Existence of God by Imam Ali (as) in Nahjul Balagha

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Text:
Cicero - "There are many question within philosophy to which no satisfactory answer has been given,
but the question of the nature of God is the darkest and most difficult of all."

Ali ibn Abu Talib (as) on the Existence of God

Imagination cannot reach Him so as to assign Him quantity;
Understanding cannot think of Him so as to give Him shape;
Senses do not perceive Him so as to feel Him;
Hands cannot touch Him so as to rub against Him;
He does not change into any condition;
He does not pass from one state to another;
Nights and days do not turn Him old;
Light and Darkness do not alter Him;
It cannot be said that He has a limit or extremity or end or termination,
nor do things control Him so as to raise Him or lower Him,
nor does anything carry Him so as to bend Him or keep Him erect;
He is not inside things nor outside them;
He conveys news, but not with tongue or voice;
He listens, but not with the holes of the ears or the organs of hearing;
He says, but does not utter words;
He remembers, but does not memorize;
He determines, but not by exercising His mind;
He loves and approves without any sentimentality (of heart);
He hates and feels angry without any painstaking;
When He intends to create someone He says, "Be," and there he is,
but not through a voice that strikes (the ears) is that call heard;
His speech is an act of creation.

The foremost in religion is the acknowledgement of Him;
The perfection of acknowledging Him is to testify Him;
The perfection of testifying Him is to believe in His Oneness;
The perfection of believing in His Oneness is to regard Him pure,
and the perfection of His purity is to deny Him attributes
because every attribute is a proof that is different from that to which it is attributed,
and everything to which something is attributed is different from the attribute.

Thus whoever attaches attributes to God recognizes His like,
and who recognizes His like regards Him two,
and who regards Him two recognizes parts for Him,
and who recognizes parts for Him mistook Him,
and who mistook Him pointed at Him,
and who pointed at Him admitted limitations for Him,
and who admitted limitations for Him numbered Him;
Whoever said 'in what is He?' held that he is contained,
and whoever said 'on what is He held?" He is not on something else.

He is a being but not through the phenomenon of coming into being;
He exists but not from non-existence;
He is with everything but not in physical nearness;
He is different from everything but not in physical separation;
He acts without connotation of movements and instruments;
He sees even when there is none to be looked at from among His creation;
He is only One, such that there is non whom he may keep company or whom He may miss in his absence.

Holy Qur'an 41:53  - "We will show them our signs in the universe and in their own selves until it becomes manifest to them that this is the truth."

Clement Stardust

Transit of Venus 6/5/12

Amir al-Mu'minin Imām 'Alī ibn Abī Tālib (a.s.) said:

to Qanbar when he wished to insult a man who had insulted him,

"Careful Qanbar! Leave your insulter to his disdain and you will please
the Beneficent Lord, displease Satan and punish thereby your enemy,
for by the One who split the grain and created the breeze, there is no stance
better than clemency with which a believer can please his Lord, and nothing
like silence to offend Satan, and an idiot is best punished by ignoring him."

[Reference: Amali al-Mufid, page 118, no. 2]

Eclipse photo from this morning around 4:20 a.m. 6/4/12

From Resolution to Revolution: The Message of Ashura by Sayed Moustafa al-Qazwini

Muharram season is still about 6 weeks away, but I just received this book, and in interest of preparing for the season I thought I might read and make notes on some or all of it. This book is a compilation of lectures made by Sayed Moustafa Al-Qazwini during the Muharram season for Western youth. The portions of the lectures which relay the history of Ashura are removed to avoid repetitiveness.

 Part One is from lectures in London in 2005. Last night I read Chapter One, titled Dignity and Honor In this lecture, he tries to point out the honor of the human being. He notes that human life is sacred and sites the verses about not killing children due to poverty or other reasons, that Allah swt will provide for them. This did not particularly move me until he relayed a hadith from Imam Sadiq (as). In this hadith, a man complained to Imam (as) about being poor. The Imam instructed him to get married. "The man thought that perhaps the Imam did not understand that the reason why he was not married was because he was poor. However, the Imam understood his complaint the first time and again instructed the man to get married. The Imam was indicating to the man that God would provide him a better life for the sake of his wife and children if he gets married!" This just made me think that many times we create obstacles for ourselves that Allah swt did not impose upon us, and that many times the solution to our problems lies in hope and expectation for a good outcome and in keeping moving forward, trusting in God no matter what.

 In the lecture, this subject was the introduction to the idea that human honor is from the Creator, but many people seek it in the wrong places. We think that honor comes from wealth or beauty, etc. He notes that, "The commercial tendency of society has conditioned a great number of people into believing one's value lies in their appearance and possessions.... Unfortunately, this sort of thinking is a fallacy and a trap designed to exploit the vulnerable. However, while this trend has spun out of control today, it is nothing new as it was also rampant among the hypocrites who claimed Islam but secretly fought the Prophet. 'When you look at them, their exteriors please you; and when they speak, you listen to their words. They are as (worthless as hollow) pieces of timber propped up (unable to stand on their own). 63:4' These hypocrites looked impressive...but they sank beneath the level of animals." This point is so true - especially women, but all of us, are so damaged by this conditioning and it is so pervasive that it is almost impossible to eradicate - it is so second-nature to who we are that we are not even aware of it in many cases and have no idea how to think differently. We inherently judge people by how they look, but just because someone looks great and talks eloquently does not mean his honor and message are better than someone else.

 He then talks about a historical incident when a person complained that removing a person's fingers for wanton theft (not of out need) was against the honor of the human being. The complaint was to Sharif Al-Radi, who compiled Nahjul Balagha. His response was that the value of a human being was "in his soul, not his hands. As long as a person used his hands for honest deeds, they were invaluable." But once he used them for evil, they were worthless - it was the quality of the soul that gave them their value. This leads to what was for me the main point of the lecture that recognizing our honor is important to our self-development. He says it very well when he says that, "When we respect ourselves, we will consider it beneath our honor to do any wrong actions." This particular point was powerful to me. It shows that when we sin or commit doubtful acts, we are disrespecting ourselves and showing how little we value and think of ourselves. It shows we undervalue our worth while Allah swt does not undervalue it - Allah swt values us greater than we value ourselves! It also provides a means for us to improve ourselves.

By adopting this thinking, that doing wrong is beneath our honor as believers, we can find help in getting the will power to avoid sins. And the great thing is that this will power has a positive rather than negative source. Instead of saying, "I fear hell," which is true, but a negative motivation, this is a positive motivation, "I am better than this, or I am worth more than doing this." He goes on by talking about how honor is sincerity of our actions in doing them for God and gives examples from Karbala and he talks about the validity of crying for losses like the death of Imam Husain (as) even though it was a victory - it is part of our natural compassionate humanity that God made us to have and is part of the practice of the Prophet (saw) and Imams (sa). Insha'allah I will cross post this on the Muharram blog ( see side bar), and also post additional chapters there.

Shining Sun

Shining Sun was written by Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Husayni Tihrani, a close friend of 'Allamah Tabataba'i, as a tribute to the latter shortly after his passing in 1981. It has been translated to English by Tawus Raja and is now available for purchase from ICAS press.

Sayyid Tabataba'i is probably best known today for his exegesis of Qur'an called Al-Mizan (The Scale), which is notable for its methodology of using the Qur'an to explain itself. The tafsir and its methodology have both become standards for scholarship in the field.

The tribute consists of two main parts; a brief memorial of Tabataba'i followed by transcriptions of several discussions the author and/or other students of the 'Allamah had on religious topics in the fields of history, philosophy, mysticism, theology and Qur'an. As is standard for books published by ICAS, the work is graced with copious footnotes, glossary of transliterated terms, indices of Qur'anic verses, hadith, and poetry for comparison or reference between the English translation and original forms, and a general index.

If a reader approaches this book expecting a biography or a religious textbook, he may be surprised to find neither. The memorial section does contain biographical information that provide glimpses into certain aspects of Allamah Tabataba'i's life, but is in no way comprehensive enough to be considered a true biography. A reader with little or no prior knowledge of the scholar will not be able to develop a very clear picture of him as a religious scholar or as a man, but will be able to appreciate the love and high esteem afforded him by many people such as the author, and will also be able to have a basic appreciation for his importance and achievements in Shia religious scholarship. Similarly, the larger discussion section of the book may contain some religious information that educates the reader, but that would be incidental to the apparent larger purpose of elucidating methods and content of religious reasoning and discussion employed by 'Allamah Tabataba'i and his students.

These discussion transcripts cover a range of topics such as explanation of particular verses in Qur'an, logical analysis of the concept of tawhid and its ramifications on what happens to the perfected soul when it reaches a stage of annihilation or return to God, explanation of the meaning of ruh in Qur'an and the role of angels, method of delivery of Qur'an, history of Qur'an compilation, numerology, experiences of barzakh depending on spiritual status of the individual, tayy-al-ard (claimed ability of highly-advanced mystics, jinn, and others to instantaneously transport themselves to other locations), issues related to Torah and Gospel and other prophets, and more.

Many of the issues or questions discussed are the type of questions that almost everyone has at some point in his life, often beginning in childhood. For example, most people have worried or pondered about what happens to their souls after death. Do the souls continue to exist permanently? Or, at some point, is all creation annihilated and no identities remain except the one true identity, God? Was the Qur'an revealed to the Prophet (saw) through Gabriel only, or was it sometimes revealed directly to him, and if it wasn't always revealed the same way, why was that so? Who compiled the Qur'an, and when, and is it the same as what was originally revealed? Why are there minor differences in recitations, such as "Owner (Malik) of the Day of Judgment" vs. "King (Maalik) of the Day of Judgment"?

If a reader is hoping to use Shining Sun as a reference to answer these essential questions, it might not be satisfying for that purpose. The discussions do not really take place in a question/answer format. Rather, in many cases a philosophical or logical debate amongst the 'Allamah and the students takes place. The general aim in many of these discussions seems to be to use logical reasoning, grammar, and accepted reference in Qur'an, hadith, poetry, etc., to "prove" a posited answer. For example, a student may claim and provide evidence using logical reasoning as developed in the field of philosophy that all of us will at some point cease to exist and there will only remain God. Others may find logical inconsistencies in the reasoning and then try to solve those inconsistencies. The group becomes satisfied with a solution if it answers the question and has no logical inconsistencies or errors. But some of the discussions expire without any solidly arrived-at conclusion or summary of results. It is illuminating to see that students freely disagreed with the teacher or each other in some cases and yet the reputations of participants and decorum in the discussions remained impeccable, as the focus was clearly on Truth-seeking rather than egoistic tendencies.

However, a reader may be dissatisfied in following such a discussion seeking the ultimate answer, because the end result may not be an indisputable conclusion. Rather, it is more likely that a reader may come to appreciate or understand the process that was taking place as an act of scholarship and reasoning, but may not always be personally convinced that every solution or answer mentioned by 'Allamah Tabataba'i or his students is definitely correct. In fact, some readers may be a little disturbed by a few of the issues raised and the uncertainties or implications arising in their discussion. This disequilibrium may precede a reader's personal resolution of the issue, or the issue might remain personally uncomfortable and unresolved.

Shining Sun is an important text as a memorial of a master of Islamic philosophy and spirituality. It provides a unique window into processes of reasoning and discussion applied to religious topics that must be preserved and developed in the current and future generations for the sake of all mankind. While logic and reason are held separate from religion in some schools of thought, they are essential in the Shia faith. While the lay person may not need to engage in such exercises on a regular basis, every person needs to learn how to think and reason and how to apply these processes to all matters, including religion, so as not to be misguided or oppressed. If Shining Sun is read with this in mind, a general audience has much to gain from the experience.

Capacity of Hearts

"Tell them that God's Mercy is on those who direct peoples' love toward us, on those who teach the people that which their hearts can accept to their capacity, and on those who put aside that which is too heavy for the peoples' hearts to bear." Imam Sadiq (as)

Christmas and Ashura

"When we were children we were grateful to those who filled our stockings with toys at Christmas, why are we not grateful to God for filling our stocking with legs?" G K Chesterton

And today, many are not even grateful for their gifts from others, but instead evaluate and compare those gifts against some sense of entitlement. But what are we truly entitled to in this world? Has God promised us even another breath? And even if He did, is it because we are entitled to that breath, or because it is a gift?

While I have not been making the longer drive to the north Denver area for Muharram services, I of course have not failed to notice that it is Muharram, and that Christmas and Ashura are two days apart this year. I know many far surpass me in their piety and their religious observance, but for whatever reasons I have needed seclusion and do not feel up to the nearly four-hour daily commute going to Denver would entail.

I have written about Muharram and what it means to us, what it enjoins on us, etc., many times. And I still feel I don't know hardly anything about that topic. I cannot weigh or measure the sacrifice of Imam Hussain (as), and therefore I cannot weigh or measure my debt. But I feel I have a great debt, for my personal benefit at the price of that sacrifice is potentially exceedingly great. The least I can do is acknowledge the debt and to try not to waste the gift of sacrifice for truth.

Many Christians believe that al-Masih, Jesus Christ (as), made a great sacrifice for humanity, but now they acknowledge his birth, albeit in largely pre-Christian traditions, consumerism, and more consumerism. While Muslims do not believe Jesus (as) was crucified, we do believe he lived his life in complete submission to God, annihilating his own personal will and whims within the will of God. He was and remains a supreme, immaculate instrument of God, like Imam Husain (as), and all the Imams and Prophets (sa). We are all indebted to him, as well, for his struggle in the way of truth.

Every godly person who struggles for truth and preserves a measure of it does a noble thing, a thing that may help countless others. What is Christmas Spirit? What are the lessons of Karbala? Isn't there a call to self-sacrifice, to become more than a taker, a user? I go to work and listen to teenagers speak day after day and go home and hear more people speak on television or Internet, and most of us are all about ourselves. We feel entitled. We feel we know more than others. We feel we should be special. We feel we should have easy lives and abundance. If some misfortune befalls us, we feel personally affronted or wronged. If all we are is a sea of people, each obsessed with himself, what a waste! Is there no more point to life than personal gratification? Who cares if I am gratified or he is gratified or she is? Especially when most gratification comes with a cost, paid by others.

I don't know what self-sacrifice for truth, for right, looks like for you or me, but we've seen it in our prophets and guides. But one thing I understand is that we should be grateful. To God. To our families. To the Prophets (sa). To the Imams (sa). To Jesus (as), to Imam Husain (as). To people who smile at us, to people who try to teach us, to people who pick up our garbage, to people who try to cure us,to almost anyone we meet.

In wishing all who would want it a Merry Christmas, what I really wish is well-being, peace, guidance, and appreciation. And in condoling the mourners over the disgusting murder of holy and sincere servants of God, what I really wish is for none of us to oppress another, to cause another to shed tears, or to take another for granted.

Eid Ghadeer Mubarak

Eid Ghadeer

As a revert to Islam, Eid Ghadeer is the one Eid that always has made the most sense to me and been the most significant in my worldview. Part of me has found Eid ul Fitr tempered by the loss of the holy days of the month of Ramadhan, and Eid ul Adha significant if you or a loved one is performing the hajj, but otherwise less so. But the Eid al-Ghadeer has always been special to me because it is a celebration of the culmination of Islam - a celebration of the very events that first enabled me to know the status of Imam ‘Ali (as) and the crucial role of Ahlulbayt (as) in the preservation of the True Religion so that I, in 1994, had the blessed chance to discover true Islam for myself. It is only because of Ahlulbayt (as) that I had that chance – without them, the True Religion would have long ago been lost in corruption and time.

I remember feeling exhausted after becoming Muslim. I had spent a year in intensive research, questioning the entire framework of my existence, engaging in deep self-evaluation so that in the end I had turned my life upside down and accepted all the conflict and challenges that would bring my way. But I had yet to scratch the surface of Islamic knowledge and had so far yet to go. I had become aware of the sects and divisions between Muslims, much to my sadness. As a Christian, I had been dismayed by all the man-made churches, none of them holding God’s Truth more than any other. I regretted that I might again find nothing in Islam that provided complete access to Reality.

But then, I read about Ghadeer Khum. The more I read, the lighter my burden became. Here was what I had known must exist – the evidence that God had protected His message from corruption. Every time a revelation from God has come down, man has corrupted it. But the Qur’an has survived because God has protected it, and in Ghadeer Khum I found the means. I felt tears of deep joy and gratitude to find the protectors of the Qur’an, the ones who have lived the real Islam; for without them, I would have no chance of ever finding the truth, I would have remained a deprived wayfarer, unsatisfied with the religions of man’s making.

If I had not been blessed to know about Ghadeer and appreciate the status and role of Ahlulbayt (as), I would have been left very disappointed after my struggle to find the Truth. While I would have gained the clarity of Tawhid that is in Islam, I would yet know I was stuck in a quagmire of man-made distortions that rip apart the Truth and replace it with ignorance and oppression.

In the Qur’an it is written, "And hold fast, all together, by the Rope which God (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude God's favor on you; for you were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace, you became brethren; and you were on the brink of the Pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does God make His Signs clear to you, that you may be guided." (3:103)
Numerous hadith inform us that the Rope is none other than the blessed Ahlulbayt (as).

I feel this ayah resonating deep in the very fiber of my existence. Without the rope, I would have nothing to hold to, no hope for access to God’s Truth. It is a great favor from God for which I owe immeasurable gratitude that I was able to find this rope and try with my best effort to cling to it. I cling to this rope with the love of Ahlulbayt (as) who made my journey to Islam possible, and who have provided me the means to hope for progress on the journey of Truth and salvation from the Fire of Hell. For without Ahlulbayt (as), I could only be on the brink of the Pit of Fire, but by clinging to their Rope I might be pulled away from it.

The Ahlulbayt (as) have given me, and have given all of us, the chance to realize our potentials, the ability to hope, and the opportunity for the complete peace that can only be found in one who has glimpsed the Truth. Therefore, the Eid of Ghadeer is the most joyous and meaningful Eid to me, It is the Eid of hope and opportunity for all of us. May Allah swt bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad with His greatest blessings and grant them the most fulfilling peace, and may more and more of humanity come to realize the great gift given to all of us when Allah swt perfected religion by securing the role of Ahlulbayt (as).

originally written for Islamic Insights last year

Happy Birthday of Imam Reza (as)

I bear witness that there is no God save Allah, the One; and there is no partner to share with Him.

I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger, verily, he is the lord of the ancients and the moderns, verily, he is the head of the Prophets and the Messengers.



O Allah send blessing on Muhammad, Thy servant, Thy Messenger and Thy Prophet, the chief of all that has been created by Thee, blessings which no one is able to measure other than Thee.



O Allah send blessings on the Ameer ul Moomineen, Ali ibna Abi Talib, Thy servant, the brother of Thy Messenger, whom Thou elected to have Thy Knowledge, made him a guide to show the right path to those of Thy servants who want to be led aright, an evident proof for those who pay careful attention to Thy Message, he managed the affairs of the religion according to Thy system of justice, made application of Thy commands to settle the issues which cropped up among the people, and let Thy will and command rule supreme in all matters; peace be on him, also mercy and blessings of Allah.



O Allah send blessings on Fatimah, the daughter of Thy Prophet, the wife of Thy friend, the mother of the two sons, Hasan and Husayn, the prime leaders of the people of Paradise, she is pure, purified, pious content, wise leader of all the women of the Paradise,
blessings which no one is able to measure other than Thee.



O Allah send blessings on Hasan and Husayn, the two sons of Thy Prophet, the prime leaders of the people of Paradise, Thy established authority among the people, Thy two evident proofs for those who pay careful attention to Thy Message, who managed the affairs of the religion according to Thy system of justice, and made application of Thy commands to settle the issues which cropped up among the people.



O Allah send blessings on Ali bin Husayn, Thy servant, Thy established authority among the people, Thy evident proof for those who pay careful attention to Thy Message, who managed the affairs of the religion according to Thy system of justice, and made application of Thy commands to settle the issues which cropped up among the people, the lord among Thy adorers.



O Allah send blessings on Muhammad bin Ali, Thy servant, Thy representative in the earth, the deeply versed in the knowledge of Prophets. O Allah send blessings on Jaa'-far bin Muhammad, the truthful, Thy servant, the defender of Thy religion, Thy decisive argument over the mankind, the truthful, the just.

O Allah send blessings on Moosa bin Jaa'-far, Thy upright servant, Thy approved spokesman among Thy people, Thy decisive argument over the mankind.



O Allah send blessings on Ali bin Moosa who please Thee most, the chosen, Thy servant, the defender of Thy religion, rightly and justly established by Thee as an authority who made earnest presentation of arguments to promote Thy religion which is the religion of his truthful ancestors, blessings which no one is able to measure other than Thee.

O Allah send blessings on Muhammad bin Ali, Thy servant, Thy chosen representative, appointed by Thy command, who invited people Thy path.

O Allah send blessings on Ali bin Muhammad, Thy servant, the defender of Thy religion.



O Allah send blessings on Hasan bin Ali who put Thy system into practice, the established authority among the people, Thy demonstrator who carried out the mission of Thy Prophet, Thy witness over the mankind, distinguished with Thy excellence, who reminded people to obey Thee and Thy Messenger. Thy blessings be on all of them.

O Allah send blessings on Thy demonstrator, Thy established representative among the people, perfect, growing and everlasting blessings expedite his arrival
and help him, let us be with him in this world and in the Hereafter.

O Allah I seek Thy nearness through my love for them. I make friends with their friends, I oppose their enemies, so, on account of them, give me good of this world and the Hereafter, keep away from me the evil of this world and the Hereafter, the dreadful fright on the Day of Judgement.

Peace be on you, O the representative of Allah!Peace be on you, O the evident proof of Allah!

Peace be on you, O the light of Allah in the darkness of this (ignorant) world!

Peace be on you, O the mainstay of the religion!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of Adam, the sincerely attached friend of Allah!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of Nooh, the Prophet of Allah!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of Ibrahim, the intimate friend of Allah!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of Ismaeel, the sacrifice offered to Allah!

Peace be on you,O the Inheritor of Moosa, who spoke to Allah!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of Eesaa, who received mercy , joy and ease from Allah!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of the Ameer ul Moomineen, the representative of Allah, the executor of the will of the Messenger of the Lord of the worlds!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of Faatimah Zahra!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of Hasan and Husayn, the prime leaders of the people of Paradise!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of Ali bin Husayn, the pride of the worshippers!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of Muhammad bin Ali, the deeply versed in the wisdom of the ancients and moderns!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of Jaa'-far bin Muhammad, the truthful, the virtuous!

Peace be on you, O the Inheritor of Moosa bin Jaa'-far! Peace be on you, O the virtuous and pious guardian!



I bear witness that, verily, you established the prayers, gave the prescribed share to the needy, commanded to do that which is right and lawful, not to do that which is wrong and unlawful, sincerely served Allah, till the inevitable came unto you

Peace be on you, O Abal Hasan, and mercy and blessings of Allah be on you.



O Allah I had left my place of domicile to go towards Thee, and crossed many a town in the hope of getting Thy mercy, therefore, do not disappoint me, do not send me away without awarding that which I need, have mercy on my restless agitation near the son of Thy Messenger's brother, Thy blessings be on him and on his children.



My father and mother are at your disposal O my Mawlaa! I have come to visit you, adore you and take refuge with you from the excesses I indulged into, from the burden of sins I carry on my back, so, in the day of distress, be my advocate before Allah, because you enjoy special privileges in the presence of Allah, and He shows respect for you and brings honour to you.



O Allah I seek Thy nearness through my love and friendship for them (the Ahlul Bayt), I love each and every one of them, from the first to the last, and avoid intimate association with anyone other than the Ahlul Bayt Curse of Allah be on those who subverted Thy "Favour" suspected Thy Prophet to be guilty of falsehood, denied Thy revelation, laugh at Thy representatives, and gave preference to nonentities over the "Aali Muhammad.

O Allah I seek Thy nearness by calling down curses on them, I keep myself aloof from them in this world and in the Hereafter, O Beneficent!

Blessings of Allah be on you, O Abal Hasan!

Blessings of Allah be on your soul and your body! You suffered patiently and exercised self-control, (although) you were truthful and your truthfulness had been confirmed; Allah destroyed him who gave the orders to kill you, and him who carried it out.

Lady Masooma (as)

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE ALL-BENEFICENT, THE ALL-MERCIFUL

FELICITATIONS TO YOU ALL ON THE OCCASION OF THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTHDAY OF HADHRAT FATIMA MA'SUMA (PEACE BE UPON HER)

10 DAYS OF NOBILITY:

The first ten days of the lunar month of Dhul Qa’dah are celebrated in some Muslim countries like Iran as Daheye Karamat (ten days of nobility). This is because they start with the birthday of Hadhrat Ma’suma (‘a) on the 1st of Dhul Qa’da [173 AH] and meet with the birthday of her sibling, Imam al-Ridha (‘a) on the 11th [148 AH] of the same month. Both are epitomes of spiritual greatness and nobility. Their life histories are brim with lessons for us to learn and emulate. Celebrating such occasions is to remember their personalities and instill in us the spirit of obedience to Almighty Allah. When one beholds the tomb of Hadhrat Ma’suma (‘a) in the holy city of Qum, which in reality serves as its fundamental source of light, one should be overtaken with the purity it exemplifies. Her radiant shrine constantly echoes a very important message for all her lovers: protect yourself from sin and struggle for infallibility. She was known as al-Ma’suma by her infallible brother Imam al-Ridha (‘a) due to her immaculate personality. If we are receptive enough to absorb her message, we would struggle for purity. Celebration in reality is an act of commitment and pledge. We must resolve to flee from sin, in order to celebrate this occasion of joy. Imam al-Ridha (‘a) likewise gives a similar message but in another language: the language of Divine pleasure. The word al-Ridhaa connotes both al-Raadhi (the pleased one) and al-Mardhi (the one whom one is pleased with). In other words He is pleased with what Allah does, and Allah is pleased with Him. He thus enjoys the state of a contented soul (al-nafs al-mutma’inna), whose status is so high, that Almighty Allah addresses it thus: “O soul at peace! Return to your Lord, pleased, pleasing! Then enter among My servants! And enter My paradise!” (89:27-30)The word “jannati” (my Paradise) in the verse refers to the loftiest kind of Paradise, which scholars of authority call “Jannat al-Liqa’”(the Paradise of encountering Allah). Such a station is what has to be experienced and words do not qualify to express. Fortunate are those who are able to visit the radiant shrines of Imam al-Ridha (‘a) and her noble sister Hadhrat Ma’suma (‘a). Mere visitation, however, is not enough. We need reflective minds who are able to draw a world of information by beholding such edifices of light, that can transport every receptive heart to the true meaning of belief, action, love, steadfastness, extinction in the Divine, absorption, revolution, emancipation, concern, etc.

Salams and Du'as
Holy Proximity of Hadhrat Ma'suma ('A) (From Muhammad Khalfan)

Please visit imamreza.net to read more about Lady Masooma (as). Also, here is a book about her at al-islam.org.

Her Ziarat, given to us by her brother, Imam Reza (as):

Allah is the great
Glory be to Allah
Praise be to Allah
Peace be on Adam, the Choice of Allah! Peace be on Noah, the Prophet of Allah,
Peace be on Ibraheem, the Friend of Allah, Peace be on Mosa who spoke to Allah, Peace be on Isa, the Spirit of Allah.
Peace be on you, O Messenger of Allah, Peace be on you, O the best of the Mankind
Peace be on you, O Choice of Allah! Peace be on you. O Mohammed bin Abdullah, the last of the Prophets!
Peace be on you, O Ali bin Abi Talib, Commander of the faithful and the Successor of the Messenger of Allah.
Peace be on you, O Fatimah, the Leader of the women of the worlds,
Peace be on you, O the grandsons of the Prophet of Mercy, and the leaders of the youth of Paradise
Peace be on you, O Ali bin Husain, the leader of worshippers, O Coolness of investigating eyes,
Peace be on you, O Mohammed bin Ali, O the explorer of the knowledge
Peace be on you, O Jafar bin Mohammed, the truthful the benign, the trustworthy,
Peace be on you, O Mosa bin Jafar, the pure, the purified,
Peace be on you, O Ali bin Mosa, the pleased, the gratified,
Peace be on you, O Mohammed bin Ali, the pious one Peace be on you, O Ali bin Mohammed, the pure, the advising guardian, and the trustworthy
Peace be on Hasan bin Ali, Peace be on the successor after him
O Allah, bless your light, the successor and vicegerent of Thy Messenger and Thy decisive argument over mankind
Peace be on you, O daughter of the Messenger of Allah! Peace be on you, O, daughter of Fatimah and Khadeejah!
Peace be on you, O, daughter of the Commander of the faithful! Peace be on you, O, daughter of Hasan and Husain!
Peace be on you, O, daughter of the vicegerent of Allah! Peace be on you, O, sister of the vicegerent of Allah! Peace be on you, O, Aunt of the vicegerent of Allah!
Peace be on you, O, daughter of Mosa bin Jafar! May Allah confer His Mercy and blessing on you!
Peace be on you May Allah grant us your companionship on the day of Judgment
and guide us to follow your footsteps and lead us to your grandfather's fountain andquench our thirst out of it, with Mohammed's own cup in Ali's hand,
Allah bless you All. I ask Allah to grant us, through you, happiness, ease and your companionship,
together with your grandfather on the day of Judgment
and not to deprive us from understanding you. Indeed, He is Protector and Powerful on everything.
O Allah, I seek Thy nearness through my love for you, my enmity for your enemies and my surrender to Allah willingly, not arrogantly my acceptance,
with unshaken faith, what He communicated to Mohammed seeking in that Thy Face! Thy satisfaction, and the next world.
O Master! Stand by us when Allah sits in judgment over us, O intimate of Allah,
O Allah, I ask Thee to make my ending happy, and not to take away what you have given me
There is neither might nor power but with Allah, the Great, the Exalted.
So by Thy generosity, might Mercy and bounteousness, comply with our supplication,
Allah, bless Mohammed, and his pious and pure Progeny and give them abundant peace! O the most Merciful of the Merciful.

Munajat (Whispered Prayer) of Imam Ali(as)

I might have posted this before, I am not sure. But, it is really wonderful and it is part of the recommended dua'as on the potential dates of Laylatul Qadr.

May Allah swt bless Muhammad (saw) and the Ahlulbayt (sa).

Imam Ali (as) Wiladat Mubarak

The story of his birth.

One suggestion of what someone could do to celebrate: gather up a few bags of groceries from your pantry/freezer/fridge, and post on your local Freecycle.org - feed someone in your neighborhood in need!

Blogblast for Peace

For more info, see Mimi Writes. A wish for a more peaceful and just world.

Qur'an 10:25: And Allah invites to the abode of peace and guides whom He pleases into the right path.

From 4th Imam (as)'s Supplication for Neighbors and Friends:

Let me, O God,
repay their evildoing
with good-doing,
turn away from their wrongdoing
with forbearance.
have a good opinion
of every one of them,
attend to all of them
with devotion,
lower my eyes before them
in continence,
make mild my side toward them
in humility,
be tender toward the afflicted among them
in mercy,
make them happy in absence
through affection,
love that they continue to receive favour
through good will,
grant them
what I grant my next of kin,
and observe for them
what I observe for my special friends!

Nice book

I've been looking for this book in print for some time. I haven't found it, but I did find a nice digital version that looks just like the printed one.


The Tasbih of Fatima Zahra (as)

It is brief but lovely.

I've been quite busy with my brother's kids. I watched them for 10 days while my brother and sister-in-law were away and now they still want to play with me. We've been playing tennis and video games and just hanging out and going different places. Today we are supposed to play volleyball. My nephew's baseball team won state for his age group and so next week we are insha'allah going to South Dakota for a regional tournament.

Lady Fatima (as) the Role Model for All

Intro

Bismillah Arahman Araheem
Salaam Alaaykum wa rahmatulahe wa barakatoh
Welcome and felicitations to everyone as we meet around the occasion of the birth of the highly esteemed lady of the ahlulbayt (as), Lady Fatima Zahra (as).

Whenever we meet to discuss or listen about a member of the ahlulbayt (as), we can be so awed by the greatness of these personalities and the levels of piety they achieve that we categorize them in our hearts as people altogether unlike us – a different level of humanity that is separate from us and above us.

We can speak only Truth without any exaggeration, and the quality of their characters still stand out as the supreme achievement of mankind.

However, if we really hope to be their followers and fulfill our own missions as human beings, then we must look for ahlulbayt from a framework of understanding that they are fully human and that what they achieved in avoiding sin and doing right is also approachable by their followers, by the will of Allah swt. Keeping clean of sin, purifying one’s intentions, acquiring true piety, and benefiting humanity by one’s behavior are not accomplishments achievable only by the ahlulbayt and the prophets. In fact, the mission of the prophets has been to provide us examples to achieve these characteristics in ourselves and to awaken in ourselves the highest levels of piety possible.

Therefore, the followers need to develop the will and the discipline of self improvement - or we need to engage wholeheartedly in the jihad against the self - according to the model of the prophets, imams, and sinless humans, and we need to investigate to find out what exactly are the models that they have provided.

So this evening I will try to present some information about the model life of Fatima (as) – both to understand her as a multi-dimensional real personality, as well as to, insha’allah, be able to apply what we can to our own selves in the course of self improvement. Lady Fatima (as) is an ideal role model for both men and women
and history provides us with enough detail of her life and words that we can glean from the records several important characteristics in her that we can grow in ourselves.

Part 1

There are at least 4 sets of ayahs in the Qur’an that various commentaries from the religious scholars show refer to Lady Fatima (as). There are the verses of feeding, about the event when she and her family went hungry for 3 days because every time they prepared to break the fast someone came calling for food, the verse of Mubahalah when she went with her father to the challenge from the Christians, and the verse of purification in which ahlulbayt (as) are described as being purified from sin. All of these refer to Fatima (as) along with certain members of her family. But one short surah of Qur’an, according to some commentaries such as al-Mizan, and also a speech from Sayyid Fadlullah - is said to be about Fatima (as) in particular.

Aoothu billahi minash shaitan ar rajeem
Bismillah Arahman Araheem
Inna aTaina kal kawthar
FaSalli li rabika wanHar
Inna shani aka huwal aBtar.

“Verily We have given thee (the prophet (saw)_ the Abundance. So pray thou unto thy Lord and offer sacrifice. Verily, the enemy shall be the one cut off in his progeny.

This is Surah Kauthar. Many commentaries refer to Kauthar - or “Abundance” - as a fountain in paradise and that is probably true. But it appears also to have a second meaning of the Lady Fatima (as).

This revelation was given against the backdrop of Quraysh men claiming that the Prophet (saw) was cut off by having no surviving male heirs. But this surah explains that Fatima (as) is the abundant good through which a vast number of offspring and, in particular the imams (as), would come, while the men making their claims against the Prophet (saw) would be cut off, that is, their family lines would die out.

The Lady Fatima (as) is extremely important to know because you cannot properly mention the Messenger of Allah (saw) without mentioning her, as she came from him and was most like him of any person, and you cannot properly mention ‘Ali (as) without mentioning her, because she was his chief companion in life and they were chosen for each other by Allah swt, and you cannot mention Hasan, Husain or Zainab (as) without mentioning her as she was the secret of purity in their childhood and development of their supreme personalities. If we wish to know any of these or the following Imams (as), then we have to first know her because she is a key to all of them.

She is a role model not only for women, because being a woman was a role of her life but not her life entirely; her life entirely was that she was fully submitted to Allah swt , a true Muslimah and momeena.

Even for the children, she is an ideal role model – as she lived a short life much of what she is known for she did at a very young age – we have information about her childhood that we can learn and apply.

One day, Fatima (as) saw her father (saw) in the Holy Mosque in Makkah and some people had dumped garbage on his back while he was praying.
She was a tiny young girl and she might have felt afraid of the taunters, or embarrassed for her father. Or she might have felt sorry for herself about the loss of her mother and burden of such a life. But no, she went straight to her father in front of all the people and cleaned the trash off of him and expressed her condolences to him. She was always true to her father and his mission even from her earliest days and she was totally sympathetic and empathetic with his sufferings and his efforts to do good and obey Allah swt. As a child, she made herself a comfort to her parents and supported her father in the cause of Islam. She acted with courage for Islam even as a young girl and cared for her father so well she was known as the mother of her father. The young Fatima (as) never found time for purposeless play trying to fill empty time, because she had no emptiness – even as a child she had a mission that she adopted wholeheartedly, the same mission as her father – the mission of Islam.

We learn from Fatima (as) that even a very young child can do good, be a benefit to his or her family and community, and dedicate to a noble cause. It is not necessary to wait for adulthood to start working for justice and truth – we can do this our whole lives and if we begin as children we will be more prepared for living adult life in a good way. Lady Fatima (as) did not have to change anything about herself to begin her adult life properly because she had already spent her youth living in the right way.

Her father (saw) certainly helped her in this. She had the great benefit of being his student. When revelation was being revealed to the Prophet (saw), she used to sit as well as read along with ‘Ali (as) and listen to the revelation and teachings and their explanations. She mastered every lesson and committed to memory every tidbit of knowledge from the Prophet (saw), her father. She loved this knowledge dearly and applied it all to her life immediately. She never made any complaint about guidance from her father or any hardship she endured, for she knew it was all blessing.

When she had children of her own, whenever they came back from being out with the Prophet (saw) or their father ‘Ali (as), she asked them to tell her anything they learned – one, as a training and memory aide for them, but also because she herself did not want to miss any opportunity for learning.

She was by today’s terminology the most elite religious scholar trained from the cradle with the highest teacher. Islam has valued high religious education for all people - men, women and children. In fact, it has been emphasized for women because they are the primary educators of young children.

Fatima Zahra (as) is a wonderful role model of seeking religious knowledge and sharing her knowledge. A hadith from Imam Sadiq (as) says that the Prophet (saw) gave her some palm branch containing written knowledge and advised to learn what was on it. It said ‘Whoever believes in Allah and the Day of Judgment must not hurt his neighbor, and whoever believes in Allah and the Day of Judgment shall be generous to his guest, and whoever believes in Allah and the Day of Judgment shall say something good or be silent.’ About it, she said, “It is for me equal to Hasan and Husain! This is the inheritance of the Messenger of Allah swt.’

She wrote down knowledge and kept written knowledge, and she took the initiative to spread knowledge in the society. She used to teach Islamic lessons for the Muslimahs of the ansar and muhajroon, and she gave a sermon in the Mosque to make clear the truth.

One day a lady came to Fatima (AS) said 'I have a weak old mother who does
not know a few problems about her service (prayers). She has sent me towards
you to question you (about them). Thus Fatima answered her (questions). And
the number of her queries reached to ten and Fatima (AS) replied to all her
questions. Then she (the woman got a shamed because of the high number of
her questions. And said, 'Oh daughter of the Prophet (SAW), 'I do not put you to
more inconvenience than this.' Fatima (AS) said, 'Ask me what you do not know.
Have you ever seen a person who is one day hired to carry a heavy thing to the
roof top from the ground but for a very large some of money who would feel tired and complain about the task?
She said 'No'. Fatima (AS) said, 'I have been hired by Allah to get a wage which
if the space between the earth and sky were filled up with pearls still (That wage)
would not be more than for each of the questions I may answer you. Therefore, I
am never tired of answering questions.'


We can learn from Fatima (as) that we should have zeal for learning , that we should avidly pursue religious knowledge at every stage of our lives, that we should adapt our life immediately based upon anything we are blessed to learn, and that we should share knowledge for the benefit of people and propagation of true Islam.



There are also lessons to be learned in Fatima (as)’s marriage. The Prophet (saw) turned down several proposals for her, because he was waiting for the right match, and in her special case, for the order of Allah swt. It is important in marriage that we match a woman with a man who is her equal in intellect and piety – for Fatima (as) that could only be ‘Ali (as). A hadith tells us that “If Ali did not exist, there would have been no match for Fatima” – and she would’ve remained unmarried like Lady Masooma buried in Qom. But we also see that she married young – when a right match was available for her, her marriage was not delayed for want of money. In fact, ‘Ali (as) only owned his sword, shield and clothes when he asked for her hand in marriage. The Prophet (saw) did not tell him to go out and earn more money in order to get married, instead he asked for his shield, and this was sold for the simple, unextravagant mahr of Fatima (as).

From this we can learn that girls wanting to marry and their parents likewise should not judge a man by his wealth and job but rather by other characteristics that make him suited for her and vice versa. We see that young couples should be prepared to live a simple life and that marriage does not seem to be primarily about material comfort but about even more so about more important needs of the soul. And we see that mahr should not be set at exorbitant amounts.

In her marriage with ‘Ali (as), we find that they treated each other with great respect. Never did they make one another angry or argue with each other, and never did Fatima (as) disobey ‘Ali (as). Each was satisfied with what the other brought to the marriage and their lives, in part because they were well-matched, and in part by their own wills and effort to fulfill the rights of family and endure any hardship. The Prophet (saw) told us that the best man is the one who is best to the women in his household. ‘Ali (as) was truly best to Fatima (as), he was the spiritual leader of the household and her companion and always kind to her and helped her in the household work in addition to doing his outside work. And when she was dying and made her requests of him, he fulfilled them without complaint or question.

Although we do not see any cause for which Fatima and ‘Ali (as) may have had to pardon one another in marriage or be patient with one another, we can learn from their peaceful family life and the hadith from the ahlulbayt (as) that to achieve a good marriage one step to make is to look to our own roles as spouse and see how we can improve as much as possible. If we would want to be pardoned for minor faults, then we should do the same for our spouses and children. If we want to avoid arguments, then we should learn to control our anger, hold our tongues, keep calm and listen to our spouses and children, and be patient. If we want loving from our family, then we should be loving to them. If we want their help, then we should help them, and we should not make unreasonable demands on any of them. In essence, we see that one element of a successful married life is adopting good ethics and selflessness in the home.

As a parent, Fatima (as) was very patient with and kind to her children and looked after their education. She did not protect them from all suffering but also taught them sacrifice– sometimes they went hungry or cold same as she did, yet she looked after their needs and guided them carefully to be true Muslims, knowledgeable in Islam and with the best ethics.

Fatima (as)’s main goal in life was not family or any other worldly thing. She and her husband were raised in Islam and lived for Islam and raised their children the same way. She rebelled against her own personal needs for the furthering of Islam and doing well by her neighbors. She is called the doyenne of the women of the world, meaning she is the most senior rank amongst all women. She did not get this title merely by being daughter of the Prophet (saw) - many prophets and imams (as) have had many daughters but not all had this title. Some of our Shia scholars even say the Prophet (saw) had more than one daughter, although there is not agreement on this – but if he did, none of them were called doyenne of the women of the world but Fatima (as). It is not a title of inheritance but a title of achievement. Similarly, the sayings of the Prophet (saw) that “Fatima is part of me, whoever makes her angry makes me angry, or that Surely Allah becomes angry for the anger of Fatima and becomes satisfied if she is satisfied” were not said because she was the daughter of the Prophet (saw) or because Allah swt or the Prophet (saw) preferred Fatima (as) so much that they would side with her even if she were wrong in her anger. No, these could only be said of her because Fatima (as) only got angry for Islam, never for herself. She aligned her anger with the Prophet (saw)’s and with Allah swt’s, so that hers was the same as theirs. Thus, it would be possible to gauge if something were in line with the right path or not purely by her stance – her stance was never contrary to Islam.

This is one of the chief traits from her we should strive to acquire in ourselves: Our stance should be the stance of Islam, the stance of the Prophet (saw), the stance of Ahlulbayt (as), the stance of the Imam of Our Age (as) – there should never be a hair-widths of division between them. This requires education to know the right stance and then conviction of will and jihad against the self to make it our stance.

There are some other traits of hers that stand out as particularly noteworthy.

One is her truthfulness. Even Aisha narrated that no one was more truthful than Fatima (as). She had the name Siddiqah and was known by the people as more truthful than any other person, just like the Prophet (saw). She didn’t ever in her life bend the truth or alter her words to make things easier. She saw the truth as sacred and never promoted selfish interests over the truth. No one can even attribute a white lie to her, nothing even like lying to a telemarketer on the phone that the person he is asking for is not there.

So we should ask ourselves, are we known for being truthful and always siding with the truth even against ourselves? Many people may struggle with truthfulness because they even deceive themselves. Honesty begins with being honest to oneself!

A second trait she was known for that we can model from her is her worshipfulness. We have hadith telling us that Fatima (as) loved worship and she prayed until her feet became swollen, that she sometimes prayed all night, and that she always prayed for others. Worship was her refuge.

Maybe we will not achieve the same worship as Fatima (as), but we certainly will not if we do not make it a priority in our lives, something we find regular time for. To be successful we need to learn to find joy and tranquility in worship – removing distractions, creating a good home environment for it, and taking our time in it. And if we want our children to be worshipful, it is best that they grow up in a worshipful house, as part of a family that worships together and individually. Much of the benefit in worship comes from reflection and thought, so we need to worship so that we understand what we are saying and doing, so that it is meaningful.


Fatima (as) was also known for her extreme generosity. She prayed always for others. She gave her only food away when fasting as mentioned in the Qur’an.

Some traditions say she gave away her wedding dress because a lady didn’t have a dress, and was married in her only tattered, worn garment. When her father asked why she didn’t give the lady her older dress instead of the new one, she replied, ‘Because the Qur’an says you will not achieve piety until you give out what you love the most.”

She gave away a necklace given to her on more than one occasion. One time, the prophet (saw) sent someone to her house who was in need, and she gave him the necklace. Someone bought the necklace for a high price, solving the man’s financial problems. Then the man who bought it, Ammar ibn Yasir, gave the necklace to a slave boy and gave the necklace and the boy to the Prophet. The Prophet (saw) had him give the necklace back to Fatima (as) and he freed the slave – so by freely giving the most valuable thing she had, a man’s material problems were solved and a slave was freed, and she got it back.

She milled grain until her hands bled for her family and needy people. She suffered from a weak body and her labor to feed her family and neighbors and bring water for them took its toll on her body. Fatima (as) did not obsess over her appearance or health; she gave her all to further Islam even at the expense of her health.

Imam ‘Ali (as) helped her and even sought more help for her with a servant to share her work. She was too shy to inquire but ‘Ali (as) did, and the Prophet (saw) instead offered her something he said was better than a servant: He taught her the tasbih we do after our daily prayers. Fatima (as) accepted this happily and took hold of it and preferred it wholeheartedly. She made a tasbih from blue string with knots in it, and later, after Hamza died in battle for Islam, she made beads from the earth of his grave for her tasbih. She preferred something of benefit to her Hereafter, to her soul, to something of benefit to her worldly life – every time without fail.

At some point in her life she did have the help of Fidha, but she never saw herself as being elite to Fidha and she did equal work with her always – she never gave up labor to provide herself with ease.

She did not limit her generosity to those who were the best Muslims; she gave to anyone in need and did not inquire as to their religion or sincerity first. Even those who were against her father and Islam were not deprived of basic humanitarian aid from her.

So we can see from her life that Lady Fatima (as) was a truly selfless person, she never preferred herself to others. And further we know that she gave her all to what she was doing – she didn’t hold out anything for herself for later. She is a model of generosity and self-sacrifice for us to follow.

Some hadith tell us that, like Maryam, Fatima (as) would have food and would say, “It is from God; Verily God provides to Whomever He likes without measure,’ and the food apparently did not come from her labor or as a gift, but from Allah swt. If she was able to achieve such a thing, then it was because she truly understood tawhid. She knew without any doubt that all is from Allah swt. She knew that Allah cooled the fire for Abraham (as). She knew that Allah swt gave Zakaria a son in old age. She knew that Allah returned Moses to his mother and reunited Yusuf with his father. She knew “kun faya kun’ = Be and it is – that everything is possible by the will of Allah swt simply by His willing it. She knew this so well that she feared only Allah swt truly while most people fear various people and things in the Creation. She understood Allah swt is the cause of all causes so well that she could apply this tawhid to have what might seem a miracle.

Fatima lived the very essence of belief in tawhid. If we follow her example, our lives will be much more directed, less complicated, and with ever increasing blessings, and we might remove impossibility from our thinking.


After the Prophet (saw) died, Fatima (as) was sorely tested by seeing everything that her father had lived for being thrown away by the people. She showed people how to grieve by her sincere and loving example. She cried for the loss of the Prophet (saw) so much that ‘Ali (as) built a place for her to go – he never complained or stopped her grief.

Part 2

Before the Prophet (saw) was even buried, people were busy plotting for power and allegiance and trying to prevent Imam ‘Ali (as) from attaining his rightful position. These people had a worldly mindset – they did not fully accept the teachings and commands of the Prophet (saw). They saw what the Prophet (saw) had achieved as a kingdom of the world that they wanted to control. They tried to use trickery, cleverness, deceit, threats and force to prevent the family of the Prophet (saw) having its rights. They had to deny the rights of Imam ‘Ali (as) to the caliphate and of Fatima (as) to the administration of the land of Fadak because if they acknowledged these, then they would be negating all of their false claims to power and authority.

Fatima (as) stood like a revolutionary or activist in response to this attack on Islam. She went out with her husband to visit the people who had been tricked into giving allegiance to the wrong party and guide them to the truth, but they made excuses that it was already done and too late to fix. She voiced her arguments in sermons, defeating the arguments of the opposition– she did not back down in fear of them. She used rebuke when it would show the truth of Islam, and she was lenient and gentle when it show the truth. She proved her case with the Qur’an and hadith. Abu Bakr claimed she could not inherit Fadak due to some saying of the Prophet (saw) that no one seemed to recall but he and his supporters. But first, Fadak was given in life so it was a gift, not inheritance, yet even so she showed that the Qur’an says that Solomon inherited David, and that Zakariyyah prayed for the birth of John so that he would have an heir – so that family does inherit from prophets is proven in the Qur’an.

Some people have claimed that Fatima (as) was angry for her family and self being cheated by the people and they have tried to apply selfish, although justified, motives to her. But her words and actions make it very clear that she cared not for Fadak for Fadak, but she cared for it because it was a symbol of the authority of Ahlulbayt (as) over the people, - it was a symbol of the truth of whom Allah swt appointed to guide the people after the Prophet (saw), it was a symbol of where the path of guidance for the entire future of humanity lay. If she remained quiet, then today we might have been unable to know our Imam (as) and find a right path.

That she remained angry to her last day and the way she instructed
Ali (as ) to bury her in secret - these are as a clear message. No one could mistake the position of Fatima (as) with the Prophet (saw) and with Islam. In her last acts she made sure that everyone knew her stance – in doing so she made sure that everyone was forced to bear witness to the truth. No one could be left with any excuse for denying that Abu Bakr , Omar and the rest who sided with them or failed to respond upon seeing the truth proven had made themselves polytheists. She said to the Ansar, “Why do you deviate after clarification and commit polytheism after belief? Do you fear them? Allah is more worthy of fear is you are truly believers.”
And to the women of the Ansar, she quoted the Qur’an the meaning “Is then He who guides unto truth more worthy to be followed or he himself who goes not aright unless he is guided? What then has befallen you? How ill you judge?”

So Fatima (as) is a role model to us of when and how we should be activists, and she proved that women as well as men may be called to activism and politics for the cause of truth. Like her we should not be apathetic, we should not be activists for ourselves, but we should be activists for preserving the truth and justice, whatever and wherever it is. The methods she employed were always completely ethical but adapted to reach the audience she was speaking to. She spoke because she was in a position that the people might hear her, she did not leave the task to her husband because she was female - she took a leading role in trying to correct the matter. And she was so wise and thoughtful that she even arranged her last acts to prove the true Islam.

Conclusion

Fatima (as) was a woman with all the knowledge of an Imam (as) and who guided the people by example, and she is proof that men and women alike can reach the level of infallibility; through Fatima (as) Allah makes a woman a role model for men and women, because this shows that there is no difference between men and women as far as attaining to higher levels of piety – all of us, male and female, can become more pious, can emulate Fatima (as), and can be manifestations of Islam in the world.


Every example I have mentioned from her life to show that Fatima (as) is the ideal role model and that we should seek to emulate her in all matters can again be proven with a very few words from her. We have seen examples from her to follow in kindness, seeking, loving and applying knowledge, generosity, patience, marriage, parenting, striving and self-sacrifice, total dedication to Islam, worship, defeat of ego, activism and much more.

In the following few words she has summarized the religion of Islam as to how we should live and why.

She said:


Allah made the faith for you as purity from polytheism.

And (made) worship the cause of your getting distant from
pride.

And rendered alms for the purity of your soul and increase of your sustenance.

And rendered fasting for the maintenance and firmness of your
sincerity.

And Allah set Hajj for the consolidation and reinforcement of the
religion.

Allah executed and rendered justice for the sake of bringing harmony among people.


And (Allah set) the obedience of us (ahlulbayt), for the security of society and set Imamate as a safety from disunity.

And (Allah made) struggle against self and falsehood the honor and glory of Islam and made it the abjectness and humbleness of the unbelievers and the hypocrites.

And (Allah rendered) patience as help for getting divine reward.

And (Allah caused) commanding goodness and forbidding evil for
the amendment and correction of the public.

And (Allah made) kindness to parents as a (shield) to His wrath
and displeasure.

And Allah made joining and connecting with the kinship righteously, the cause
of lengthening of life.

And Allah made the law of retaliation for homicide as the security of blood
from being shed.

And Allah made the follow-through with oaths and vows as a medium for forgiveness.

And (Allah rendered) the correct use of weights and measure a medium for
preventing cheating.

And (Allah rendered) prohibition from intoxicants for preventing evil.

And Allah made the prohibition to accuse someone of adultery a protection
for avoiding (His) curse.

And Allah required refraining from theft for the sake of dignity.

And Allah prohibited polytheism for the sake of (bringing about) sincerity.

And finally, I offer one of her dua’as, an ideal dua for us to emulate:

If Allah swt grants us this dua, then we will follow Fatima (as). She did not take pride in herself over other people, she glorified and magnified God greatly, she was totally obedient to Allah swt always, she sought out and did the deeds that earn Allah swt’s pleasure, she shunned evil and falsehood totally, and she never doubted the Mercy and Power of Allah swt.






Bismillah arahman araheem
Allahumma sale ala Muhammad wa ale Muhammad

Oh Allah! belittle us in our eyes and glorify and magnify Your station to us. And
inspire us to Your obedience and the practices which may cause Your
pleasure, and inspire us to shun (matters) which are the
cause of Your wrath, oh the most Merciful of all!


(delivered approximately like this for Wiladat Bibi Fatima (as).

Biography of Zainab (as)

http://www.al-islam.org/victory/ The Victory of Truth

I think it shows how little we really know.

Imam 'Ali (as), on Allah swt

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 has no 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....

Karbala When Skies Wept Blood

I posted the video back in September.

So you can view it back there, or here it is again:

This is the full version.

40 hadith Azadari; Ya Imam Zaman (as), Ya Imam (as) - last two are Ali Safdar I think.

The following is the commentary posted with the 2nd video at YouTube. I haven't reproduced all the links - click the YouTube or title link to see the original if you wish to follow the links.

A Nauha (Elegy -- which means a poem of mourning, a reflection on the death of someone or on a sorrow generally) about the tragedies which befell Imam Hussain, his Family and His Companions, in what is known as the Battle of Kerbala, which took place on the 10th of Muharram, known as the Day of Ashura.

Recitation of Elegies to remind oneself of a certain tragedy was the practice of the Prophets and the Sahaba:
http://www.answering-ansar.org/answer...

On one side of the battlefield of Karbala, stood Imam Hussain (AS), who was raised in the house of the Prophet (SAWS) along with his family members and companions. On the other side stood the forces of Yazid, a tyrant claiming to be the representative of the Prophet (SAWS), the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, and furthermore, claiming to be the "Khalifat Allah," or the Vicegerent of God on Earth. On whose side would YOU stand on?

Articles on the Revolution, and the Everlasting Stand of Imam Hussain:
http://www.aimislam.com/ashura/litera...

Imam Hussain, the Sacrifice for Mankind:
http://www.aimislam.com/ashura/sacrif...

Sunni View of the Tyrant Yazid:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunni_vi...

WHY DO THE "FOLLOWERS AND LOVERS OF AHLULBAIT" MOURN FOR HUSSAIN (R.A.)?

The Followers and the Lovers of the Ahlulbait cry in the memory of Imam Hussain, for:

1- The Imams of Ahlul-Bayt cried for him;
2- We love him more than we love our fathers and our dear ones;
3- He is a Symbol of resistance against tyranny and the leader of the Martyrs for us;
4- We want to swear allegiance to him and his path and keep aloof from their enemies;
5- His aims have not been fully achieved and his blood has not been revenged yet. As such, we keep this event with all its emotion alive until such time that Imam Mahdi (AS) appears who will cleanse the surface of the Earth form all such tyrants;
6- Condolence to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HF) and the members of Ahlul- Bayt;
7- Abiding the instruction of Ahlul-Bayt in remembering this event and seeking the reward associated with it

The emotion of Crying can be found in the Quran, and was done by Many of the Messengers and Sahaba
http://www.answering-ansar.org/answer...

IS SELF-FLAGELLATION ALLOWED IN ISLAM?

The act of Chest Beating (Maatam) as a sign of grief can be found in the Holy Quran, Hadith and the Injil

[The Quran] In the Holy Quran, Chapter 51 we read that Lady Sara [Wife of Prophet Ibrahim] struck her face when she was told that she would conceive a baby:

"Then came forward his wife in grief, she smote her face and said (what! I) An old barren woman?" Quran 51:29
http://www.jamateahlesunnat.net/quran...
[Smote means to deliver or deal (a blow, hit, etc.) by striking hard]

The slapping of Prophet Ibraheem's wife Sara is proven from the Qur'an. The Qur'an does not condemn her actions, but tells us to adhere to the ways of the people of Ibraheem (as) When the Shia, or Lovers of Ahlulbait here the calamities and tragedies which befell them, theycannot help but get the same emotions which Lady Sara had.

[The Sahaba] The most explicit proof of self-inflicted injury comes from Owais al-Qarni the great Muslim Sahabi, praised by both Shi'a and Sunni erudite. He had an immense love for the Holy Prophet (s). When the news reached him in Yemen that two teeth of the Holy Prophet (s) were broken in the battle of Ohad, he extracted all his teeth. When the Holy Prophet (s) got the news in Medina that Owais had struck down all his teeth, he (s) exclaimed, "Indeed Owais is our devoted friend"

For more Hadith and Historical Narrations of Messengers and Sahaba lamenting, visit:
http://www.answering-ansar.org/answer...

[The Bible/"Injil"] Isaiah 22:12 - shows that this type of mourning was ordained by God
"On that Day the Lord called for weeping and beating the breast, shaving the head and putting on sack cloth"
http://bible.cc/isaiah/22-12.htm

"You are now at ease, be anxious; tremble, you who have no cares. Strip yourselves bare; put a cloth round your waists and beat yourselves" [The Bible, Isaiah 32:11]
http://scripturetext.com/isaiah/32-11...

"Howl, Heshbon, for Ai is despoiled. Cry aloud you villages round Rabbath Ammon, put on sack cloth and beat your breast and score your body with gashes" [The Bible, Jeremiah 49:3]
http://biblebrowser.com/jeremiah/49-3...

"The crowd that had assembled for the spectacle, when they saw what had happened went home beating their breasts" [The Bible, Luke 23:48]
http://bible.cc/luke/23-48.htm

Eid Mubahila Mubarak

I have linked above a decent article about the event of Mubahila, and quoted below.

The Eid is marked here tomorrow, insha'allah with ritual ablution, fasting, and prayer.

The event of Mubahila is rather a strange event to me, and worthy of pondering.

"In the early days of Islam, Najran was a large centre of people who had changed from idol worship to Christianity. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w) had sent letters to the heads of different countries inviting them to Islam. One such letter was addressed to the Christians of Najran. It read as follows:

'In the Name of the God of Ibrahim, Ishaaq and Ya’qub. This letter is from Muhammad, the Prophet and Messenger of Allah to the Asqaf (Bishop) of Najran.

Praise be to the God of Ibrahim, Ishaaq and Ya’qub. I invite you to worship Allah instead of (His) servants. I invite you to come out of the rule of the servants of Allah and into the rule of Allah Himself. If you do not accept my invitation, then you should (at least) pay Jizya (tax) to the Islamic State (so that your lives and properties may be protected), otherwise you are warned of a danger.'

By using the names of the ancient Prophets (a.s), the Holy Prophet (s.a.w) wanted to let the Christians of Najran know that the belief in One God he was teaching was the same as that preached by the previous Prophets Ibrahim, Ishaaq and Ya’qub (a.s), in whom they also believed. It is also mentioned that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w) included the following verse of the Holy Qur’an in the letter:

“Say, (O Muhammad), “O people of the Book (Bible), come to an agreement between us and you; that we shall worship none but Allah, and that we shall claim no partner to Him, and that none of us shall take others for lords besides Allah.” And if they turn away, then say, “Bear witness that we are Muslims (those who have surrendered to Allah)”. (Quran 3:6)

The letter invokes what is common between them - belief in the same God at some level. It appeals to reason and is truly an invitation for coming together, without compromise of the deen.

"When this message was delivered to Abu Haris, who was the Asqaf and leader of the Church, he read it carefully and then appointed a committee of some religious and wise people to decide on the matter.

One of them, who was an experienced and intelligent person, advised that a group representing the people of Najran should go to Madina to study the claim of Prophethood by the Holy Prophet (s.a.w).

60 people, considered to be the most wise and knowledgeable from the people of Najran, were elected. They were led by three of their religious men. The group arrived in Madina and entered the mosque wearing silken clothes, golden rings and crosses around their necks. On seeing them dressed in this fashion, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w) was disturbed and he ignored them. They realised that something was wrong but were unsure as to what to do.

On the advice of Imam Ali (a.s) the delegation of Najran changed their style of dress to simple clothes and removed their ornaments. They then returned to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w) who received them with a warm welcome. Before they entered into a discussion, they requested for permission to say their prayers and this was granted. They were put in one part of the mosque where the could pray with ease and comfort. Then the following conversation took place:

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w):
I invite you towards the belief of Tawhid and the worship of One God and submission to His will. (Then he recited verse 64 of Surah Aali Imran.)

Christians Fathers:
If Islam means faith in the One God of the Universe, we already believe in Him and follow His Commands.

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w):
Islam has a few signs and some of your actions show that you have not accepted true Islam. How do you claim worship of One God when you worship the cross and do not abstain from eating pork and believe that God has a son?"

We see the Christian ruler was not a hasty person and sought advice of wise people. When the wise people went, they dressed ostentatiously, perhaps to show their status in their religion. I am reminded of the robes of the Catholic clergy I see when I watch mass on cable TV. The Prophet (saw) didn't rebuke them or behave harshly, but in the end they understood his issue and came as themselves without show. Then they had a genuine discussion about tawhid. I think it is interesting that Prophet (saw) said they worship the cross. What does that mean? Is it that they took the symbol as a totem and attributed improper importance to it? Or is it that they took what the cross represents - the crucifixion and the beliefs associated with it - as their deen, separating the God into parts? Or both?

"A Christian Father:
Certainly he [Isa (a.s)] was the son of God because his mother Mary [Maryam (a.s)] had given birth to him without marrying anyone in this world. Therefore obviously his father is the God of this Universe. We also believe in Jesus [Isa (a.s)] as God because he used to bring the dead back to life, cure the sick and create birds from clay and make them fly. All this points to the fact that he is God.

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w):
No, he was the servant and creature of God, and placed in the womb of his mother Maryam (a.s). All his power and strength was granted to him by God.

At this time, angel Jibraeel (a.s) brought the following verse of the Holy Qur’an from Allah :

“Surely the example of Isa to Allah is like that of Adam; He created him from dust, and then said to him, ‘Be!’ and he was”. (Quran 3:59)"

To me, this was one of the most significant ayahs in Qur'an when I was reading it, trying to find my way, to understand the message God has delivered to us and how we should believe and how we should act. I was doubting the divinity of Isa (as), but I was rather afraid to hastily leave that belief aside, since the doctrine of Christianity tied my fate in the Hereafter - between heaven and hell - to my acceptance of him as God in flesh or son of God - and his sacrifice the only opportunity for being saved. For Christianity said we could not merit salvation on our own, so we had to accept the blood sacrifice as the only alternative. I know not all Christians believe alike, but this is the overriding teaching of the Christian denominations today.

When I read this ayah, I had sudden, beautiful clarity. I understood the nature of Jesus (as) and was able to vanquish my fear and embrace what my reason told me.

"This meant that if Isa (a.s) could be called the son of God because of the fact he was born without a father, then Adam (a.s) deserved this title more, because he was born without a father or mother. The Christian Fathers could not reply to this argument but they continued to argue out of obstinacy. Then the following verse of the Holy Qur’an was revealed:

“And whoever argues 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
OURSELVES AND YOURSELVES ,
THEN LET US HUMBLY PRAY ( TO OUR LORD ) AND
INVOKE THE CURSE OF ALLAH UPON THE LIARS”.
(Quran 3:61)"

So it seems that when the discussion changed to no longer be fruitful, the Prophet (saw) ceased, not allowing the matter to be dragged into arguing, wrangling, or egoistic debate.

Instead, he essentially invited them to ask God to show them who was truthful in a means they all might understand and accept as definitive. The method causes people to take caution about what they say to evaluate do they really mean it and know it or are they just arguing and wanting to be right, deceiving themselves - because now a real consequence is attached.

"The Holy Prophet (s.a.w) produced this verse before the Christians and declared the challenge of “Mubahila”, which means to [invoke] curse on one another. The Christians consulted each other and announced their acceptance of the challenge. Then they returned to their camp."

Again the challenge was an invitation that the other party was free to turn away from. But they must have believed they had truth on their side or that the Prophet (saw) was likely a fraud, so that the curse would have no real effect.

"It was agreed between the two parties that the contest would take place the next day in the open desert outside the city of Madina. On the 24th of Zilhaj 9 A.H, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w) came out for Mubahila. He held Imam Husain (a.s) in his arms and he held Imam Hasan (A) by his hand. Bibi Fatima (s.a) came behind him, while behind her came Imam Ali (a.s). The Holy Prophet (s.a.w) said to them, “when I pray you should say Ameen.”

In obedience to the verse of Mubahila sent by Allah , the Holy Prophet (s.a.w) had brought Imam Hasan (a.s) and Imam Husain (a.s) as his “SONS”, Bibi Fatima (a.s) as his “WOMEN” and Imam Ali (a.s) as his “SELF”.

I think the Christians most likely were not expecting that the Prophet (saw) would show up with very few people, and among them a woman and children. They learned that it was his own family, and they became quite concerned, because they then realized that the Prophet (saw) was very sincere, willing to bring curse on his own family. So it caused them to think even harder about what they claimed or believed and about who the Prophet (saw) was.

So then one of them said,

"'Oh you people of Najran, if you contest with Muhammad in this prayer of invoking curses on the liars, then I warn you that all of you will be destroyed and not a single soul will remain on this earth. I feel that it would be better to surrender to them and obey them.'"

They saw the Ahlulbayt (as) and recognized their sincerity and believed in the power of their prayers. Thus, they changed their minds about participating in the challenge and instead decided to enter a peace treaty with the Muslims - an annual offering of specified goods (garments) in exchange for protection from enemies of the Christians, and an agreement to send a specified military supply aid should the Muslims ask for it. The Christians agreed not to deal in usury and were free to follow their own beliefs. A few of the Christians came back from Najran to join the Muslim religion and Muslim people, but most kept the Christian faith.


This event is notable for many reasons. It provides an example for emulation of dealing in disagreements and treaties and treating people of differing faiths with respect and fairness, as well as in inviting people to the deen. Further, it served as a demonstration of how people could witness the piety of the Prophet (saw) and Ahlulbayt (as) visibly and understand their proximity to the Creator in their following the Right Path. Why do we mark this day in celebration? Maybe there is a great deal to learn from it and adopt into our own selves. And surely it is a happy occasion when the rights and status of all were duly recognized.

Happy New Year

Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (a), while explaining the utterance of God Almighty, "That He might try you (to see) which of you is fairest in works." (67:2) said: "It does not mean one of you whose deeds are more numerous but one who is more rightful in his conduct, and this rightness is nothing but fear of God and sincerity of intention (niyyah) and fear." Then he (a) added: "To persevere in an action until it becomes sincere is more difficult than (performing) the action itself, and sincerity of action lies in this that you should not desire anyone to praise you for it except God Almighty, and intention supersedes action. Lo, verily, intention is action itself." Then he recited the Qur'anic verse, "Say, everyone acts in accordance with his character (shakilatihi)", (17:84) adding, "That shakilah means niyyah."
[Al Kulayni, al Kafi, vol. 2, kitab al iman wa al kufr, bab al 'ikhlas, hadith # 4]


Imam al Baqir (a) said: "Perseverance in an action is more difficult than the act itself." He was asked, "What is meant by perseverance in action?" He (a) replied, "A man does some kindness to a relative or expends something for the sake of God, Who is One and has no partner. Thereupon the reward of a good deed performed secretly is written for him. Later, he mentions it to someone and that which was written earlier is wiped out and instead the reward of a good deed performed openly is written for him. Later, when he makes a mention of it again, the vice of riya' (showing off) is written for him (instead of the reward written earlier)." [Al Kulayni al Kafi, kitab al 'iman wa al kufr, bab al riya', hadith # 16]