'O God, carry us in the ships of Thy deliverance, give us to enjoy the pleasure of whispered prayer to Thee, make us drink at the pools of Thy love, let us taste the sweetness of Thy affection and nearness, allow us to struggle in Thee, preoccupy us with obeying Thee, and purify our intentions in devoting works to Thee, for we exist through Thee and belong to Thee, and we have no one to mediate with Thee but Thee!' Imam Sajjad ('A); Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya

Monday 28 June 2010

Sun returning for Ali

[Al-Kafi 4:561, Bihar al-Anwar 41:182, Manaqeb Al Khawarezmi 217]

Ibrahim bin Hayyan narrated from Um Jaafar, Muhammad al-Hanafiyya's wife, from Asma Bint Umais, who said,
'I used to go with the Messenger of Allah (saw) to the battles.
I (Um Jaafar) said, 'What was your responsibility?'
She replied, ''I used to distribute water and take care of the wounded.
In one of the battles, the Prophet (saw) received a revelation, so Ali placed the head of the Prophet on his lap. (due to the process of receiving revelation being physically very taxic for the Prophet. Sometimes during the process, he would sweat profusely).

When the Prophet woke up, the sun had already set.
So the Prophet (saw) asked Ali, 'O Ali! Have you prayed Asr?'
Ali replied ,'No, I did not want to remove your head and place it on the ground.'
So the Prophet (saw) said, 'O Allah! Make the sun return for Ali.' The sun came back again until he had finished praying.''

Tuesday 22 June 2010

Allamah Tabatabai With His Children

The Daughter of Allamah Tabatabai Khanum Najma Sadat Tabataba'i narrates that one of the phrases he would always use is: 
"Know God as being Ever-Present and Ever-Observant" (Khodā rā hāzir wa nāzir bebīnīd).
He would repeat this line so often that when I was a child I used to think that Haj Agha didn't know anything else. Of course 'Allama spoke very little but when he did speak his words were chosen precisely. He emphasized this matter so much that we used to think it was impossible that an act be carried out for other than God.

His words were full of meaning. For example, [he would talk to us] about the conduct of our great ones, and how young girls and boys should behave. With his daughters he was very intimate and friendly and with his sons he behaved seriously.
He ['Allama] placed great importance on respecting one's elders. He even felt joking with them was not appropriate.

In one of his words of advice to my son Shahid Muhammad Hasan R who one time joked with someone older than him, he said, 'I was 7 or 8 years old when a painter was working in our home. When he climbed his animal I tickled his leg. My late father said to me, "My dear son, an individual doesn't play jokes on his elders." From that moment I have always remembered his words and even now that I am an old man I am still reluctant to joke with those who are older than I. This respect must be maintained [for our elders].'

Friday 4 June 2010

The greatness of Fatima (a)

Bihar al-Anwar 37:85 

Ibn Abbas narrates:
The Messenger of Allah (s) was with Ali (a), Fatima (a), Hasan (a) and Husein (a) one day when he said:
'O Allah! You know that they are my family and they are the most honourable people in my eyes. O Allah! Love those who love them and hate those who hate them. Befriend their friends, antagonize those who antagonize them, and support those who support them. O Allah! Purify them from any uncleanliness; make them infallible and support them with the Holy Spirit.

The the Prophet (s) said:
It is as if I can see my daughter, Fatima (a), on the day of Judgment. She will be brought on a platform made of light. There will be seventy thousand angels to her right, seventy thousand angels to her left, seventy thousand angels in front of her, and seventy thousand angels behind her, and she will be leading the (female) believers of my nation to Paradise.

Every woman who prays five times a day, fasts in the month of Ramadhan, goes to Hajj, pays Zakat, obeys her husband, and accepts the wilayat of Ali (a) after me will enter Paradise with the intercession of my daughter. Fatima (a) is the master of all the world's women.
People asked, 'Is she the master of the women of her time?'
The Prophet (s) replied:
Maryam was the master of the women of her time. My daughter Fatima (a) is the master of all the world's women from the first to the last. Every time she stands in her Mihrab for prayers, seventy thousand high ranked angels come and say Salaam to her.

The angels call out to her, 'O Fatima! [Verily Allah has chosen you and purified you, and chosen you above all the women of the worlds] (3:42)' which is the same way the angels used to call Maryam.
Then the Prophet looked at Ali (a) and said:
O Ali! Fatima (a) is a piece of my flesh, she is the light of my eyes, and she is the apple of my heart.
That which saddens her saddens me and that which pleases her pleases me.

She is the first one from my family who will join me, so treat her with kindness after me.

As for Hasan (a) and Husein (a), they are my sons and my flowers. They are the masters of the youth of Paradise, so treat them like you would treat your eyes and ears.
Then the Prophet (s) raised his hands towards the sky and said:
'O Allah! I testify that I love those who love them. I hate those who hate them. I am at peace with those who are at peace with them. I fight those who fight them. I am the enemy of their enemies, and I am the friend of their friends.'