“I am the Son of the Two Offerings”

Ahmad ibn Al-Hassan al-Qattan narrated that Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Sa’eed al-Kufi quoted on the authority of Ali ibn Al-Hassan ibn al-Fadhdhal, on the authority of his father,

“I asked Abul Hassan Ali ibn Musa Al-Reza (s) about the meaning of the statement made by the Prophet (s),
‘I am the son of the two offerings.’
Imam Al-Reza (s) said, ‘That means that the Prophet (s) was the descendant of both Ishmael, the son of Abraham - the friend of God (s), and Abdullah - the son of Abdul Muttalib. Ishmael was the patient son, about whom God gave the glad tidings of his birth to Abraham (s).

Then when (the son) reached the age of (serious) work with him, he said, ‘O my son! I see in a vision that I offer thee in sacrifice. Now see what is thy view!’ (The son) said, ‘O my father! Do as thou art commanded. Thou will find me, God willing, one practicing Patience and Constancy!’ [Qur’an, 37:102]
When he decided to offer him as sacrifice, God replaced him with a chubby black and white sheep. This sheep had been raised in a fresh green area, and had grazed in the Gardens of Heaven for forty years. It had no mother. Rather the Honorable the Exalted God said to it be and it was created so as to be substituted for Ishmael, ‘We but say the word, ‘Be’, and it is.’ [Qur’an, 16:40]

Whatever is sacrificed in Mina [A place in the hills east of Mecca on the road from it to ál-Rafa] until the Resurrection Day will be sacrificed on behalf of Ishmael. This is one of the offerings. Now let us consider the second one.

Abdul Muttalib grabbed the doorknob of the Kaaba and prayed to God to be granted ten sons. He bet with the Almighty God that he would offer one of them for sacrifice if his prayer was accepted. When the number of his sons became ten, he took them all inside the Kaaba and drew lots for their names. The lot fell to Abdullah's name - the father of the Prophet Muhammad (s) - whom he loved the most. He drew lots again, and it fell to Abdullah's name. He drew lots for the third time. Again the lots fell to Abdullah's name. Then he took him, imprisoned him and decided to offer him for sacrifice. All of the people of the Quraysh tribe got together and the other tribes also got together crying.

Abdul Muttalib's daughter - Ateka - said, ‘Ask the Almighty God to excuse you from offering your son , for sacrifice.’ Abdul Muttalib said, ‘My daughter! How can I ask for an excuse? You are mature and intelligent.’ Ateka said, ‘Draw lots concerning your son, and your camels that are around the Shrine (the Kaaba). Increase the number of camels so much that your Lord gets pleased and the lot falls to the name of the camels.’ Then Abdul Muttalib sent someone after his camels. They brought them all there. He chose ten of the camels and drew lots. The lot fell to the name of Abdullah. He chose an additional ten and drew lots again. The lot fell to the name of Abdullah again. He added to the number of camels and repeated drawing lots until the number of camels reached one hundred. Then the lot fell to the name of the camels.

The people of the Quraysh tribe became very happy and said ‘God is the Greatest’ so loud that the Tehamat mountains started to shake. Abdul Muttalib said, ‘No. I must draw lots three more times.’ He drew lots three more times. The lot fell to the name of the camels all three times. On the third time, Zubayr and Abu Talib dragged their brother Abdullah away from under Abdul Muttalib's feet. The part of his face that was on the ground got hurt. They picked him up and kissed him. Abdul Muttalib ordered all the one hundred camels be taken to Hazvareh and slaughtered there. He stressed that no one should be deprived of the meat.

There were five traditions practiced by Abdul Muttalib which the Almighty God continued their practice of in Islam as follows:

1- He forbade the (marriage of) the father's wives with the sons.
2- He established one hundred camels as blood compensation for killing.
3- He circumambulated the Kaaba seven times.
4- He found a treasure and paid one fifth of it as levy.
5- When he dug up the 'Zam Zam' spring, he established it as the supply of water for the pilgrims.

If Abdul Muttalib was not a proof (of the Divine God) and his decision to offer his son as sacrifice was not similar to that of Abraham (s) about his son Ishmael, the Noble Prophet (s) would not have been proud of being related to them (Abraham and Abdul Muttalib) and would not have said, ‘I am the son of the two offerings.’

The reason God prevented Ishmael from being sacrificed was the same one that He prevented Abdullah from being sacrificed. The reason was that the Noble Prophet (s) and the Immaculate Imams (s) were in their loins. Thus God prevented their being sacrificed due to the Blessed Prophet (s) and the Imams (s). Thus the tradition of offering one's son as a sacrifice did not become popular among the people. Otherwise, it would have become obligatory for people to offer their sons for sacrifice on the day of celebrating the ‘Eid ul-Adha each year until the Resurrection Day so as to seek nearness to God. Everything sacrificed on the ‘Eid ul-Adha until the Resurrection Day will be a substitute for Ishmael.

The author of this book (Sheikh Sadooq) said, “There are many traditions on the offering. In some traditions we read that Isaac was the one offered for sacrifice. In others we read that Ishmael was the one offered for sacrifice. We can not reject a tradition that has an authentic documentation. Ishmael was offered for sacrifice. However, when Isaac was born later, he wished that it was he himself who was offered for sacrificed by his father. He would have been patient and would have submitted to the decree of the Almighty God just as his brother did. Then he would have earned the same rank and reward that his brother had earned. God was aware of his intentions. For this reason he called him ‘the offering’ among his angels. I have quoted the related tradition in the book An-Nubowwa.”

'Uyun Akhbar al-Ridha, Sheykh al-Sadooq, Chapter 18

The Ka’bah – What is it really?

(only a bit lengthy but certainly a great read particularly for those embarking on the great journey to meet the Only Beloved and be His guest in Hajj)

The Hajj season is upon us, when millions of Muslims journey to Mecca and circumambulate the Ka’bah, that simple square building that we face toward when we pray.  How strange it is that an insignificant structure such as this is the center of our hajj rites and the direction of our prayers! Why is this tiny stone cubic house so important?  The Ka’bah has great cosmological significance that we all should understand in order to make better sense of our rites and prayers.  The Ka’bah is the physical correspondence of the highest heaven.

The Ka’bah is called the Bait al Allah or Kaba e Allah, meaning House of God.  But we know God needs no house, and is not confined to any space.  It is also called the first house of mankind.  Yet no human is known to have ever lived in it, so what does that mean? It is certain that Abraham (as) constructed the Ka’bah.  But, before he built it, when he moved Hagar and Ishmael (as) to the empty desert, he said, “O our Lord!  I have made some of my offspring to dwell in a valley without cultivation, by Thy Sacred House….” (Qur’an 14:37)  So he was already aware of the Ka’bah before he built it!  Many scholars say that the Ka’bah was first built by Adam (as) but the structure had wasted away. All agree at least that it existed somehow prior to Abraham (as).

The Ka’bah is like the Bait ul Mamur (the Oft-Frequented House) and is said to be built directly under it.  The Bait ul Mamur is a house located in the fourth heaven that angels circumambulate and enter.  Several traditions state that Adam (as) had prayed at that house, as well. So to understand the Ka’bah, we need to understand the Bait ul Mamur.  So what is the significance of Bait ul Mamur?  Both the Ka’bah and the Bait ul Mamur are symbols of how God brings about and attends to His creation.

To understand that, we have to first understand how the decrees of Allah swt come to reality. The Qur’an says, “And your Cherisher-Lord creates what He wishes….” (28:68) and “Surely His commanding is such that, when He desires a thing, He just says to it, “Become!” and it becomes.” (36:82)  These two ayahs describe creation as mashi’ah (wishing),  iradah (desiring), and amr (commanding), as well as symbolizing it by speech of Allah swt.  All of these indicate that creation is the production of the outcome of Allah’s mashi’ah.  A hadith of Ahlulbayt (as) says, “Allah created the Wish through itself, then He created the things through the Wish.”

The Wish is symbolized as “the Water” or “Waters” in Qur’an and hadith.  For example, “And from the Water We made everything alive.” (21:30) The scholars tell us this ayah also shows that every created thing is alive in some fashion.  The fact that water (H2O) is repeatedly described as Mercy from Allah swt contributes to the symbolism of the Wish from which creation begins as the ultimate Mercy of the Creator.

The Creator-created relationship is a polar one, with the Creator in the seat of guardianship and authority.  This position of guardianship is in the Qur’an called ‘arsh, which is translated most often as “throne (raised, shaded seat of authority)” or “empyrean” (the highest heaven).  As Allah swt is not confined to a body, it does not mean a literal chair throne.  The Arabic verbal root meaning of ‘arsh is a pillared structure raised from the ground.  The Wish descends from and is beneath the empyrean “… and His empyrean was over the Water.” (Qur’an 11:7)

Imam Ali bin Husain (as) said that in the ‘arsh or empyrean is a likeness of every created thing, and this is the meaning of  “And there is not a thing except that its treasuries are with Us.” (15:21) The empyrean is also the gate of Allah’s administration over Creation: “He projects His guardianship uniformly to all creation over the empyrean; He administers the command.” (10:3)

Imam ‘Ali (as) has said that the empyrean is a cubical structure made of four pillars of light – one white, one yellow, one green and one red.  The white light is the light of consciousness (‘aql) and knowledge and is the first, foundational pillar.  Its symbol in the Qur’an is the pen (qalam).  The green light is the Preserved Tablet (Lawh Mahfuz), the record or soul (31:28) of creation in the empyrean.  The yellow light pillar is the Spirit (Ruh) as mentioned in Qur’an 17:85.  It is through the Spirit that prophets and those close to Allah swt receive their knowledge and power.  Ruh is related to rih, the wind.  Thus, according to Imam Baqir (as), just was the Wish is symbolized by water, the Spirit is symbolized by wind  - a movement and energy that effuses everything.  The red light of the empyrean is the blood line that connects the empyrean to the physical universe or nature; it carries all the vibrations of created things.

So the Ka’bah is itself an ‘arsh, representing the ‘arsh of Allah swt, the highest heaven.  Like the empyrean, it is a cube, with four corners mirroring the four corners of the empyrean.  Imam Sadiq (as) quoted the Prophet (saw) about this correspondence.  “The Ka’bah is called the Ka’bah because it is square-based.  It is square-based because it is in correspondence to the Bayt ul Mamur.  The Bayt ul Mamur is square-based because the empyrean is square-based.

The empyrean is square-based because the phrases upon which Islam is based are four: Subhanallah, Alhumdulillah, La ilaha illa allahu, and Allahu akbar!”  The corner with the black stone corresponds to the corner of the empyrean of the white light (consciousness).  Incidentally, some hadith say that the black stone is actually white, but blackened by repeated touching.  As pilgrims move around the Ka’bah, the move past the pillars of consciousness (white), then Spirit (yellow), then Soul (green), then nature (red).

With this knowledge, we can understand why we face toward the Ka’bah when we pray.  We are facing toward the symbol of the highest heaven where Allah’s swt guidance, mercy and creation are all projected from.  So facing toward the Ka’bah symbolizes facing towards the gateway between the physical Universe and Allah swt.  This does not imply that Allah swt is confined out of the physical Universe, but rather refers to the methodology of creation, guardianship, and bestowal of mercy.

Scholars have noted that the Ka’bah is empty and has in its cubic shape all cardinal directions in three dimensions.  All to be seen there is absoluteness, eternity.  It is not a shrine.  It is a symbol, a projection, a source of connection to the highest heaven, and an opening for the descent of Allah swt’s Wish into manifestation in the physical Universe.  Some hadith indicate that the creation of the land of the Earth began at the location of the Ka’bah, as it is the Origin of physical creation.  It is the symbol of our original home as we manifest from Wish in the empyrean, and that is why when we go for pilgrimage, we do not pray shortened prayers like travelers.  We are going back to our source.

The hajj rites all are steeped in symbolism.  We recreate the actions of Abraham (as) and Hagar (ra) to represent and learn from their deeds.  Therefore, it is probable that the symbolism of the Ka’bah as the ‘arsh has a significant meaning in the context of those rites and our understanding of our roles in the Universe and in the Ummah. Knowing that the Ka’bah is itself a symbol can give us much to ponder about the possible meanings of events in history such as Imam ‘Ali (as) being born in the Ka’bah. At the very least, the Ka’bah as a symbol of the ‘arsh has very deep implications about the direction we face when we pray.
References:
The History of Ka’bah by Hasan Zafar Naqvi
Islam Dynamic:  The Cosmology, Spirituality and Practice of Walayah by Idris Samawi Hamid
Hajj: Reflections on its Rituals by Ali Shariati

Imam Sajjad (as) and The Caravan to Hajj

A caravan of Muslims was headed towards Makkah. As it arrived in Madina, it rested a few days, and continued on towards Makkah.
On their way from Madina to Makkah, a man joined the group. This man noticed one of them who had the appearance of a guided person. He was eagerly busy in service of the passengers. The man recognized him. With much surprise, he asked the pilgrims if they knew this man who was at their service.
''No, we don't know him. He joined us in Madina. He is a decent and pious man. We haven't asked him for help. But he has been eager in helping us."
"Obviously you don't know him. For if you did, you would never have allowed a man like him to be at your service."Who is this person?"
"This is 4th Imam, Imam Sajjad (as)."
The group stood with shame and apologized to Imam Sajjad (as). Then complaining to him, they said:
"Why did you treat us as such? We may have gone beyond our bounds in our ignorance, and would have committed a big sin in being disrespectful to you."
Imam Sajjad (as): "I intentionally joined your group, for you didn't know me. When I join a group, where people know me, for the sake of the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh), they are very kind to me. They don't allow me to be of some service. Thus I was eager to join a group where I will be anonymous, so that I may have the honor of being of some service to my brethren."
Moral: Service to fellow Muslims should be a pleasure, something we should go out of our way to do! Besides it being one of the fundamentals of the spiritual journey - Hajj!

VISION: THE CLIMAX OF HAJJ

When prophet Musa (‘a) went to Mount Sinai and had a secret mutual conversation with Allah for thirty nights [Wa waa‘adna Musa thalathina laylatan (and And We made an appointment with Moses for thirty nights- Qur’an 7:142], they actually were the thirty nights of the holy month of Dhu al-Qa’da [Ref: ‘Allama Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v.13, pp. 213-214], a month when those who aspire to meet the Beloved, and not merely His house (ka’ba), engage in spiritual pursuits in preparation for the fundamental vertical (spiritual) journey to the Beloved. 


Then Allah says “wa atmamnaahu bi ‘ashr” (And we completed them with ten [more days]-Qur’an, 7:142). Almighty Allah confers ten more days to Musa (‘a) for munajat. And these ten days are the very first ten days of the holy month of Dhu al-Hijja when the hajis are busy in their spiritual excursion. 


Having undergone specific stages of spiritual change through the help of his Lord, Musa (‘a) finally asks for vision. He says, “Rabbi arini anzuru ilayk” (My Lord, show [Yourself] to me, that I may look at You!’- Qur’an, 7:143). 

Insightful scholars like Imam Khumayni say that Musa (‘a) did not aspire for vision through the physical eye, free from such kind of thinking are the Prophets of Allah [Ref: Imam Khumayni, Notes on Nubuwwat, p. 352]. He yearned to see the Beloved through the heart. Such vision obviously is not “complete comprehension” which presumes the comprehending one to encompass the object of comprehension. It rather is a limited comprehension of the Divine Attributes according to the capacity of the beholder. And this can only be achieved through self-purification, whose fundamental stages according to authoritative divine sages are as follows:


1) Al-Tajliya (Strictly adhering to the apparent Islamic laws and refraining from whatever Islam has prohibited)
2) Al-Takhliya (Cleaning oneself through the water of repentance and tawba)
3) Al-Tahliya (Beautifying oneself with the perfections of the Absolutely Beautiful according to one’s capacity)
4) Al-Fana (Dissolution in the Beloved, such that one visions that no identity exists save that of Allah)


Aspirants of hajj should try to journey through these stages, so that on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijja they deserve to put on the Ihram of Musa (‘a) and sincerely yearn for the vision of the Only Beloved.


What is so captivating is to behold the Musa of Karbala, who in the Mount Sinai [Bihar al-Anwar, v.98, pp. 108-109] of Ghadhiriyya (another name for Karbala), is reported to have said:

I left the entire creation in Your Desire
And made my family orphans so that I may see You
So even if you cut me into pieces in my love for You
My heart would not incline to other than You


This peerless Musa of history was so intensely sacrificing, that the Beloved bestowed him with peerless bestowals, one of which is:
Al-sujud ‘ala turbat al-Husayn (‘a) yakhriqu al-hujub al-sab‘ (prostrating on the clay of al-Husayn severs the seven veils [‘Allama Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v.82, pp. 153]). A probably meaning of the seven veils is ‘the seven levels of existence’, the highest of which is in the close proximity of the All-Beloved.


But the Beloved’s love is so special for this Moses of Karbala. According to a tradition narrated from Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) [Ref: ‘Allama Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v.98, pp. 87] Allah on the day of ‘Arafa begins with the visitors of the grave of al-Husayn first, and then the lovers stationed in the sacred plains of ‘Arafa.
We pray to Almighty Allah to enable us comprehend the secrets of Hajj better as we cross the stations of our transient life.


Shaykh Muhammad Khalfan

In consequence of a fractured leg,
God bestows a wing.
Likewise, from the depths of the pit,
He opens a door of escape.
God said, "Don't consider whether
you're up a tree or in a hole:
Consider Me, for I am the key of the way."
Rumi

How to derive utmost benefit from Hajj

In one of my journeys to Makka al-Mukarrama for hajj, I and a noble companion happen to visit the late martyr Ayatullah Muhammad Baqir al-Hakim.
I can still visualize those moments. He had a sparkling face that had so much to narrate. We sought some advise from him, and the great scholar informed us of a brilliant interpretation of the tradition: ‘Min tamaam al-Hajj liqaa al-Imam’ [The completion of hajj is in meeting the Imam].
One of the possible interpretations of the tradition is that the pilgrims who come to perform hajj must know the proper way of undertaking the ritual in its different dimensions.
Therefore they should approach the leader (Imam) who has a good understanding of the same.
And the leader(s) of the contemporary era [who represent the Imam of the time] are the Muslim scholars, who should be approached [and their advise sought].
I felt enlightened. Indeed in order for one to derive utmost benefit from hajj, he should go to the different places of the ‘ulama in Makka, who are well-grounded in the laws and secrets of hajj.
By Sh. Muhammad Khalfan

What does preparation for Hajj mean?

[vital read for all especially those embarking on this sacred journey]

The true meaning of preparation must be understood so that we may be able to accomplish the purpose of this ecstatic journey.
In a brilliant tradition narrated from Imam al-Sadiq (‘a), we are told that there are three kinds of results one can anticipate from Hajj:
(1) Utter freedom from Hell Fire, (2) Forgiveness of all sins, (3) Protection of wealth and family on return [Al-Kafi, v.4, p. 253].

Placing these results in mind, we should try to aspire for the best.
Aspiration, however, is not a kind of conceptualization or inculcation; rather, it is a resolution, struggle and hardship. And these need preparation.

One of the areas we must struggle to attain is “a state of receptivity”.
We should try to widen the containers of our hearts in order to benefit from the Divine Banquet while we are the guests of One who perpetually and abundantly bestows with no expectation of any kind of return whatsoever.

Two important areas we must work hard on are
(1) Repentance (tawba) and
(2) Acquiring knowledge about the secrets of the journey.
These are factors that would enhance our receptivity and enable us accomplish a certain level of perfection.

When we speak of tawba, the most important element that we should try to achieve is “the state of no return”.
Regret should not be an emotional state that does not reap any fruit. It should rather act as a catalyst to overturn our deviant ways and change our states, so that we do not think of going back to sin.
Understanding the secrets of hajj would make the journey very meaningful and if we are fortunate to have been given the succor to attain the desired preparation and readiness, we may achieve the apex of Hajj, which is human perfection and Divine proximity.
One of the subtle meanings of the hadith of Imam al-Baqir ('a), ‘Min tamaamil Hajj liqaa’ al-Imam’ (The completion of Hajj is in meeting the Imam) is that the perfection and completeness of Hajj is in encountering the characteristics of the imam who is a perfect human being.

In other words, the completeness of hajj is to exemplify the attributes of a perfect human being in oneself.
Small wonder it is that one is able to achieve the purpose of Hajj through the ziyara of the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) if one is in the state of knowledge of their sanctity and status.

by Sh. Muhammad Khalfan