Legal Prohibitions Relating to God, Self, and Society

By
Azhar Sheraze
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www.salamstock.com

There are a number of obligations and prohibitions that a Muslim should take heed of. Many such obligations are expressed in the form of rulings (aḥkam) that carry moral and legal weight in the Islamic conception of law (fiqh). While law is only one aspect of a broader Islamic conception of life, one should understand the law as boundaries defining the possibilities of action and a starting point for traversing a much larger path towards moral perfection – a path that includes ethics, theology, and practice.

Below are a selection of legal prohibitions that relate to a person’s relationships with Allah ﷻ and others, in accordance with the rulings of Sayyid Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani.[1]Sayyid Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani, al-Masāʾil al-Muntakhabah (Beirut: Dār al-Muʾarrikh al-ʿArabī, 2012), 10-4. Although this selection of rulings includes actions that are all equally forbidden, the tool and methods for avoiding and resolving them may widely differ.  Seeking inspiration and assistance from various disciplines outside of law may be required.

One should not:

  • Lose hope in the mercy of Allah and His salvation
  • Feel a guarantee of safety from Allah’s retribution for evil. Allah may seize an evildoer at anytime in a way they would never have imagined.
  • “Revert to Ignorance” after migration. This is defined as moving or living in a place where one’s religion becomes deficient. Therefore, it is not permissible to go somewhere that would result in a person’s faith (imān) becoming weaker in terms of correct doctrine, performance of obligations, or avoidance of what is religiously prohibited.
  • Assist or incline towards a tyrant (zālim) is forbidden, as is accepting an official position from him. The exception to this rule is when the action or role is (a) permissible in itself and (b) is performed in order to counteract the tyrant for the sake of the best interests of the Muslims.
  • Kill a Muslim or any innocent or protected soul.  It is also not permitted to harm, hit, or do any harmful action against such a person. Related to this issue is the impermissibility of the killing of a fetus before the soul enters its body, even if it merely be a blood clot or embryo.
  • Gossip (ghībah) about a believer. Gossip is to publicly mention a deficiency or shortcoming of a believer which is hidden from people while that believer is not present. Such “public mention” is gossip regardless of whether one does so intending to demean or not.
  • Curse, damn, demean, humiliate, mock, and cause fear to a believer. Likewise, it is not permissible to spread his or her secrets, keep track of his or her mistakes and shortcomings, and to look down upon him or her.  This is especially the case if he or she is poor or destitute.
  • Slander a believer, which is defined as mentioning something in his or her absence which is not true. (The difference here, between “gossip” and “slander”, is that the former is a true statement whereas the latter is false.)
  • Stir up calumny between believers, which results in dividing them.
  • Forsake a Muslim for more than three days (forbidden as an obligatory precaution).
  • Accuse a chaste man or woman of indecency, such as adultery (zinā), without a religiously mandated form of proof.
  • Cheat a Muslim in commerce or anything similar, whether by hiding a fault or the undesirability of a product, or offering a desirable description of a product that does not accurately describe it, or showing a product that is actually not the same type as what is being sold. Generally speaking, any form of deception in commerce is forbidden.
  • Use vulgar speech, defined as obscene words whose mention is considered shameful.
  • Be treacherous and betray a Muslim or a non-Muslim.
  • Express jealousy (ḥasad) in word or deed. As for jealousy in the heart that is not expressed in word or deed, such is not forbidden per se, although it is a reprehensible trait. There is no harm in envy (ghibṭah), defined as wishing for something that someone else has been bestowed with, without wishing for it to be taken away or removed from that person.
  • Have sexual activity outside of a valid marriage, including looking, touching, and listening with desire.  Likewise, bringing two people together for illicit sexual relations is also forbidden.  Furthermore, it is not permitted to see one’s spouse commit adultery while being silent or not stopping it.
  • Resemble the opposite gender (For men to resemble women or women to resemble men), according to obligatory precaution. Such resemblance is defined by a person taking on the form or dress of the opposite gender.
  • Give an opinion without knowledge or legitimate evidence.
  • Lie, even regarding something which does not harm another person. The worst types of lies are the giving of false testimony in legal cases and issuing a religious edict (fatwa) without a valid basis in that which Allah ﷻ has revealed.
  • Break a promise, as per obligatory precaution. Also, making a promise which one does not intend to fulfill.
  • Receive usury in transactions and lending. Consuming usury, carrying it, and gifting it are all forbidden. It is also not permitted to give compensation for a usurious transaction. Recording and testifying to such a transaction is also not permitted.
  • Be arrogant (kibr) and conceited (ikhtiyāl). This is when a person presents himself, without merit, as better than or above others.
  • Cut ties (qaṭīʿat al-raḥim) with relatives.  “Cutting ties” is defined as neglecting goodness to them in a situation where goodness would be expected.
  • Be extravagant, which is spending in excess of what is proper, or wasteful, which is spending on that which is not proper.
  • Pay less than what is due in a transaction, in terms of money, weight, measure, or the like, in such a way that what is rightfully due to another is not fulfilled.
  • Spend the wealth of a Muslim (or one ruled as a Muslim, such as the minor child of Muslim parents) without their consent or willingness.
  • Harm a Muslim (or one ruled as such) regarding his person, his wealth, or his reputation.
  • Accept bribes for legal judgments, whether one gives or receives, even if for getting a ruling which is correct.  As for bribes for seeking one’s right from an oppressor, it is permissible, although forbidden for the oppressor to take it.
  • Show off, either by being seen or heard, in matters of religious obedience and worship.
  • Kill oneself or intend to bring about substantial harm to oneself.  Also a believer should not debase himself or herself, for example, by wearing clothes which make him look disgraceful or heinous in the eyes of the public.

A believer should make preparations for the sake of obedience to Allah by following His commands and prohibitions, purifying and refining the soul from contemptible attributes and objectionable traits, and adorning the soul with the perfections of morality and praiseworthy traits.This is accomplished by following the Sacred Book and the Noble Practice of the Prophet ﷺ, such as remembering death, the transience of the life of this world, and the final outcome of the afterlife, such as Purgatory (Barzakh), Resurrection (Nushūr), the Gathering of all people on that Day (Ḥashr), the Accounting of all actions (Ḥisāb), and the Judgement from Allah ﷻ. Also, the remembrance of the descriptions and blessings of paradise, along with the terror of the Hellfire. Likewise, one would do well to remember the results of one’s actions in this life and their final result in the Hereafter. This advice is what is meant by the religious instruction of having mindfulness of Allah, His obedience, and being wary of falling into sin.

 

Notes   [ + ]

1. ⇧ Sayyid Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani, al-Masāʾil al-Muntakhabah (Beirut: Dār al-Muʾarrikh al-ʿArabī, 2012), 10-4.

The Best Time for Prayers

By
Haziq Sheikh
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A piece discussing the legalities of ideal prayer times

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

صلّى الله على محمد وآله الأطهار

 

The ritual prayer (ṣalāh, pl. ṣalawāt) is perhaps the most integral practice of a Muslim’s daily life. It is well known to Muslims and non-Muslims alike that throughout the day a Muslim will stop whatever they are doing, turn towards Mecca, and commune with their Lord. The ṣalāh is prescribed to be performed with certain preliminaries and in a particular method. Among these preliminaries is performance of the prayers in their specified times, as Allah alludes to in the Qur’an: “Verily the ṣalāh is a timed prescription upon the faithful.”[1][2]

The Prophet (ṣ) and Imams (ʿa) stressed the obligation of dutifully observing our prayers and making sure we pray them within their prescribed times. al-Kulaynī reports the following hadith from Abān ibn Taghlib, a notable jurist from the companions of Ahl al-Bayt (ʿa):

I was praying in congregation behind Imam Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq (ʿa) in Muzdalifah; when he finished, he turned to me and said, “Abān, whoever establishes the five obligatory prayers with their requirements and takes care to pray them in their allotted times shall meet Allah on the Day of Reckoning with a covenant that will bring him into paradise. However, whoever fails to establish them with their requirements and neglects their prescribed times shall meet Allah with no covenant. If He wishes, He can punish him, and if He wishes, He can pardon him.”[3]

Naturally, one would then wonder what are these prescribed times for each of the daily prayers. Of the Qur’anic verses that speak about the times of prayer, one encompasses all five daily ṣalawāt: “Establish ṣalāh from the sun’s decline until the darkness of the night and [establish] the recitation of dawn. Verily the dawn recital is witnessed.”[4] This verse mentions three times: the sun’s decline (dulūk al-shams), the darkness of the night (ghasaq al-layl), and dawn (fajr). Some Shīʿī Muslims, often in the context of polemics, try to argue that this verse has only defined three timings for the ṣalawāt—namely to argue that the five obligatory prayers have only three times that are established by Allah. This is, however, not what is understood from the verse, linguistically. The verse calls for us to establish prayer within a particular stretch of time—from dulūk al-shams until ghasaq al-layl—and at one particular time, fajr. It does not say to pray at noon, pray at night, and pray at dawn.

The main source for establishing the specific timings for each prayer within that stretch of time is the reported traditions from the Ahl al-Bayt (ʿa). In the issue of the timings of the daily prayers, the fuqahāʾ (jurists) of the school of Ahl al-Bayt (ʿa) have a near consensus on the prayer times. They are as follows:

The time of ẓuhr and ʿaṣr is from noon until sunset. However, the very beginning of this time, for the duration of time it would take to pray ẓuhr, is specific to ẓuhr. The end of the time, just before sunset, is similarly specific to ʿaṣr. Whatever is between these two times is shared. The time of maghrib and ʿishāʾ is from sunset until midnight (literally, when half the night has passed). However, the beginning of this time, for the length of time it would take to pray maghrib, is specific to maghrib. The ending time—just prior to midnight—is similarly specific to ʿishāʾ. Whatever is between these two times is shared.[5]

These given times are the basic boundaries for the prayers to be considered “on time,” termed waqt al-ijzā’. It is these times that are most well-known among the Shiʿa today. Many people perform the prayers in “sets”; that is, they perform ʿaṣr immediately after ẓuhr, and ʿishāʾ immediately after maghrib. This practice of consistently combining prayers is foreign to Sunni Muslims. Generally, Sunnis believe that these prayers cannot be prayed back-to-back without cause, such as traveling or illness. The issue of combining prayers in this manner—without special circumstance—has become a sectarian issue and emblematic of differences between the Shiʿa and the Sunnis.

As members of the two communities constantly interact, ideas and views passively transfer between them. As Sunnis make up a majority of the Muslim community, they tend to set the tone and ethos behind many issues, and their culture defines which views are seen as normative. The dint of this hegemony enforces a culture of stringency on separating the prayers—in a particular way—as ideal, while combining is seen as lax and even deviant. Sometimes this passive absorption of values or a sudden urge to follow the prophetic sunnah in full capacity drives practicing Imāmī Shiʿa to separate their prayers and feel as though their community’s general practice is in opposition to the sunnah of the Prophet (ṣ), even if they affirm the permissibility of combining prayers.

Is Combining Prayers Less Preferable?

To answer this question, one must take a step back and look into the conclusions of experts. Sayyid ʿAlī al-Sīstānī and the late Sayyid al-Khūʾī (d. 1992) say that the recommendation of separating (tafrīq) two prayers with overlapping timings is unestablished and problematic, respectively.[6] Sayyid Khūʾī states that the discouragement (karāhah)[7] for combining prayers in and of itself—meaning for two prayers of a shared time to follow one after another successively—is not supported by any evidence and that the recommendation of tafrīq itself is baseless. Rather, what is established is the karāhah of performing a prayer in the waqt al-faḍīlah (pl. awqāt al-faḍīlah)[8] of another prayer.[9] So there is no established merit in, say, praying ẓuhr at noon and then delaying ʿaṣr until slightly before sunset. The standard is not separating the prayers; it is praying them in their recommended times.

After establishing that, naturally we need to know when are these awqāt al-faḍīlah. The fuqahāʾ differ due to the variety of reports regarding the issue. The general consensus of the jurists is that the waqt al-faḍīla for maghrib is from sunset until the disappearance of the redness in the western sky (shafaq). This disappearance of the shafaq is the beginning of ʿishāʾ’s recommended time that continues until the first third of the night ends. Below is a chart outlining the three predominant views regarding the timings for ẓuhr and ʿaṣr. These times are measured by the length of an object’s shadow in relation to the actual object’s height. As the day moves forward from sunrise towards noon, an object’s shadow will shorten. Once that shadow stops shortening and starts to grow again, the time of ẓuhr has begun. As the day goes along and the sun nears dusk, the length of the object’s shadow will grow. This is what is intended by “shadow length.” So if a 7-foot pole were placed under the sun, it would reach a shadow length of 1/1 when the shadow is 7 feet longer than what it was at the very start of ẓuhr.

 

Faḍīla of Ẓuhr Faḍīla of ʿAṣr
Beginning End Beginning End
Opinion 1[10] Noon Shadow Length 1/1 Shadow Length 1/1 Shadow Length 2/1
Opinion 2[11] Noon Shadow Length 4/7 Shadow Length 2/7 Shadow Length 6/7
Opinion 3[12] Noon Shadow Length 1/1 Noon Shadow Length 2/1

 

For those familiar with the supererogatory prayers that accompany each of the daily prayers–termed nawāfil, nāfilah, or rawātib–note that there seems to be an intimate relationship between these preferred prayer times and the supererogatory prayers. For example, some opinions leave a gap between the beginning of ẓuhr and the waqt al-faḍīlah of ʿaṣr, which would leave appropriate time for the nawāfil of ʿaṣr to be prayed. There is an internal logic to this issue; this time allotment encourages the performance of each ṣalāh with its nawāfil and tries not to create any competition between rituals. So for one who is going to pray these nawāfil—a total of sixteen cycles (rakaʿāt, sing. rakʿah) of prayer—naturally the two prayers will be separated.

At first glance, it may seem surprising that there would be variant timings for the prayers, and that the jurists would put forward differing views.  However, these timings and their variances offer a more holistic picture of the rules and recommendations, and allow for flexibility when people are working, tired, ill, praying in congregation, alone, pregnant, etc.

al-Shaykh Muḥammad al-Sanad, a jurist and teacher in the Najaf seminary, pulls together the various narrations as follows:

It is not unlikely (lā yabʿud) that there are three times for the faḍīlah. For the person praying individually, who anticipates an unexpected task or impediment to the prayer, or that his enthusiasm will fade, the best time for ẓuhr is one-seventh shadow length and two-sevenths for ʿaṣr. However, for others, especially those who will pray in congregation, the best for the two prayers is two-sevenths and then four-sevenths, respectively. That is the regularly-practiced sunna of the Prophet (ṣ) where he would pray the nawāfil, then pray ẓuhr in congregation when the shadow length reached two-sevenths. Then he would pray the nawāfil for ʿaṣr, followed by praying ʿaṣr in congregation when the shadow length reached four-sevenths. Four-sevenths and six-sevenths are the least excellent of the awqāt al-faḍīlah for ẓuhr and ʿaṣr, respectively.

This is for whoever wishes to pray the nawāfil before each of the prayers. If one is not going to do so, then it is best to hasten in praying [both successively] in the very beginning time, regardless of the situation.[13]

Again we see the intimate connection between the performing of prayers in their awqāt al-faḍīlah and the nawāfil prayers. So much so that one who is not going to pray the nawāfil should, in fact, pray ʿaṣr immediately after ẓuhr. Why might this be the case? The virtue of performing righteous deeds earlier rather than later is a known Islamic principle. In a report from Imam Muḥammad al-Bāqir (a), the esteemed jurist and companion of Ahl al-Bayt (ʿa), Zurārah b. Aʿyan, reports:

I said to Imam Bāqir (ʿa): …Is the beginning, middle, or ending time for the ṣalāh the best? He said, “The beginning. The Prophet (ṣ) said: Verily Allah loves the good that you hasten to.”[14]

Some jurists, such as al-Shaykh Fayyāḍ, declare this to be the case not only for ẓuhr and ʿaṣr, but also for maghrib and ʿishāʾ. In a question-answer regarding whether it is recommended to separate or combine ẓuhr and ʿaṣr, and likewise maghrib and ʿishāʾ, he replied that successive praying of the two obligatory prayers in the beginning of their time is superior for anyone who is not going to pray the nawāfil.[15]

This may seem to be very confusing. How does one even figure out two-sevenths of a shadow length? Why does that matter if my marjiʿ say this rather than that? It does not seem that the Imams (ʿa) stressed precision in any of these matters with their followers. Rather, they made things easier for them and expected from each person according to their own ability and knowledge. A group of jurists and narrators from the companions of Ahl al-Bayt (ʿa) were once in the presence of Imam Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq (ʿa) trying to measure out what would be two-sevenths shadow length in Medina. The Imam says to them:

Shall I not inform you of something clearer than this? When the sun begins its descent, then it is time to pray ẓuhr. However, you have in front of you nawāfil and that is up to you. If you would like, lengthen them. If you would like, shorten them.[16]

The companions of the Imams (ʿa) themselves had difficulty with these issues and were confused regarding the timings. There were, apparently, such discussions going on among the jurists that they would specifically ask about this issue, often times in the form of letters. Imam ʿAlī al-Hādī (ʿa) was written to about prayer times; it was mentioned to him that all of these different lengths and times have been reported from the late Imams (ʿa) and that they were unsure of what to do. The Imam (ʿa) replied that it’s neither this measurement nor that measurement–as if to move them away from complicating the issue –and states:

When the sun begins its descent, then it is time to pray ẓuhr. However, you have in front of you nawāfil that is eight cycles. If you would like, lengthen them. If you would like, shorten them. Then pray ẓuhr. When you’re done, between ẓuhr and ʿaṣr are nawāfil that are eight cycles. If you would like, lengthen them. If you would like, shorten them. Then pray ʿaṣr.[17]

A strong emphasis on upholding these specifics between prayer times at all costs neither appears in the traditions from Ahl al-Bayt (ʿa) nor the sīrah (way or lifestyle) of the fuqahā’, especially for the general public. However, the emphasis of praying ṣalawāt in their beginning time and avoiding unnecessary delay is clear and established without doubt. In a report narrated in al-Kāfī, one of Imam Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq’s (a) close students said that he heard the Imam say:

For each ṣalāh there are two times and the best of those times is the first of them. It is not for anyone to take the second time for himself without reason, unless he has an excuse.[18]

In fact, several early Shīʿī scholars limited the prayers to their earlier times—based on narrations like the above—and believed it was not admissible to delay them unnecessarily, especially with the first of two prayers in each set. For example, Taqī al-Dīn b. Najm al-Dīn Abū Ṣalāh al-Ḥalabī (d. 447 AH), one of our preeminent jurists from among al-Shaykh al-Ṭusī’s students, believed that the time of ẓuhr ended at four-sevenths shadow length for a person without a pressing need, and the time of ʿaṣr ended when the shadow length equaled the length of the standard.[19] Therefore, according to Abū al-Ṣalāḥ, if you were to delay ẓuhr and ʿaṣr after these times without good reason, you would have committed a sin.

The open nature of the prayer timings is a mercy and blessing for Muslims. There may be a more preferred way in certain situations and contexts, but our world and schedules are constantly changing, and the lifestyle of one society is different from another. Combining the prayers need not be a cop-out, nor should it be seen as choosing what is easier; rather it is a principled decision derived from the sources of knowledge. It is this openness that allows us to dutifully fulfill the most integral pillar of our faith after walāyah. All of this is part of the tradition and practice that the Prophet (ṣ) himself established.

Imam Ja`far al-Ṣādiq (ʿa) said: “The Prophet (ṣ) prayed ẓuhr and ʿaṣr together successively with the people in congregation when the sun began its descent, without any reason; and he prayed Maghrib and ʿIshāʾ together successively with them in congregation before the disappearance of the shafaq, for no reason. The Prophet (ṣ) only did this so that time would not be a burden [upon his nation].”[20]

 

[1] Qur’an, al-Nisā’ 3:103. إِنَّ الصَّلاةَ كانَت عَلَى المُؤمِنينَ كِتابًا مَوقوتًا

[2] According to several narrations from the Imams (ʿa), “time” (مَوقوتًا) means a lasting obligation, not that the prayer can only be performed at its onset. See: Mashhadī, Tafsīr Kanz al-Daqā’iq wa Baḥr al-Gharā’ib, vol. 3 (Tehran: Shams al-Ḍuḥā) 553-4.

[3] al-Kulaynī, “Kitāb al-Ṣalāh” (“Bāb man Ḥāfaẓa ʿalā Ṣalātih aw Ḍayyaʿahā“) in al-Kāfī fī ʿilm al-Dīn, vol. 3, Hadith 1.

[4] Qurʾan, al-Isrāʾ 17:78. “أَقِمِ الصَّلاةَ لِدُلوكِ الشَّمسِ إِلىٰ غَسَقِ اللَّيلِ وَقُرآنَ الفَجرِ ۖ إِنَّ قُرآنَ الفَجرِ كانَ مَشهودًا”

[5] Sīstānī, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh (“Aʿdād al-Farāʾiḍ wa-Nawāfilihā wa-Mawāqītihā: al-Faṣl al-Thānī“), Minhāj al-Ṣāliḥīn, vol. 1 (Beirut: Dār al-Muʾarrikh al-ʿArabī, 2013) 154.

[6] Sayyid Muḥammad Kāẓim Yazdī, al-`Urwah al-Wuthqā bi-Hāmishihā, vol. 2. (Qum: Muʾassasah Fiqh al-Thaqalayn al-Thiqāfiyyah) 24.

[7] Literally hatred, abhorrence. It is a technical legal term to referring to permissibility, but avoidance being better. An act with this status is deemed makrūh.

[8] Literally time of virtue or excellence. This terms refers to the recommended time to perform a particular prayer.

[9] al-Khū’ī, al-Mustanad fī Sharḥ al-`Urwah al-Wuthqā, vol. 1, 225.

[10] This is the view of Shaykh Makārim Shīrāzī and is usually deemed as the popular (mashhūr) view.

[11] This is the view of Sayyid ʿAlī Sīstānī and of the late Sayyid Muḥammad Ḥusayn Faḍlallāh. However, Sayyid Sīstāni adds that it is even better if ẓuhr is completed before 2/7th and ʿaṣr completed before 4/7th.

[12] This is the view of the late Sayyid Abū al-Qāsim al-Khūʾī, Sayyid Rūhallāh Khumaynī, and of Shaykh Waḥīd Khurasānī.

[13] Sanad, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh (“Awqātuhā“), Minhāj al-Ṣāliḥīn, vol. 1, masʾalah 504.

[14] al-Kulaynī, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh (“Bāb al-Mawāqīt Awwalihā wa Ākhirihā wa Afḍalihā“) in al-Kāfī, vol. 3, hadith 5.

[15] Ishāq al-Fayyadh, “Question and Answer”, accessed: September 20, 2016, http://alfayadh.org/ar/#post?type=post&id=5698.

[16] al-Kulaynī, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh (“Bāb Waqt al-Ẓuhr wa-l-ʿAṣr“) in al-Kāfī, vol. 3, hadith 4.

[17] Ḥurr al-ʿĀmilī, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh (“Abwāb al-Mawāqīt: Bāb istiḥbāb taʾkhīr al-mutanaffil al-Ẓuhr wa-l-ʿAṣr“) in Wasāʾil al-Shī`ah, vol. 4, hadith 13.

[18] al-Kulaynī, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh (“Bāb al-Mawāqīt Awwalihā wa-Ākhirihā wa Afḍalihā“) in al-Kāfī, vol. 3, hadith 3.

[19] al-Ḥalabī, al-Kāfī fī al-Fiqh (Najaf: Maktabh Imām Amīr al-Muʾminīn) 137.

[20] al-Ḥurr al-ʿĀmilī, Kitāb al-Ṣalāh (“Abwāb al-Mawāqīt: Bāb Jawāz al-Jamʿ bayn al-Ṣalātayn li-ghayr al-ʿudhr ayḍan) in Wasāʾil al-Shīʿah, vol. 4, hadith 8.

Announcement: Audio Files Now Available

By
al-Sidrah
-
al-Sidrah Audio Files on Hipcast

Here at al-Sidrah, we attempt to fulfill our goal of disseminating the fruits of the Seminary through various means and media. Insha’allah we will be providing access to various audio files including jum’ah khutbahs, interviews, and occasional lectures, each of which contains unique information and insights. These recordings will be available through both iTunes and Hipcast, which you can access using the “Audio” link in the menu above. Jumu’ah khutbahs will be available on a weekly basis, whereas interviews and the occasional lectures will be more posted intermittently. These programs, we hope, will be of spiritual and intellectual benefit to a wide audience.

If you have any requests or suggestions, say a particular topic you would like us to explore through an interview, or a past lecture you would like to be made available once again, please let us know. Thank you.

L.I.F.E. 2016: Experiencing the Spiritual Influence of the Ahl al-Bayt

By
David Coolidge
-
David Coolidge on his experience at LIFE 2016
Photo Credit Emaun Kashfipour

One of the central questions in my mind when I attended the 2016 L.I.F.E. program at the Ahl al-Bayt Seminary was, “How can I ensure my worship is accepted?” Prior to attending, I had read the section at the end of Shahid Mutahhari’s book, Divine Justice, entitled, “The Deeds of Non-Muslims.” Interestingly enough, this book was translated from Persian by one of the Ahl al-Bayt Seminary founders, Sayyid Sulayman Hasan, along with two other scholars. At this point in my studies, the argument of Mutahhari is the most cogent theological treatise I have read describing the conditions for the acceptability of our actions in the next world. But logic and scriptural proofs alone do not address our needs—the heart (qalb) too has needs that the mind (ʿaql) is not designed to fulfill.

The teachers at the L.I.F.E. program presented a balanced perspective that integrated the needs of both the mind and the heart. Our class on Contemporary Theology by Shaykh Mahdi Mohammadpour was by far the most rigorous exploration I have experienced of a traditional Muslim scholar seriously grappling with the the epistemological challenges of contemporary religious pluralism. Alongside such highly engaging intellectual classes were deeply fulfilling spiritual classes as well. In 4 sessions regarding good character (akhlāq), Shaykh Ammar Haider gave us so much practical wisdom to improve our selves that it will take many years to implement all the lessons we learned! May Allah help us to do so. Āmīn.

But throughout the first half of the program, I kept returning to my initial concern, and yearning for something to explicitly address it. How might I know that the prayers I am making every day are acceptable to God? It was in this moment that we had a special session on duʿāʾ led by Shaykh Hamza Sodagar. He gave us an explanation of a portion of a duʿāʾ recommended to recite after ṣalāt al-ʿaṣr, attributed to Imam al-Sadiq (upon him be peace):

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ نَفْسٍ لاَ تَشْبَعُ

وَمِنْ قَلْبٍ لاَ يَخْشَعُ

وَمِنْ عِلْمٍ لاَ يَنْفَعُ

وَمِنْ صَلاَةٍ لاَ تُرْفَعُ

وَمِنْ دُعَاءٍ لاَ يُسْمَعُ

O Allah, I seek Your protection against a Self that never has enough,

A heart that does not feel apprehension,

Knowledge that does not avail,

A prayer that is not accepted,

And a supplication that is not heard.[1]

He explained how this comprehensive prayer for protection addresses our whole selves (body, heart, and mind), and how the need for our prayers (both ṣalāt and duʿāʾ) to be accepted is representative of our deepest spiritual needs. For our purpose in life is to worship and serve our Creator, and so we deepen our worship and service by seeking refuge in our Creator from the imperfections of our worship and service. We are always in need, and only the One can truly fulfill our needs, both material and spiritual.

Saying this prayer has brought solace to my heart every day. It is as if Imam al-Sadiq knew of my spiritual need before I was even born, and in that moment at L.I.F.E., according to the plan of God, Shaykh Hamza became the conduit for me to experience the spiritual guidance of the Ahl al-Bayt. As many can attest, the duʿāʾs of the Prophet and his family, blessings and peace be upon all of them, often help us express ourselves to God better than we can with our own words. Yes, I had asked my Lord to accept my worship before learning this particular duʿāʾ, but never so beautifully, concisely, and comprehensively. And throughout L.I.F.E. 2016, we were taught about the spiritual treasures waiting for those who turn to the Ahl al-Bayt for guidance: Duʿāʾ Kumayl, Duʿāʾ Abū Ḥamzah al-Thumālī, “The Letter of Imam Hasan al-ʿAskarī (upon him be peace) to ʿAlī ibn Bābawayh al-Qummī”, and many more.

These are the moments we cherish, when our deepest needs are met in a palpable way. I still wonder about the acceptability of my worship from time to time—perhaps it is a lifelong manifestation of living between fear and hope—but this prayer of the Ahl al-Bayt has become my daily companion on the journey to experience the ultimate answer. Every day after ṣalāt al-ʿaṣr, it reminds me to turn back to the One to whom I have already prayed, and dive deeper into the oceans of hope.

Our hope is in the Most Merciful of those who show mercy (Arḥam al-rāḥimīn), and I thank the instructors of L.I.F.E. 2016 for deepening that hope in so many ways.

 

[1] Available on http://www.duas.org.

“Treatise Clarifying the Creed of the Faithful” By al-Karājikī

By
Haziq Sheikh
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A Beautiful Mosque in Paris, France

Abū al-Fatḥ Muḥammad b. `Alī al-Karājikī (d. 449 AH) lived from the end of the fourth century into the fifth century hijrī, a time of great political divisions. The Abbasid caliphate’s control was limited to Baghdad and the areas surrounding it, while the rest of the Muslim world was split between the Fatimids, the Umayyads, the Buwayhids, and others. This was also a time when the differing schools of thought debated and discussed varying juristic and theological issues. Al-Karājikī was among the foremost scholars of the Imāmī theologians, after his teachers Shaykh al-Mufīd and Sharīf al-Murtaḍā, and would engage in dialogue and debate with scholars from the various sects.

Al-Karājikī wrote this treatise in response to a believer requesting a gloss of the beliefs of the Imāmī Shīʿa, to which he obliged. The following translation is the beginning section regarding theology proper, or Ilāhiyyāt, which summarizes correct doctrine regarding God and His attributes according to the Imāmī Shīʿa. Given al-Karājikī’s historical context, the points mentioned here are in contrast to the views of other theological groups, such as the Muʿtazilah or Ashāʿirah, and should not be understood to be exhaustive.

Treatise Clarifying the Creed of the Faithful

From the book Kanz al-Fawāʾid by Abū al-Fatḥ Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī al-Karājikī (d. 449 AH)

Divine Unicity:

You must know that it is obligatory to believe in the created nature of the entire universe and that nothing existed prior, that God is the creator of the entire cosmos, its material bodies and their attributes, except for the deeds originating from His servants. They perform their own actions, not God[1]. One must believe that God alone is pre-eternal and that there is no other pre-eternal entity. He exists and always was. He shall remain and never cease to be. He is a thing unlike all other things, bearing no resemblance to created things. The attributes of created things cannot be attributed to Him. He knew the creation before it existed and no thing is hidden from His knowledge. God possesses certain qualities that are essential to Him and independent of His creation (literally, without the aid of another). These are His characteristics of being all-Living, all-Knowing, pre-Eternal, and Everlasting. It is impossible for Him to be bereft of these qualities, taking on anything contrary.

It is necessary to understand that He has attributes that are derived from His actions. These types of traits are only attributable to Him after the action. These are the types of characteristics He has described for Himself, such as being the Creator, Sustainer, Giver, Merciful, Sovereign, Speaker, etc. He, also, has characteristics that are metaphorically attributed to Him such as wanting, hating, pleasure, and anger. God desiring (irādah) to do an action is, in fact, the execution of that action. God desiring an action by someone else consists of His command to that action. Labeling God’s irādah as His “desire” is not literal; it is figurative language. In that light, His anger is the threat of punishment and His pleasure is the promise of reward.

The believer must affirm that God does not occupy a physical place. He cannot be perceived by the five senses. The Lord is free of all defects. He does not do any injustice to the people because He knows of its evils and is not compelled to injustice for any reason, even if He is capable of doing so. His word is true and His promise real.

The Lord does not burden creation with the impossible, nor does He forbid them any good that is beneficial to them. He commands us to what He wishes and forbids us from what He wishes not.

He established creation for their own good and commissioned them for the sake of their divine benefit. He eliminated their weaknesses in carrying out their duties and did for creation what is best. He enabled them before giving them responsibilities and graced them with intellect and discernment.

They are given agency, they are able to do or—instead—not do a particular action. The truth that must be recognized is found through reason and revelation. The rational imperative is not separate from the revealed imperative.

God has sent to the people prophets and authorities acting as conduits between Him and them to communicate revealed knowledge. These prophets and authorities alert the people through rational argumentation and convey understanding of matters they cannot know about except through revelation. The knowledge of these decisive authorities encompasses all things that the people need from them. They are protected from errors and mistakes, an infallibility (stemming from) choice. The Lord has graced them above the rest of creation and made them His vicegerents who establish the truth. They have performed miracles by the permission of God as confirmation and evidence for the veracity of their prophecies and claims.

Despite all this, they are created servants of God, human beings burdened with responsibilities. They eat; they drink; they have children. They live and die. They feel pain and become ill. Some of them were killed while others died natural deaths. They do not decree creation or sustenance. They do not know of the unseen (al-ghayb) except for what the Lord of creation has informed them of. Their words are true, and all that they brought is real.

[1] Shaykh Muhammad Rida Muzaffar summarizes this issue as follows: “Our actions are in one respect really our own; we are their natural cause. They are under our control and choice. However, from another perspective, they are decreed by God and under His dominion, for He gives existence and is its source. He does not compel us to our actions, thereby oppressing us in punishing us for evil deeds. This is because we have control and choice in what we do. God did not delegate to us the creating of our actions, thereby removing them from His dominion. Rather, creation, rule, and command belong to Him. He is capable of any possibility and thoroughly acquainted with His servants.” This is to say that for our actions to be the result of our free will is itself ordained by God. This removes the quandary of unjust punishment and attributing evil to God.

(رسالة البيان عن جمل اعتقاد أهل الإيمان)

من كتاب كنز الفوائد لفقيه الأصحاب أبي الفتح محمد بن علي الكراجكي المتوفى 449 هـ

 

 (اعلم) ان الواجب على المكلف ان يعتقد حدوث العالم باسره وانه لم يكن شيئا قبل وجوده ويعتقد ان الله هو محدث جميعه من اجسامه واعراضه إلا افعال العباد الواقعة منهم فانهم محدثوها دونه سبحانه ويعتقد ان الله تعالى قديم وحده لا قديم سواه وانه موجود لم يزل وباق لا يزال وانه شئ لا كالاشياء لا يشبه الموجودات ولا يجوز عليه ما يجوز على المحدثات وان له صفات يستحقها لنفسه لا لمعان غيره وهي كونه حيا عالما قادرا قديما باقيا لا يجوز خروجه عن هذه الصفات الى ضدها يعلم الكائنات قبل كونها ولا يخفى عليه شئ منها.

وان له صفات افعال لا يصح اضافتها إليه في الحقيقة إلا بعد فعله وهي ما وصف به نفسه من انه خالق ورازق ومعط وراحم ومالك ومتكلم ونحو ذلك وان له صفات مجازات وهي ما وصف به نفسه من انه يريد ويكره ويرضى ويغضب فارادته لفعل هي الفعل المراد بعينه وارادته لفعل غيره هي امره بذلك الفعل وليس تسميتها بالارادة حقيقة وانما هو على مجاز اللغة وغضبه هو وجود عقابه ورضاه هو وجود ثوابه.

وانه لا يفتقر الى مكان ولا يدرك بشئ من الحواس وانه منزه من القبائح لا يظلم العباد وان كان قادرا على الظلم لانه عالم بقبحه غني عن فعله قوله صدق ووعده حق لا يكلف خلقه ما لا يستطاع ولا يحرمهم صلاحا لهم فيه الانتفاع ولا يامر بما لا يريد ولا ينهى عما يريد.

وانه خلق الخلق لمصلحتهم وكلفهم لاجل منازل منفعتهم و ازاح في التكليف عللهم وفعل اصلح الاشياء بهم وانه اقدرهم قبل التكليف واوجدهم العقل والتمييز وان القدرة تصلح ان يفعل بها الشئ وضده بدلا منه وان الحق الذي تجب معرفته تدرك بشيئين وهما العقل والسمع وان التكليف العقلي لا ينفك من التكليف السمعي.

وان الله تعالى قد اوجد للناس في كل زمان مسمعا من انبيائه وحججه بينه وبين الخلق ينبههم على طريق الاستدلال في العقليات ويفقههم على ما لا يعلمون الا به من السمعيات وان جميع حجج الله تعالى محيطون علما بجميع ما يفتقر إليهم فيه العباد وانهم معصومون من الخطا والزلل عصمة اختيار وان الله فضلهم على خلقه وجعلهم خلفاء القائمين بحقه وانه اظهر على ايديهم المعجزات تصديقا لهم فيما ادعوه من الانباء والاخبار.

وانهم مع ذلك باجمعهم عباد مخلوقون وبشر مكلفون ياكلون ويشربون ويتناسلون ويحيون باحيائه ويموتون باماتته تجوز عليهم الالام المعترضات فمنهم من قتل ومنهم من مات لا يقدرون على خلق ولا رزق ولا يعلمون الغيب الا ما اعلمهم اله الخلق وان اقوالهم صدق وجميع ما اتوا به حق.

The Virtues: Reflections on a Duʿāʾ by Imam al-Mahdi

By
Reza Hemyari
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A written piece on a moving prayer supplication

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

اللَّهُمَّ ارْزُقْنَا تَوْفِيقَ الطَّاعَةِ وَ بُعْدَ الْمَعْصِيَةِ وَ صِدْقَ النِّيَّةِ وَ عِرْفَانَ الْحُرْمَةِ وَ أَكْرِمْنَا بِالهُدَى وَ الاسْتِقَامَةِ وَ سَدِّدْ أَلْسِنَتَنَا بِالصَّوَابِ وَ الْحِكْمَةِ وَ امْلَأْ قُلُوبَنَا بِالْعِلْمِ وَ الْمَعْرِفَةِ وَ طَهِّرْ بُطُونَنَا مِنَ الْحَرَامِ وَ الشُّبْهَةِ وَ اكْفُفْ أَيْدِيَنَا عَنِ الظُّلْمِ وَ السِّرْقَةِ وَ اغْضُضْ أَبْصَارَنَا عَنِ الْفُجُورِ وَ الْخِيَانَةِ وَ اسْدُدْ أَسْمَاعَنَا عَنِ اللَّغْوِ وَ الْغِيبَةِ وَتَفَضَّلْ عَلَى عُلَمَائِنَا بِالزُّهْدِ وَ النَّصِيحَةِ وَ عَلَى الْمُتَعَلِّمِينَ بِالْجُهْدِ وَ الرَّغْبَةِ وَ عَلَى الْمُسْتَمِعِينَ بِالاتِّبَاعِ وَ الْمَوْعِظَةِ وَ عَلَى مَرْضَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ بِالشِّفَاءِ وَ الرَّاحَةِ وَ عَلَى مَوْتَاهُمْ بِالرَّأْفَةِ وَ الرَّحْمَةِ، وَ عَلَى مَشَايِخِنَا بِالْوَقَارِ وَ السَّكِينَةِ وَ عَلَى الشَّبَابِ بِالْإِنَابَةِ وَ التَّوْبَةِ وَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ بِالْحَيَاءِ وَ الْعِفَّةِ وَ عَلَى الْأَغْنِيَاءِ بِالتَّوَاضُعِ وَ السَّعَةِ وَ عَلَى الْفُقَرَاءِ بِالصَّبْرِ وَ الْقَنَاعَةِ وَ عَلَى الْغُزَاةِ بِالنَّصْرِ وَ الْغَلَبَةِ وَ عَلَى الْأُسَرَاءِ بِالْخَلاصِ وَ الرَّاحَةِ وَ عَلَى الْأُمَرَاءِ بِالْعَدْلِ وَ الشَّفَقَةِ وَ عَلَى الرَّعِيَّةِ بِالْإِنْصَافِ وَ حُسْنِ السِّيرَةِ وَ بَارِكْ لِلْحُجَّاجِ وَ الزُّوَّارِ فِي الزَّادِ وَالنَّفَقَةِ وَاقْضِ مَا أَوْجَبْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ الْحَجِّ وَ الْعُمْرَةِ بِفَضْلِكَ وَ رَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ.[1]

Oh God, bestow upon us the grace of obedience, and distance from sin, the trueness of intention, and knowledge of what is sacred. Honor us with guidance and perseverance; direct our tongues towards truth and wisdom; fill our hearts with knowledge and deep comprehension; purify our bodies from sinful foods and uncertain foods, stay our hands from injustice and theft, close our eyes to immorality and disloyalty, and stop our ears from vanity and gossip. Confer renunciation and good counsel upon our scholars, and hard work, enthusiasm and care upon our students; obedience and exhortation upon our congregations; healing and ease upon sick Muslims; clemency and mercy upon the deceased among them; dignity and serenity upon our old; contrition and penitence upon our youth; modesty and chastity upon our women; humility and abundance upon the wealthy; patience and contentment upon the poor. (Confer) aid and triumph to our warriors, freedom and ease upon our prisoners, justice and sympathy to our leaders; fairness and good conduct upon our subjects. Bless our hajj-pilgrims and (other) pilgrims with their provisions and their expenses; and discharge the hajj and ʿumrah you made mandatory upon them, by your Bounty and Mercy, O you who are the Most Merciful.

This prayer, associated with Imam al-Mahdi, tells us of goodness and virtue in a holistic way, bringing together individual and social virtues in a unique and comprehensive manner. In honor of ʿĪd al-Aḍḥā, let us reflect on two of its major themes, in hopes of inculcating at least some of these virtues in ourselves.

The prayer begins by setting the stage for any and all prayers to be effective: recognizing the privilege and grace that comes from God. Our journey towards goodness begins as a grace of God, who created us, sustains us, and bestowed us with the criteria and the existential push towards goodness—the motivation to strive to perfection. This is God’s primordial grace. It is the grace in which our very being, on all levels of our existence, is in the hands of God and depends on his Favor. Divine grace is the string that connects and unites our entire existence, just as the thread that binds together the prayer beads: it runs throughout each moment of our existence and every virtue we ask God for. There is a line from Saʿdi, the Persian poet, that echoes this message:

هر نفسی که فرو می رود ممدّ حیاتست و چون بر می آید مفرّح ذات پس در هر نفسی دو نعمت موجودست و بر هر نعمتی شکری واجب.[2]

“Every breath that is taken extends life. As it leaves, it heartens the soul. So, within every breath two blessings endure. And for every blessing thanks is due.”

Gratitude is indeed a continuous and never-ending process. However, our gratitude must be at a higher level. It isn’t just a never-ending process, meaning one that continues through time. Rather, we receive various degrees and levels of blessings and grace. God has graced us existentially; He has graced us with continuous sustenance. He graced us with the means of understanding Him, and of thanking Him—the grace of cognition, and particularly, of the primordial cognition of Him. Then, there is His historical grace, wherein he revealed to us the Prophet and the Imams, those lights who show us the doors to true servitude, sincere gratitude, and utter obedience, and who permit us to reach the pinnacles of virtue. Therefore, for “every blessing” should not be understood linearly, meaning that we recognize His blessings in this or that moment. Rather our recognition must be multiplied by the many levels of blessings that each moment contains within itself.

In addition, we depend on God to continue His grace upon us at every single moment; God graces us with existence, and with continued existence; He graces us with cognition and with continued cognition; He graces us with cognition of Him and with a continued cognition of Him. He graces us with means to thank Him and a continued ability to thank Him. Each of these blessings extends to each of His creatures, who are in turn blessings in themselves. And this prayer calls us to see this continuous thread of God’s grace throughout our existence and at its various levels, that God “bestows” us—the Arabic رزق—with His “grace”—the Arabic توفيق—in all of the following enumerations of his blessings, and all the additional blessings that we pray to Him for.

Imam ʿAlī was once asked the meaning of the first verse of Sūrah al-Fātiḥah. He responded:

هو أن الله عرّف عباده بعض نعمه عليهم جملاً إذ لا يقدرون على معرفة جميعها بالتفصيل لأنها أكثر من أن تحصى أو تعرف فقال قولوا الحمد لله على ما أنعم به علينا[3]

“It is that God informed His servants of some of His blessings upon them, and in a general way. For his servants cannot ever come to know all of those blessings in detail, because they are greater than can be enumerated or known.” Then he said, “Say, ‘Praise is due to God for all that He has blessed us with.’”

So one aspect of speaking to God is to thank Him for the blessings He has given us in the past and present.

And yet this prayer isn’t about foregone blessings; it is a prayer to increase those blessings. It is a prayer for God to bestow upon us two different levels of virtues: the first, virtues that are universal, that all people must cultivate within themselves to be good. These are human virtues that unite us and apply to all people. We must all recognize God, worship Him, and obey His commands and wishes. We must all try to attain true and sincere intentions. We must all fill our hearts with knowledge, regardless of whether we are students or teachers, young or old. And since goodness requires a distance from evil, the Imam prays for this distance. After all, one cannot be good and simultaneously be close to evil. We must all strive to be guided, and to protect our bodies and selves from all evil as we strive for the ultimate good.

It is noteworthy that the prayer seemingly fluctuates between acquiring our individual virtues and reminding us of the ultimate goals of those virtues. It reminds us of the importance of both the acts and the process of obedience. It asks for guidance, but also for being steadfast in guidance. And it goes through each individual resource that God has given us to attain the goals of guidance and understanding: our tongues, eyes, ears, hands, stomachs, and our hearts. It asks God to give our hearts knowledge and deep understanding, for it is the heart that is the source of life and being; it is the source of understanding.

The second part of the prayer speaks on social virtues, virtues that we must cultivate in terms of our relation to others and our various roles in society. This section has a number of different lessons. First, it tells us that the journey to a virtuous life cannot be undertaken alone. It necessarily involves and must speak to our entire being, which includes both our “selves” as individuals, and our “selves” in relation to others.

Second, the virtues enumerated for each of these relations are not the exclusive domain of that particular group. For example, the prayer asks God to grant scholars renunciation and good counsel. But these attributes are not exclusive to scholars. We must all strive to give good counsel. Similarly, we must all be enthusiastic and care about knowledge, to be modest and chaste, and content and patient. Yet in God’s infinite wisdom, He has established particular challenges and particular roles for each group within society, trials that touch and endure in the lives of particular people more than they endure in the lives of others.

An analogy can be drawn to the particular titles of the Imams: although all the Imams are ṣādiq (Truthful), we use that title to speak of Imam Jaʿfar al-Sadiq. While all are taqī (pious and God-fearing), this virtue is used when referring to only one of them. This does not diminish the importance of that virtue; in fact, it helps to emphasize it. Nor does associating the virtue with one imam limit it to that imam. Instead, it helps us understand the importance and beauty of that virtue in the person of that imam, and thus to appreciate its existence in the other imams as well. Referring to the sixth Imam as al-Ṣādiq (the Truthful), the seventh Imam as al-Kāẓim (the Forbearing), and the tenth Imam as al-Naqī (the Pure) connects us to each of these imams. It allows us to better understand each of these qualities as a unique virtue; in fact, this deeper recognition allows us to better appreciate that virtue in the other imams as well. As a result, we begin to grasp the complexity in God’s creation and reflect on the tools one needs to overcome difficulties. These virtues are those tools.

One problem that arises is that at times, one set of concerns takes primacy in our lives over all else, upsetting this delicate and divine balance. Take for example the primacy of social justice between the rich and the poor, or for example increased equality and fairness in political systems. The tension and misunderstandings that exist between rich and poor can never be eliminated entirely. But in light of this prayer, we can see that beyond this tension, there can also be a shared purpose and a deeper spirituality. Both rich and poor have been blessed and tested by Allah, but in different ways. Both have a challenge and a task to honor and obey God’s command. Both have a role to play in the betterment of society. And in the course of their lives, there might be many times when today’s rich are tomorrow’s poor, or yesterday’s receivers are today’s givers.

In addition, this prayer—which is itself a reflection of the lives and approach of our Imams—shows us that our sense of good and evil cannot be confined to one segment of our lives. Each of us simultaneously fulfills several roles and balances many different types of responsibilities. We grow up, but we are still our parents’ children. We get married, but we are still siblings to our brothers and sisters. We may move from one city to another, but we are still bound by ties of family, friendship, religion, and humanity to those we leave behind. For example, political life, although important in many ways, cannot consume the rest of life and all the other roles we play, as though it is the single thing that gives us meaning. Nor can the virtues of this role claim a hegemony over what defines virtue or truth. All of these roles are elements or loci that infuse our lives with meaning, and our understanding and being must reflect this recognition.

Finally, the prayer tells us that each of these roles, however difficult, has its own virtues. Many times, when we look at our current situation, we are prone to say, if only circumstances would have been different. We see goodness in only particular situations or results. “If we were rich, then we would be virtuous.” “If we were young, we would be good.” “If we were in power, we would be fair and just.” Yet this prayer shows us that each one of these circumstances has its own virtues and we must strive towards the particular virtue embedded in those circumstances. Our particular situation should not negate our journey towards goodness. If we find ourselves in poverty, we must be patient and content; just as if we find ourselves with wealth, we must be humble and generous. If we are subjects of a government, we must be fair and have good deeds. If we are old, we should strive towards dignity and serenity. If we are young, we need to ask for forgiveness and repent to God more often.

Of course that does not mean it is equal to be young and to be old, or to be poor and to be rich. Wealth is a blessing that God gives to some people that he does not give to others. We shouldn’t fool ourselves into thinking that it isn’t good. Or to say that youth is bad or is equal to being old. Imam Husayn, describes this reality in his Duʿāʾ ʿArafah. Two brothers, Bishr and Bashir, sons of Ghalib al-Asadi narrate the story behind this duʿāʾ:

“On the afternoon of the day of ʿArafah, Imam Husayn exits his tent surrounded by his some of his family members, his sons, and his Shiʿah. The Imam was in a state of utter humility and abasement of his self, as he went to the left flank of the mountain. He then turned towards the Kaʿbah, and raised his hands as a beggar who pleads for food.” The Imam states in his prayer:

أَشكو إليكَ غربتي وبُعد داري وهَواني على من ملَّكْتَهُ أَمري إلهي فلا تُحلِلْ عليَّ غَضَبَكَ فَإِنْ لم تَكُن غَضِبتَ عليَّ فلا أُبالي سِواكَ سُبحانَكَ غَيرَ أنَّ عافيتكَ أوسع لي فأسئلكَ يا ربِّ بنور وجهك الَّذي أشرَقَتْ له الأرضُ والسمواتُ وكشفت به الظلمات وصَلَحَ به أمرُ الأولين والآخِرين أن لا تُميتَني على غَضَبِكَ ولا تُنْزِلْ بي سَخَطَكَ

I complain to You about my alienation and my foreignness, and my ignominy in the eyes of him whom You have given domination over me. So, O my God, do not make Your wrath come upon me. If You are not wrathful with me, then I care for nothing save You.  All glory be to You; yet, Your granting me well-being is more favorable for me. So, I beseech You, O my Lord, in the name of the Light of Your Face, to which the Earth and the heavens have shone, by which all darkness has been uncovered, and by which the affairs of the past and the coming generations are made right, (please) do not cause me to die while You are wrathful with me, and do not inflict on me Your rage.[4]

The Imam tells us that although we recognize and accept God’s decree for us, we also pray to Him wholeheartedly for deliverance. Once we have attained God’s satisfaction, all the blessings He showers us with will be just that, blessings. If, however, we have the wrath of God upon us, then all such blessings are transformed into sources of punishment.[5] And so we must keep that ultimate criterion in mind when we face our own lives. We must remember that each circumstance that God has placed us in has its own virtue. And rather than always striving to change the particular circumstances God give us, we should concern ourselves more with how we acquire that Divine Pleasure. And having recognized this, pray for further Divine grace, that string that connects each level of our existence.

بِفَضْلِكَ وَرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ

[1] Al-Kafʿamī, Al-Miṣbāḥ, pg. 280-1. All translations are by author, unless indicated otherwise.

[2] Saʿdī, “Dībācheh”, in Gulistān. Accessed September 15, 2016. http://ganjoor.net/saadi/golestan/dibache/.

[3] Al-Saduq, ʿUyūn Akhbār al-Riḍā, 1:282, hadith 30.

[4] Imam Al-Husayn, “Du’a’ Arafah”, transl. by www.duas.org, accessed: September 11, 2016. http://www.duas.org/zilhajj/arfday.htm.

[5] For a verse that indicates that blessings can transform into sources of further punishment, see: Qurʾan, Sūrat ul-Qalam  68:44-5.

LIFE 2016 Summary Report

By
al-Sidrah
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Click to view a summary of summer 2016's LIFE intensive course.

This summer, the Ahl al-Bayt Islamic Seminary held its second annual LIFE intensive course. The 9-day intensive program focused on developing a comprehensive understanding of Islam.

Participants delved into the intellectual, spiritual, ethical, and practical aspects of Islam’s teachings and examined how all of these aspects relate to community life and experience. Sessions included an introduction to Islamic Philosophy, Theology, Law, Mysticism, and Ethics. Activities included duʿāʾ gatherings, akhlāq sessions, workshops, round-table discussions with scholars, and recreational and service activities.

A new component to this year’s LIFE Intensive course was the Initiatives Session, which involved conceiving a collective project aiming to address the community’s needs and challenges by mapping out new initiatives and building institutions. Participants were provided a comprehensive project plan to facilitate their projects.

Below you will find a summary of the 9-day course.  Click the image to view the PDF.

LIFE 2016 Summary Report
Click to review the LIFE 2016 Summary (pdf)

The Etiquettes of Commerce: An Excerpt from Tabsirat al-Mutaʿallimīn

By
Shaan Rizvi
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The following excerpt is from Tabsirat al-Mutaʿallimīn (“Enlightening the Seekers of Knowledge”), a book of basic Islamic rulings by Jamāl al-Dīn Abū Manṣūr Ḥasan ibn Yūsuf ibn Muṭahhar al-Ḥillī, more commonly known in the Shiʿah world as ʿAllamah al-Ḥillī.

ʿAllamah al-Ḥillī was born in the town of Ḥilla, Iraq, and lived primarily during the 7th century A.H.  He was the preeminent Shiʿah scholar of his time, particularly in jurisprudence and theology.  It is related that ʿAllamah al-Ḥillī authored over 100 books during his life, many of which are still extant.

ʿAllamah al-Ḥillī wrote Tabsirat al-Mutaʿallimīn primarily as a pedagogical tool for beginning students of fiqh.  In it, he summarizes the most common legal opinions of Shiʿi jurists of his time.  The following excerpt, titled “The Etiquettes of Commerce,” summarizes the views of those jurists on some basic recommended and reprehensible actions for people who engage in business and trade.  The excerpt has been edited for clarity and content.

This particular excerpt out of ʿAllamah al-Ḥillī’s larger work was selected because of the seemingly quotidian nature of commerce and the general lack of discourse regarding the ethical norms of such transactions. The points in the passage translated below apply both to the businessperson and to each individual’s day-to-day exchange of money for goods. It is my hope that this translation serves to generate some reflection regarding the normative goals of Islam, and to imbue some of our commonplace activities with meaning and reflection, particularly in the areas of commerce and general societal interaction.

Italics are brief explanations of the translated rules which are in bullet-point form. All non-italicized text is translated material.

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“The Etiquettes of Commerce” (Ādāb al-Tijārah)

Amongst the recommendations (mustaḥabbāt) of commerce are:

  • for a seller to acquire deep understanding (tafaqquh) of the rules of commerce, in order to ascertain what is correct and incorrect regarding selling, and to protect himself from usury;
  • for a seller to treat buyers equally;

This means that a seller should strive to give equal opportunity to all potential buyers, and not discriminate or play favorites between them (for example, on the basis of family relation).

  • for a seller to accept the return of a buyer who seeks to return an item;
  • recitation of the shahādatayn at the time of the sale;
  • recitation of the takbīr [at the time of sale];
  • for a buyer to accept less of the goods than he is actually owed, and for a seller to provide more of the goods than he has sold.

For example, suppose that a seller agrees to sell a pound of pistachios to a given buyer at the rate of $3.00/lb.   After the buyer has paid and the seller has placed a pound of pistachios on his scale, it is recommended that the seller place a small additional amount of pistachios on the scale (without charging the buyer for this additional amount).  This recommendation, in addition to being an act of courtesy, also compensates for any imprecision in the weighing process.

Amongst the reprehensible matters (makrūhāt) in commerce are:

  • for a seller to praise the goods he is attempting to sell;

It is not problematic for a seller to describe the item he is selling by saying, for instance, that he has taken care of the item regularly, or that the materials used in the item are of superior quality. Rather, it is the seller’s excessive or over-zealous marketing of his item that is discouraged.

  • for a buyer to disparage the goods he is attempting to buy;

Likewise, a buyer is also discouraged from excessively mentioning the defects of an item so as to obtain a better price from the seller.

  • for a seller to conceal the defects of his products;

This refers to things like using lighting or placement to conceal a defect, but without it reaching the level of deception or falsification. If it reaches the level of deception, such as passing off a faulty product as being in working order, it is forbidden altogether.

  • for one to take an oath upon a sale;

For example, for a seller to say, “By God, I swear that this wristwatch is real.”

  • selling in a dark place;

This likely pertains to the possible confusion, inaccuracy, or other mistakes that may result from selling in a dark place, particularly where the items being sold are measured by weight or volume.

  • earning a profit off of believers (muʾminīn);

This is an encouragement to engage in commerce with other believers on the basis of kindness and good will, and not primarily or exclusively with a profit motive.  However, if one lives in an Islamic country, or if the vast majority of one’s clients are other believers by necessity, this recommendation does not apply. 

  • that a seller earns a profit off of one to whom he has promised goodness;

For example, if the seller of a product promises to someone, “Don’t worry, I’m going to do you a favor (iḥsān),” it is disliked for him to then earn a profit off of that person.

  • engaging in commerce between the beginning of fajr and sunrise;
  • for one to enter the marketplace (sūq) before anyone else;
  • to engage in commerce with lowly people or people with an apparent affliction;

Various explanations have been given of the term “lowly people.” Some scholars have said it refers to those who do not care about their reputation.  Others have said it refers to those who do not appreciate goodness, such that they do not recognize or return favors done to them. A third opinion is that it refers to those who hold people to account for even minor and insignificant expenses. Likewise, one explanation of the term “people with an apparent affliction,” is that it refers to those whose affliction has left them socially maladjusted, such that this lack of adjustment may cause them to burden or distress others in the context of commercial transactions.

  • to seek a reduction [in price] after a transaction is complete;
  • to offer a higher price at the time of calling out [of the price];

In other words, if a person is calling out a particular price, it is recommended not to interrupt him or her to offer a higher price, but to wait until they are silent, and then approach them.

  • for a seller to sell by weight or volume without knowledge [of how to do so];
  • for a seller to intercept the transaction of his brother;

For instance, if a seller were to say, “I know you are planning to buy this item from him (i.e., another seller), but I’ll give it to you for a better price.”

  • for a city-dweller to serve as an agent (wakīl) for a Bedouin;

Here, the idea is that the disparate economies and commerce-related customs of city-dwellers and Bedouins may result in an unfair transaction.

  • for a seller to monopolize a commodity, which is [defined as] for him to capture and restrict [the sale of] wheat, barley, dates, raisins, fat, or salt, in order to increase the price, in situations where there is nothing other than his product available.

In this case, ʿAllamah al-Ḥillī mentions that the seller can be compelled to sell the product he has monopolized by the ruler or state power. However, the seller retains the authority to set the price at which he will sell the product.

Drawing Inspiration from Imam ʿAlī’s Life and Character (Part I): A Lecture by Sayyid Sulayman Hassan

By
Israa Safieddine
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Summary

In the middle of Surat al-Baqarah, God says, “Thus We have made you a middle nation” (Qurʾan, 2:143), a call to the Muslim community that it is bound to be a role model for all of humanity.  Numerous Qurʾanic verses bring to light the causal relationship between being moderate and being righteous, and prophetic traditions expand on the degree to which keeping a balance between the two contributes to a felicitous life.

In two parts, this paper examines some of the virtues of Imam ʿAlī (ʿa), son of Abū Ṭālib and successor of the noble Prophet of Islam (ṣ), as outlined in a speech by Sayyid Sulayman Hassan on the anniversary of Imam ʿAlī’s (ʿa) martyrdom. The talk was originally held in Ramadan of 2009 in Dearborn, Michigan   (The full talk may be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPox6i-IDEo under the title Character of Imam Ali.)  In particular, it explores the Imam’s exemplary embodiment of balance as revealed in difficult situations, along with some of its implications.

The first part opens by explaining the need for attaching ourselves to role models as a way to bring divine teachings to life.  In order to take a deeper glimpse into God’s attributes, the Prophet (ṣ) and Ahl al-Bayt (ʿa) serve to model the theoretical, thereby allowing our understanding to evolve from intellectual concepts to experiential awareness.  To illustrate this, the core of this piece draws lessons from some of Imam ʿAli’s (ʿa) life stories.

It’s worth noting that this paper underwent a series of minor emendations before reaching its current form.  The original speech was first transcribed verbatim and with the speaker’s permission, subsequently adjusted to fit a written framework.  This was done based on the transcriber’s judgments about what should or should not be included – using creative license to omit, add, and rearrange elements of the text.

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The Prophet (ṣ) and Ahl al-Bayt (ʿa) as Mediums that Stimulate Greater Understanding of the Divine

One of the honors that Allah (swt) has given to those who have chosen to follow Ahl al-Bayt is familiarity with the character and life story of Amīr al-Muʾminīn.[1]  It is a matter of great pride for the followers of Ahl al-Bayt that in addition to the Qurʾan, we have an entire heritage of sayings, letters, and sermons from Amīr al-Muʾminīn and his successors through which to guide our lives.

The prayers that we make, rooted in the Qurʾan, help to give our lives consistency and constancy, and this consistency and constancy can only come when we have models in our life who demonstrate how to fulfill all of the different and sometimes conflicting roles that we must satisfy.  As human beings we sometimes have roles that overlap or conflict, and it is not sufficient for us to simply look at a book or a set of teachings to understand how to bring those together.  It is through the examples that we have of the Prophet (ṣ) and his infallible successors that we are able to harmonize those teachings in practice and bring them to fruition.

For example, when we say that Allah (swt) is al-Raḥmān (Most Merciful), His mercy is such that it encompasses all things[2] – رَحْمَتُهُ وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْء – including His trials and His punishment, and including the hardships that we face.  When I get sick, or if there is an earthquake, that too is part of Allah’s mercy (raḥmah) which encompasses all things.  His anger (ghaḍab), however, is particular, and it too is encompassed under the broader umbrella of Allah’s system of mercy.

The question, though, is: What can that mercy mean for me, aside from being a concept within my head?  When it comes to Allah having a universal mercy, I can understand the concept – meaning to love, to show kindness.  But when it comes to a particular, I will not know what that means because if it is a mercy that allows such major tragedies to take place in the world – like war, earthquakes, and tsunamis – then I’m left with the following questions: What does mercy mean for me?  Will Allah (swt) help me overcome this problem that I face?  When a loved one is sick, can I pray to a merciful God?  What does that mercy mean when thousands of people were just killed in some natural disaster or some man-made disaster somewhere else in the world? At first glance, mercy here seems to not have a tangible meaning.  It remains a concept that is inaccessible to the human mind and emotion.

That said, it is still mercy in a real sense, even if we cannot easily relate to it.  But in order for Allah to make it something that we can understand, He has placed a perfect manifestation of His mercy in the person of the Prophet (ṣ), and that He sent him as a “mercy” for the entire world.[3]  Thus, Allah’s mercy, which is universal, is perfectly manifested in the person of the Prophet (ṣ).  That universal mercy is now on a level and in a human dimension that we can relate to.  If, for instance, I have a prayer to make to Allah (swt) – a ḥāja or need – then I know what the reaction or feeling of a merciful human being, or an infinitely merciful prophet, would be.  It is through this newfound understanding that I can better recognize how Allah’s mercy operates within His creation, even though I cannot understand the greater interests[4] of the universe as a whole, which may allow many things to take place in the world – things that I cannot understand or relate to.  In other words, when it comes down to the human level, it is through the manifestation of Allah’s mercy in the Prophet (ṣ) that I can relate to His mercy.  Therefore, I can approach Allah through the Prophet (ṣ) and through those who are a manifestation of Allah’s mercy (and His other names).  In this way, the belief that “God is merciful” acquires emotional content that gives us meaning and motivation. It is no longer purely a theoretical notion.

Likewise, when we call Ahl al-Bayt (ʿa) “the gate of Allah through which He is approached” (بابُ الله الذي مِنْهُ يُؤْتى)[5] – one of the ranks of our Prophet and his progeny – it is by no means idolatry (shirk).  In fact, it is our greatest insurance policy against either a) ascribing partners to Allah and giving Him a human dimension, or b) not being able to understand and relate to Allah, and thereby moving Him away from us to a point where He is beyond our ability to know.

In reality, the essence and reality of Allah, the way in which He makes decisions for the world and even for our own well-being, and the level of His knowledge and actions are so far beyond our comprehension that we cannot understand what His mercy might mean for us.  Does it mean that when my son or daughter is sick, I can pray for their health and Allah will make them well?  Or will He cause them to suffer an unspeakable sickness?  Is that better for me on some level?  It may be better for me on some level, and I can understand that intellectually, but I cannot relate to it. If we can only understand Allah in terms of His attributes on that level, then we will never be able to relate to Him, sincerely approach Him, and pray to Him.

This is why we see that in Qurʾanic verses and aḥādīth[6] – reported by not just one subset of Muslims, but by all Muslims – the Prophet (ṣ) is described as someone who is manifesting Allah’s attributes.[7]  The Qurʾan itself says that He is a mercy for the entire universe, and the other attributes of Allah are also manifested through him.  After the Prophet (ṣ), these attributes were manifested through Ahl al-Bayt (ʿa).  And by perceiving how Allah’s infinite attributes are to be manifested on the worldly or human level, we can relate to Allah (swt).  And this is what allows us to maintain the pristine concept of Islamic tawḥīd (oneness [of God]).

Allah (swt) is infinite – and thus beyond our understanding – but His attributes have both intellectual and emotive content.  There is no sense that, for example, mercy or forgiveness can’t be understood[8].  Without a doubt, every attribute has true meaning, and we relate to them by way of their manifestation through those who are perfect role models for humanity.  This is the role of the Ahl al-Bayt.  This is why we turn to them for guidance, inspiration, and leadership; for an understanding of Islamic laws and ethics; and also as intermediaries between us and Allah (swt) to have our needs fulfilled by Him.  This is what solidifies and strengthens our tawḥīd.

The Distinct Superiority of Imam ʿAlī (ʿa) as a Member of the Prophet’s (ṣ) Progeny

This occasion (i.e. the anniversary of Imam ʿAlī’s martyrdom) is one of those times when we speak and think of the greatest of the members of Ahl al-Bayt – the one whom all of our Imams, with their own level of perfection and divine grace, would revere.

Someone once came to our 6th Imam, Imam Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq (ʿa), and said, “Peace be upon you, O Amīr al-Muʾminīn.”  The Imam paused, the expression on his face changed, and he said: (What did you say?)  “Amīr al-Muʾminīn is a title that is only appropriate for the one”[9] who was appointed directly by the Prophet and who was made the “leader of the believers” by the Prophet.  There are many aḥādīth that confirm the idea that all of the Imams fulfill the same functions; for instance, the ḥadīth which reads, “All of us are divinely-appointed leaders (مَهدي), and all of us carry out God’s orders (قائِم بالحَقّ).” Every Imam is a waṣī, or successor, because each is either the successor of the Prophet (ṣ) or the successor of a previous successor (i.e. a non-immediate successor).  Thus, they are all the legatees of the Prophet (ṣ) and the trustees of his teachings.  But despite their common roles, goals, and origin, Imam ʿAlī (ʿa) is unique in his status; there is only one who was accorded the titles Amīr al-Muʾminīn, al-Fārūq al-Aʿẓam (The Great Distinguisher [Between Truth and Falsehood]), and al-Ṣiddīq al-Akbar (The Greatest of the Truthful Ones).

So who was Amīr al-Muʾminīn, and what should he represent for us?  There are many aspects of his life that we speak of frequently.  I don’t want to repeat that which we may have heard before; rather, I’d like to explore some of the unique aspects of the Imam’s character.

Maintaining Exemplary Balance and Precision in the face of Tremendous Ignorance

One of Amīr al-Muʾminīn’s (ʿa) prominent features is his ability to maintain an Islamic ideal of balance in circumstances where everyone around him – including the pious believers, and those who had a great deal of experience and sincerity – was unable to understand where the right, proper, and balanced course of action was.  One of these instances was when the sedition (fitna) of the Khawārij[10] took place.  In one of his sermons, Amīr al-Muʾminīn says that if it were not for him, no one would know how to deal with the Khawārij after the Prophet (ṣ).[11]  Here are people who pray and fast, and the way they pray would make all of the Muslims – including the sincere believers – green with envy.  They stay up all night engaged in acts of worship, their bodies show signs of having engaged in long prostration, and they recite the Qurʾan day in and day out.  Nevertheless, it is as if Islam has gone through their being and not tarried or stopped within them, just as an arrow might pass through its target and not remain in it; they had no knowledge of Islam except for its superficial aspects.  But with these conditions, people did not know how to deal with them; many Muslims were under the impression that these are signs of a true Muslim.

The Imam says that it was he who told people how to deal with them – in other words, how to combat them, how to eliminate their sedition, and how to stop them from inflicting harm on the Muslim ummah – without going overboard or creating a long-lasting division within the Islamic world.  It is that balance in understanding how to deal with external enemies and ignorant friends, as well as all of the other differences and divergences that exist inside and outside of the Islamic ummah, which propels us to turn to Amīr al-Muʾminīn and derive inspiration from him.

His Balance in Dealing with Fierce Accusations

I’d like to further delve into the discussion of maintaining balance by recounting a few incidents from the Imam’s life in this regard.  God-willing, these stories will provide us with inspiration to address and resolve the differences that we face within our community, within the broader Muslim community, and also with humanity as a whole.

In the beginning of the Imam’s struggle in Kufa, it is said that he would give sermons and ask people their opinions on how to confront Muʿāwiyyah[12] who at the time had raised the flag of rebellion from Syria and made all sorts of false allegations[13] and from which the Imam was absolutely free of any guilt.  The most blameless person in the entire ummah was Amīr al-Muʾminīn in regard to what had happened in the days of the third caliph. Yet when Muʿāwiyyah raised the flag of sedition, the Imam was seeking the opinions of those around him in Kufa.  Many people stood up and said: O Amīr al-Muʾminīn, we think that such-and-such is the right course of action but we are at peace with whoever you make peace, and we are at war with whoever you go to war (نَحْنُ سِلْمٌ لِمَن سالَمَت وحَرْبٌ لِمَن حارَبَت); we give our opinions because you asked us, but we will follow your opinion.  At this time someone stood up and said, “Do you think that you’re going to take us to fight Muʿāwiyyah as you took us to fight the People of Jamal[14] before?  This will never happen!  We won’t do it!” This person then said something that was unworthy of the rank and nobility of Amīr al-Muʾminīn.

Now in that environment in Kufa, people knew exactly what had happened (in the Battle of Jamal) right in the neighborhoods of Basra,[15] which was a few hundred kilometers to the south.  They were well aware of the treachery that took place and the great harm that it brought to the unity of the Islamic ummah.  They also knew what Muʿāwiyyah was planning in Damascus.[16]  The people in the crowd could not bear to have somebody stand up and offer an insincere opinion that was absolutely venomous and vindictive against Amīr al-Muʾminīn.  As a result, a commotion arose in the masjid and when that person, Arbad al-Fazārī, fled, the people ran after him.  It is said that in that severe commotion – in that fitna – he was killed; he was attacked, and perhaps trampled.

When news came to Amīr al-Muʾminīn that Arbad had been killed, the Imam became concerned and demanded to know who had killed him, because even though Arbad rose up to turn people against Amīr al-Muʾminīn, justice was what the Imam was speaking of and calling people towards; he would not want justice to be trampled upon in his own masjid.  He asked, “Who killed him?”  They replied by saying that in that commotion, the people of various tribes went to pursue the man – that he deserved to be punished for what he said, because he had breached the trust of the Islamic ummah – and so it isn’t known; various people came and he was killed.  The Imam said that he is someone who has been killed by a state of ignorance and blindness (قَتيلُ عِمِيَّة); it was a general sedition that took place and his blame cannot be pinned on a single person.  But even so, as a Muslim who was not deserving of death, his life cannot go in vain.  Thus, the Imam ordered that his family be compensated for his wrongful death by the public treasury of the Muslims (دِيَّتُهُ مِن بَيْتِ مال المُسْلِمِين); all of the Muslims should bear the responsibility and compensate his family for that death.[17]  Remarkably, even though Arbad had risen up against the Imam, the Imam was not willing to have his blood go in vain.

Following this incident, it is said that some people spoke up to express their support for the Imam.  They wanted to let him know that they are sincere in following him, and that Arbad’s opinion did not match that of the majority.  Before going home, the Imam briefly addressed the public.  Despite its brevity, it is instructive.  Imagine the commotion.  Imagine the heightened emotions; people had lost loved ones in the Battle of Jamal, and they were volunteering their money and their very lives to traverse a great distance to Ṣiffīn (in Syria at the time) in order to combat the rebellion of Muʿāwiyyah.  When people are willing to give their very lives – or rather, when lives have already been offered – this is not a matter that can be taken lightly.

In that commotion, the Imam showed incredible balance and composure; he did not let emotions get the better of him or his followers.  He said:

الطَّريقُ مُشْتَرَك والنّاسُ في الحَقِّ سَواء ومَن اجْتَهَدَ رَأْيهُ في نَصِيحَةِ العامّة فَلَهُ ما نَوى وقَد قَضى ما عَلَيه

The path (that we are taking) is a joint path and all people have the same rights (to speak out and express their opinions), but if a person gives his full effort and strives to be sincere to the public (or the generality of the Muslims), then he will get what he intended, and he has fulfilled his responsibility.[18]

That is to say, it is not that the Imam and his followers were going to take one path alone while everyone else takes another path; rather, everyone is in the Islamic society together.  The Imam was essentially giving two lessons.  First (to those who may have gotten emotionally carried away), if someone is giving a sincere opinion, we should not silence them because we refuse to hear it or we disagree with it.  Even if I know for a fact that what I am saying is true and what this person is saying is wrong, we both have a right (النّاسُ في الحَقِّ سَواء).  So if someone is offering sincere advice, we must respect them and let them be heard.  Allah (swt) knows whether our intention is good or evil, and He will judge opinions and intentions in accordance with His infinite knowledge.  Second, one should not believe oneself to be free of responsibility; it is not the case that everyone may express every opinion without bearing any responsibility.  Instead, they must do their utmost to be sincere to the public (ʿāmmah).

It sometimes happens that we may say something because we have an opinion, but we are unwittingly venting rumors.  Sometimes we say or quote things that we believe may be true, but without having fully confirmed that they are true.  And that is not something that we have a right to do.  We have to make sure that if we are speaking in the public domain and carrying the public trust, that we give all of our possible efforts to ensure that what we say is proper and correct.

After his short talk, the Imam stepped down from the minbar (pulpit), and went back to his house to let things calm down.  The Imam is trying to raise an army.  He is trying to motivate people to do what is right.  But at the same time, he is trying to moderate their emotions and to make sure that their energies are only going to be spent where it is both profitable and pleasing to Allah (swt).  In addition, the Imam is trying to ensure that those who may wish ill towards the general body of the Muslims do not have a bad influence on the Muslims…

˚˚˚

The second part of this speech will be published in the near future, in shāʾ Allah.

˚˚˚

[1] A title attributed to Imam ʿAlī (ʿa) which translates as “Commander of the Faithful.”

[2] See Qurʾan 6:147 and 7:156.

[3] See Qurʾan 21:107: رَحْمَةً لِلعالَمين

[4] I.e. masāliḥ and mafāsid, or that which serves the public interest or harms it, respectively.

[5] As read, for example, in a famous supplication known as Duʿāʾ al-Nudbah which laments the 12th Imam’s absence.

[6] Plural of hadith, a saying ascribed to the Prophet (ṣ) or a member of Ahl al-Bayt.

[7]  A famous example is the Prophet’s statement equating his daughter’s displeasure with his own, and his displeasure with God’s. The equality of the Prophet’s displeasure with God’s is alluded to in the Qurʾan, 33:57.

[8] In reference to taʿṭīl, or negating God’s attributes.

[9] See Biḥārul Anwār, vol. 37, p. 331; Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī, vol. 1, p. 276; and Wasāʾil al-Shīʿah, vol. 14, p. 600, among others.

[10] Literally “those who left,” in reference to a group of people who left Imam ʿAlī’s (ʿa) army against his opponent, Muʿāwiyyah, and broke away from mainstream Islam.  It’s adherents believe that only Allah can rule over them.  The Khawārij therefore rebelled against the Imam, whom they claim committed a grave sin when he accepted a peace negotiation in the Battle of Ṣiffīn.  At one point, they even labeled him a disbeliever.  Among other things, the Khawārij were known for their shallow understanding of Islamic rituals; they emphasized rules to a great extent, but did not understand or reflect over the values which these rituals intend to cultivate within us.

[11] See sermon 93 of Nahjul Balāghah.

[12] Son of Abū Sufyān whose rule as the governor of Syria marked the beginning of the Umayyad Dynasty.

[13] At the core of which is his claim that the Imam was complicit in the murder of the third caliph ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān.

[14] In reference to the Battle of the Camel, also known as the First Fitna or Muslim civil war, which was fought between the Imam and ʿĀʾishah (along with her supporters, Ṭalḥah and Zubayr).

[15] The name of a city in Iraq.

[16] That is, to depose the Imam and declare himself as caliph.

[17] Naṣr ibn Muzāḥim al-Minqari, Waqʿat Ṣiffīn, 93-95.

[18] Naṣr ibn Muzāḥim al-Minqari, Waqʿat Ṣiffīn, 93.

Gleanings from the Qurʾan: Sūrat al-Kawthar and Sūrat al-ʿAṣr

By
Hassan Abdul-Kareem
-
A Tajik man recites from the Qur'an in Dushanbe's Central Mosque on August 4, 2011.

The Qurʾan animates most of Muslim life, either in the explicit text, or the inner teachings. As such, Muslims throughout time have tried to understand their sacred text, seeking out its ethical, metaphysical, and eschatological (maʾād) teachings. Such a task, that of drawing from the spring of sacred knowledge, is ever more pertinent when we see ourselves overcome by immense difficulties, when nothing—neither moral, epistemic, nor metaphysical—seems to hold true in our world. It is then that the Qurʾan shines brightest, illuminating our path towards the True and Real. With this in mind, we will be providing brief summaries of Qurʾanic tafāsīr, God-willing, to glean some insights into this most central source of Islamic knowledge. This article inaugurates our series on Qur’anic tafsir, primarily drawn from The Light of the Holy Quran, compiled by Ayatullah Sayyid Kamāl Faqīh-Īmānī, but that will also include other relevant sources. In this first installation, Hasan Abdul-Kareem presents the tafsīr for Sūrat al-Kawthar and Sūrat al-ʿAṣr, two short yet profound surahs from the 30th juzʾ.

Sūrat al-Kawthar

Background

Sūrat al-Kawthar was revealed in Mecca as an answer to one of the pagans of Quraysh, ʿĀs ibn Wāʾil. ʿĀs insulted the Prophet in front of other members of Quraysh, mockingly calling him abtar, “he who is cut off.” He was referring to the fact that the Prophet had no living male descendants; his only sons (Qāsim and ʿAbdullah) had died young.

This surah was revealed in the early stages of Islam when the Muslims were being severely oppressed by the pagan Meccans. It prophesies the abundant blessings that will come to and through the Prophet.

Verse 1

Definitions

The general meaning of kawthar is derived from the word kathura, “to be or become abundant; plentiful; large (in number)”; kawthar specifically refers to “a man who is bounteous and abundant in giving and goodness.”

Meaning

Allah begins the surah with the basmalah and follows by confirming that indeed he has given the Prophet al-kawthar. This verse prophesies the two gifts to be bestowed upon the Prophet: the stream in paradise called al-kawthar, and the blessed descendants from Lady Fatimah and Imam Ali. Therefore, we can view this verse as also prophesying the “abundance of blessings” in the form of the foremost from among their descendants, the subsequent eleven imams from the Ahl al-Bayt.

Hadith

According to one hadith, al-kawthar is stated as being the holy stream in paradise belonging to the Prophet. It is the spring or river the believers will drink from upon entering paradise. Therefore, this verse is important both as a specific promise to the messenger of Allah and his Ahl al-Bayt, and also as a general promise to all those faithful and pious followers of the Prophet and his divinely-appointed vicegerents.

Verse 2

Definitions

There are two main meanings for the word inḥar, the first referring to the throat—the place where the animal is slaughtered—and the second being from the verb naḥara, referring to the action of slaughter itself

Meaning

Allah follows up the declaration of his promise made in the first verse by commanding: “So, pray to your Lord, and sacrifice!” Allah is telling the Prophet to not let the polytheists’ oppression affect him and to persevere against the injustice of the Quraysh by being dedicated to constantly pray and sacrifice. This command of Allah should be viewed in terms of “continuance,” not in terms of “beginning,” since these two acts of worship were already part of the messenger’s personality, from his birth until his death.

Narrations

According to one hadith, angel Gabriel was reported to have told the Prophet that this inhar refers to “bringing the hands up to the throat” and declaring “Allah Akbar” or “God is Greater” between particular movements in the prayer. Another hadith is reported from Imam al-Ṣādiq, stating that this inhar refers to raising of the hands with the palms facing the qiblah (when declaring “Allah Akbar” in between the movements of prayer).

Verse 3

Definitions

The general meaning of the word shāniʾ comes from shanaʾān, meaning “enmity and spite.” Although shāniʾ is usually translated as “enemy,” it actually means “one who acts with enmity or spitefulness,” which more accurately represents how the pagans of Mecca would antagonize the Prophet.

The word abtar literally means an “animal whose tail has been cut off.”

Meaning

Allah is making both a specific judgment against ʿĀs ibn Wāʾil, and a general judgment against all polytheists and oppressors of the Prophet and Islam, when he turns their initial insults towards the Prophet—as “the one who is cut off”—back upon their own shoulders. Similar to the first verse, where Allah prophesies the “abundance of blessings,” here he prophesies the “cutting off” of the pagans of Mecca from their influence and dominance of Mecca and from the prestige given to their lineage.

 

Sūrat al-ʿAṣr

Background

This surah was revealed during the Meccan period, although some claim it was revealed in Medina. Like Sūrat al-Kawthar, Sūrat al-ʿAṣr was revealed when Islam and the Muslims were heavily suppressed by the Quraysh. Allah in this surah prescribes for the believers a holistic path for self-development and puts a particular emphasis on the value of time.

Verse 1

Definitions

There are several interpretations for the meaning of ʿaṣr in this verse, including:

  1.     “Evening”
  2.     The entire duration of mankind’s history
  3.     A specified and emphasized era in the history of mankind
  4.     The “pressing or squeezing” that occurs in people’s life that brings them to an awareness of Allah
  5.     The daily ʿaṣr prayer, which is uniquely emphasized, which some understand to be ṣalāt al-wusṭā  referred to in Sūrat al-Baqarah, ayah 238

Meaning

Allah begins the chapter with the basmalah before swearing by the establishment of time immemorial. The word ʿaṣr actually means to “squeeze or press,” a metaphor; the day is “squeezed” in the evening, when all things in creation are overwhelmed by the power of Allah. Allah’s power and dominance over creation comes in the form of the daily shifting of light to darkness, demarcating our rhythm of time itself; the rotation of earth on its axis; and an awe-inspiring planetary orbit that keeps our Earth revolving around the sun, providing the light source for our daily shift between light and dark. Consequently, Allah is simply setting the stage for this surah, by humbling his insignificant creatures with the establishment of this divine reality.

Verse 2

Definitions

The word khusr actually means to “suffer loss of capital, e.g. wealth, resources” Khusr can either be a physical or a spiritual loss of capital. In this verse, khusr means “the loss of spiritual capital.” An example of this meaning of khusr can also be found in Sūrat al-Zumar: ayah 15.

After swearing by time immemorial and firmly establishing his dominance over His creation, Allah pronounces a universal truth about the inward reality of the human being. The human being in his quest to find meaning in life is faced with the dilemma of choosing either to gain or to squander his time. Allah appears to be indicating in this verse, however, that most human beings are in a perpetual state of loss.

Narrations

Imam Muḥammad al-Naqī is reported to have alluded to the spiritual tug of war highlighted in this verse by stating: “The world is a market wherein some people gain, while others lose.”

Verse 3

Definitions

Ṣāliḥāt is used in the plural form to indicate that to simply do one or a few good deeds is not sufficient; rather what Allah means here is that one must continuously perform good deeds throughout one’s life.

The word used for the enacting of the last two principles is tawāṣaw, which comes from tawāṣī, meaning to “enjoin or recommend to one another.” The usage of this word and repetition of this word in the sūrah positions the person of faith away from being a passive bystander towards being an active and engaged participant in the world around him. Consequently, through this activity, the person of faith becomes both a steward of the earth and a beacon of spiritual wakefulness for his fellow man.

The word ḥaqq generally means “truth,” but it is such a rich word that it actually contains upto twelve other meanings presented throughout the Qurʾan. Among these are: “Allah, Qurʾan, Islam, theism, justice, truthfulness, sincerity, [and] clarity.” Therefore, this reference to encourage the enjoining of ḥaqq can be viewed as encompassing any or all of these meanings of ḥaqq, since the verse here is left unqualified and general in its import.

Meaning

Allah, knowing the weakness of his creatures, and through his infinite love and wisdom, desires to provide a road map to success:

  1.     To have firm faith in Allah, his prophets, divinely appointed vicegerents, angels, etc.;
  2.     To do good deeds;
  3.     Encouraging each other toward truth;
  4.     And encouraging each other toward patience.

One must integrate these life principles into his or her life. This will establish a strong foundation for the completeness that each person seeks in life—an answer to the quest of how to deal with the short time allotted to our lives in this world. We must order our principles because they reflect the particular stages of human spiritual development. These four principles are arranged in a way so as to progressively take the individual away from the default movement towards loss and move him towards success.

A concise analysis of the steps leading from the initial stage of self-development to the last, which moves a person away from a state of loss, can be found below:

Firmness of faith leads one to act in an outward fashion that reflects his or her inner reality. The enacting of the faith in one’s soul naturally leads a person to the the doing of good deeds, mirroring his developed inner reality. The good deeds with foundations firmly planted in faith necessitate encouraging others to uphold truth. However, when truth is encouraged over falsehood, resistance is inevitable, due to most people being in this state of loss (as described in the previous verse), and having yet to experience the light of these core principles. Therefore, one must also strives towards patience and persevere if he or she wishes to succeed.

Narrations

In Nahj al-Balāghah, sermon 118, Imam ʿAli is reported to have described his faithful companions with the following: “You are supporters of Truth, and brothers in faith (or religion).” In this address to his companions, Imam Ali qualifies his true companions as being exemplary personalities who personify the principles highlighted in this last verse of Sūrat al-ʿAṣr.

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