Ayatullah Bahjat and his Spiritual Status through the Shari'ah

Our condolences to the Imam of our time (aj), to you all and to the Muslim Nation on the 3rd death anniversary of this effulgent 'Aalim/'Aarif who left this material world on 17th May 2009


One of the important characteristics whereby Sheikh Bahjat was distinguished and which can be witnessed at the first look was his special care for observing the norms of conduct according to the Shari'a (Islamic legislative system) and the tradition of Ahl al-Bayt, peace be with them. 


Sheikh Misbah says the following in this regard, "Shiite scholars of etiquette, all of them save those who are deviated in their way of thinking and conduct, agree that the right path to perfection is the path of adoration, that man cannot reach any moral station via obedience to Allah, the most Exalted and Great, and acting upon His commandments. But the attention paid by the scholars to observing the Shari'a etiquettes and the tradition of Ahl al-Bayt, peace be with them, is not equal. Sheikh Bahjat was regarded as one of the most distinguished [theologians] for observing these norms. He observed in his conduct particularly interesting behavioral habits which cannot be easily described. 


I am going to mention this incident which I remember, perhaps it will remain in history so those who wish to act upon the commandments of the Shari'a may get to know to what extent one must observe the commandments of the Shari'a:
"The Sheikh inherited from his father a small plot of land suitable for planting rice. It was financing some of his domestic expenses. The Sheikh was used to give a measure of rice, though it could be a few kilo grams of it, to his friends and neighbors when they brought the crop to his house. Once, I left Qum city for some time during the days of struggle. Nobody knew anything about my place of residence, not even our close relatives. During that period, the Sheikh had sent to our house a sack of rice once and a good sum of money some other time. What was noticeable is that he sent us the money in the hand of his wife and son Ali. His wife brought the money and gave it to my wife as his son, Ali, was standing before the alley.

"When I returned home, I kept thinking about the secret that prompted the Sheikh to send his wife to our house, but I soon realized that this was one of the etiquettes of the Islamic Shari'a. According to Islamic ethics, if the husband is traveling, nobody should go to his house. If it is necessary to go to his house, a woman has to go. 


"There are minutely interesting statements articulated by the friends of Allah, their conducts, the way they stood up or sat down, which cannot be comprehended except through the study of a complete branch of knowledge, let alone undertaking them and acting upon them. These maters are the ones that raise the servant in his adoration and endear him to his Lord, granting him a lofty status. The Sheikh used to advise anyone seeking his advice to observe what is taken for granted by the Shari'a. He always emphasized observing what the Shari'a regards as taken for granted, believing that the matters where doubt is entertained or confusing matters fall in the second degree of importance.

"The Sheikh derived useful evidence in this field which I learned from him and which I sometimes used in my sermons and in other places. He says that Allah Almighty wants to guide His servants to perfection; therefore, He quite often mentions the things which have the greatest impact on man's happiness and on determining his fate. So, if we want to know the matters that cause man's happiness, we have to know the matters which Allah, Praise and Exaltation belong to Him, emphasizes more than others. This is so because any pursuit more stressed in the Qur'an, traditions and statements of Ahl al-Bayt, peace be with them, will have a role in perfecting man and determining his fate in a greater way. Observing the prayers is one of the most important of these matters because we may not find in any chapter of fiqh the like of all these Qur'anic verses which call for upholding the prayers and all these narratives which are cited about observing its timing, etiquette and the necessity of performing them with full attention of the heart.


Sometimes the Sheikh used to say the following by way of jesting: "We look for something for our own perfection which neither Allah nor His Messenger nor any Imam has sanctioned."

 Ayatullah Sheikh Jawad al-Karbalaai says the following in this regard: 
"Ayatullah Bahjat used to say this to me in a special tone: 'Whenever you get to know what the Shari'a holds as taken for granted, such as abandoning sins, observing what is obligatory and what is highly commendable, the recitation of the Qur'an during solitude, earning the qualifications of health, the acceptance of your adoration and its inclusion of secrets such as prayers and other rituals, so you may get to know their results…, do not come to me to ask me instructions leading you to the right conduct and to the path to Allah Almighty, as though a mentor from the unknown comes to you and guides you to the path! Are these matters that are taken for granted and are issued by the most pure Shari'a not sufficient for you to act upon as they should be acted upon so you may reach the anticipated goal?' I came to know from the statement of the mentor that one who is seeking the path must safeguard the manifestations of the holy Shari'a, must keep things to himself with regard to spiritual conditions and not manifest them except to those who are worthy of them, and the latter are indeed few. The mentor also said this to me when I was studying ethics in Qum city: "Tell the scholars issues which they understand and do not tell them things over their level of comprehension."


Mahmoud al-Badri; Uswat al-'Aarifin; tr by Yasin T al-Jibouri

Bowing in front of the World Arrogance

Sh Muhammad Khalfan

To keep abreast with the contemporary history of the world may seem to be insignificant for some: what can I do, for example, if others are dying of starvation in Afghanistan? I have no means to attend to them and thus it makes no difference whether I know about their awful state or not.

Clearly, such thinking stems from a narrow outlook. The human being enjoys a disposition that yearns for the salvation of every other human being. Therefore indifference is an alien concept to his nature. ‘Not being able to help the oppressed’ does not necessitate indifference on our part.

Firstly, our natural conscience would like to know the situation of those of our brethren who are suffering throughout the world.

Secondly, if we are materially unable, Almighty Allah has opened the door of prayer for us. Through prayers for the destitute, things can really change.

Thirdly, there are so many things that we can do together to crush the power of the world arrogance, but we do not realize the same. Our businessmen who import goods from countries like Israel and buy them at relatively low costs, can stop such transactions, so that they may not indirectly take part in killing the innocent Palestinians. Many of us indirectly promote the commodities that the world arrogance produces. If we were to boycott such products, these groups would never be as materially prosperous as they are. Today, if the Arab leaders were to wake up and stop bowing in front of the world arrogance, a great transformation can take place.

Fatima's grief after the Prophet and her declaration to Umm Salamah

Ayatullah Makarem Shirazi


ما زالت بعد أبيها معصبة الرأس باكية العين، محترقة القلب
“After the death of the Prophet (S), she continually wore the scarf of mourning on her head, possessing crying eyes and a burning heart.” [Al Manaqib, vol. 3 pg. 362]

The sweet period of the Lady of Islam's life quickly came to an end with the death of the Holy Prophet of Islam (even though throughout her lifetime there was no real sweet period, because there were the constant pressures, wars, and plots of the enemies against Islam and the Prophet of Islam (s.w.a.), taking away her spiritual peace).


With the death of the prophet, new storms of complicated critical events blew up.
The hatred and grudges of Badr, khaibar and Honain that were during the prophet’s time hidden beneath the ashes became visible.

The sects of the “Hypocrites” went to action to take their revenge of Islam and also from the Prophet’s family. Fatimah Zahra (s.a.) was in the center of this circle, of which the poisonous arrows of the enemy flew at her from every direction

Her separation from her father; the sad, tormenting innocence of her husband Ali (a.s.); the plots of the enemy against Islam, and the worry of Fatimah (s.a.) for the future of the Muslims and the Quranic heritage, all joined together, severely straining her pure heart.

Fatimah (s.a.) doesn’t wish to cause Ali (commander of the Faithful) greater grief by relating to him her sadness, because he had already received a severe blow by these unpleasant circumstances and misdeeds created by the people.


For this very reason she would go to the grave of the Prophet (S) and tell him of her grief. And she speaks heart - rendering words that burn our inner soul just like burning embers:
يا أبتاه بقيت و الهةً و حيرانةً فريدة، قد انخمد صوتي و انقطع ظهري و تنغص عيشي
“Father dear, after you, I feel lonely. I have remained perplexed and deprived, my mouth is inclined to silence, and my back is broken, and the wholesome water of life has become bitter to my taste.” [Al Manaqib vol.3 pg. 362]

And, sometimes she would say:
قُل للمُغيّبِ تَحتَ أطباقِ الثّرى ** انْ كُنتَ تَسمَعُ صَرخَتي وَ نِدائيا
صُبّتْ عَليَّ مَصائِبٌ لَوْ أنَّها ** صُبّتْ عَلى الايَّامِ صِرنَ لَيَالِيا
“The person who smells the pure soil of the grave of Prophet (S), it is only fair that until the end of his life he should smell no other perfume. After you, O’ father, so much suffering has fallen upon me that, if they were to fall upon bright Jays, they would turn into dark, gloomy nights.”

Why does Fatimah (s.a.) shed tears in this way?
Why is she so restless?
Why is she as wild rue on fire, without stability?
Why?!


The answer to these whys must be heard from her own words.


Umm Salamah says:
“When I went to see the Lady of Islam Fatimah (s.a.) after the death of the prophet, and asked her how she was, in reply these meaningful sentences were spoken by her:
أصبحت بين كمد و كرب
فقد النبىِّ و ظلم الوصي
هُتكَ و الله حجابه...
ولكنها أحقاد بدرية
وثارات أحدية
كانت عليها قلوب النفاق مكتمنة
Why are you asking me how I am Umm Salamah, when I am caught in the middle of much sadness and suffering? On the one hand I have lost my father, the Prophet (S) and on the other hand (I see with my own eyes that) there has been injustice done to his successor, (Ali ibn Abi Talib).
I swear to God that they have torn the curtain of his inviolability (reverence).
But I know that these are the grudges of Badr and the revenges of Uhud, that were hidden in the hearts of the hypocrites (non-believers).” [Manaqib Ibn Shahr Ashoob; vol. 2 pg. 225]

All of her defences of the boundaries of the holiness of everything noble and her support of Ali (s.a.) right during this time of pain and suffering are not hidden from anyone.


Even though her life after the Prophet of Islam was as brief as she had begged God to be, being not more than two or three months before she rushed to the Holy Presence of God and met her father. However, in this Period of time she didn’t omit any self-sacrificing, generous effort in Ali’s right or for the defence of Islam.

“Peace be upon you, O’ daughter of the Messenger of God.”


Ayatullah Makarem Shirazi; The world’s most outstanding Lady: Fatima az-Zahra’

Ecstasy during Death

A narration from Imam Sadiq (a) which is cited in 'al-Kafi' says that one of his companions asked whether a believer may become discontented when his soul is being taken. He (s) replied: 

"By Allah, No! When the angel of death comes to take his soul the believer shows restlessness and the angel says: 'O, Lover of Allah! Be not upset! By He Who has appointed Mohammad (s) to prophethood, I am more sympathetic to you than a kind father. Look carefully!' He looks carefully and sees Prophet Mohammad, Amir -al- Mo'mineen Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, Husain and other Imams from their descendants (a) . 

The angel tells him to look and see that they (a) are all his friends. He opens his eyes and watches. A caller from Almighty Allah suddenly beckons and says: "O, you serene soul! Come back to your Lord well-pleased (with Him) and well-pleasing (Him) . So enter among My servants. And enter into My Garden ". At that moment there is nothing better and more beloved than that his soul separates from his body as soon as possible and moves unto his Lord. 


Al-Kafi, vol. 3, Chapter Believers and the Departure of the Soul, Tradition 2. 

Rumi...

The idol of your self is the mother of all idols.

The material idol is only a snake;

while this inner idol is a dragon.

It is easy to break an idol,

but to regard the self as easy to subdue is a mistake.

Rumi; Mathnawi I: 772-778

Worldly positions more insignificant than we think

Ayatullah Nasir Makarim Shirazi

Dear brothers and sisters, during my short lifetime I tasted the joys and the sorrows of life and I saw its ups and downs. I experienced its greatness and humiliation, its wealth and poverty and its ease and hardness. At last, I felt this Quranic truth with all my heart and soul:

«و ما الحیوة الدنیا الا متاع الغُرور»

"And the present worldly life is nothing but the joy of delusion" 

(Quran, Chapter of 'Al-Imran, verse 185)

Yes! Worldly life is the enjoyment of delusion and deceit and it is more empty and meaningless than we all think, as the poet says:

Life is not too mysterious,

Just a change of days and nights,

Bitterness and saltiness called life,

That truly, it does not worth it at all,

Only the belief in the eternal life in hereafter can give meaning to the present worldly life, and without that belief the life on the earth would not have any goals, no senses.

Throughout my life I found nothing more precious than what ends in spirituality and true human values, all worldly values are in fact a mirage, people are in a dream, in their glancing fantasies, suffering constantly from hardness and difficulties.

Yesterday's children, now young men. Today's youth, tomorrow's elderly. And tomorrow our elderly will lie in their graves; their bodies will rot in the ground, as if they never existed!

Passing by the houses of some great personalities, scholars and the distinguished men of the past, I remember how crowded these houses were, how much ruction! How many eyes gazed on these doors! But today the dust of oblivion covered them all, serene and silent! It reminds me of what Imam Ali (P.B.U.H) said in Nahj-al-Balaghah:

«فَکَأَنَّهُمْ لَمْ یَکُونُوا لِلدُّنْیا عُمّاراً وَ کَاَنَّ الاْخِرَةَ لَمْ تَزَلْ لَهُمْ داراً»

"It seems as if they never lived in this world and as if the next world had always been their abode" 

(Nahj-al-Balaghah, sermon 188)

I see some old friends, with bent bodies, leaning on their canes, walking and stopping every few steps to catch their breath and move on. Suddenly their youth flashes before my eyes! How strong were their bodies! How much cheer and spree! How healthy and active! What laughters they had!

But now the dust of sorrow has covered their faces, and they are so depressed as if they have never passed by the alley of happiness.

Now I can feel the concept of this awakening divine verse with all my heart, and I am sure that everyone who reaches my age can feel the same after a little deliberation: 

«وَ مَا هذِهِ الحَیوةُ الدُّنْیا اِلاّ لَهْوٌ وَ لَعِب"

"This worldly life is naught but a diversion and a play" 

(Quran, chapter of Ankaboot (spider), verse 64)

In spite of this, I wonder why are there that much breakneck enthusiasm to wealth and high position? Whom are they accumulating for? Where is the root of such negligence? Especially in our era when the changes and transformations take place wildly and faster than ever.

I know families which used to live together in their own world, but now they are scattered, one lives in America, another in Europe, one here, another there, but the elderly parents are left alone and forgotten in their house, sometimes it passes months without having any news of each other. It reminds me of the valuable saying of Imam that says:

«إنَّ شَیْئاً هذا آخِرُهُ لَحَقیقٌ اَنْ یُزْهَدَ فى اَوَّلِه»

"The thing that ends like this does not worth to be started with avarice and greed" 

[Bihar-al-Anwar, Vol.70, Page 103, Narration 91 (from Imam Musa-al- Kazim)]

When I go to cemetery, especially when I visit the graves of scientists and scholars, I wonder to see how many friends of mine now slept down into their graves; their pictures still look familiar, taking me deeply to my past. I ask myself, am I dead like them while I think I am alive? Then I recall the poem of that pious poet who says:

Whoever you are, and wherever you reach,

The final abode of this world is here!

Practical Polytheism

There is an ignorant tendency among some people when it comes to appreciating the help they receive from their friends. A well-wisher may support a person and his family, and thereby emancipate him from many obstacles in life. Then, having attained the state of affluence, the person would say I thank Allah first and then so and so, for had it not been for his assistance I would not have reached where I am. Such kind of thinking in our traditions is termed as practical polytheism. This is because the helper is just an intermediary of grace (wasitah) and has no independence whatsoever, and thus cannot be taken as a second independent helper.

The great saint Ibn Fahd al-Hilli in his well-known prayer manual ‘Uddat al-Da’i narrates the following tradition:
“Imam Abu ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq (as)) is reported to have said about the verse (And most of them do not believe in Allah without associating others (with Him)) (12:106)’ that it refers to when a man says: ‘Was it not for so and so, I would have perished, and was it not for so and so I would not have got such and such a thing, and was it not for so and so, my family would perish. Don’t you see that he has made a partner for Allah in His Kingdom, who sustains him and averts [evil from him]? [The narrator says:] I said: ‘What if he were to say if Allah would not have Blessed me with so and so I would have perished. The Imam (as) said: Yes, there is no problem in this and the like.” [‘Uddat al-Da’i, pg. 99]

The above however should not lead one to overlook the traditions of expressing gratitude and thanks to whosoever has done good. Such traditions emphasize the ‘nobility’ of the agent of Allah’s Grace. But gratitude should never be mingled with polytheism and words of ignorance. In fact the good doer is required to express gratitude to Almighty Allah for having given him the succor (tawfiq) to do all the good, and hence be availed with the Godly spirit.



Sh Muhammad Khalfan

Teaching of the Prophet, narrated by Imam al-Baqir (A)

Al-Kulayni, in al-Kafi, reports with his chain of narrators from al-'Imam al Baqir (A) that he said, 

"The Messenger of Allah (S) said: 'God, the Sublime and the Blessed, said: 
"The workers (of deeds) for My sake should not, for My reward, trust the works they have done: for, verily, should they labour and toil for all their lives in My service and worship, they would fall short in their worship and will not attain to the reality of My service in what they seek with Me of My magnanimity and bounty, My paradise and the high stations in My proximity.

Rather, they should rely upon My mercy and put hope in My favour and be contented of their good opinion (husn al-zann) of Me; for, verily, therein My mercy will reach them, My good pleasure will go forth to them, and My forgiveness shall envelop them. For, indeed, I am Allah, the Beneficent and the Merciful, and I have been named so on that account"."
Al-Kafi, II, 71, hadith 1.

Rumi...

Though your life has almost passed, this present moment is its root:

if it lacks moisture, water it with repentance.

Give the Living Water to the root of your life,

so that the tree of your life may flourish.

By this Water past mistakes are redeemed.

By this Water last year's poison is made sweet.

Rumi; Mathnawi V: 2222-2224

The Prophet's Silence & his frequent Du'a‏

The Prophet's Silence
In a lengthy narration from Imam al-Husayn (AS) who asked his father [Imam 'Ali (AS)] about the conduct, interaction and manners of the Prophet, he (AS) says, 'I then asked my father about the silence of the Holy Prophet (S).' So he (AS) said:


'His silence was based on four things: forbearance, caution, consideration and contemplation. 


As for (his silence in) consideration, this was in order to look and listen to everyone equally. 


As for contemplation, it was about what remains and what perishes. 
He had a perfect balance of forbearance and patience. 
Nothing would enrage him or upset him. 


He was cautious in four things: 
- in his performing a good deed so that others would emulate him, 
- in his abandoning evil so that others would also reject it, 
- in his struggling to make the best decisions for reforming his community, 
- and in his performing that which secures the good of this world and the next.'
Sunan al-Nabi; Allamah Tabatabai quoting from Ma'ani al-Akhbar: 83, 'Uyun Akhbar al-Ridha, 1:246, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah of Ibn Kathir 2:601


The Prophet's frequent Du'a
Umm Salamah narrates that the Holy Prophet(S) would frequently say in his du'a:
اللهم يا مقلب القلوب ثبت قلبي على دينك
O Allah - the Transformer of hearts! Make my heart steadfast on Your religion.


I said: “O Prophet of Allah! And are hearts transformed?” 
He said: “Yes. Allah did not create any human being but that his heart was between two fingers from the fingers of Allah, so if He willed he would make it upright and if He willed he would make it deviate.” 
Sunan al-Nabi; Allamah Tabatabai quoting from al-Durr al-Manthur 2:8 – Surat Ale 'Imran (3)