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)

Jabir's powerful words to 'Atiyyah on the Arba'in of Imam al-Husayn ('A)

Al-A’mash narrates from ‘Atiyyah al-‘Awfi, who said:


I left with Jabir bin ‘Abdillah al-Ansari (may Allah have mercy on him) to visit the grave of al-Husayn bin ‘Ali (‘a) bin Abi Talib (upon whom be peace); and when we entered Karbala, Jabir came near the bank of River Euphrates, performed the major ablution (ghusl) and wore his clothes; then he opened his purse which contained su’d [a plant with sweet odor]. He spread the perfume over his body; thereafter he did not take a step save in the remembrance of Allah, until he neared the grave [of al-Husayn ‘a].


[Then] he said to me:


Make me touch the grave, and I made him do so. Thereupon he fell over the grave unconscious.


I sprinkled some water on him, and he gained consciousness.


Then he cried three times ‘Ya Husayn....’


Addressing al-Husayn (‘a) he said: 


Why is the beloved not responding to the call of the lover? And how can you respond, while your veins have been severed, and your body has been separated from your head? I bear witness that you are the offspring of Prophets, and the son of the master of believers, and the offspring of the companion of piety, and the offspring of guidance, and the fifth member of the people of the cloak, and the son of the master of chiefs, and the son of Fatimah, the mistress of women; how can you not be so, while the hand of the Leader of Apostles (s) fed you, and you were breast fed from the breast of belief, and trained in the bosoms of pious people, your weaning accompanied the state of utter submission; hence you enjoyed a pleasant state both during your life and death; however, the hearts of the believers are sorrowful due to your separation, and do not doubt about your good position. So upon you be Allah’s Peace and Approval. And I bear witness that you faced what your brother [Prophet] Yahya ('a) had faced.

Thereafter Jabir felt the presence around the grave and said:


Peace be unto you and the spirits that have descended in the neighborhood of al-Husayn (‘a)…I bear witness that you kept prayer steadfast and gave the zakat and you commanded the good and prohibited the forbidden and struggled against the deniers of religion and you worshipped Allah until conviction came to you.


I swear by the One Who sent Muhammad as a Prophet with truth; surely we participated with you in what you encountered.


‘Atiyyah (not understanding this powerful statement made by Jabir) says: I asked Jabir: How can that be possible, while we did not descend on any valley, nor did we climb any mountainous area, nor did we fight with the sword, whereas the heads of the group of al-Husayn (‘a) have been separated from their bodies, their children made orphans and their women made widows? 


Jabir said: “O ‘Atiyyah, I heard from my beloved, the Apostle of Allah (S), say:

‘Whosoever loves a nation, would be resurrected with them, and whosoever loves the deed of a nation, would be considered one who has participated in the deed. I swear by the One Who Sent Muhammad as a Prophet in truth, surely my intention and the intention of my companions is according to the intention of al-Husayn and his companions.


[Then Jabir says to ‘Atiyyah]: take me towards the houses of Kufa[n]. ‘Atiyyah says: when we reached a certain point on the way, Jabir said to me: ‘O ‘Atiyyah, may I advise you, for I do not think that I shall meet you after this short journey? Love the lover of Aali Muhammad as long as he/shes loves them, and have aversion for one who has aversion for Aali Muhammad as long as he/she has aversion for them, even if he/she were to fast and stand in prayer frequently; and befriend the lover of Aali Muhammad, for surely if one of their feet were to slip due to excess of sin, the other foot would be firm due to love for Aali Muhammad, for verily the lover of Aali Muhammad would return to Paradise and one who have aversion for them would return to Hell Fire.


[Ref: 'Allamah Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwaar, v.65, p.131]

The 'Ahl al-Islam' in Ziyarat 'Ashura

Are WE part of the Ahl al-Islam?
Sh Muhammad Khalfan


The genitive construction Ahl al-Islam denotes ‘those who are intimate and attached to Islam’. The literal meaning of the word ahl according to some lexicographers is uns (intimacy) coupled with specific relationship and attachment (Al-Mustafawi, Al-Tahqiq fi Kalimat al-Qur'an al-Karim, v.1, p.169). The word Ahl al-Bayt refers to the people of a house, because they are intimate, attached, and have a specific relationship to the house.


Therefore when we say that the loss and calamity is great on all the Ahl al-Islam we mean that all those who really have intimacy, attachment and relationship with Islam suffer with great loss and calamity. This is where we must try to analyze ourselves and see whether we are from the Ahl al-Islam or not.


The main reason why the Ahl al-Islam must express sorrow is that Imam al-Husayn (A) is the epitome of Islam. Naturally therefore, all the lovers of Islam would tangibly feel sorrowful when any kind of calamity befalls him.


In one of his counsels to his contemporary, Imam al-Baqir (A) describing the Ahl al-Bayt (A), says: 'And we are the places of the Divine Message, and we are the Religion...' (Al-Daylami, Irshad al-Qulub, v.2, p.418)


And in another tradition, Imam al-Sadiq (A) informs his companion Dawud: 'O Dawud, we are the prayer (al-Salat) in the Book of Allah, the Invincible and Exalted, and we are the poor rate (zakat), and we are the fast (al-Siyam), and we are the pilgrimage (al-Hajj) and we are the sacred month (al-shahr al-Haram) and we are the sacred city (al-balad al-Haram) and we are the Ka'ba of Allah and we are the qibla of Allah...' ('Allama Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v.24, p.303)


These traditions inform us that the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (A) were epitomes of religion. Therefore love for religion in the true sense is love for them, and vice versa.


Sh Muhammad Khalfan; The Sacred Effusion

Wisdom of Faith

If you wish your misery to end,

seek also to lose your wisdom—

the wisdom born of human illusion,

that which lacks the light

of God's overflowing grace.

The wisdom of this world increases doubt;

the wisdom of Faith releases you into the sky.

Rumi

Din ast Husayn - Revival of Religion!

Sh Muhammad Khalfan

 One of the brilliant masterpieces of poetry is the famous couplet written by the Sufi saint Mu’in al-Din Chishti, which starts with “Shah ast Husayn Paadshah ast Husayn Din ast Husayn Din panah ast Husayn…” 


What is so remarkable in this poetry is the phrase “Din ast Husayn” (Husayn is Religion). All those who commemorate Imam al-Husayn (‘a)’s Divine movement, participate in the mourning sessions of Muharram, and lament for Imam al-Husayn (‘a)’s tragic martyrdom, must inculcate this important phrase in their minds and make it their yardstick for deciphering whether the gatherings truly commemorate this unparalleled and unique event in the history of mankind or not. Imam al-Husayn (‘a) represents religion in all the dimensions of human life. He is the epitome of Islam and his aim likewise was the salvation of Islam. 


If our gatherings facilitate the revival of religion within ourselves and the society at large, we must satisfactorily say that we do commemorate the martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (‘a), but if they do not serve the aforesaid purpose and are reduced to gatherings for merely earning thawab (Divine Reward), we must struggle to change and render them to be a means for what al-Husayn (‘a) actually rose: Shah ast Husayn paadshah ast Husayn Din ast Husayn Din panah ast Husayn sar daad nadaad dast dar daste Yazid haqqa ke binaaye la ilah ast Husayn (Husayn in the king, the king of kings; Husayn is Religion; Husayn is the Protector of Religion; He gave his head, but not his hand to Yazid; Truly Husayn is the foundation of negating all deities other than Allah).’ 

Therefore if one majlis were to ignite our hearts to change our sinful life to that of obedience to Allah, we have really commemorated the tragic martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (‘a). If one marthiya (elegy) were to make us resolve to pray on time with concentration, establish good relations with our near ones, pay our religious dues, respect our parents, refrain from unlawful deeds and reform the situation of the afflicted ones, we truly have commemorated Husayn’s movement. If participating the majaalis (gatherings of commemoration) revive our inner selves and enable us to relinquish our tarnished past, and begin the life of taqwa, then we truly have mourned for Imam al-Husayn (‘a). Din ast Husayn, Din ast Husayn Din ast Husayn…(Husayn is Religion! Husayn in Religion! Husayn is Religion!)

Never abondon 3 things

"There is no Prophet in the heavens or on earth who does not ask Allah for permission to go to the Ziyarah of Husain. (There is always) a crowd (of Prophets) descending (to go to the Ziyarah of Husain) and a crowd ascending (back to the heavens).

(Imam As-Sadiq, as) Kamil Al-Ziyarat, p225

Never abondon 3 things

Ayatullah Sayed Murtadha Muwahhid Abtahi (ra) narrates:

When the controversy about tobacco had surfaced, some scholars from Isfahaan rose to defy the tyrannical government. Their revolt paid off and the Government had to admit defeat. Then the government officials wrote a letter in Arabic and sent it to Haaj Mirza Burujerdi (ra) in Isfahaan, who was to deliver it to Ayatullah Mirza Mohammed Hussein Shirazi (ra) in Najaf.  
Haaj Mirza Burujerdi (ra) went to Samarrah to deliver the letter; he met Haaj Mirza Fateh Ali Sultan Abaadi (ra). The latter is the teacher of Ayatullah Haaj Mirza Hussein Nadwi (ra) and has written the famous book 'Al Kalematut Tayyebah fil Infaaq.'

Haaj Mirza Fateh Ali Sultan Abaadi (ra) after greeting Haaj Mirza Burujerdi (ra) declared, 'I know the purpose of your visit, it is to deliver the letter.'
Then Mirza Fateh Ali (ra) began narrating the contents of the letter which was still with Haaj Mirza Burujerdi (ra).

He gave a glimpse of his astonishing spiritual powers by recounting the exact text of the letter. When Haaj Mirza Burujerdi (ra) witnessed this, he was shocked and asked Mirza Fateh Ali (ra) was some recomendation. The latter said, 'But you are yourself very spiritual.

Haaj Mirza Burujerdi (ra) insisted and said, 'I want to acquire some teachings from you that will serve me as guidance.'
 
Mirza Fateh Ali (ra) replied, 'Never abondon 3 things:
1. The Salaah at the beginning of every month
2. Salaat-ul-Wahshah when you receive the news of someones demise
3. Recitation of Ziyarat-e-Ashura regularly' 
After this incident, Haaj Mirza Burujerdi (ra) used to recite Ziyarat-e-Ashura regularly; to the extent that on the day of Ashura, he used to recite this Ziyarah on behalf of each martyr, individually. He never gave up recitation of this Ziyarah.

Even if he was in some gathering (majlis) or in the mosque, he used to get busy in its recitation for this Ziyarah is nothing but the word of Allah narrated to us by the Aimmah (as).
 
Haaj Mirza Burujerdi (ra) used to recite this Ziyarah with such focus that he did not like to be disturbed while reciting.

 

Once he was invited for a feast. There, everyone sat down to begin eating. Even Haaj Mirza Burujerdi (ra) was seated along with other guests. But he had begun recitation of this Ziyarah and therefore did not touch the food. When he host learnt of this, he sent the food to Mirza's house.
Haaj Mirza Burujerdi's son-in-law, Mirza Mohamed Baqir (ra) (author of Faz-e-Akber) narrates, 'I witnessed that even during Sakaratul Mout, Haaj Mirza Burujerdi (ra) was engrossed in reciting this Ziyarah. When the intensity of his pain increased, he used to halt and then again resume its recitation. Till such a time that he left for the Aakhirah in that very state.'

Miracles of Ziyarat-e-Ashura

Ashura and al-Husayn's words

Muhammad ibn Bakran al-Naqqash in the Kufa Mosque and Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Ishaq al-Mokattib in Ray - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Sa’eed al-Hamadani - a servant of the Hashemites - quoted on the authority of Ali ibn Al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Fadhdhal, on the authority of his father that Abil Hassan Ali ibn Musa Al-Reza (s) said, 
“God will provide for the needs of this world and the Hereafter of whoever does not try to provide for his needs on the Day of Ashura. The Honorable the Exalted God will make the Resurrection Day a day of pleasure and happiness for whoever makes the Day of Ashura his day of calamity, mourning, sorrow and crying. If one considers the Day of Ashura to be a blessed day for him and hoards things up in his house on that day, whatever he hoards up will not be blessed. He will be resurrected along with Yazid, Ubaydillah ibn Ziyad and Umar ibn Sa’d - may God damn them - on the Resurrection Day.”
Ch 28, Part 1, 28-52, 'Uyun Akhbar al-Reza (as); By: Sheikh Sadooq

Imam Al-Hussein (as) on his way to Karbala said:          
This world has changed, snubbed, and its good has turned tail. Nothing has remained from it except a thing that is as scanty as the leftover of a cup and a mean life that is like a noxious grazing. Have you not noticed that the right is ignored and the evil is not forbidden? This is sufficient for making the believers desire for meeting God rightfully. I consider death as happiness and life with the wrongdoers as boredom. People are certainly the slaves of this world. The religion is only a slaver on their tongues. They turn it wherever their livelihood demands. If they are examined by misfortunes, the religious will be very little.
Tuhfaul Uqul; Abu Mohamed al-Hasan Bin Ali Bin al-Husein Bin Shu'ba al-Harrani

Imam Redha (A.S.) said: 

With the advent of the month of Muharram, my father Imam Kadhim (A.S.) would never be seen laughing; gloom and sadness would overcome him for (the first) ten days of the month; and when the tenth day of the month would dawn, it would be a day of tragedy, grief and weeping for him.
Amaali Saduq, pg. 111

Pinnacle of Nobility

Morals from the life of 'Allāma Tabatabai
[On the 30 years death remembrance of Marhum Allamah Tabatabai - died Sunday - Sunday 15th november 1981]

'Allāma Tabatabai's manner and behavior at home was truly like that of Prophet Muhammad (s) (Muhammadī). He never became angry, and we never heard him raise his voice while speaking. While he was gentle, he was also decisive and firm. He gave importance to praying on time, staying up during the nights of the month of Ramadhān, reading the Qur'ān out loud, and maintaining organization in all things. As a result of his strong, kind sentiment and extremely kind heart, he would never refuse anyone. One day he said to me, "from morning until now I have answered the door 24 times in order to reply people's queries".'Allāma's daughter
Although he had very little time, 'Allāma managed his schedule in such a manner that he would spend one hour every afternoon with his family. During this time he was so kind and affectionate that one could not believe that this was an individual occupied with so much work.
'Allāma's daughter

At home 'Allāma was strongly opposed to anyone else carrying out his personal tasks for him. There was always a competition in turning down the bed [at home]. My father would try to carry out this task before anyone else, and my mother would try to anticipate him. Even in the end when he was sick and I used to go to his home, he would get up from his place to pour his own tea despite his state of illness. And if I objected and said, "why didn't you ask me to bring me some tea," he would reply, "no, you are a guest, and you are also a descendant of the Prophet (s) (Sayyid), and I cannot give you any orders".'Allāma's daughter

Eternal Manifestations: by Ahmad Luqmani

Tazkiyat an-Nafs

William Chittick

In order to learn how to see God in oneself and things, one has to learn how to be aware of God constantly. One has to see the shining light of the risen sun in a landscape that others perceive as shrouded in midnight. All the practices of Islam and Sufism are focused on one goal – allowing people to open up their eyes and see. Numerous Koranic verses and prophetic sayings speak of this goal with a great variety of images and expressions. One of the most succinct of these and one that has often been taken by Sufi teachers as the definition of the path to God is tazkiyat an-nafs, a phrase that is usually translated as “purification of the soul.”

The phrase is derived from a Koranic verse that I would translate, with some hesitation, as follows: “By the soul and That which shaped it, and inspired it to its depravity and its godwariness. Prosperous is he who purifies it, and failed has he who buries it” (91:7–10). According to this verse, only those who purify their souls achieve “prosperity.” The Koranic context makes clear that this prosperity pertains to the next world and that the prosperity of this world is irrelevant, if not positively dangerous. Those who fail to purify their souls and instead “bury” their souls – as if they were hiding their souls under the ground – will not be prosperous. Instead, they will be miserable when they move on to their final home, whether or not they consider themselves prosperous here.

Like all translations of Koranic passages, this translation is problematic and tentative. To begin with, “purify” is definitely a misleading translation for tazkiya. All the dictionaries tell us that tazkiya has two senses, though the lexicographers disagree as to which sense is more basic.

One meaning of the verb is to purify and cleanse, the other to augment and increase. Hence tazkiyat an-nafs, as the Koran commentators recognize, can be understood to mean both “purification” of the nafs and “augmentation” of the nafs. Most commentators stress the first meaning, apparently for theological reasons. After all, the primary task of Muslims is to submit themselves to God, and this cannot happen until they rid themselves of things that God does not like. This can be called “purification.” However, it is obvious that the soul also needs to grow and to increase in stature with God’s help. Bringing about this growth can also be called tazkiya.

Thus, two things need to take place, and both are implied in the word tazkiya – purification and augmentation. We can also consider purification as occurring simultaneously with the soul’s growth and increase, and thus the two senses of the word coalesce. The complementarity of these two meanings can be seen in some of the ways in which the word tazkiya is used. The dictionaries tell us that it can be employed for planting seeds or raising cattle, in which cases it means neither to purify nor to augment, but something that combines these two senses. When seeds are planted in the ground, they are purified of everything alien to them and exposed to God’s bounties – earth, water, and sunlight.

This prepares the way for the seeds to increase and grow. Those who plant the seeds neither “purify” them nor “augment” them. Rather, they put them into a situation where they can thrive, prosper, and bring out their own potentiality. Hence tazkiyat annafs means not only “to purify the soul,” but also to allow the soul to grow and thrive by opening it up to the bounty of God. A better translation might be “cultivation of the soul.”

The most decorative clothing

It is stated in Misbahush-Shari'ah that Imam as Sadiq (AS) said: 

"The most decorative clothing for the believer is the clothing of taqwa, and the finest one is faith. Allah, the Almighty and Glorified, said: 'and the clothing of taqwa, that is the best.' 

As to the exterior clothing, it is a blessing from Allah, as it covers the nakedness of the children of Adam. lt is a grace granted by Allah to His servants, the children of Adam (AS), which He did not grant to other than them. 

To the believers, it is a means to perform the duties imposed by Allah upon them. The best of your clothing is that which does not distract you from Allah, the Almighty and Glorified, rather it brings you nearer to thanking, remembering and obeying Him, and it does not bear you to conceit, hypocrisy, decoration, taking pride and boasting, as these are among the pests of the religion and bring cruelty to the heart. 

When you put on your dress, remember Allah, the concealer of your sins by His mercy. Clothe your interior with truthfulness, as you dressed your exterior with your dress. Let your interior be under the protection of fear, and your exterior under the protection of obedience. 

Take a lesson from the favour of Allah, the Almighty and Glorified, as He created the means for making clothes to conceal the apparent nakedness, and He opened the doors of repentance and imploring in order to cover the internal sins and evil characters. 

Do not uncover anyone's faults, as Allah has covered your greater faults. Attend to your own faults, and forgive that whose state and affair do not concern you. Beware of perishing your life for the action of others, letting the others trade with your capital, while you destroy yourself. 

Forgetting the sins is of the gravest punishments fraom Allah in this world, and of the most effective causes for the punishments in the Hereafter. 

As long as the servant is engaged in his obedience to Allah, the Exalted, in recognizing his own defects and abandoning what is disgraceful in the religion of Allah, he will be isolated from the plagues, plunging in the sea of the mercy of Allah, the Almighty and Glorified, and will win the gems of the advantages of wisdom and expression. But as long as he is forgetting his sins, unfamiliar with his defects, resorting to his own might and force, he will never be successful." 

Misbahush Shar'iah, sec. seven, on "Clothing"; from Adabus Salat by Imam Khomeini