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)

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