of science is better
than religious exercises."
! "He who leaveth his home in search of
knowledge walketh in the path of Allah."
! "Acquire knowledge. In enableth the possessor
to distinguish right from wrong; it lighteth up
the path to Heaven. It is our friend in the desert,
our society in solitude, our companion when
friendless. It guideth to happiness, it sustaineth
in adversity. It is an ornament among friends,
and an armour against enemies".
! "Lo! the angels offer their wings to the seeker of
knowledge."
! "Are those who have knowledge on an equality
with those who have no knowledge?"
! "The preferment of the learned man above the
devotee is as my preferment above the lowest of
you."
! A man may have performed prayers, fasting,
almsgiving, pilgrimage and all other religious
duties, but he will be rewarded only in
proportion to the common sense, which he
employed. And he said that "he who has learning
but knows not how to apply it to the conduct of
life is "like a donkey carrying books."

ISLAMIC CULTURE I

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 00:11:00 +0800

Culture means 'cultivation' and, generally nowadays,
when this word is used alone, it means 'the cultivation of
the human mind.' Islamic culture differs from other
cultures in that it can never be the aim and object of the
cultivated individual, since its aim is not the cultivation
of the individual or group of individuals, but of the entire
human race. No amount of works of art or literature, in
any land can be regarded as the justification of Islam so
long as wrong, injustice and intolerance remain. No
victories of war or peace, however brilliant, can be
quoted as the harvest of Islam. Islam has wider objects,
grander views. It aims at nothing less than universal
human brotherhood Still, as a religion, it does encourage
human effort after self, and race, improvement more
than any other religion and since it became the power in
the world, it has produced cultural results which will
bear comparison with the results achieved by all the
other religions, civilizations and philosophies put
together. A Muslim can only be astonished at the
importance, almost amounting to worship, ascribed to
works of art and literature (which one may call the
incidental phenomena of culture) in the West; as if they
were the justification, and their production the highest
aim, of human life. Not that Muslims despise or ever
should despise, literary, artistic and scientific
achievements, but that they regard them in the light of
blessings by the way, either as aids to the end or
refreshment for the wayfarer. They do not idolize the aid
and the refreshment.

The whole of Islam's great work in science, art and
literature is included under these two heads: aid and
refreshment. Some of it, such as the finest poetry and
architecture, falls under both. All of it recognises one
leader, follows one guidance, looks towards one Goal.
The leader is the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), the guidance is the
Holy Qur'an, and the Goal is Allah.
By Islamic culture, I do not mean the culture derived
from whatever source and attained at any given moment
by people who profess the religion of Islam, but the kind
of culture prescribed by a religion of which human
progress is the definite and avowed aim.
No one who has ever studied the Qur'an will deny that it
promises success in this world and the hereafter to men
who act upon its guidance and obey its laws, that it aims
at nothing less than the success of mankind as a whole;
and that this success is to be attained by cultivation of
man's gifts and faculties.

If any development in Muslim society is not sanctioned
by the Qur'an or some express injunction of the Prophet,
it is un-Islamic and its origin must be sought outside the
Islamic polity. The Muslims cannot expect success from
their adoption of it, though it need not necessarily
militate against success. If any development is contrary
to an express injunction of the Qur'an, and against the
teaching and example of the Prophet, then it is
anti-Islamic. It must militate against success, and
Muslims simply court disaster by adopting it.
Certain art forms were discouraged by Islam at the
beginning, because of their association with the
idolatrous worship of the pagan Arabs and its vicious
orgies, the utter extirpation of which was necessary for
the progress of the race. But the discouragement of
certain art expressions and encouragement of others
were both, like the works of art produced, regarded as
subsidiary. The culture of Islam aimed not at beautifying
and refining the accessories of human life, it aimed at
beautifying and exalting human life itself. There is today
a large and undoubtedly intellectual school of thought in
the West which seems to hold that the production of fine
works of art by a small minority of a community as
sufficient reason for acclaiming the civilisation and
culture of the community, even though the huge majority
of its members may be forced by the social order under
which they live to lead ugly and degraded lives. Nay,
there is an intellectual school of thought which seems to
hold that the production of fine works of art by a
minority of many nations as sufficient justification for
condemning the majority to conditions of perpetual
ugliness, servitude and degradation.

Some of you will no doubt remember a discussion in the
English press some years ago. The question was this:
Suppose a famous and very beautiful Greek statue,unique of its kind and therefore irreplaceable, is in the same room with a living baby, and the room catches fire;
it is only possible to save one or the other. Which
should be saved? Very many correspondents, men of
intellect and good position, I remember, held that the
statue should be saved and the child left to perish. Their
argument was that millions of babies are born every day,
whereas masterpieces of old Greek art could never be
replaced. That is a view no Muslim could have taken, the
very latest, cultivated form of idol worship.
Islam foresees, and works for, a radiant future for the
human race. And although every Muslim holds his own
life cheap in the service of Allah, which is the service of
humanity, he would never dream of sacrificing a human
life, however seemingly insignificant, to the work of
human hands. The adoration (it amounts to that) of works
of art is due to disbelief in Allah's guidance and His
purpose of mankind. These things are the best that man
has produced in the centuries. Beauty is decreasing,
human beings are deteriorating, (so runs the argument)
therefore, we must cling to those beautiful productions
of the past as the one ideal left to us. That is pessimism,
and Islam is optimistic - optimistic not with the
"optimism" satirized by Voltaire in the character of Dr.
Pangloss, the absurd philosopher, who kept exclaiming
"Tout est pour le mieux dans le meilleur des mondes
possibles." (All is for the best in this best of possible
worlds). That is the kind of remark which passes with the
unthinking for optimism, but it is really fatalism, which
is a form of pessimism, and Islam is not fatalistic. Yes,
I repeat that statement. In spite of all that has been said
and written of the fatalism of the Muslim Islam is not
fatalistic in the generally accepted meaning of the world.
It does not bid man accept the existing conditions as a
necessary evil, but commands him never to cease
striving for improvement.
Islam is a religion, which specifically aims at human
progress, and shows the proper way of it in a number of
commands and prohibitions covering every avocation of
man's daily life, his social life and politics as well as
every prompting of his mind and spirit. These commands
and prohibitions have been codified into a complete
social and political system. It is a practicable system, for
it has been practised with success, which is the great
astonishment of history. Many writers have tried to
explain away the amazing success of Islam by ascribing
it to outside causes - weakness of the surrounding
nations, free use of the sword, the credulity of the times,
and so forth. But how would they explain away the fact
that so long as the Muslim implicitly obeyed a particular
injunction of the Sacred Law they succeeded in the
sphere of that injunction, and whenever they neglected to
obey . . . it failed. And who would they explain the fact
that many non-Muslims, doing what the Muslims are
enjoined to do, have always succeeded in that special
direction, except by the supposition that the injunctions
of the Qur'an and the Holy Prophet are laws for all
mankind - natural law which men transgress at their peril,
or rather at the peril of the race?

About Naqshaband Tariqah in Islam

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 01:17:00 +0800

Verily all Praise is for Allaah, we praise Him, seek His aid and ask for His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil of ourselves and the evil of our actions. Whomsoever Allah guides then there is none who can misguide him, and whomsoever Allaah misguides then there is none who can guide him.About Naqshaband Tariqah I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah alone, having no partners and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. May the peace and blessings of Allaah be on the final Prophet Muhammad , his family, his companions and all those who follow in their footsteps until the last day. To proceed:
This little booklet is a modest attempt to analyse and expose the teachings and practices of the Tariqat ul Naqshabandi in the light of the Glorious Qur’aan and Sunnah, and is done purely in fulfilling our obligation to enjoin the right and forbid the evil. Over the years many deviant movements have arisen in the Muslim world bent on corrupting the teachings of Islam and thereby mislead the Muslims. One of the most dangerous of the contemporary movements is the group known as the Naqshabandi Tariqat.
Like most deviant groups, they claim that the Muslim masses are ignorant and are therefore in need of a Sheikh (leader) who is supposed to possess the secret knowledge of the unseen. They also claim that all religious texts have an obvious outer meaning known to the masses and a hidden meaning known only to the Sheikh, and that the masses are unable to contact Allaah on their own and hence are in need of a intermediary (Sheikh) who will get them close to Allaah if given unquestionable and unconditional obedience.
The greatest danger of this group lies in the fact that they, while wearing the cloak of Islam, are striving to destroy it from within, in a vain attempt to extinguish the light of Islam and divert the Muslims from the reality of the religion.
Realizing the grave threat posed by this group, we have undertaken the task of exposing the falsity of this group, seeking only the pleasure of Allaah (SWT), we hope that the absurdities, fallacies, and the extremely deviant nature of this group would be clearly exposed to those trapped in its clutches and as a timely warning to those contemplating to join them.
The simple method we have adopted in exposing the group’s deviant beliefs is to quote what Allaah (SWT) says in the Qur’aan and what His truthful Messenger Muhammad has said in the authentic Ahadith, and then to quote the group’s beliefs or position vis-a-vis the same issue, taken from their own publications printed by ‘Arafat Publishing House’, and where necessary commented upon.
In all firmness to this group we have given the names of the books, along with the page number from where we have taken these quotes. Reference to the Qur’aanic Aayaat and authentic Ahadith too have been provided.
Due to lack of space we are compelled to deal with only some of the serious issues of the group’s beliefs and teachings which are directly in conflict with the pure Islaamic teachings as revealed in the Glorious Qur’aan and authentic Sunnah.
This booklet is by no means a complete exposition of the entirety of this group’s deviant beliefs and teachings and all Qur’aanic Aayaat quoted are only translations of the meanings of the Qur’aan.
We pray this little booklet serves to remove the confusion and ignorance that the people are suffering from regarding this important issue and that it will save all those sincere seekers of truth from falling in to Shirk.

About a Muslim Family Life in Islam

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 01:06:00 +0800

The social organisation of Islam is founded on the unit of the family. The family has been assigned an important place because Islam is the religion suited to human nature- Din ul-fitra (the natural religion). Human nature is constituted in such a manner that it finds no peace, stability or relaxation except within the family environment. The Most Holy and Glorious Qur'an says:

"And one of His signs is that He created mates for you from yourselves that you may find peace of mind and He put between you love and compassion;surely there are signs in this for people who reflect."

This indicates the importance attached to family life in Islam.

Another reason why the family is highly regarded in Islam is that it is the natural place where a child can be brought up. The family is the nest where a child can grow between two loving parents and from this atmosphere pick up a temperament of kindness and compassion. According to the Most Holy Qur'an,Man is capable of following either of two paths:

"By the soul, and Him who completely formed it, and inspired into it its faculty of distinguishing and power of choosing wickedness and piety."

In order for a person to choose the right path he/she must be guided and educated. Kindness is part of human nature together with other potential tendencies of hatred and hostility. Kindness can be made to dominate over other natural feelings if it is developed by family education.

Like every other human group the family has to have a leader. The father should take this responsibility. This should not be misunderstood as underestimating the role of women. The basic equality of man and woman is clearly stated in the Qur'an,

"So their Lord accepted their prayer, saying: I will not waste the effort of a worker among you, whether male or female."

While the equality of the sexes is recognised, a responsible leadership for the family is found necessary in Islam. It was the will of Almighty Allah that the husband should take the responsibility.

The industrial revolution has from the very start been destructive to the family system. This is not to say that industry is intrinsically evil and a menace to mankind. On the contrary man is commanded by Allah to make use of the resources of the earth,

"It is He who hath produced out of the earth and hath given you a habitation therein."

The industrial revolution, in order to inhabit and exploit the earth has followed a damaging path. One damage that has been caused was the forcing of women to forsake the home and go to work. The family system has been destroyed, leading to unhappiness for both men and women. Just look at the divorce rates in the United States. Recently the psychologists and criminologists have come to admit that the absence of parental guidance contributes to increasing delinquency.

The second important feature of community life in Islam concerns the relation between the individual and society. The two are not treated as if they are in conflict. In both the communist East and the capitalist West the individual is regarded as being opposed to the community. While individuality is suppressed and crushed in a communist system, society is fragmented by the capitalist system.

The balance is achieved in Islam because both the individual and society are founded on the same base-worship or service of Allah.

When this common base is not found every individual is bound to become a separate island.

Huxley has described how every individual in Western society has become a sort of island in a wide ocean. I still remember a report in an American magazine of a killing in broad daylight in Boston. The victim screamed so loudly that most people in the area looked out of their windows. When an enquiry was made to find out why no one came to help the victim, the answer was not that people did not want to risk their lives facing an attacker, but that they did not wish to interrupt their TV programme.

The role of the individual in Islam is not limited to the five rituals. The Muslim in an Islamic society has a greater responsibility than is usually understood by the term Ibadah or worship. This term has sometimes been wrongly used to define the rituals exclusively, and another term was coined to cover social relations. Ibadah is used in the Most Holy Qur'an to cover all aspects of life,

"I have not created jinn and men for any other end than that they should serve me."

All life's activities are thus included as acts of worship. Nothing is required from a Muslim beyond service to Allah, and nothing is accepted from him which is not a service. The Most Holy Qur'an explains this further,

"Say: 'my prayer and my sacrifice and my life and my death are all for Allah, the Lord of the worlds.'"

Every individual's responsibilities fall into two parts. First is his responsibility to adhere to the teachings of Islam. This reforms and refines his character. Second is to enjoin good and forbid evil-which is social reform. If we consider the following verse,

"You are the best of nations raised up for the benefit of men: you enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong and believe in Allah."

There is a reason why enjoining good and forbidding wrong comes first, even before faith. It emphasises the Muslim's duty and implies faith can only be realised by certain actions. There is a tradition that exemplifies this relation between the individual and society:

"Those people who are mindful of their duties to Allah and those who are not are like two groups on board a ship. Those on the lower deck decide to make a hole in the ship in order to draw water. If they are not prevented by those above then all will perish. However, if they are stopped then all will remain safe."

The third feature of community life in Islam is that there is a detailed code of behaviour for the Muslims. Not only are the individual's life,property and honour protected, but his dignity and privacy is so sacred that back-biting, spying and slandering is prohibited. These values ultimately lead to a peaceful and united society.There is also respect for the elders and generosity to the neighbour. People should greet each other with salaam-acquaintances and strangers alike. There is a tradition that once Muslims complained to the Prophet, peace be upon him, that they could not afford to give charity every day. The Prophet, peace be upon him, explained that a smile offered to another was also an act of charity.

Islam is both realistic and idealistic. Human nature is accepted with all its weaknesses. Everybody is expected to achieve a minimum of moral strength, but there is no limit to the moral heights that man can climb. Man can reach the level of those described in the Most Holy Qur'an,

"They prefer (others) before themselves, though poverty may afflict them."

The first Muslim society was genuine and serious in adhering to Islam, and so constituted the nation described in the Qur'an as the best. The revival of Islam depends on putting its values into practice. The adoration of our past is useful only when it inspires us to try to emulate our predecessors.

Says Almighty Allah Azza Wajjal in verse 136 of Surah Al-Baqara:

"Say: We believe in Allah, and what is revealed to us, and in that which was revealed to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, aand the tribes, and in that which was given to Moses and Jesus, and in that which was given to the Prophets from their Lord.We do not make any distinction between any of them, and to His Will we submit (Muslims)."

The Muslim position is clear. The Muslim does not claim to have a Religion peculiar to himself. Islam is not a sect or an ethnic religion,but it is a Message for all mankind. It is the Religion Almighty Allah ordained through all the Prophets Alayhim Salaam.

The Spirit of Worship in Islam 2

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 06:59:00 +0800

The Spirit of Worship in Islam, What makes a Muslim say their Prayers at places where there is no one to ask them to offer them or even to see them offering them? Isn’t it so because of their belief that God is ever looking at you? What makes them leave their important business and other occupations and rush towards the mosque for Prayers? The Spirit of Worship in Islam, What makes them terminate your sweet sleep in the early hours of the morning, to go to the mosque in the heat of the noon, and to leave their evening entertainments for the sake of Prayers? Is it anything other than sense of duty—their realization that they must fulfill your responsibility to the Lord, come what may?

And why are they afraid of any mistake in Prayer? Because their heart is filled with the fear of God and they know that they have to appear before Him on the Day of Judgment and give an account of their entire life.

Now look! Can there be a better course of moral and spiritual training than Prayer? It is this training which makes a man a perfect Muslim. It reminds him of his covenant with God, refreshes his faith in Him, and keeps the belief in the Day of Judgment alive and ever present before his mind’s eye. It makes him follow the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, and trains him in the observance of his duties.

This is indeed a strict training for conforming one’s practice to one’s ideals. Obviously if a man’s consciousness of his duties towards his Creator is so acute that he prizes it above all worldly gains and keeps refreshing it through Prayers, he would certainly not be inviting the displeasure of God hat he all along has striven to avoid. He will abide by the law of God in the entire gamut of life in the same way as he follows it in the five Prayers every day. This man can be relied upon in other fields of activity as well, for if the shadows of sin or deceit approach him, he will try to avoid them for fear of the Lord that would be ever present in his heart. And if even after such a vital training a man misbehaves himself in other fields of life and disobeys the law of God, it can only be because of some intrinsic depravity of his self.

Then again, a Muslim should say their Prayers in congregation and especially so the Friday Prayer. The Spirit of Worship in Islam This creates among the Muslims a bond of love and mutual understanding. This arouses in them the sense of their collective unity and fosters among them national fraternity. All of them say their Prayers in one congregation and this inculcates in them a deep feeling of brotherhood. Prayers are also a symbol of equality, for the poor and the rich, the low and the high, the rulers and the ruled, the educated and the unlettered, the black and the white all stand in one row and prostrate before their Lord. Prayers also inculcate in Muslims a strong sense of discipline and obedience to the elected leader. In short, Prayers train them in all those virtues that make possible the development of a rich individual and collective life.

These are a few of the myriad of benefits Muslims derive from the daily Prayers. If we refuse to avail ourselves of them we, and only we, are the losers. If you see that some Muslims shirk the prayers, this can only mean one of two things: Either they do not recognize Prayers as our duty or they recognize them. In the first case, their claim to faith shall be a shameless lie, for if they refuse to take orders from Allah they no longer acknowledge His authority. In the second case, if they recognize Allah's authority and still flout His commands, then they are the most unreliable of creatures that ever trod the earth. For if they can do this to the highest authority in the universe, what guarantee is there that they shall not do the same in their dealings with other human beings? And if duplicity overwhelms a society, what a hell of discord it is bound to become!

Fasting

What the prayers seek to serve five times a day, fasting in the month of Ramadan (ninth month of the lunar year) does once a year. During this period from dawn to dusk, Muslims eat not a grain of food nor drink a drop of water, no matter how delicious the dish or how hungry or thirsty they feel. What is it that makes them voluntarily undergo such rigors? It is nothing but faith in God and the fear of Him and of the Day of Judgment. Each and every moment during the fast, Muslims suppress their passions and desires, and proclaim by their doing so the supremacy of the Law of God. This consciousness of duty and the spirit of patience that incessant fasting for full one month inculcates in Muslims help them to strengthen their faith. Rigor and discipline during this month bring us face to face with the realities of life, and help them make their life during the rest of the year a life of true subservience to His will.

From yet another point of view, fasting has an immense impact on society, for all Muslims, irrespective of their status, must observe fasting during the same month. This brings to prominence the essential equality of men, and thus goes a long way towards creating in them sentiments of love and brotherhood. During Ramadan evil conceals itself while good comes to the fore, and the whole atmosphere is filled with piety and purity. This discipline has been imposed on Muslims to their own advantage. Those who do not fulfill this cannot be relied upon in the discharge of their duties. But the worst are those who, during this holy month, do not hesitate to eat or drink in public. They are the people who by their conduct show that they care not a trifle for the commands of Allah, in Whom they profess their belief as their Creator and Sustainer. Not only this, they also show that they are not loyal members of the Muslim community; rather, they have nothing to do with it. It is evident that in so far as obedience to law and regard for a trust reposed in them goes, only the worst could be expected of such hypocrites.

The Spirit of Worship in Islam I (Ibadah)

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 06:58:00 +0800

Ibadah (worship) is an Arabic word derived from abd (a slave) and it means submission. It portrays that God is your Master and you are His slave, and whatever a slave does in obedience to and for the pleasure of his Master is Ibadah. The Islamic concept of Ibadah is very wide. If you free your speech from filth, falsehood, malice, and abuse and speak the truth and talk goodly things and do all these only because God has so ordained to do, they constitute Ibadah, however secular they may look in semblance. If you obey the law of God in letter and spirit in your commercial and economic affairs and abide by it in your dealings with your parents, relatives, friends, and all those who come in contact with you, verily all these activities of yours are Ibadah.

If you help the poor and the destitute, give food to the hungry, and serve the ailing and the afflicted persons, and do all this not for any personal gain of yours but only to seek the pleasure of God, they are nothing short of Ibadah. Even your economic activities, the activities you undertake to earn your living and to feed your dependants, are Ibadah if you remain honest and truthful in them and observe the law of God. In short, all your activities and your entire life are Ibadah if they are in accordance with the law of God, and your heart is filled with His awe, and your ultimate objective in undertaking all theses activities is to seek the pleasure of God.

Thus, whenever you do good or avoid evil for fear of God, in whatever sphere of life and field of activity, you are discharging your Islamic obligations. This is the true significance of Ibadah, namely total submission to the pleasure of Allah; the molding into the patterns of Islam your entire life, leaving out not even the most insignificant part thereof. To help achieve this aim, a set of formal `ibadat (acts of worship) has been constituted, which serves as a course of training. These `ibadat are thus the pillars on which the edifice of Islam rests.

Salah (Prayer) is the most primary and the most important of these obligations. And what is salah? It is the prescribed daily Prayers which consist in repeating and refreshing, five times a day, the belief in which you repose your faith. You get up early in the morning, cleanse yourself and present yourself before your Lord for Prayer. The various poses that you assume during your Prayers are the very embodiment of the spirit of submission; the various recitals remind you of your commitments to your God. You seek His guidance and ask Him again and again to enable you to avoid His wrath and follow His chosen path. You read out from the Book of the Lord and express witness to the truth of the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, and also refresh your belief in the Day of Judgment and enliven in your memory the fact that you have to appear before your Lord and give an account of your entire life. This is how your day starts.

Then, after a few hours the muezzin (caller to prayer) calls you to Prayer, and you again submit to your God and renew your covenant with Him. You dissociate yourself from your worldly engagements for a few moments and seek audience with God. This once again brings to the fore of your mind your real role in life. After this rededication you revert to your occupations and again present yourself to the Lord after a few hours. This again acts as a reminder to you, and you once more refocus your attention on the stipulations of your faith. When the sun sets and the darkness of the night begins to shroud you, you again submit yourself to God in Prayer so that you may not forget your duties and obligations in the midst of the approaching shadows of the night. And then after a few hours you again appear before your Lord, and this is your last Prayer of the day. Thus before going to bed you once again renew your faith and prostrate before your God. And this is how you complete your day. The frequency and timings of the Prayers never let the object and mission of life be lost sight of in the maze of worldly activities.

It is but easy to understand how the daily Prayers strengthen the foundations of your faith, prepare you for the observance of a life of virtue and obedience to God, and refresh that belief from which spring courage, sincerity, purposefulness, purity of heart, advancement of the soul, and enrichment of morals.

Now see how this is achieved: One performs ablution in the way prescribed by the Prophet. One also says their Prayers according to the instructions of the Prophet. Why do they do so? Simply because they believe in the prophethood of Muhammad and deem it their bounden duty to follow him ungrudgingly. Why do they not intentionally misrecite the Quran? Isn’t it so because they regard the Book as the Word of God and deem it a sin to deviate from its letter? In the Prayers they recite many things quietly, and if they do not recite them or make any deviation from them, there is no one to check them. But they never do so intentionally. Why? Because they believe that God is Ever Watchful and that He listens to all that you recite and is aware of things open and hidden.

Muhammad (The Miracles) Part 1

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 06:53:00 +0800

Apart from the greatest miracle given to him, the Quran, Prophet Muhammad performed many physical miracles witnessed by his contemporaries numbering in hundreds, and in some cases thousands.[1] The miracle reports have reached us by a reliable and strong methods of transmission unmatched in world history. It is as if the miracles were performed in front of our eyes. The meticulous method of transmission is what convinces us that Muhammad indeed performed these great miracles with divine aid and, thus, we can believe him when he said, ‘I am God’s Messenger.’

Muhammad’s great miracles were witnessed by thousands of believers and skeptics, following which verses of the Quran were revealed mentioning the supernatural events. The Quran made some miracles eternal by etching them in the conscious of the believers. The ancient detractors would simply remain silent when these verses were recited. Had these miracles not taken place, they would have seized the moment to scandalize it and belie Muhammad. But rather, the opposite took place. The believers grew more certain of the truth of Muhammad and the Quran. The fact that the faithful grew stronger in their faith and the silence of the unbelievers and not denying their occurrence is acknowledgment from both that the miracles took place exactly as the Quran describes.

In this section we will discuss some of the physical miracles performed by Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.

Miracles are from Divine Power

A miracle one of the factors which further strengthens the claim of a prophet of God Miracles should not be the soul essence of belief, as supernatural events can also take place by the use of magic and devils. The truth of prophethood is clear and evident in the actual message brought, as God has instilled a capability, although limited, in humans to recognize the truth as it is, specifically in the matter of monotheism But in order to further strengthen the argument of Prophethood, God performed miracles at the hands of His Prophets from Moses, Jesus to Muhammad. For this reason, God did not produce miracles upon the demand of the Meccans, but the Wise God gave Muhammad the miracles He desired at the time He choose:

“And they say, ‘We will not believe you until you break open for us from the ground a spring, or [until] you have a garden of date-palms and grapes and make rivers gush forth within them in force [and abundance] or you make the heaven fall upon us in fragments as you have claimed or you bring God and the angels before [us] or you have a house of ornament [gold] or you ascend into the sky. And [even then], we will not believe in your ascension until you bring down to us a book we may read.’ ‘Say, Exalted is my Lord! Was I ever but a human messenger?’’’ (Quran 17:90-93)

The answer was:

“And nothing has prevented Us from sending [this message, like the earlier ones,] with miraculous signs [in its wake], save [Our knowledge] that the people of olden times [only too often] gave the lie to them: thus, We provided for [the tribe of] Thamud the she-camel as a visible sign, but they wronged her. And never did We send those signs for any other purpose than to convey a warning.” (Quran 17:59)

When demanded ostensibly, God in His wisdom knew they would not believe, so He refused to show them miracles:

“Now they swear by God with their most solemn oaths that if a miracle were shown to them, they would indeed believe in this [divine writ]. Say: ‘Miracles are in the power of God alone.’ ‘And for all you know, even if one should be shown to them, they would not believe so long as We keep their hearts and their eyes turned [away from the truth], even as they did not believe in it in the first instance: and [so] We shall leave them in their overweening arrogance, blindly stumbling to and fro.’” (Quran 6:109-110)

We gather here some of the major physical miracles performed by Prophet Muhammad.

Footnotes:

[1] The miracles add up to over a thousand. See ‘Muqaddima Sharh’ Saheeh Muslim’ by al-Nawawi and ‘al-Madkhal’ by al-Baihaqi.

The Miracles of Muhammad (part 2 of 3)

Description: The splitting of the moon, and the Prophet’s journey to Jerusalem and ascension to Heaven.
By IslamReligion.com
Published on 23 Jan 2006 - Last modified on 21 May 2006
Viewed: 25115 (daily average: 14) - Rating: 3.7 out of 5 - Rated by: 12
Printed: 1137 - Emailed: 17 - Commented on: 0
Category: Articles > Evidence Islam is Truth > Evidence of Muhammad’s Prophethood
Category: Articles > The Prophet Muhammad > Evidence of His Prophethood

Splitting of the Moon

One of the times when God performed miracles at the hand of the Prophet was when the Meccans demanded to see a miracle from Muhammad to show his truthfulness. God split the moon in two separate halves and then re-joined them. The Quran recorded the event:

“The Last Hour draws near, and the moon is split asunder!” (Quran 54:1)

Prophet Muhammad would recite these verses of the Quran in large congregations of the weekly Friday prayer and the bi-annual Eed prayers.[1] Had the event never occurred, Muslims themselves would have doubted their religion and many would have left it! The Meccans would have said, ‘Hey, your prophet is a liar, the moon never split, and we never saw it split!’ Instead, the believers grew stronger in their faith and the only explanation the Meccans could come up with was, ‘passing magic!’

“The Last Hour draws near, and the moon is split asunder! And if they see a sign (miracle), they turn away and say, ‘Passing magic!’- for they are bent on giving it the lie, being always wont to follow their own desires.” (Quran 54:1-3)

The splitting of the moon is confirmed through eye-witness testimony transmitted through an unbroken chain of reliable scholars so many that is it impossible that it could be false (hadith mutawatir).[2]

A skeptic might ask, do we have any independent historical evidence to suggest the moon was ever split? After all, people around the world should have seen this marvelous event and recorded it.

The answer to this question is twofold.

First, people around the world could not have seen it as it would have been daytime, late night, or early morning many parts of the world. The following table will give the reader some idea of corresponding world times to 9:00 pm Mecca time:

Country	Time
Mecca	9:00 pm
India	11:30 pm
Perth	2:00 am
Reykjavik	6:00 pm
Washington D.C.	2:00 pm
Rio de Janeiro	3:00 pm
Tokyo	3:00 am
Beijing	2:00 am

Also, it is not likely that a large number of people in lands close by would be observing the moon at the exact same time. They had no reason to. Even if some one did, it does not necessarily mean people believed him and kept a written record of it, especially when many civilizations at that time did not preserve their own history in writing.

Second, we actually have an independent, and quite amazing, historical corroboration of the event from an Indian king of that time.

Kerala is a state of India. The state stretches for 360 miles (580 kilometers) along the Malabar Coast on the southwestern side of the Indian peninsula.[3] King Chakrawati Farmas of Malabar was a Chera king, Cheraman perumal of Kodungallure. He is recorded to have seen the moon split. The incident is documented in a manuscript kept at the India Office Library, London, reference number: Arabic, 2807, 152-173.[4] A group of Muslim merchant’s passing by Malabar on their way to China spoke to the king about how God had supported the Arabian prophet with the miracle of splitting of the moon. The shocked king said he had seen it with his own eyes as well, deputized his son, and left for Arabia to meet the Prophet in person. The Malabari king met the Prophet, bore the two testimonies of faith, learned the basics of faith, but passed away on his way back and was buried in the port city of Zafar, Yemen.[5]

It is said that the contingent was led by a Muslim, Malik bin Dinar, and continued to Kodungallure, the Chera capital, and built the first, and India’s oldest, mosque in the area in 629 CE which exists today.

A pre-renovation picture of the Cheraman Juma Masjid, India’s oldest mosque dating back to 629 CE. Image courtesy of www.islamicvoice.com.

The news of his accepting Islam reached Kerala where people accepted Islam. The people of Lakshadweep and the Moplas (Mapillais) from the Calicut province of Kerala are converts from those days.

Cheraman Juma Masjid, named after India’s first Muslim convert, Cheraman perumal Chakrawati Farmas, after renovation. Image courtesy of www.indianholiday.com.

The Indian sighting and the meeting of the Indian king with Prophet Muhammad is also reported by Muslim sources. The famous Muslim historian, Ibn Kahtir, mentions the splitting of the moon was reported in parts of India.[6] Also, the books of hadith have documented the arrival of the Indian king and his meeting the Prophet. Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, a companion of Prophet Muhammad, states:

“The Indian king gifted the Prophet with a jar of ginger. The companions ate it piece by piece. I took a bite as well.”[7]

The king was thus considered a ‘companion’ – a term used for a person who met the Prophet and died as a Muslim – his name registered in the mega-compendiums chronicling the Prophet’s companions.[8]

Night Journey and Ascent to Heaven

A few months before the migration from Mecca to Medina, God took Muhammad in one night from the Grand Mosque in Mecca to al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, a month’s journey of 1230 Km for a caravan. From Jerusalem, he ascended to the heavens, passing the boundaries of the physical universe to be in divine presence, meet God, and witness the Great Signs (al-Ayat ul-Kubra). His truth became apparent in two ways. First, ‘the Prophet described the caravans he had overtaken on the way home and said where they were and about when they might be expected to arrive in Mecca; and each arrived as predicted, and the details were as he had described.’[9] Second, he was never known to have been to Jerusalem, yet he described al-Aqsa Mosque to skeptics like an eye-witness.

The mystical journey is mentioned in the Quran:

“Exalted is He who took His Servant [Prophet Muhammad] by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing.” (Quran 17:1)

“So will you dispute with him over what he saw? And he certainly saw him in another descent at the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary – near it is the Garden of Refuge (Paradise) – when there covered the Lote Tree that which covered (it). The sight (of the Prophet) did not swerve, nor did it transgress (its limit). He certainly saw of the greatest signs of his Lord.” (Quran 53:12-18)

The event is also confirmed through eye-witness testimony transmitted through the ages with an unbroken chain of reliable scholars (hadith mutawatir).[10]

Entrance of Al-Aqsa Mosque from where Muhammad ascended the heavens. Picture courtesy of Thekra A. Sabri.

Footnotes:

[1] Saheeh Muslim.

[2] See ‘Nadhm al-Mutanathira min al-Hadith al-Mutawatir,’ by al-Kattani p. 215.

[3] “Kerala.” Encyclopædia Britannica from Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service. (http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9111226)

[4] It is quoted in the book “Muhammad Rasulullah,” by Muhammad Hamidullah: “There is a very old tradition in Malabar, South-West Coast of India, that Chakrawati Farmas, one of their kings, had observed the splitting of the moon, the celebrated miracle of the Holy Prophet at Mecca, and learning on inquiry that there was a prediction of the coming of a Messenger of God from Arabia, he appointed his son as regent and set out to meet him. He embraced Islam at the hand of the Prophet, and when returning home, at the direction of the Prophet, died at the port of Zafar, Yemen, where the tomb of the “Indian king” was piously visited for many centuries.”

[5] ‘Zafar: biblical Sephar , classical Sapphar, or Saphar ancient Arabian site located southwest of Yarim in southern Yemen. It was the capital of the Himyarites, a tribe that ruled much of southern Arabia from about 115 BC to about AD 525. Up until the Persian conquest (c. AD 575), Zafar was one of the most important and celebrated towns in southern Arabia—a fact attested to not only by Arab geographers and historians but also by Greek and Roman authors. After the extinction of the Himyar kingdom and the rise of Islam, Zafar gradually fell into decay.’ “Zafar.” Encyclopædia Britannica from Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service. (http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9078191)

[6] ‘Al-Bidaya wal-Nihaya,’ by Ibn Kathir, vol 3, p. 130.

[7] Reported by Hakim in ‘Mustadrik’ vol 4, p. 150. Hakim comments, ‘I have not memorized any other report stating the Prophet ate ginger.’

[8] ‘Al-Isaba’ by Ibn Hajr, vol 3. p. 279 and ‘Lisan ul-Mizan’ by Imam al-Dhahabi, vol. 3 p. 10 under the name ‘Sarbanak,’ the name with which the Arabs knew him.

[9] ‘Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources’ by Martin Lings, p. 103.

[10] Forty five companions of the Prophet transmitted the reports on his Night Journey and the Heavenly Ascent. See the works of hadith masters: ‘Azhar al-Mutanathira fi al-Ahadith al-Mutawatira’ by al-Suyuti p. 263 and ‘Nadhm al-Mutanathira min al-Hadith al-Mutawatir,’ by al-Kattani p. 207.

The Miracles of Muhammad (part 3 of 3)

Description: A mention of other various miracles of the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.
By IslamReligion.com
Published on 23 Jan 2006 - Last modified on 04 Oct 2009
Viewed: 19050 (daily average: 10) - Rating: 4.7 out of 5 - Rated by: 23
Printed: 1151 - Emailed: 45 - Commented on: 2
Category: Articles > Evidence Islam is Truth > Evidence of Muhammad’s Prophethood
Category: Articles > The Prophet Muhammad > Evidence of His Prophethood

There are many other miracles which the Prophet performed related in the Sunnah, or conglomeration of the sayings, deeds, approvals, and descriptions of the Prophet.

The Tree Trunk

In Medina Muhammad used to deliver sermons leaning on a tree stump. When the number of worshippers increased, someone suggested a pulpit be built so he can use it to deliver the sermon. When the pulpit was built, he abandoned the tree trunk. Abdullah ibn Umar, one of the companions, gave an eye-witness testimony of what happened. The trunk was heard weeping, the Prophet of Mercy went towards it and comforted it with his hand.[1]

The event is also confirmed through eye-witness testimony transmitted through the ages with an unbroken chain of reliable scholars (hadith mutawatir).[2]

The Flowing of Water

On more than one occasion when people were in dire need of water, the blessing of the Muhammad saved them. In the sixth year after the he migrated from Mecca to Medina, Muhammad went to Mecca for pilgrimage. In the long journey through the desert, people ran out of all water, only the Prophet was left with a vessel with which he performed ablution for prayers. He put his hand in vessel, water began flowing from between his fingers. Jabir bin Abdullah, who witnessed the miracle, says of the fifteen hundred men, ‘We drank it and made ablution.’[3] This miracle has been transmitted with an unbroken chain of reliable scholars (hadith mutawatir).[4]

The sprouting of water from human fingers is similar to the Moses’ miracle of producing water from a rock.

Blessing of Food

On more than one occasion, the Prophet blessed food by either praying or touching it so all present could get their fill. This happened at times when food and water shortage afflicted Muslims.[5] These miracles took place in the presence of a large number of people and is, thus, not possible to deny.

Healing the Sick

Abdullah ibn Ateek broke his leg and Muhammad healed it by wiping his hand over it. Abdullah said it was as if nothing had happened to it! The person who witnessed the miracle was another companion, Bara’ ibn Azib (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

During the expedition of Khyber, Muhammad healed the painful eyes of Ali ibn Abi Talib in front of a whole army. Ali, many years later, became the fourth caliph of Muslims.[6]

Exorcising Devils

Muhammad exorcised the devil out of a boy brought by his mother for healing to him by saying, ‘Come out! I am Muhammad, the Messenger of God!’ The woman said, ‘By the One who sent you with the truth, we have never seen anything wrong with him since.’[7]

Prayers Answered

(1) The mother of Abu Hurayra, a close companion of Muhammad, used to speak ill of Islam and its prophet. One day, Abu Hurayra came weeping to Muhammad and asked him to pray for his mother to be saved. Muhammad prayed and when Abu Hurayra returned home he found his mother ready to accept Islam. She bore the testimony of faith in front of her son and entered Islam.[8]

(2) Jarir ibn Abdullah was commissioned by the Prophet to rid the land of an idol worshipped besides God, but he complained he was could not ride a horse well! The Prophet prayed for him, ‘O God, make him a strong horseman and make him one is guides and is guided.’ Jarir testifies he never fell off his horse after the Prophet prayed for him.[9]

(3) The people were struck with famine during the time of Muhammad. A man stood up when Muhammad was delivering the weekly sermon on Friday, and said, ‘O Messenger of God, our wealth has been destroyed and our children are starving. Pray to God for us.’ Muhammad raised his hands in prayer.

Those in attendance testify that that the moment he lowered his hands after praying, clouds began to build like mountains!

By the time he stepped down of his pulpit, rain was dripping from his beard!

It rained the whole week till next Friday!

The same man stood up again, complained this time, ‘O Messenger of God, our buildings are destroyed, and our property is drowned, pray to God for us!’

Muhammad raised his hands and prayed, ‘O God, (let it rain) around us, but not on us.’

Those in attendance testify that the clouds withdrew in the direction he pointed, the city of Medina was surrounded by clouds, but there were no clouds over it![10]

(4) Here is the beautiful story of Jabir. He testifies that on one time, the camel he was riding was exhausted because it was used for carrying water. The camel could hardly walk. Muhammad asked him, ‘What’s the matter with your camel?’ On finding out how tired the poor camel was, Muhammad prayed for the poor animal and from that time, Jabir tells us, the camel was always ahead of others! Muhammad asked Jabir, ‘How do you find your camel?’ Jabir responded, ‘It is well, your blessing has reached it!’ Muhammad bought the camel from Jabir on the spot for a piece of gold, with the condition that Jabir ride it back to the city! On reaching Medina, Jabir says he brought the camel to Muhammad the next morning. Muhammad gave him the piece of gold and told him to keep his camel![11]

It is no wonder why those around him who witnessed these great miracles performed in front of crowds were certain of his truthfulness.

Footnotes:

[1] Saheeh Al-Bukhari.

[2] More than ten companions of the Prophet transmitted the reports on their hearing the weeping of the tree trunk. See the works of hadith masters: ‘Azhar al-Mutanathira fi al-Ahadith al-Mutawatira’ by al-Suyuti p. 267, ‘Nadhm al-Mutanathira min al-Hadith al-Mutawatir,’ by al-Kattani p. 209 and ‘Shamail’ of Ibn Kathir p. 239.

[3] Saheeh Al-Bukhari.

[4] More than ten companions of the Prophet transmitted the reports on their hearing the weeping of the tree trunk. See ‘Nadhm al-Mutanathira min al-Hadith al-Mutawatir,’ by al-Kattani p. 212, ‘al-Shifa’ by Qadhi Iyyad, vol 1, p. 405, and ‘al-’Ilaam’ by al-Qurtubi, p. 352.

[5] Saheeh Al-Bukhari. See ‘Nadhm al-Mutanathira min al-Hadith al-Mutawatir,’ by al-Kattani p. 213 and ‘al-Shifa’ by Qadhi Iyyad, vol 1, p. 419.

[6] Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim

[7] Musnad of Imam Ahmad, and Sharh’ al-Sunnah

[8] Saheeh Muslim

[9] Saheeh Muslim

[10] Saheeh Al-Bukhar, Saheeh Muslim

[11] Saheeh Al-Bukhar, Saheeh Muslim

the Islamic Iran’s Theocracy

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 06:50:00 +0800

By Aram Anahid-June 3rd, 2009

Editor’s Note: Aram Anahid is the penname of a learned Baha’i intellectual in Iran, who has previously contributed to Iran Press Watch and other sites (e.g. Iranian.com). Iran Press Watch is pleased to publish this fascinating, original and thought-provoking essay by this young intellectual of the Baha’i community of Iran. (Incidentally, what appears below is not a translation; rather it is original composition of Aram Anahid.)

Thirty years of theocratic rule has had a profound effect on Iranian religiosity. During the late 1970s, Iranians, who have long drawn upon their deep religious heritage to achieve a sense of identity, united behind their religious leaders to overthrow the Pahlavi dynasty and unanimously vote for the installation of an Islamic republic in its stead. While it is now generally accepted that few had any idea of what the Islamic Republic that Ayatollah Khomeini had endorsed was supposed to look like, the general impression at the time was that Iran’s Shi’ite clergy were destined to create a uniquely Islamic democracy – one which was rooted in Islam’s liberating principles and values rather than Western ideas and thoughts.
In effect, the Islamic Republic of Iran turned out to be a system that is invested with democratically elected legislative and executive institutions, yet restrained by a set of councils and assemblies which are generally populated by clerics with close ties to the country’s Supreme Leader, and which supposedly act to protect the very “Islamic values” that the nation once arose to uphold. While these latter institutions, too, are at least to some extent either directly or indirectly elected by popular vote (for example, even the Supreme Leader is chosen, and can be removed, by an Assembly of Experts whose members are, in turn, elected by adult suffrage), an increasing number of Iranians have come to regard their structures and functions, at best, as undemocratic, and, at worst, as oppressive.
It is, thus, not surprising that a Gallup survey conducted during the years 2005 and 2006 indicated that only 12 percent of Iranians are now willing to put legislation directly in the hands of religious leaders, while another 26 percent think that religious leaders should only act as advisors to legislative bodies, and a majority of 56 percent believe that they should have no role at all in legislation.[1] This is despite indications that most Iranians are still deeply religious. In fact, a 2007 Gallup survey concluded that while today only 14% of Iranians believe that Islam’s principles, values, and ethics should act as the only source of legislation, a majority of 63% still want these values and principles to be a source of legislation, but not the only source.[2]
The above survey indicates that Iranians still want their Islamic values and principles to have at least some influence on legislation. Their ideal mechanism of this proposed influence, however, has clearly changed. Not long ago Iranians regarded their religious clergy as expert Islamic jurists – the very best men to turn to in matters of Islamic law and justice. The general understanding used to be that as laymen who had no extensive understanding of Islamic law, the members of the Shi’ite community had to accept the decrees of their scholars of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) in matters of Islamic jurisprudence. Now, however, most seem unwilling to endorse their Fuqaha (scholars of jurisprudence) and Mujtahidin (scholars of Islamic judgment) as legislators. This suggests that not many Iranians now see the decrees of these religious leaders as representative of true Islam. This may be, to a great extent, due to the fact that Iranians have largely reconsidered their mode of religiosity.
A research conducted by Abdolmohammad Kazemipur and Ali Rezaei concludes that between 1975 and 2001 Iranians dramatically shifted from organized to personalized religion and from a practice-centered mode of religiosity to a belief-centered one.[3] For a country whose people arose, during the late 1970s, to uphold Islam as the foundation of their collective identity and the basis of their system of government, this amounts to nothing less than a complete U-turn.
Other studies suggest that, at least among certain groups and subcultures, an even more ambivalent attitude towards Islam in particular, and religion in general, can be discerned. Almost 40% of respondents who took part in an internet survey conducted by Association des Chercheurs Iraniens (ACI – “Association of Iranian Researchers”) in 2007 from within Iran declared themselves as nonreligious, while another 6.5 percent declared their religions as something other than Islam – both unusually high percentages for a country where official figures declare as high as 99.34% of the population as Muslims.[4] To make the matter sound even more astounding, only 15.6 percent of men and 22.5 percent of women who participated in the survey declared that they practice their religions!
Although the survey results can hardly be considered representative of Iran’s population, it does imply that highly-educated young urban Iranians harbor a much less positive view of religion than the population at large. This is distressing for a society in which religion has long been an indispensible source of individual and collective identity. It is, therefore, not surprising that an increasing number of researchers have spoken about anomie among Iranian youth. In an analysis of a survey conducted by his team of 2500 young Iranians living in 10 major cities, Dr. Parviz Piran asserts that two tendencies are clearly visible among the younger generation of Iranians.[5] First is their alienation from social norms and values coupled with an inclination towards antisocial behavior, crime and addiction. Second, and perhaps more interestingly, is a visible inclination among them to pretend that they have internalized the formal rules of conduct attached to the roles that their society has assigned to them, while in fact they do not believe in those rules at all. According to Piran, individuals showing this inclination have usually developed two distinct and often contradictory lifestyles – one in their private lives, and the other in public. Piran discreetly blames the experience of life under constant fear of arrest, humiliation and punishment for “trivial” matters as the main cause of anomie among Iranian youth.
What Piran is, in effect, implying is that the Iranian theocracy’s failure to recognize its people’s civil rights and liberties lies at the very root of the current state of anomie that has overtaken the younger generation. The Iranian Revolution put Iran’s Shi’a clergy in a position to use the legislative, executive, and judiciary branches of the country to officially implement the very principles and values which they once could only preach. However, in their fervor to uphold these principles, what they chose to overlook was the fact that any raw attempt to reduce religion to law is likely to infringe upon the basic rights and liberties of individuals. This is due to the fact that unlike civil law, whose proposed goal is solely to regulate human social interaction in order to minimize harm, religion intends to transform an individual’s behavior, not just in the public domain but also in the private sphere. In Abdu’l-Baha’s words:

In the religion of God there is no freedom of deeds. No one can transgress the divine law, even if in so doing he harms no one. For by the divine law is intended the training of oneself and others. For to God, harming oneself or harming others are the same, and both are reprehensible. In hearts there must be the fear of God, and human beings must not commit blameworthy deeds. Therefore, the freedom of deeds that exists in civil law does not exist in religion.[6]
Law is primarily enforced by appeal to a direct threat of punishment, or an often indirect promise of reward. Fear of being caught and punished is enough to convince most people to obey the law most of the time. While this sounds sufficient in case of civil law where the proposed goal is to regulate, an outward regulation of behavior can hardly meet the purpose of religion, which is to nurture human beings and humanity. A religious system which chooses to train humanity by those means with which civil law is applied will not just fail in its goal, but will also severely limit the freedom of its subjects. It is due to this fact that Baha’i writings assert that while social order is upheld by means of reward and punishment, the banner of religion is uplifted by Khashiyat Allah, or the fear of God:

The word of God which the Abha Pen hath revealed and inscribed on the first leaf of the Most Exalted Paradise is this: Verily I say: The fear of God hath ever been a sure defense and a safe stronghold for all the peoples of the world. It is the chief cause of the protection of mankind, and the supreme instrument for its preservation.[7]
“Khashiyat Allah” is a Quranic term that refers to a sense of awe and reverence inspired by an individual’s recognition of the majesty of God. According to Tousi, khashiyat defers from khauf (fear) in that while khauf is a painful feeling brought on by the prospect of punishment, khashiyat is an emotional state induced by an individual’s recognition of the Absolute Greatness of God.[8] While both khauf and khashyiat are seen as psychological states that can cause obedience to God, the two operate differently. In the case of khashyiat, obedience is caused not by fear of punishment, but by the love of God.
The distinction between khauf and khashyiat finds expression in Baha’i writings:

In formulating the principles and laws a part hath been devoted to penalties which form an effective instrument for the security and protection of men. However, dread (khauf) of the penalties maketh people desist only outwardly from committing vile and contemptible deeds, while that which guardeth and restraineth man both outwardly and inwardly hath been and still is the fear of God (khashiyat Allah). It is man’s true protector and his spiritual guardian. It behoveth him to cleave tenaciously unto that which will lead to the appearance of this supreme bounty.[9]
Baha’i writings enjoin upon the leaders of the world to uphold religion, asserting that peace, justice, and welfare depend not only on the rule of law, but also on the authority of religion and the influence of khashiyat Allah:

When the Day-Star of Wisdom rose above the horizon of God’s Holy Dispensation it voiced this all-glorious utterance: They that are possessed of wealth and invested with authority and power must show the profoundest regard for religion. In truth, religion is a radiant light and an impregnable stronghold for the protection and welfare of the peoples of the world, for the fear of God impelleth man to hold fast to that which is good, and shun all evil. Should the lamp of religion be obscured, chaos and confusion will ensue, and the lights of fairness and justice, of tranquility and peace cease to shine. Unto this will bear witness every man of true understanding.[10]
If the edifice of religion shakes and totters, commotion and chaos will ensue and the order of things will be utterly upset, for in the world of mankind there are two safeguards that protect man from wrongdoing. One is the law which punishes the criminal; but the law prevents only the manifest crime and not the concealed sin; whereas the ideal safeguard, namely, the religion of God, prevents both the manifest and the concealed crime, trains man, educates morals, compels the adoption of virtues and is the all-inclusive power which guarantees the felicity of the world of mankind. But by religion is meant that which is ascertained by investigation and not that which is based on mere imitation, the foundation of Divine Religions and not human imitations.[11]
Abdu’l-Baha’s assertion, in the above quote, that the authority of religion rests on its being “ascertained by investigation” and not “based on mere imitation”, reflects the fact that the influence of religion, unlike law, ultimately depends on the internal motivation of the believer rather than the external sway of reward and retribution. Even though from a Baha’i perspective khashiyat can superficially be defined as “the fear of God’s retribution or the hope of His reward”, Baha’i scripture attest that ultimately, a true Baha’i is expected to make her life’s choices independently of any such promise. This is perhaps most movingly demonstrated in Baha’u'llah’s Panj Kanz:

…I will tell you which people are worthy of listening to My utterances and attaining My presence. Suppose that a person is taken to a vast plain, on the right side of which are placed all the glories of this world, its pleasures and comfort, together with a sovereignty which would be everlasting and freed from every affliction and grief. On the left-hand side of this plain are preserved for eternity all the calamities, hardships, pains and immense sufferings. Then suppose that the Holy Spirit appears before this person and addresses him in these words: “Shouldst thou choose to have all the eternal pleasures that are placed on the right side in preference to the calamities on the left, not the slightest thing would be reduced from thy station in the sight of God. And shouldst thou choose to be inflicted with innumerable sufferings that are placed on the left, not the slightest thing would be added to thy station in the estimation of God, the Almighty, the Unconstrained.” ‘If at that moment this person were moved to choose, with the utmost eagerness and enthusiasm, the left hand of abasement rather than the right hand of glory, then he would be worthy to attain My presence and hearken to My exalted words. In this connection the Tongue of Grandeur, addressing the inquirers, says “If thine aim be to cherish thy life, approach not our court; but if sacrifice be thy heart’s desire, come and let others come with thee. For such is the way of faith, if in thy heart thou seekest reunion with Baha; Shouldst thou refuse to tread this path, why trouble us?[12]
It is, therefore, not surprising that in the very first few paragraphs of Kitab-i-Aqdas (The Most Holy Book – the basic text of Baha’i law), “the Charter of the future world civilization”, Baha’u'llah calls upon His followers to obey His commandments, not in anticipation of an external reward, but through love:

The Tongue of My power hath, from the heaven of My omnipotent glory, addressed to My creation these words: “Observe My commandments, for the love of My beauty.”[13]
By choosing primarily to appeal to its subjects’ deep-felt devotion, the Kitab-i-Aqdas demonstrates that its mandate differs from that of many other codes of law. Perhaps this difference of mandate becomes most pronounced when the writings proceed to make the very implementation of the “laws of God” conditional upon wisdom, tact, and prudence; upon their not being in conflict with the law of the land; and upon the capacity of a society to tolerate those laws. It is in light of all this that, in the course of a thorough discussion of the dangers of direct involvement of religious leadership in politics in his Risalih-i Siyasiyyih (Treatise on Leadership), ‘Abdu’l-Bahá argues that religious leaders should act as legislators of Divine laws, but leave the choice of their implementation to the wisdom and discretion of the state:

These souls are the fountainhead of the interpretation [Tashrii', "legislation"] of God’s commandments, not of implementation. That is, when the government requests an explanation concerning the requirements of the Law of God and the realities of the divine ordinances, in principle or in a specific case, they must explain what they have deduced from the commands of God and what is in accordance with the law of God. Apart from this, what awareness do they have of questions of leadership and social development, the administration and control of weighty matters, the welfare and prosperity of the kingdom, the improvement of procedures and codes of law, or foreign affairs and domestic policy?[14]
It can now be safely claimed that if the Iranian clergy had chosen to assume such a role, the Islamic Republic would most probably have evolved into a much more competent and democratic system of government, one in which religion would lead but not coerce. Unfortunately, however, the experience of the Islamic Republic has once again demonstrated that it is only as long as religion succeeds in upholding its principles, values, laws, and ordinances by appeal to the voluntary choice of a government and people quickened by khashiyat and love that it can successfully contribute to the advancement of humanity. Because of this, while the prospect of quickly upholding the cherished values and goals of a religious system by other means might sound tempting at first, one should never become oblivious of the fact that by doing so religion can be adversely reduced to legalism.
If anything, a theocracy thus needs to uphold the civil rights and liberties of its people more than any other system of government. Failure to do so can lead, not just to the creation of yet another dictatorship, but also the destruction of the very norms and values that hold that society together. In the case of Iran, fortunately there are signs that indicate that large portions of society have so far succeeded in safeguarding their long-cherished values by drawing a line between the Islamic Republic’s intolerant legalistic religion and their own private understandings of a much kinder and more tolerant Islam. This situation, however, cannot keep on forever. In the end, the Islamic Republic will need to find the incentive and insight to reinvent itself as a system that on the one hand is inspired by Islamic values and principles, and on the other is willing to uphold the rights and liberties of its people. Failure to do so can have potentially devastating consequences, both for Iran and for Shi’a Islam.
[1] http://www.gallup.com/poll/28762/Majorities-Muslims-Americans-See-Religion-Law-Compatible.aspx
[2] http://www.gallup.com/poll/108724/Iranians-Egyptians-Turks-Contrasting-Views-Sharia.aspx
[3] Kazemipour & Rezaei, “Religious Life Under Theocracy: The Case of Iran”, Journal for the scientific study of religion, 2003.
[4] Hossein Ladjevardi, Navid Fazel, Iranian Identity and the Future of Iran, http://aciiran.com/survey1.htm
[5] Parviz Piran, Iranian Youth and Social Transformation: Review of a Research, http://publications.ksu.edu.sa/Conferences/Children%20Youth%20Conference/Article068.pdf
[6] Translated by Juan R.I. Cole, http://www-personal.umich.edu/~jrcole/abconsc.htm. در دين اللّه حريّت اعمال نيست از قانون الهی نميتواند انسان تجاوز نمايد ولو ضرری بغير نرساند چه مقصود از قانون الهی تربيت غير و خود است چه عند اللّه ضرر خود و غير يکسان و هر دو مذموم است بايد در قلوب خشية اللّه باشد و انسان بآنچه عند اللّه مذموم است مرتکب نشود لذا حريّت اعماليکه در قانون است در دين نيست.(مائده آسمانی، جلد 5)
[7] Baha’u'llah, Tablets of Baha’u'llah, p. 62
[8] الفروق اللغویه، ابی هلال العسكری، سیدنورالدین الجزائری
[9] Baha’u'llah, Tablets of Baha’u'llah, p. 92
[10] Baha’u'llah, Tablets of Baha’u'llah, p. 125
[11] Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith – Abdu’l-Baha Section, p. 288
[12] Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha’u'llah v 2, p. 140
[13] Baha’u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p.20
[14] Translated by Sen McGlinn, http://www2.h-net.msu.edu/~bahai/trans/vol7/govern.htm. اين نفوس مصدر تشريع احکام الهی هستند نه تنفيذ يعنی چون حکومت در امور کلّيّه و جزئيّه مقتضای شريعت الهيّه و حقيقت احکام ربّانيّه را استفسار نمايد آنچه مستنبط از احکام اللّه و موافق شريعت اللّه است بيان نمايند ديگر در امور سياسی و رعيّت پروری و ضبط و ربط مهامّ امور و صلاح و فلاح ملکی و تمشيت قواعد و قانون مملکتی و امور خارجی و داخلی چه اطّلاع دارند (عبدالبهاء، رساله سیاسیه، طهران 1934)

source from : http://www.iranpresswatch.org/post/3812

Message of Thaqalayn : The Significance of Self-control and Self-purification ~ Shadra Institute Palopo

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 03:21:00 +0800

Message of Thaqalayn : The Significance of Self-control and Self-purification ~ Shadra Institute Palopo

INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ICAS JAKARTA

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 18:10:00 +0800

INTERNATIONAL PHILOSOPHICAL SEMINAR AND CONFERENCE
THE ANTHROPOLOGY OF TRANSCENDENT PHILOSOPHY

26-27 March 2011, Sultan Hotel, Jl. Gatot Subroto Jakarta 10002, Indonesia

Philosophical anthropology is the attempt that seeks to unify the several investigations and explorations of humans in an effort to understand human behavior as both creatures of their environment and creators of their own values. Although the majority of philosophers throughout the history of philosophy can be said to have a distinctive "anthropology’’ that undergirds their thought, philosophical anthropology itself, as a specific discipline in philosophy, arose within the later modern period as an outgrowth from developing methods in philosophy, such as phenomenology and existentialism. The former, which draws its energy from methodical reflection of human experience from the philosopher's own personal experience, naturally aided the emergence of philosophical explorations of human nature and the human condition.

But if philosophy has aspirations to universality, if the aim is “philosophy as an educator of humanity”, it is essential to wonder why so little importance is attached to philosophy in the very basic of world paradigm, citizen’s education or even governance policy making. So it must be able to break down into the level of where it can embarrass all aspects of human life.

Participant:
1. International seminar will open for public (students, institution, government, NGO)
2. Conference will open for academic experts on the field of philosophy, psychology, anthropology, mysticism, humanity
3. Participant invited from foremost universities in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Thailand

The Desired Outcome:
1. The common understanding and vision toward the humanity development
2. The outcome of conference will be a main book on philosophy which consists of:

a. The references, meanings, theories and arguments of terminology of the soul/nafs in philosophy, mysticism, eastern, western
b. Technical term of the concept of soul refers to Paul Edward, Britanica, Routledge, Oxford encyclopedia.

Language of the Conference
Persian, Arabic, English, Indonesia

Intends to provide a venue for the theoretical, critical and analytical discourse on the Transcendent philosophy of Mulla Sadra, an outstanding figure, a profound master that almost been a best sources both west and east.

We would like to invite any interested academicians, researchers, scholars to participate the conference.

Paper and presentations are invited on any of the following themes and topics :

1. Anthropology in Transcendent Philosophy
2. Anthropology in comparative philosophy :
   a. Western and Eastern
   b. Continental
   c. Transcendent Philosophy and Mysticism
   d. Qur'an and transcendent philosophy

Suggested Topics :
1. The Nature of Mind
2. Mulla Sadra's Arguments against Tanasukh in the Afterlife of Souls
3. Philosophy of Platonic Spirit according to Mulla Sadra
4. Mulla Sadra' s Idea of Soul-Body Relation and its Consequences in Psychology
5. Mulla Sadra's Theory of the Practical Intellect
6. Human Soul Perfectness and Substantial Motion
7. A mystic view of perfect man on the basis of Mawlawi's anthropology
8. An analysis on human essence from the view point of psychology
9. Qur'anic Interpretation in Transcendent Philosophy
10. Mulla Sadra's philosophical innovations and their impacts on the theory of the microcosm and the macroanthropology
11. Soul-body relation in Mulla Sadra's anthropology
12. The origin of human's nature and aspects in Mathnawi
13. The Anthropology of Sufism

Requirements and Conditions for Submission

300 word abstracts should be submitted to the Organising Chairs; abstracts may be in Word, WordPerfect, or RTF formats, pdf format, following this order:
a) author(s), b) affiliation, c) email address, d) title of abstract, e) body of abstract
E-mails should be entitled : Philosophical Anthropology

Please use plain text (Times Roman 12) and abstain from using any special formatting, characters or emphasis (such as bold, italics or underline). We acknowledge receipt and answer to all paper proposals submitted.
1. Submit full name(s) and academic or professional references (complete curriculum vitae)

2. Every manuscript/article must observe international standard convention, contain a brief abstract (approximately 300 words) in English, and send along with the contact information by 10 December, 2010

3. Referencing system should use footnote style. Bibliography should be at the end of the page which must be entirely arranged in alphabetical order

4. Notification of accepted abstract will be sent out by last December 2011

Deadline for submission of Article

Full draft paper should be submitted electronically by February 1, 2011 through
email:am_committee@ icas.ac.id, or research@icas.ac.id

Please do not hesitate to contact the below address, and your contribution will be highly valuable. Thank you.

Confirming Information

The Islamic College : Pejaten Raya Street No.19, South Jakarta 12510
Phone. 021-7651534, Fax. 021-7651601
Website: www.icas.ac.id
e-mail : am_committee@icas.ac.id

Organising Chair,
DR. Syafinuddin Al Mandari, M.Pd

Message of Thaqalayn : The Significance of Self-control and Self-purification

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 13:55:00 +0800

Mohammad Ali Shomali

It is a common idea amongst all religious and spiritual traditions that human beings should have some kind of self-control. Although we enjoy free will, we need to exercise our free will in a responsible way. In the same way that we expect others to respect our dignity and interests, we should respect dignity and interests of others. We should also safeguard our own dignity and long term interests. Thus, we cannot simply go after our whims and desires and do whatever we want. We need to have self-control and self-discipline which leads to self-purification. If we purify our hearts we will no longer need to resist our temptations and control ourselves against lower desires and lusts, since a purified person desires nothing except what is good and moral for himself and others. In what follows, we will study the necessity of self-control and self-purification.

Self-control

On the necessity of self-control, the Glorious Qur'an says:

وَ أَمَّا مَنْ خافَ مَقامَ رَبِّهِ وَ نَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوى‏ فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ هِيَ الْمَأْوى‏

And as for him who fears to stand in the presence of his Lord and forbids his own soul from its whims and caprices then surely Paradise is the abode. (79:40 & 41)

يا داوُدُ إِنَّا جَعَلْناكَ خَليفَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِالْحَقِّ وَ لا تَتَّبِعِ الْهَوى‏ فَيُضِلَّكَ عَنْ سَبيلِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ الَّذينَ يَضِلُّونَ عَنْ سَبيلِ اللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذابٌ شَديدٌ بِما نَسُوا يَوْمَ الْحِسابِ

O David! …do not follow the whims of your own soul for they will lead you astray from God's path. (38:26)

يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامينَ بِالْقِسْطِ شُهَداءَ لِلَّهِ وَ لَوْ عَلى‏ أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَوِ الْوالِدَيْنِ وَ الْأَقْرَبينَ إِنْ يَكُنْ غَنِيًّا أَوْ فَقيراً فَاللَّهُ أَوْلى‏ بِهِما فَلا تَتَّبِعُوا الْهَوى‏ أَنْ تَعْدِلُوا وَ إِنْ تَلْوُوا أَوْ تُعْرِضُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كانَ بِما تَعْمَلُونَ خَبيراً

O you who have faith! Be maintainers of justice and witnesses for the sake of God, even if it should be against yourselves or [your] parents and near relatives, and whether it be [someone] rich or poor, for God has a greater right over them. So do not follow [your] desires, lest you should be unfair, and if you distort [the testimony] or disregard [it], God is indeed well aware of what you do. (4:135)

Here we find two pieces of advice. Firstly, to observe God's Will, to fear Him and to try to obey Him. And secondly, to forbid our soul from doing what is wrong and harmful to us. This becomes only possible when we have some kind of self-control. In Nahj al-Balaghah, there is a very beautiful and insightful description of an un-named brother. Imam Ali a.s. is quoted as saying:

كَانَ لِي فِيمَا مَضَى أَخٌ فِي اللَّهِ وَ كَانَ يُعْظِمُهُ فِي عَيْنِي صِغَرُ الدُّنْيَا فِي عَيْنِهِ … وَ كَانَ إِذَا بَدَهَهُ أَمْرَانِ يَنْظُرُ ]نَظَرَ[ أَيُّهُمَا أَقْرَبُ إِلَى الْهَوَى ]فَخَالَفَهُ[ فَيُخَالِفُهُ

In the past I had a brother-in-faith, and he was prestigious in my view because the world was insignificant in his eyes… If two things confronted him he would see which was more akin to his whims and he would do the other. (Wise Sayings, No. 289)

We see that one of the brother-in-faith's qualities was that when faced with two options, (for example whether to go to one place or another, one meeting or another or to engage in one business or another), that is, when he was at a 'crossroads' and wanted to choose which way to turn, he would look at his own soul/heart, trying to discover which course of action was dearer to his self, his own personal interest and then he would do the other one. For example, one might have the option to either watch TV or to help someone with his work. The soul which is not trained may encourage us to go and watch TV, saying that it is a waste of time to help the other person. But instead it is better to spend the time helping the other person.

Of course, we may not always be able to find out what is the right course of action by just following this instruction. But it is important to at least try to find out what our selfish desire wants us to do. God has given us the ability to distinguish between what our egoism or greediness wants from us and those things which are in our 'real' interests. When we work for our 'real' interest we also secure the interests of other people. God has created us in a way that when we really serve ourselves, then we serve all human beings. But if we try to be 'clever' and only serve ourselves, then we not only damage ourselves but also others. There are lots of ways to damage ourselves and others. But it is not possible to truly serve oneself and not serve others.

There is also another method which we can use when we want to make a decision and have two or three options to consider and do not know what to do. In such cases, it is useful to try to imagine that a person who is very pious, and whose actions you trust and accept, is in your place. Then try to decide what that person would do if he were in your place. Since you have information about the way that person normally makes his decisions and about his intentions and good will, by keeping that person in mind you may be able to understand what to do. For example, you could imagine a pious scholar or pious relative, not necessarily an infallible or saint. You could then think about what they might do and this would give you some kind of insight.

So, it is a basic fact that we must have self-control. If we believe that we should just do what we want by satisfying and gratifying ourselves, then there is no point in talking about spiritual direction. Of course, Islam tells us that self-control is just a beginning; it is for those people who are at the start of the journey. What we need to do is to transform our soul from one which has an interest in lower desires into a soul which instead has a yearning for good things. Then our soul itself becomes a helper and an assistant to us. But this is a matter of training and purifying the soul.

There is a beautiful story in the Mathnawi by Rumi which shows how the heart can be transformed in either a good way or a bad way. Rumi says that once there was a perfume market where every person who wanted to sell perfumes had a shop. As a result, whoever entered this bazaar would only sense the beautiful fragrance of perfumes. Everyone enjoyed it, especially the perfume sellers who of course are the best people to appreciate perfume due to their refined sense of smell, whereas we become confused after smelling too many different fragrances. But one day someone went to the bazaar with a horse and the horse dirtied the passageway of the bazaar. The people became very angry because they could not tolerate the bad smell but no-one had the strength to take the dirt outside. It was like torture for them. So someone suggested that they had better bring someone there whose job was to clean horses' stables. They went to ask a young man to help them. He said that of course he would be able to do this as this was his job and what he always did. But when he entered the bazaar, before even reaching the dirty place, as soon as he smelt the fragrance of perfume he became unconscious because he was used to bad smells and so could not tolerate good fragrances.

In a similar way, on one hand, we find people who enjoy praying, who enjoy having some private time with God. And, on the other hand, we find people who become angry when they see you praying and it causes them pain. And when they see you go to the mosque or the church, they feel troubled by this. There is a hadith which says that a believer in the mosque is like a fish in water but when a hypocrite is in the mosque he feels like he is in prison and always wants to escape. So these are the different states of the soul that we can reach through self-training and self-purification.

Self-purification

In the Glorious Qur'an, God emphasises the purification and purity of the human soul as follows:

وَ الشَّمْسِ وَ ضُحاها وَ الْقَمَرِ إِذا تَلاها وَ النَّهارِ إِذا جَلاَّها وَ اللَّيْلِ إِذا يَغْشاها وَ السَّماءِ وَ ما بَناها وَ الْأَرْضِ وَ ما طَحاها وَ نَفْسٍ وَ ما سَوَّاها فَأَلْهَمَها فُجُورَها وَ تَقْواها قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ زَكَّاها وَ قَدْ خابَ مَنْ دَسَّاها

I swear by the sun and its brilliance and the moon when it follows the sun and the day when it makes manifest the sun (and her beauty) and the night when it covers the sun and the heaven and Him who made it and the earth and Him who extended it and the soul and Him who made it perfect, then He inspired it to understand what is right and wrong for it. He will indeed be successful who purifies it and he will indeed fail whoever pollutes and corrupts it. (91:1-10)

So, after swearing eleven times, after so much emphasis, God declares that the person who purifies his soul will be successful and whoever pollutes and corrupts his soul will fail. On the Day of Judgement there will be two groups of people: those who are prosperous and happy because they purified their soul and those who are in an unfortunate position because they were careless and negligent of their soul.

Purification of the soul is a prerequisite for closeness to God. Indeed, the whole point of morality and spirituality is to purify one's soul. It is only then that the soul starts shining, receiving and reflecting utmost radiation and light from God. If we want to meet God, Who is the Most Pure, then we need to achieve purity. It is impossible to be polluted and then try to go towards God. If we want to go somewhere where the people are smart, well-dressed and beautiful, then we too need to make ourselves clean and tidy, we should put on good clothes and thus make ourselves somehow compatible with them. Otherwise they will say that we will spoil their gathering and damage their reputation.

One of the main tasks of all the Prophets (a.s.) and a major aim behind all their endeavours in teaching the divine message was to help people to purify their souls. Referring to the mission of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.), the Glorious Qur'an says:

هُوَ الَّذي بَعَثَ فِي الْأُمِّيِّينَ رَسُولاً مِنْهُمْ يَتْلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ آياتِهِ وَ يُزَكِّيهِمْ وَ يُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتابَ وَ الْحِكْمَةَ وَ إِنْ كانُوا مِنْ قَبْلُ لَفي‏ ضَلالٍ مُبينٍ

He is the one who has sent amongst illiterate people an apostle from among themselves who recites to them His verses and purifies them and teaches them the Book and the wisdom. (62:2)

لَقَدْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنينَ إِذْ بَعَثَ فيهِمْ رَسُولاً مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ يَتْلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ آياتِهِ وَ يُزَكِّيهِمْ وَ يُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتابَ وَ الْحِكْمَةَ وَ إِنْ كانُوا مِنْ قَبْلُ لَفي‏ ضَلالٍ مُبينٍ

Certainly God conferred a great favour upon the believers when He raised among them a Messenger from among themselves, reciting to them His verses and purifying them, and teaching them the Book and the wisdom, although before that they were surely in manifest error. (3:164)

كَما أَرْسَلْنا فيكُمْ رَسُولاً مِنْكُمْ يَتْلُوا عَلَيْكُمْ آياتِنا وَ يُزَكِّيكُمْ وَ يُعَلِّمُكُمُ الْكِتابَ وَ الْحِكْمَةَ وَ يُعَلِّمُكُمْ ما لَمْ تَكُونُوا تَعْلَمُونَ

As We sent to you an Apostle from among yourselves, who recites to you Our signs, and purifies you, and teaches you the Book and wisdom, and teaches you what you did not know. (2:151)

Thus we see that one of the tasks of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.), in addition to reciting the Qur'an and teaching the Qur'an and wisdom, was to help us to purify our souls. Indeed, the appointment of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) for such tasks was an answer to the prayer of Abraham (a.s.) and Ishmael (a.s.) after they raised the foundations of the House (ka'bah):

وَ إِذْ يَرْفَعُ إِبْراهيمُ الْقَواعِدَ مِنَ الْبَيْتِ وَ إِسْماعيلُ رَبَّنا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ السَّميعُ الْعَليمُ رَبَّنا وَ اجْعَلْنا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِنا أُمَّةً مُسْلِمَةً لَكَ وَ أَرِنا مَناسِكَنا وَ تُبْ عَلَيْنا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحيمُ رَبَّنا وَ ابْعَثْ فيهِمْ رَسُولاً مِنْهُمْ يَتْلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ آياتِكَ وَ يُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتابَ وَ الْحِكْمَةَ وَ يُزَكِّيهِمْ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْعَزيزُ الْحَكيمُ

Our Lord! Accept from us; surely You are the Hearing, the Knowing….Our Lord! And raise up in them a Messenger from among them who shall recite to them Your verses and teach them the Book and the wisdom, and purify them; surely You are the Mighty, the Wise. (2:127-129)

Just imagine how wise Abraham was! How lovely his supplication was! In three places in the Qur'an, God says that He has sent the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) to do the same thing that Abraham (a.s.) and Ishmael (a.s.) had wanted: to recite for the people the verses of the divine Book, to teach them the divine Book and wisdom and to purify their souls. Of course, it must be God Himself who inspired them to pray in this way. God is so merciful that He first invites us to call Him, then He inspires us what to ask and then he answers our call and prayer.

Thus purification of the people was an important task for the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) and, indeed, all the Prophets (a.s.). These verses clearly show the great significance of the task of purification of the soul. It is noteworthy that in the prayer of Abraham and Ishmael the request of teaching the Book and wisdom is mentioned before the purification, but in all the three places that God describes the mission of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.), purification precedes teaching the Book and wisdom. This indicates the priority and great importance of purification. This also suggests that a prerequisite for learning the Book and wisdom is to be pure.

There are a number of sources of impurity. A major or the major source of impurity is the attachment to the materialistic life and worldly affairs to the extent that the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) is quoted as saying:

حُبُّ الدُّنْيَا رَأْسُ كُلِّ خَطِيئَةٍ أَلَا تَرَى كَيْفَ أَحَبَّ مَا أَبْغَضَهُ اللَّهُ وَ أَيُّ خَطَإٍ أَشَدُّ جُرْماً مِنْ هَذَا

The attachment to this world is the source for every wrong. Beware how the one who is attached to this world has loved what God dislikes. What wrong can be a greater crime than this?[1]

The materialistic world (dunya) is the least important and valuable thing in the sight of God. To be attached to it and make it one's ultimate end in one's life is a grave mistake and impurity. Therefore, one of the major treatments of this problem and a crucial means of purification of the soul is to ask people to give alms. In some twenty verses of the Qur'an, giving alms (al-zakat) is mentioned right after establishing prayer (iqamat a-salat). For example, Allah (swt) says in the Qur'an:

وَ ما أُمِرُوا إِلاَّ لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفاءَ وَ يُقيمُوا الصَّلاةَ وَ يُؤْتُوا الزَّكاةَ وَ ذلِكَ دينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ

And they were not commanded except to worship God, dedicating their faith to Him as men of pure faith, and to maintain the prayer, and pay the zakat. That is the upright religion. (98:5)

Zakat is derived from the same root as tazkiyah (purification) i.e. za-ka-wa which means growth and purity. It has been suggested (Lisan al-'Arab, Vol. 14, p. 358) that the reason for calling alms “zakat” lies in the fact that paying zakat purifies one's money and possessions. It is also true that paying alms causes growth (namā) and blessing (barakah) in one's money and sustenance. It seems more reasonable to suggest that the main reason for calling alms “zakat” is that it helps in purifying the soul by getting rid of the love for this world. This is why God says to the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.):

خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوالِهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَ تُزَكِّيهِمْ بِها وَ صَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ صَلاتَكَ سَكَنٌ لَهُمْ وَ اللَّهُ سَميعٌ عَليمٌ

Take charity from their possessions to cleanse them and purify them thereby, and bless them. Indeed your blessing is a comfort to them, and God is all-hearing, all-knowing. (9:103)

In this verse, instead of the term zakat, sadaqah (charity) is used. However, the same point is there: Giving money for the sake of God helps in purification of the giver.[2] Elsewhere the Qur'an says:

الَّذي يُؤْتي‏ مالَهُ يَتَزَكَّى وَ ما لِأَحَدٍ عِنْدَهُ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ تُجْزى‏ إِلاَّ ابْتِغاءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِ الْأَعْلى‏ وَ لَسَوْفَ يَرْضى‏

he who gives his wealth to purify himself and does not expect any reward from anyone, but seeks only the pleasure of his Lord, the Most Exalted, and, surely, soon he will be well-pleased. (92:18-21)

Thus when someone spends some money for the sake of God on things such as giving to the needy people or building places for common good such as Mosques, seminaries, schools and hospitals both giver and receiver benefit. However, the main beneficiary is the giver who is giving some money which is the least valuable thing in the sight of God and instead achieves purity and pleasure of God.

إِنَّما تُنْذِرُ الَّذينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَيْبِ وَ أَقامُوا الصَّلاةَ وَ مَنْ تَزَكَّى فَإِنَّما يَتَزَكَّى لِنَفْسِهِ وَ إِلَى اللَّهِ الْمَصيرُ

… You can only warn those who fear their Lord in secret, and maintain the prayer. Whoever seeks purification for himself, seeks purification only for his own sake, and to God is the return. (35:18)

Conclusion

It is a basic fact that we must have self-control. There can be no spirituality without self-discipline. We cannot develop ourselves by simply doing what we wish and satisfying and gratifying our soul. Of course, Islam tells us that self-control is just a beginning. What we need to do is to transform our soul from one which has an interest in lower desires into a soul which instead has a yearning for good things. By training and purifying our souls, our soul itself becomes a helper and an assistant to us. A major task of the Prophets and in particular the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) was to help people to purify themselves. The reason for such a great emphasis on self-purification is the fact that God is the Most Pure and the Most Perfect and it is only by purification of the soul that we can achieve our ambition of getting close to Him. One major way of purification is to get rid of attachment to the materialistic life by giving out one's own money for the sake of God.

Notes:

[1] Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 67, p. 309.

[2] This in addition to the great emphasis that the Qur’an puts on giving alms shows that it is not just a linguistic point or an accident that paying zakat as a religious requirement and tazkiyah (purification of the people) as a major task of the Prophet are so closely linked to each other.

Message of Thaqalayn "Al-Ghadir" and its Relevance to Islamic Unity

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 13:50:00 +0800

Ayatullah Murtaza Mutahhari Translated by Mojgan Jalali Vol. 3, No. 1 and 2 (1417 AH/1996 CE)
The distinguished book entitled "al-Ghadir" has raised a huge wave in the world of Islam. Islamic thinkers shed light on the book in different perspectives; in literature, history, theology, tradition, tafsir, and sociology. From the social perspective we can deal with the Islamic unity. In this review the Islamic unity has been dealt with from a social point of view.

Contemporary Muslim thinkers and reformists are of the view that unity and solidarity of Muslims are the most imperative Islamic exigencies at the present juncture when the enemies have made extensive inroads upon the Islamic community and have tried to resort to different ways and means to spread the old differences and create new ones. We are aware that Islamic unity and fraternity is the focus of attention of the Holy Legislator of Islam and is actually the major objective pursued by this Divine religion as firmed by the Qur'an, the "Sunnah", and the history of Islam.
For this reason, some people have been faced with this question: Wouldn't the compilation and publication of a book such as "al-Ghadir" which deals with the oldest issue of differences among the Muslims- create a barrier in the way of the sublime and lofty objective of the Islamic unity?
To answer this question, it is necessary first to elucidate the essence of this issue, that is, the Islamic unity, and then proceed to examine the role of the magnum opus entitled "al-Ghadir" and its eminent compiler 'Allamah Amini in bringing about Islamic unity.
Islamic Unity
What is meant by the Islamic unity? Does it mean that one Islamic school of thought should be unanimously followed and others be set aside? Or does it mean that the commonalties of all Islamic schools of thought should be taken up and their differences be put away to make up a new denomination which is not completely the same as the previous ones? Or does it mean that Islamic unity is in no way related to the unity of the different schools of Fiqh (jurisprudence) but signifies the unity of the Muslims and the unity of the followers of different schools of Fiqh, with their different religious ideas and views, vis-a-vis the aliens?
To give an illogical and impractical meaning to the issue of the Islamic unity, the opponents of the issue have called it to be the formation of a single Madhhab, so as to defeat it in the very first step. Without doubt, by the term Islamic unity, the intellectual Islamic 'Ulama' (scholars) do not mean that all denominations should give in to one denomination or that the commonalties should be taken up and the different views and ideas be set aside, as these are neither rational and logical nor favorable and practical. By the Islamic unity these scholars mean that all Muslims should unite in one line against their common enemies.
These scholars slate that Muslims have many things in common, which can serve as the foundations of a firm unity. All Muslims worship the One Almighty and believe in the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet (s). The Qur'an is the Book of all Muslims and Ka'abah is their "qiblah" (direction of prayer). They go to "hajj" pilgrimage with each other and perform the "hajj" rites and rituals like one another. They say the daily prayers and fast like each other. They establish families and engage in transactions like one another. They have similar ways of bringing up their children and burying their dead. Apart from minor affairs, they share similarities in all the aforementioned cases. Muslims also share one kind of world view, one common culture, and one grand, glorious, and long-standing civilization.
Unity in the world view, in culture, in the civilization, in insight and disposition, in religious beliefs, in acts of worship and prayers, in social rites and customs can well turn the Muslim into a unified nation to serve as a massive and dominant power before which the big global powers would have to bow down. This is especially true in view of the stress laid by Islam on this principle. According to the explicit wording of the Qur'an, the Muslims are brothers, and special rights and duties link them together. So, why shouldn't the Muslims use all these extensive facilities accorded to them as the blessing of Islam?
This group of 'Ulama' are of the view that there is no need for the Muslims to make any compromise on the primary or secondary principles of their religion for the sake of Islamic unity. Also it is not necessary for the Muslims to avoid engaging in discussions and reasons and writing books on primary and secondary principles about which they have differences. The only consideration for Islamic unity in this case is that the Muslims- in order to avoid the emergence or accentuation of vengeance - preserve their possession, avoid insulting and accusing each other and uttering fabrications, abandon ridiculing the logic of one another, and finally abstain from hurting one another and going beyond the borders of logic and reasoning. In fact, they should, at least, observe the limits which Islam has set forth for inviting non-Muslims to embrace it:

"Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good exhortation, and have disputations with them in the best manner... "(16: 125)

Some people are of the view that those schools of fiqh, such as, Shafi'i and Hanafi which have no differences in principle should establish brotherhood and stand in one line. They believe that denominations which have differences in the principles can in no way be brothers. This group view the religious principles as an interconnected set as termed by scholars of Usul, as an interrelated and interdependent set; any damage to one principle harms all principles. As a result, those who believe in this principle are of the view that when, for instance, the principle of "imamah" is damaged and victimized, unity and fraternity will bear no meaning and for this reason the Shi'ah and the Sunnis cannot shake hands as two Muslim brothers and be in the same rank, no matter who their enemy is.
The first group answers this group by saying: "There is no reason for us to consider the principles as an interrelated set and follow the principle of "all or none". Imam 'Ali ('a) chose a very logical and reasonable approach. He left no stone unturned to retrieve his right. He used everything within his power to restore the principle of "imamah", but he never adhered to the motto of "all or none". 'Ali ('a) did not rise up for his right, and that was not compulsory. On the contrary, it was a calculated and chosen approach. He did not fear death. Why didn't he rise up? There could have been nothing above martyrdom. Being killed for the cause of the Almighty was his ultimate desire. He was more intimate with martyrdom than a child is with his mother's breast. But in his sound calculations, Imam 'All ('a) had reached the conclusion that under the existing conditions it was to the interest of Islam to foster collaboration and cooperation among the Muslims and give up revolt. He repeatedly stressed this point.
In one of his letters (No.62 "Nahj al Balaghah") to Malik al-Ashtar, he wrote the following:

"First I pulled back my hand until I realized that a group of people converted from Islam and invited the people toward annihilating the religion of Muhammad(s). So I feared that if I did not rush to help Islam and the Muslims, I would see gaps or destruction which calamity would be far worse than the several-day-long demise of caliphate."

In the six-man council, after appointment of 'Uthman by 'Abdul-Rahman ibn 'Awf, 'Ali ('a) set forth his objection as well as his readiness for collaboration as follows:"

You well know that I am more deserving than others for caliphate. But now by Allah, so long as the affairs of the Muslims are in order and my rivals suffice with setting me aside and only I am alone subjected to oppression, I will not oppose (the move) and will give in (to it)." (From Sermon 72, "Nahj al- Balaghah").

These indicate that in this issue 'Ali ('a) condemned the principle of "all or none". There is no need to further elaborate the approach taken by 'Ali ('a) toward this issue. There are ample historical proofs and reasons in this regard. 'Allamah Amini
Now it is time to see to which group the eminent 'Allamah, Ayatullah Amini - the distinguished compiler of the "al-Ghadir" - belonged and how he thought. Did he approve of the unity of the Muslims only within the light of Shi'ism? Or did he consider Islamic fraternity to be broader? Did he believe that Islam which is embraced by uttering the "shahadatayn" (the Muslim creed) would willy-nilly create some rights for the Muslims and that the brotherhood and fraternity set forth in the Qur'an exists among all Muslims?
'Allamah Amini personally considered this point - i.e. the need to elucidate his viewpoint on this subject and elaborate whether "al-Ghadir" has a positive or a negative role in (the establishment of) Islamic unity. In order not to be subject to abuse by his opponent - be they among the pros and cons - he has repeatedly explained and elucidated his views.
'Allamah Amini supported Islamic unity and viewed an open mind and clear insight. On different occasions, he set forth this matter in various volumes of the "al-Ghadir'. Reference will be made to some of them below:
In the preface to volume I, he briefly mentions the role of "al-Ghadir" in the world of Islam. He states: "And we consider all this as service to religion, sublimation of the word of the truth, and restoration of the Islamic 'ummah' (community)."
In volume 3 (page 77), after quoting the fabrications of Ibn Taymiyah, Alusi, and Qasimi to the effect that Shi 'ism is hostile to some of the Ahl al-Bayt (the Household of the Prophet) such as Zayd bin 'Ali bin al-Huseyn, he notes the following under the title of "Criticism and Correction":

"These fabrications and accusations sow the seeds of corruption, stir hostilities among the 'ummah', create discord among the Islamic community, divide the 'ummah', and clash with the public interests of the Muslims.

Again in volume 3 (page 268), he quotes the accusation leveled on the Shi'ahs by Sayyid Muhammad Rashid Rida to the effect that "Shi'ahs are pleased with any defeat incurred by Muslims, so much as they celebrated the victory of the Russians over the Muslims." Then he says:

"These falsehoods are fabricated by persons like Sayyid Muhammad Rashid Rida. The Shi'ahs of Iran and Iraq against whom this accusation is leveled, as well as the orientalists, tourists, envoys of Islamic countries, and those who traveled and still travel to Iran and Iraq, have no information about this trend. Shi'ahs, without exception, respect the lives, blood, reputation, and property of the Muslims be they Shi'ahs or Sunnis. Whenever a calamity has befallen the Islamic community anywhere, in any region, and for any sects, the Shi'ahs have shared their sorrow. The Shi'ahs have never been confined to the Shi'ah world, the (concept of) Islamic brotherhood which has been set forth in the Qur'an and the 'sunnah' (the Prophet's sayings and actions), and in this respect, no discrimination has been made between the Shi'ahs and the Sunnis."

Also at the close of volume 3, he criticizes several books penned by the ancients such as "Iqd al-Farid" by Ibn Abd al-Rabbih, "al-Intisar" by Abu al-Husayn Khayyat al-Mu'tazili, "al Farq bayn al-Firaq" by Abu Mansur al-Baghdadi, "al-Fasl" by Ibn Hazm al-Andulusi, "al-Milal wa al-Nihal" by Muhammad ibn Abdul-Karim al-Shahristani "Minhaj al-Sunnah" by Ibn Taymiah and "al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah" by Ibn Kathir and several by the later writers such as "Tarikh al-Umam al-Islamiyyah" by Shaykh Muhammad Khizri, "Fajr al Islam" by Ahmad Amin, "al-Jawlat fi Rubu al-Sharq al-Adna" by Muhammad Thabit al-Mesri, "al-Sira Bayn al-Islam wa al-Wathaniyah" by Qasimi, and "al- Washi'ah" by Musa Jarallah. Then he states the following:

"By quoting and criticizing these books, we aim at warning and awakening the Islamic 'ummah' (to the fact) that these books create the greatest danger for the Islamic community, they destabilize the Islamic unity and scatter the Muslim lines. In fact nothing can disrupt the ranks of the Muslims, destroy their unity, and tear their Islamic fraternity more severely than these books."

'Allamah Amini, in the preface to volume 5, under title of "Nazariyah Karimah" on the occasion of a plaque of honor forwarded from Egypt for "al-Ghadir", clearly sets forth his view on this issue and leaves no room for any doubt. He remarks:

"People are free to express views and ideas on religion. These (views and ideas) will never tear apart the bond of Islamic brotherhood to which the holy Qur'an has referred by stating that 'surely the believers are brethren'; even though academic discussion and theological and religious debates reach a peak. This has been the style of the predecessors, and of the 'sahaba' and the 'tabi'un', at the head of them.

"Notwithstanding all the differences that we have in the primary and secondary principles, we, the compilers and writers in nooks and corners of the world of Islam, share a common point and that is belief in the Almighty and His Prophet. A single spirit and one (form of) sentiment exists in all our bodies, and that is the spirit of Islam and the term 'ikhlas,"

"We, the Muslim compilers, all live under the banner of truth and carry out our duties under the guidance of the Qur'an and the Prophetic Mission of the Holy Prophet (s). The message of all of us is 'Surely the (true) religion with Allah is Islam ... (3:18)' and the slogan of all of us is 'There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger.' Indeed, we are (the members of) the party of Allah and the supporters of his religion.

In the preface to volume 8, under the title of "al-Ghadir Yowahhad al-Sufuf fil-Mila al-Islami", 'Allamah Amini directly makes researches into the role of "Al- Ghadir" in (the establishment of) Islamic unity. In this discussion, this great scholar categorically rejects the accusations leveled by those who said: 'Al-Ghadir' causes greater discord among the Muslims. He proves that, on the contrary, "Al-Ghadir" removes many misunderstandings and brings the Muslims closer to one another. Then he brings evidence by mentioning the confessions of the non-Shi'i Islamic scholars. At the close, he quotes the letter of Shaykh Muhammad Saeed Dahduh written in this connection. To avoid prolongation of this article, we will not quote and translate the entire statements of 'Allamah Amini in explaining the positive role of "al-Ghadir" in (establishing) Islamic unity, since what has already been mentioned sufficiently proves this fact.
The positive role of "al-Ghadir" is established by the facts that it firstly clarifies the proven logic of the Shi'ahs and proves that the inclination of Muslims to Shi'ism - notwithstanding the poisonous publicity of some people - is not due to political, ethnic, or other trends and considerations. It also verifies that a powerful logic based on the Qur'an and the "sunnah" has given rise to this tendency.
Secondly, it reflects that some accusations leveled on Shi'ism - which have made other Muslims distanced from the Shi'ah- are totally baseless and false. Examples of these accusations are the notion that the Shi'ites prefer the non-Muslims to the non- Shi'i Muslims, rejoice at the defeat of non-Shi'ite Muslims at the hands of non-Muslims, and other accusations such as the idea that instead of going to hajj pilgrimage, the Shi'ahs go on pilgrimage to shrines of the Imams, or have particular rites in prayers and in temporary marriage.
Thirdly, it introduces to the world of Islam the eminent Commander of the faithful 'Ali ('a) who is the most oppressed and the least praised grand Islamic personality and who could be the leader of all Muslims, as well as his pure offspring.
Other Comments on "al-Ghadir"
Many unbiased non-Shia Muslims interpret the "al-Ghadir" in the same way that has already been mentioned.
Muhammad Abdul-Ghani Hasan al-Mesri, in his foreword on "al-Ghadir", which has been published in the preface to volume I, second edition, states:

"I call on the Almighty to make your limpid brook (in Arabic, 'Ghadir' means brook) the cause of peace and cordiality between the Shia and Sunni brothers to cooperate with one another in building the Islamic "ummah."

'Adil Ghadban, the managing editor of the Egyptian magazine entitled "al-Kitab", said the following in the preface to volume 3:

"This book clarifies the Shi'ite logic. The Sunnis can correctly learn about the Shi'i through this book. Correct recognition of the Shi'ahs brings the views of the Shi'ahs and the Sunnis closer, and they can make a unified rank".

In his foreword to the "al-Ghadir" which was published in the preface to volume 4, Dr. Muhammad Ghallab, professor of philosophy at the Faculty of Religious Studies al-Azhar University said:

"I got hold of your book at a very opportune time, because right now I am busy collecting and compiling a book on the lives of the Muslims from various perspectives. Therefore, I am highly avid for obtaining sound information about 'Imamiyah' Shi'ism. Your book will help me. And I will not make mistakes about the Shi'ahs as others have".

In this foreword published in the preface to volume 4 of the "al-Ghadir", Dr. 'Abdul-Rahman Kiali Halabi says the following after referring to the decline of the Muslims in the present age and the factors which can lead to the Muslims' salvation, one of which is the sound recognition of the successor of the Holy Prophet (s):

"The book entitled "al-Ghadir" and its rich content deserves to be known by every Muslim to learn how historians have been negligent and see where the truth lies. Through this means, we should compensate for the past, and by striving to foster the unity of the Muslims, we should try to gain the due rewards".

These were the views of 'Allamah Amini about the important social issues of our age and such were his sound reflections in the world of Islam. Peace be upon him.

Message of Thaqalayn: The Prophetic Hadiths in Al-Khisal

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 13:44:00 +0800

Mohammad Javad Shomali

Al-Khisal (lit. traits of character) of Shaykh Saduq is one of the most valuable early sources of hadiths (narrations) from Prophet Muhammad and his household. Shaykh Saduq, Muhammad b. Babawayh al-Qummi (d.329/940), was an outstanding jurist and a prominent scholar of hadith. He was given the title ”Imad Al-Din” by Shaykh Tusi.

In Al-Khisal, Shaykh Saduq has prepared a collection of traditions in an interesting way. The main themes of the traditions are ethics, manners and good characteristics. All the traditions are presented with a complete record of transmission. Furthermore, they are divided into different groups according to numbers e.g. all the traditions related to the number one are gathered in one part then traditions related to number two and so on. It starts with one and ends with one million. Al-Khisal seems to be the first on record to be compiled with this style. Moreover, Al-Khisal is a great encyclopedia on Islamic knowledge and many authoritative works on Shi'ite traditions such as Bihar Al-Anwar have cited it as a reference.

The following article is a collection of traditions from the Prophet, selected from Parts One to Twelve of Al-Khisal.

Characteristics related to the Number One

► Abandoning the present to attain the promised

طوبی لمن ترک شهوة حاضرة لموعود لم یره

Blessed be the one who abandons a current tangible desire to attain an unseen promised reward.[1]

► A believer's honor is in one practice and his glory is in one characteristic

It is reported from Prophet Muhammad (S) that the Gabriel went to him and said:

جاء جبرئیل علیه السلام إلی النبی صلی الله علیه و آله فقال: “یا محمد عش ما شت فانک میت و احبب ما شت فانک مفارقه و اعمل ما شت فانک مجزی به و اعلم ان الشرف الرجل قیامه بالیل و عزه استغناؤه عن الناس.”

O Muhammad! Live for as long as you want. You will finally die. Love whatever you want. You will finally be separated from it. Do whatever you want. You will finally be rewarded for it. Know that a man's honour is in his staying up at night and his dignity is in his independence from people.^[2]

► A characteristic that constitutes half of the religion

حسن الخلق نصف الدین

Being good-tempered constitutes half of the religion.[3]

► A characteristic that is the best thing given to a Muslim

قیل لرسول الله صلی الله علیه و آله: “ما افضل ما اعطی المرء المسلم؟” قال: “الخلق الحسن”.

God's Prophet was asked: “What is the best thing given to a Muslim?” He replied: “A good temper”.[4]

Characteristics related to the Number Two

► Two blessings which are normally taken for granted

نعمتان مکفورتان: الامن والعافیة

Two blessings are taken for granted, security and health.[5]

► There is no good in this life except for two kinds of men

لا خیر فی العیش الا لرجلین: عالم مطاع، أو مستمع واع

There is no good in this life except for two kinds of men: a knowledgeable one who is obeyed and an obedient student.[6]

► Seek refuge from two characteristics

قال رسول الله صلی الله علیه و آله أعوذ بالله من کفر و الدین، قیل یا رسول الله أیعدل الدین بالکفر؟ فقال نعم

God's Prophet (S) said: “I seek refuge in God from disbelief and debt.” He was told, “O Prophet of God! Is debt equal to disbelief?” He replied: “Yes”. [7]

► Whoever possesses two characteristics is a true believer

من واسی الفقیر و انصف الناس من نفسه فذلک مومن حقا

Whoever is sympathetic with the poor and treats the people fairly is a true believer.[8]

► Saying what is right under two conditions

ما انفق مؤمن من نفقة هی احب الی الله عز و جل من القول الحق فی الرضا و الغضب.

Nothing that a believer does is more loved by God, the Honourable and Exalted, than saying what is right whether he is pleased or angry.[9]

► Two characteristics loved by God in the Heavens and by the people on Earth

قال رجل للنبی صلی الله علیه و آله: “یا رسول الله علمنی شیئا إذا أنا فعلته أحبنی الله من السماء و أحبنی الناس من الارض” فقال له: “ارغب فیما عند الله عز و جل یحبک الله و ازهد فیما عند الناس یحبک الناس.”

A man asked the Prophet (S): “O Prophet of God! Please let me know something which I can do to be loved by God in the Heavens and by the people on Earth.” The Prophet (S) told him: “Be inclined to what belongs to God to be loved by God, the Honourable and Exalted, and abstain from what belongs to people to be loved by people.” [10]

► Jealousy is not proper except in two circumstances

لا حسد الا فی اثنتین رجل آتاه الله مالا فهو ینفق منه آناء اللیل وآناء النهار و رجل آتاه الله القرآن فهو یقوم به آناء اللیل و آناء النهار

It is not proper to be jealous except in two circumstances. The first case is to be jealous of a man to whom God has granted things and he gives some of them in charity day and night. The second case is to be jealous of a man to whom God has granted the Qur'an and he recites it during the day and the night.[11]

► Two fears and two securities

قال الله تبارک و تعالی و عزتی و جلالی لا أجمع علی عبدی خوفین و لا أجمع له أمنین، فاذا أمننی فی الدنیا أخفته یوم القیامة و إذا خافنی فی الدنیا آمنته یوم القیامة.

God's Prophet (S) said: “God the Blessed and the Sublime swore by his Honour and Grandeur that He would not give His servants two fears and two securities. If a person is not afraid of Me in this world, I will scare him on the Day of Resurrection and if he is afraid of Me in this world, I will make him secure on the Day of Resurrection.”[12]

► Two things improve this nation and two destroy it

إن صلاح أول هذه الامة بالزهد والیقین وهلاک آخرها بالشح و الامل.

The two things that made early generation(s) of this nation happy are abstinence and certitude, and the two things that would destroy the ending generation(s) of this nation are stinginess and having high aspirations.[13]

Characteristics related to the Number Three

► Three characteristics, each of which would cause one to be under the Shade of God's Throne

ثلاث خصال من کن فیه أو واحدة منهن کان فی ظل عرش الله عز و جل {یوم القیامة} یوم لا ظل الا ظله: رجل أعطی الناس ما سائلهم لها و رجل لم یقدم رجلا و لم یؤخر اخری حتی یعلم أن ذلک لله فیه رضی أو سخط و رجل لم یعب أخاه المسلم بعیب حتی ینفی ذلک العیب من نفسه فانه لا ینفی منها عیبا إلا بدا له عیب و کفی بالمرء شغلا بنفسه عن الناس

There are three qualities having each of which would cause one to be under the Shade of God, the Honourable and Exalted, (on the Resurrection day) on the day in which there is no shade but God's Shade. The first characteristic is to grant people what you expect of them. The second characteristic is to only do what pleases God, and not do what would provoke God's Wrath. The third characteristic is not to express the faults of one's Muslim brothers in their absence, unless one first removes such faults from himself. It is better to attend to the improvement of one's own faults than to seek out other people's faults. [14]

► Whoever possesses three characteristics has perfect faith

ثلاث خصال من کن فیه استکمل خصال الایمان: الذی إذا رضی لم یدخله رضاه فی إثم و لا باطل و إذا غضب لم یخرجه الغضب من الحق وإذا قدر لم یتعاط ما لیس له.

There are three characteristic which if possessed would perfect one's faith. When one is pleased, his pleasure does not lead him into sin and wrongful deeds; when one is angered, his anger does not lead him away from what is right; and when one is in power, his power does not lead him to acquire what does not rightfully belong to him. [15]

► Having three characteristics is enough for one to be bad

إن أسرع الخیر ثوابا البر و إن أسرع الشر عقابا البغی و کفی بالمرء عیبا أن ینظر من الناس إلی ما یعمی عنه من نفسه و یعبر الناس بما لا یستطیع ترکه و یؤذی جلیسه بما لا یعنیه.

Indeed the reward of doing good to others will arrive much faster than any good deeds, the punishment for doing wrong to others will arrive much faster than any evil deeds. Having three characteristics is enough for one to be considered imperfect: paying attention to other people's faults while ignoring your own; admonishing others against evil deeds without being able to abandon them yourself and hurting your companion for nothing.[16]

► Three characteristics without which you are not from God or the Prophet

“ثلاث لم تکن فیه فلیس منی و لا من الله عز و جل” قیل: “یا رسول الله و ما هن؟” قال: “حلم یرد به جهل الجاهل و حسن خلق یعیش به فی الناس و ورع یحجزه عن معاصی الله عز وجل.”

God's Prophet (S) said: “There are three characteristics which if not possessed then one is neither from me nor from God, the Honourable and Exalted.” The Prophet (S) was asked: “O Prophet of God! What are they?” The Prophet (S) replied: “Patience by which you forgive the ignorance of those who are ignorant, being good-tempered with people and piety which restrains you from rebelling against God, the Honourable and Exalted.” [17]

► Three things to respect and safeguard for God's sake

إن الله حرمات ثلاث من حفظهن حفظ الله له أمر دینه و دنیاه و من لم یحفظهن لم یحفظ الله له شیئا: حرمة الاسلام و حرمتی و حرمة عترتی.

There are three things to respect so that God will protect your faith and your worldly affairs. And if you disrespect them, God will not protect anything for you. These three things to respect are Islam, me and my 'Itrat (household).[18]

► Reality of one's faith can be proved by having three characteristics

قال أبی جعفر علیه السلام: “بینا رسول الله صلی الله علیه و آله ذات یوم فی بعض أسفاره إذ لقیه رکب فقالوا: السلام علیک یا رسول الله فالتفت إلیهم فقال: ما أنتم؟ قالوا: مؤمنون، قال: فما حقیقة ایمانکم؟ قالوا: الرضا بقضاء الله و التسلیم لامر الله و التفویض إلی الله، فقال رسول الله صلی الله علیه و آله: علماء حکماء کادوا أن یکونوا من الحکمة أنبیاء، فان کنتم صادقین فلا تبنوا ما لا تسکنون و لا تجمعوا ما لا تاکلون واتقوا الله الذی إلیه ترجعون”

Abu Ja'far Al-Baqir said: “God's Apostle (S) encountered a group of riders during one of his journeys. They greeted him and he asked them who they were. They said they were believers. The Apostle (S) asked them about the proof of the reality of their faith. They replied 'Contentment with what God has destined, entrusting ourselves to God, and submitting to God's orders.' Then God's Apostle (S) said, 'These are wise and knowledgeable people with such a high rank, near that of the Prophets.' Then he faced them and said, 'If you are truthful, do not build what you shall not reside in, do not collect what you shall not eat and fear God to whom you shall return.'” [19]

► Faith consists of three things

الایمان معرفة بالقلب و إقرار باللسان و عمل بالارکان

Faith consists of whole-hearted acceptance, verbal expression and acting accordingly.[20]

► It is not allowed for one not to be on speaking terms with one's Muslim brother for more than three days

لا یحل للمسلم أن یهجر أخاه فوق ثلاث

It is not allowed for one not to be on speaking terms with one's Muslim brother for more than three days.[21]

Characteristics related to the Number Four

► Four characteristics that can make one stay in God's light

أربع من کن فیه کان فی نور الله الاعظم: من کانت عصمة أمره شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله وأنی رسول الله ومن إذا إصابته مصیبة قال: إنا لله و إنا إلیه راجعون و من إذا أصاب خیرا قال: الحمد لله رب العالمین و من إذا أصاب خطیئة قال: أستغفر الله وأتوب إلیه.

God's Prophet (S) said: “Whoever has the following four characteristics is in the Greatest Light of God: 1- Witnessing to God's Unity and my Prophethood prevents him from committing sins 2- Saying 'from God we are and to Him we return' in times of calamity 3- Saying 'praise be to the Lord of the two worlds' when he receives some blessings 4- Saying 'I ask for forgiveness from Allah and repent to him' whenever he commits a sin.” [22]

► Four things that the nation should always do

یلزم الحق لامتی فی أربع: یحبون التائب ویرحمون الضعیف و یعینون المحسن و یستغفرون للمذنب

My nation should always do the following four things: 1- They should love those who repent. 2- They should be sympathetic with the weak. 3- They should help good-doers. 4- They should ask for forgiveness for sinners.[23]

► Four signs of misery

یا علی أربع خصال من الشقاء: جمود العین و قساوة القلب و بعد الامل و حب البقاء.

O Ali! The following are among the signs of misery: solidity of the eye (inability to cry), hard-heartedness, being too ambitious and love for a very long life.[24]

► One cannot move on the Resurrection Day until asked about four things

لا تزول قدما عبد یوم القیامة حتی یسأل عن أربع، عن عمره فیما أفناه و{عن} شبابه فیما أبلاه وعن الما ل من أین اکتسبه و فیما أنفقه وعن حبنا أهل البیت.

A servant of God will be asked about four (things) on the Resurrection Day before he can move: how he spent his lifetime, what he used his youth for, how he earned his income and how he spent it and about his love for us, the members of the Holy Household.[25]

► Four characteristics of a hypocrite

أربع من کن فیه فهو منافق وإن کانت فیه واحدة منهن کانت فیه خصلة من النفاق حتی یدعها: من إذا حدث کذب وإذا وعد أخلف وإذا عاهد غدر وإذا خاصم فجر.

Whoever possesses four characteristics is a hypocrite. Even if one has only one of these characteristics he is a hypocrite, unless he gives up that characteristic. One who lies when he talks, one who breaks his promise, one who breaks his pledges and one who cheats when he fights. [26]

Characteristics related to the Number Five

► A businessman must avoid five things

من باع واشتری فلیجتنب خمس خصال وإلا فلا یبیعن ولا یشترین: الربا والحلف وکتمان العیب والمدح إذا باع و الذم إذا اشتری

Whoever engages in buying and selling should avoid the following five things; otherwise he must not do any business. They are as follows: usury, swearing at something or someone, covering up the defects of his goods, praising goods while selling them and finding faults (undervaluing) with goods while buying them.[27]

► Requirements of knowledge

جاء رجل إلی النبی صلی الله علیه و آله فقال: “یا رسول الله ما العلم؟” قال: “الانصات”، قال: “ثم مه؟” قال: “الاستماع له”، قال: “ثم مه؟” قال: “الحفظ له”، قال: “ثم مه؟” قال: “العمل به”، قال: “ثم مه؟” قال: “ثم نشره”

A man asked the Prophet (S): “O Prophet of God! What is (the requirement of) knowledge?” The Prophet (S) replied: “Silence.” The man asked: “What is next?” The Prophet (S) replied: “Listening to knowledge (i.e. those who are knowledgeable).” The man asked: “And what is next?” The Prophet (S) replied: “Remembering it.” The man asked: “And what is next?” The Prophet (S) replied: “Acting upon it.” The man asked: “And what is next?” The Prophet (S) said: “Spreading and sharing it with others.” [28]

► The best of people are those who do five deeds

سئل رسول الله صلی الله علیه و آله عن خیار العباد، فقال: “الذین إذا أحسنوا استبشروا وإذا أساؤوا استغفروا وإذا اعطوا شکروا وإذا ابتلوا صبروا وإذا غضبوا غفروا”

The Prophet of God (S) was asked about the best of people. He replied: “They are the ones who rejoice when they do good and repent when they do evil. They thank you when you do something good for them and persevere in the face of calamites. They forgive (others) when they get angry.” [29]

Characteristics related to the Number Six

► If you do six things, you would be admitted to Paradise

تقبلوا لی بست أتقبل لکم بالجنة: إذا حدثتم فلا تکذبوا وإذا وعدتم فلا تخلفوا وإذا ائتمنتم فلا تخونوا وغضوا أبصارکم و احفظوا فروجکم و کفوا أیدیکم وألسنتکم.

Promise me that you will do the following six things and then I will promise you that you will go to Paradise. Do not lie when you quote something. Never break your promise. Return what you are entrusted with. Do not look at what is forbidden to see. Guard your modesty. Do not bother people physically or verbally.[30]

► Six forms of chivalry

ست من المروءۃ: ثلاث منها فی الحضر وثلاث منها فی السفر، فأما التی فی الحضر: فتلاوة کتاب الله عز و جل و عمارة مساجد الله واتخاذ الاخوان فی الله عز و جل وأما التی فی السفر: فبذل الزاد وحسن الخلق والمزاح فی غیر المعاصی”

There are six forms of chivalry. Three of them are for when you are at home and three others are for when you are travelling. The three for when you are at home are: reciting the book of God the Honourable and Exalted, developing and promoting God's Mosques and making friends for the sake of God, the Honourable and Exalted. The three for when you are travelling are: to give to others from your own travel provisions, being good-tempered and joking regarding things other than acts of disobedience.[31]

► Seek refuge from six characteristics

کان رسول الله صلی الله علیه و آله یتعوذ فی کل یوم من ست {خصال} من الشک و الشرک والحمیة والغضب والبغی والحسد.

God's Prophet (S) used to seek refuge from six characteristics every day: doubt, associating partners with God, bias, anger, injustice and jealousy.[32]

► Six rights of a quadruped incumbent upon its owner

للدابة علی صاحبها ست خصال: یبدأ بعلفها إذا نزل ویعرض علیها الماء إذا مر به ولا یضرب وجهها فإنها تسبح بحمد ربها ولا یقف علی ظهرها إلا فی سبیل الله عز و جل ولا یحملها فوق طاقتها ولا یکلفها من المشی إلا ما تطیق.

A quadruped has six rights incumbent upon its owner. When he stops, he should feed it first. He should give it water whenever it passes by water. He should not hit it on the face, since it glorifies God with its face. He should not ride on its back, unless it is in the way of God. He should not overload it beyond its capability. He should not force it to walk more than it can.[33]

► There are six who are damned

ستة لعنهم الله وکل نبی مجاب: الزاید فی کتاب الله والمکذب بقدر الله والتارک لسنتی والمستحل من عترتی ما حرم الله و المتسلط بالجبروت لیذل من أعزه الله و یعز من أذله الله والمستأثر بفیء المسلمین المستحل له.

There are six groups of people who are damned by God and all the Prophets (whose calls are accepted): Those who add to any divine book, those who deny the divine decree, those who abandon my Sunnah (Traditions), those who allow what God has forbidden regarding my Itrat, those who take power by force to debase those whom God has honoured and honour those whom God has debased, those who misappropriate public money that belong to all Muslims.[34]

Characteristics related to the Number Seven

► Blessed be those who believe without having seen the Prophet

طوبی لمن رآنی و آمن بی، ثم طوبی یقولها سبعا لمن لم یرنی و آمن بی.

“Blessed be those who meet me and believe.” Then the Prophet added: “Blessed be those who believe in me without having seen me.” He then repeated it seven times.[35]

► Seven people who will be in the shade of God's Throne on Resurrection Day

سبعة فی ظل عرش الله عز و جل یوم لا ظل إلا ظله: إمام عادل و شاب نشأ فی عبادة الله عز وجل ورجل تصدق بیمینه فأخفاه عن شماله و رجل ذکر الله عز و جل خالیا ففاضت عیناه من خشیة الله عز و جل و رجل لقی أخاه المؤمن فقال: إنی لاحبک فی الله عز و جل و رجل خرج من المسجد وفی نیته أن یرجع إلیه و رجل دعته امرأة ذات جمال إلی نفسها فقال: إنی أخاف الله رب العالمین.

Seven people will be in the Shade of God, the Honourable and Exalted 's Throne on the day in which there is no shade except for His Shade: just leaders, young people who have grown up in the worship of God, men who give charity in private such that even their left hands do not realize what they gave with their right hands (stressing the fact that they give charity in such a way that no one else sees it), men who remember God, the Honorable and Exalted when they are alone and cry due to fear of God, the Honourable and Exalted, men who upon seeing their believing brethren say, 'I like you for the sake of God, the Honorable and Exalted ', men who intend to return to the Mosque whenever they leave it, men who when enticed by a beautiful woman do not accept her invitation and say that they fear the Lord of all the worlds.” [36]

► God's Prophet (S) gave Abu Dharr seven pieces of advice

قال أبی ذر رحمة الله علیه قال: “أوصانی رسول الله بسبع أوصانی أن أنظر إلی من هو دونی و لا أنظر الی من هو فوقی وأوصانی بحب المساکین و الدنو منهم وأوصانی أن أقول الحق و إن کان مرا وأوصانی أن أصل رحمی وإن أدبرت و أوصانی أن لا أخاف فی الله لومة لائم وأوصانی أن أستکثر من قول “لا حول و لا قوة إلا بالله {العلی العظیم}” فانها من کنوز الجنة”

Abu Dharr said: “God's Prophet (S) gave me seven pieces of advice. He advised me to always consider the situation of people who are in a worse position (less affluent) than I am. The Prophet (S) advised me never to consider the situation of those who are in a better position (more affluent) than I am. The Prophet (S) advised me to like the poor and associate with them. The Prophet (S) advised me to tell the truth even though it may be unpleasant. The Prophet (S) advised me to visit my relatives, even if they have cut off relations with me. The Prophet (S) advised me not to fear the blame of those who blame me for the sake of God. The Prophet (S) advised me to often say 'There is neither any power nor any strength except with God, the Sublime, the Great' as it is one of the treasures of Paradise.” [37]

► The belief of one who has seven characteristics is complete

قال النبي صلى الله عليه وآله في وصيته لعلی علیه السلام: “ياعلي، سبعة من كن فيه فقد استكمل حقيقة الايمان وأبواب الجنة مفتحة له: من أسبغ وضوء‌ه وأحسن صلاته وأدى زكاة ماله وكف غضبه وسجن لسانه واستغفر لذنبه وأدى النصيحة لاهل بيت نبيه.”

God's Prophet (S) told Ali b. Abi Talib (A): “O Ali! The belief of one who has the following seven characteristics is complete and the gates of Paradise shall open up for him: to perform the (ritual) ablution properly, to say the prayers properly, to pay the alms, to quench one's anger, to control one's tongue, to seek God's forgiveness for sins and to (follow and) wish good for the Prophet's Household.” [38]

► God would send seven calamities upon people if He gets angry with them and yet does not destroy them

إذا غضب الله عزوجل على امة ولم ينزل بها العذاب غلت أسعارها وقصرت أعمارها ولم تربح تجارها ولم تزك ثمارها ولم تغزر أنهارها وحبس عنها أمطارها وسلط عليها (أ) شرارها.

If God, the Honourable and Exalted, becomes angry with a nation and does not destroy them, He will bring about inflation, shorten their lives, bring loss to their trade, reduce the amount of fruit grown on their trees, reduce the amount of water flowing in their streams, withhold rain from them and wicked ones will prevail over them.[39]

► Love for the Prophet and his Household (pbut) is beneficial on seven occasions

حبي وحب أهل بيتي نافع في سبعة مواطن، أهوالهن عظيمة: عند الوفاة وفي القبر وعند النشور وعند الكتاب وعند الحساب وعند الميزان وعند الصراط.

Love for me and my Household would be beneficial on seven occasions: at the time of death, in the grave, at the time of Resurrection, at the time of receiving one's record of deeds, at the time of reckoning, at the time of examining good and bad deeds and at the time of crossing the Bridge.[40]

Characteristics related to the Number Eight

► A believer should have eight characteristics

قال النبي صلى الله عليه وآله في وصيته لعلی علیه السلام: “يا علي ينبغي أن يكون في المؤمن ثمان خصال: وقارعند الهزاهز و صبر عند البلاء و شكر عند الرخاء و قنوع بما رزقه الله لا يظلم الاعداء ولا يتحامل للاصدقاء و بدنه منه في تعب و الناس منه في راحه.

God's Prophet (S) told Ali b. Abi Talib (A): “O Ali! A believer should have eight characteristics: 1- He should maintain his dignity when calamities befall him. 2- He should be patient when he is in trouble. 3- He should be grateful when he has plenty of blessings. 4- He should be content with his share of God-given daily bread. 5- He should not oppress his enemies. 6- He should not be a burden on his friends. 7- He should use his body (to perform his duties). 8- People should be safe from him.”[41]

► Those who go to the Mosque often shall acquire one of eight characteristics

من أدمن الاختلاف إلى المساجد أصاب إحدى الثمان: أخا مستفادا في الله عزوجل أو علما مستظرفا أو كلمة تدله على هدى أو اخرى تصرفه عن الردى أو رحمة منتظرة أو ترك الذنب حياء أو خشية.”

Those who go to the Mosque often shall acquire one of the following eight characteristics: brotherhood for the sake of God, the Honourable and Exalted, new knowledge, a word of guidance, a word which may save him from destruction, an awaited mercy or abandonment of sins out of shyness or fear. [42]

► The eight classes of people who should blame no one but themselves if they are insulted

قال النبي صلى الله عليه وآله في وصيته لعلی علیه السلام: “ياعلي ثمانية إن اهينوا فلا يلوموا إلا أنفسهم: الذاهب إلى مائدة لم يدع إليها والمتأمر على رب البيت وطالب الخير من أعدائه وطالب الفضل من اللئام والداخل بين اثنين في سر لهم لم يدخلاه فيه والمستخف بالسلطان والجالس في مجلس ليس له بأهل والمقبل بالحديث على من لا يسمع منه.”

God's Prophet (S) told Ali b. Abi Talib (A): “O Ali! The following eight have no one but themselves to blame if they are insulted: those who attend a banquet without being invited, those who order their hosts around at a party, those who expect goodness from their enemies, those who seek favours from lowly people, those who interfere in other people's private affairs without being asked to do so, those who mock rulers, those who sit in a position which they do not deserve and those who converse with people who do not listen to them” [43]

Characteristics related to the Number Nine

► God granted the followers of Ali (A) nine characteristics

قال جابر بن عبدالله الانصاري: “كنت ذات يوم عندالنبي صلى الله عليه واله إذ أقبل بوجهه على علي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام فقال: ألا أبشرك ياأبا الحسن فقال: بلى يارسول الله، فقال: هذا جبرئيل يخبرني عن الله جل جلاله أنه قد أعطى شيعتك ومحبيك تسع خصال: الرفق عند الموت والانس عند الوحشة والنور عند الظلمة والامن عند الفزع والقسط عند الميزان والجواز على الصراط و دخول الجنة قبل سائر الناس و نورهم يسعى بين أيديهم وبأيمانهم.”

Jabir Abdullah al-Ansari reports that one day he was with the Prophet (S) when he turned his face towards Ali b. Abi Talib (A) and said: “O Aba al-Hasan! Do you want me to give you glad tidings?” Ali (A) said: “Yes, O Prophet of God!” The Prophet continued: “God - may His Majesty be Exalted - informed me through Gabriel that He granted nine things to your followers and lovers. They will have: 1- gentle treatment at the time of death, 2- a companion at times of fear, 3- light at times of darkness, 4- security at the time of Resurrection, 5- justice at the time of Reckoning, 6- permission to pass through the bridge (to Heaven), 7- entry to Heaven before other people, 8- with the light (of their faith) shining in front of them and 9- on their right side.”[44]

Characteristics related to the Number Ten

► Ten characteristics which are due to nobility

عن أبي عبدالله الصادق عليه السلام: “أن الله تبارك وتعالى خص رسول صلى الله عليه واله بمكارم الاخلاق فامتحنوا أنفسكم فإن كانت فيكم فاحمدوا الله عزوجل وارغبوا إليه في الزيادة منها، فذكرها عشرة: اليقين والقناعة والصبر والشكر والرضا وحسن الخلق والسخاء والغيرة والشجاعة والمروء‌ة.

Aba Abdullah Sadiq (A) said: “Indeed God, the Blessed and Sublime, has granted God's Prophet (S) noble characteristics. Examine yourselves. If you have them, praise God, the Honourable and Exalted, and ask Him for their increase. Then Imam Sadiq (A) mentioned the following ten: certitude, contentment, perseverance, gratitude, contentedness, being good-tempered, generosity, zeal, bravery and chivalry.” [45]

► A believer without ten characteristics is not intelligent

لم يعبد الله عزوجل بشئ أفضل من العقل ولايكون المؤمن عاقلا حتى يجتمع فيه عشر خصال: الخير منه مأمول والشر منه مأمون، يستكثر قليل الخير ممن غيره ويستقل كثير الخيرمن نفسه ولايسأم من طلب العلم طول عمره ولا يتبرم بطلاب الحوائج قبله، الذل أحب إليه من العز والفقر أحب إليه من الغنى، نصيبه من الدنيا القوت والعاشرة وما العاشرة لايرى أحدا إلا قال هو خير مني وأتقى، إنما الناس رجلان فرجل هو خير منه وأتقى وآخر هو شر منه وأدنى، فاذا رأى من هو خير منه وأتقى تواضع له ليلحق به وإذا لقى الذي هو شر منه وأدنى قال: عسى خير هذا باطن وشره ظاهر وعسى أن يختم له بخير، فاذا فعل ذلك فقد علا مجده وساد أهل زمانه.

God, the Honourable and Exalted, has not been worshipped by anything better than the intellect. A believer is not intelligent unless he has ten characteristics: Good is expected from him. Evil is not expected from him (people should feel safe from his wickedness). He values highly whatever goodness he receives from others and undervalues whatever goodness he does for people. He does not become tired of acquiring knowledge throughout his lifetime. He does not become fed up due to the requests of the needy ones from him. Humbleness should be better in his opinion than pride. Poverty should be better in his opinion than being wealthy. His share of this world should only be his daily sustenance. The tenth characteristic which is extremely important is that he should consider everyone he sees to be more pious and better than himself. Indeed people are only of two kinds. The first group are those who are really better than he is, and the second group are those who are more wicked than he is. He should be humble when he meets someone who is better and more pious than himself, until he attains his rank. If he meets someone who is apparently more wicked than himself, he should say may be in reality I am more wicked than him or may be that person is a good person so as to end up with a better condition of faith and piety. Should he behave this way, he will become honourable and will prevail over people of his own time. [46]

► Islam is founded upon ten pillars

بني الاسلام على عشرة أسهم: على شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله وهي الملة والصلاة وهي الفريضة والصوم وهو الجنة والزكاة وهي الطهر والحج وهي الشريعة والجهاد وهو الغزو (العز) والامر بالمعروف وهوالوفاء والنهي عن المنكر وهو الحجة والجماعة وهي الالفة والعصمة وهي الطاعة.

Islam is founded upon ten pillars which are as follows: bearing witness that 'There is no god but God' - that is the basis of a Muslim's faith, prayer which is an obligatory deed, fasting which is a shield against the fire, payment of the alms which purifies one's possessions, going on the Hajj pilgrimage which is a decree, participating in struggle for the sake of God which is to fight (alternative version: an honour), enjoining to do good deeds which is persistence in belief, prohibiting the bad which is giving an ultimatum, attending congregational prayers which results in mutual sympathy and avoiding sins which is the basis of obedience.[47]

Characteristics related to the Number Eleven

► The Night of Qadr and the eleven leaders from progeny of Ali b. Abi Talib

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص لِأَصْحَابِهِ آمِنُوا بِلَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ إِنَّهَا تَكُونُ لِعَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَ وُلْدِهِ الْأَحَدَ عَشَرَ مِنْ بَعْدِي‏

The Apostle of God told his companions: “Believe in the Night of Qadr as that belongs to Ali b. Abi Talib and eleven of his progeny after me.”[48])

There are many hadiths on the relation between the Night of Qadr and the divinely appointed leader of every age. Shaykh Saduq also reports that Imam Ali (A) told Ibn Abbas: “Indeed there is the Night of Qadr every year. On this night the affairs for the whole year descend. After the Apostle of God there are people who are in charge of those affairs”. Ibn Abbas asked: “Who are they?” Imam Ali replied: “Me and eleven people from my progeny who will be Imams to whom the angels will speak”.[49]

Characteristics related to the Number Twelve

► The twelve caliphs and Divine leaders after the Prophet (pbut)

یلی هذا الامر اثنا عشر. قال: فصرخ الناس فلم أسمع ما قال، فقلت لابی و کان أقرب الناس إلی رسول الله صلی الله علیه و آله منی فقلت: ما قال رسول الله صلی الله علیه و آله؟ فقال: “قال: کلهم من قریش و کلهم لا یری مثله”.

The Prophet said: “There will be twelve people who will rule this nation.” The narrator adds that then the people made some noise and I could not hear what the Prophet (S) said. I asked my father, who was closer to God's Prophet (S) than others, “What did the Prophet say?” My father said: 'The Prophet (S) said: “They are all from the Quraysh.”' [50]

► There are twelve advantages in brushing the teeth

قال النبي صلى الله عليه وآله في وصيته لعلی علیه السلام: “يا علي السواك من السنة وهو مطهرة للفم ويجلو البصر ويرضي الرحمن ويبيض الاسنان ويذهب بالحفر ويشد اللثة ويشهي الطعام ويذهب بالبلغم ويزيد في الحفظ ويضاعف الحسنات وتفرح به الملائكة.”

The Prophet (S) told Ali b. Abi Talib (A): “O Ali! Brushing the teeth with a toothbrush is a recommendable practice since it cleans the mouth, improves vision, pleases the Merciful Lord, whitens the teeth, removes the mouth's bad smell, strengthens the gums, improves the food's taste, alleviates the phlegm, improves memory, increases reward for good deeds and makes the angels happy.” [51]

► The twelve dirhams donated to the Prophet (S)

Imam Sadiq (A) reports that a man went to see God's Prophet (S). When he saw that the Prophet's shirt was old, he gave him twelve dirhams (silver coins). The Prophet (S) said: “O Ali! Take this money and buy me a shirt with it.” Ali (A) said: “I went and bought the Prophet (S) a shirt with twelve dirhams and took it to the Prophet (S).” The Prophet (S) looked at it and said: “O Ali! I would like a different shirt! Do you think that the seller would take it back?” Ali (A) replied: “I do not know.” The Prophet (S) said: “Then try it.” Ali (A) went back to the seller and told him: “The Prophet of God (S) doesn't like this shirt. He wants another shirt. Please take it back and return my money.” Then he returned the money to the Prophet (S). The Prophet (S) accompanied Ali (A) to buy another shirt. They came across a slave girl who was sitting there and crying. The Prophet (S) asked her: “Why are you crying?” She said: “O Prophet of God! My master gave me four Dirhams with which to buy things from the market. I don't know where I lost that money. Now I don't have the courage to go back home.” The Prophet (S) gave her four dirhams and told her: “Buy whatever you had to buy and go back home.”

Then the Prophet (S) went to the market to buy a shirt for himself for four dirhams. He (S) put it on, praised God, the Honourable the Exalted and returned. On his way back from the market, the Prophet (S) saw an unclothed man who kept on saying: “God will put heavenly attire on whoever clothes me.” Then the Prophet (S) took off his shirt and put it on the needy man.

Then the Prophet (S) himself went to the market to buy another shirt for himself with the last four dirhams. He (S) put it on, praised God, the Honourable the Exalted and returned. On his way back, he came across the slave-girl again who was sitting there and crying. The Prophet (S) asked her: “Why didn't you go home?” She replied: “O Prophet of God! It is too late for me to return and I am afraid that they might beat me.” The Prophet of God (S) said: “Walk ahead of me and take me to your house.” The Prophet (S) walked with her until they reached her house. He stopped at the door and said: “O residents of this house, Peace be upon you!” There was no response. He gave greetings again but they did not respond. So he greeted them for the third time. Then they said: “O Prophet of God! Please, His Blessings and His Mercy be upon you!” The Prophet (S) asked: “So what was the reason that you didn't respond to my greeting the first and the second time?” They said: “O Prophet of God! Yes! After hearing your voice for the first time we came to know that it was you. However, we loved to hear your voice over and over again.” God's Prophet (S) said: “Your slave-girl has taken a long time to come back. Hence, I have come to request that you do not punish her.” They said: “O Prophet of God! Due to the blessing of your gracious arrival at our home, we have set this slave-girl free.” The Prophet (S) said:

الحمد لله ما رأيت اثني عشر درهما أعظم بركة من هذه، كسا الله بها عاريين و أعتق نسمة

“Praise is due to God. I have not seen any twelve dirhams more blessed than these. With them, God clothed two unclothed persons and freed a slave-girl. ”[52]

Notes:

[1] P. 2, No. 21.

[2] P. 29, No 20.

[3] P. 69, No 106.

[4] Ibid. No 107.

[5] P. 74, No 5.

[6] P. 85, No 28.

[7] P. 91, No 39.

[8] P. 95, No 48.

[9] P. 121, No 82.

[10] Ibid. No 84.

[11] P. 143, No 119.

[12] P. 147, No 127.

[13] P. 147, No 128.

[14] P. 148, No 3.

[15] P. 188, No 66.

[16] P. 196, No 81.

[17] P. 253, No 172.

[18] Ibid. No 173.

[19] P. 255, No 175.

[20] P. 299, No 239.

[21] P. 305, No 250.

[22] P. 365, No 49.

[23] P. 391, No 88.

[24] P. 395, No 97.

[25] P. 411, No 125.

[26] P. 413, No 129.

[27] P. 463, No 39.

[28] P. 465, No 44.

[29] P. 515, No 100.

[30] P. 521, No 5.

[31] P. 525, No 11.

[32] P. 533, No 24.

[33] P. 535, No 28.

[34] P. 549, No 42.

[35] P. 555, N o 6.

[36] P. 554, N o 8.

[37] P. 559, N o 12.

[38] P. 559, N o 14.

[39] P. 585, N o 49.

[40] P. 585, N o 50.

[41] P. 675, N o 2.

[42] P. 681, N o 12.

[43] P. 681, N o 13.

[44] P. 678, N o 2.

[45] P. 719, N o 12.

[46] P. 721, N o 17.

[47] P. 745, N o 48.

[48] أَنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع قَالَ لِابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ إِنَّ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ فِي كُلِّ سَنَةٍ وَ إِنَّهُ يَنْزِلُ فِي تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةِ أَمْرُ السَّنَةِ وَ لِذَلِكَ‏ الْأَمْرِ وُلَاةٌ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ مَنْ هُمْ قَالَ أَنَا وَ أَحَدَ عَشَرَ مِنْ صُلْبِي أَئِمَّةٌ مُحَدَّثُونَ. (P. 807, No 49

[49] Ibid, No 48.

[50] P. 793, N o 30.

[51] P. 80, No 55.

[52] p. 828, No 70.

All the source from: http://www.al-islam.org

Message of Thaqalayn Tawassul

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 13:34:00 +0800

Dr. 'Abd al-Karim Bi-Azar Shirazi
Translated by Sayyid 'Ali Shahbaz
Vol. 5, No. 4, Summer 2000/1421
"O you who believe! Fear Allah and seek an approach unto Him..."
(Holy Qur'an 5:35)

Over the last few centuries, the Muslims have been wracked by severe discord and hostility over the issue of tawassul (beseeching or supplicating) to Prophet Muhammad (s), the Ahl al-Bayt ('a), the Saints and the Pious, to the extent that those who reject this concept have accused its supporters of shirk or polytheism, while the upholders of tawassul have charged its opponents with enmity and aversion towards the Prophet (s) and his Infallible Household ('a). The result has led to increasing bigotry on both sides to the benefit of their common enemies who have increased their domination of Muslim lands. This article is an attempt to examine and critically study the issue of tawassul.

Definition of Tawassul
The lexical meaning of tawassul is 'nearness' or a 'means' through which to reach a certain goal. For instance, when it is said wa wassala ila Allah, it means to perform a certain act for gaining proximity to God. Accordingly wasil here means being 'desirous of God'.[1]
According to the prominent Sunni scholar, Sayyid Muhammad Alusi al-Baghdadi, wasilah is a means of imploring in order to gain nearness to God through good deeds and abstaining from sins. For example when it is said "wasala ila kadha," it means a thing through which nearness is gained.
As is clear from the wordings of ayah 35 of Surah al-Ma'idah, which we quoted at the beginning of the article, "fear Allah" is a commandment to abstain from sin, while "seek an approach unto Him" is an order to perform worship and acts of devotion.[2]
Both Raghib Isfahani and 'Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'i opine that al-wasilah means to reach a certain goal through desire, inclination or willingness, and in fact wasilah towards God means observance of His path with knowledge and worship through adherence to the Shari'ah. In other words wasilah is a means of communication and spiritual link between mankind and God.
According to a narration al-wasilah is a position in paradise which is reserved for only one person, and Prophet Muhammad (s) has asked the ummah to pray that this status be granted to him.[3]
a) Tawassul to the Prophet and Saints during their Lifetime
In the opinion of the founder of the Wahhabi sect, Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, and other like-minded 'ulama' of the past, it is permissible to seek help from fellow humans, as during wars and other affairs, if the person or the group who is being asked or entreated has the power and ability to help.[4]
Alusi believes that appealing to people, making them a wasilah or means and requesting them to supplicate to God is permissible without the least doubt, provided that the one who is being requested is alive, whether or not the one who is petitioned is superior than the petitioner, since the Prophet (s) used to say to some of his companions: "O brother do not forget us in your supplications to Allah."
However, Alusi is of the opinion that if the one who is being petitioned is not alive, it is not permissible to request him for supplication. But Alusi adds that it is permissible to supplicate at the shrine of the Prophet (s), since the companions of the Prophet (s) used to stand beside his shrine and supplicate with face towards the Qiblah.
b) Tawassul to the Prophet after his Death
The 'ulama' are divided whether or not it is permissible after the death of the Prophet (s) to make him the means of supplication with such phrases as Allahumma inni asaluka bi-Nabiyyika (O Allah! I beseech You through Your Prophet), or bi-jahi Nabiyyika (by the dignity of Your Prophet), or still bi-Haqqi Nabiyyika (for the sake of Your Prophet). We come across three different opinions in this regard.
1. Opinion on Permissibility
All jurists including Imami, Shafi'i, Maliki, and later-day Hanafi scholars as well as others such as the Hanbalis, are unanimous on the permissibility of this way of supplication, whether it was in the lifetime of the Prophet (s), or whether it is after his passing away.[5]
The Abbasid caliph, Mansur al-Dawaniqi, once asked Malik ibn Anas the founder of the Maliki School of jurisprudence whether he should turn towards the shrine of the Prophet (s) or face the Qiblah for supplication? Malik answered him:
Why do you want to turn away from the Prophet (s) when he (Prophet Muhammad (s)) is the wasilah (means) for you and for your father Adam, towards Allah on the Day of Resurrection. Turn to him (the Prophet) and seek his intercession (shafa'at).[6]
The Sunni scholar al-Nawawi in describing the manners and etiquette of making
pilgrimage to the shrine of Prophet Muhammad (s), writes:
The pilgrim should face the shrine of the Messenger of Allah (s), make him a means (tawassul) towards reaching God and seek his wasilah as intercession (shafa'at), in the same manner as the Bedouin who visited the Prophet's shrine and standing beside it said: Peace unto you O Messenger of Allah, I have heard Allah has said:
...Had they, when they had wronged themselves, come to you and asked Allah's forgiveness and the Apostle had asked forgiveness for them, they would certainly have found Allah Most-Propitious, Most-Merciful. (Holy Qur'an 4: 64).
Therefore, I have come to you for forgiveness of my sins and seeking your intercession with Allah.[7]
Ibn Qudamah Hanbali, defining the manner of pilgrimage to the shrine of the Prophet (s), writes in the book al-Mughni:
Stand beside the tomb of the Prophet (s), and say: I have come to you for forgiveness of my sins and to seek your intercession with Allah. [8]
The Shafi'ite scholar Ghazzali has allotted a special section in his book Ihya' 'Ulum al-Din concerning the manners of pilgrimage to the shrine of the Prophet (s) in order to repent and seek forgiveness from Allah. He writes:
The Prophet should be made the means (wasilah) and the intercessor (shafi'), and with face turned towards the tomb, the pilgrim should implore Allah for the sake and position of the Prophet with the words: "O Allah, indeed You have said, Had they, who had wronged themselves, come to you and asked Allah's forgiveness and the Apostle had asked forgiveness for them, they would have certainly found Allah Most-Propitious, Most-Merciful (Holy Qur'an 4:64);
O Allah, surely we have heard Your words and we obey Your command, by coming to Your Prophet to seek his intercession with You for our sins; how burdensome and heavy (are sins) on our backs! We repent of slipperiness, we confess our wrongs and our faults, accept our repentance for his sake, make Your Prophet intercessor for us, and exalt us for the sake of his position and his rights with You."
Al-Ghazzali adds:
It is recommended the pilgrim should go daily to the Baqi' Cemetery and after saluting the Prophet (s), make pilgrimage to the tombs of (Imam) Hasan ibn 'Ali, (Imam) 'Ali ibn al-Husayn, (Imam) Muhammad ibn 'Ali and (Imam) Ja'far ibn Muhammad (Allah be pleased with them), and also perform the Salat in the Mosque of Fatimah (Allah be pleased with her).[9]
2. Opinion on Aversion
The jurist Abu Yusuf relates from his teacher Abu Hanifah that it is not right for anyone to call Allah except through (the Names and Attributes) Allah, since He says: "And to Allah belong the beautiful Names, so call on Him thereby." (Holy Qur'an 7:180).
Abu Hanifah, Abu Yusuf and Muhammad Shaybani also feel averse in invoking God by means (tawassul) of the Prophet and his position, on the assumption that the creatures have no right on the Almighty Creator, and He showers His mercy on whomever He likes.
Ibn 'Abidin, however, says in this regard: True, the creatures have no right whatsoever upon the Creator, but the Creator through His favours has given rights to mankind. On this basis, he relates a hadith concerning the manners of supplication and tawassul:
Allahumma inni asaluka bi-haqqi al-sa'ilina 'alayk (O Allah! I beseech you for the rights that seekers have upon You). [10]
Except for this narration of Ibn 'Abidin, we find no opinion or view from either Abu Hanifah or his friend Abu Yusuf in the books of Hanafi scholars concerning tawassul to God through the wasilah (means) of the Prophet (s).[11]
Opinion of Contemporary Hanafi Scholars on Permissibility
Here, we will study the legal opinions (fatawa) of contemporary Hanafi scholars on permissibility of tawassul to the Prophet (s).
Alusi al-Baghdadi quotes Ibn 'Abd al-Salam as saying that it is permissible to invoke Allah for the sake of the Prophet (s), since Prophet Muhammad (s) is the leader of the children of Adam. Alusi bases his reasoning on the hadith (hasan and sahih) related by both Tirmidhi and Ahmad ibn Hanbal on the authority of 'Uthman bin Hunayf, which says that:
Once when a blind man asked the Prophet (s) to pray to Allah to grant him eyesight, he was told to make wudu' and recite the following supplication:
O Allah! I request you and I have turned to you through Your Prophet, the Prophet of Mercy; O Messenger of Allah! I have turned to you as a means towards My God for fulfilment of this wish of mine; O Allah! Accept his (Prophet's) intercession (shafa'at) for me.
Alusi thus believes that there is no objection in making tawassul to God by means of the dignity (jah) and prime position of the Prophet (s), whether it is in his lifetime or after his death, since dignity here refers to an attribute which is one of the attributes of Almighty Allah. Alusi also says that tawassul by means of dignity of a person other than the Prophet (s) is also permissible, provided that the one who is being considered a wasilah has a station and position of dignity in the sight of Allah.[12]
The famous Sunni scholar of India, Shaykh Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri in his book al-Muhannad 'ala al-Mufannid has collected the fatawa or legal opinions of 75 leading Sunni scholars from different parts of the Islamic world on the permissibility of tawassul to the shrine of Prophet Muhammad (s). He writes:
In our opinion and that of our teachers, pilgrimage to the shrine of the Master of Messengers (my soul be sacrificed for him) is the most exalted of proximities, the most important of blessings, and the greatest of means (wasilah) for attaining lofty ranks. It could be said that it is an enjoinment almost to the degree of obligations, even if it requires the trouble of a journey to perform it and there is no other option other than to make efforts with life and wealth.
Tawassul to the Prophets, saints, pious persons, martyrs and the righteous during supplications, whether in their lifetime or after their death, is permissible in the following manner:
Allahumma inni atawassalu ilayka bi-fulan an tujiba da'wati wa taqdia hajati (O Allah! I beseech you by means of so and so a person, accept my supplication and grant my request).[13]
Tawassul in the View of Prominent Imami 'Ulama'
According to such prominent Imami 'ulama' as Shaykh al-Ta'ifah Tusi, Shaykh Amin al-Islam Tabrisi, 'Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'i, Imam Sayyid Ruhullah Khumayni and others, wasilah means faith, love and reverence for the Prophet (s) and obedience to him.
'Allamah Tabataba'i writes in his monumental exegesis on the Holy Qur'an that the word al-wasilah or 'approach' as used in the Ayah "and seek an approach unto Him" (5:35) confirms the reality of worship and means turning submissively and supplicatingly to God, with knowledge and practice serving as the requisite instrument for this connection.[14]
Furthermore, elaborating on the narration found in the Tafsir of 'Ali bin Ibrahim Qummi that the Ayah "and seek an approach unto Him" means seeking Allah's proximity through the Infallible Imam ('a), 'Allamah Tabataba'i, says that this refers to obedience or adhering to the path of the Imam ('a) in order to reach Allah.[15]
It is evident that the Prophet (s) and the Infallible Imams ('a) who are considered the practical models of divine law and the finest exemplars of morals and etiquette, are the wasilah, since it is through obedience to them and adherence to their path that one can attain proximity to God. Likewise, as stated by prominent Imami or Shi'ah jurists, the laws of the Shari'ah are the wasilah, on the basis of adherence to which, proximity of Almighty Allah is attained. Accordingly, some prominent Imami jurisprudents like Shaykh Hurr al-'Amili, Ayatullah Abu al-Hasan Isfahani and Imam Khumayni have used the title wasilah for their jurisprudential treatises such as Wasa'il al-Shi'ah, Wasilah al-Najat and Tahrir al-Wasilah, respectively. Wasilah al-Najat or the 'Means of Salvation' is the title of over 40 scientific treatises written by Shi'ah 'ulama'.[16]
Thus, as ascertained by Imami scholars, the Prophet (s) is the wasilah towards God for Muslims since he is the best exemplar and is in fact the 'Practical Qur'an'. So also is the Prophet's (s) infallible progeny ('a), who along with the Book of Allah (Holy Qur'an), is the immortal legacy of the Prophet and continuation of his path as borne out by the Hadith al-Thaqalayn which is unanimously confirmed by both Shi'ah and Sunni 'ulama'. Muslims, through the wasilah of these two, hold fast to divine laws and strive to attain Allah's proximity, since good deeds, obedience and adherence to the Qur'an, the Prophet (s) and his Infallible Ahl al-Bayt ('a) are the basis of shafa'at. This is better explained by 'Allamah Tabataba'i in his exegesis:
Persons who lack any ability to attain the required perfection are like the illiterate who wants to become the doyen of scholars merely through recommendation, since he neither has any basic learning nor has he the required connection with the one who could intercede. Or they could be compared to a slave who is disobedient to his master, but without coming out of this state of insubordination and disobedience wants to be forgiven through intercession (shafa'at). In none of these two cases intercession is beneficial, since shafa'at is the wasilah or means for accomplishment of a cause and is not a cause in itself to make him a doyen of scholars in the first case, and in the second case to avail forgiveness from the master in the state of disobedience.[17]
Therefore, as it has been clearly mentioned in the Holy Qur'an, if a person does not fulfil his obligations and adherence to the path of the Prophet (s) and the Infallible Imams ('a), he will not be considered worthy of shafa'at, even if the Prophet (s) were to intercede on his behalf.
"Alike it is for them whether you seek forgiveness for them or seek not forgiveness for them; Never will God forgive them..." (63:6)
3. Opinion on Non-Permissibility of Tawassul
In the opinion of Taqi al-Din Ibn Taymiyyah and later Hanbali scholars tawassul to the person of the Prophet (s) himself is not permissible. Tawassul has three concepts, of which two are deemed correct, and according to Ibn Taymiyyah, whoever rejects these two concepts of tawassul is either an infidel or an apostate.
1) Tawassul to the Prophet (s) to reach God is indicative of faith and love for the Prophet (s). For example, when it is said Allahumma asaluka bi-Nabiyyika Muhammad (O Allah! I beseech you for the sake of your Prophet, Muhammad (s)), it means I seek from You on the basis of the faith and love which I have for Your Prophet.
The Ayah "and seek an approach unto Him", is a means of approaching Allah by obedience to Him and His Messenger, as it is said: Whoever obeys the Prophet has indeed obeyed Allah.
This concept of tawassul is permissible in the opinion of all 'ulama'. Ibn Taymiyyah has considered it a pious act and has supported his views by citing reports from certain companions of the Prophets, the first generation of Muslims (tabi'in) and jurists such as Ahmad Ibn Hanbal.[18]
2) The concept of tawassul as supplication or intercession (shafa'at) of the Prophet, like the supplication of the second caliph, which reads: "O Allah! Whenever drought afflicted us we made tawassul to You through our Prophet (tawassalna ilayka bi-Nabiyyina), and now we make tawassul to You through the uncle of our Prophet,
Send down rain for us."
3) The concept of tawassul as making an oath or invoking Allah by the right of the Prophet (s). According to Ibn Taymiyyah this form of tawassul was neither done during the lifetime of the Prophet nor after him by his companions. In this regard contemporary scholars opposed to tawassul have quoted Abu Hanifah as saying: Do not say asaluka bi-haqqi anbiya'ika (I invoke You by the right of Your Prophets). [19]
Rejection of Ibn Taymiyyah's Opinion
1. The claim that the companions of the Prophet (s) never supplicated in this manner is the understanding and deduction of Ibn Taymiyyah. How do we know that when the second caliph says "we make tawassul to You through our Prophet" does not mean "for the right of our Prophet (bi-haqqi nabiyyina)", or is not addressed to the Prophet himself? Most Sunni 'ulama' have given the latter meaning and from the wording of the sentence itself the Prophet is being called upon.
2. Suppose none of the companions had made tawassul by the right of any of the divine Prophets, it does not mean tawassul is Haram even if some of the companions were to explicitly prohibit such an act. The opinion of the companions of the Prophet (s) is not binding on the Muslim ummah, except perhaps for a few jurisprudents, unless it is related from Prophet Muhammad (s) himself.
Justification of the Salafiyyah on Non-Permissibility of Tawassul
Ibn Taymiyyah in Qa'idah Jalilah, Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab in Kashf al-Shubahat and Muhammad Rashid Rida in Tafsir al-Manar, opine that although during the life of Prophet Muhammad (s), his companions would address him for their needs, after his death they never approached his tomb for their needs. They even forbade those who intended to supplicate beside the Prophet's (s) tomb.
Critique
It is interesting to note that a review and analysis of these opinions brings out different historical facts. First of all, the predecessors, whether the companions or the first and second generation of Muslims, never denied tawassul to the Prophet (s), either during his lifetime or after his passing away. It has been mentioned in the narrations of the Ahl al-Sunnah even the first created man, Adam, implored Allah for forgiveness through tawassul to Prophet Muhammad (s) with the words: "O Allah! for the sake of Muhammad (s) I beseech you to forgive my faults." [20]
Secondly, prominent Sunni scholars such as Bayhaqi and Ibn Abi Shaybah as well as Ahmad bin Zayni Dahlan in his Khulasah al-Kalam, have cited a sahih (authentic) hadith, that during the caliphate of 'Umar ibn Khattab when a severe famine occurred, Bilal bin Harth approached the Prophet's (s) tomb and said: "O Messenger of Allah, pray to God to send rains for your ummah, since we are all facing annihilation." The Prophet then appeared in Bilal's dream and gave him the tidings of rains.
Similarly during the caliphate of 'Uthman ibn 'Affan, a needy person approached the Caliph and told him of his needs. 'Uthman asked him to make wudu, offer prayer in the mosque and then supplicate in the following manner:
O Lord! through the wasilah of our Prophet Muhammad (s), the Messenger of Mercy, I turn my face to You. O Muhammad (s)! through your wasilah I am facing Your Lord and I request you to grant me my wish. The person attained his goal. [21]
Tamassuk in the Opinion of Abu Hanifah
Ibn Taymiyyah says that taking an oath or invoking by virtue of the creatures is haram according to the creed (madhhab) of Abu Hanifah. [22]
Abu Hanifah, the founder of the Hanafi sect, also opines that istidlal (rational proof) and tamassuk (bond, holding fast) are matters of doubt or anxiety because of two aspects. Abu Yusuf quoting his teacher Abu Hanifah says: "It is not right for someone to call upon Allah through any other means than Allah. He (Abu Hanifah) was averse to saying bi-haqqi fulan (by the right of so and so)".
Critique
First, Abu Hanifah has approached this issue with aversion and a purely personal opinion, as is clear from the inclusion of istidlal and tamassuk in Bab al-Karahah of Abu al-Hasan Qaduri's Sharh Karkhi. Abu Yusuf quoting his teacher Abu Hanifah says:
It is not right for someone to call upon God through any other means than God. He was averse to saying for the sake of so and so.
Secondly, a closer look at Abu Hanifah's reasoning reveals that he himself has tried to resort to rational argumentation in this regard when he says: "Since the creatures have no rights on the Creator."[23]
However, Abu Hanifah's analogy falls short of clear proofs, and does not mean the total negation of any right, since God Himself has considered the right of the Prophets and that of the righteous believers as binding upon Him, as is clear from the following Ayah of the Holy Qur'an:
Ultimately We deliver Our Apostles and those who believe, even so it is binding upon Us that We deliver the believers. (10:103)
The Hanafis such as Ibn 'Abidin accept this right, but they say that the creatures have no obligatory right on the Creator. [24]
This viewpoint, even if it is considered general, is confined to the followers of Abu Hanifah and cannot be imposed on all schools of Islam.
Salafiyyah Interpretation of Ayah 18 of Surah al-Jinn
Another reason put forward by the Salafiyyah such as Muhammad Rashid Rida on non-permissibility of tawassul to the Prophet after his death is that any wasilah for proximity to God should be a thing which God has determined for mankind such as faith, action and supplication. It was in the middle ages that tawassul to the person of the Prophets and pious men became widespread and they were considered wasa'il ila Allah (means to Allah) by people who would invoke God by their names and would supplicate to them at their tombs for their needs, when supplication is a form of worship as God says in the Holy Qur'an:
"So call you not anyone with Allah." (72:18)
"Surely, those whom you call other than Allah are subservient (to Allah) like unto your own selves..." (7:194)
Critique
In answer to this objection it should be said that every supplication is not a form of worship or even the spirit of worship, since the root of du'a' (supplication) is da'wat, a word which along with its derivatives occurs frequently in the Holy Qur'an. For instance, "...let us call (nad'u) our sons... (3:61)" and "Make you not the addressing (du'a') of the Prophet among you like your addressing one another..." (24:63)
As could be discerned, in most of the 'Ayas the word du'a' means to call or address. Accordingly neither every nida' (call) is du'a' nor every du'a' is 'ibadat (worship). In other words du'a' (supplication) becomes 'ibadat when the rules of worship such as servitude and submissiveness to Allah are observed with acknowledgement of the over lordship of the Almighty Creator. What connection does this have with tawassul and tabarruk to the Prophet (s) and the Infallible Imams ('a) and requesting them for help and succour?
Thus, the narration al-du'a' huwa al-'ibadah (supplication is among the acts of worship), does not necessarily mean that every supplication is a form of worship. [25]
Salafiyyah Interpretation of Ayahs 13-14 of Surah al-Fatir
The Salafiyyah also resort to the following Ayah of the Holy Qur'an as part of their attempt to discourage tawassul:
...And those whom you call upon other than Him, own not (even) a straw. If you call on them they shall hear not your call; and even if they hear they shall answer you not; and on the Day of Judgement they will deny your associating them (with Allah); and none can (ever) inform you as the All-Aware. (35:13,14)
Critique
This Ayah refers to the polytheists who worship idols instead of the One and Only God and supplicate to these man-made objects in their hour of need. Allah says here that these idols do not own even a straw, so how can they grant anything to those who worship and prostrate before them? No matter how fervently these idols are called upon, they do not listen since they are inanimate objects, and suppose even if they were to listen, they cannot answer since they do not have the tongues.[26]
As is crystal clear for any discerning person, it has no connection whatsoever concerning tawassul to the Prophet (s) and the Infallible Imams ('a) or saints.
First and foremost, it is a gross mistake to place those who seek tawassul in the same category as the polytheists, since idolaters seek their needs from idols and not from the Almighty Creator. But those who make tawassul beseech Allah for their needs and regard Prophet Muhammad (s) as a wasilah or means for the acceptance of their supplications, since he is the Messenger of Allah. To quote Rashid Rida himself, those who seek tawassul are like guests who approach the host for some of their needs, and at times request the members of the household or friends of the hosts who have been appointed to serve the guests, since they consider everything to be the favour of the host.[27]
Secondly, it is a manifest error to equate with idols the Prophet (s) who has been sent by Allah as a divine sign and is called Habib-Allah (Friend of God) by all Muslims. Even Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab maintains that Prophet Muhammad (s) is alive in his grave and his life in the intermediary world (barzakh) is superior to the life of the martyrs, since he hears the voices of those who send blessings upon him.[28]
Salafiyyah Interpretation of Ayah 194 of Surah al-A'raf
The fifth reason that the Salafiyyah such as Ibn Taymiyyah, Muhammad Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab and Muhammad Rashid Rida have cited as non-permissibility of tawassul to the Prophet (s) after his death, is the following Ayah of the Holy Qur'an:
"Surely, those whom you call other than Allah are subservient (to Allah) like unto your own selves..." (7:194)
Critique
All exegetes of the Holy Qur'an have unanimously stated that this Ayah refers to the idol-worshippers who associate man-made objects with God in creation and in administering the affairs of the world. In contrast, tawassul is made by those who never regard the Prophets as partners of Allah in creation and in running world affairs, and neither do they worship the Last Prophet (s), since every day several times they bear testimony that Prophet Muhammad (s) is the servant and Messenger of Allah (ash-hadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa rasuluh). As the Holy Qur'an says, Prophet Muhammad (s) has been sent as mercy to the entire creation (21:107) and is a means of acceptance of supplications, so it is natural for us to request him to supplicate and intercede (shafa'at) with Allah for us.
Salafiyyah Interpretation of Ayah 3 of Surah al-Zumar
The Chief Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Shaykh 'Abd al-'Aziz bin Baz, in his exchange of letters with Iran's Ayatullah Muhammad Wa'iz-Zadeh Khurasani, has remarked:
The polytheists also testified to the Oneness of Allah but as the Holy Qur'an states, they tried to justify their worshipping of idols by saying: "...we worship them not but (in order) that they make us near to God..." (39:3). This is similar to the actions of those who make tawassul to those in the graves in order to seek proximity to Allah. [29]
Critique
'Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabataba'i responding to such a reasoning says that according to the books of religions and the testimony of idol-worshippers, hundreds of millions of whom live in India, China and Japan, idolatry is based on the theory that the creation of the universe and even the deities which are worshipped, have as their source the same Almighty God, but since He is beyond comprehension there is no other choice but to worship some of His closest servants such as angels, genies and saints so that they make intercession (shafa'at) and people may reach the proximity of God through them. In the opinion of the polytheists, angels are like the builder to whom the owner of the house has entrusted the building and hence intercession (shafa'at) is according to His discretion.

But, adds 'Allamah Tabataba'i, in the Holy Qur'an tawassul to the Prophets is in the manner of an intermediary and is not something independent, and for this reason it has not been considered as shirk or polytheism. Similarly, the polytheists have been reproached in the Holy Qur'an not because of seeking intercession (shafa'at) but because of worshipping other than God.[30]
Salafiyyah Interpretation of Ayah 10 of Surah Yunus
Shaykh Bin Baz in his answers to Ayatullah Wa'iz-Zadeh has also cited the following Ayah of the Holy Qur'an as another instance of non-permissibility of tawassul, saying that in his opinion Muslims who uphold tawassul to the Prophet (s) are like idolaters who seek intercession from objects which are of no use:
"And they worship beside Allah which can neither hurt them nor profit them, and they say: these are our intercessors with Allah..." (10:18)
Critique
First, this Ayah has no connection with Muslims since they do not worship any thing or object except Allah.
Secondly, as said earlier, addressing the Prophet is not meant to worship him but to request him for supplication and intercession.
Thirdly, it is a matter of surprise to compare the Prophet to those whom the Holy Qur'an says "can neither hurt them nor profit them," since the fact cannot be denied that obedience to the Prophet is to the benefit of Muslims and disobedience to him, whether during his lifetime or after his death, is certainly detrimental to them. Similarly, the supplication and intercession of the Prophet for those who are eligible, whether in worldly life or in the Hereafter, is profitable for the Muslims as unanimously confirmed by the 'ulama'.
Fourthly, it is a grave error to equate the belief of the Muslims that Prophet Muhammad (s) is the intercessor, with the belief of the polytheists "these (idols) are our intercessors with Allah," since God has explicitly rejected their claim as lies.
"...those who take guardians besides Him, (say) we worship them not but (in order) that they make us near to Allah; surely Allah will judge between them about what they differ; surely Allah does not guide the one who is a liar and an ingrate." (39:3)
As is clear from the wordings of the Holy Qur'an the polytheists who make such claims are liars. They are not conscious of God, neither do they worship Him or prostrate to Him nor have they any faith in their Unseen Creator:
"And when it is said to them prostrate you in obeisance to the Rahman (the Beneficent God), they say: Who is Rahman? Shall we prostrate in obeisance unto what you bid us? And it (only) adds to their flight (from the truth)." (25:60)
Non-Permissibility of Tawassul to the Dead
Another claim put forward by the Salafiyyah is that, on the basis of evidences tawassul to Prophet Muhammad (s) during his lifetime is acceptable but after his death there is lack of evidence to support the view that tawassul was ever made to him.[31]
Critique
The contemporary Sunni scholar Dr. Ramadan Buti of the University of Damascus, rejects this viewpoint of the Wahhabiyyah sect. He says tawassul to Prophet Muhammad (s) and things pertaining to him is permissible, whether during his lifetime or after his death, since things or items related to him are not necessarily linked to his lifetime such as tabarruk (sacred relics) or tawassul, as is confirmed by Sahih al-Bukhari, Chapter on the hair of the Prophet.
No Muslim would ever attribute to other than the One and Only God the effect of anything related to the person of the Prophet (s) during his life or after his death. If a person were to hold the opposite view that this effect is independent in itself, he would be considered an infidel. Accordingly, the tabarruk of the Prophet (s) and tawassul to him and to things related to him, does not mean attributing the blessed effect to his personal influence independent of God, but is an indication of the fact that as the Last Divine-Sent Messenger he is the 'Best of Creation' and is the 'Mercy of Allah' for the entire creation. Therefore tawassul to him is a means of gaining proximity to Allah and His infinite Mercy for mankind. It was in this sense that the companions sought tawassul to the Prophet and things related to him. Likewise, it is recommended to seek intercession (shafa'at) through the pious persons such as the Ahl al-Bayt ('a) of the Prophet (s).
Sunni authorities including Shawkani, Ibn Qudamah Hanbali, San'ani and others are unanimous on this issue as was made clear concerning the request for rain. In view of these facts, Dr. Buti calls it a strange confusion by the Wahhabiyyah to make difference between the lifetime of the Prophet and after his death.[32]
To quote Professor Hasan bin 'Ali al-Saqqaf, polytheism (shirk) is polytheism either in this world or in the next, whether or not the person through whom people are seeking tawassul to God, is alive. But, he adds, without the least doubt tawassul to Prophet Muhammad (s) is supported by the general rules of permissibility, and includes both his lifetime and after his death as well as in the Hereafter.[33]
Tawassul to the Dead is Addressing the Non-Existent
Muhammad bin 'Abd al-Wahhab writes: Tawassul to a person who is alive has no objection, but tawassul to the dead is to address the non-existent and is an absurd, ugly and despised act.
Critique

This statement is a clear violation of Allah's words in the Holy Qur'an:

"Reckon not those who are slain in the way of Allah, to be dead; Nay! They are alive and are being sustained by their Lord." (3:169)
2. It is also in contradiction to the saying of Prophet Muhammad (s) as recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim and all other authoritative (Sihah) Sunni works. After the Battle of Badr the Prophet (s) stood near the well of the same name and addressed the dead with ayah 46 of Surah al-A'raf. When some of his companions objected that how could the dead hear him, the Prophet (s) replied: "You are not more hearing than them."[34]
3. It is in opposition to the statements of Islamic intellectuals such as al-Ghazzali who writes in Ihya' 'Ulum al-Din: "Some people think death as extinction and state of non-existent, and those who hold such beliefs have no faith and actually mean to deny Allah and the Hereafter."
Hafiz al-Nawawi in al-Majmu' fi Sharh al-Muhadhdhab which says that while standing beside the tombs of Prophets, especially the shrine of Prophet Muhammad (s), it is recommended to request them to supplicate to God for our needs, since they are alive and as the Holy Qur'an says: "are being sustained by their Lord." (3:169)[35]
Shaykh Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri who states his fatwa and that of 75 'ulama' of different Islamic lands as follows: In our view, Prophet Muhammad (s) is alive in his holy tomb and his life is similar to worldly life but without its duties. 'Allamah Jalal al-Din Suyuti writes in his book Anba' al-Azkiya' bi-Hayat al-Anbiya' on the authority of Shaykh Taqi al-Din Subki that the proof of the life of Prophets and martyrs in their graves is the prayer offered by Prophet Moses in his own tomb as mentioned in a hadith. In this regard Shaykh Shams al-Islam Muhammad Qasim has written a booklet titled Ab-i Hayat.[36]
4. Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab in answer to Shaykh Ja'far Najafi said that seeking help from the dead is an absurd act. But how could this be called shirk since there is no connection between absurdity and polytheism? And if tawassul with fellow humans is considered shirk, then how could the difference between tawassul to the living and tawassul to the dead, be ascertained?
5. Here Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab has contradicted his own opinion, since as we saw earlier in this article he believed that Prophet Muhammad (s) is alive in his tomb and said that this state of life of the Prophet (s) is superior than the life of the martyrs. Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab also said that the Prophet (s) hears the voice of those who send blessings on him.[37]
6. Farid Wajdi mentions in his encyclopaedia:
In our era God has opened two of the windows of knowledge for us and the proof of this two windows confirms beyond an iota of doubt that man has a soul which without the need of the physical body can lead its own independent life.[38 ]
From the 19th century onwards the science of spiritism or contacts with the souls of the departed has been discovered and developed upon by the world's researchers after precise study and experiments in this regard. In the US and Europe, the summoning of the souls of the departed is part of the world of science.[39]
The information which modern scientists have discovered after witnessing the summoning of souls, is yet another instance of the fact that the human being has an independent soul outside the physical body that does not perish with death. The connection of the souls of the departed with the living is the finest proof of the independence and immortality of the soul, and most of its capability concerning many works is with the permission of Almighty God.[40]
The souls of the righteous and pious persons which have been released from the mortal world have acquired superior perception and consciousness and in their ascendant journey are free of the limits of time and space. They penetrate with ease the skies and the depths of the oceans to observe the grandeur of God's creation.
Blocking of Means (Sadd-i Dhara'i')
Some of the Wahhabi 'ulama' such as Dr. Muhammad bin Sa'd Suway'ir who is one of the deputies of Shaykh Bin Baz, say that tawassul and tabarruk are permissible for 'ulama' who are cognizant of the essence of faith, but this is forbidden for the common people, who are prone to drift towards polytheism and who might gradually start believing in the personal influence of the Prophet and saints in the granting of boons and prevention of the detrimental things. Therefore, it is obligatory to stop them from tawassul and tabarruk in the name of Blocking of Means.
Critique
Ayatullah Wa'iz-Zadeh rejecting the Wahhabi theory against tawassul says:
When the permissibility or recommendation for this act has been confirmed with rational proof, it is not permissible to prohibit tawassul for such unfounded fears that the ignorant might give it the colour of polytheism. If such was the case, the Prophet (s) himself would have prohibited people as a precaution from seeking blessing, visiting the graves or kissing the sacred black stone (Hajar al-Aswad) at the holy Ka'bah. On the contrary, judicious measures for checking possible deviation is for the 'ulama' to exercise greater control.[41]
Takfir of Shi'ah for Tawassul
Ibn Taymiyyah, despite his extreme and biased approach for prohibiting tawassul, has admitted:
This is a controversial issue and to accuse of heresy those who make tawassul is haram and is a sinful act, since no one has said that a person making tawassul to the Prophet (s) after his death is a kafir. This is an ambiguous issue and there are no certain proofs in this regard. Kufr is confirmed when a person rejects any of the tenets of faith deliberately and being fully aware. Therefore, those who accuse a person of heresy for making tawassul deserve the most severe punishment.[42]
It is unfortunate that the blind prejudice which the colonial powers had skilfully exploited to create differences among Sunni Muslims as a result of the Wahhabiyyah opposition to the issue of tawassul, has been widened to sow discord between Sunni and Shi'ah Muslims and to label the Shi'ah as kafir (infidel) or mushrik (polytheist) on the allegation that they seek their requests from other than God. To quote Ayatullah Wa'iz-Zadeh, those who do not permit tawassul and tabarruk are only a fraction of a minority among the 'ulama' of the Muslim world, and despite their efforts over the past seven centuries, have not been able to convince the upholders of tawassul.[43]
Thus, as should be clear, according to the statement of Ibn Taymiyyah the issue of tawassul is a moral one and does not concern the principles of faith, since a kafir is the one who rejects any of the tenets of Islam.
Extreme Form of Tawassul among the Ahl al-Sunnah
It is a common sight in many countries to see the Ahl al-Sunnah approach the graves of pious persons to pray and supplicate for their needs. In Egypt, Iraq and Turkey, and many other lands --India, Pakistan, Syria, Central Asia, North Africa-- it is an accepted practice by the masses to visit the tombs of saints and holy personages to make tawassul and seek blessings. Dr. Mustafa Mahmud writes that people in Egypt flock to the tomb of Rifa'i and Ibrahim Dasuqi and cry loudly with such phrases as: Madad Ya Rifa'i (help me O Rifa'i), Shifa' bi-Yadika Ya Sayyidi Ibrahim Dasuqi (In your hands lie the remedy, O my Lord Ibrahim Dasuqi).[44]
The Egyptians also visit the tomb of Shafi'i, the founder of the Shafi'ite sect, for tawassul, while in Baghdad, the Hanafis do the same at the tomb of Abu Hanifah. In Turkey, the people seek their needs at the tomb of the Prophet's eminent companion Abu Ayyub Ansari. It is also a habit among people in Egypt and other places to send written petitions to the tomb of Shafi'i, and wail and cry at the graves of pious persons for things which none except the Almighty God has the power to grant.
When Wahhabi 'ulama' come across such scenes among the Ahl al-Sunnah they brand these Muslims as polytheists and follow the same assumption against the Shi'ah, concerning whom they have little or no information, and sometimes go to extreme by labelling them apostates who should be killed.
Purity of Monotheism in Shi'ah Supplications
The prayers and acts of worship among the Shi'ah have the purest form of monotheism derived from the guidelines of Prophet Muhammad (s) and the Ahl al-Bayt ('a). For instance, Shi'ah do not put their forehead during prostration on carpet, cloth, plastic or synthetic material, since Imam Ja'far al-sadiq ('a) has said:
Worldly people are slaves of victuals and clothing, hence it is not right for a person who is in the act of offering his prayer to Allah to place his forehead on the deity of the worshippers of the world.[45]
Likewise, Shi'ah Muslims recite the supplications taught by the Prophet (s) and his Ahl al-Bayt ('a) in which all requests are directed to Almighty Allah. The Infallible Imams ('a) have also dissuaded people from being distracted by external appearances and losing sight of the reality and substance of the supplications.
Shi'ah 'ulama' have strived to preserve the path of the Prophet (s) and his Ahl al-Bayt ('a). Grand Ayatullah Sayyid Husayn Burujirdi was averse to prostration being made on a clay tablet having the outlines of a dome or structure. In their jurisprudential manuals, both Ayatullah Burujirdi and Imam Khumayni have the following to say concerning prostration at holy shrines:
It is haram to prostrate to anyone except Allah. If the act of prostration in front of the shrines of the Infallible Imams ('a) is a form of thanksgiving to God, there is no objection, otherwise it is haram. [46]
A Glance at the Supplications of the Ahl al-Bayt ('a)
As acknowledged by the prominent Sunni scholar Mahmud Alusi in his exegesis on the Holy Qur'an, in none of the supplications that have been taught by the Ahl al-Bayt ('a), there is tawassul to the person of the Prophet.[47]
If we go through the books of supplications of the Shi'ah such as Mafatih al-Jinan, we find that all supplications of the Infallible Imams ('a) are directed solely at God, and all addresses begin with Allahumma, Ya Allah, Ya Rabb, and other attributes of God such as Ya Rahman, Ya Rahim, Ya Dhu al-Jalal wa al-Ikram, etc.
Sayyid Muhammad Hasan Musawi, writing on the famous Du'a' Tawassul which is directed at the Prophet (s) and the Infallible Imams ('a), says:
The purpose of tawassul to the pious believers is that they are being requested to supplicate to Allah to deliver the person in need from his affliction, since the supplication of these saintly figures is accepted by Allah.[48]
The Du'a' Tawassul which is found in Mafatih al-Jinan is the same supplication of tawassul which all Sunni narrators of hadith unanimously regard as sahih (authentic) and relate that the Prophet taught it to a blind man who recovered his eyesight by reciting it.[49]
Conclusion
Therefore, in conclusion we can state with authority the following points, since tawassul is an accepted principle in the life of a sincere and God-fearing Muslim, and whatever disputes that have been fanned are due to bigotry and lack of proper understanding of Islam:

Controversy over the issue of tawassul is not a matter of discord between Shi'ah and Sunni Muslims, but it is a difference of opinion between the Salafiyyah sect and the rest of Muslims.
Most of the differences of the Salafiyyah Wahhabis are with the extremist Sufis who believe in reincarnation, and with the Sunni masses who often make emotional tawassul at graves and seek their needs from the departed such as Abu Hanifah (and 'Abd al-Qadir Gilani) in Baghdad, Shafi'i, Rifa'i, Dasuqi and others in Egypt, Idris in Morocco and Abu Ayyub Ansari in Turkey - as well as Khawajah Mu'in al-Din Chishti and numerous others in India, and Data Ganj Bakhsh and Sufi saints in Pakistan.
In fact, the Salafiyyah and the Wahhabis have the least differences with Shi'ah Muslims since Shi'ah recite the supplications of the Ahl al-Bayt ('a) which contain the purest form of monotheism. However, because of their non-familiarity with the Shi'ah they accuse them of polytheism and in their ignorance brand them infidels.
In all the supplications of the Ahl al-Bayt ('a) the addressee is Almighty Allah alone, even in the famous Du'a' Tawassul, which the Sunnis say with unanimity was taught by Prophet Muhammad (s) to a blind person who subsequently regained his eyesight.
Du'a' tawassul, where devotion is expressed to the Prophet (s) and his Infallible Ahl al-Bayt ('a), is not exclusively meant for the Shi'ah but was widely popular among the Sunnis until Ibn Taymiyyah and later Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab came on the scene with their weird interpretation. For instance, the poetical composition of tawassul to the 14 Infallibles found in the works of prominent poets of the Ahl al-Sunnah such as the Persian poet Shaykh Sa'di and the Sufi Khalid Naqhsbandi -- as well as the famous Spanish Muslim gnostic and philosopher Shaykh Muhyi al-Din Ibn al-'Arabi.
As part of their misinformation campaign against tawassul, the Salafiyyah attempt to exploit certain Ayahs of the Holy Qur'an which refer to the polytheists who worship idols instead of the One and Only God and who seek their wants from these lifeless man-made objects. However, it is clear that equating those who seek tawassul to the Prophet (s) with the polytheists and infidels is an erroneous idea, since tawassul-seekers, unlike the idolators, address the Almighty Creator and seek their needs from Him by making the Prophet (s) a wasilah for acceptance of prayer. On the other hand, the idols have no connection with God and are nothing more than inanimate objects made by man, while Prophet Muhammad (s) is the manifest sign of Allah, the Messenger of Allah and Mercy to the creation. Allah has also given him power, both in this world and in the next, to supplicate and intercede for his true followers. The Wahhabi contention of the period of Barzakh of the Prophet (s) lacks any rational explanation and is against the view of the 'ulama' of all other sects of the Ahl al-Sunnah.
Those who wish to make the Prophet (s) the intercessor without being obedient to the Holy Qur'an and the Ahl al-Bayt ('a), have been likened by Shi'ah 'ulama' such as 'Allamah Tabataba'i, to a wishful person who wants to become the sage of the age without learning or studying anything.

Notes:
[1]. Refer to the Arabic lexicons Lisan al-'Arab, Asas al-Balaghah and Tartib al-Qamus al-Muhit for meaning of wasala.
[2]. Alusi, Ruh al-Ma'ani, vol. 6, p. 124-128.
[3]. Tabrisi, Majma' al-Bayan, vol. 6, p. 86; Sahih Muslim, vol. 1, p. 289.
[4]. Nida'-i Wahdat, Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab's treatise to Shaykh Ja'far Najafi.
[5]. Sharh al-Mawahib, vol. 8, p. 304; al-Majmu', vol. 8, p. 274; Ibn 'Abidin, vol. 5, p.254; al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah, vol. 1, p. 266 and vol. 5, 318; Fath al-Qadir, vol. 8, p. 297, 298 and al-Futuhat al-Rabbaniyyah 'ala al-Azkar al-Nabawiyyah, vol. 5, p. 36.
[6]. Sharh al-Mawahib, vol. 8, p. 304-5; Wafa' al-Wafad, vol. 4, p. 1371; al-Qawanin al-Fiqhiyyah, p. 148; and Sharh Ibn al-Hasan 'ala al-Risalah al-Qirwani, vol. 12, p. 478).
[7]. Al-Majmu', vol. 8, p. 274; Fayd al-Qadir, vol. 2, p. 134; I'anah al-Talibiyyin, p. 315.
[8]. Al-Mughni ma' al-Sharh, vol. 3, p. 588; al-Sharh al-Kabir ma' al-Mughni, vol. 3, p. 494.
[9]. Abu Hamid Muhammad al-Ghazzali', Ihya' 'Ulum al-Din, vol. 1, pp. 258-261.
[10]. Al-Mausu'ah al-Fiqhiyyah, section 14, p. 160.
[11]. Ibid.
[12]. Tafsir Ruh al-Ma'ani, vol. 6, 128.
[13]. Shaykh Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri, 'Aqa'id Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah fi radd al-Wahhabiyyah wa al-Bid'ah, translated into Persian by 'Abd al-Rahman Sarbazi, p. 86.
[14]. Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an, vol. 6, p. 328-332.
[15]. Ibid.
[16]. Refer to Shaykh Aqa Buzurg Tehrani, al-Dhari'ah ila Tasanif al-Shi'ah, vol. 25, p. 69-92.
[17]. Tafsir al-Mizan, vol. 11, p. 15 (Dar al-'Alami print, Beirut).
[18]. Ibn Taymiyyah, Qa'idah Jalilah fi al-Tawassul wa al-Wasilah, pp. 63, 64 & 95, as cited in al-Mausu'ah al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kuwaitiyyah.
[19]. Muhammad Rashid Rida, al-Manar, vol. 6, pp. 369-377.
[20]. Bayhaqi, Dala'il al-Nabuwwah, vol. 5, p. 489 (Dar al-Kitab al-'Ilmiyyah print, Beirut), cited from al-Mausu'ah al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kuwaitiyyah, vol. 24; al-Mustadrak, vol. 2, p. 615, Ibn Taymiyyah, al-Fatawa, vol. 1, p. 150, Jalal al-Din Suyuti, Tafsir Durr al-Manthur, vol. 1, pp. 142-149 (Dar al-Fikr print, Beirut, 1983).
Translator's note: Suyuti is more elaborate when on p. 147, he says Adam supplicated to Allah by the right of Prophet Muhammad and his progeny (Allahumma bi-haqqi Muhammad wa Al-i Muhammad) He further quotes the Prophet (s) on the authority of 'Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas as saying that the words taught to Adam by God to seek forgiveness were: By the right of Muhammad, and 'Ali, and Fatimah, and Hasan and Husayn).
[21]. Al-Tabarani, al-Mu'jam al-saghir, vol. 1, p. 183, (Maktabah al-Salafiyyah print) cited in al-Mausu'ah al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kuwaitiyyah, vol. 24.
[22]. Al-Mausu'ah al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kuwaitiyyah, vol. 7, p. 263; Qa'idah Jalilah, p. 51.
[23]. 'Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Hasan Musawi, Nida' Wahdat, pp. 260-261.
[24]. Al-Mausu'ah al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kuwaitiyyah, vol. 14, p. 160.
[25]. Manawi, al-Fayd, vol. 3, p. 540; Hasan bin 'Ali Saqqaf, al-Tandid bi-man Addada al-Tawhid, pp. 30-40.
[26]. Tafsir al-Jalalayn; Baydawi, Anwar al-Tanzil, vol. 2, 270
[27]. Tafsir al-Manar, vol. 1, p. 59.
[28]. Ibn ''Abd al-Wahhab, Risalah Kashf al-Shubahat, cited in al-Rasul Yad'ukum, p. 295.
[29]. Risalatan Bayn al-Shaykhayn al-Ustadh Muhammad Wa'iz-Zadeh Khurasani wa al-Ustadh 'Abd al-'Aziz bin 'Abdullah bin Baz, pp. 32-33.
[30]. 'Allamah Tabataba'i, Majmu'ah-yi Maqalat, pp. 313-317.
[31]. Risalatan Bayn al-Shaykhayn, p. 41.
[32]. Dr Buti, Ramadan, Fiqh al-Sunnah, tenth edition, p. 355.
[33]. Hasan bin 'Ali al-Saqqaf, al-Ta'liq 'ala Risalatayn, Risalah at-Taqrib Quarterly, No. 17, 1418 AH, p. 69.
[34]. Sahih al-Bukhari, vol. 14, p. 111, Dar Ihya' al-Turath, Beirut; Sahih al-Muslim, chapter 51, pp. 76-77; Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, vol. 1, p. 26 & vol. 2, pp. 31 & 131; Musnad Tiyalisi, hadith 403.
[35]. Al-Majmu', vol. 8, p. 274, chapter on manners of pilgrimage.
[36]. Shaykh Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri, 'Aqa'id Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah fi radd al-Wahhabiyyah wa al-Bid'ah, translated into Persian by 'Abd al-Rahman Sarbazi, pp. 82-88.
[37]. Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, Risalah Kashf al-Shubahat, cited in al-Rasul Yad'ukum, p. 295.
[38]. Da'irah al-Ma'arif Qarn al-'Ishrin (20th Century Encyclopaedia), under the topic of 'Ruh' (Soul), vol. 14, p. 365.
[39]. Refer for details to Leone Danny's "World After Death", pp. 78-82.
[40]. Dr. Bi-Azar Shirazi, 'Abd al-Karim, Gozashteh va Ayandeh-ye Jahan, pp. 96-101.
[41]. Risalatan Bayn al-Shaykhayn, p. 17.
[42]. Majmu'ah Fatawa Ibn Taymiyyah, vol. 1, p. 106, as cited in al-Mausu'ah al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kuwaitiyyah, vol. 14, pp. 163-164.
[43]. Risalatan Bayn al-Shaykhayn, pp. 17-18.
[44]. Mustafa Mahmud, Asrar al-Qur'an, Dar al-Ma'arif, second edition, p. 77.
[45]. Shaykh Hurr al-'Amili, Wasa'il al-Shi'ah, vol. 3, p. 591.
[46]. Ayatullah Burujirdi, Tawdih al-Masa'il, p. 172; Imam Khumayni, Tahrir al-Wasilah, vol. 1, p. 150, and also in Risalah-ye Novin, vol. 1, p. 148.
[47]. Ruh al-Ma'ani, vol. 6, p. 128.
[48]. Sayyid Muhammad Hasan Musawi, Risalah dar Kitab wa Sunnat, Majmu'ah Maqalat, Kitab Nida'-e Wahdat, Tehran, Chehel-Sutun Publishers, p. 259.
[49]. Sunan Tirmidhi, vol. 5, p. 569, Matba'ah al-Halabi, Egypt, cited in al-Mausu'ah

Message of Thaqalayn Methods of Religious Thought in Islam

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 13:27:00 +0800

By "religious thought" we mean that form of thought which is concerned with any of the problems of a religious nature within a particular religion, in the same sense that mathematical thought is the form of thought which deals with mathematical questions and solves mathematical problems.

Needless to say religious thought, like other forms of thought, must have reliable sources from which the raw material of its thought originates and upon which it depends. Similarly, the process of reasoning necessary for the solution of mathematical problems must have a series of established mathematical facts and principles.

The single source upon which the divinely revealed religion of Islam depends and upon which it is based, inasmuch as it is based on a revelation of celestial origin, is none other than the Holy Qur'an. It is the Qur'an which is the definitive testament of the universal and ever-living prophet hood of the Prophet and it is the content of the Qur'an that bears the substance of the Islamic call. Of course the fact that the Qur'an is alone the source of Islamic religious thought does not eliminate other sources and origins of correct thinking, as will be explained later.

There are three methods of religious thought in Islam. The Holy Qur'an in its teachings points to three paths for Muslims to follow in order to comprehend the purposes of religion and the Islamic sciences:

(1) The path of the external and formal aspect of religion (the Shari'ah):

(2) The path of intellectual understanding; and

(3) The path of spiritual comprehension achieved through sincerity (ikhlas) in obeying God.

These three methods differ from each other in several ways. For instance, since the external forms of religion are verbal expressions in the simplest language, they are in the hands of all people, and everyone benefits from them according to his own capacity. On the other hand, the other two paths, which are appropriate to a particular group (the elite-khawass), are not common to all. The path of the external forms of religion leads to the understanding of the principles and the obligations of Islam and results in knowledge of the substance of the beliefs and practices of Islam, and of the principles of the Islamic sciences, ethics, and jurisprudence. This is in contrast to the other two paths. The intellectual path can discover the problems connected with faith, ethics, and the general principles governing practical questions, but the intellectual method cannot discover the specific religious injunctions given in the Qur'an and the Sunnah. The path of purification of the carnal souls since it leads to the discovery of God given spiritual truths can have neither limits nor measure of its results or of the truths revealed through this divine gift. Men who have reached this knowledge have cut themselves off from everything and forgotten everything but god and are under the direct guidance and dominion of God Himself-May His Name be Glorified. Whatever He wants and not what they want is revealed to them.

We will now take up in detail the three methods of religious thought in Islam.

FIRST METHOD: THE FORMAL ASPECT OF RELIGION

The Different Facets of the Formal Aspect of Religion

It has become clear from what has been said thus far that the Holy Qur'an, which is the principal source of religious thought in Islam has given full authority to the external meanings of its words for those who give ear to its message. The same external meaning of the Qur'anic verses has made the sayings of the Prophet complementary to the words of the Qur'an and has declared them to be authoritative like the Qur'an. For as the Qur'an says:

And We have revealed Unto thee the Remembrance that thou mayst explain to mankind that which hath been revealed for them. (XVI: 44).

And

He it is who hath sent among the unlettered ones a messenger of their own, to recite unto them his revelations and to make them grow, and to teach them the scripture and wisdom (LXII: 2).

And

And whatsoever the messenger giveth you, take it And whatsoever he forbiddeth, abstain (from it) (LIX: 7).

And,

Verily! in the messenger of Allah ye have a good example (XXXIII: 21).

It is quite evident that such verses would not have any real meaning if the words and deeds of the Prophet and even his silence and approval were not authority for us just as the Quran itself is. Thus the words of the Prophet are authoritative and must be accepted by those who have heard them orally or received them through reliable transmission. Moreover, through such a completely authentic chain of transmission it is known that the Holy Prophet said,

I leave two things of value amidst you in trust which, if you hold on to, you will never go astray, the Qur'an and the members of my household. These will never be separated until the Day of Judgment.

According to this and other definitely established hadith the words of the Family and Household of the Prophet form a corpus that is complementary to the prophetic hadith. The Household of the Prophet in Islam has authority in religious sciences and is inherent in the explanation of the teachings and injunctions of Islam. Their sayings, received orally or through reliable transmission, are reliable and authoritative.

Therefore, it is clear that the traditional source from which the formal and external aspect of religion is derived, which is an authoritative document and which is also the basic source for the religious thought of Islam, consists of two parts: the Book (the Qur'an) and the Sunnah. By the Book is meant the external aspect of the verses of the Holy Qur'an; and by the Sunnah, hadith received from the Prophet and his revered Household.

Traditions of the Companions

In Shi'ism hadith transmitted through the companions are dealt with according to this principle: if they deal with the words and actions of the Prophet and do not contradict the hadith of the Household of the Prophet, they are acceptable. If they contain only the views or opinions of the companions themselves and not those of the Prophet, they are not authoritative as sources for religious injunctions. In this respect the ruling of the companions is like the ruling of any other Muslim. In the same way, the companions themselves dealt with other companions in questions of Islamic law as they would with any Muslim, not as someone special.

The Book and Tradition

The Book of God, the Holy Quran, is the principal source of every from of Islamic thought. It is the Qur'an which gives religious validity and authority to every other religious source in Islam. Therefore, it must be comprehensible to all. Moreover, the Qur'an describes itself as the light which illuminates all things. Also it challenges men and requests them to ponder over its verses and observe that there are no disparities of contradictions in them. It invites them to compose a similar work, if they can, to replace it. It is clear that if the Holy Qur'an were not comprehensible to all there would be no place for such assertions.

To say that the Qur'an is in itself comprehensible to all is not in any way contradictory to the previous assertion that the Prophet and his Household are religious authorities in the Islamic sciences, which are in reality only elaboration of the content of the Qur'an. For instance, in the part of the Islamic sciences which comprise the injunctions and laws of the Shari'ah the Qur'an contains only the general principles. The clarification and elaboration of their details, such as the manner of accomplishing the daily prayers, fasting, exchanging merchandise, and in fact all acts of worship (ibadat) and transactions (mu'amalat), can he achieved only by referring to the traditions of the Holy Prophet and his Household.

As for the other part of the Islamic sciences dealing with doctrines and ethical methods and practices although their content and details can be comprehended by all, the understanding of their full meaning depends on accepting the method of the Household of the Prophet. Also each verse of the Qur'an must be explained and interpreted by means of other Qur'anic verses, not by views which have become acceptable and familiar to us only through habit and custom.

Ali has said:

Some parts of the Qur'an speak with other parts of it revealing to us their meaning and some parts attest to the meaning of others.

And the Prophet has said,

Parts of the Qur'an verify other parts.

And also:

Whosoever interprets the Qur'an according to his own opinion has made a place for himself in the fire.

As a simple example of the commentary of the Qur'an through the Qur'an may be cited the story of the torture of the people of Lot about whom in one place God says, "And we rained on them a rain," and in another place He has changed this phrase to, "Lo! We sent a storm of stones upon them (all).'

By relating the second verse to the first it becomes clear that by "rain" is meant "stones" from heaven. Whoever has studied with care the hadith of the Household of the Prophet, and the outstanding companions who were the followers of the Prophet, will have no doubt that the commentary of the Qur'an through the Qur'an is the sole method of Qur'anic commentary taught by the Household of the Prophet.

The Outward and Inward Aspects of the Qur'an

It has been explained that the Holy Qur'an elucidates religious aims through its own words and gives commands to mankind in matters of doctrine and action. But the meaning of the Qur'an is not limited to this level.

Rather, behind these same expressions and within these same meanings there are deeper and wider levels of meaning, which only the spiritual elite who possess pure hearts can comprehend.

The Prophet, who is the divinely appointed teacher of the Quran, says:

The Qur'an has a beautiful exterior and a profound interior.

He has also said,

The Qur'an has an inner dimension, and that inner dimension has an inner dimension up to seven inner dimensions.

Also, in the sayings of the Imams there are numerous references to the inner aspect of the Qur'an.

The main support of these assertions is a symbol, which God has mentioned in Chapter XIII, verse 17, of the Qur'an. In this verse divine gifts are symbolized by rain that falls from heaven and upon which depends the life of the earth and its inhabitants. With the coming of the rain, floods begin to flow and each riverbed accepts a certain amount of the flood, depending on its capacity. As it flows, the flood is covered with foam, but beneath the foam there is that same water which is life giving and beneficial to mankind.

As is indicated by this symbolic story, the capacity for comprehension of divine sciences, which are the source of man's inner life, differs among people. There are those for whom there is no reality beyond physical existence and the material life of this world which lasts but a few days.

Such people are attached to material appetites and physical desires alone and fear nothing but the loss of material benefits and sensory enjoyment. Such people, taking into consideration the differences of degree among them, can at best accept the divine sciences on the level of believing in a summary fashion in the doctrines and performing the practical commands of Islam in a purely outward manner without any comprehension. They worship God with the hope of recompense or tear of punishment in the next world.

There are also those who because of the purity of their nature, do not consider their well being to lie in attachment to the transient pleasures of the fleeting life of this world. The losses and gains and hitter and sweet experiences of this world are for them no more than and attractive illusion.

Memory of those who have passed before them in the caravan of existence, who were pleasure-seekers yesterday and no more than subjects of stories today, is a warning that is continuously present before their eyes. Such men who possess pure hearts are naturally attracted to the world of eternity. They view the different phenomena of this passing world as symbols and portents of the higher world, not as persisting and independent realities.

It is at this point that through earthly and heavenly signs, upon the horizons and within the souls of men, they "observe" in a spiritual vision the Infinite Light of the Majesty and Glory of God. Their hearts become completely enamored with the longing to reach and understanding of the secret symbols of creation. Instead of being imprisoned in the dark and narrow well of personal gain and selfishness they begin to fly in the unlimited space of the world of eternity and advance ever onwards toward the zenith of the spiritual world.

When they hear that God has forbidden the worship of idols, which outwardly means bowing down before an idol, they understand this command to mean that they should not obey other than God, for to obey means to bow down before someone and to serve him. Beyond that meaning they understand that they should not have hope or fear of other than God: beyond that, they should not surrender to the demands of their selfish appetites; and beyond that, they should not concentrate on anything except God, May His Name be Glorified.

Likewise when they hear from the Qur'an that they should pray, the external meaning of which is to perform the particular rites of prayers, through its inner meaning they comprehend that they must worship and obey God with all their hearts and souls. Beyond that they comprehend that before God they must consider themselves as nothing, must forget themselves and remember only God.

It can be seen that the inner meaning present in these two examples is not due to the outward expression of the command and prohibition in question. Yet the comprehension of this meaning is unavoidable for anyone who has begun to meditate upon a more universal order and has preferred to gain a vision of the universe of reality rather than his own ego, who has preferred objectivity to an egocentric subjectivism.

From this discussion the meaning of the outward and inward aspects of the Qur'an has become clear. It has also become evident that the inner meaning of the Qur'an does not eradicate or invalidate its outward meaning. Rather, it is like the soul, which gives life to the body. Islam, which is a universal and eternal religion and places the greatest emphasis upon the "reformation" of mankind, can never disperse with its external laws which are for the benefit of society, nor with its simple doctrines which are the guardians and preservers of these laws.

How can a society, on the pretense that religion is only a matter of the heart, that man's heart should be pure and that there is no value to actions, live in disorder and yet attain happiness? How can impure deeds and words cause the cultivation of a pure heart? Or how can impure words emanate from a pure heart? God says in His Book,

Vile women are for vile men, and vile men for vile women. Good women are for good men, and good men for good women. (XXIV: 26).

He also says,

As for the good land, its vegetation cometh forth by permission of its Lord, while as for that which is bad, only evil cometh forth (from it) (VII: 58).

Thus it becomes evident that the Holy Qur'an has an outward and an inward aspect and the inward aspect itself has different levels of meaning. The hadith literature, which explains the content of the Qur'an also contains these various aspects.

The Principles of Interpretation of the Qur'an

At the beginning of Islam it was commonly believed by some Sunnis that if there were sufficient reason one could ignore the outward meaning of Qur'anic verses and ascribe to them a contrary meaning. Usually the meaning which opposed the outward literal meaning was called ta'wil, and what is called "taw'il of the Qur'an" in Sunni Islam is usually understood in this sense.

In the religious works of Sunni scholars as well as in the controversies that have been recorded as taking place between different schools, one often observes that if a particular point of doctrine (that has been established through the consensus of the ulama (scholars) of a school or through some other means) is opposed to the outward meaning of a verse of the Quran that verse is interpreted by ta'wil to have a meaning contrary to its apparent meaning.

Sometimes two contending sides support two opposing views and present Qur'anic verses in proof of their contentions. Each side interprets the verses presented by the other side through ta'wil This method has also penetrated more or less into Shi'ism and can he seen in some Shi'ite theological works.

Yet, sufficient deliberation upon Qur'anic verses and the hadith of the Household of the Prophet demonstrates clearly that the Holy Qur'an with its attractive language and eloquent and lucid expression never uses enigmatic or puzzling methods of exposition and always expounds any subject in a language suitable for that subject. What has been rightly called ta'wil, or hermeneutic interpretation, of the Holy Qur'an is not concerned simply with the denotation of words. Rather, it is concerned with certain truths and realities that transcend the comprehension of the common run of men; yet it is from these truths and realities that the principles of doctrine and the practical injunctions of the Qur'an issue forth.

The whole of the Qur'an possesses the sense of ta'wil, of esoteric meaning, which cannot be comprehended directly through human thought alone. Only the prophets and the pure among the saints of god who are free from the dross of human imperfection can contemplate these meanings while living on the present plane of existence. On the Day of Resurrection the ta'wil of the Qur'an will be revealed to every one.

This assertion can be explained by pointing to the fact that what forces man to use speech, create words and make use of expressions is nothing other than his social and material needs. In his social life man is forced to try to make his fellow men understand his thoughts and intentions and the feelings which exist within his soul. To accomplish this end he makes use of sounds and hearing. Occasionally also he uses to a degree his eyes and gestures. That is why between the mute and the blind there can never be any mutual comprehension. For whatever the blind man says the deaf cannot hear, and whatever the mute makes understood through gestures the blind man cannot see.

The creation of words and the naming of objects have been accomplished mostly with a material end in view. Expressions have been created for those objects, states, and conditions that are material and available to the senses or near to the sensible world. As can be seen in those cases where the person addressed lacks one of the physical senses, if we wish to speak of matters which can be comprehended through the missing sense we employ a kind of allegory and similitude. For example, if we wish to describe light of color to one who is born blind, or the pleasures of sex to a child that has not reached the age of adolescence, we seek to achieve our purpose through comparison and allegory and through providing appropriate examples.

Therefore, if we accept the hypothesis that in the scale of Universal Existence there are immense levels of reality which are independent of the world of matter (and this is in reality the case), and that in each generation there are among mankind but a handful who have the capability of comprehending and having a vision of these realities, then questions pertaining to these higher worlds cannot be understood through common verbal expressions and modes of thought. They cannot be referred to except by allusion and through symbolism. Since religious realities are of this kind, the expression of the Quran in such matters must of necessity be symbolic.

God says in His Book,

Lo! We have appointed it a Lecture in Arabic that haply ye may understand. And Lo! in the Source of Decrees, which We possess, it is indeed sublime, decisive. (Common comprehension cannot understand it or penetrate into it.) (XLIII: 3-4).

He also says,

That (this) is indeed a noble Qur'an. In a book kept hidden, which none toucheth save the purified. (LVI: 77-79).

Concerning the Prophet and his Household he says,

Allah's wish is but to remove uncleanness far from you, O Folk of the Household, and cleanse you with a thorough cleansing. (XXXIII: 33).

As proved by these verses, the Holy Qur'an emanates from sources beyond the comprehension of common man. No one can have a full comprehension of the Qur'an save those servants of God whom He has chosen to purify. And the Household of the Prophet are among those pure beings.

In another place God says.

Nay, but they denied that (the Qur'an), the knowledge whereof they could not compass, and whereof the interpretation (in events) [ta'wil] hath not yet come into them. (X: 40), (meaning the day of Resurrection when the truth of things will become known).

And again he says,

On the day (the Day of Resurrection) when the fulfillment [ta'wil] thereof (of the whole Qur'an) cometh, those who were before forgetful thereof will say. The messengers of our Lord did bring the Truth! (VII: 53).

Hadith

The principle that the hadith possesses validity, as attested by the Qur'an, is not at all disputed among Shi'ites or in fact among all Muslims. But because of the failure of some of the early rulers of Islam in preserving and guarding the hadith, and the excesses of a group among the companions and followers of the Prophet in propagating hadith literature, the corpus of hadith came to face a certain number of difficulties.

On the one hand, the caliphs of the time prevented the writing down and recording of the hadith and ordered any pages containing texts of hadith to be burned. Sometimes also any increase in activity in the transmission and study of hadith was forbidden. In this way a certain number of hadith were forgotten or lost and a few were even transmitted with a different or distorted meaning. On the other hand, another tendency also prevailed among another group of the companions of the Holy Prophet who had had the honor of seeing his presence and actually hearing his words. This group, which was respected by the caliphs and the Muslim community, began an intense effort to propagate the hadith. This was carried to such an extent that sometimes hadith overruled the Qur'an and the injunction of a Qur'anic verse was even considered abrogated by some people through a hadith. Often the transmitters of hadith would travel many miles and hear all the difficulties of travelling in order to hear a single saying.

A group of outsiders who had worn the dress of Islam and also some of the enemies within the ranks of Islam began to change and distort some of the hadith and thus diminished the reliability and validity of the hadith that was then heard and known. For this very reason Islamic scholars began to think of a solution. They created the sciences concerned with the biography of learned men and chains of transmission of hadith in order to be able to discriminate between true and false hadith.

The Method of Shi'ism in Authenticating the Hadith

Shi'ism, in addition to seeking to authenticate the chain of transmission of hadith, considers the correlation of the text of the hadith with the Qur'an as a necessary condition for its validity. In Shi'ite sources there are many hadith of the Prophet and the Imams with authentic chains of transmission which themselves assert that a hadith contrary to the Qur'an has no value. Only that hadith can be considered valid which is in agreement with the Qur'an.

Basing itself on these hadiths, Shi'ism does not act upon those hadiths which are contrary to the text of the Qur'an. As for hadiths whose agreement or disagreement cannot be established according to instructions received from the Imams they are passed by in silence without being accepted or rejected.

Needless to say there are also within Shi'ism those who, like a group among the Sunnis act on any hadith whatsoever which they happen to find in different traditional sources.

The Method of Shi'ism in Following the Hadith

A hadith heard directly from the mouth of the Prophet or one of the Imams is accepted as is the Qur'an. As for hadiths received through intermediaries, the majority of Shi'ites act upon them if their chain of transmission is established at every step or if there exists definite proof concerning their truth, and, if they are concerned with principles of doctrine which require knowledge and certainty, according to the text of the Qur'an. Other than these two kinds of hadith, no other hadith has any validity concerning principles of doctrine, the invalid hadith being called "tradition with a sincere transmitter" (khabar wahid). However, in establish in the injunctions of the Shari'ah, because of reasons that have been given, Shi'ites act also on a tradition which is generally accepted as reliable. Therefore, it can be said that for Shi'ism a certain and definitely established hadith is absolutely binding and must be followed, while a hadith which is not absolutely established but which is generally considered as reliable is utilized only in the elaboration of the in junctions of the Shari'ah.

Shi'ism and the Transmitted Sciences

The Islamic sciences, which owe their existence to the ulama of Islam who organized and formulated them, are divided into the two categories of intellectual ('aqli) and transmitted (naqli). The intellectual sciences include such sciences as philosophy and mathematics. The transmitted sciences are those which depend upon transmission from some source, such as the sciences of language, hadith, or history. Without doubt the major cause for the appearance of the transmitted sciences in Islam is the Holy Qur'an. With the exception of a few disciplines such as history, genealogy, and prosody the other transmitted sciences have all come into being under the influence of the Holy Book. Guided by religious discussions and research, Muslims began to cultivate these sciences, of which the most important are Arabic literature (grammar, rhetoric, and the science of metaphors) and the sciences pertaining to the external form of religion (recitation of the Qur'an, Qur'anic commentary (tafsir) hadith, biography of learned men, the chain of transmission of hadith, and the principles of jurisprudence).

Shi'ites played an essential role in the foundation and establishment of these sciences. In fact, the founders and creators of many of these sciences were Shi'ites. Arabic grammar was put into a systematic form by Abu'l-Aswad al-Du'ali, one of the companions of the Holy Prophet and by Ali. Ali dictated an outline for the organization of the science of Arabic grammar. One of the founders of the science of eloquence (rhetoric and the science o metaphors) was Sahib ibn 'Ahbad a Shi'ite, who was a vizier of the Buyids.

The first Arabic dictionary is the Kitab al-Ayn composed by the famous scholar, Khalil ibn Ahmad al-Basre the Shi'ite who founded the science of prosody. He was also the teacher of the great master of grammar, Sibuwayh.

The Qur'anic recitation of Asim goes back to Ali through one intermediary, and 'Abdallah ibn 'Abbas, who in hadith was the foremost among the companions, was a student of Ali. The contributions of the Household of the Prophet and their associates in hadith and jurisprudence are well known. The founders of the four Sunni schools of law are known to have associated with the fifth and sixth Shi'ite Imams. In the principles of jurisprudence the remarkable advances accomplished by the Shi'ite scholar Wahid Bihbahani and followed by Shaykh Murtada Ansari have never been matched in Sunni jurisprudence according to existing evidence.

Message of Thaqalayn: The Geography of Qur'anic Accounts: Eight Questions from Six Scholars of the Qur'an

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 13:24:00 +0800

Translated by I. Rasuli Vol. 2, Nos. 2 & 3

While reading the holy Qur'an we come across the names of certain nations, places and persons such as Dhul Qarnayn Dam, Ashab-e Kahf Cave, Dhat al-`Imad, etc. The question is that is it possible to locate these places in the present natural geography or they have gone under any changes? Can we take recourse to science and rely upon the scientific method in dealing with these Qur'anic names?

All the matters in this context were prepared in the form of questionnaire and were sent to some of researchers and connoisseurs. Among them Dr. Ahmad Ahmadi, Ayatullah Muhammad Hadi M`arifat, Baha al-Din Khorramshahi, Dr. Muhammad Husayn Ruhani, Dr. Abul Qasim Imami and Dr. `Abbas Zaryab Khoi have replied which is hereby presented to our readers. Hope the answers would be beneficial to the seekers of the Qur'anic learning.

Q.1- Are the historic places mentioned in the Qur'an in connection with the nations and events, available in the present natural geography in the same form or have they gone under any changes?

A- Ahmad Ahmadi: Some of the places might have been destroyed. The historical changes do not keep anything constant. Sometimes a riverbed changes or the sea advances or regresses. Abeskun island in the Caspian Sea, was a residential place once upon a time, where Khwarazm Shah had come from. It has now gone under the sea and there is no sign of it. Its name only has come in the history. We see some places which have earlier been at the coasts. Through, in the course of historical changes, a hill might have disappeared. Therefore, it cannot be said that the places mentioned in the Qur'an have remained in the same original forms.

A- Abul Qasim Imami : There are certain places related to the ancient tribes which has naturally been changed or disappeared. Except in some cases like the holy house of God (Bayt Allah al-Haram) and the related places or some other places which have relatively retained their previous states. Of course, before referring to the references which have computed these places, a prompt comment is not possible in this regard. In this connection a consultation with archeology organizations will be a good beginning in recognizing the relevant countries.
A- Baha al-Din Khorramshahi: Whereas the Qur'an points to the ancient lands or geographical places such as Wadi Ayman, Madyan, Qura or Madain Lut, M'arib Dam which had probably been built against Al-Iram flood and so on, belonging to more than 15-20 centuries ago, their present locations are probably unknown and require archaeological researches. On the other hand, whatever is located or recognized will be quite different from what have been in the past. 15-20 centuries are enough for not only a city, but also a civilization to bloom or decline.

A- Muhammad Husayn Ruhani: A geographical site on this globe may not remain in the same place due to the following incidents:
a) An earthquake which is an underground product known as Ptate-tectonic bringing about deep changes in the superficial layer of the earth, demolishing surface of the earth easily in a short time.
b) Tides have great effects on the seas.
c) Human factor causes the increasing destruction of the crust of the earth.
d) Falls of such as snow, rain and hail, bring about destructive floods.
e) Soil erosion is a slow, constant and gradual process that ever changes the structure of the earth. This terminology has many applications throughout the present scientific geography.
I, as the editor-in-chief of the Great Islamic Encyclopedia (from 7-10-85 to 16-12-87) asked for a research grant from the management on the "Abeskun" article following researches of British Orientalist "Minorski" and Dr. Manoocher Setudeh. The fund was granted and days and days the geographers and researchers investigated on a boat in the Caspian Sea, but they did not find its exact location.

A- Muhammad Hadi M`arifat: The regions pointed by the Qur'an may have some trace today, such as M'arib dam, ruins of which are available today, even the valves and shutter used to close or open the dam are available. To study those cases, some scientific delegations (from Iran and abroad) visited the site and brought good information. They even could understand how the flood destroyed this dam. Another example is "Ahqaf" which are very soft sands is situated around `Adan, even today.
Some other regions have been referred to in the holy Qur'an and they were existing during the revelation of the Qur'an, such as the remnants of Lut's tribe (37: 137-138).
1- It is obvious that there has been something in front of them on the journey routes of Quraysh. I did not find anybody in the present era to follow this matter, which is worth following. One of the essential issues is follow up, the geographical regions of the history of Islam such as sites of the wars of Ahzab and Khandaq, or Uhud war. We have seen these places but are not reliable. A serious research is required to locate their real sites.

Q. 2- What is the objective of studying archaeological subjects of the Qur'an?

A- Ahmad Ahmadi: Many ancient historical and geographical regions have been mentioned in the stories of the holy Qur'an such the river or sea through which the Bani Israel passed, the land of Ashab-e Hijr, Dhul Qarnayn Dam, Ashab-e Kahf's Cave, earthy paradise of Dhat al-`Imad etc. Research on these and finding their traces is very effective in understanding the Qur'an. In addition, being involved in exploring the past would provide a good background to take lessons from the past on which the holy Qur'an in the following verses to persuade us to do so:

"Have they not travelled in the earth and seen how was the end of those before them? They were stronger than these in powers..." (30:9)
"Indeed there have been examples before you; Therefore travel in the earth..." (3:136)
"...Therefore travel in the land, then see what was the end of the rejecters." (16:36)
"Say: Travel in the earth, then see how was the end of the guilty." (27:69)
"But we will this day deliver you with your body that you may be a sign to those after you, and most surely the majority of the people are heedless of our communications." (10:92)
In this verse, the God's intention of bringing the body of Pharaoh out of water rather than leaving it decaying or being eaten by the sea animals is to give a lesson to future generations. As far as I remember Tantawi says: "The body of Pharaoh contemporaneous to Moses is now in a museum in Egypt."

Many of the existing problems in our national culture and literature need extensive archaeological research. In case of finding new information, our views will be changed about our culture and literature. For example, Alexander dam with its present condition has its effects on our literature stories and proverbs, and we can feel its position in our culture. Supposing that Alexander is the same Dhul Qarnayn of the Qur'an, he has been given a great status (like a prophet) and a poet like Nizami has written one of his complete poetical works in his name. When the archeology or the history proves it wrong that Alexander is not Dhul Qarnayn, our cultural views will change.
With respect to the importance of this subject, we suggested the Cultural Revolution Council in 1982 to include Qur'anic archeological studies in the educational curricula of the universities.

A- Abul Qasim Imami: The objective of archaeological endeavor is to work out the best method and necessary preparations for recognition of geographical places mentioned in the Qur'an and study condition of those people whose names in the Qur'an are associated with those places. Concluding that such studies are necessary for better understanding the Qur'an.

A- Baha al-Din Khorramshahi: The objective of taking up archaeological subjects of the Qur'an is to understand the lessons pointed out by the Qur'an. As we intend to recognize Prophet Ibrahim (s), the father of prophets Sho`ayb, al-yas`a and Khidr in the stories of the Qur'an, likewise, for the same reasons and motives, we should try to understand geographical places of the Qur'an.

A- Muhammad Husayn Ruhani: In my opinion, "archaeological discussions" with its present meaning has not been dealt with in the Qur'an. There are many historical accounts in the Qur'an which are considered to be historical facts. Even the opponents in the Qur'an reproach themselves for the phrase "stories of the predecessors" is attributed to them . (6:25; 16:24; 8:31; 23:83; 25:5; 27:68; 46:17; 68:15; 83:13.)
All those are historical facts which signify the continuity, constancy and everlasting feature of the "divine order" on permeate in the individual, family, and social life of the people. These facts always give alarming to those who deviate from the right path. It seems that at the time of the revelation of the Qur'an, the word "history" did not exist in Arabic language and according to Dr. Muhammad Muhammadi this word was derived from the Persian word Mahrooz. There is a delicate probability of "story" or "stories" (Arabic from the branches of semitic mother tongue) to be taken from the words "histor, historia, histoire, history". This seems impossible. I was a member of a group working on "Ibdal" in Arabic, at the Academy of Iranian Languages, to trace the words and then to compare them with Indo-European mother tongue in order to extract the common root words. There were signs of common root.
It is not surprising to know that the main root of "history" is the Greek word "weid". Perhaps the Qur'an has used the word "stories" for history or report or a historical report.

A- Muhammad Hadi M`arifat: Historical problems have two important restrictions, i.e., they are bound by two things: one is "time", the other is "place". That means, a historian needs the exact time of a historical event to be able to study it. It has sometimes been noted that the historians study scientific and religious books to trace a geographical location. For instance, the palace of "Ibn Hubayrah" has been around Kufa. Finding location of an incident has vital importance for a historian, that means as the time is important for a historian, the place is more important. Perhaps the ancient historians were not giving much importance to the element of place, but the present historians give much importance to the place than time, and I am also of the same opinion. Many unclear historical problems and authenticity or untruth of a historical event can be proved by finding the place.

Q.3) What are the advantages or outcome of determining the sites and ancient positions of the stories of the Qur'an?

A- Abul Qasim Imami: Reaching at an accurate image of ancient places mentioned in the Qur'an, or specifying the geography of the Qur'anic accounts is naturally effective in understanding the verses of the Qur'an. It can clarify the lessons given in the Qur'anic accounts and makes their experimental values more evident. The advantages of every research is known after its completion. Whatever stated in advance cannot be the final conclusion. On the other hand, this depends on the nature of archaeological science as well as accuracy of their methods. It is to be pointed out that all, archeology itself is an important part of historical science, hence, with its potentialities it should be evaluated, taking into account its methods and data as well.

A- Baha al-Din Khorramshahi: The advantages and outcomes of determining the geographical sites as referred to, directly or indirectly, in the Qur'an, is related to its objective which I clarified in the answer given to the earlier question. Moreover , these studies and the scientific outcomes would provide a better understanding of the holy Qur'an and the philosophy of particular history of the Qur'an. Ultimately, such studies will be at the service of the exegesis of the Qur'an.

A- Muhammad Husayn Ruhani: The advantages and outcomes of finding geographical sites and archaeological positions would help to develop a new understanding of the Qur'an, the necessity of which is felt.

A- `Abbas Zaryab Khoi: Recognition of the places mentioned in the Qur'an about the ancient nations and stories of the prophets is important from scientific, historical and geographical point of view, but it has a pure scientific aspect and is useful to satisfy ones curiosity. But the holy Qur'an is not for explanation of the history of nations. Its stories are lessons and examples. It will not harm the understanding of the Qur'an if the geographical sites are not traced except in cases like Hajj (pilgrimage) and understanding its rites.
The Europeans made various efforts in the 19^th century to find unknown regions in Saudi Arabia and Palestine. They traversed throughout the Saudi territory by camel and horse and found many stones and inscriptions. They took away most of them and started finding their scripts and languages. It can be stated that they have discovered the history and geography of pre-Islamic areas. It is obvious that this work was performed for the sake of knowledge and information. For example, the purpose of reading Himayri or Thamudi scripts was not for unscientific or colonial aims, because colonization is possible without knowledge of Ma'rib dam or old cities of Yemen and Roab, and the colonizers are other than those who spend their days and nights in reading inscriptions and discovering their secrets. A number of books have been written in finding locations and ancient places of Saudi Arabia by Europeans. The list of these books and many other articles are in many volumes. In order to gain a very brief knowledge of this immense ocean, the multi-volume history book Arabs before Islam written by Dr. Jawad `Ali will be useful.

Q. 4) Is it possible to clear certain geographical sites in the Qur'an such as Adna al-`Ard, M'utafikat, al-`Udwah al-Duniya and al-`Udwah al-Quswa and Ashab-e Hijr, etc.?

A- Abul Qasim Imami: Although it is a very difficult task, losing hope is not fair.

A- Baha al-Din Khorramshahi: In this regard, I should say that the work of science and research is to clear up the things which have been obscure prior to the investigation. The Muslim commentators and geographers acquainted with the Qur'anic culture and interested in its development and expansion have spared no effort in clearing up the geographical sites of the Qur'an such as Adnal `Ard (Shamat), Mutafikat (the village of Lut which according to some researches is under Bahr al-Mayyit), al-`Udwah al-Duniya and `Udwah Quswa (two hills or strategic points near Medina), or Babylon. Such attempts have reduced superstitions and increased the certainty.

A- Muhammad Husayn Ruhani: Yes, it is possible to clear up such uncertainty from geographical sites of the Qur'an.

A- Muhammad Hadi M`arifat: It is definitely possible. The present historians have cleared up these places. Today "Adna al-`Ard and al-`Udwah al-Duniya and Quswa in Badr war are known. The Ashab-e Hijr is Ahqaf. I have seen in some history books that the geographical route through which Imam Husayn travelled from Mecca to Karbala has been shown accurately, and this is valuable for us. The migration of Imam `Ali from Medina to Kufa, or the route that took the captives from Karbala to Damascus are clear and hence many questions have been answered.

Q. 5) What is the difference between archeology of the Qur'anic accounts and scientific interpretation of the verses? Does it have the same problem of scientific interpretation?

A- Ahmad Ahmadi: Scientific interpretations are always unstable due to the instability of the hypotheses and the theories adopted by the theoreticians. Since no hypothesis is the last one, every new invention requires a new theory for its interpretation or explanation. Therefore, scientific theories are subject to change. Like the Einstein's theory of relativity that changed the Newton's physics, the results of archaeological studies cannot be taken for granted to be the definite meaning. Of course, this possibility also helps us to solve some of the obscurities to some extent.

A- Abul Qasim Imami: The scientific interpretation, if accepted in the same term, is the adaptation of the meanings of some verses to the relative and variant data, and this is nothing but a superficial understanding of the Qur'an, because the knowledge has a new word or theory every time. But in archeology of the Qur'anic, accounts have a constant meaning and possess incomplete or sometimes complete existence outside. The work of archeology is to unveil the fact which once upon a time existed with its special position and has now changed or disappeared but has exactly been the subject matter of the Qur'anic verses. Perhaps, from this point of view, it can briefly be stated that archeology of the Qur'an is more tangible than some other subjects of revelation.

A- Baha al-Din Khorramshahi: About the difference between archeology of the geography of the Qur'anic accounts and scientific interpretation, it should be stated that it is very close to the methods and attitudes of scientific interpretation. Naturally, it may bear the shortcomings of the scientific interpretation. A question may arise here as: if for example, all the Qur'anic geography researchers come to the conclusion that there has been no city or a region known as "Madyan" in ancient world and that this region is not compatible with the natural geography of the world in the past or present, then, what stand should be adopted and what comment should be made? It is against the shari`ah (religious law) to consider them as myth. For example, such an approach would affect the real historical fate and identity of the prophets like Moses and Sho`ayb (peace be upon them) and ultimately it reaches a point where the historic ruins and geography of the Qur'an are looked at in a mythical sense or as literary creation. This is obviously against the official creed of Islam.
Thus, if scientific researchers are determined that cities like Madyan was not a historic or geographical fact, then scholars of the Qur'an cannot admit it for science deals with senses and natural objects, while religion is based on revelation, i.e. permanent realities which are beyond observation, experiment and natural facts. Certainty of faith and realities of the Qur'an should not be dealt with conjectures of the science.

A- `Abbas Zaryab Khoi = As we believe that the Qur'an is from God, the places and locations mentioned therein are relied to be real and if sometimes the geographical or archaeological discoveries fail to comply with them. Then, this will be regarded as drawback of the discoveries, because the archaeological researches and discoveries are not certain, but it is a science based on guess, but not a baseless guesses. It is a guess concluded from reasons such as guess concluded from rational principles and its usage in principle discussions. But the words of God are certain, so the guess and certainty are not equal. As a long time has passed from the revelation of the holy Book, therefore, many of the verses are of reasonable guess. Here the guess of the archaeological discoveries and the reasonable guess of the holy verses do not allow contradiction of those unconvincing discoveries with Qur'anic verses. In case discoveries help the certainty then we have to interpret and paraphrase the verses. This is specially true in cases like universe, skies and earth layers.
The science is attaining progress and perfection, but one in hundred thousands of the mankind's obscurities has not been unveiled, so the divine verses cannot be interpreted in conformity with the science for the apparent controversy with scientific data, because with new discoveries and invalidity of the previous scientific theories a new interpretation should be made for the Qur'an which is not advisable.

A- Muhammad Hadi Ma`rifat = Yes, it has drawbacks of scientific interpretations, because for example to find Dhul Qarnayn Dam it is possible to use the presently available scientific theories while they might have totally gone wrong.
Therefore, making use of archaeological science or geography to determine some locations cited in the Qur'an should be like the use of other sciences in understanding some of the verses. They may be used as the probabilities. Of course, some places like the M'arib Dam are definite and in these cases it cannot be said that the Qur'an was based on conjectures. Thus the Qur'an should not be based on sciences for the Qur'an and religious laws are fixed. It does not change by lapse of time unlike the science which is based on uncertain laws. It is not advisable to deal uncertain matters with certain ones. Except the fixed findings of the science such as the rotation of the earth around sun. Similarly the geographical regions are no exception, some discoveries are certain.

Q-6 Which sciences can be used to locate the geographical sites of the Qur'an?

A- Ahmad Ahmadi: A number of sciences can be used in finding geographical sites of the holy Qur'an, such as: History, archeology, including identification of scripts, stamps, coins, inscriptions, statues, tools instruments, and tombs, geography, sociology, and studying of the nations' characteristics.

A- Abul Qasim Imami = This question is related to the archeology experts who know the tools of their science better. Naturally, they would take help from the Qur'an and the science of history.

A- Baha al-Din Khorramshahi = The sciences which can be used are: Historical geography, history, and archeology and their branches such as linguistics and etymology and so on.

A- Muhammad Husayn Ruhani = A book comprises 2,000 pages with about 1,000 satellite figures and cosmic maps and computerized tables is published under the title of Elements of Natural Geography written by Arthur N. Strahler (the greatest and most famous contemporary geographer ).I have translated this book into Persian. It is a very good book . This book could be used to understand the geographical places of the Qur'an.

Q-7 How much the knowledge of incidents and stories of the Qur'an can help the commentators of the Qur'an ? What are the demerits of ignoring such issues?

A- Ahmad Ahhmadi = a commentator of the holy Qur'an should explain and interpret the historical and geographical events, otherwise his writings cannot be called an interpretation. It only be the collection of others' writings and sayings which does not have research value. Therefore, a commentator of the Qur'an should provide his research on historical narrations and try to clarify the dark and obscure angles of his work with reference to geographical and archaeological sciences and carry out his researches with methodological analysis. For example, in some narrations the palace of Dhat al-`Imad was contrasted with fabulous and fanciful heaven of Shaddad. Whereas a commentator of the Qur'an should not confine to the narrations only, but he should deal with it accurately and comprehensively as the late scholar `Allamah Tabatabai did so.

A- Abul Qasim Imami = If a commentator of the Qur'an cut off from the real sources in dealing with the Qur'anic ancient places he would relapse into illusion.

A- Baha al-Din Khorramshahi = Some points have been made on necessity and advantages of discovering the geographical sites mentioned in the Qur'an which is a part of the science of commentary. It is very obvious that every Muslim is eager to know as who were Jalut and Talut, likewise, it is very obvious that he likes to know where are the places mentioned in the Qur'an such as Madina, Qaryah or Bahr. Such need may lead to writing and compiling books on issues such as Dhul Qarnayn .

A- Muhammad Husayn Ruhani = For interpretation of the Qur'an it is necessary to identify the sites of the events as mentioned in the historical reports of the Qur'an. Not paying attention to this fact will grow into an undesirable result .

A- Muhammad Hadi Ma`rifat = The Qur'an has paid attention to the historical aspects as well . The battles of Islam against the infidels have been mentioned in the Qur'an - definitely have some obscure points for the commentators. If the historical places and figures could be cleared up with reference to time and place, it could enlighten even a faqih in certain issues, such as, the case of qasr prayer(prayer in shortened form). Or take the case of a figure like Dhul Qarnayn which has not been identified as to who is he? Where is the real site of the dam constructed by Dhul Qarnayn ?
Fakhr Razi was the first person who said that Dhul Qarnayn is the same Macedonian Alexander of Greece. His justification is: the Dhul Qarnayn mentioned in the Qur'an travelled to the east and the west achieving victories. Then Fakhr Razi says: "While a survey in the history we do not find anybody other than Macedonian Alexander, therefore, the Dhul Qarnayn is the same Macedonian Alexander. This is the logic of Imam Fakhr Razi: Since you did not find it therefore it is he. It means to infer a positive proposition from a non-existential proposition. We could not find anybody in the history with the specifications of Dhul Qarnayn as mentioned in the Qur'an. Since we could not find him, therefore Dhul Qarnayn should be Macedonian Alexander. Although it seems that Dhul Qarnayn belongs to ante historic periods, like some of the prophets. "The first people appeared on the earth were Dhul Qarnayn and Abraham, while according to the Old Testament, the Macedonian Alexander existed 800 years after the Prophet Abraham. This does not concur with the idea of Fakhr Razi. Recently Maulana Abulkalam Azad has compared Dhul Qarnayn with Cyrus and on the basis of the reasons and evidences cited in Old Testament, he claims that this personality has remained unknown to Muslims for being away from the Old Testament thus, while by referring to Old Testament it becomes obvious that Dhul Qarnayn is the same great Cyrus. This is a controversial statement, because it is said that when Cyrus conquered Babylon, he shook hand with a great idol called as "Mordoukh" to conciliate the nation of Babylon. While the Dhul Qarnayn as described by the Qur'an was a pure servants of God. Thus this idea contradict Abul Kalam's viewpoint.
One of the subjects is Dhul Qarnayn dam which has not been located and late Sayyid Hebat Allah Shahrestani compared it with China wall, while it is not in agreement with the Qur'an because Qur'an says: "That dam was made from molten iron and copper." Some others have thought that Dhul Qarnayn dam is the same dam of Bab al-Abwab of Russia (i.e., present Turkmenian).
One of the other subjects is Nile Sea. Many of our commentators have cited it Nile Sea, while it is not a sea but the River Nile and Prophet Moses (s) did not cross the River Nile because he moved towards Palestine with his people. When he departed from Egypt and reached the land of Sina; The water that obstructed their way was the Red Ocean which is mentioned in both Old Testament and Samaat prayers as Sauf Sea which means Red Sea.
If our respected commentators had paid attention to the route travelled by Prophet Moses (s), they would not have committed mistake by diverting their mind to River Nile, because Nile is between Egypt and Africa, and Prophet Moses (s) did not want to go to Africa or Algeria. However, inattention to these places is misguiding in interpretation.

Q- 8 Does Qur'an use symbolic language in connection with the places or does it refer exactly to the natural historical sites as existed in the world?

A- Ahmad Ahhmadi = some Islamic sects have gone to extremes in paraphrasing the outer beings of certain verses. For instance, even they paraphrase zakat, prayers and Hajj (pilgrimage). By doing so the Qur'an which is the referral of all Muslims will lose its authenticity. Of course, in some cases it is allowed to touch the inner meanings of the verses by virtue of its own specific criteria, instance of which can be seen in Al-Mizan. Sometimes we come across certain hadith as see in a saying: "This is the inward meaning of Qur'an."

A- Abul Qasim Imami = It's too early to answer this question. This question should be postponed to a time that final stage of researches in the field of archeology have been carried out.

A- Baha al-Din Khorramshahi = Regarding the places cited by the Qur'an either in the stories or in symbolic way, my definite opinion as a Qur'an researcher and the translator of the Qur'an into Persian is that all the places pointed by the Qur'an are historical and real. Of course, it is possible to find some differences in the opinions of the commentators of the Qur'an for instance about Tur as to whether it is a proper mountain or is a mountain in general equal to Jabal or for example where was Wadi Iman or Aljanib al-Gharbi (i.e., west side), west as per which direction? Here it should be stated that differences of opinion among the scholars is a mercy and bring in its wake scientific progress. Moreover, it is a trimmed of the truth and uncompromising with dogmatistic approach but this should not lead into the denial of historical fact or doubt in reality of geographical places of the Qur'an.
At the end, I should add that I regard the Qur'an as linguistic - literary miracle, therefore, I regard usages of figurative, metaphoric, allusion, symbol and other linguistic and literary points, as definite inevitable, positive, desirable and even natural and obvious. It is very wise and acceptable when God, the Owner and main Speaker of the Qur'an uses figurative, speaking about a wall He says: "They found a wall about to collapse" (Kahf, Verse 77). It is not acceptable if one doubts the existence of a wall or city with a treasure under the wall .

A- Muhammad Husayn Ruhani = Name of not even a single place has come throughout the Qur'an symbolically.

A- Muhammad Hadi Ma`rifat = Regarding the Qur'anic accounts it is a question as to whether the stories are symbolic, or real. Some people have gone to extremes and dealt with them as unreal things. Some others have said: "The Qur'an is not other than the reality." In this context a middle way can be selected. Because the Qur'an itself says: "Surely Allah is not ashamed to set forth any parable-(that of) a gnat or any thing above that..."(1:26) .Now let us cite one example from the Qur'an: "Surely we offered the trust to the heavens and the earth..."(33:72)
Now can we say that God offered the trust which is wisdom to the heaven it and the heaven said: "I do not want." In fact this holy verse of the Qur'an reveals something on behalf. It means when we evaluate all the creatures, it is found that they do not deserve to enjoy wisdom. By evaluating human, it is found that he deserves wisdom. Therefore, accepting or rejection of wisdom depends on the nature of the creatures. Many such subjects exist in the Qur'an. Therefore, we can neither deny absolutely nor become absolutely positive. They must be evaluated case by case. Some cases are definitely symbolic and are the scenarios and at places they are absolutely real and many other things are still obscure. For example, the story of Adam and Eve, heaven and Satan. The scholars definitely work on these subjects to find whether they are scenario or reality. Most of the scholars believe them to be realities. But it is also being spoken that this is also a scene. This means it is a secret and so is the mankind's nature. We do not want to believe it, but there is a croon.

*The present article is the English version of Geografiyaye Qisas-e Qur'an which was published in Bayyinat-3 (A Quarterly Magazine on the Holy Qur'an).

Message of Thaqalayn : An Outline of Law from a Qur’anic Perspective

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 13:16:00 +0800

Ayatollah Muhammad Taqi Misbah Yazdi

Summarized and Paraphrased by Karim Aghili

This paper is an attempt to partially delineate the salient features of Islamic law from a Qur'anic perspective. It seeks to clarify that every human society necessitates that there exist a system of rules without which there can be no public order but chaos. It also shows that in Islam, there is no separation of religion from morals, worldly affairs and from politics. Islam is an all-embracing religion consisting of a set of laws and injunctions which are requisite for the establishment of an ideal society. Therefore, all the laws and injunctions which are of a practical character and which should be applied to human society can be subsumed under the general rubric 'law.' The paper continues by discussing the sources of Islamic law and its goals.

Introduction

The Qur'an is the verbatim revelation or the Word of God, revealed in Arabic through the archangel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad during the twenty-three-year period of his prophetic mission.

The practices of Muslims as ordained by the Shari'ah (Islamic Law) have their origin in the Qur'an. Although the foundations of the Shari'ah must also be sought in the Sunnah and the elaboration of the law depends furthermore, with respect to Shi'ism, upon reason ('aql) and consensus (ijma'), all principles of the Shari'ah are already contained in the Qur'an.

The scheme of life which Islam envisages consists of a set of rights and obligations, which, as already mentioned, have their origin in the Qur'an, and every human being who accepts this religion is enjoined to live up to them. Broadly speaking, the law of Islam imposes four kinds of rights and obligations on every man: (1) the rights of God, which every man is obliged to fulfill; (2) his own rights upon his own self; (3) the rights of other people over him; and (4) the rights of those powers and resources which God has placed in his service and has empowered him to use for his benefit.

These rights and obligations constitute the corner-stone of Islam and it is the bounden duty of every true Muslim to understand and obey them carefully. The Shari'ah discusses clearly each and every kind of right and deals with it in detail. It also throws light on the ways and means through which the obligations can be discharged.

Social Phenomenon

Issues pertaining to human social life can be divided into two categories: those which deal with social phenomena irrespective of their goodness or badness, and those which are concerned with the value judgements on the various aspects of social life and through which the goodness and badness of each social phenomenon are judged. In other words, there are certain issues which deals with 'is' and 'is not', whereas certain others deal with 'ought to' and 'ought not'. Most issues of the first category relate to sociology and the philosophy of history, while those pertaining to the second fall mainly into the category of morals and rights. The rulings pertaining to the former are called real and descriptive rulings, while those pertaining to the latter are called normative and prescriptive ones.

Religion and worldly affairs

The prescriptive rulings as mentioned above are divided into three categories:

A. The Divine and Religious Laws: These consist of the commands and prohibitions which are attributed to God Almighty and as in every religion, people are required to abide by them, such as keeping the daily prayer and performing the pilgrimage to Mecca, etc.

B. Moral Laws: That is, the laws which are comprehended by human reason, primordial nature (fitra) or consciousness to varying degrees and which are considered to be of value or validity irrespective of the Divine or human criteria, such as the goodness of truthfulness and the ugliness of oppressing others.

C. Legal Laws: That is, the laws which are made for safeguarding the best interests of human beings in their worldly life by a qualified authority in view of the relations of individuals with each other within a society. These laws have an executive backing, which is usually the government.

Over the years, there has been a tendency to separate these three groups of law from one another and to specify a distinct area for each group.. According to this view, the area of Divine laws is restricted to the rituals and rites which concern the followers of each religion in specific times and places, such as the religious ceremonies of the Hindus or the rites of idol-worship which are seen in various parts of the world. These rites and rituals are not connected at all with other social aspects of life but rather they consist of performing the duties which, according to the followers of each religion, are required by the natural or supernatural powers. Religious laws are neither connected to the moral laws nor are they connected to the legal ones.

In the Western world, after Christianity had become the official religion of the Byzantine empire, in spite of accepting Christianity, apparently on account of the exigencies of the time, some rulers planned to separate religion from all its worldly aspects including politics in order to gain the secular power totally, and to rule over the countries under their control as they wished and to exclude the divine commands and prohibitions from the domain of politics and law in their general sense. For this purpose, they used every possible means, even the distortion of the scriptures.

After the Renaissance, this attitude gained more momentum, to the extent that a large number of writers and intellectuals demanded the total separation of religion and law. Furthermore, they supported the total separation of religion from morals. The separation of religion from worldly affairs in general and from politics in particular as seen today in the Muslim countries is nothing but the acceptance of the current mainstream attitude in the Western world.

Such a separation cannot be deemed acceptable in any revealed religion. From the Islamic point of view, religion is a system of theoretical knowledge and practical laws, and its practical laws embrace all three areas of the relation of man to God, the relation of man to himself, and of man to others.[1] In the Holy Qur'an and the traditions narrated from the holy Shi'ite Imams, there is a huge collection of moral and legal laws, therefore the moral and legal systems of Islam are completely based on the fundamental religious principles consisting of the belief in Divine Unity, the Resurrection, etc. In other words, both morals and law are two main sections of the whole of the religion and are deeply rooted in the most fundamental theoretical religious sciences.

Law

In spite of the fact that there are a lot of uses of the word 'law' in legal terms, it does not have a definite and specific meaning and is used in different ways. Sometimes, it is used in a wide sense and includes any prescriptive ruling which should be practised in society whether it be legislated or non-legislated laws, such as social customs and conventions.

Thus, some of the law experts use the term “natural law”, which refers to a type of moral theory, as well as to a type of legal theory, but the core claims of the two kinds of theory are logically independent. According to natural law ethical theory, the moral standards that govern human behaviour are, in some sense, objectively derived from the nature of human beings. However, according to natural law legal theory, the authority of at least some legal standards necessarily derives, at least in part, from considerations having to do with the moral merit of those standards. The phrase “natural law” is sometimes opposed to the positive law of a given political community, society, or nation-state, and thus can function as a standard by which to criticize that law. Positive law in the strictest sense is law made by human beings.

The Main Differences between Morals and Law

The other point to discuss in this regard is that though there are cases where morals and law overlap with each other, there are some differences between them, the most important of which are as follows:

1. Legal precepts are just concerned with social behaviour, while moral rules cover all voluntary human behaviour.

2. Legal rules are based on an external guarantee of enforcement, while moral rules are not based on such a guarantee of enforcement but based on an internal guarantee of enforcement.

3. Ethical 'dos' and 'don'ts' are permanent, universal and eternal, while legal 'dos' and 'don'ts' are, more or less, changeable.

4. Legal rules are obligatory, while within the moral domain, there are both obligatory and recommended obligations.

5. The goals of legal dos and don'ts are to provide the happiness of people in their worldly life and to establish social justice, order, security and public welfare and the like, while the goals of ethical commands and prohibitions are to achieve spiritual perfection, which is nothing other than proximity to God.

6. Legal rules are just concerned with the external aspect of the act, but are not so concerned with the motivation for and intent of the doer of the action, while the moral rules are mostly concerned with the motivation for and the goal of the doer of the action.

Ethical and Legal Concepts are of Conventional Nature

Apart from the above-mentioned differences between legal and ethical rules, ethical and legal concepts are, however, i'tibari (conventional). For example, considering the concept of property, we see that even if it is applied to such metals as copper and silver, it is not because of their being metals of a specific kind, but because they are desired by people and can be used as a means for meeting their needs. In other words, the acquisition of property by a person signifies another concept called 'possession' without an external instance.

These concepts are only based on the desires of groups or individuals without having a relation to objective truth independent of inclinations of social groups and individuals. These concepts, in spite of being conventional, are not without relation to external reality. Their validity is based on the specific needs of man to attain felicity and his own perfection. Consequently, the worth of these concepts, albeit dependent on convention, lies in their being a symbol of the objectively true relationship between man's actions and their results.

Consider the term “good”: one of its meanings is to achieve a purpose desired by a doer performing an action. The word ''good'' is contrasted with the result that an agent expects. Without a comparison and the relationship between the action and the goal of the action, it may not be possible to say if the action is good or not.

As is the case with the term 'right': one of its meanings in legal terms is an advantage which can be claimed and which must be observed by others. The word ''right'' in this meaning can be understood by considering a person having an advantage as well as others who have to observe this right. Therefore, the term ''right'' is predicated on the external benefit after a comparison and intellectual analysis. The word “right” is associated with duty, and they are two reciprocal concepts which will be further explained.

The Reciprocity of Right and Duty

Right and duty are two reciprocal concepts and the two faces of the same coin. When a person has the right to dispose of his property as he wishes, others consequently are bound not to dispose of it at all. Therefore, right and duty are reciprocally determined. That is, wherever a right is determined, a duty is also determined, and vice versa. Of course, only one of the two is explicitly stated; however, the specification of one necessitates that of the other. It should be noted that right is of a voluntary nature, whereas duty is of an obligatory nature. One has a right against something and can use it or not, but with respect to duty, one is obliged to respect it and should not evade his or her obligation.

It is worth noting that the fundamental principle of Islamic Law is that man has the right and in some cases the bounden duty, to fulfill all his genuine needs and desires and make every conceivable effort to promote his interests and achieve success and happiness. However, he should do all this in such a way that not only are the interests of other people not jeopardized and no harm is caused to their strivings towards the fulfilment of their rights and duties, but there should be all possible social cohesion, mutual assistance and cooperation among human beings in the achievement of their objectives. In respect of those things in which good and evil, gain and loss are inextricably connected, the tenet of the law is to choose, for instance, the least harm for the sake of greater benefit and sacrifice a little benefit, in order to avoid a greater harm. This is the basis of Islamic Law. To what degree one should choose harm for the sake of a greater degree of benefit depends on the circumstances in which one is involved.

Islam attaches great importance to social life, and moreover Islam considers it incumbent upon all to attend to social problems and to struggle for the benefit of all human beings and for the establishing a just society on Earth. Being indifferent to such problems is considered in Islam to be a major sin. Paying attention to such problems is so crucial that sometimes one feels obliged to spend all of one's property and even to endanger one's own life in order to save others from worldly and other-worldly afflictions and harms. It is unlikely to find any other school of thought other than Islam which has advanced this idea so far. Of course, all of the revealed religions are unanimous on basic principles and rules; naturally they are in common with Islam in this regard.

The word al-haqq (truth or the True) in the Qur’an

In Islam, there appear to be three golden threads that run through all its aspects and these three golden threads are clearly intertwined. They are: truth, justice and equity. The words used in the Qur'an are al-haqq, al-'adl, and al-qist. It is significant that each of these words is significantly used in the Qur'an several times; the word al-haqq is used about 247 times, al-qist 15 times and al-'adl 13 times. The word al-haqq incorporates the other two terms and has several meanings depending upon the context: truth, obligation, right and justice.

Al-haqq can be used as a name for God. For example, the Qur'an says:

That is because Allah, He is the True, and that whereon they call instead of Him, it is the false, and because Allah, He is the High, the Great. (22:62).[2]

At this point, it is worth noting that in many Qur'anic verses, the word `haqq' is used in a sense similar to the technical meaning of law but not identical with it. Similarly in the Treatise on Rights (Risalat al-huquq) by the Fourth Shi`ite Imam, there are topics such as the rights of your womb relatives, the right of your self (nafs) and the rights of the tongue, hearing and sight. Many of these rights are moral in their nature. It should be noted that the word haqq is not used in a legal sense in the above verses but rather it falls into the category of morals. However, in this paper, while dealing with law from a Qur'anic perspective, we are not concerned with law (huquq) in its moral sense but in its legal sense.

The Source of Right and the Legal Goal of Society from the Islamic Point of View

At the same time, it should be noted that the social laws and injunctions which make up the legal system of Islam should be based on a goal which directly results from that system and which secures man's felicity in social life. The question is: Is there another goal beyond this goal which can be used as a means for the attainment of that goal or not? In other words, the question is: Is providing for man's felicity the ultimate goal or the intermediate one?

In answer to these questions, it should be said that the legal system of Islam is distinct from other ones. The other legal systems based on a secular world view know no goal beyond that of providing for man's felicity in social life, and consequently, this very goal is considered to be the ultimate goal and the desired object per se. In other words, in such systems, only those interests and benefits which can be actualized and attained in this world are taken into consideration. In this regard, God says in the Qur'an:

They know only some appearance of the life of the world, and are heedless of the Hereafter (30:7).

Then withdraw (O Muhammad) from him who fleeth from Our remembrance and desireth but the life of the world (53:29).

Islam does not restrict man's felicity to this world only but rather the goal of man's creation transcends this world. The ultimate goal is to get spiritually closer to God. Man's felicity in this world can be desirable only when it is consistent with attaining the ultimate goal.

Islam is a religion which encourages the qualities of purity, beauty, goodness, virtue, success and prosperity which Allah wants to flourish in the life of His people and to suppress all kinds of exploitation and injustice. As well as placing before us this high ideal, Islam clearly states the desired virtues and the undesirable evils. Therefore, the members of society should have the right to use all the God-given potentialities and abilities for the attainment of their ultimate goal.

The legal goal of Islam is to prepare the ground and context for the spiritual growth and eternal felicity of the people. At the very least they should not be inconsistent with spiritual development, for, in the view of Islam, the life of this world is but a fleeting phase of the entire human life which despite its short duration, has a fundamental role in human destiny. It is in this phase that with his conscious behaviour the human being prepares for himself his everlasting felicity or wretchedness. Even if a law could maintain the social order in this world but would cause eternal misfortune for humans, it would not be, from an Islamic perspective, a desirable law, even if it were to be accepted by the majority.

The Necessity of Law and Legal Rules in Society

Islamic law is based on a realistic view of things which are on one hand related to God Who created the universe and man based on a definite goal, and on the other hand to Resurrection, because it is the last phase of human existence and the ultimate station of his journey towards God. Finally, it is connected to Divine Wisdom, because the best created order is built upon the most Sublime Divine Wisdom. Since the members of a society are not equal in terms of understanding, and since all the members equally do not seek right and justice, thus, for the establishment of order and for the prevention of chaos, it is necessary that there be some highly qualified institutionalized powers representing the whole society for taking responsibility for the crucial functions. These powers consist of the legislature, the executive and the judiciary.

The functions of the legislature are to be exercised through the Islamic Consultative Assembly, consisting of the elected representatives of the people. Legislation approved by this body, after going through certain stages, is communicated to the executive and the judiciary for implementation.

The judiciary is of vital importance in the context of safeguarding the rights of the people in accordance with the line followed by the Islamic movement, and the prevention of deviations within the Islamic nation. Provision has therefore been made for the creation of a judicial system based on Islamic justice and operated by just judges with meticulous knowledge of the Islamic laws. This system, because of its essentially sensitive nature and the need for full ideological conformity, must be free from every kind of unhealthy relation and connection (this is in accordance with the Qur'anic verse: “When you judge among the people, judge with justice” [4:58]).

Considering the particular importance of the executive power in implementing the laws and ordinances of Islam for the sake of establishing the rule of just relations over society, and considering, too, its vital role in paving the way for the attainment of the ultimate goal of life, the executive power must work toward the creation of a just Islamic society. Consequently, the confinement of the executive power within any kind of complex and inhibiting system that delays or impedes the attainment of this goal is rejected by Islam. Therefore, the system of bureaucracy, the result and product of old forms of government, will be firmly cast away, so that an executive system that functions efficiently and swiftly in the fulfilment of its administrative commitments comes into existence.goal of life, the executive power must work toward the creation of a just Islamic society. Consequently, the confinement of the executive power within any kind of complex and inhibiting system that delays or impedes the attainment of this goal is rejected by Islam. Therefore, the system of bureaucracy, the result and product of old forms of government, will be firmly cast away, so that an executive system that functions efficiently and swiftly in the fulfilment of its administrative commitments comes into existence.

The Separation of Powers

During the past three centuries, there have been a lot of disputes between the philosophers of law and other social scholars. Today the issue of separation of powers has been stressed so much that it has been accepted as an indisputable principle of the philosophy of law and of the basic law.

In the newly-established Islamic society in Medina, the holy Prophet of Islam had responsibility for the three powers, and there occurred no problem in this regard. During the occultation of the twelfth Shi'ite Imam, according to the Shi'ite jurisprudential principles, the leader has responsibility for all the three powers.[3] Therefore, the powers of government in the Islamic Republic of Iran, for example, are vested in the legislature, the judiciary, and the executive functioning under the supervision of the supreme Leader.

The Basic Law

Most of the social regulations are legislated and approved by a legislature, but there is another law called basic law which should be specified and validated before the formation of a legislature and which deals with such questions as why it is necessary that there should be a legal system in every society, and why law needs three basic institutions of legislature, judgement and execution, and so on.

The basic law consists of a set of rules which should be validated before the legislation and codification of the social regulations.

In the democratic systems, in order to give credence to the basic law, first the people should elect the members of the constituent assembly by voting for them. Then, the elected members of the constituent assembly will legislate and approve the code of the basic law which is called constitution, and which is offered to be voted for by the people.

The term basic law is used in some places as an alternative to “constitution.” A Basic Law is either a codified constitution, or in countries with constitutions which are not codified, a law given to have constitutional powers and effect. The term basic law is used in some places as an alternative to “constitution.” A Basic Law is either a codified constitution, or in countries with constitutions which are not codified, a law given to have constitutional powers and effect.

The Sources of Law in Islam

Each and every legal system consists of a set of legal rules which are usually derived from one or more sources. In other words, in order to build a legal system, some of these sources, and the elements or constituents which are extracted from them, should be used.

To date the Muslim juristic rationalists (usuliyyun) have never used the term 'the sources of law', and instead they have used the expression 'the jurisprudential proof', though the meaning of the latter expression is not the same as the former. The Shi'ite juristic rationalists (usuliyyun) rely on four proofs called the juristic proofs, which consist of: the Book (the Qur'an), the Sunnah (the Tradition), consensus, and reason. Some of the other juristic rationalists also add some other proofs or sources which consist of: analogical reasoning (qiyas), juristic preference (istihsan), public interest (masalih mursalah), opening and blocking the means (fath wa sadd al-dharaai'), convention, and so on.

Having said this, it has to be noted that the only source of law in Islam is the Divine Legislative Will. That is, a rule is valid in Islam only when it can be attributed to the legislative Will of God Almighty. Attributing to any other source can never give validity to the legal ruling. Firstly, the unique importance of the Qur'an and secondly of the Sunnah (the Tradition, that is, the sayings, actions and silent assertions of the Prophet and the Imams) is due to the fact that these two proofs derive from the Divine Legislative Will. That is, if we wish to know about the rulings of God, we will have no choice but to refer to these two proofs. These two are not sources themselves but guide us to the original source. A consensus is binding if it can be a means for discovering the Sunnah (the Tradition) of the holy Prophet or of the Imam

As previously stated, the religion of Islam accepts reason as one of the fundamental proofs of the religious rulings and attaches great importance to it, if it can be a means for discovering the rulings of God. The Book, the Sunnah, consensus and reason are binding simply because they are means of discovering the Will of God, and never are they considered to be independent sources vis-à-vis the Divine Legislative Will.

Notes:

[1] Based on the religious teachings and the consensus of all the religious scholars, the goal of religion is to provide man with a comprehensive felicity in this world and the next. Islam as a revealed religion is both the path and the guide which will lead to man’s eternal happiness. It is composed of three elements which are intertwined: i. doctrine ii. ethics iii. law. The threefold elements play an effective role in providing man with happiness when all three are combined together just as a single organism is composed of its inseparable organs. These three elements in combination facilitate man’s eternal felicity. The texture or combination of these three elements is such that they should never be separated from one another, and if they are considered separately, they will lose their own essential qualities. Therefore, if anyone believes only in God, the Creator, the all-Wise, the all-Knowing, the all-Powerful, the all-Compassionate, the all-Rich, and the Lord of the Universe, who created man and Who wills both his good and perfection, and who knows his needs, interests and harms or if he observes an ethical discipline only for the purification of the soul and the acquisition of good traits of character or if he only abides by the religious commands and prohibitions, he will never attain to that comprehensive this-worldly and other-worldly felicity, which will be actualized though the three elements mentioned above.. The Islamic intellectual and transmitted sciences (al-’ulum al-’aqliyyah wa’l-naqliyyah) are comprised of an extensive scope dealing with different major issues. However, based on the same threefold elements mentioned above, the religious sciences are comprised of Islamic theology, that is the discipline relating to the beliefs, and ethics, i.e. the discipline relating to the purification of the soul, and moral conduct, and jurisprudence, the discipline concerned with the laws and injunctions relating to man’s individual and social needs. Of course, acquaintance with these sciences entails being familiar with certain disciplines which are considered to be their preliminaries and which can be called religious sciences in one sense.

[2] For further study, refer to the following verses: (30:8), (2:61), (38:21), (38:22), (38:26), (21:112), (40:20), (40:78), (39:69), (39:75), (10:47), (10:54), (2:282), (24:48), (24:49) (51:19), (70:24), (70:25), (6:141), (17:26), (30:38), (2:180), (2:236) and (2:241).

[3] According to twelve-Imam Shi‘ism, Abu’l Qasim Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Askari, the Proof (al-hujjah), the righteous descendent (al-khalaf al-salih), the promised Mahdi and the twelfth Imam, peace be upon him, was born in Surra man ra’a (Samarrah) in the midnight of Sha’ban in the year 255. When his father died, he was five years old and he became Imam through Divine Command as was the case with Yahya (John) as He, the Exalted, says: “O Yahya! Take hold of the Book with strength, and We granted him judgement while yet a child” (19: 12). God made Yahya a prophet while he was a child as He made Christ a prophet while still a little child. God, the Exalted, says through Jesus when he addressed his people: “He said: Surely I am a servant of Allah; he has given me the Book and made me a prophet” (19: 30). The Muslims are agreed on the appearance of the Mahdi at the end of the time for the obliteration of ignorance, oppression and tyranny and for dissemination of the signs of justice and the exaltation of the word of truth and the manifestation of Religion in its entirety even if the polytheists may be averse. By the permission of God, he will deliver the world from the disgrace of servitude to other than God and abolish evil morals and customs and abrogate the irreligious laws as established by whims and break the bonds of national and racial prejudices and eliminate the causes of hostility and hatred which have given rise to the division and disunity of the community, and God, the Exalted, will keep through his appearance His promise which He made to the believers as He says: “Allah has promised to those of you who believe and do good that He will most certainly make them rulers in the earth as he made rulers those before them, and that He will most certainly establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them, and that He will most certainly, after their fear, give them security in exchange; they shall serve Me, not associating aught with Me, and whoever is ungrateful after this, these it is who arte the transgressors” (24:55). “And We desired to bestow a favour upon those who were deemed weak in the land, and to make them the Imams, to make them the heirs” (28:5). “And certainly We wrote in the Book after the reminder that (as for) the land, My righteous servants shall inherit it” (21:105). The Occultation of the twelfth Imam has two distinct stages: the Lesser Occultation and the Greater Occultation. In the Lesser Occultation, which began in 260/872 and ended in 329/939, lasting about seventy years, the Hidden Imam continued to communicate with humanity through his special deputies. The second, the greater occultation which commenced in 329/939 and which is continuing as long as God wills it. According to the Shi‘ah, the Mahdi is alive but hidden. He is the axis mundi, the hidden ruler of the Universe.

Message of Thaqalayn Ahl-al-Bayt Its Meaning and Origin

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 13:11:00 +0800

Translated by M. Jalali Vol. 2, Nos. 2 & 3
The term "ahl" signifies the members of a household of a man, including his fellow tribesmen, kin, relatives, wife (or wives), children, and all those who share a family background, religion, housing, city, and country with him. "Ahl" and "al" are both the same term with the exception that "al" is exclusively used for human beings and should come before the family name, but such a condition is not existent in the case of "ahl". "Bayt" refers to habitation and dwelling, including tents and buildings both. The "ahl-al-bayt" of any person refers to his family members and all those who live in his house (c.f. "Mufradat al-Qur'an" by Raghib Isfahani; "Qamus" by Firoozabadi; "Majm`a al-Bahrayn".
The term "ahl-al-bayt" (people of the house) has been repeated twice in the Holy Qur'an:
1. "... the mercy of Allah and his blessing are on you, O people of the house, ... (11:73)"
This verse refers to the people of the House of Ibrahim (s) (c.f. "Kashf al-Asrar wa `Uddat al-Abrar", 416/4 and other interpretations).
2. "... Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House! And to purify you a (thorough) purifying (33:33)".
This verse, known as the "Tathir verse", refers to the Members of the Household of the Holy Prophet (s). The Imamiyyah scholars of hadith and fiqh, as well as some Sunni `Ulama, consider the "ahl-al-bayt" cited in the "tathir verse" to include exclusively Muhammad, `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husayn (peace be upon them all). They do not consider the Holy Prophet's other offspring, wives, sons of paternal uncles, and dwellers of his house as the Messenger's "ahl-al-bayt".
They base their argument on the genuine and authentic traditions narrated by the companions of the Prophet (s) recorded in the Sunni and Shi`i sources. Under the following headings, this article will delve into some of the said traditions and refer to some features of the "ahl-al-bayt" as narrated by the Sunnis:
1. Kisa' tradition; 2. Mubahalah tradition; 3. Mawaddat al-Qurba tradition; 4. Safinah tradition; 5. Other traditions.
1. Kisa' Tradition
A. Jalaluddin `Abdul-Rahman bin Abi Bakr Suyuti (d 911 A.H.) in his commentary "Al-Dur al-Manthur", 198/5-199, Muhammad ibn `Isa Tirmidhi (3 279 A.H.) the author of "Jami' Sahih", Hakim Nishaburi (d 405 A.H.) in "Al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihayn", Ahmad ibn Husayn Bayhaqi (d 458 A.H.) in "Sunan" (all three of whom have considered the Kisa' tradition as authentic), Muhammad ibn Jarir Tabari (d 315 A.H.), Ibn Munzir Muhammad ibn Ibrahim (d 319 A.H.), Ibn Mardawayh Isfahani, and Ahmad ibn Musa (d 410 A.H.) have quoted Ummu Salamah, the wife of the Holy Prophet (s) as saying that the verse "... Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House! And to purify you a thorough purifying (33:33)" was revealed in her house. At that time, `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husayn (peace be upon them all) were in her house. The Holy Prophet (s) spread his cloak over them and stated: "These are the members of my Household, and Allah has purified them of all (sins and faults and uncleanness)."
B. Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Hanbal, the Hanbali Imam, (d 241 A.H.), in "Musnad" 229/2 quotes Ummu Salamah as saying: "The Holy Prophet (s) was in my house. Fatimah (`a) came to her father holding a stone bowl filled with "harirah" (type of food made up of flour, milk, and vegetable oil). The Holy Prophet (s) stated: Invite your husband and two sons to come as well." `Ali, Hasan, and Husayn also came there and all sat down to eat "harirah". Then, the Holy Prophet (s) was sitting on a cloak in his resting place and I was reciting the prayer in the chamber. At this time, Almighty Allah revealed the verse "Allah only desires to ...". The Holy Prophet (s) covered `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husayn (peace be upon them all) with the cloak and then stretched his hand toward the sky and said: "Allah! These are the Members of my Household, so purify them of all uncleanness'. Ummu Salamah said: "I asked him: "Am I also with you?" He stated: "You are on good and virtue" (but did not say that you are a member of my Household)'."
This tradition has also been narrated by Ahmad ibn Muhammad Tahawi (d 321 A.H.) in "Mushkil al-Athar" 332 and 334; Wahidi in "Asbab al-Nuzul" 268 and Muhib Tabari (d 694 A.H.) in "Zakhair al-`Uqba" 23 have related this tradition. In continuation of this tradition, Tabari has written that the Prophet (s) stated: "I am a friend of whosoever is friends with them and an enemy of whosoever is an enemy of them." The said tradition of similar statements have been recorded in "Manaqib" by Ibn Hanbal, 44, the microfilm copy of the book is available in the Parliament Library. Tabari remarked: "This tradition has been narrated from Umma Salamah by Ibn al-Qubabi in "Mu'jam" and Siyuti in "Al-Dur al-Mnthur" under the title of the "tathir verse", as well as by Ibn Jarir, Ibn Munzir, Ibn Mardawayh, Ibn Abi Hatam and Ibn Tabrani."
C- Khatib Baghdadi, Ahmad bin `Ali, (d 463 A.H.) in "The History of Baghdad" 278/10, has quoted Abu Saeed Khidri S`ad bin Malik (d 74 A.H.) as saying that after the revelation of the "tathir verse", the Holy Prophet (s) summoned `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husayn (peace be upon them all) and covered them with the cloak he had on and said: "These are the members of my Household, and Allah has purified them (of every wrong and sin)." The same tradition has been narrated from Ummu Salamah by Muhammad ibn Jarir Tabari in "Jam`a al-Bayan" 7/22.
D- In "Sahih Muslim" (narrated by Sayyid Murtada Firoozabadi in "Fadail al-Khamsah min Sihah al-Sitah" 214/1), Safiyah, the daughter of Shayba, has narrated `Aishah, the wife of the Holy Prophet (s), as saying: "One morning, the Messenger of Allah left the house with a cloak made of black material and bearing the design of a camel's saddle. Hasan ibn `Ali entered the place, and the Prophet (s) covered him with the cloak. Then came Husayn, Fatimah, and `Ali one after another, and all of them were also covered by the cloak. The Prophet (s) then stated: "... Allah only desires to keep away uncleanness from you, O people of the House! And to purify you a (thorough) purifying."
This tradition has been narrated by Hakim Nishaburi in "Al-Mustadark" 14/3; Bayhaqi in "Sunan" 149/2; Tabari in the "Jami al-Bayan" Siyuti in "al-Durri al-Manthur" under the title of the "tathir verse". In addition, Ibn Abi Shaybah, Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Hanbal, Ibn Abi Hatam have narrated it from `Aishah. Zamakhshari in "Kashshaf" and Fakhr Razi in "Tafsir Kabir" have also related this tradition. It seems that the recorders of traditions are unanimous about the authenticity of this tradition ("Fadail al-Khamsah" 224/1).
E- In the "Jami al-Bayan" Muhammad bin Jarir Tabari has quoted Shahr bin Hushab Ash'air (d 100 A.H.) as saying: "When Ummu Salamah heard news of the martyrdom of Husayn bin `Ali (`a), she cursed the people of Iraq and said: `May Allah kill the people of Iraq who deceived him and left him alone. May Allah curse them. Verily, I saw Fatimah while bringing a stone bowl of sweet paste for the Holy Prophet (s). The Holy Prophet (s) stated: `Where is your cousin?' She said: `At home.' The Prophet (s) said: `Go bring him here with his two sons.' Fatimah returned while holding the hands of Hasan and Husayn. `Ali also followed them, and they came to the Holy Prophet (s). The Holy Prophet (s) embraced Hasan and Husayn and made `Ali sit on his right and Fatimah on left. He then the cloak as the carpet on which we slept in Medina and placed it over Fatimah, `Ali, Hasan, and Husayn. He held the two sides of the cloak with his left hand. He raised his right hand toward the sky addressing Almighty Allah by saying: `O Allah, purify them of any uncleanness . O Allah, these are the members of my Household. Purify and cleanse them of any vice, wrong, and sin,' (He repeated this twice). I asked: `O Messenger! Am I also a member of your Household?' He said: `You come under the cloak.' I also went under the cloak, but only after the Prophet (s) finished his prayer for his cousin, his two sons, and Fatimah (peace be upon them all)." This tradition has been related by Ahmad bin Muhammad ibn Hanbal in "Musnad" 292/6: Tahwi in "Mushkil al-Athar" 335/1; and Muhib Tabari in "Zakhair al-`Uqba" 22/1. The Kisa' tradition which has been narrated in different forms by the Shias and the Sunnis is very sacred for the entire Imamiyyah, especially the Shia of Iran, the Indian subcontinent, Iraq, and Yemen. It is recited in "rawdah" sessions (mourning ceremony) to have the wishes fulfilled and problems removed. Some narration provide more details on this tradition. Some say that Jibraeel and Mikaeel were also among the disciples of the Kisa' or were present there. A divine revelation was descended on the Holy Prophet (s) to the effect that the world and whatever is in it is indebted to these five pure ones.
2. Mubahalah Tradition
Sixty chiefs and `Ulama of Najran, headed by Sayyid, Aqib, and Usquf (religious personalities) of the region in the 10th year A.H. came to Medina to clarify their religious and political stance vis-a-vis Islam which had spread over the Arab peninsula and to engage in discussions with the Messenger (s) of Allah to realize the essence and truth of Islam.
After lengthy discussions which have been presented in details in Ibn Husham's "Sirah" 573/1, no agreement was reached on the position and standing of Jesus. The Christians of Najran believed in the divinity of Jesus and considered him as the son of God. This is while, based on the explicit wording of the Holy Qur'an (3:59), the Messenger (s) of Allah considered him as a prophet and the servant of God. At the end of the discussions, the Prophet (s) suggested that the two sides engage in "mubahalah", in other words, to invoke divine malediction for the lying side. The following verse was descended in this regard:
"But whoever disputes with you in this matter after what has come to you of knowledge, then say: come let us call our sons and your sons and our women and your women and our near people and your near people, then let us be earnest in prayer, and pray for the curse of Allah on the liars." (3:61)
The 10th (and some say the 24th) of Dhul-Hijjah was chosen for "mubahalah". The Messenger (s) of Allah ordered that in a field outside Medina a thin black "aba" (men's loose sleeveless cloak open in front) be used as a shade between two trees. The Christian chiefs and dignitaries of Najran stood in orderly ranks on one side of the field, on the other side, the Prophet, together with `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn came from the direction of Medina to the shade. Along this path, the Prophet (s), holding the hand of `Ali (`a), Hasan and Husayn walked in front with Fatimah behind them (c.f. "Majm`a al-Bayan". Interpretation of the Mubahalah Verse). With such simplicity and grandeur, they reached the shade and stood below the "aba". The Holy Prophet (s) recited the "tathir verse" and addressed the "ahl-al-bayt" by saying: "I will invoke malediction for them and you say `amin'." Seeing such glory and grandeur, the Najran chiefs lost their self-confidence and felt that they were very puny and could not stand against Prophet Muhammad (s) and his Household. They, therefore, accepted to pay "jaziyyah" and offered to give in to peace. On behalf of the Holy Prophet (s), the commander of the Faithful, `Ali (`a), signed a peace treaty with the Christians.
The Christians were to annually offer twelve thousand exquisite clothes, a thousand mithqal of gold, and some other items to remain Christians under the umbrella of Islam.
On the basis of the "mubahalah verse", Sunni interpreters such as Zamakhshari, Baydawi, Imam Fakhr Razi and others regard `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn (peace be upon them all) superior to all other people and argue that Hassan and Husayn are the sons of the Messenger (s) of Allah.
The term "anfusina" in the "mubahalah verse" proves the unity of the heart and soul of Prophet Muhammad and `Ali. The Holy Prophet (s) stated: "`Ali is of me and I am of `Ali." ("Fadail al-Khamsah" 343/1). The "mubahalah tradition" has been recounted in different books of "sirah" and history with various wordings. These include those of Tirmidhi ("Sahih" 166/2) which quotes S`ad ibn Abi Waqqas as follows: "When the mubahalah verse was recited, the Holy Prophet (s) summoned `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husayn and said: `O Allah, these are the Members of my Household." This tradition has been narrated by Hakim Nishaburi in "Al-Mustadrak" 150/3 and Bayhaqi in "Sunan" 63/7. Hakim regards this tradition as authentic.
3. Mawaddat al-Qurba Tradition
Based on the consensus of the exegesists ("Jam`a al-Bayan" Tabari 16/25, 17; "Hilyat al-Awlia" 251/3; "Al-Mustadrak" 172/3; "Usd al-Ghabah" 367/5; "Al-Sawa'iq al-Muharaqah" 101), the following verse has been revealed about the members of the Household of the Holy Prophet (s):
"...Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives ..." (42:23)
The term "Al-Qurba" in this verse, based on the traditions narrated from the Holy Prophet (s), embraces only `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husayn and no one else. The tradition from Ibn `Abbas' has it that when the "mawaddat al-qurba" verse was revealed, the Prophet (s) was asked: "O messenger, who are your near relatives who should be loved?" He stated: "`Ali, Fatimah, and their sons." This tradition has been narrated by Muhib Tabari in "Zakhair al-`Uqba" 25/1; Ibn Hanbal in "Manaqib" 110; Mo'min Shabilenji "Nural-Absar" 101; and Zamakhshari in "Kashshaf" as annotation to the said verse. In the "Tafsir al-Kabir", Fakhr Razi has related the said narration from "Kashshaf" and has said that based on this verse, `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, and Husayn should be revered and sanctified. He has also cited lines of verse from the Shafii' Imam, Muhammad bin Idris Shafii' (d 240 A.H.) in this regard. A line of it is as follows: "If love for the members of the Household of the Holy Prophet is heresy, then the world should stand witness that I am a heretic."
4. Safinah Tradition
The virtues of the "ahl al-bayt" have been amply mentioned in the authenticated and Tawatur traditions narratted by both Shia and Sunni `Ulama. Using different words and phrases, these traditions have asked people to love the "ahl al-bayt" and follow thier teachings. For instance, the Holy Prophet (s) has compared his "ahl al-bayt" to Noah's ark. Whoever loves and follows them will attain salvation and whoever violates their sanctity will drown.
The servant of the Holy Prophet (s), Anas bin Malik (d 93 A.H.), has been related as quoting the Prophet (s) as saying: "The example of the members of my Household among you is like the example of Noah's ark. Whoever boards it will attain salvation and whoever does not board it will drown." This tradition has been narrated by Hakim Nishaburi in "Al-Mustadrak" 343/2; Khatib in "Tarikh Baghdad" 91/12; and other great recorders of traditions ("al-Ghadir" 300/2-301). In this regard, Imam Shafii' has said the following:
"When I saw different schools of thought directing people toward the seas of ignorance and deviation, I boarded the ark of salvation in the Name of Allah. This arc is verily crystallized in the "ahl al-bayt" of the Seal of the Prophets, Mustafa (s)." Among very famous traditions in which the "ahl al-bayt" have been resembled to the ark of salvation, reference can be made to the famous "Ishbah tradition" which has been narrated from the Holy Prophet (s) by Abu Hurayrah `Abdul-Rahman bin Sakhar (d 59 A.H.).
"When Almighty Allah created Adam, the father of mankind, and breathed His spirit into him, Adam looked to the right hand side of the empyrean. There he saw five figures in the form of silhouettes engaged in prostration and genuflection. He asked: "God, have you created any one from the dust before me?" God replied: "No." Adam said, "So who are these five figures which I see resembling my own shape and form?" God answered, "These are five of your offspring. If it were not for them, I would have not created you. They are five people whose names are derived from My Own. If it were not for them, I would have not created paradise or hell, the heavens and the earth, the skies and the lands, the angels, the human beings and the jinn. I am "Mahmud" and this Muhammad. I am "Aala" and this is `Ali. I am "Fatir" and this is Fatimah, I am "Ihsan" and this is Hasan. I am "Muhsin" and this is Husayn. By My Glory, whoever bears even an atom's weight of grudge against them will be cast into hell. O Adam! They are My chosen ones. For them, I will save or cast others to perdition. If you want anything from me, you should resort to these five people."
The Holy Prophet (s) said: "We serve as the ark of salvation. Whoever holds fast to this ark will reach salvation and whoever deviates from it will be cast into perdition. Whoever wants Allah to grant him something should resort to the `ahl al-bayt'." This tradition has been narrated by Shaykh al-Islam Hamu'i in the first chapter of "Fara'id al-Samtayn" and Khatib Khwarazmi in "Manaqib" 252 (c.f. "al-Ghadir" 300/2). The Ashbah tradition has been narrated by `Allamah Amini in another part of the al-Ghadir" (301/7) quoting Abul-Fath Muhammad bin `Ali al-Natanzi in "Alfaz".
5. Other Traditions About the Virtues and Characteristics of the "Ahl al-Bayt"
A- In the interpretation of the verse "And enjoin prayer on your household ..." (20:132), Jalaluddin Siyuti in "al-Durr al-Manthur", has related Ibn Mardawayh, Ibn `Aker, and in al-Najjar as quoting Abu Saeed Khidri as saying that after this verse was revealed, for eight months, the Prophet went to the house of `Ali every morning at the time of morning prayers and read this verse: "... Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House! And to purify you a (thorough) purifying (33:33)." ("Al-Durr al-Manthur" 198/5 and 199; "Fadail al-Khamsah"; 226/1).
Another tradition has it that from the fortieth day after the consummation of the marriage of `Ali (`a) and Fatimah (`a), the Prophet (s) every morning went to their house and said: "Peace be upon you, O members of the House and the mercy and blessings of Allah. I will fight with whoever fights with you and I will be reconciled with whoever is reconciled with you." He then recited the "tathir verse".
Ibn `Abdul-Bar in "al-isti`ab" 598/2; Abu Dawud Tialisi in "Sahih" 274/8; and Firoozabadi in "Fadail al-Khamsah" 236/1 have put at forty the number of mornings when the Prophet (s) went to the house of `Ali (`a) and Fatimah (`a). In the "Jami al-Bayan" interpretation, Tabari has said that this was done for seven months. Siyuëi (in "Al-Durr al-Manthur", 199) has quoted Ibn `Abbas as saying that after the verse "And enjoin prayer on your household ..." (20:132) was revealed, the Holy Prophet (s) for nine months went to the house of `Ali (`a) five times a day at the time of daily prayers and called on the members of the house to keep up the prayer. Each time, he recited the "tathir verse".
This is possible because the Holy Prophet's house was close to that of `Ali (`a). Its door opened inside the mosque. So whenever the Messenger (s) of Allah wanted to go to the mosque, he had to pass the house of `Ali (`a) and Fatimah (`a).
B- In "Al-Mustadrak alal-Sahihayn", Hakim Nishaburi quotes `Abdullah bin Ja'afar bin Talib as saying that when the Messenger (s) of Allah looked to the blessings coming down, he said, "Call on them." Safiyeh said, "O Messenger of Allah, whom should we call upon?" He replied, "The members of my Household: `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn." They were called upon. Then the Prophet (s) placed his cloak over them and raised both hands and said, "O Allah, these are the members of my Household. Peace be upon Muhammad and upon the Household of Muhammad." Almighty Allah revealed the verse, "... Allah only desires to keep away ... (33:33)." Hakim Nishaburi said this tradition is an authenticated tradition. The Holy Prophet (s) taught them to send greetings upon his household ("`Ayan al-Shi`ah" 358/1; "Fadail al-Khamsah" 227/1; "Al-Mustadrak" 147/3). Ibn Jurir and Ibn Abi Hatam have quoted Qutadah as saying that in relation to the verse, "... Allah only desires to keep away ... (33:33)", the Prophet (s) stated, "These are the members of my Household, and Allah has purified them of any uncleanness and granted them His mercy. We serve as the tree of prophethood, the pillar of mission, the place of passage of angels, the house of mercy, and the wealth of knowledge" ("Al-Durr al-Manthur", 198/5-199).
C- In "Al-Mustadrak al-Sahihayn", Hakim Nishaburi has quoted this authentic tradition from Ibn `Abbas: The Holy Prophet (s) stated, "Love Allah who gives you food out of his bounty and love me for His love and love the members of my Household because of love for me." He also relates this tradition which he considers authentic from Abu S`ad Khidri: "Whoever shows animosity toward us the members of the Household will be cast into the fire." ("A'yan al-Shi`a", 315/1).
D- Hakim Nishaburi in "Al-Mustadrak", 149/3 and Ibn Hajar in "Sawaiq", 140 have related Ibn `Abbas as quoting the Prophet (s) as saying: "The stars are the source of the earth and the members of my Household are the source of the "ummah" (people)." Another tradition refers to the same: "The stars are the refuge for the dwellers of the heavens and my "ahl al-bayt" are the refuge for the "ummah" ("Kanz al-A'mal fi Sunan al-Aqwal wal-Af`al" 116/6). Another tradition has said: "the stars are the refuge for the dwellers of the skies. So if the stars are destroyed, the dwellers of the skies will also be destroyed. The members of my Household are the refuge for the dwellers of the earth. If they are destroyed, the dwellers of the earth also be destroyed" (Muhib Tabari in "Zakhair al-`Uqba", 17/1 and `Ali bin Sultan Muhammad Qari in "Mirqat al-Mafatih" 610/5, Egypt, 1339 A.H.).
Some Sunni `Ulama regard the "tathir verse" pertinent to all kin and relatives of the Holy Prophet (s) including the wives, children, the Bani Hashim and Bani`Adul-Mutallib (Ash'ari in "Maqalat al-Islamin", 9). Based on a tradition narrated from Saeed bin Jubayer, Bukhari, Ibn Abi Hatam, Ibn `Aker, and Ibn Mardawayh have said that this verse has been revealed about the wives of the Prophet (s) and believe that they are the members of the Household of the Messenger (s) of Allah ("Fath al-Qadir", 27/4, Egypt 1350 A.H.). In addition to the wives of the Holy Prophet (s), Qurtabi and Ibn Kathir consider `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn (peace be upon them all) as members of the Household to whom the "tathir verse" applies. But Tirmidhi, Ibn Jurir, Ibn Manzar, Hakim Nishaburi, and Bayhaqi who are all Sunni `Ulama have referred to the authentic tradition of Ummu Salamah and have thus considered the "tathir verse" applicable to `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn (peace be upon them all). The Shias have mentioned several reasons and proofs that the "ahl al-bayt" of the Holy Prophet (s) are exclusively `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn to whom the "tathir verse" applies. The most important of these reasons and proofs are:
1. Based on an authentic tradition narrated from Ummu Salamah and Abu Saeed Khidri, the "tathir verse" has been revealed about the Holy Prophet (s), `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn (peace be upon all).
2. In the Kisa' tradition, it has been stipulated that after placing `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn (peace be upon all) under his cloak, the Prophet (s) said: "O Allah, these are the members of my Household." This means that no one else apart from these is viewed as the "ahl al-bayt".
3. In response to Ummu Salama who asked whether she was also a member of the Household, the Prophet (s) said: "You have your own place, you are virtuous." He said no more than this. If Ummu Salama, in whose house the "tathir verse" was revealed, is not a member of the Household of the Holy Prophet (s), the verse will surely not apply to the Messenger's other wives.
4. Some traditions state that based on a request from Ummu Salamah, the Prophet (s) allowed her to come under the cloak but did so after saying, "Allah these are the members of my Household" and reciting the "tathir verse".
5. `Akramah Bariri (d 105 A.H.) and Urwat bin Zubayr (d 93 A.H.) are among the people who have related that the "tathir verse" has been exclusively revealed about the wives of the Prophet (s). Of course, Akramah subscribe to Khawarij ("Al-`a'lam" Zarkali, 42/5) and Urwat ("`Ayan al-Shi`ah", 309/1). Also the pronoun in the said verse is masculine not feminine. Such a narration cannot contrdict the famous tradition related by `Aishah, Ummu Salamah, and Abu Saeed Khidri, who have considered the "ahl al-bayt" to be exclusively five people. They have said that the verses coming before and after the "tathir verse" are related to the wives of the Prophet (s), so this verse should also be relevant to them.
Qur'anic verses are not classified based on the order of their revelation or contents. In addition, Zayd bin Arqam who has related the authenticated Thaqalayn tradition, has stated that the wives of the Holy Prophet (s) are not regarded as the members of his Household). He was asked: "Aren't the wives of the Holy Prophet (s) considered as the members of the Household?" He replied: "The wives of the Prophet reside in the Prophet's house but the Prophet's "ahl al-bayt" are those to whom the grant of "sadaqah" is religiously unlawful." Another tradition has it that Zayd was asked to name the members of the Household of the Holy Prophet (s). He was asked whether the Prophet's wives were among his "ahl al-bayt". He replied: "No, a wife lives with a husband for a while and then might be divorced and go back to her parents."
6. After citing the "tathir verse", `Ali Qari in the "Annotation to Qazi Ayaz's Shifa" (as related in "`Ayan al-Shi`ah", 309/1) has mentioned that according to a tradition narrated by Ibn `Abbas, the Prophet's "ahl al-bayt" include his wives as well. According to Abu Saeed Khidri and some followers, the "ahl al-bayt" include `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn (peace be upon all). He says: "There is no problem if we gather these traditions together and consider both groups to be members of the Household of the Holy Prophet (s). But It would go against the Shia idea that the "tathir verse" applies only to `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn and that they are immaculate . Even the fact that they regard the consensus of Imamiyyah `Ulama as proof to the veracity of thiswould be rejected. Abu Saeed Khidri's tradition only shows that these four are members of the Prophet's Household and does not indicate that no one else is among the "ahl al-bayt".
But Akramah's traditions explicitly quotes Ibn `Abbas as saying that verily the "ahl al-bayt" refers to the wives of the Prophet. On the other hand, Khidir's tradition says that the Prophet said: "Only these (i.e. `Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn) are the Members of my Household." This indicates exclusive membership. How then can these two traditions be combined? For this reason, the Imamiyyah `Ulama have consensus on following the traditions of the immaculate Imams (peace be upon them all) and the distinguished disciples to the effect that the "ahl al-bayt" of the Prophet (s) are only the five people known as the "Al-e-Aba" and "Ashab Kisa'".

source: http://www.al-islam.org

The Qur'an and the Nature of Life

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:45:00 +0800

Written by Martyr Murtada Mutahhari
Here we intend to carry out a Qur'anic study of the problem of life to find out the specific viewpoint of the Qur'an about life. In particular, we intend to study the view that the Qur'an takes of the relation between life and the supranatural world and Divine will.

The Noble Qur'an recurringly mentions life. In many of its verses, the coming to life of creatures, the different stages of life, the system involved in the creation of living creatures, the effects of life such as intelligence, consciousness, perception, hearing, sight, guidance, inspiration, instinct and the like are mentioned as the `signs' indicative of Divine wisdom and design. Each of these constitutes an interesting subject in itself, but here we do not intend to discuss them.

One of the themes discussed by the Qur'an in relation to life is that life is in the hands of God; it is God Who gives and takes away life. By this, the Noble Qur'an means that life is not within the control of anyone except God; no one else can give life or take it away. The issue that we now intend to discuss is this.

In the Surat al Baqarah, the Qur'an quotes Abraham (A) as saying to a tyrant of his time:

My Lord is He Who gives life and causes to die. (2:258)

In the Surat al Mulk, God is described in these words:

... He Who created death and life. (67:2)

There are many verses in the Qur'an which consider God as the sole giver of life (Muhyi) and death (Mumit), and the giving and taking away of life is directly attributed to God and considered His exclusive prerogative. Also, in the verses where some of the prophets are described as bringing the dead to life, the Qur’an is careful to point out that such a thing could occur only with God's permission (idhn). An example is found in the verse:

...a Messenger to the Children of Israel saying, "I have come to you with a sign from your Lord. I will create for you out of clay as the likeness of a bird, then I will breathe into it, and it will be a bird, by the leave of God. I will also heal the blind and the leper, and bring to life the dead, by the leave of God .... (3:49)

On the whole, it is one of the points of difference between the theists (ilahiyyun) and the materialists that whereas the theists consider the origin and source of life and its Creator as transcending matter, the materialists consider matter itself to be the creator of life. However, something which is significant in this regard is that there is a subtle but enormous difference between the logic of the Qur'an and the usual logic of the theists regarding the thesis that God is the creator of life. This subtle difference is another of the miraculous characteristics of this noble scripture. We believe that if theistic thinkers become familiar with this logic, they can, once for all, release themselves from the harassment of the materialists and also liberate those poor creatures too from the clutches of their fancies and error.
The Problem of Origin of Life

Ordinarily, when (theistic) thinkers want to relate the matter of life to God and Divine will, they bring up the problem of origin of life on the earth and the question regarding the cause of the first emergence of life. Conclusive scientific evidence indicates that life had a definite beginning on the surface of the earth, that none of the various types of living creatures, including animals and plants, have always existed since eternity. This is because the earth itself has a limited age. Moreover, it was not in its estimated life of several million years always fit for life. We observe that each individual of a species is always born from another individual belonging to that species. Wheat comes from wheat, barley from barley, horse from horse, camel from camel, and man from man. It is not the practice of nature that an animal or plant, for instance, should come into existence from a mass of sheer dust. Always, the origin of a living creature is traceable to another living creature from which it separates in the form of a seed or sperm and grows in a suitable location.

Now, how did life start in the beginning and through what means? Does every one of these innumerable species end in an individual living creature that is the source of its particular species? If that is the case, how did that first creature come into existence, for nature seems to disallow the emergence of a living creature without a speed, sperm or something that should have separated from a living creature? Hence, (they point out), we must admit that an exception to the rule must have occurred. In other words, a miracle had occurred and the Divine hand had emerged from the hidden to create that first living creature.

Or is it possible that all these species. have had a single source and root, and are members of a family of species? On the basis of this hypothesis, too, we confront the same problem. That is, even if we suppose all the species to have been derived from a single unicellular organism, the same question emerges as to how that first living creature came into existence. Isn't it the case that science has proved that a living creature cannot come into existence except from another living creature? Hence, was there an exception to the rule and a miracle, in that the will of God interfered to create instantaneously a living cell?

It is here that the adherents of the materialist outlook are forced to put forward certain hypotheses which are incredible to themselves. The theists, on the contrary, consider it as an evidence for the existence of a creator and state that a supranatural power did interfere to create the first living creature, and that it was the will of God that led to its emergence. Such was the view of Darwin, who was personally a theist. After having solved the problem of the branching out of species for himself, he arrives at one or several living creatures who first emerged on the earth's surface without having been reproduced by another living creature. He says regarding them: `As for these, they came to life through the Divine breath.'

Crissy Morrisen, in the book "The Secret of Man's Creation", says in this regard:

Some say that the corpuscles of life escaped from one of the planets and after wandering in the atmosphere for ages and consecutive centuries descended on the earth's surface. Such a belief is not acceptable, because it is impossible that they should have survived the space's absolute cold, and even if, supposedly, they could survive that danger, the cosmic rays that are scattered in space would have destroyed them. Even if they could pass through this stage, they must have come down accidentally in a very favourable point such as oceanic depths, where several conditions existed simultaneously and a suitable environment was created for them. After all these problems, the question still arises about the origin of life and as to how it did emerge in other planets. Today it has been proved for certain that no environment however favourable and conducive to life can create it. Similarly, no kind of chemical synthesis or combination can create a life corpuscle. The problem of life still remains one of the unsolved problems of science.

Some say that a miniscule particle of matter, of a microscopic size, coagulating with a large number of particles of atomic size, disturbed their equilibrium and assumed the form of life through their inclusion and exclusion. Nonetheless, no one has claimed until now that he has produced life with the means of chemical action and reaction.

By this discussion Crissy Morrisen intends to prove that the hand of a creator is involved in the origin and beginning of life, because it cannot be explained by material or natural causes. Concerning the origins of man and the great metamorphosis that resulted in the emergence of an intelligent creature with an extraordinary capacity for discursive thought and a power that could create the sciences, he says: "The emergence of man as an intelligent and thoughtful creature is too profound to be considered an effect of material changes in which a creator's hand was not involved." This was a sample of the mode of thought and argument of this group in relation to life and the Divine will. There is no need to cite more or less similar statements of others that do not differ essentially from the passage quoted.

As we know, till now man has not been able, despite all his efforts, to produce with scientific means the substance that makes up the living creatures. For instance, he has been unable to produce with chemical substances an artificial wheat grain possessing the properties of a living grain, which may grow into a plant when sown and develop ears. Nor has he been able to produce artificially the sperm of an animal or man with the capacity to develop into an animal or man. Nevertheless, scientists have not ceased in their efforts, and as yet it has not become conclusively clear for them whether they would be able to do so in the future or if this matter lies beyond man's scientific and technical capacities.

This topic too, which relates to the future has, like the problem of the origin of life, created a controversy throughout the world. Inevitably, that group of theists who, with their above-mentioned approach and logic, say that the creation of life is in the hands of God, are of the opinion that, in this question too, man's efforts in the field are bound to be fruitless. Since man has no control over life, which is exclusively subject to the Divine will, man cannot create life anytime at his will with the scientific and technical means at his disposal. The prophets who raised the dead were able to do so with the leave of God. It is not possible for anyone to perform such an act without the permission of God. And should anyone want to do such a thing with the leave of God, it would mean that such a man has joined the ranks of the prophets and performed a miracle, and, of course, God does not carry out a miracle except at the hands of His prophets and awliya.

This group of theists consider man's present incapacity in this regard as the proof of their claim. When they observe that man has produced wheat grains that do not differ in any way in their chemical composition from natural wheat but are devoid of the characteristics of life, they point out that that is because life depends exclusively on the will of God and the creation of life requires God's permission, which He does not give to anyone except His apostles.

We said that the Noble Qur'an explicitly affirms that life lies in the hands of God and that it negates the role of anyone else in the creation of life. However, the Qur'an never refers to the matter of the origin of the human species or the beginning of life in order to affirm this point. On the contrary, it points as evidence to the present empirical order and considers the current, ongoing system of life as the system of creation, becoming and development. But when it wishes to describe God's creatorhood in relation to life, it does not make recourse to the first day. In this respect, it makes no distinction between the first day and the subsequent days. Rather, it points to the present orderly changes of life as the changes of creation. For instance, in the blessed Surat alMu'minun it states:

We created man of an extraction of clay, then We set him, a drop, in a receptacle secure, then We created of the drop a clot, then We created of the clot a tissue, then We created of the tissue bones, then We garmented the bones in flesh; thereafter We produced him as another creature. So blessed be God, the fairest of creators! (23:12-14)

This noble verse mentions the systematic transformation and changes that occur in the embryo and considers these developments as a developing series of creations. In the Surat Nuh, it states:

What ails you, that you look not for majesty in God, seeing He created you by stages? (71:13-14)

In the Surat al-Zumar, it states:

He creates you in your mothers' wombs creation after creation in threefold shadows. (39:6)

In the Surat al-Baqarah, it is stated:

How do you disbelieve in God, seeing you were dead and He gave you life, then He shall make you dead, then He shall give you life, then unto Him you shall be returned. (2:28)

In the Surat al-Hajj, it states:

It is He Who gave you life, then He shall make you dead, then He shall give you life. (22:66)

There are many verses on this theme and all of them consider the present current order as the system of creation. The splitting of the grain and the seed under the ground, the growth of plants and herbs, the greening of the trees in spring-time - all of these are mentioned as part of the ever new and perpetual Divine creativity. In no place does the Qur'an consider the role of Divine creativity and will in the creation of life as relating exclusively to the first man or the first living creature that emerged upon the earth's surface, or consider only that organism or grain as the creature of God and the product of the Divine will.

The Noble Qur’an also mentions the creation of Adam, but not for the purpose of affirming monotheism (tawhid), or for the sake of the argument that since Adam was the first man, that proves that creation did occur and that `God's hand emerged from its sleeve' to create human life. God's hand has never been concealed within a sleeve.

There is a strange point worthy of notice in this regard. The Qur’an makes use of the story of Adam to convey many teachings of a moral and educative character, such as: man's capacity for attaining to the station of God's vicegerency; his abundant capacity for knowledge; the angels' humility in front of knowledge; man's capacity for attaining superiority over the angels; the harm of greed, the harms of pride, the effects of sin in causing man's decline from the sublimest of stations; the role of penitence in man's salvation and his return to the station of proximity to God; warnings against the danger of misleading satanic insinuations, and the like. But it never relates the special and exceptional situation of Adam in his creation to the subject of tawhid and theology, for the objective behind its mention of Adam's story was a moral and educative one. It was not intended as an evidence in favour of tawhid. Moreover, it confines itself to mentioning Adam, and says nothing about how the life of the other animal species originated on the earth.

We have mentioned earlier the customary approach of the theists who when confronted with the absence of an explanation for the beginning of life in the first living creature say, "It was the Divine breath which brought it into existence." But the Qur’an considers the life of other human beings also to be the result of the Divine breath, in the same way as it considers the life of Adam as being due to the Divine breath.

In one place the Qur’an relates God as saying to angels regarding Adam:

(And when thy Lord said to the angels `See, 'I am creating a mortal of clay of mud moulded.) When I have shaped him, and breathed My spirit in him, fall you down, bowing before him!" (16:28-29)

In another place it says:

We created you, then We shaped you, then We said to the angels: Bow yourselves to Adam.' (7:11)

It is clear that, in this verse, creation, the blowing of the Divine breath and the veneration of angels is ascribed to all human beings in general. The Qur'an states in the Sura Alif lam sajdah:

...Who has created all things well and He originated the creation of man out of clay, then He fashioned his progeny of an extraction of mean water, then He shaped it, and breathed His spirit in it. And He appointed for you hearing and sight, and heart; little thanks you show. (32:7-9)

As pointed out by the exegetes and as indicated by the context itself, the pronoun in sawwahu (he shaped it) relates to sulalah (progeny), not to al-'insan (man).

Source: http://www.aimislam.com

Discovering Islam (PILLARS OF ISLAM, THE ISLAMIC BELIEFS) Chapter 2

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 15:38:00 +0800

Monotheism of Allah (Tawheed)

Monotheism is the essence of Islam. It is the affirmation of believing that there is no other divinity other than God. For the most part, the spirit of the Quran revolves around the theme of pure monotheism. Thus, God is the center of a Muslim's belief. Whereas other religions focus on individuals, for example, Christianity's focus on Jesus Christ, Islam focuses solely on God.

Islam is based on the Absolute (God), not His manifestations. The Quran itself speaks about the oneness of God, “Allah has borne witness that there is no god other than Him, and the angels, and those with knowledge also witness this. He is always standing firm on justice. There is no god but Him, the Mighty, the Wise.” (3:18)

The oneness of God is not only a philosophical argument, rather it is also an affirmation which all human beings once declared before their souls entered their body, as God says, ”[Remember] when your Lord brought forth the children of Adam from their loins and made them testify over themselves, saying, “Am I not your Lord?” They said, “Yes! We testify,” lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection, 'Verily, we were unaware of this.'” (7:172)

In this event, every person to be created until the end of time proclaimed God's majesty, sovereignty, power, transcendence, and absolute oneness.

Such was the covenant God made with all people at the time of their creation, whether people presently claim to believe in God or not. Similarly, all people today, regardless of their origin, are naturally inclined towards the idea that God is one and does not have a partner. The Quran informs Prophet Muhammad of the following, “Set your face to the true religion [the Islamic belief of monotheism], the natural inclination [fitra] with which Allah has created mankind. [Let there be] no change in what Allah has made; that is the straight religion, but most people do not understand.” (30:30)

Describing God

One of the shortest chapters in the Quran, “The Oneness of Allah,”[9] summarizes the nature of God in five verses, “In the name of Allah, the Infinitely Compassionate, the Most Merciful: Say, 'He is Allah, the One; Allah, the Eternal Originator; He does not bear children, nor was He born; and He is beyond compare.'”

The most fundamental Islamic teachings about God are contained in the previous verses; there is only one God, He is eternal, unique, and has no kinship, creator, or resemblance to any human being.

Throughout their mission, every prophet stated some of the divine attributes of God. Prophet Abraham said, “My Lord is He who gives life and causes death.” (2:258) When confronting Pharaoh, Moses said, “Our Lord is He Who gave each thing its form and nature then guided it aright” (20:50). These two verses describe God and His relation to human beings; however, God's being extends far beyond His relation to mankind. Imam Ali described God in the following manner:

”He who assigns to Him different conditions does not believe in His oneness, nor does he who likens Him, grasp His reality. He who illustrates Him, does not signify Him; he who points at Him and imagines Him, does not mean Him. Everything that is known through itself has been created, and everything that exists by virtue of other things is the effect of a cause. He works but not with the help of instruments; He fixes measures, but not with the activities of thinking; He is rich, but not by acquisition. Time does not keep company with Him, and implements do not help Him. His being precedes time, His existence precedes non-existence, and His eternity precedes beginning. By His creating the senses, it is known that He does not possess such senses. By the contraries in various matters, it is known that He has no contrary, and by the similarity between things it is known that there is nothing similar to Him. He has made light the contrary of darkness, brightness that of gloom, dryness that of moisture, and heat that of cold. He produces affection among inimical things. He is not confined by limits, nor counted by numbers. Material parts can surround things of their own kind, and organs can point out things similar to themselves…Through them, the Creator manifests Himself to the intelligence, and through them He is guarded from the sight of the eyes…He has not begotten anyone lest He be regarded as having been born. He has not been begotten; otherwise, He would be contained within limits. He is too high to have sons…Understanding cannot think of Him so as to give Him shape…”[10]

God expresses His own eternity and perpetuity in the Quran when He states, “Everything on earth shall perish, but the face of Allah will remain, full of majesty and honor.” (55:26-27)

The 99 Names of Allah

The Quran states, “And to Allah belong the most beautiful names, so call on Him by them.” (7:180)

Islamic tradition states that God has many different names representing different aspects of His being; ninety-nine are known commonly among Muslims.

The Beneficent	Ar-Rahm¡n
The Merciful	Ar-Rah¢m
The Sovereign	Al-M¡lik
The Holy	Al-Qudd£s
The Peace	As-Sal¡m
The Protector	Al-Muhaymin
The Mighty	Al-Aziz
The Compeller	Al-Jabb¡r
The Majestic	Al-Mutakabbir
The Creator	Al-Kh¡liq
The Evolver	Al-B¡ri'
The Fashioner	Al-Musawwir
The Forgiver	Al-Ghaff¡r
The Subduer	Al-Qahh¡r
The Bestower	Al-Wahh¡b
The Provider	Ar-Razz¡q
The Opener	Al-Fatt¡h
The Knowing	Al-Alim
The Constrictor	Al-Q¡bid
The Expander	Al-B¡sit
The Abaser	Al-Kh¡fid
The Wise	Al-Hak¢m
The Glorious	Al-Maj¢d
The Exalter	Ar-R¡fi
The Honorer	Al-Mu'izz
The Dishonorer	Al-Mudhill
The Hearing	As-Sam¢
The Seeing	Al-Bas¢r
The Judge	Al-Hakam
The Able	Al-Q¡dir
The Great	Al-Azim
The All-Forgiving	Al-Ghaf£r
The Appreciative	Ash-Shak£rr
The High	Al-Ali
The Immense	Al-Kab¢r
The Preserver	Al-H¡fiz
The Maintainer	Al-Muq¢t
The Reckoner	Al-Has¢b
The Majestic	Al-Jal¢l
The Generous	Al-Kar¢m
The Watchful	Ar-Raq¢b
The Responsive	Al-Muj¢b
The Loving	Al-Wad£d
The Strong	Al-Qaw¢
The Firm	Al-Mat¢n
The Truth	Al-Haqq
The Trustee	Al-Wak¢l
The Guardian	Al-Wal¢
The Praiseworthy	Al-Ham¢d
The Enumerator	Al-Muhs¢
The Originator	Al-Mubd¢
The Restorer	Al-Mu'¢d
The Giver of Life	Al-Muhy¢
The Living	Al-Hayy
The Finder	Al-W¡jid
The Noble	Al-M¡jidjid
The Unique	Al-W¡hid
The One	Al-Ahad
The Eternal	As-Samad
The Guide	Al-H¡di
The Powerful	Al-Muqtadir
The Expediter	Al-Muqaddim
The Delayer	Al-Mu`akhir
The Manifest	Az-Z¡hir
The Equitable	Al-Muqsit
The Exalted	Al-Muta'ali
The Avenger	Al-Muntaqim
The Pardoner	Al-'Afuw
The Compassionate	Ar-Ra'uf
The Patient	As-Sabur
The Gatherer	Al-J¡mi'
The Self-Sufficient	Al-Ghan¢
The Enricher	Al-Mughn¢
The Preventer	Al-M¡ni
The Distresser	Ad-Darr
The Incomparable	Al-Badi
The Everlasting	Al-B¡qi
The Inheritor	Al-W¡rith
The First	Al-AwwalAl-Awwal
The Last	Al-ªkhir
The Hidden	Al-B¡tin
The Governor	Al-W¡li
The Resurrector	Al-B¡'ith
The Witness	Ash-Sh¡hid
The Aware	Al-Khab¢r
The Kind	Al-Hal¢m
The Benefiter	An-N¡fi
The Light	An-N£r
The Just	Al-Adl
The Subtle	Al-Lat¢f
The Lord of Majesty and Bounty	Dhul Jal¡li wal Ikr¡m
The Acceptor of Repentance	Al-Tawwab
The Guide to the Right Path	Ar-Rash¢d
The Owner of Sovereignty	M¡lik al-Mulk
The Source of Goodness	Al-Barr
The Creator of Death	Al-Mum¢t
The All-Surrounding	Al-W¡si
The Source of Goodness	Al-Barr

Viewpoints of Islam and Christianity Concerning God

The emergence of Islam returned the Abrahamic monotheism to its original purity. Islam perceives the doctrine of trinity and incarnation as a veil cast upon the complete reality of Divine unity. Nothing should compromise divine unity. God is the absolute, the One without condition, and above all relations.

The distinguishable feature of the Islamic faith from other monotheistic religions is its insistence on absolute monotheism. Islam entirely opposes any association concerning God and the notion that Jesus, the Messenger of God, was God himself. God states in the Quran, “It is not for a man, that Allah should give him [Jesus] the Book [Gospel], and judgment and apostleship, and yet he [Jesus] should say to people, “Worship me rather than Allah,” but rather [he would say] “Be a godly people, because of your teaching the Book and because of studying it [yourselves].” (3:79)[11]

Muslims believe that Jesus was a human prophet who was divinely inspired by God, and they consider him to be a servant and conveyer of God's message and neither the Old Testament nor the New Testament mentions that Jesus was the son of God.

Barbara Brown, a contemporary American scholar, supports this idea with the following statement:

The doctrine of divinity states that Jesus is the Son of God, the Word of God made flesh. Even though Jesus himself never claimed to be divine, Paul gave him this attribute for one reason - to gain converts among the Gentiles. The Gentiles were pagans who were used to worshipping gods that had wonderful legends and myths behind them. Several of the pagan deities of the time such as Mithras, Adonis, Attis, and Osiris were the offspring of a supreme ruling idol and each had died a violent death at a young age, coming back to life a short time later in order to save their people. Paul took this into account, giving the pagans something similar in Christianity. He attributed divinity to Jesus, saying he was the Son of God, the Supreme, and that he too had died for their sins. In doing so, Paul compromised the teaching of Jesus with pagan beliefs in order to make Christianity more acceptable to the Gentiles.

The term “son of God” was not something new. However, it had been used in the Old Testament to refer to David (Saul 2:7) and his son Solomon (I Chronicles 22:100) and to refer to Adam (Luke 3:38) in the New Testament. In his famous Sermon on the Mount, detailed in Matthew 5, Jesus tells his listeners, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” In all cases, the term “son of God” was not meant to be applied literally but to signify love and affection from God to the righteous. “Son of God” means a special closeness to God, not to be of God. After all, people are sons [spiritual dependants] of God, and God is the creator of all life.[12]

Christians who lived during the time of Jesus believed that Jesus was divinely inspired by God and not God himself. However, after the ascension of Jesus to heaven, Saint Paul, who was deeply influenced by Roman paganism, wanted his preaching of Christianity to be more appealing to the Gentiles and thus, he compromised the teachings of Jesus by adopting certain pagan ideas and interpolating them into Christianity. Even though it was not part of the original teachings of Jesus, the idea of the trinity has widely spread.

Discovering Islam (What is Islam?) Chapter 1

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 15:25:00 +0800

Islam[1] means “submitting or surrendering one's will to the will of God (Allah).”[2]

The human beings' innate disposition naturally submits to the reverence of God; this natural feeling was infused with him or her on the day of creation. In reality, the entire universe, through its ordered workings all submit to the will of God. Modern science calls these phenomena “the laws of nature,” but these laws of nature, from an Islamic perspective, are not just any set of laws, rather, they are the laws of God for nature. Human beings depend on, and are in need of God's sustenance and guidance throughout their entire lives; thus, the human being must yield his self-will and desires to the will of the Creator.

Submission to God does not entail self-humiliation or a denial of human intellect; rather, it means trusting the knowledge, wisdom, and fairness of the Creator. In some form of an act or instance, people involuntary trust and depend on the safety of their lives to others. Hence, the decision to trust a person with more knowledge is logical; therefore, trusting the wisdom of God does not constitute abandoning one's intellect, but rather, it constitutes following one's natural inclination.

The word Islam has other meanings, one of which is “to have peace.” God says in the Quran,[3] “He is Allah, there is no god but Him - the King, the Holy One, and the Peace.” (59:23) Moreover, the Quran states, “And Allah invites to the abode of peace.” (10:25)

By its connotations of peace and safety, the word Islam indicates that the religion is free from any deficiencies or defects. As a religion, Islam is considered perfect because it was ordained by God and not invented or marked by mankind: “This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (5:3)

Commanded by God, Prophet Abraham was the first person to use the words Islam and Muslim,[4] “It [the teachings of monotheism of Islam] is the religion of your father Abraham. He [God] has named you Muslims both before and in this [Quran].” (22:78) In another passage of the Quran we read, “Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a true Muslim [submissive to God] and was not one of the polytheists.” (3:67) Not only did Prophet Abraham call his religion Islam, but the prophets after Abraham also called their religion Islam. Prophet Joseph,[5] in the chapter entitled “Joseph” in the Quran states, “My Lord! You have given me authority and taught me the interpretation of things. O Creator of the heavens and earth! You are my guardian in this world and in the Hereafter. Cause me to die as a Muslim, submitting to Your will, and join me with the righteous.” (12:101)

Thus, God declares in the Quran, “Truly the religion before Allah is Islam.” (3:19)

Who are the Muslims?Who are the Muslims?

Muslims are the followers of the religion of Islam (those who submit to the will of God as explained in the Quran and the traditions [6] of Prophet Muhammad, the Messenger of Islam).

Today, the Muslim population is over a billion and it is spread over a vast range of races, nationalities, and cultures. Approximately 18% of the Muslims live in the Arab world, while the majority live in Asia and Africa. The largest Muslim population is in Indonesia, and a significant number of Muslim minorities exist in Russia, China, Europe, North America, and South America. The Muslim population in the United States is estimated to be around six million.

How Does One Become a Muslim?

The basic requirement to become a Muslim is to declare, ”Ashhadu an laa ilaaha illa Allah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan rasul Allah.” In English this means, “I testify that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.”

Anyone who proclaims this phrase joins the ranks of the Muslim nation (ummah). This statement marks the beginning of one's physical and spiritual journey in practicing the aspects of Islam. A Muslim strives to become one who the Quran terms as the faithful (mumin). Although this journey in becoming 'faithful' may be long, its rewards are numerous for those who embark on it with sincere will and intention.

Practicing Islam requires learning Islamic ideas, teachings, and practices, then adhering to them. Moreover, Islamic practice requires some sacrifice. However, the necessity of sacrifice should not be a deterrent. Prophet Muhammad states, “Whenever someone gives up something for the sake of God, God will replace it with something better.”

Sincerity of belief also develops over time. When Prophet Muhammad began spreading the message of Islam, some people came to him and informed him that they were believers in Islam. In reply, God revealed the following verse, “Say [Muhammad to them]: 'You believe not,' but say, 'We have submitted to Islam,' for faith has not yet entered your hearts.” (49:14)

The successor to Prophet Muhammad, Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib,[7] has described the dynamic process of following Islam, “I am defining Islam as no one has defined it before me: Islam is submission, submission is conviction, conviction is affirmation, affirmation is acknowledgement, acknowledgement is performance of obligations, and the performance of obligations is good deeds.”[8]

Notes:

[1] From the Arabic verb aslama, meaning ‘to surrender.’

[2] The Arabic word for the One God.

[3] Quran: Islam’s Divine Book.

[4] The word Muslim refers to a follower of the religion of Islam and it means “one who surrenders to the will of God.”

[5] The son of Prophet Jacob from whom the ‘Tribes of Israel’ come from.

[6] Traditions are referred to in the Arabic language as Hadith or Sunnah and these are the actions, words, and recorded acts of consent of the Prophet Muhammad in matters pertaining to the meaning and practices of Islam which have been transmitted through a line of reliable and authentic narrators.

[7] Imam Ali was Prophet Muhammad’s first-cousin and son-in-law. Since the age of six, Imam Ali was raised and educated by the Prophet.

[8] Nahj al-Balagha (The Peak of Eloquence), sermon #125. This work is a collection of sermons, lectures and sayings of Imam Ali complied by al-Sharif al-Radi (420 ah/972 ce).

Discovering Islam

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 15:19:00 +0800

by
Imam Sayed Moustafa Al-Qazwini

Imam Sayed Moustafa Al-Qazwini
Islamic Educational Center of Orange County
3194-B Airport Loop Drive
Costa Mesa, California 92626 U.S.A.
Website: www.iecoc.org
Copyright 2001 by Moustafa Al-Qazwini

Author's Note

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Discovering Islam is an invitation to learn about the fundamental message, spirit, and practice of Islam. This book covers an array of essential concepts, practices, and beliefs. It takes you through the core principle of the Oneness of God to the most contemporary concept of jihad.

The message of Islam is universal. Islam is not intended to be a faith of followers from a certain descent; nor does it belong to one geographical part of the world; nor does it belong to a different time era.

Islam is a progressive and adapting religion that transcends all racial, native tongue, socio-economic, and gender lines. It is open and free to be explored, challenged, accepted, and even rejected. God says in the Quran, “There is no compulsion in religion. The right direction is henceforth distinct from error. Thus whoever rejects evil and believes in God has grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold that never breaks.” (2:256)

Islam is a faith that believes in the exclusive oneness, justice, and mercy of God and the sole purpose of this religion is to enlighten the hearts of people so that they may understand the message of God and then live by it.

This book Discovering Islam has been an instrumental tool for thousands of readers looking for a simple way of understanding Islam and Muslims.

This is the third printing of the book since 1999 and it is enlightening for first-time readers who are searching for a simple, general book on Islam, and perhaps may inspire the reader to search deeper into the faith.

This book would not have been possible without the sincere assistance and suggestions of Sister Fatma Saleh. My thanks are also extended to Shaykh Saleem Bhimji who took great effort in getting this work published.

To them both I am thankful.

Sayed Moustafa al-Qazwini

Orange County, California

July 23, 2008

It is customary in Islam that when the name of Allah, Prophet Muhammad, prophets, or imams (descendants and successors of Prophet Muhammad) is enunciated, the following phrases are mentioned:

Allah - “Glorified and Exalted”

(Subhanna wa-tallah)

Written abbreviation - SWT

Prophet Muhammad “Peace be upon him and his family”

Written abbreviation - pbuh&hf

After the names of prophets, imams from the family of Prophet Muhammad and his daughter:

“Peace be upon him/her”

Written abbreviation - pbuh

With great respect, admiration, recognition, and praise, I have omitted the mentioned phrases for the sake of continuity.

Beauty of Concealment and Concealment of Beauty IV

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 15:11:00 +0800

Message Of Hejab From A Muslim Woman

Hearken! O Woman! This jingle jangle is the clink of your chains!
What an old and rusty clink!
As if it has continued to ring for thousand of years of history till
this day. under the dominance of the systems devouring the blood of humanity,
Throughout the decadent society in which you live,
In the depth of your thoughts, wishes and tastes, and even your decisions, These chains, which have pierced from your skin into your flesh, Have gone deep into your brain and soul and bruised your Self, Behold! Hearken to their sound!
In the continuous whispers from morn till dark, around the house, (busy) with cooking pots, sweeping the floor, Amidst the factory wheels turning by your laborious hands, In the fields developed by your hands bound in tatters, and stooped back, There, in the office where you work and are consumed, Even where you learn or teach, Under that stinking layer of rouge which you rub on your face, In the side of the multicoloured garments you put on as a means of ostentation, In your thought, while you are thinking.
Throughout your life, in your destiny, if you look truly, you have never been the one really deciding about it.
Beside the insults, discriminations which you have to bear in different ways in this decadent system, How should I tell you that these chains have not only deprived you for soaring to heights, but also crushed all the people of your land under their pressure, Of course, all the people of your land, your countrymen, the oppressed creatures, who suffer and are tormented, robbed and plundered, yet their human wants are not supplied.
Of course, O Woman!
Whom thousands of years of decadent history have kept in chains,
Whose self has been wounded by the scourges of oppression of prevailing systems, Who throughout the history, in one way or the other, has been the slave of the economic powers;
O Woman! whom the religious despotism of several thousand years, in every age has, in one form or the other, kept in black claws of superstitions and groundless fears, Who has always been subdued by man;
Now at this height of awakening and freedom when the people of the world are straightening their backs from under the bloodstained boots of oppressors, are revolting and are. triumphant:
Wait a bit! Wait a bit!
And from the depth of this dark night,
Which is nearing the dawn,
From beyond the cries of the deprived, the hungry and those in debt, From beyond the chains fastened round the feet of the seekers of truth, Of course, and also from the depth of history, one thousand and four hundred years ago, From the depth of the long night which had brought the whole world under the cover of its darkness, You have linked (the people) with God.
And now that you have accepted Islam as a system of life and an Ideology,
Also accept hejab,
And under its vitalizing dress recreate yourself and get a new life.
With this bold negation have no fears.
What do you possess which you are afraid to lose, Except a personality crushed under the load of thousands of years of contempt and chains which have hindered your movement, your journey, your flight to new heights?
It's nothing! It's nothing!
The legacy of this history made of rogues,
The corrupt and cruel regimes of two thousand and five hundred years with autocratic and bloodthirsty leaders and enslaving economic systems, And thousands Of years of religious despotism swayed by the traders of faith, How all these elements have changed you, your sex quality, your culture, your feminine character and your capacity to work!
You are nothing ! Your are nothing !
But a woman who adds passion to bed, A doll which through its characteristics weakens determination, A commodity found in abundance in the private chambers of rulers and the common street harems, A domestic prisoner who from morn till night is put to drudgery in the isolated portions of the house and busies herself toiling, A slave who in lieu of minimum wages by her labour brings maximum profits to the landlords and mill-owners, Or rots in the expanse of the bureaucratic establishments, And lastly in every institution of a decadent society, in one form or the other, is despised and exploited.
Of course, this is what has been imposed on you.
The dirty culture they have framed for you,
The income they have fixed for you, As if throughout the history all its autocrats and rogues, with hundreds of sabres drawn, have made you their target. Come and seek shelter in Islam and be safe, be strong, be armed.
With what ? With its laws, its universal outlook, its anthropology.
Yes, with Islam in toto, including indeed, its hejab system. Now that you have accepted Islam, also accept its dress, and throw away this cultural yoke of female exploitation imposed on you. Which dress ? What type of dress ?
Do we mean the dress which has been imposed on Islam by feudalism or Capital ism with the help of the tyrant rulers, With all those restrictions, contempts, but of course with an Islamic form Or a prison, a cloth which alludes to the large prison of house, society and your history ?
What difference does it make, whether it is a (head) kerchief, a loose garment or a chador, under which you may suffer unlimited contempt ?
Where you may be free to do whatever you like, dress yourself as you like, think as you like, even be more anti-Islamic than any infidel, be devoid of belief in God, or be without any cover ? No, never!
The free and unrestrained dress of the imperialist, capitalist or colonial systems, which places you uncovered before the eyes of the people, stupefying the brains, weakening the intentions and negating the higher values,
Or the Marxian dress whose limits are so much indefinite and incomplete that it cannot change into a protector of your total features, into a complete revolutionary base against the decadent systems and values of atheism, sex, beauty and pleasure.
No, no! None of these dresses, but only the Islamic dress to the extent it Is prescribed by the Islamic ideology which humanizes and liberates man.
It has no special form, no particular colour, neither black, nor yellow, brown, blue, red or orange, No, all these details are to be determined by the requirements of time, even social, economic, political conditions and specially the indigenous culture and tradition of your own land.
It is not a prison ?
Then, what is it ?
It is a sanctuary of concealment and chastity.
It is a message.
It is a weapon, or a stronghold.
A sanctuary of concealment and chastity which not only shields you in its cover and hides your physical features and bestows upon them perfection.
Your characteristic features, after all, are not confined to body and sex alone.
But it also covers the divine substance of your being a woman, The substance which bestows upon you the capability of being a mother, a sister, a beloved spouse, The substance in whose bosom the most admirable values are produced and become meaningful, A sanctuary which protects you from all sorts of disgrace, contempt and exploitation, Disgrace and contempt which are sometimes contained in the covers of praise and admiration in the verses of poets and pieces of vain artists, and sometimes on the tongue of the street vagabonds, while at times they are expressed and analyzed with the help of the capitalistic and imperialistic sociology, But how naively you have pleased yourself with such disgrace! Islam, however, introduces with this dress for you some other criteria for your identity.
After all Islam does not demand beauty from a woman.
It does not ask for an illusive appearance.
In the society, it does not demand the physical, sensual and feminine features.
No! No!
It rather demands from you belief in God, trust in Islamic identity, truthfulness, search for truth, pure human feelings, in short, faith, noble deeds and piety.
Islam demands from you your existential value, and not sensual value.
It is your faith, your practice which brings about and establishes a progressive society based on the belief in One God, and not the physical and sensual features which are the elements of a decadent, pollute and Satanic society, or a society whose political, economic and social system as well as its leadership is opposed to the form liked by God, where a few men and women, young and old. are devouring one another, and considering themselves to be beasts wriggle with each other with the least human feelings and sentimental attachments, and from above, in the words of Our'an, a few "satiated and opulent", bloodthirsty people watch with pleasure, and by sucking their blood, the juice of their youth and life. give perpetuity to their power and pelf. Their examples are most of the societies of today, including your own.
Now, that you have come to recognize Islam, come to believe in it, also accept its dress. But beware, your hejab alone is nothing. It can be a shell without a kernel. When you come to face the Islamic teachings in a superficial manner without paying due attention to its depth and content and have a shallow and merely a reactionary approach in accepting every word of it, every precept and every political social and economic consideration, your hejab would be nothing more than affectation.
''When you adopt a series of Islamic rituals through your intellect, without a belief in the depth of your heart, you follow some claims without actually translating them into conscious and persistent practice, although at the same time from head to toe you are governed by all the frailties you have suffered throughout history, in other words, the same lack of self-confidence, lack of vigilance and lack of decision about yourself and your society. the same submissiveness before falsehood and oppression. the same self-defeatedness, indetermination and thoughtlessness vis-à-vis the man, with the same feminine, deviating ostentation of the dark ages (of pre-Islamic period), but somewhat in the intellectual way and this time you appear wearing the holy Islamic dress.
Your hejab may be something you have inherited from your family, when this dress has been conventional in your family as a custom, habit or uniform, without your having an iota of thinking about the responsibilities of wearing this holy dress. In its shelter you may think whatever you like, you may attire yourself in whatever way you like, adorn yourself and at the same time carry under it all the feminine weaknesses imposed on you.
Lastly, your hejab may be something forcible, an act against your own will, when you have been compelled to adopt it by your father, your husband or your brother, and you may have accepted it without being aware of the responsibility of wearing this vitalizing dress, without having endeavoured to realize the aims and message of this dress, without ever having tried to refine and reform yourself in order to deserve this dress, this attire. In all such circumstances, your hejab can never be Islam personified, identicalized. It shall never be a revolutionary stronghold against tyranny, despotism and decadent values and systems. It shall never bring a glad tiding of liberty for the people of your land, except when you should have learnt Islam as a deen (a system of life), a comprehensive ideology, recognized it as such, and linked it truly and boldly with all your existence, your being, your life, your traits of character, your aims and objects as well as your ambitions.
It is only then that your hejab would serve as a shield for protecting your piety and chastity. It is then that your hejab would be a message, a weapon. It is then that your hejab is so much developed, so much advanced that all of a sudden it transforms itself into an ideology personified. Your hejab becomes Islam altogether, another side of your belief in God and faith in Islam, in the same way as Islam negates all other powers except God, the Peerless, as it allows fear for and submission before only and only God, as Towhid, the belief in oneness of God; is the message which gives new life to the society, a message which is enjoyed by all, according to which all the human beings are equal like the teeth of a comb, as it is the elevator of ideas, souls, society and with the same extent as it attains freedom for the weak, in the same way as it knocks down the (evil) powers, with all its ideals and its love for the creatures of God, and with all its wrath against the enemies of God and His people.
Of course, your hejab shall then become an Islamic hejab, and you shall adopt it only when you have recognized the true Islam and have linked your very being with it and its ideals. As you proceed with all these heights, your hejab shall comprehend all these dimensions and shall incorporate them in itself. In other words, it shall assume the position of Islam personified. Now, you, a Muslim woman, with your hejab, which has risen to the position of a deen, an ideology, an ideal, a desire identified with truth, send a message to your people, the people of your land, to the oppressed people of the world in the following words:
My sisters! My brothers! People of my land, my deprived and toiling people! My people under debt! People entangled in countless problems and issues! People brainwashed by mass media of communication and disinformation programmes! People duped by consumption (of consumer goods), loans and installments (of loans)! Oppressed people whose heroic bodies have been bruised by the beat of prickly scourges and bloodstained boots of the rogues of history! O people of my land! O toiling and deprived people of the world! O oppressed people of history from its dawn to this day, and from this day to the auspicious moment of the rising of (Imam) Mahdi, (peace be upon him), do not consider my hejab to be something small and negligible, as it is a glad tiding and a guide to your freedom and salvation. It is a signal for the Ideology of Islam, which, in fact, is a theory of revolution and freedom of all the oppressed and deprived people.
Of course, O people of my land! My sisters! My brothers! All oppressed people of my land! Look at my hejab and beside it the revolt against the false systems, against all the dirty and atheistic values, power, wealth and (so-called) beauty, against all the inhuman considerations based on selfish motives and treating women and human beings as commodities, against the suffering at the hands of atheism, exploitation, debts, decadent and soporific propaganda, a revolt against the oppressive classes, against the bloodthirsty governing regimes, against the autocrats, against godlessness and religious despotism, against the solely material-oriented and materialistic standards, ideals and world views.
O oppressed people of my land! O oppressed people of the world! My hejab is a unit of Islamic ideology, and gives glad tidings of a society proclaimed by Islam, a society in which all its members in the form of a single community turn towards God, not dollars, money, without there being any head, without any position, wealth, prestige, so-called beauty, sex, lust, (filthy) enjoyment. Nay, it gives the glad tidings of a society based on Towhid, belief in the Oneness of God, where the classes would be abolished and the control of all and untruth, the forces of political, economic and religious oppression would be lifted.
Of course, it gives the glad tidings of a society in which there are no cries of the deprived, the hungry and the tears of the orphans. In that society there is no mother suffering the pain of her ailing child left without food or medicine, or a father ashamed of his inability to support his family. There is no disgraced woman rotting in her house, in the offices, exploited in the working place, or a woman who displays her feminine features in the streets and is thus despised to the extent of inhumanity. There is no single-dimensional effort for production and consumption for the sake of production and consumption. There is no dictatorship, whether having an autocrat at the helm of affairs, or the dictatorship of a group of capitalists, whether it is the dictatorship of the proletariat or the Communist party. What difference does it make? They are all different forms of despotism.
It gives the glad tidings of a society presented by Islam, for whose attainment all the Muslim fighters are making efforts and struggle, offering sacrifices of their own life and achieving martyrdom. Praise be to the pure souls of those sacrificing their lives in the way of Allah.
O my people! How long and how far, all this shame, disgrace, contempt and insult, all this plunder of the natural resources at the hands of the Eastern and Western imperialists, the regimes of the oppressors and the savage plunderers?
How long shall we tolerate the opulence of the few and the abject poverty of the majority ? How long shall we see our beliefs, culture, ideals and values trampled by the oppressors of the time and the dominant cultures? How long shall we hear the cries and laments from all the four Corners of our land and from all the deprived people of the world? How long shall we see our sisters as the prostitutes selling their bodies, persecuted women and source of profit and entertainment of the capitalists?
No more. It's enough. I give the message of my hejab. I invite all to the true Islam. I appeal for a revolt and struggle, and give the sole glad tidings of achieving truth, justice, equality and perfection by turning towards God.
This is the message of a Muslim to all the people.
Here I have also a message for you, O sister, O Woman. I do not know to which section of the! class. to which religion and culture you belong, what occupation you have, what degree you hold. But I know that you belong to half of the bruised body of the group of the oppressed people of my land.
I know, I fully know how difficult it is for you to recognize and believe in Islam.
Now, what do you see in Islam? What do you know about it? In the words of Hazrat Ali (AS): (The corrupt Islam consists of) a skin-coat turned inside out, incantations on the tongues of the peers (or the so-called mystic saints) and the Qur'an placed at the cornices of the tombs!
What do you know of a Muslim woman? A poor woman sitting within the four walls of her house who has throughout her life received orders from her father, husband, son or brother, suffering different afflictions, whose life is governed by the slogan. "The jihad of a woman is looking after her house and her children and striving for the pleasure and satisfaction of her husband," but without paying due attention to its deep meanings.
Of course, my sister, it is a big job to bring up children, and it is a valuable job. But Islam expects you to be a mother fighting against falsehood, injustice and tyranny, and at the same time a chaste mother bringing up faithful and justice-loving sons and daughters, a kind wife for the husband, and also a woman sensitive to all the social problems, and responsible before God, her conscience and the people of her land, in other words, a complete woman, a Muslim woman, and not a domestic slave, nor a slave of the bourgeoisie, nor a slave of the Marxian type. On the contrary, the present Muslim woman is an obedient woman in a modern form, a pampered person whose sole social occupation is attending the parties or talks at the religious functions, expressing pride on possession of wealth, gold, jewellery and exercising coquetry.
No, this is not Islam. It is the influence of feudalism, capitalism and imperialism, which, through the ruling regimes, has besmeared Islam, and the appearance of a Muslim woman. But I am one observing hejab, which is Islam personified. I remind you of the days of the advent of Islam, when all of a sudden, like a spring of light, it came out of the womb of dark and fearful night which had enshrouded the whole world. I give you the glad tidings of the dawn of Islam, which would give you freedom.
There is a violent agitation in your mind. How had they introduced Islam to you? What is it that you hear now? What is it that you see now?
I know how difficult it is for you to accept and believe what I am telling you.
I know how difficult it is to nullify the pictures drawn before you by the ruling regimes throughout history; how difficult it is to trample the values, ideals, objectives and tastes which have been imposed on you. But what is the aim of these autocratic powers. (Nothing but) greater benefits, more lasting power and more enduring pleasures, or spreading their political and economic control and culture to all the people of the world.
Is it not a fact that in order to achieve this dirty goal, they have chalked out plans for all the sections and classes of the people of your land? So they have also prepared most sinister plans for you, women who comprise half of the population, and this they have done with the help of sociologists, designers, and hired technicians, and have transformed you into a base, a base for the fulfillment of their nasty designs, bits by bits, step by step. Yes, a woman of my land, they have fully conquered you, and you are a base at their disposal. How inauspicious conquest it is (for you) and how great a conquest it is (for them) !
(You are) a base for getting more profits, a base for crushing and corrupting the supreme divine values, a base for stupefying and deviating another half of the population, namely the men, through you, and eventually they want to wield greater control over the people, plunder, disgrace, exploit and colonize them and get hold of the rule and domination over all of them.
What do they want from you? What standards have they imposed on you? (Nothing but) beauty, exciting lust, attractive, dressed in fashionable clothes, stripping you of clothes, so that you may continue to be a prostitute, a doll having no brain, a scarecrow! You too have surrendered unwittingly. You waste all your nights and days in thinking about all these values and endeavouring to achieve them, with multicolour garments, with fashion journals, with the filthy stuff for makeup, scents, rouges, etc.
After all these autocratic powers, sucking the blood of the people, need cheaper raw material for getting more profits from their factories. Which land is better than your land, with all its rich and plenty resources? But when the people are awakened, vigilant and careful, how can they be plundered, and how can their wealth be robbed? They should therefore be forced to sleep, stupefied and petrified. For this purpose which source is better, more effective than you for inducing the people to sleep and stupefying them? Do you know what you have been doing with my land? Do you see, O Muslim woman, how you have changed into a plaything in their hands? If the surplus products of the factories of these bloodsuckers remain lying in the godowns even for a short time, it would paralyze them and their system completely, and will ultimately annihilate them. So what should they do, so that their surplus commodities, surplus to their needs, may not rot in their godowns? They need markets, new markets. But which market is better than your land, and such other lands?
Yes, they are in need of conquering new markets. This is why they use all your special qualities, your hair, your voice, your body, your tastes, your physical features for the publicity and sale of their waste products, the inferior quality products surplus to their own needs.
Do you see what profit they are accruing from you? They have not only made you a source of publicity for getting more profits and expansion of their markets, you with half-naked clothes, well-scented and coquettish, for the sale of their inferior quality products and consumer goods, but they have also at the same time changed you into a permanent customer and consumer of their commodities including means of decoration, garments, cosmetics, domestic goods, etc., a consumer having a bad taste, so that you like everything they produce and whatever they supply in the market. You are ready to buy it, and thus you give manifold profit to these bloodsuckers. Yes, my sister, you have been serving these criminals through your blunders and your weak points. You are not only serving them, rather I must say that you are inadvertently abetting them in their crimes against the oppressed people of your land.
Now, lend your ear to my message. This is the message of hejab of a Muslim woman, a message of Islam, which openly negates all these values, these rogues, these systems, these deceitful machinations and such outlook about women.
My sister, profit is the god worshipped by all the rogues. It is the devil before whose irresistible temptations all the autocratic bloodsuckers lie in prostration. It has dictated another intrigue to its followers, the ruling regimes against you in order to suck your blood. At another front, through constant publicity among you, women of the toiling, labour class on the one hand, and by aggravating the material poverty on the other, they have dragged you from the house to the factories and farms, so that through your cheap labour power, they may get more profit at the cost of your lifeblood, at the cost of disturbing the whole system of your family and at the cost of depriving your children of your protection.
Woe and disaster be the companion of those,
Who are so much flourishing due to oppression (to others). You see how in order to get more profit and power they prepare plans for exploiting every section and class of the people. With my hejab, I invite you to the fold of Islam, the Islamic ideology, the Islamic hejab. Prepare yourself, destroy all their system of intrigues and plots. Nullify them.
With the type you are, a woman who is a mere plaything and a tool in the hands of the bloodsuckers, what an effective means you have become for spreading ignorance and unawareness among the minds, stupefying the youth, deviating from the right path half of the population consisting of men, so that they may be ignorant of the acute and basic problems of the society, unaware of the oppression, tyranny, poverty, plunder of the natural resources, annihilation of the faith, belief and the indigenous conventions. You, a woman, unwittingly have surrendered before those corrupt values and depraved and oppressive system. You have been deceived by the publicity of the faces of the so-called worthy daughters, and have turned into a base, a stronghold for trampling morals, modesty, chastity, nobility, valour, rebellion and sacrifice. Know that wherever in the society there is prostitution, trespass against the honour of a woman or against human rights, wherever there is absence of gentlemanliness, willy-nilly you have also a hand in it. You are the one in whom values, reverence and morality used to pour forth, rather gush out not only from your faith, but also from your pure essence and your celestial origin. Wherever there was a woman, she was a mother, a sister and a wife, and in her side from her being would shower piety, veneration, modesty, chastity, fervour, pure love and holy devotion.
Now that those rogues have conquered you as a base for themselves and for the preservation of their system, they have also slaughtered all these supreme values on the altar of their interests.
O my sister, with my hejab I give you a message. A half of the body of the oppressed people, oppression and exploitation are your problems too, and not the problems of men only, This bruised land which has always been plundered by rogues, super-criminals and enemies is your land too and not a land of your father, brother or husband alone.
O you who have been humiliated, oppressed and exploited by the enemy, these tyrant powers in the most savage manner! Not the men alone, but you too have also been subjected to a more savage, more brutish and more rude behaviour.
O Woman all the sacred and revered things, values and culture of the people of your land have been trampled under the hooves of domination by the Eastern and Western enemies, and you notice all that carefreely and pass by it, and pull on with your daily routine of life. Nevertheless in all the countless days of your life you only do your domestic work. You busy yourself with your teaching or your school, sit on your table in your office or work in some factory, and are thus satisfied with the disgraceful feminine role imposed on you.
Now, listen to my message of hejab, believe it and accept it, and negate all these oppressions and this culture imposed on you, crush them, destroy them and throw them away.
Now, that you have accepted Islam and its dress and have entered the sanctuary of Islam, now these profiteering plunderers, capitalists and political powers, in one word, Imperialists of the Left and the Right are thinking how to make you, half of the population, a permanent customer of their dirty products, how to turn you into a base for crushing the supreme and elevating values, through your existence, your peculiarities, immodesty, unchastity, ostentation, obscenity and coquetry, now to turn the other half of the population, the men, the minds of the youth away from the basic problems of your land, and by turning your attention to sex, beauty and ostentation, how to make half of the population, namely, the womenfolk, paralyzed, worthless, senseless and careless, so that you may never be able to fight against falsehood, the autocratic regimes of oppression and their filthy standards and values. Of course, O my sister, O woman of my land, do you know that their conspiracy for destroying you and the people of your land is not only an economic conspiracy, but also a political and cultural one.
Now, that through your hejab and your Islam you have repudiated all the rogues and their false world systems, how can those bloodsucking tyrants go on sucking the blood of the people of your land carefreely and be busy in their nasty business? The whole beauty of your dauntless deeds, your belief and sincere faith lies in the fact that you have ruined their pleasant dreams of constantly grazing (in your land's pastures), and this blow you have struck with your faith and revolutionary piety on the inauspicious and fragile structure of their system and they have fully felt the pain of this blow.
Henceforth, in order that you may be a means of publicity for their commodities, in order that you may be a customer of their products, in order that you may stupefy the minds, and in order that you may be a source of destruction of the supreme values, what intrigue should they bring to use your hair, what market should they open and what commodities should they produce, of what colour, what lavender, what type of shampoo, what fixtures and what models should they prepare in order to turn your attention, the mind of men, to makeup and cosmetics? No, now it is enough as God has commanded:
"They should draw their veils...." [6]
Now, how should they display your neck and your bosom? How can they use it as a means of publicity for their refrigerators, their fans or their washing machines, or a means for deviating the minds, which too God has placed in the shelter of Islamic dress, (where he says):
"They should draw their veils over their bosoms...."[7]
Of course, my sister, woman of my land, all oppressed women of the world who have been subjected to the tyranny of these powers in one way or the other, and your whole body has been a source of publicity for some shoes, some garments or some machines, how should they use the peculiarities of your feminine character as a tool for sex, lust, pleasure and profit and impose them on the society, while God has placed you within a safe enclosure in a nice garden, (as He commands):
"They should cast their outer garments over their persons."[8]
Now, how can they reject the values of your being through the decoration of your physical features and laying emphasis on your physical values, conceal your capabilities for development and perfection, in order to keep you in the lowest levels of knowledge and understanding, even if you happen to be educated, as education in such Satanic circumstances is not a proof of proper understanding.
Islam the deliverer, has snatched such opportunity too from all indulgence in lust along with hero-worship, dandyism, well-scented-rogues, profit-mongers and their followers, (as Allah says:)
"They should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof. [9] Now, how should they ruin the minds, deviate the brains and sell their products of inferior quality for high prices through the use of your eyes and looks, the eyes which should never be cast at what is forbidden to look at, whatever is forbidden. What difference does the futile knowledge which has no utility for the development of you and the people of your land, as well as the consumer goods including the garments, cosmetics and other means of living, whatever is unfruitful for the elevation of your persons and your character, whatever proves to be an impediment in your development and movement towards God.
Do you know, it is the eyes that must be cast on facts, on the ailments of the society, the distresses of the deprived, the plunder of the natural resources, culture, religious, communal and indigenous values, on the laws which give perfection to the being and on the facts of Islamic faith which bring salvation. It is the eyes that are answerable. Of course, (as Allah commands:)
"The women should lower (the gaze of) their eyes." [10] My sister, I give you the message through my hejab. I tell you the truth. I tread the path of development and elevation. Lend your ear to my message.
All the oppressors of history, and now their heirs and successors, the world imperialism and their stooges, who have deprived the people of a pleasant living and undisturbed sleep, have made the use of every peculiarity of yours for the benefit of themselves and the perpetuation of their rule as well as increasing their wealth. Islam has wittingly protected all these peculiarities through its all-pervading teachings in the shelter of its ideology from being exploited or harmed by the oppressors, and has changed them into a weapon against these people.
Do you see? Do you hear? (Is it) your own voice? They have regulated even your voice, by determining its frequencies, its higher and lower tones, in the different hours of the day, on various occasions, on the office table, in the bed, on the telephone, as to how you should behave, a prostitute from head to toe, so that you may have observed the training of the modern woman, in order that you may spoil the minds, weaken the willpowers and avert the brains from facts so that the Imperialists may sell more of their spoiled commodities by controlling the lower and higher tones of your voice.
They would make use of your tempting and lascivious voice for the publicity of a refrigerator or a juicer, or. ..Alas! How much they have degraded you, to the position of an article, a tool, an implement simply for making profit and perpetuating their control over the sleeping minds, the petrified brains, interested in sex, pleasure, consumption and grazing like cattle.
Islam has also taken away this base from them, (as Allah orders):
"Be not too complacent of speech."[11]
But speak, wherever the truth is to be expressed, redress is demanded, justice is implored, a pious society is to be formed. It is there that your speech shall serve as a weapon against them. It would be a call of truth that will fall on their heads. It shall be an arm that shall make the heart of their power its target, and shall invite the people of your land, the masses, to the heights of evolution and perfection.
"Speak a speech (that is) just." [12]
Then all of a sudden it throws all the weight on the forces preventing the masses from achieving elevation and perfection, and explains all the essence and philosophy of hejab, as to what it is. Woman has throughout history expressed a strong inclination towards ostentation and self-display. In every period it was there in one form or the other. Now under the sway of the most powerful empire of the world, the plundering West and the Imperialist East, this love for display has dragged woman to humiliation and has degraded her to the extent of becoming an article or an animal, so that "The most beautiful female animal of the world" is the title of one of the modern film advertisements.
Let us weep bitterly. Let us revolt through our deeds, words, acts and (sacrificing) our blood, so that we may destroy this decadent system from our society and throughout the world, wipe off these disgraceful stigmas and these filthy values from the human society and from the holy face of the woman. Praise be to the souls of those who took a step forward in the way of this sacred path by sacrificing their blood.
O Woman! O my sister! O prisoner of the ruling regime! O the one oppressed by the political and economic powers and religious despotism!
Is according to the analysis of Islamic Ideology this love for display and ostentation at the social level an innate trait of woman's character?
No, never! Islam that bestows salvation and elevation considers self-display as one of signs of conditions imposed by the Ignorance (period). What type of society is an Ignorant society? It is an atheistic or class-oriented society under the control of political or economic and, sometimes, pseudo-religious power with the criteria of beauty, sex, entertainment, womanizing, sensuality, indulgence in lust along with hero-worship, dandyism, well-scentedness and coquetry that the ruling regimes have imposed such conditions on a vast scale upon all the units and sections of the society including men, women and children.
A woman who places herself for display is inspired by such society. She has full faith in her physical and external features, as she lacks the internal and supreme human values. In the words of the Qur'anic explanation, the influence of the ignorant conditions brings down the knowledge of all the masses, the understanding of every individual including men and women about their responsibilities for the achievement of the gradual perfection of the society and in their own place in the course of the development of the phenomena of masses to the lowest and the most brutal level. A woman who displays her feminine features and her special culture before the strangers is a woman, the influence of the ignorant society has so much over-powered her person that her understanding has declined to the level of an animal or her mere instinctive level, and has distorted her human character, social responsibility and the fervour of the original values bestowed in her divine essence under the hooves of brutish culture of Imperialism and exploitation imposed on her by the rogues.
Yes, O sister! O woman! This is why Islam through this command invites you to (achieve) self-understanding and knowledge of the society, its original needs, the principal cause of its corruption and depravity and at last to soar towards heights, or revolt for ransacking the ignorant conditions of the decadent society and the prevailing system, (as Allah commands:)
"And make not a dazzling display, like that of the former Times of Ignorance." [13]
In this manner Islam has blocked all the possibilities of deviation and profiteering. But it has not blocked your way. It has demolished the domination of the tyrant rulers that has come down through the course of thousands of years of history, since the last 2500 years, demolished the capitalists and the Imperialists and disarmed them. But it has not done so with you. Through this dress, it has bestowed upon you a garden, a green field the horizon of which is spread before you to infinity. You may achieve heights, rise and strive for the deliverance of yourself, your land, your religion, your culture and your oppressed masses, and fly high towards God, the Absolute Perfection.
Now, it is enough. O most oppressed among the oppressed of history! O woman! It is now enough. Now hark to the message of Islam, and receive it from the Qur'an, from the call of the truth-seekers, from the blood of the martyrs, and once for all with the hatchet of Towhid break into pieces the tyrant powers, the whole corrupt systems and all the values imposed on you which have dragged you into such disgrace and humiliation, and raze their edifice to the ground.
Give a helping hand to those who have openly been defeated in the path of truth and to the masses.
Rise and revolt against the autocratic regimes, against the decadent societies and the dirty values imposed on you. Rise, and incite others against them, with the help of your Islam, with the help of your hejab, the depth of which you have now fully realized, which has bestowed upon you the infinite capacity of being human, and which has liberated you from all the criteria of Imperialism and exploitation. Warn the people of your land to demand piety from you and not beauty; modesty and not immodesty and betrayal of secrets; chastity and honour and not prostitution, obscenity and coquetry, revolt and rebel, in and not passive submission to whatever is given to you, to whatever orders are issued to you by the regimes, rogues, capitalists, imperialists and even the rotten customs and traditions through which they compel you.
Let the people wish to find you like the magnificent and proud summits, a sister revolting against the ruling regimes, the ebullient rivulets springing from within the hearts of the lofty mountains. Let them long to see in you an indefatigable combatant against falsehood and untruth.
Let the people like to see in you a brave, chaste and responsible mother, a loving wife interested in the well-being of the family, the stronghold for the upbringing and stimulation of those who tread on the path of truth. Let them see in you a Khadijah, the first among all the women who embraced Islam before others, a woman who sacrificed her whole being at the altar of the growth and spread of Islam.
Let them wish to find in you a (Fatimah) Zahra who suffered a lot in saying what was true, who always spoke the truth and, due to the torture at the hands of untruth, she opted to die and be buried under the dust in the prime of her youth.
Let them long to see in you a Zaynab, the combatant, whose call for the awakening and search for truth still echoes and shall continue to echo until the end of the world in the mountains, plains and societies, and the human history shall sing the song of her ideal, her path, and call the people to emulate her.
Let them want to see you like the sisters who with their holy blood have given a response to this invitation, to this call. It is enough, now I have heard your message, Muslim woman, and have now come to understand Islam. I have adopted the hejab. Of course, I have responded to your call. My sister, I have adopted the hejab. I have achieved self-recognition. The old self, made by others, made by the family training, brought up by the political and economic powers, trained by the unfruitful conventions and useless customs of the community I have inherited, yes I have destroyed such Self, and have made another Self on the basis of the Islamic teachings. Now I am a Muslim woman. I am free. I am released. This is the real freedom, namely, being a Muslim.
My hejab is a weapon. It is a stronghold for war against oppressors. I make them a target of the volley of truth and wrath discharged from my hejab and send them to the graveyard of history.
O powerful people! O disobedient tyrants! O Pharoahs! Throughout the millenia of decadent history you have used me as a domestic servant, a tool for the bed and a source for enervating willpowers, stupefying the brains and destroying the supreme values and have turned me subservient to the whims of man.
You have closed on me from all sides all the channels of true knowledge and understanding of truth, the bitter facts of being and have nailed me in the lowest plane of thinking and meditation. O Croesuses of history, old and modern capitalists, you have been exploiting my labour power in the most savage manner in the factories and farms, and have persuaded me to serve the bureaucracy in the office so that I may rot and rot.
You have unclad me. You have employed me as a source for the sale of your stinking, low quality products.
You have diverted my mind, my ideal and my will towards sex, pleasure and self-display. You have prepared plans so that my father, my brother and my husband should like me only for the sake of my weaknesses, my fears, my submission and undue passivism, my devotion, my lack of self-confidence, my overindulgence with housekeeping, my self-display before strangers. Of course, you managed to make all these weaknesses of mine, and then for the sake of these weaknesses you made me lovable and wanted.
Now, let you know that in the shelter of modesty and chastity I have abandoned the display in streets and markets and the mass media of communication, the pieces of works of filthy and selfish poets and writers who by picturing my eyes, eyebrows and my body try to make good for their lack of aptitude. I entrust my sex-appeal, feminine character and features solely to the limits of my family, so that throughout my life I may be pure and fresh like the morning dew, so that I may lend inspiration to my home and may be the sole beloved of my husband, so that my sex, my special features and my feminine culture may achieve perfection within the garden of my home, may grow and may bestow upon myself and my household stimulation, love and freshness.
I am myself a believer. With my Islam, with my hejab, with the heavy social responsibility of the commands to do what is good and forbid what is wrong, with which I am charged by the external ideology of Islam, I enter the stage of the society and conquer all its planes. I speak truth and seek after truth and tread the path of (God,) the One.
I have understood Islam. I have upheld hejab, You, bloodsucking Oppressors have lost an anti-people stronghold, namely, the woman of the type you had yourself forged, you had yourself trained, you had yourself taught the ideals, the way of walking, talking, laughing, wishing and longing. Of course you had yourself taught all these things to her. You have now lost such a woman, such a stronghold. How sensitive a stronghold! Hence by the Grace of God and our efforts, this stronghold shall never fall into your hands. Myself and my people, women who form half of the population, and. men who form the other half of the population, have got hold of a stronghold against you and for crushing you. My hejab which is by itself now an Islam personified says that it will crush you. It tells you that it is an avowed enemy of you, the ruling regimes, you the corrupt politicians, you the chosen of the strong, you Pharoahs, Croesuses, imperialists, and (their) stooges. It warns you that in this world you shall be punished by the weak masses and on the Day of Judgement shall be subjected to eternal torture of Hell.
I picture Islam with my hejab, give it a positive form. I revolt against you. With my Islam, my hejab, and my struggle every day I bring closer the death of you, of your class and of your system, (as God says:)
"Away with those who do wrong!". (Surah Hud: 11 :44)
Now, we Muslim sisters with our hejab give a message to our Muslim brothers and to our Muslim sisters. How inspiring is the sight of truthful women and men! With one another, with our being, with our existence, with our possession, we send message to one another, give strength to one another, enforce one another and invite to perseverance and steadfastness.
We are the "balanced community" [14], the best community, believing in God, in Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, in the World Hereafter. We are "the Party of Allah" [15] and certainly we shall triumph over the oppressors.
We are those demanding to avenge the blood of the martyrs, obtaining the rights of the persons wronged and those forming an Islamic society based on the Oneness (of God) and enjoying growth, perfection and happiness in the future which is not very distant. We are ordered to command our oppressed people to the good deed, namely, fight against the oppressors, against the anti-God, anti-people and decadent systems and against their dirty values, and forbid to do everything wrong, namely, every type of conspiracy, abetting and surrendering before the system of oppressors, humiliations, disgrace and their criteria. [16]
We are those who have responded to the call of God and his Messenger, when they called us to understand truth and fight for the annihilation of falsehood. Of course, it is we who have, through this response, achieved a real life in being a Muslim, in Islam.[17]
We have now started our war, war against the oppressors and the rogues so that all our people may achieve this life, this happy life in a pious, Islamic society.
Our strength is getting more and more, our number greater, our group more organized, our fists more clenched, our steps more firm, the storm of our wrath against the enemies of God and the people more crushing and implacable, and friendship and kindness towards the oppressed people of our land stronger and stronger.
Then our victory is also closer. The palaces of the oppressors would become desolate and their system shall be closer to annihilation, so that at the dawn, with our efforts and with the help of God, the support of Allah shall reach, and all and sundry, belonging to the various types, sections and groups shall enter the fold of God's faith in groups, and shall join their stormy wrath with our inexorable rage, so that we may be blessed with victory and triumph and may succeed in forming a society based on Oneness (of God) with the help of all the people of our land, and the oppressed, the tormented, those in debt, the toiling masses and those who are under the political, economic and cultural domination of the oppressors, and prisoners in chains of the tyrants may, by the Grace of God, take up their historical leadership in the society.
Here I have also a message for you, O atheists, those suffering from Orientosis and Communists! I also give a message with my Islam and my hejab which itself has become identified with Islam, to you O worshippers of matter in the system of creation, historical and class determinism, production in the society, tools in the history, the multitude in the Communist society, and to you the worshippers of the founding theoreticians and the great leaders and epoch-makers, Marx, Engels, Lenin and Mao!
Yes, to you who deny One God, but worship numerous gods. What can be done? It is a positive and scientific fact. One should think and analyze scientifically. After all man has been a worshipper throughout the course of history. Sometimes he worshipped stones, sometimes wood, individuals, things, matter, etc., which are all deviating forms of worship, a deviation from the original and actual worship of One God, a natural quality which has been inborn in the nature of man. Is it not a fact that in Qur'an, the lexicons of religion and polytheism, the meaning of worship is to submit oneself to the will of a thing, an individual, a matter, or anything else? You also submit before the laws of matter, growth of the factors of production, historical determinism, etc.
You must know that certainly victory and salvation are ours, provided that we possess the special belief, piety and vigilance of a believer.
Of course, victory is ours, as we worship One God, and are under the control of His power. We believe that, He is our Creator. We live for winning his favour, and travel to obtain closeness to him. We fight in his way, and against everything and every person other than Himself, whether an individual, a tool, production, class, historical determinism or any other thing. We are strong, superior, powerful and possessing free will and determination.
On the other hand, you, despite all the ideological weaknesses and blind alleys, in an open analysis in the West and Far East, on account of the weaknesses of Christianity and Budhism, are at present the most progressive school of thought and per force successful, but according to the same scientific and positive analysis while confronting Muslims in the East and Islam, this eternal ideology of all the phenomena of creation, including man, and vis-à-vis its economic and social solutions and moral laws, you are very deceitful, wicked and are striking blows on the Islamic movements. Of course, the history of the battles of our land bears testimony to this fact. Now, I, in the capacity of a Muslim woman, have a message for you, with my hejab and my Islam. For you who have turned your back upon your indigenous and national traditions: For you who have never taken the trouble to understand Islam, a religion that gives life, with which the warp and woof of the mental and social life of your people is made, and then you cry hoarse claiming to be the supporters of the people. How strange! Which people do you talk of? You do not understand the people. You have never tried to obtain the true understanding of the background of their faith. Then, what do you say, and what do you want? How do you want to arrange their salvation?
I have also a message for you. You who have completely lost yourself, have sprung up lately as a branch of the Western culture in an ideological form. for you the consumers of the Western cultural commodity in an intellectual and truth-oriented form. Lend me your ear. This is a message of Islam. It is the wish of the people. You are those whose ultimate ideal with regard to woman and her freedom is confined to arranging her participation in the social production. Oh, only this much. Well, this is nothing new. The ideal of the bourgeois society has since long been the same, and even now its achievement is exactly according to the same ideal.
Most shamefully, however, you try to crush Islam whose ultimate ideal for woman in this world is that she must be armed with the weapon of the ideology of Islam. Not only the woman, half of the population but also men, the other half of the population too, and the active participation of these two halves, namely, women and men, shoulder to shoulder, in the socio-revolutionary mission of commanding others to do what is good and forbidding them from doing what is wrong, or their constant participation in the invitation to (service for) truth and justice, annihilation of the oppressors, obtaining the rights of the oppressed and the equal distribution of the divine gifts among all the people, each of the men and women performing this liability in their special respective way. Of course, this is Islam and the Islamic ideal for women!
This is the religion, which you, by your unscientific and dogmatistic analysis, call one of the feudal religions and its laws source of misery and backwardness of woman, and hejab an impediment in the way of her development and something bringing debasement to her.
You are those who have not yet found a complete, ideological and forceful dress for women, call the hejab of a Muslim woman, the hejab which humanizes and liberates woman and is a stronghold of woman against the rogues of history, the decadent feudalistic regimes and domination-oriented political systems reactionary and a source of trouble for women. But you do not think at all. But it does not matter for you, the followers of the great leader, Lenin, the revolutionary, the annihilator of Russian Czarism, the huge idol, who was the founder of Marxism-Leninism and who, by a clear blow, laid the foundation of the open treachery against the deprived people of Iran.
Refer to history. [18] It is he who crushed the armed revolt of the jungle (by Mirza Kucheck Jungali) for the sake of political and economic interests of USSR, for the sole reason that the Mirza was guided by the Islamic ideology and Lenin, therefore, arranged the so-called ideological coup d'etat against him. It is he who kept the representatives of Mirza Kuchek, the monotheistic spiritual fighter, waiting for a long time to be granted an audience and eventually did not grant it, but on the other hand, granted an audience to the representatives of Reza Khan, the Oppressor, the then ruler of Iran, who had gone to USSR coincidentally with the representatives of the Mirza, and supported them, and in this way preferred a reactionary, brutal regime to a people's revolutionary government and that too for the sole offence (!) of being religious.[19] Of course, it was a treachery against not only the people of Iran but against all the people of this region, because with the freedom of Iran, the Gordian knot of their salvation, deliverance and prosperity would also be untied.
Are you (not) the true followers of the same Lenin, the children suckled by the same materialist school?
You are those the theoretician founder of whose philosophy, Engels, called the occupation of Algiers by France and the exploitation of the deprived people of that country an epoch-making victory. (He wrote:) "The occupation of Algiers is an important and happy event in the progress of civilization. If we are sorry that the freedom of nomads (i.e. the people of Algiers) has been lost, we should not forget that these very nomads have been a nation of robbers, and a neo-bourgeoisie with civilization, industry and discipline, or at least their enlightenment enjoy advantage over a Khan, a feudal lord, a robber and a plunderer, a nation of robbers who belong to a society having barbaric government."[20] These are the holy words written by him, according to which the Algerian people and Abdul Qadir, one of the greatest Muslim leaders, were robbers, feudalists, but one who endorses the imperialistic policies and paves the way for their success is called "epoch-making" (Mao), and the leader who considers such a treachery against the people as justified is called "Great". This is a new terminology. Let us read it, take a lesson from it and should not allow ourselves to be deceived by it.
Here for the present I leave you with your contradictions and entrust you to your rotten ideas, and turn to our chief enemy, [21] as I know that in the process of the freedom of our Muslim people, such a school of thought, with the ever increasing weaknesses, countless headaches and ideological blind alleys and constant blows on the Islamic movements, with its illogical and single dimensional (materialistic) worldview, with lack of faithful, cultural and traditional base among the Muslim masses shall soon become worn out and obliterated.
Now I, a Muslim woman, with my hejab, which has become identical with Islam and an ideology personified, give you a message. Does human dignity not lie in understanding truth, in accepting it and following it?
So I invite you to study Marxism and its original evidence with a critical eye. Do study it. Find out its weaknesses and blind alleys, its inexorable blows, its inhuman perceptions (like the one of its founder) and its constant treacheries (like the treachery of its great (!) leader) against the Muslim masses. Then, (I am sure) on account of the same human dignity you shall say goodbye to the (Marxian) school. Then look at the creation of the universe, the system of creation, the order of the phenomena, the wisdom behind the laws, relationships and objectives of the phenomena, certainly you will find God and (the truth behind the belief in) the next world. Then if you think about the people, and the incessant torture of the people of your land incite your human feelings, if you want to realize the liberty of the oppressed people not only in your mind but also in the solid social and historical realities, understand the true Islam which is the very foundation of the faith and thinking of the people of our land.
Then you should also say, and say from the depth of your heart, that there is no God, but God, the One. There is no other Power (but He). Say this and achieve salvation, so that then we may all, with a united Godly front, destroy this world of polytheism, oppression and inequality and may send its Satans, the tyrant political and economic powers, to the graveyard of history, so that "Faith in Allah may prevail altogether and everywhere" (Surah al-Anfal: 8:39); only the faith in Allah may govern the society and then the history, and the oppressed and the deprived people under its radiation be relieved of torture, tyranny, exploitation, debt, deprivation and backwardness, may ascend the heights, and by the Grace of God, may take up their historical leadership throughout the (human) society.
Notes:
[6] Surah Nur 24:31.
[7] Ibid
[8] Surah Ahzab 33:59.
[9] Surah Nur 24:31. With regard to the beauty and ornaments, which may be displayed, some of the reports say that they are the bracelets and ring of a woman. Others say that it is collyrium which a woman applies to her eyes for (attracting) her husband and it is not rubbed off. It also includes the face, the palm of the hands and feet. As regards the decoration which must not be displayed some believe that it is the whole body of the woman, from head to the toe, some parts of which despite being covered have to be displayed, such as the face, features of the body, etc. (Refer to the Tafseer-e-Burhan)
[10] Surah Nur24:31.
[11] and [12] Surah Ahzab 33:32. This verse concerns the wives of the Prophet, but with reference to the verse 71 of Surah Towbah (9) and the standard of the ideal of Islam regarding a woman, it applies to all women.
[13] Surah Ahzab 33:32. This verse also concerns the wives of the Prophet, but in view of the general ideal of Islam regarding the women and the verse 60 of Surah Nur which condemns wanton display of beauty even for old women, it applies to all women.
[14] Surah al-Baqarah 2:143 and Surah AaIi-Imran 3:110.
[15] Surah al-Ma'idah 5:56.
[16] Surah Towbah 9:71. For the commentary of this verse refer to "Tuhaful 'Uqul". It is a report from Hazrat Ali which has come down through Imam Husayn.
[17] Surah al-Anfal 8:24.
[18] Vide all the works on Marxism, particularly the Communist Manifesto by Marx and Engels, Historical Materialism by Stalin and the other works on Marxism.
[19] Vide "Sardar-e-Jangal" by Ibrahim Fakhra'i, and "Shuravi va Nehzat-e-Inqelabiye Jangal" (The USSR and the Revolutionary Movement of Jangal) by Mostafa Shoa'iyan.
[20] Engels: Basic Writings, Some Political. and Philosophy, London, 1969, pp. 4889.
[21] The experience of the Islamic Revolution and the role of small groups associated with Marxism and International Communism have proved that this opinion is not correct. The correct method for the relation with Marxism is that in the process of revolution from the beginning to the end the intellectuals must take up the elucidation and analysis of both the doctrines of Capitalism and Marxism (which, according to Martyr Mutahhari, are like two blades of scissors trying to put an end to Islam), so that the young generation may consciously understand both the schools of thought and reject them, and the blows suffered by our people after the victory (of the revolution) may not be repeated. In fact, Islam is basically opposed to both Marxism and Capitalism, and both these schools are the enemies of Islam.

All source from: http://www.al-islam.org

Beauty of Concealment and Concealment of Beauty III

shadracenter@gmail.com (Shadra_Institute) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 15:05:00 +0800

Imperialist Roots Of The Abolition Of Hejab

"From Woman's Lap Man Ascends to the Skies". (Imam Khomeini [RA])

The Islamic Revolution of Iran, before being a political revolution for getting hold of the power, or an economic revolution dealing with the economic and class relationships, is a cultural revolution possessing a moral and spiritual value in the depth of the being of the individual and society as well as the heroes of the Muslim community of Iran. It is a gift of Allah's angels to the people which has been showered through the Imam of the Community from the hidden divine treasures to the land of the oppressed, and clean-washed the souls addicted to the hunger for power and position, the greed for amassing wealth, adoration for beauty, Occidentosis and Orientosis. In relation to the woman too, like its relationships and connections with so many other sections of the society, it brought into vogue some new values, values which have their roots ingrained in the nature of all human beings which had since been buried, in our land during the 2500 years of despotic rule, under the dust of the tyrannical breeding, etiquettes, affronts at the hands of autocracy, and which have languished in a distorted form among all the other Muslim people too throughout the period of Imperialist domination. Under this shower of divine benediction and in such favourable background, the Muslim woman discovered the mysteries of her being and came to realize that her existence was not confined to her body and sex, but was primarily a divine and celestial substance which was to be exalted and elevated in order that it may be salvaged and may achieve communion with its sublime, divine origin, (as promised by Allah)
"Indeed he attains deliverance who purifies his soul". (Surah al-Shams: 91:9)
Even the men of our society came to understand that woman is not a mere "beautiful and sexual thing", but is, in fact, a divine substance about which Imam Khomeini (RA) has very aptly said:
"From women's lap man ascends to the skies".
The person whom the Western Imperialism had convinced and said: "You are the sole source of pleasure! You are the ladder for the achievement of political power by the (Super) powers, kings, cartels, trusts and multinational companies"
The person who, through centuries and ages, had been a manifestation of intellectual deficiency, foolishness, intrigues and temptation;
And on whose bosom would descend abjectness and disgrace of mankind and human values;
All of a sudden became the pinnacle of human glory, the ladder that leads man to the acme of dignity. The woman, however, has attained this value and honourable position after undergoing lot of hardships. It is because, at the summit of the Islamic revolution, this gift of Allah's angels has been bestowed upon the women who have qualified themselves for it after the sacrifice of their own dear ones, their children and husbands, in the way of defending Is1am, women who carried in their bosoms their dear ones wallowing in blood after they had been martyred at the torture centres of CIA and MOSSAD executioners and dismembered after they had been killed by the firing squads of the pro-American Shah; women who had valiantly fought in the battlefield of life against the Satanic regime which was responsible for engendering the unbalanced mental, psychological and educational traits hitherto ingrained in her being. In this battle of internal and external forces they had come out with flying colours, pure and clean, with their laps being the perching places of the sublime values.
Alas! When you look back into the distant past the disgraceful life of the woman, and find the first steps dragging her into the quagmire of dishonour, on the way to the erosion of the values of her Godly essence and the noble origin of her being in order to establish and bring into prominence her physical and sexual values, and go through the history of' the woman in the decadent societies particularly in the contemporary Imperialist systems; you will come across a history full of sexual display. It will not be astonishing when, in its wake, we find intellectual slavery, because Western Imperialism with its bestial, profit-oriented and power-seeking motives used the abolition of hejab as the most powerful weapon for degrading and dishonouring woman, because Imperialism fully realized that one of the mechanisms for the decadence, downfall or elevation of a people lies hidden in the person of woman. It was the first step towards enervating or distorting the potentialities and faculties of woman a leap more forward than taken by all the other despots and power-seekers of history, so that by the display of her physical features and replacing the Islamic breeding and behaviour by the Western habits and character, Western Imperialism may drag the Muslim people to gradual annihilation and ultimately lead the Muslim men and women to cultural, followed by, political and economic subjugation.
Now, let us study the inauspicious course of the abolition of hejab in the Muslim countries, particularly in Iran, and see how the enemy started h is evil designs.
Effacement of the Self
The roots of the effacement of Muslims' self go back to the past, a distant past, to the Crusades, when the West during the Crusades learnt a large number of sciences and arts from Muslims, and within a very short span of time, with the help of these sciences and arts, the Western people succeeded in developing their own techniques and equipments, but, instead of being grateful to us, most shamefully and ungratefully they used the same weapons against us which they had borrowed from us. Travelling around the world, which took place very sparsely, became very frequent. The world travellers or tourists of yore turned into greedy traders whose voracious appetite for ownership could not be satiated by any amount of wealth.
Travelling from one place to another brings maturity in man's outlook. He can see every image, as far as he can, in the mirror of original moulds. The travellers of yesterday, who had turned into avaricious traders through penetrating eyes and long experience, entered the depths of the earth beneath its heavy surface and, in the heart of the warm and ancient lands of the Orient, they discovered untouched pearls, springs of oil and mines of gold, silver and copper. With what sort of eyes and with what type of equipments did they do it? With the eyes of greed and the equipments of covetousness and the insatiable desire for more and more. Henceforth they were not content with dealing in spices or cloth alone or stealing away (the gold and diamonds from) the tombs of the saints or rings and seals (of kings and princes). They had now turned all their attention to unearthing the hidden treasures of these lands. But it required the riches of Croesus to buy the contents of these underground treasures. Thus, it has been through robbery and intrusion that these traders succeeded in their filthy designs. It was here that they had to face an unexpectedly tough resistance from the Eastern people.
They thought and thought, how to get over this obstacle and reach their cherished goal. At last they were supported by their instinctive intelligence and specialized skill of a robber, intruder and plunderer. They came to realize that the Eastern people are endowed with a very precious object more precious than all the riches the West wanted to steal, an object which, unlike the mines, was not created by Nature and was not the product of the geological survey, an object which could not be seen by the visual eye and which could not be touched by the feeling hand.
It is the precious gem produced by the teeming millions through many a millenium with their beliefs, with their sorrows and joys, with their culture and religion, with their ancient history. This precious, exquisite and inaccessible gem is the "Self". Man can work wonders through science and technology. He can break atom. He can melt steel. He can reach the depth of the oceans. He can discover the stars and planets and can even land himself there. He can make cloth, chocolates and candies with petroleum. But he cannot have access to this "Self" through science and technology. The West knew well that unless it succeeds in getting hold of this "Self" and annihilate it, it cannot reach the depth of the warm lands of the Orient and their hidden treasures.
How could the West break this "Self" and exterminate it. Its people pondered and pondered, and chalked out plans. At first they specified their general target that they must extirpate this "Self" which was the secret behind the force and resistance of the East or must bring about the "Effacement of the Self" of the East, and breathe into its body their own soul or the soul they so much wanted to see in its body.
Now, in order to achieve this object, they used the following two methods:
1. Debasement of "the Oriental Self" The first method is the one adopted by all the despots and dictators of history. The holy Qur'an refers to the story of Pharoah in (almost) the following words:
"The Pharoah assembled the people of his land and said to them:
'O People, behold what gardens full of fruits I have! What cool and roaring rivers are under my control! How precious bracelets and earrings I have! (Now decide) whether I am better or this Moses who is penniless and is in tatters, and does not even know how to talk," (Derived though not literally from Surah al-Zukhruf: 43: 51-52)
The Qur'an concludes the story thus:
"Then Pharoah debased his people, and they obeyed him." (Surah al-Zukhruf: 43:54)
So the West adopted, the method of humbling "the Oriental Self" and showing itself as great, important, powerful and wealthy.
2. Obliteration of the Manifestation
The second method adopted by the West was the obliteration of the manifestation of this "Self", or, in other words, destruction of whatever is the outward exponent or external display of this "Self" or its nature, or according to the famous saying, destroying the form in the hope of putting an end to the content, or ruining the exterior for destroying the interior. Of course, later the West adopted some more subtle ways.
Progressive and Reactionary
Initially the West exploited a psychological peculiarity of human being which has also been emphasized by the holy Qur'an, where it says:
"But man wishes to explode his advance (ment)." (Surah al-Qiyamah: 57:51)
What is meant by man's advancement. The Qur'an emphasizes the aversion to love for what is old and advocates the love for whatever is new and novel, the desire to eat fresh fruits and the desire to experience newer and newer phenomena not experienced before. Now, the West came to the East and told its people. "Whatever you have is old, and belongs to the past, to the bygones. It is the product of lack of civilization. Whatever we have is new, fresh and modern. If you have culture, customs, laws, dress, architecture, art, literature, language or whatever else, let you know that it is all out of date. In our stock lies a lot of fresh and modern commodity. Come and take away this commodity," At first the West did all this through its traders, and then it also used force and at last it fulfilled its designs through the Westernised intellectuals and thinkers.
In our country Mirza Malcolm Khan [1] was the pioneer of this movement, until we had Taqizadeh [2] who would proclaim: "Let us be Westernized from the head to the toe!"
They were followed by their successors who are still there, and whatever troubles we have experienced in the post-Revolution period had been at the hands of these very persons.
At last one day the Eastern people came to hate themselves. The West had so much propagated that "the Oriental Self" is rotten and out-of-date. Consequently, the Eastern people felt an aversion to their "Self". They felt ashamed to think of their "Self". This was the best ground for the growth of Occidentosis. This was the beginning of the cultural Imperialism of the West, which later led to the tragic plunder of the Eastern mines and other resources. Now that the Eastern people had obliterated their "Self", they would easily fall prey to the insinuation of adopting what was superior from the West, the occidentosis, to give up their aversion to and estrangement from the West (and bring it to their own land, and hand over their own control and domination in its hands. It was all accepted very easily and with pleasure. This process was accomplished rapidly with the help of the 'Westernised intellectuals and indigenous rulers of the land.
The Self of the Muslim East is "the Islamic Self"
Let us mention here that in every corner of the world this "Self" has its own type. It is in one form in the Far East and in another in the Middle East. The Muslim East for the last one thousand and four hundred years has experienced all its sorrows, joys, heroes, history, art, literature, marriage ceremonies, mournings, births and deaths under the shade of Islam. Therefore the Self of this part of the East is an "Islamic Self". In the Lexicon of the plunderer West, the "Effacement of the Self" of this part of the East is an exact synonym for "Obliteration of Islam". In other words, the "Self" which the West has been keenly busy destroying in this part of the world is the Islamic character of these people.
The West has an extreme aversion to this "Islamic Self". It is for the following reasons.
1. The Islamic Self is a source of unity and force for a great part of the people of the world who are by themselves a "Superpower", and if this unity persists, it would lead to rapid annihilation of the Western [3] powers.
2. The Islamic Self means a Self demanding justice, opposed to the amassed force and wealth and against atheism and infidelity.
3. The Islamic Self is basically one seeking God and demanding justice and stands to assemble the whole world around this centre.
4. The Islamic Self, in view of its relationship and common affinity with human nature and being, has its roots in the depth of human psychology, and therefore it possesses a strong power of resistance to the blows of its opponents. We have observed how in spite of all the hostile machinations (by the West) from the Safavid period, particularly during the last half century, aimed at the effacement of our dear people, with the success of our Islamic Revolution under the able leadership of Imam Khomeini, the power of resistance of this "Islamic Self" has been fully realized by all the enemies and how the latter were thrown into the abyss of defeat and despair.
Muslim Woman is the most Living Manifestation of Islamic Self
As already mentioned, the second method adopted by the West for Effacement of the Islamic Self has been the obliteration of the manifestation (of this Self). In their view whatever is a manifestation, sign, expression or product of this "Self' must be obliterated. So the Algerian language must be changed from Arabic to French, the Indian language from Urdu to Hindi [4] and local dialects to English. The Turkish script must be replaced by Latin, our architecture must be replaced by Western architecture, our art by Nihilism and our local dress by Western dress.
The most important of all these, and the most living manifestation (of this Self) is woman, the Muslim woman. If they succeed in changing this manifestation of our Self, this Lap bringing up our Self, if this can be changed, the enemies would succeed in striking the biggest blow on "the Islamic Self."
Of course, the Eastern woman has an external self and an internal self. She has an intellect and a soul and a peculiar feminine character. The Muslim woman occupies the most distinct place among the Eastern women. Her pecularities are greater and her relationship with the identity and Self of her people is deeper and she has stronger roots than the rest of the Eastern women. Now, what should the West do to change her? What should be the plan of the West, and which of her weak points should be exploited? Is Muslims' bias [5] in encountering women a weak point? If it is so, how is it to be tackled?

Imperialist Tactics, Weakness of Muslims' Bias and Treacheries Perpetrated by the Satanic Regime
In order to execute their nasty plans against woman as a manifestation and exponent of Islamic Self, there were two internal factors which had been effective and paved the way for it.

Weakness of Muslims' (not Islamic) Bias Against Women

On the one hand, it was long since Islam had been divorced from the field of social activity, and what was left of it was nothing more than its outward appearance and shell. On the other, the usurping tyrant powers had prevented the religious leaders and intellectuals from discovering and disclosing the Islamic practical solutions for the vexing problems of the society. This was why as a general mental attitude of Islam, particularly in regard to its relationship with woman, conditions had been created which were responsible for the opinion that not only Islam did not provide any support to woman, but it had also plenty of laws which were directed against the womenfolk and granted right of domination to man, and thus brought the shelterless Muslim woman under the yoke of heavy pressure. But they realized that if the womenfolk who find no supporter among the so-called Muslims come to have even an iota of information about their real rights and the power (granted to them by Islam) they would throwaway this yoke and release themselves from it.
This propaganda that Islam is against the womenfolk has been carried on by the Imperialists, under one pretext or the other, through their mass media in the East and the West, their news imperialism and groups associated with the Americans and the USSR as well as the other anti-revolution members of SAVAK and pro-monarchy groups, and every now and then they are raising a hue and cry against Islam and the Muslims. At one time they raise the question of inequality of man and woman in Islam, and at another they harp on the issue of hejab, and so on.
In fact, however, (under the illuminating and guiding leadership of Imam Khomeini), millions of common womenfolk have returned to their divine nature, to the dignity of their own Self, and under the loving patronage and protection of the Islamic Republic of Iran we are advancing towards preparing the ground for new legislation, so that on the basis of the Islamic laws and precepts suitable laws may be framed for this period of time for the rights and true worth of the womenfolk in order that all the oppressed women of the world may come to realize that the only way of their deliverance is the path of Islam and not the Capitalist, humanist or Communist ideologies, and that the only guarantee for materializing this objective is the Islamic revolution.
B. The other internal factor has been the multidimensional enervation of woman for the last over two thousand years. The Satanic regimes, which attached importance to woman from the sexual point of view, kept women in a state of extreme ignorance and lack of information and awareness. They had put woman's mind so much in inertia that with the least analysis she could take the most relentless foes for good and reliable friends and most deceitful hell for a paradise of kindness and favour, as all the plans for corrupting women implemented by the Imperialists have been misunderstood by a large number of women as friendly acts.
It was with this background that the Imperialist enemy turned towards the Muslim women and, in order to annihilate the Islamic identity of our people, he took up the mission of breaking the Muslim woman into pieces. He thought out the way to obliterate' the identity of the Muslim woman. He tried to find out the common factor between the identity of the Muslim woman and the Muslim community. He made "hejab" his target, as it was the manifestation of the Islamic character of a Muslim woman as well as the symbol of Islamic nature of Muslim community's self.
The Tragedy of Abolition of Hejab
Reza Khan, the founder of modern Iran on the foundations of three pillars: Occidentosis, Infidelity and subservience to Imperialism, first brought his own wife and daughter without observing hejab in the official functions, and later through a decree made it compulsory for women to appear without the conventional head-cover but wearing a Western chapeau in all gatherings and functions. How Surprising it is that this obnoxious practice which was started by the Occidentosis-stricken and the stooges of the British Imperialists in the beginning was later recognized as a true movement for advancement and emancipation and progress of women by the American Imperialism in the later Pahlavi period, and the nonobservance of hejab was considered to be a synonym for women lib! Although at first the brave Muslim people of Iran opposed this Imperialist conspiracy due to the just and proper religious orthodoxy, but they soon came to realize that behind this so called movement for abolition of hejab, the ban on the use of the special dress of the clergy and the disuse of the traditional dress of men was hidden nothing but a dangerous conspiracy of eroding the Islamic identity and Self of the Iranian people and handing over the country to the foreigners.
They came to understand that this anti-Islamic movement was, in fact, a movement against the political, cultural and economic independence of the country. This was why they sought refuge in the shrine of Imam Reza (AS) in the holy city of Meshed and took sanctuary in that holy shrine. At the time of the brutal attack on the shrine of Imam Reza (AS) by the agents of Reza Khan, a Western stooge, they took themselves to defend their Islamic identity, beliefs and self, and soaked the floor of the Gowharshad Mosque of Meshed with their own blood.
Whatever the nature of the tragedy of abolition of hejab might be, at first it had to face a strong resistance from the noble Muslim men and women spearheaded by the clergy and the students of religious institutions. The genera! massacre at the Gowharshad Mosque in Meshed was but a part of the bloody defence of the holy dress and this manifestation of the Islamic and divine Self of our oppressed people.
For our Islamic Self there has not been a greater tragedy than the abolition of hejab. Likewise, on the body of Islamic identity of our people one could not think of a deadlier blow than the separation of this divine symbol from the Iranian belief and this most penetrating and effective Islamic message from the hearts of the people. As soon as this lofty and exalted flag of Islam and nobility fell down from the hands of the people, it was replaced by ignominy, dishonour, unlimited freedom, villainy, cruelty, ostentation, depravity, debauchery and loss of complete freedom and independence. May God break the hand of the Western and Eastern system of oppression that has thrown us for the fast fifty years in the abyss of ignominy of the isolation from our exalted Islamic Self!

Analysis of Abolition of Hejab among the Marxists having Orientosis and those having Occidentosis
The Islamic Revolution of Iran has in practice been a crucible in whose burning flame all beliefs, schools, groups and factions have been put to test:
How better it would be if persons are tested on the anvil of experience so that everyone who has an alloy may suffer disgrace. The Marxists, the Capitalists, those suffering from Orientosis and those suffering from Occidentosis and the gleaners in spite of their apparently different theories are unanimous, united and supporters of one another in opposing Islam, fundamentals of Islamic Revolution and the spiritual values of women including the observation of hejab by Muslim women. They have been in unison with the Western Imperialism, particularly the American Imperialists, in their hue and cry against hejab.
Now, that we have come to understand the methodology of the Imperialists regarding the abolition of hejab, it would not be out of place if we also analyze hejab in the opinion of the Marxists (those having Orientosis) as well as those suffering from Occidentosis. However, before we continue the analytical study of the Imperialist roots of the abolition of hejab, let me point out two explanations of these phenomena at which I have arrived recently. Hejab is like a gate of a green garden, a wooden gate whose colour has faded, which is not so pretty that whenever you open it you may come across a pleasant garden of spring on whose branches you would find the illumination of divine light. In this respect, hejab is a prologue to gnosis. If you dare come close to this gate and open it, enter its threshold, you shall explore that green and pleasant garden of spring and that eternal light.
The other explanation is that hejab for a woman is what fire was for Abraham, so that when among the rising flames of fire he surrendered himself to the Almighty One, every flame turned into a bough and every amber into a flower, till at last the burning fire turned into a cool garden for Abraham.
A woman who accepts hejab and surrenders her heart to its hidden laws succeeds gradually in exploring the spiritual garden, and becomes so much habituated to it that whenever she is away from that garden her heart starts singing sad songs like a nightingale (away from its flower}. Thus the enemy started with the intrigues for damaging and eroding the "Self" of the Muslim women through taking her away from hejab. If we have time we shall try to analyze the attitude of every school towards hejab. As regards the Imperialist roots of the abolition of hejab to which brief reference has already been made, we have to discontinue that discussion in order to go deep into the matter, and refer briefly to the analysis of the hejab by the Marxists. They analyze hejab in two ways, both of which as usual have economic roots. The first of their analyses about the Imperialist roots of the abolition of hejab is that they believe that during the days of Reza Khan, the accursed, which coincided with the unlimited growth of capitalism and its transformation into Imperialism, abundance of capital and piling up of surplus products, the Western Imperialism, in order to save itself from insolvency which was the natural outcome of such economic conditions, found it indispensable to export its capital as well as its products to other countries, so that it could invest its capital in their industries and also sell its products to the unfortunate people of these countries, and thus protect it from lying in the god owns and going waste and rotten.
For this purpose, Reza Khan, who was a stooge of the West, took himself to abolish hejab by force, so that firstly women who, as a result of their dress, which had been an obstacle in their easy movement, had become inactive should be free to work in the factories run by Western capital, and secondly by the abolition of hejab there could be some activity in the consumption of the commodities exported by the West, and at the same time the women through their beauty and sex-appeal could be used for the publicity of the Western commodities. So Reza Khan, the accursed, resorted to the abolition of hejab more than forty years ago, so that he could save the Western capitalists who were on the verge of insolvency.
According to the second analysis of the Marxists, as Islam is a feudal religion, hejab is also based on a feudal system of dress. As during the historical stages of evolution feudalism is replaced by capitalism, a system higher and more advanced than feudalism, we may conclude that when society has passed the stage of feudalism and entered the stage of capitalism, it is said to have attained capitalist stage.
In the view of the Marxists, Reza Khan's time was a period of progress of the bourgeoisie, non-enlightenment and decline of feudalism. So according to the above conclusion, the abolition of hejab, which is one of the characteristics of the feudal age, manifests advancement, and is, in fact, a historical evolution in the dress of women. This is the reason why the Marxists have very delightfully welcomed this glorious evolution in their writings of that period as well as of the present period, because, according to their analysis, the dress of a Muslim woman (as worn by the Iranian ladies) is a reactionary dress.
In view of the above two analyses by the Marxists, you may notice that, in their consideration of the hejab in both the ways, they have one thing in common with Reza Khan and Imperialism, namely, that the present dress of the Muslim (Iranian) women is not worth wearing. The difference, however, is that the Capitalists say that the reason for their opposition of the present dress of Muslim women is that the abolition of the present dress has an economic utility for the Capitalists, while the Marxists assert that the abolition of the Islamic dress is a sign of evolution and advancement from the stage of feudalism to the Bourgeois stage and a proof of progress and development. They link the end of the so-called discussion about reaction and advancement with the summit of hejab. As regards the opinion about hejab of those suffering from Occidentosis, being at the same time a class-analysis too, according to their view whatever is Western or has a Western brand is a sign of advancement, and whatever has an Eastern brand, particularly the Eastern Islamic one, is reactionary. The dress of the Muslim women, which has no prototype or pattern in the West is a reactionary dress as compared to the dress of the latest Western fashions. Reza Khan himself believed that he wanted to guide Islam towards the gates of advancement. One of such gates was the abolition of hejab and civilizing and modernizing the women!
This is why you may find that in the opinion of the nobles and aristocrats of Reza Khan's time, the majority of whom consisted of Western educated persons and intellectuals or those suffering from Occidentosis, the dress of the Muslim women is the dress of illiterates, the lower classes and the maidservants. In the words of Dr. Shari'ati:
"The wife of a Europe returned graduate does not observe hejab! while his maidservant and illiterate mother observe hejab." According to the above opinion, hejab is a sign of illiteracy, poverty and backwardness, because according to the view of such persons, suffering from Occidentosis, and patronized by Reza Khan, human beings are either advanced, fashionable, a la mode and in the Western style, or the reactionary men, growing beards, or women wearing chador and observing hejab in the style of Muslims. Meanwhile, the roots of reaction and advancement in our country, as well as in other Imperialist colonies, are exactly linked with this problem that everything which is imported from the West and is based on a new and latest fashion is advanced, and on the contrary, whatever has come down from the past, and belongs to the East, particularly to the Muslim East, is reactionary.
It is astonishing to note that the Marxists and those suffering from Occidenteosis have reached the same conclusion in their final analysis of the dress of the Muslim women. It is not only with the Marxists and those suffering from Occidentosis, but the Imperialist West, who is the mother of all Occidentosis, also sees eye to eye with the Marxists as regards this analysis.
In our study of the Imperialist roots of the abolition of hejab, we have reached the following conclusions:
1. Effacement of Self is an Imperialist method. In order to impose their own culture on the oppressed country, the Imperialists first degrade its identity and Self in its own eyes and then give another identity to it according to what they like.
2. The Self in the Muslim East is the Islamic Self, and so the effacement of Self here is identical with the effacement of Islam.
3. The Muslim woman is the manifestation of the Islamic Self of her own people.
4. The dress of the Muslim women is the common factor between 1the Islamic Self of the Muslim people and the Self of the Muslim women.
5. The Marxists believe that the abolition of hejab had a sole economic objective, and its final aim was to benefit the capitalists. At the same time they believe that the hejab-oriented dress is a feudal dress, and with the evolution of the society and its entering the stage of Capitalism, this dress will automatically become extinct. In other words, the abolition of hejab will take place parallel with the evolution and advancement.
6. Those suffering from Occidentosis believe that hejab is a symbol of reaction, while the nonobservance of hejab, being a Western phenomenon, and that too modern and progressive, is a symbol of evolution and advancement.
Now the important problem is that, in principle, every explanation which is formed without taking into consideration the indigenous mechanism and on the basis of merely dry theories shall be deficient and shall lack the capacity of analysis and appraisal of the problems.
The Indigenous Mechanisms
In the East, particularly in our own country, and that too especially during the period of Islamic protection of the Muslim countries, there existed the indigenous mechanism that "Woman is the manifestation of the collective honour of a people". Well, if this manifestation were subjected to disgrace and dishonour, it would naturally lead to shattering the morale of those people. You may have noticed that in war countries that overpower the enemy in the battle as the first step violate the honour and chastity of the enemy's women. Apart from it's being good or bad, such mechanism after all exists.
The Imperialists with the programme of forcible abolition of hejab have, in fact, implemented the same old method of victorious countries in the countries falling under this programme, though in different manner, in the manner compatible with the twentieth century. This act was an exact violation of our national honour. In other words, while they implemented the abolition of hejab with the aim of effacement of Self and the effacement of Islam, at the same time they also implemented it with the object of injuring and violating our national honour through dishonouring women. Now, you can notice how superficial it is to study the problem of this horrible! tragedy on the basis of economic analyses or on the basis of the idea of advancement, and how much source of joy it is for Imperialism that with a few flimsy and high-sounding analyses we should most pathetically fail to dig deep into the causes and effects of these violations, look to the other side of the picture and try to find out their solutions. It is because if the abolition of hejab has solely an economic content and on the other hand if the hejab oriented dress is a feudal dress, we may reach the conclusion that although the abolition of hejab has some economic and exploitative causes, yet as the non-observation of hejab itself belongs to the period of human evolution, it would be better to abolish exploitation, and also to put an end to the economic domination of Imperialism in Iran, and never return to this reactionary dress. In view of the analysis made by us, out non-reversion to this dress would mean the non-reversion to our national Self, namely, the Islamic Self and secession from our Self, or, in other words, willingness to undergo the Imperialist domination and acquisition of an artificial and Western Self of cultural Imperialism and surrendering before an artificial and Western Self, or acceptance of economic as well as political subjugation.
In view of the explanation of the Indigenous mechanisms, it is not necessary that the dress according to the hejab system in the period of the "Tragedy of the Abolition of Hejab" may have all the scholastic dimensions of Islam, which are now being discovered under the able leadership of Imam Khomeini and the favourable background of the Islamic Revolution.
Was the Muslim woman during that period exactly sacrificing, seeking justice and combating injustice? Although the history of the Islamic movements, during the last hundred years and even before, clearly shows that the Muslim women wearing this completely Islamic dress have been fighting Imperialism throughout the Muslim period, in this respect we are not idealist, but find that in the Islamic period the meaning of hejab system has been more developed and more profound.
Anyhow, whatever it might be, this hejab system was the manifestation of the honour, Islamic relation and identity of our people and protector of the supreme values and the symbol and manifestation of our Islamic character, and with its presence beside several Islamic and indigenous manifestations, it proved that the outward as well as inward and spiritual impenetrable appearance of the society was self-dependent.
In this way the Western Imperialists who, after the experience of sending the tourists and traders with the double-faced personality of tourists and traders had not succeeded by forcible penetration of their ideas through the intellectuals suffering from Occidentosis in dissipating the Islamic Self, by abolishing hejab from among the Muslim women, found the first signs of their success, in the wake of which lay their control of the warm waters of Persian Gulf and the valuable underground wealth of the East as well as the conquest of this strategically important region of the globe.
This is why when we study the abolition of hejab from solely political point of view (apart from the scholastic content of the hejab which must be dealt with separately), we find it to be a conspiracy of the Imperialists, which was undertaken in order to get hold of our land and its resources. Therefore, are we not justified in adopting this dress as the supreme stronghold for our struggle against Imperialism in order to recapture our property and regain our honour, identity and Self?
Of course, we can use hejab as a weapon against the Imperialist plunderers. It was exactly why the Mohammad Reza Shah regime would not allow the women and girls observing hejab to enter the universities and offices. This is also why the revival of this dress as an anti-Imperialist dress excites antipathy among the organizations associated with the USA, so that they oppose this dress in order to appease their lords. This opposition is actually an opposition from the US quarters, which is being raised by the American stooges. This is why now whosoever opposes this dress, and this opposition be aimed against the ideological principle of adopting the Islamic dress, whether it is expressed through demonstrations or other channels, whether it is inadvertently or advertently in pursuance of the American orders, and whether it is raised by the Marxists in accordance with their own ideological reasons, their words and deeds are considered to be in line with the American wishes. It is because as the abolition of hejab was an Imperialist plan, opposition of the adoption of hejab is in fact an Imperialist act. Is it justified for our indigenous forces to be in harmony with Imperialism?
During our search for the Imperialistic roots of the abolition of hejab, we have noticed that the first aim of the abolition of hejab from the Imperialist point of view has been the dissipation of the Islamic Self, or in other words, our "National Self". According to another analysis, this act was aimed at the conquest of the Muslim woman and getting hold of her as a stronghold, a stronghold through which the Imperialists could bombard and aim at the most distant and most important targets. Is it not a fact that the Imperialist West has bases in all the regions under its control, the air, naval, military and even cultural bases? But which base can be more effective than the Eastern woman? From inside this base, the Imperialist West made the most heinous incursions into the divine values. As already mentioned in the preceding pages, the conquest of woman by the Imperialists had also some indigenous backgrounds. Of these, two main reasons were the ignorance of the women in consequence of their age long strangulation and enervation and the existence of indigenous laws and Muslim beliefs which not only failed to support women but were also against them and at the same time in favour of the male domination.
Anyhow, the Imperialist West with these two favourable backgrounds, coincident with the forcible abolition of hejab, presented the ideas of woman's lib, education and activity along with the so. called support of the cause of women and equality of man and woman as the antidote for the religious beliefs and the indigenous laws accompanied by the material for makeup, jewellery, attractive dresses, entertaining programmes of broadcasting as well as other modern Western articles and gifts as the initial traps for hunting the Eastern woman.
The Eastern woman fell a prey to this trap quickly and of her own accord, firstly from the upper class, then the middle class and so on. Now the Eastern woman is at the disposal of the Imperialists who can exploit her in whatever way they like. We cannot realize the various types and kinds of their exploitation unless we come to find out the Imperialists' final aim, namely, controlling all the Eastern regions, exploiting and plundering the natural and mineral resources. The most important problem for the Imperialists, after the effacement of the Self and conquest of (Eastern) woman, was how to change the position of ambiguous, mysterious and legendary modesty and innocent piety of the Eastern woman into a sex-oriented atmosphere. The Imperialists know fully well that when sex overpowers a person, it kills in no time his or her faith, reason, intellectual faculty, awakening, myth, legend, the power of protest and revolt, honour and conscience.
The Imperialists fully realized that the great mystics propagating (human) love, the brave heroes, the legendary women known for modesty and freedom, noble men believing in human dignity, profound feelings, souls having fathomless depth and high intellectual faculties considered their glory to be indebted to the milleniums full of their national and historically ancient teachings, culture and civilization, and in the Islamic countries they considered themselves indebted to the Islamic precepts, precepts that present the highest virtues to mankind. This is why when sex fills the atmosphere of the society, intelligence, power of revolt and awakening all disappear.
The youth, men and women, unaware of the plunder, robbery and enslavement were happy with this opium, while the Imperialists in order to add to the sex-orientation of this atmosphere enhanced The sex-appeal in women through various types and kinds of scents, cosmetics, dresses and coquetry which were the result of long researches and designings by psychologists and sociologists. Of course, they adopted all these methods in order to add to the sex-appeal in women, and sex came to be the strongest driving force among the Eastern people. There was a time when in the Eastern society (the excessive lust for) sex was found in any person, it was considered to be a kind of disease, a malady of the, type of leprosy or a satanic and despicable ailment. But now under the spell of the Imperialists those who lacked attachment with sex in the society were considered to be abnormal and sick. Now, that the Imperialists have presented sex as the best source of entertainment for the brains of those falling a prey to Imperialism, they can exploit it to their highest benefit. You know that side-by-side with the development of technique, growth of capitalism and the birth of multinationals (or cartels) the malady of surplus production also takes place. Now, what should they do with the surplus products? The capitalists supply a lot of such junk to the naive customers of their own countries. But what can they do with the large quantity of the products lying in surplus in their godowns. How can they get rid of the evil of the surplus commodities. They export them to the colonies and neocolonies of the East. How can they sell these articles in these countries? Through the women. They intensify the sex-appeal of women by the use of cosmetics and jewellery. Then they exploit this sex-appeal for the publicity of their commodities. A washing machine is advertised along with a (half) naked woman. The choppers, mattresses, blankets, carpets, garments, furnitures are all advertised through women, that too for a society, where the best mental entertainment of a large number of its individuals constitutes sexual entertainment.
This is not the only economic exploitation of the Eastern woman by the Imperialist West. In another respect, woman, besides being a source of publicity for the commodities, is also herself the highest customer of these commodities, as she always buys these commodities for her own use. She is the one who is always buying dresses and cosmetics in order to appear more attractive and beautiful. She is the one who buys and uses the commodities, and thus saves the capitalists from insolvency.
It is here that our pure and fighting women succeeded in finding out exactly the Imperialistic roots of abolition of hejab, and in its wake they also realized the Imperialistic roots of the fashions and cosmetics and adopted for themselves the pure, simple and unostentatious dress, the dress of the Islamic school, as the most powerful stronghold for the struggle against Imperialism.
Notes:
[1] Mirza Malcolm is one of the vanguards of Occidentosis and the founder of the British Freemasonry in Iran.
[2] Taqizadeh is one of those who in the first term of the Majlis (Iranian Parliament), formed after the introduction of Constitutional government in Iran, uttered such words.
[3] Here by West is meant the roots of the belief under which Marxism and Capitalism have developed.
[4] The author has used the word "Hindu". Perhaps she means the Sanskritised Hindi being used in India today instead of Urdu or simple Hindi in pre-partition days. (Translator)
[5] Here by Muslims' bias is meant the misconceptions imposed on Islam as its manifestations by the ill-informed rogues in contrast with pure Islam.