An Important Rule Often Neglected 19

Islamic Laws : Obligatory acts relating to Namaz » Things on which Sajdah is allowed
Fatawa of Ayatullah al Uzama Syed Ali al-Husaini Seestani

1085. Sajdah should be performed on earth, and on those things which are not edible nor worn, and on things which grow from earth (e.g. wood and leaves of trees).
It is not permissible to perform Sajdah on things which are used as food or dress (e.g. wheat, barley and cotton etc.), or on things which are not considered to be parts of the earth (e.g. gold, silver, etc.). And in the situation of helplessness, asphalt and tar will have preference over other non-allowable things.

1092. Turbatul Husayn is the best thing for performing Sajdah. After it, there are earth, stone and grass, in order of priority.

How to get closer to the Imam of the time

An important lesson from Sheikh Hassan Ali Isfahani

The Sheikh had engaged himself right from his youth with his worships and Islamic devotion, and endured a lot of inconveniences in order to attain some spiritual ranks. He wrote up a compilation that comprised of mysteries and which he did not expose or divulge to the general public.

My late father Muazzam (may Allah raise his position) told me about this write-up of Sheikh:
'Verily Sheikh Hassan Ali Isfahani towards the end of his life has given this book to late Ayatullah Sayyid Ali Ridawi.'

Our reason for reporting this issue was the important point mentioned by Sheikh Hassan Ali Isfahani at the end of his book, which is incumbent for those who wanted to pass through the spiritual stages to benefit from it, as follows:

'I wish all I would have done in my readings, litanies and so on, for the purpose of reaching spiritual ranks, should have been done for the purpose of nearness to my master, the leader of the time (may Allah hasten his reappearance).'

Take note of the speech of this religious and divine man who was well known among the Sunni and Shiah, how he has shown his regret for all the good jobs he has put forward hoping to have done that for the purpose of nearness to the Imam of the time.

There is no doubt that Sheikh Hassan Ali Isfahani was possessing spiritual strength and it is hard to get these type of states; with all this he is still having the notion that all he has done throughout his life was just for the nearness to the chief of this world of existence.
The great example for anyone (in any field he belongs to) is to copy from the experience of the great men of that field and to benefit from their struggles throughout their life and from what they have achieved most specially to focus on the last period of their life.

Be very careful of this point: to benefit from the important experience of the great men increases the spiritual value in ones life.

Try in your deeds what Sheikh Hassan Ali Isfahani has experienced which he has written in his book.
Offer your prayers, supplications and other aspect of your worship in nearness to Allah (swt) so that you can be closer to his caretaker, our master, the Imam of the time (aj) and cast off little ambition. This is a reality which will benefit you a great deal.

Sahifah al-Mahdiya
Sayed Murtada Mujtahidi Sistani

'How can anyone stop dealing with such a Generous One and become indifferent even for a twinkling of an eye?!'

A 2-minute thought-provoking word from
Sh. Husain Ibn Ali Ibn Sadiq al-Bahrani
that will escalate our love and perception of Allah (swt)

A believer who tries to follow in the footsteps of Ahlulbayt (as) must accustom himself to thinking well of his Lord, expecting Allah to reward him with plenty for the little that he does. He (swt) is the Only One Who gives plenty for little. Whatever good things you expect of Him, and whatever you think of the norms of His generosity, He is more than what you think: you mental scope is limited while His generosity has no limit.

He (swt) has already informed you that He is according to your good thoughts of Him. Our master, the Commander of the Faithful (as), has said, 'Whoever thinks well of you, you should prove him right' (Bihar al Anwar vol 74 p 212)

One who thinks well of something, Allah will prove him right as this is linked to thinking well of Allah, since the source of everything good is Allah, therefore Allah actualizes such a notion, proving its accuracy.

One particular hadith clearly stated that if anyone thinks well even of a stone, Allah will place a lot of goodness in it. The person who transmitted this tradition, thereupon, asked the Imam (as), '...a stone!?' The Imam (as) said, 'Dont you see the black stone (hajar-e-aswad)?'

Our master, Al Rida (as), is quoted as having said, ''Allah revealed to Nabi Dawud (as) saying, 'A servant of mine may come to Me with one good deed whereby I grant Him paradise. He was asked, 'Lord, what is this good deed?' He said, 'He removes the worry of a believer even with half a date.' Dawud (as) said, Anyone who trule gets to know You can never loose hope [of receiving Your mercy]''' (Al Jawahir Al Saniyya p 76)

So if the most Exalted One and the most Great grants this paradise, the width of which is like that of the heavens and the earth, in exchange for half a date [given by way of charity], I plead to you in the name of Allah to answer me: How can anyone stop dealing with such a Generous One and become indifferent to such a dealing even for a twinkling of an eye?!

What would be ones alternative? If one lost a moment wherein he did not pay his full attention to Allah, what can his compensation for his loss be? Never! He has surely missed something for which there is no compensation and has cheated himself irreparably.

p.s.
The Prophet (saw) used to always love to be optimistic and to hate pessimism (Bihar al Anwar Vol 92 p.2)

Pessimism is according to what a pessimist envisions: If he sees it as severe, so will it be, and if he sees it as light, so will it be, too. And if he does not pay any attention to it, it will be as though it was never there. (Rawdat al Kafi, p.197)

An Important Rule Often Neglected 18

Code of practice for Muslims in the West: Dealing with laws in non-Muslim countries » Questions and Answers
Fatawa of Ayatullah al Uzama Syed Ali al-Husaini Seestani


Question: Is it permissible to tamper with electric or water or gas meters, in non-Muslim countries?
Answer: This also is not permissible.

230. Question: Is it permissible to cheat insurance companies in non-Muslim countries when one is confident that it would not tarnish the image of Islam and Muslims?

Answer: It is not permissible.

...a step higher in the journey‏ Sajdah - The ultimate position!

Following are some helpful pointers and a step higher in our journey to the Only Ultimate, the Only Beloved!


Certain things that are Mustahab in Sajdah - one of the positions dearest to Allah swt:
- It is Mustahab to say Takbir before going to Sajdah. A person who prays standing, will do so after having stood up from Ruku, and a person who prays sitting will do so after having sat properly.
- While going into Sajdah, a man should first place his hands on the ground, and woman should first place her knees on the ground.
- The person offering prayers should place his nose on a mohr, or on any other thing on which Sajdah is allowed.
- While performing Sajdah, fingers should be kept close to each other, parallel to the ears, with their tips towards Qibla.
- While in Sajdah one should pray to Allah, and express his wishes, and should recite this supplication: Ya Khayral Mas'ulin wa Ya Khayral Mu'tin, Urzuqni warzuq 'Ayali Min Fazlika Fa Innaka Zulfazlil 'Azim - O You Who are the best from whom people seek their needs, and O You, Who are the best bestower of gifts! Give me and the members of my family sustenance with Your grace. Undoubtedly You possess the greatest grace).
- After performing Sajdah, one should sit on his left thigh, placing the instep of the right foot on the sole of the left foot.
- After every Sajdah, when a person has sat down and his body is composed, one should say takbir.
- When his body is steady after the first Sajdah, he should say:"Astaghfirullaha Rabbi wa Atubu Ilayhi".
- He should say Allahu Akbar for going into second Sajdah, when his body is steady.
- It is Mustahab to prolong the Sajdah, and when sitting after the Sajdah, to place one's hands on the thighs.
- He should recite Salawat while in prostrations.
- At the time of rising, he should raise his hands from the ground, after raising his knees.
- Men should not make their elbows and stomach touch the ground; they should keep their arms separated from their sides. And women should place their elbows and stomachs on the ground, and should join their limbs with one another.
- It is Makrooh to recite the holy Qur'an in Sajdah. It is also Makrooh to blow off the dust from the place of Sajdah, and if, by so doing, one utters anything intentionally, the prayers will be, as a precaution, void. Besides these, there are other Makrooh acts, which are given in detailed books.


Fatawa of Ayatullah al Uzama Syed Ali al-Husaini Seestani
Islamic Laws : Obligatory acts relating to Namaz » The Mustahab and Makrooh things in Sajdah    http://www.sistani.org/local.php?modules=nav&nid=2&bid=59&pid=2956