Sunday, December 13, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
The Truth in the Matter of the Father of Jinn By Mawlana ‘Abd al-Rahman Jami an-Naqshbandi
The author of Rashahat writes, “One day, the subject of the jinn was being discussed. The venerable Mawlana [Jami] quoted a saying of the venerable Shaykh Muhyi-d-Din ‘Arabi: “Is Satan the father of the jinn, or is he not? There is disagreement on this question.” Mawlana [Jami] also said:
“The truth of the matter is that the father of the jinn is other than Satan, although Satan does belong to the species of the jinn. The father of the jinn is a hermaphrodite [khuntha]…There is no benefit in spending time with them, and their company is positively harmful. Since they are created of fire and air, their principal attributes are pride and rebelliousness. Those who frequent them are thereby infected with arrogance and conceit…Warfare amongst them is not rare, since their essential attributes are boastfulness, asserting superiority over one another, arrogance and overbearing tyranny…On the Day of resurrection, those of them who deserve punishment are thrown in to the cold hell, since they are not affected by fire.”
The Existence of Spirits Created from Smokeless Fire (jinn)
by Shaykh Muhyiddin Ibn al-'Arabi
The Existence of Spirits Created from Smokeless Fire (jinn)
He mixed fire and plants, so the form of the jinn was set up
as an interspace between two things
It is between a bodily spirit with a place in depth
and a spirit without "where".
That which accepts embodiment seeks for food for
nourishment without falsehood,
And that which accepts the angels, accepts the heart in
taking shape in the source.
For this reason, it obeys one moment and rebels the next.
He will repay those of them who disobey with two fires.
(Creation of the Jinn, angels and man)
Allah says, "He created jinn from a fusion of smokeless fire." (55:14) It is reported in sound hadith [saying of the Prophet], "Allah created the angels from light and Allah created the jinn from fire and He created man from what you were told." As for what the Prophet said about the creation of man "from what you were told", he was concise and did not specify it as he did in the case of the creation of the angels and the jinn. The Prophet "was given all the words". This is part of them. The basic creation of angels and jinn did not vary. The creation of man is varied as there are four categories of man's creation. The creation of Adam does not resemble the creation of Eve. The creation of Eve does not resemble the creation of the rest of the children of Adam. The creation of Jesus does not resemble the creation of the others. Here the Messenger of Allah was concise. He has transmitted to us the details of the creation of man. Adam was created from clay, Eve from a rib, 'Isa is from the blowing of a spirit, and the children of Adam from "a contemptible water". (77:20)
(The conceptual cohesion of heaven and earth)
When Allah set up the four basic elements and smoke rose to the bottom of the Sphere of Fixed Stars, the seven heavens unwound themselves in that smoke, each separate from each other. He "revealed, in every heaven, its ordinance" after "He established in it its nourishment" and all that was "in four days". Then he said "to the heavens and the earth: Come willingly or unwillingly." (41:9-11) i.e. they answer when they are called to produce what He wants them to produce. They said, "we come willingly."
Then Allah established a conceptual cohesion between heaven and earth and a direction by which He desires to bring into existence products in this earth in the form of minerals, plants and animals. He made the earth like the wife and the heaven like the husband. The heaven casts to earth the command of Allah in it as a man casts water into a woman in intercourse. In that casting, the earth brings forth the types of formations which Allah has hidden in its.
(The four elements and the formation of man and jinn)
When air is ignited and heated, it burns like the lamp. The burning of that fire is the flame which is the burning of the air and this is smokeless (marj, jumbled) because it is mixed with the air and is the burning air. Marj is mixture and from this the smokeless is marj since the plants are mixed in it.
The jinn are composed of the two elements of fire and air, as man is composed of the two elements of water and earth kneaded together which produced the name mud. Similarly the mixture of air and fire has the name 'smokeless fire'. Allah created the form of jinn in that smokeless fire. Because of the air which is in the jinn, they can assume whatever form they wish. Because of the fire which is in them, they are insubstanital and very subtle, and they seek dominance, pride and might since fire has the highest position of the elements and it has great power to change things as nature demands. That is reason why he [the jinn Iblis] was too proud to prostrate to Adam when Allah commanded him to do so, because of his own estimation of himself. He said, "I am better than Him" (7:12), i.e. meaning according to the basis by which Allah preferred fire among the four elements.
The jinn did not know that the power of water from which Adam was created was stronger than fire for it extinguishes it and earth is firmer than fire by cold and dryness. Adam has strength and constancy by the dominance of the two elements from which Allah derived him. Even though he also possesses the rest of the elements - air and fire, they do not have the authority in him. The jinn also have the rest of the elements...
Adam was given humility on account of the clayness of his nature. When he is proud, that is incidental (and not intrinsic to his nature). He accepts that because of the element of fire in him as his imagination and states accept different forms because of the element of air in him. The jinn are given pride by the nature of fire in them. If they are humble, that is something incidental which they accept because of the element of earth in them. They also accept fixation in enticement if they are devils and fixation in acts of obedience if they are not devils.
(The jinn when Surat ar-Rahman (Chapter 55 of the Qur'an) was recited
When the Prophet recited Surat ar-Rahman to his Companions, he said, "I was reciting it for the jinn. They listened to it better than you. When I said, 'So which of your Lord's blessings will you deny?' they stated, 'We do not deny any of the blessings of our Lord'. They affirmed them and did not quake when they were told, "So which of your Lord's blessings will you deny?" in his recitation. That is by is in the nature of the jinn of earth and of water which remove the fieriness of fire. Some of them are obedient to Allah and some are rebellious, like us; but they can take on forms as can the angels.
(Their basic form is spiritual)
Allah has made them invisible to us so we do not see them except when Allah wishes to lift the veil for certain individuals who then see them. Since the jinn are insubstantial and subtle, they can take form in whatever sensory form they wish. Their basic form is the spiritual one which was the first form the first jinn accepted when Allah brought him into existence. Then he took on various forms according to what Allah willed. If Allah had opened our eyes so that we could see what the forms conceived by the conceptual faculty through the imagination (khayal), then at different times you would have seen man in various forms which are unlike one another.
(Procreation in jinn and men)
Then Allah breathed the spirit into the flame which was full of turbulence because of its insubstantiality. The blowing increased the turbulence and air dominated it and it did not remain in the same condition. The world of the jinn appeared in that form. As intercourse occurred in mankind by the casting of water in the womb and progeny and birth occurs in this mortal Adamic species, so procreation occurs in the jinn by casting air into the womb of their female, and progeny and birth occurs in the jinn. They exist by Sagittarius and it is fiery. That was mentioned by the one who arived - may Allah preserve him!
(The years between the creation of jinn and men)
There were 60,000 years between the creation of Jann (the first jinn) and the creation of Adam. This is necessary according to the claim of some people that birth will cease among the jinn after 4000 years and that birth will end with man after 7000 years. However, things do not occur on that basis. Things will occur occuring to what Allah wills. The jinn still procreate and we still procreate. So when did man begin, how many years of progeny does he have left and how much time remains until the end of this world and the annihilation of mankind on the face of the earth and their transfer to the Next World? This is not the stance taken by those who are firmly rooted in knowledge. It is stated by a small group of people and will not be repeated.
(The Jinn are an interspace between angels and men)
The angels are spirits breathed into lights. The jinn are spirits breathed into winds. Men are spirits breathed into shapes. It is said that a female was not separated from the first existing jinn as Eve was separated from Adam. One of them said Allah created a vulva in the first existent jinn, so part of him mated with the other part and offspring like those of Adam were born to him: a male and female who married each other. So the jinn's nature was hermaphrodite. For that reason the jinn are part of the world of the interspace: they resemble men and resemble angels as the hermaphrodite resembles both the male and femaleÉ
(The food and marriage of the jinn)
The elements of air and fire dominate the jinn. For that reason, their food is what the air carried by of fat in bones. Allah made their provision in them. So we see that the bone and its flesh is not decreased at all and we know that Allah gave them their sustenance in the bones. This is why the Prophet said about bones, "They are sustenance for your brothers among the jinn." In a hadith, "Allah appoints their sustenance in them." Someone to whom this was unveiled reported to us that he saw the jinn come to some bones and sniff them like beasts of pray sniff. Then they went back having taken their sustenance. Their food was taken in that sniffing. Glory be to the Subtle, the All-Aware!
As their union with each other in marriage, it is in the form of twisting - like what you see of smoke issuing from a kiln or a pottery oven. The smoke intermingles and each of the two individuals enjoys that mutual entry. Their ejaculation resembles like the seed of the palm and is in the form of pure scent, just as is the case with their food.
(The tribes and clans of the jinn)
They have tribes and clans. It is said that they are contained in twelve tribes and then they branch into subtribes. There are great wars between them, and some whirlwinds are, in fact, the centre of their battles. The whirlwind is the mutual opposition of two opposing winds, each preventing its companion from passing through. So that barrier leads to the circle witnessed visually in the physical dust which is the effect of the mutual opposition of the two winds. Their battles are like that, but not every whirlwind is on of their battles. The story of 'Amr the jinn is famous. He was killed in a whirlwind which was seen. It dispersed from him while he was dying. It did not take long for him to die. He was a pious jinn. If the basis of this book had been to present traditions and tales, we would have mentioned some of them, but this is a book about the science of meanings. You can look for their stories elswhere in book of history and poems.
(The manner in which the spiritual world appears in forms)
When this spiritual world takes on shape and appears in a sensory form, the eyes confine it since it cannot abandon that form as long as the eye continues to look at it although that it is the human being which is looking. When human eye defines it and continues to look at it, the spiritual (ruhani) being does not have a place into which it can disappear, so this spiritual being manifests a form which it puts on itself like a veil. Then the spiritual being makes the person imagine that that form has left him in a particular direction, so his eye follows it. When his eye follows it, the spiritual being leaves its confinement and vanishes. When it disappears, that form vanishes from the sight of the one who is looking at it and following it with his eye. In relation to the spiritual being, that form is like light is in the case of a lamp whose light is diffused in the corners. When the body of the lamp is absent, the light is lost. It is thus with this form. If someone knows this and wants to confine that spiritual being, he should not follow the form with his eye. This is one of the divine secrets which are only known by the instruction of Allah. The form is not other than spirtual being. Indeed it is the same, even if it is in a thousand places, or in every place, with different shapes.
If it happens that one of those forms is slain and apparently dies, that spiritual being moves from the life of this world to the interspace just as we move when we die. No information about it remains in this world, just as is the case with us. Those sensory forms in which the spiritual beings appear are called 'bodies'. It is the words of Allah, "We cast a mere body on his throne" (38:34) and "We did not give them bodies which did not eat food." (21:8) The difference between jinn and angels, even though they share in spirituality, is that the food of the jinn consists of foods found in natural bodies. The angels are not like that. That is why Allah mentioned in the story of the guests of Abraham, "When he saw that their hands were not reaching for it, he was suspicious of them" (11:70) i.e. the angels did not reach for the roasted calf and they did not eat it which made him afraid.
(The formation of the world of the jinn)
When the time for the formation of the world of the jinn came, He directed three of the trusty angels in the first sphere who took their deputies which they needed for this formation from the second heaven. Then they descended to the heavens and took two deputies from the second and the sixth there. They descended to the elements and prepared the place. Three other guardians followed them, and they took whatever deputies they needed from the second heaven, and then descended to the third heaven, and to the fifth from there. They took two angels. They passed by the sixth heaven and took another deputy from the angels. Then they descended to the elements in order to complete the formation. The remaining six descended and took the remaining deputies in the second heaven and the heavens. All were gathered for the ordering of this formation by the permission of the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
When the formation of the world of the jinn was complete, Allah directed the spirit from the World of Command and breathed a spirit into that form by which life flowed into it. It stood uttering the praise and glorification of the One Who brought it into existence: this is the natural disposition on which He fashioned it. Within it there was might and immensity whose cause is not recognised nor discovered since at that time there was no another creature in existence in the world of nature other than it. It remained worshipping its Lord, proclaiming His power, humble to the lordship of the One who brought it into existence by what was in its being until Adam was created. When the jinn saw his form, one of them, whose name was Harith, was overcome with hatred for that organism and he glowered at the sight of the form of Adam. The rest of his species saw that and they censured him for that since they saw that he had grief and sorrow because of it. When Adam's business was complete, al-Harith displayed what he felt in himself and refused to obey the command of his Creator to prostrate to Adam and became arrogant towards Adam because of his own constitution and he boasted of his origin [from fire which he said was better than earth]. He failed to see the secret of the power of that water from which Allah created every living thing, and from which comes the life of the jinn although they are not aware of it.
( The creation of Adam and the formation of man)
If you are among the people of unveiling, reflect on the words of Allah, "and His throne was upon the waters." (11:7) So the throne and the creatures around it were brought to life by water. "There is nothing which does not glorify His praise." (17:44) He used the negative. Only the living glorifies. In an excellent hadith from the Messenger of Allah said, "The angels said, 'O Lord (in a long hadith)! have You created anything stronger than fire?' He replied, 'Yes, water.'" So He made water stronger than fire. If the element of air in the structure of the jinn had not been ignited by fire, the jinn would have been stronger than the children of Adam, for air is stronger than water. In this hadith, the angels asked, "O Lord, have You created anything stronger than air?" He replied, "Yes, the children of Adam." Allah made the human organism stronger than air. Water is stronger than fire, and it is the main element in man as fire is the main element in the jinn. This why Allah said about Shaytan (Satan), "Surely the guile of Shaytan is ever feeble." (4:76) He did not ascribe any strength to him at all. He did not deny it to the Governor (of Egypt) when he said, "surely your guile is great" (12:27) ...
The reason for that is that the human organism accords deliberateness in matters, perseverance, meditation and reflection due to the predominance of the elements of earth and water in the human temperament. Thus the human being has ample intellect because earth holds him back and restrains him while water makes him supple and easy. The jinn are not like that. The jinn's intellect does not possess that which will enable him to hold to something as the human being does. This is why we say, "So-and-so is 'light' of intellect and dim-witted" when he is frivolous and foolish! This is the attribute of the jinn, and by it the jinn strays from the path of guidance due to the frivolous nature of his intellect and his lack of firmness in his thought. So he said, "I am better than him," (7:12) and combined ignorance and bad manners because of his frivolous nature.
(The first shaytan of the jinn)
So any jinn who rebels is shaytan, i.e. one who is far from the mercy of Allah. Al-Harith was the first jinn to be called shaytan. Allah drove him to despair, i.e. drove him out of His mercy and repelled mercy from him. From him all the shaytans branch out. Any jinn who believe, like Hama ibn Alham ibn Laqis ibn Iblis, join the believing jinn. Any who remains an unbeliever is a shaytan. It is a matter of some dispute among the scholars of the Shari'a). Some of them say that the shaytan never submits, deriving this from what the Prophet said about his shaytan who was the companion entrusted to him, "Allah gave me power over him and he submitted (aslama)." The one who interprets what he said as "aslamu" takes it to mean: "I am safe from him" and he has no way against me. Thus the interpretation varies. If it is interpreted as "aslama" is it submission. It means that he submitted although he was an enemy and so he only commands me to good, compelled to do so by Allah and as a protection for the Messenger of Allah. The opponent says that "aslama" means that he believed in Allah as the unbeliever becomes Muslim and thus becomes a believer. This is more appropriate and acceptable.
(Iblis was the first of the wretched jinn)
Most people claim that al-Harith was the first of the jinn, and that he was in the same position to the rest of the jinn as Adam is to mankind. We do not think that that is the case. Al-Harith was one of the jinn, but the first among them who is in the same position as Adam is to mankind was someone else. That is why Allah says, "Iblis was one of the jinn" (18:50) i.e. he was from this category of creation. Similarly Qabil (Cain) was one of mankind, but Allah wrote him down among the wretched. He was the first of the wretched among mankind, and Iblis was the first of the wretched among the jinn. The majority of the punishment of the shaytans of the jinn in Hellfire is by severe cold, not by heat, although they may be punished with fire. Most of the punishment of the descendants of Adam is through fire.
One day I came upon one of the saints whose intellect was deranged. He was weeping and saying to the people, "Do not stop with His words, 'I shall assuredly fill Hellfire with you' (38:85) and apply them to Iblis alone. Look how He alluded to you when He said, '...Hellfire with you'. Iblis was created from fire, so he returns to his source - may Allah curse him! If Iblis is punished with it, the punishment of pottery by fire is greater, so take heed!"
When Hellfire (Jahannam) was mentioned, this saint only thought of fire in particular, and was heedless of the fact that Jahannam is a name for both its intense heat and its intense cold. It is called Jahannam by its frowning (jahama. Jahuma means "to have an ugly face") because its appearance is hateful. Jaham is the word for clouds which have already poured out their water. Abundant rain is the mercy of Allah. When Allah has removed the rain from the clouds, then the name jaham is applied to them. since the mercy, which was abundant rain, has vanished. Similarly, Allah has removed mercy from Jahannam which is hateful in appearance and report. It is also called Jahannam because of its great depth. One says, "the depths of Jahannam" when something is very deep. We ask Allah Almighty, to give us and the believers security from it!
The Existence of Spirits Created from Smokeless Fire (jinn)
He mixed fire and plants, so the form of the jinn was set up
as an interspace between two things
It is between a bodily spirit with a place in depth
and a spirit without "where".
That which accepts embodiment seeks for food for
nourishment without falsehood,
And that which accepts the angels, accepts the heart in
taking shape in the source.
For this reason, it obeys one moment and rebels the next.
He will repay those of them who disobey with two fires.
(Creation of the Jinn, angels and man)
Allah says, "He created jinn from a fusion of smokeless fire." (55:14) It is reported in sound hadith [saying of the Prophet], "Allah created the angels from light and Allah created the jinn from fire and He created man from what you were told." As for what the Prophet said about the creation of man "from what you were told", he was concise and did not specify it as he did in the case of the creation of the angels and the jinn. The Prophet "was given all the words". This is part of them. The basic creation of angels and jinn did not vary. The creation of man is varied as there are four categories of man's creation. The creation of Adam does not resemble the creation of Eve. The creation of Eve does not resemble the creation of the rest of the children of Adam. The creation of Jesus does not resemble the creation of the others. Here the Messenger of Allah was concise. He has transmitted to us the details of the creation of man. Adam was created from clay, Eve from a rib, 'Isa is from the blowing of a spirit, and the children of Adam from "a contemptible water". (77:20)
(The conceptual cohesion of heaven and earth)
When Allah set up the four basic elements and smoke rose to the bottom of the Sphere of Fixed Stars, the seven heavens unwound themselves in that smoke, each separate from each other. He "revealed, in every heaven, its ordinance" after "He established in it its nourishment" and all that was "in four days". Then he said "to the heavens and the earth: Come willingly or unwillingly." (41:9-11) i.e. they answer when they are called to produce what He wants them to produce. They said, "we come willingly."
Then Allah established a conceptual cohesion between heaven and earth and a direction by which He desires to bring into existence products in this earth in the form of minerals, plants and animals. He made the earth like the wife and the heaven like the husband. The heaven casts to earth the command of Allah in it as a man casts water into a woman in intercourse. In that casting, the earth brings forth the types of formations which Allah has hidden in its.
(The four elements and the formation of man and jinn)
When air is ignited and heated, it burns like the lamp. The burning of that fire is the flame which is the burning of the air and this is smokeless (marj, jumbled) because it is mixed with the air and is the burning air. Marj is mixture and from this the smokeless is marj since the plants are mixed in it.
The jinn are composed of the two elements of fire and air, as man is composed of the two elements of water and earth kneaded together which produced the name mud. Similarly the mixture of air and fire has the name 'smokeless fire'. Allah created the form of jinn in that smokeless fire. Because of the air which is in the jinn, they can assume whatever form they wish. Because of the fire which is in them, they are insubstanital and very subtle, and they seek dominance, pride and might since fire has the highest position of the elements and it has great power to change things as nature demands. That is reason why he [the jinn Iblis] was too proud to prostrate to Adam when Allah commanded him to do so, because of his own estimation of himself. He said, "I am better than Him" (7:12), i.e. meaning according to the basis by which Allah preferred fire among the four elements.
The jinn did not know that the power of water from which Adam was created was stronger than fire for it extinguishes it and earth is firmer than fire by cold and dryness. Adam has strength and constancy by the dominance of the two elements from which Allah derived him. Even though he also possesses the rest of the elements - air and fire, they do not have the authority in him. The jinn also have the rest of the elements...
Adam was given humility on account of the clayness of his nature. When he is proud, that is incidental (and not intrinsic to his nature). He accepts that because of the element of fire in him as his imagination and states accept different forms because of the element of air in him. The jinn are given pride by the nature of fire in them. If they are humble, that is something incidental which they accept because of the element of earth in them. They also accept fixation in enticement if they are devils and fixation in acts of obedience if they are not devils.
(The jinn when Surat ar-Rahman (Chapter 55 of the Qur'an) was recited
When the Prophet recited Surat ar-Rahman to his Companions, he said, "I was reciting it for the jinn. They listened to it better than you. When I said, 'So which of your Lord's blessings will you deny?' they stated, 'We do not deny any of the blessings of our Lord'. They affirmed them and did not quake when they were told, "So which of your Lord's blessings will you deny?" in his recitation. That is by is in the nature of the jinn of earth and of water which remove the fieriness of fire. Some of them are obedient to Allah and some are rebellious, like us; but they can take on forms as can the angels.
(Their basic form is spiritual)
Allah has made them invisible to us so we do not see them except when Allah wishes to lift the veil for certain individuals who then see them. Since the jinn are insubstantial and subtle, they can take form in whatever sensory form they wish. Their basic form is the spiritual one which was the first form the first jinn accepted when Allah brought him into existence. Then he took on various forms according to what Allah willed. If Allah had opened our eyes so that we could see what the forms conceived by the conceptual faculty through the imagination (khayal), then at different times you would have seen man in various forms which are unlike one another.
(Procreation in jinn and men)
Then Allah breathed the spirit into the flame which was full of turbulence because of its insubstantiality. The blowing increased the turbulence and air dominated it and it did not remain in the same condition. The world of the jinn appeared in that form. As intercourse occurred in mankind by the casting of water in the womb and progeny and birth occurs in this mortal Adamic species, so procreation occurs in the jinn by casting air into the womb of their female, and progeny and birth occurs in the jinn. They exist by Sagittarius and it is fiery. That was mentioned by the one who arived - may Allah preserve him!
(The years between the creation of jinn and men)
There were 60,000 years between the creation of Jann (the first jinn) and the creation of Adam. This is necessary according to the claim of some people that birth will cease among the jinn after 4000 years and that birth will end with man after 7000 years. However, things do not occur on that basis. Things will occur occuring to what Allah wills. The jinn still procreate and we still procreate. So when did man begin, how many years of progeny does he have left and how much time remains until the end of this world and the annihilation of mankind on the face of the earth and their transfer to the Next World? This is not the stance taken by those who are firmly rooted in knowledge. It is stated by a small group of people and will not be repeated.
(The Jinn are an interspace between angels and men)
The angels are spirits breathed into lights. The jinn are spirits breathed into winds. Men are spirits breathed into shapes. It is said that a female was not separated from the first existing jinn as Eve was separated from Adam. One of them said Allah created a vulva in the first existent jinn, so part of him mated with the other part and offspring like those of Adam were born to him: a male and female who married each other. So the jinn's nature was hermaphrodite. For that reason the jinn are part of the world of the interspace: they resemble men and resemble angels as the hermaphrodite resembles both the male and femaleÉ
(The food and marriage of the jinn)
The elements of air and fire dominate the jinn. For that reason, their food is what the air carried by of fat in bones. Allah made their provision in them. So we see that the bone and its flesh is not decreased at all and we know that Allah gave them their sustenance in the bones. This is why the Prophet said about bones, "They are sustenance for your brothers among the jinn." In a hadith, "Allah appoints their sustenance in them." Someone to whom this was unveiled reported to us that he saw the jinn come to some bones and sniff them like beasts of pray sniff. Then they went back having taken their sustenance. Their food was taken in that sniffing. Glory be to the Subtle, the All-Aware!
As their union with each other in marriage, it is in the form of twisting - like what you see of smoke issuing from a kiln or a pottery oven. The smoke intermingles and each of the two individuals enjoys that mutual entry. Their ejaculation resembles like the seed of the palm and is in the form of pure scent, just as is the case with their food.
(The tribes and clans of the jinn)
They have tribes and clans. It is said that they are contained in twelve tribes and then they branch into subtribes. There are great wars between them, and some whirlwinds are, in fact, the centre of their battles. The whirlwind is the mutual opposition of two opposing winds, each preventing its companion from passing through. So that barrier leads to the circle witnessed visually in the physical dust which is the effect of the mutual opposition of the two winds. Their battles are like that, but not every whirlwind is on of their battles. The story of 'Amr the jinn is famous. He was killed in a whirlwind which was seen. It dispersed from him while he was dying. It did not take long for him to die. He was a pious jinn. If the basis of this book had been to present traditions and tales, we would have mentioned some of them, but this is a book about the science of meanings. You can look for their stories elswhere in book of history and poems.
(The manner in which the spiritual world appears in forms)
When this spiritual world takes on shape and appears in a sensory form, the eyes confine it since it cannot abandon that form as long as the eye continues to look at it although that it is the human being which is looking. When human eye defines it and continues to look at it, the spiritual (ruhani) being does not have a place into which it can disappear, so this spiritual being manifests a form which it puts on itself like a veil. Then the spiritual being makes the person imagine that that form has left him in a particular direction, so his eye follows it. When his eye follows it, the spiritual being leaves its confinement and vanishes. When it disappears, that form vanishes from the sight of the one who is looking at it and following it with his eye. In relation to the spiritual being, that form is like light is in the case of a lamp whose light is diffused in the corners. When the body of the lamp is absent, the light is lost. It is thus with this form. If someone knows this and wants to confine that spiritual being, he should not follow the form with his eye. This is one of the divine secrets which are only known by the instruction of Allah. The form is not other than spirtual being. Indeed it is the same, even if it is in a thousand places, or in every place, with different shapes.
If it happens that one of those forms is slain and apparently dies, that spiritual being moves from the life of this world to the interspace just as we move when we die. No information about it remains in this world, just as is the case with us. Those sensory forms in which the spiritual beings appear are called 'bodies'. It is the words of Allah, "We cast a mere body on his throne" (38:34) and "We did not give them bodies which did not eat food." (21:8) The difference between jinn and angels, even though they share in spirituality, is that the food of the jinn consists of foods found in natural bodies. The angels are not like that. That is why Allah mentioned in the story of the guests of Abraham, "When he saw that their hands were not reaching for it, he was suspicious of them" (11:70) i.e. the angels did not reach for the roasted calf and they did not eat it which made him afraid.
(The formation of the world of the jinn)
When the time for the formation of the world of the jinn came, He directed three of the trusty angels in the first sphere who took their deputies which they needed for this formation from the second heaven. Then they descended to the heavens and took two deputies from the second and the sixth there. They descended to the elements and prepared the place. Three other guardians followed them, and they took whatever deputies they needed from the second heaven, and then descended to the third heaven, and to the fifth from there. They took two angels. They passed by the sixth heaven and took another deputy from the angels. Then they descended to the elements in order to complete the formation. The remaining six descended and took the remaining deputies in the second heaven and the heavens. All were gathered for the ordering of this formation by the permission of the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
When the formation of the world of the jinn was complete, Allah directed the spirit from the World of Command and breathed a spirit into that form by which life flowed into it. It stood uttering the praise and glorification of the One Who brought it into existence: this is the natural disposition on which He fashioned it. Within it there was might and immensity whose cause is not recognised nor discovered since at that time there was no another creature in existence in the world of nature other than it. It remained worshipping its Lord, proclaiming His power, humble to the lordship of the One who brought it into existence by what was in its being until Adam was created. When the jinn saw his form, one of them, whose name was Harith, was overcome with hatred for that organism and he glowered at the sight of the form of Adam. The rest of his species saw that and they censured him for that since they saw that he had grief and sorrow because of it. When Adam's business was complete, al-Harith displayed what he felt in himself and refused to obey the command of his Creator to prostrate to Adam and became arrogant towards Adam because of his own constitution and he boasted of his origin [from fire which he said was better than earth]. He failed to see the secret of the power of that water from which Allah created every living thing, and from which comes the life of the jinn although they are not aware of it.
( The creation of Adam and the formation of man)
If you are among the people of unveiling, reflect on the words of Allah, "and His throne was upon the waters." (11:7) So the throne and the creatures around it were brought to life by water. "There is nothing which does not glorify His praise." (17:44) He used the negative. Only the living glorifies. In an excellent hadith from the Messenger of Allah said, "The angels said, 'O Lord (in a long hadith)! have You created anything stronger than fire?' He replied, 'Yes, water.'" So He made water stronger than fire. If the element of air in the structure of the jinn had not been ignited by fire, the jinn would have been stronger than the children of Adam, for air is stronger than water. In this hadith, the angels asked, "O Lord, have You created anything stronger than air?" He replied, "Yes, the children of Adam." Allah made the human organism stronger than air. Water is stronger than fire, and it is the main element in man as fire is the main element in the jinn. This why Allah said about Shaytan (Satan), "Surely the guile of Shaytan is ever feeble." (4:76) He did not ascribe any strength to him at all. He did not deny it to the Governor (of Egypt) when he said, "surely your guile is great" (12:27) ...
The reason for that is that the human organism accords deliberateness in matters, perseverance, meditation and reflection due to the predominance of the elements of earth and water in the human temperament. Thus the human being has ample intellect because earth holds him back and restrains him while water makes him supple and easy. The jinn are not like that. The jinn's intellect does not possess that which will enable him to hold to something as the human being does. This is why we say, "So-and-so is 'light' of intellect and dim-witted" when he is frivolous and foolish! This is the attribute of the jinn, and by it the jinn strays from the path of guidance due to the frivolous nature of his intellect and his lack of firmness in his thought. So he said, "I am better than him," (7:12) and combined ignorance and bad manners because of his frivolous nature.
(The first shaytan of the jinn)
So any jinn who rebels is shaytan, i.e. one who is far from the mercy of Allah. Al-Harith was the first jinn to be called shaytan. Allah drove him to despair, i.e. drove him out of His mercy and repelled mercy from him. From him all the shaytans branch out. Any jinn who believe, like Hama ibn Alham ibn Laqis ibn Iblis, join the believing jinn. Any who remains an unbeliever is a shaytan. It is a matter of some dispute among the scholars of the Shari'a). Some of them say that the shaytan never submits, deriving this from what the Prophet said about his shaytan who was the companion entrusted to him, "Allah gave me power over him and he submitted (aslama)." The one who interprets what he said as "aslamu" takes it to mean: "I am safe from him" and he has no way against me. Thus the interpretation varies. If it is interpreted as "aslama" is it submission. It means that he submitted although he was an enemy and so he only commands me to good, compelled to do so by Allah and as a protection for the Messenger of Allah. The opponent says that "aslama" means that he believed in Allah as the unbeliever becomes Muslim and thus becomes a believer. This is more appropriate and acceptable.
(Iblis was the first of the wretched jinn)
Most people claim that al-Harith was the first of the jinn, and that he was in the same position to the rest of the jinn as Adam is to mankind. We do not think that that is the case. Al-Harith was one of the jinn, but the first among them who is in the same position as Adam is to mankind was someone else. That is why Allah says, "Iblis was one of the jinn" (18:50) i.e. he was from this category of creation. Similarly Qabil (Cain) was one of mankind, but Allah wrote him down among the wretched. He was the first of the wretched among mankind, and Iblis was the first of the wretched among the jinn. The majority of the punishment of the shaytans of the jinn in Hellfire is by severe cold, not by heat, although they may be punished with fire. Most of the punishment of the descendants of Adam is through fire.
One day I came upon one of the saints whose intellect was deranged. He was weeping and saying to the people, "Do not stop with His words, 'I shall assuredly fill Hellfire with you' (38:85) and apply them to Iblis alone. Look how He alluded to you when He said, '...Hellfire with you'. Iblis was created from fire, so he returns to his source - may Allah curse him! If Iblis is punished with it, the punishment of pottery by fire is greater, so take heed!"
When Hellfire (Jahannam) was mentioned, this saint only thought of fire in particular, and was heedless of the fact that Jahannam is a name for both its intense heat and its intense cold. It is called Jahannam by its frowning (jahama. Jahuma means "to have an ugly face") because its appearance is hateful. Jaham is the word for clouds which have already poured out their water. Abundant rain is the mercy of Allah. When Allah has removed the rain from the clouds, then the name jaham is applied to them. since the mercy, which was abundant rain, has vanished. Similarly, Allah has removed mercy from Jahannam which is hateful in appearance and report. It is also called Jahannam because of its great depth. One says, "the depths of Jahannam" when something is very deep. We ask Allah Almighty, to give us and the believers security from it!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
How Khamenei was chosen as Iran Supreme
The 12rs criticize Hz Abi Bakr (ra) for suggesting that Umar (ra) should be the next calipah of the Ummah. However, the Islamic state of Iran has followed the same method as well when it came to appointing the next ruler. Before Khomeini died he appointed Khamenei to be his successor as well.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
If you see Muawiyah On My Mimbar Kill Him!
I asked about this hadith and Syed Ninowy's student gave a reply. He said it is doubted most people in the chain because of the mix or shias, khwarijis and other sects within the chains. Anyway, overall this ahadith in my view is authentic.
إذا رأيتم معاوية على منبري فاقتلوه
(IF YOU SEE MUAWIYA ON MY MIMBAR, KILL HIM)
This Hadith has a few narration:
1-
a- from Abu Sai'd Al Khudri, through Ali bin Zaid bin jud'an, through Abi Nudra to Abu Sai'd.
Answer: this narration has a problem with Ali bin Zaid bin Jad'an. I struggled with this because he is among the narrators of Imam Muslim, which would have made this narration authentic, fullfilling the conditions of Imam Muslim. But my Shaykh (DBA) told me that though Ali bin Zaid bin Jud'an is among Muslim narrators, but he pointed to me to Ibn Hajar's Taqrib, where he points that he is "daeef"= weak, despite the fact that he is among Muslim's narrators. Therefore, this is a weak narration due to Ali bin Zaid bin Jud'an. This narration to Abu Sai'd Khudri, has a "Mutaba'a"= follow up, in which the narration goes from Uthman Bin Jabla through Abdul Malek through bin Abi Nudra through his father, to Abu Sai'd. yet this is also problomatic, and Shaykh Muhammad (dba) said that this narration (the 2nd one) is very weak, not only weak. (Daeef Jiddan). Because Ibn Hibban who narrated this Hadith pointed out that among the first narrator is Ahmad bin Muhammad Al Faqih, who is accused of forging Hadith and altering asaneed. So therefore , the Shaykh DBA said that any attempt to use this narration (the Muaba'a = 2nd one) is a flawed attempt due to the presence of a forgery-accused narrator.
b- Another way, this Hadith was narrated to Abu Said Al Khudri through many people through Mujaled through Abi Al-Waddak, to Abu Sai'd Al Khudri.
But the Shaykh (dba) said that all the narrtors here narrate through Mujaled. That is the problem, making this narration VERY WEAK again, because of Mujaled. Ibn Hajar said about him: (laysa bil Qawi= he is not strong), and Tha-habi was hesitant in him. Yet, for those who know the Hadith sciences, the Shaykh said don't be fooled by the soft discarding term of Imam Ibn Hajar and Tha-habi about Mujaled. i.e. through they weakened him, but my Shaykh doesn't believe it is weak enough, and pointed out to follow his case and narrations and you will realize that he is at borderline faking things almost, so he is extremely weak to say the least.
2- Other ways is the narration to Sayyidina Abdullah bin Mas'ud through Asem bin Abi Nujud through Zur bin Hubaysh to Abdullah bin Mas'ud. It was narrated through Asem through four different ways.
a- Ibn Hibban narrated it through Tabari through Muhammad bin Saleh through Abbad Yaqub Al-Rawajini, through Shuraik through Asem to Abdullah bin Masud.
The problem with this narration is: Abbad bin Yaqub. Though he is among the narrators of Imam Bukhari in his Saheeh, so he is a Thiqah (trsutworthy trufthful) but he is a Shi'i. keep that in mind. Also Shuraikh and Asem are both Saduq (below the level of trufthful trustworthy which is necessary to make a hadith reach the level of Authentic). Zar is Thiqah (trustworthy truthful). So the problem is in Abbad, Shuraik and Asem's.
b- the other narrations to Ibn Mas'ud have the following Isnaad: it was narrated through Al-Hakam bin Zahair through Asem bin Abi An-Nujud, through Zar bin Hubaysh through Abdullah bin Mas'ud.
The Shaykh (dba) said this is a very weak because Al Hakam bin Zahair is ( Matrook and accused of Raf'dh = discarded and accused of being a Rafidhi). So this is VERY WEAK isnaad. I have heard a claim that there is a (Muta'ba'a = another supporting way) to this narration, but I haven't seen it. Regardless it makes the case less than authentic in any way, even if there is a Mut'aba'a.
3- Other ways of this Hadith is through Jaber bin Abdillah (ra).
it was narrated through Sufyan bin Muhammad Al Fazzari, through Mansur bin Salamah through Sulayman bin Bilal, through Imam Sadeq, through his father Imam Baqer to Jaber bin Abdillah Al Ansari.
The problem with this narration, though all are Thiqat, except Sufyan who is VERY WEAK, and Mansur is okay (la Ba'sa bihi), which is a soft term for a narrator indicating he is less than an Authentic or Hasan level.
4- Other way this Hadith was narrated is to Sah'l bin Hunayf (ra).
Ibn Udai narrated: Ali bin Said through Husayn bin Isa Ar-Razi through Salamah bin Al-Fadl through Muhammad bin Is'haaq, through Muhammad bin Ibrahim At-Taymi through Abi Umamah bin Sah'l bin Hunayf through is father.
The Problem in this narration is Ibn Is'haaq. despite his fame as being am Imam of Seerah and narrating battles, etc.. but Ibn Is'haaq remains Saduq, not Thiqah. Thiqah status is required for the Hadith to be authentic. Furthermore Ibn Is'haaq did not disclose that he actually heard it with his ears, which leaves it vague and is (an'anah= attaching the narration to the above narrator without specifiying the way of recieving it). Also Husayn bin Isa is also Saduq, not Thiqah. Another problem with this narration is Ali bin Sai'd, the Shaykh of Ibn Udai. if he is Ali bin Sa'id Al Askari then he is Thiqah, but if he is in fact Ali bin Sai'd Ar-Ramli, then he has some weakness. We don't know which one.
So from an Hadithi Isnaad point of view, you see that every single way this Hadith ( if you see Muawiyah on my Minbar, then Kill him) has problems and weaknesses.
إذا رأيتم معاوية على منبري فاقتلوه
(IF YOU SEE MUAWIYA ON MY MIMBAR, KILL HIM)
This Hadith has a few narration:
1-
a- from Abu Sai'd Al Khudri, through Ali bin Zaid bin jud'an, through Abi Nudra to Abu Sai'd.
Answer: this narration has a problem with Ali bin Zaid bin Jad'an. I struggled with this because he is among the narrators of Imam Muslim, which would have made this narration authentic, fullfilling the conditions of Imam Muslim. But my Shaykh (DBA) told me that though Ali bin Zaid bin Jud'an is among Muslim narrators, but he pointed to me to Ibn Hajar's Taqrib, where he points that he is "daeef"= weak, despite the fact that he is among Muslim's narrators. Therefore, this is a weak narration due to Ali bin Zaid bin Jud'an. This narration to Abu Sai'd Khudri, has a "Mutaba'a"= follow up, in which the narration goes from Uthman Bin Jabla through Abdul Malek through bin Abi Nudra through his father, to Abu Sai'd. yet this is also problomatic, and Shaykh Muhammad (dba) said that this narration (the 2nd one) is very weak, not only weak. (Daeef Jiddan). Because Ibn Hibban who narrated this Hadith pointed out that among the first narrator is Ahmad bin Muhammad Al Faqih, who is accused of forging Hadith and altering asaneed. So therefore , the Shaykh DBA said that any attempt to use this narration (the Muaba'a = 2nd one) is a flawed attempt due to the presence of a forgery-accused narrator.
b- Another way, this Hadith was narrated to Abu Said Al Khudri through many people through Mujaled through Abi Al-Waddak, to Abu Sai'd Al Khudri.
But the Shaykh (dba) said that all the narrtors here narrate through Mujaled. That is the problem, making this narration VERY WEAK again, because of Mujaled. Ibn Hajar said about him: (laysa bil Qawi= he is not strong), and Tha-habi was hesitant in him. Yet, for those who know the Hadith sciences, the Shaykh said don't be fooled by the soft discarding term of Imam Ibn Hajar and Tha-habi about Mujaled. i.e. through they weakened him, but my Shaykh doesn't believe it is weak enough, and pointed out to follow his case and narrations and you will realize that he is at borderline faking things almost, so he is extremely weak to say the least.
2- Other ways is the narration to Sayyidina Abdullah bin Mas'ud through Asem bin Abi Nujud through Zur bin Hubaysh to Abdullah bin Mas'ud. It was narrated through Asem through four different ways.
a- Ibn Hibban narrated it through Tabari through Muhammad bin Saleh through Abbad Yaqub Al-Rawajini, through Shuraik through Asem to Abdullah bin Masud.
The problem with this narration is: Abbad bin Yaqub. Though he is among the narrators of Imam Bukhari in his Saheeh, so he is a Thiqah (trsutworthy trufthful) but he is a Shi'i. keep that in mind. Also Shuraikh and Asem are both Saduq (below the level of trufthful trustworthy which is necessary to make a hadith reach the level of Authentic). Zar is Thiqah (trustworthy truthful). So the problem is in Abbad, Shuraik and Asem's.
b- the other narrations to Ibn Mas'ud have the following Isnaad: it was narrated through Al-Hakam bin Zahair through Asem bin Abi An-Nujud, through Zar bin Hubaysh through Abdullah bin Mas'ud.
The Shaykh (dba) said this is a very weak because Al Hakam bin Zahair is ( Matrook and accused of Raf'dh = discarded and accused of being a Rafidhi). So this is VERY WEAK isnaad. I have heard a claim that there is a (Muta'ba'a = another supporting way) to this narration, but I haven't seen it. Regardless it makes the case less than authentic in any way, even if there is a Mut'aba'a.
3- Other ways of this Hadith is through Jaber bin Abdillah (ra).
it was narrated through Sufyan bin Muhammad Al Fazzari, through Mansur bin Salamah through Sulayman bin Bilal, through Imam Sadeq, through his father Imam Baqer to Jaber bin Abdillah Al Ansari.
The problem with this narration, though all are Thiqat, except Sufyan who is VERY WEAK, and Mansur is okay (la Ba'sa bihi), which is a soft term for a narrator indicating he is less than an Authentic or Hasan level.
4- Other way this Hadith was narrated is to Sah'l bin Hunayf (ra).
Ibn Udai narrated: Ali bin Said through Husayn bin Isa Ar-Razi through Salamah bin Al-Fadl through Muhammad bin Is'haaq, through Muhammad bin Ibrahim At-Taymi through Abi Umamah bin Sah'l bin Hunayf through is father.
The Problem in this narration is Ibn Is'haaq. despite his fame as being am Imam of Seerah and narrating battles, etc.. but Ibn Is'haaq remains Saduq, not Thiqah. Thiqah status is required for the Hadith to be authentic. Furthermore Ibn Is'haaq did not disclose that he actually heard it with his ears, which leaves it vague and is (an'anah= attaching the narration to the above narrator without specifiying the way of recieving it). Also Husayn bin Isa is also Saduq, not Thiqah. Another problem with this narration is Ali bin Sai'd, the Shaykh of Ibn Udai. if he is Ali bin Sa'id Al Askari then he is Thiqah, but if he is in fact Ali bin Sai'd Ar-Ramli, then he has some weakness. We don't know which one.
So from an Hadithi Isnaad point of view, you see that every single way this Hadith ( if you see Muawiyah on my Minbar, then Kill him) has problems and weaknesses.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Shia Dream Narrations About How Bibi Fatima Died
What an amazing method to bring proof and find out if you are syed. Dream narrations are okay, but they are not strong evidence. As for the crying in the end, even the Yahoodi are good at that. Ask them about the holocaust and they were narrate you the events with their emotions. In fact, let's not forget how Muawiyah cried for Uthmaan (ra) death, so the people of Syria turn emotional and fight against Imam Ali (as).
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Dajjal's Followers In Iran
I don't why the 12rs Shias are cursing me for posting this clip. This has nothing to do with Shia Islam.
Future Plans of the Najdi's Exposed
This is what he said "We have no time to study you know about the great history of I don't know what and how Muhammad"
Look like these Najdis want the new generation totally move away from Islam.
Another Dream narration to prove that Shia Islam is correct.
By the way the above information is false. None of the Qari's sons are shia. They are still Sunni.
Ammar Nakshawani On the Status of Imam Ali (as) and Fatima (as) ?
Ok, I am not going to comment on this. I think he went overboard. Its not wonder the 12rs going out of control when they discuss issues like Fadak.
Use of Qiyas By The 12rs to Justify Their Extended Kalma
Its ironic how the 12r Shias claim that analogy is haraam in their sect. However, in most of their examples they actually use analogies to justify their beliefs. In the above clip Ammar Nakshawani uses an analogy to justify that the Kalma consists of 3 parts.
Failing to Recognize the Imam Equals Jahiliyah ?
If the Imam of the time is the 12th imam then why was Al Khoie jahil when it came to smoking ? The 12rs can say he didn't know about the issue. Well okay if he was jahil about it then it was the duty of 12th Imam to prevent it. Also, I've done some research on the Sikh faith even their faith being a non Muslim one condemns smoking. The Sikh faith is 500 years old and the rules of the Kalsa are 300 years old. I mean this case really required aql, but what happened for the Al Khoei ? Neither the 12th Imam was able to save him from this Jahiliyah nor was his aql enough to save him. If the 12rs claim that I misunderstood the ahadith about the requirement of preventing jahiliyah then in that case I would have to say that saying the Kalma is enough for Ahle Sunnah.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Imami Shia Scholar Says 75-80% Of Imam Jafar's (as) Student were Sunni
Whenever I ask a 12r Shia to give me an estimate of how many shias existed during the time of the 11 imams, they are unable to give an answer. The above clip says majority of Imam Jafar's (as) students were Sunni. Now for the remaning percentage I am are not sure what type of shias were the Imam's students. For example Abbad bin Yaqub ar-Rawajini was a shia of Imam Jafar as Sadiq (as) but we can't say he was an Imami shia. This shia had a narration through Imam Jafar as Sadiq (as) which declared Muta to be haraam. Jabir bin Hayan (ra) is another student, but both sunnis and shias claim that he belonged to their school. Then again there are some shias who you can say are Imami shias. These shias would be Zurara bin Ayan and Hisham ibn Hakam. As for the rest, I am not who are actually 12r Shias or who are not. Below is another clip where a 12r Shia Scholar states that Imam Jafar (as) was not even able to find 17 Shias who would support his Imamate.
Again, when I write my blog many shias get offended, and tell me to remove a lot of material which they believe is untrue. The purpose of a blog is to be able to express my views freely. If any shia objects my blog then feel free to comment on them. This way you can let the public decide who is correct and who is spreading false information.
As for the Imam Jafar as Sadiq's (as) Imamate there was a population in Iraq who wanted him to become the calipah of the Ummah. However, Imam Jafar as Sadiq (as) saw how these people of Kufa betrayed so many Aalids in the past, so he never made any claims for Imamate.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
They Are Shia And Nasabi Among Animals, Plants and Fruits too
Also, from Shaykh Mufid book ""Kitab al Irshad: The Book of Guidance" where it is report:
The waters of the Euphrates overflowed and grew so big that the people of Kufa became anxious about drowning. They resorted to the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him). He rode out on the mule of the Apostle of God (may God bless him and his family), and the people went with him until he reached the banks of the Euphrates. He, peace be upon him, dismounted and performed the ritual ablution and prayed alone, by himself while the people watched him. Then he called on God with prayers which most of them heard. He went toward the Euphrates, leaning on a stick which was in his hand. He struck the surface of the water with it and said: "Abate, with God's permission and His will".
The waters sank so that the fish at the bottom (of the flood) appeared. Many of them greeted him with the title of the Commander of the Faithful. However, some kinds of fish did not speak. They were eels, a scaleless fish (marmaliq) and mudfish (zumar). The people were amazed at that and they asked for the reason that the ones that spoke spoke and the ones who were silent were silent. He said: "God made those fish which were ritually pure speak to me and he kept those silent towards me which were forbidden, impure and worse." (p263)
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
Saudi Arabia has opened the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) near Jeddah, its first co-educational university.
The propaganda starts at 2:00. Yes, we Muslims want our women covered, and not be able to freely socialize with other men. However, the allegation that we want women to stay at home and not get educated is absurd. Saudi Arabia could have opened another institute for women as well. King Abdullah is slowly allowing open corruption into his country. If this continues it will lead to the downfall of the Saudi Royal monarchy. Inshallah !
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Imam Zainul Abideen (as) Warning To The Ummavis Tyrants
Imam Zainul Abideen (as) says:
I warn you o people from the duniya, this is a land that changes so quickly and you will move.
It will take its people from one place to another (rich will become poor, strong will become weak). If it was ever lasting for those before you, then you wouldn't have got it. It has destroyed the corrupt centuries before you, the snakes and the worms in the graves have eaten them up, as if they have never inhabited this earth. It made them from looking beautiful to looking scary (in their graves). Do you think you will not die? You will always follow their suits.
Change this lifespan you have into good deeds so that you can take something with you to the akhira.
Shia Scholar Says "Namaz is not counted if you don't Khums"
The 12r shia pay 20% of their saving to their scholars every year. The Scholar then takes that money and decides how to divide it. Most of the money is spent toward religious services. Here is a shia scholar who says that that its a big sin to not pay khumms. He gives an example saying that even if you don't pay khumms for the turbah that you purchase from Iran/Iraq then your namaz becomes invalid.
One of the main reasons the 12r shias sect is powerful is because of khums. Just listen to lecture from the 5:00 min mark.
The only problem I have this is its made compulsory on 12r shia fiqh, and according to them it invalidates the namaz. I know many shias who refuse to pay khums. In fact one of my shia friends just died and he left a wife and his kids behind. The local majalis is asking the family to pay khums from his inheritance. Instead the shia family adopted the sunni belief when it comes this case. I can understand 2.5 for Zakat but 22.5% ? Now that's too much.
One of the main reasons the 12r shias sect is powerful is because of khums. Just listen to lecture from the 5:00 min mark.
The only problem I have this is its made compulsory on 12r shia fiqh, and according to them it invalidates the namaz. I know many shias who refuse to pay khums. In fact one of my shia friends just died and he left a wife and his kids behind. The local majalis is asking the family to pay khums from his inheritance. Instead the shia family adopted the sunni belief when it comes this case. I can understand 2.5 for Zakat but 22.5% ? Now that's too much.
Are Sunnis Following the Enemies of the Ahlul Bayt ?
A 12rs told me that I was the following of the enemies of the Ahlul Bayt, since I was a non-shia. Then I told him to watch his mouth. Then the 12r replied by telling me that I should get offended because there is a possibility that even he can be following the enemies of Ahlul bayt. He added that I should research and discover the truth, and find out who stands where.
Here is his exact quote. He edited the first reply, but I still manged to store his second reply.
bro i have told u before and i will say again please please please follow The Holy Quran and dont assume bad things about your fellow brothers or sisters.
firstly i will not be the one debating bcz its been a long time since my research and ive gotten rusty takes a few months to get back all that information and i found someone more capable also bro i did see more than one lecture however i refused to look into the details and review it.
secondly what i said goes both ways we could be the ones following the enemies of Allah (AW) there is no "agenda" what u see is what u get with me.
However, what the 12r shia failed to reliaze, just like any other average 12rs is that I have been around shia for a long time. Therefore, the material the 12rs present me from answering ansaar, al-islam.org, pesharwar nights and Tijani's books will not shock me. It might world for a laymen sunni, but these sources fail on sunnis who are educated about the shia sect. After the shia posted the line where he stated "what i said goes both ways we could be the ones following the enemies of Allah," I told him that he may have a point.
After doing a little research I managed to find a clip where a shia scholar admits that a group of Shia will prepare for the Mahdi like how the Jews prepared for RasoolAllah (sawas). The Jews when the time came they themselves became the enemies of RasoolAllah(sawas). Likewise the shia scholar says a group of shias too will become the enemies of Imam Mahdi (as) as well.
Translation:
Inshallah ! The Imam will come with the most advanced technology. According to a narration, at the time of his appearance knowledge will be leveled at 23 different stages. The Imam (as) will have knowledge of all 23 stages and the enemy will have the knowledge of only two stages out of the 23 stages of knowledge. Therefore, with all this knowledge that the Imam has he will eliminate all his enemies. For us shias instead of looking toward at military power and weapon technology, there is another aspect that we have to focus on. That aspect is our to duty to increase our level of imaan, our belief in the imam, our aqeeda, and the most important one to focus on is how we are going to guard ourselves from sinning. These are the requirement that will make us the true shia/soldiers of Imam Mahdi (as). Our weapons and technology power will not impress the imam to believe that we are his supporters, but what is important for our imam to see is that we have purified souls. If your soul is purified then you will be able to get close to the Imam (as). Today, our souls have been polluted, so we have opened up ports to our spirituality which allow Shayataan to whisper his evil messages toward our hearts and minds. Therefore, with this negative status we will only end up going against the imam. For example the Jews, they made preparations for RasoolAllah (sawas) for centuries and millenniums, and when the Prophet (sawas) appeared they instead started opposing him. The Jews of Khaybar originally settled there and made bases to prepare for the coming of the Prophet (sawas). On the contrary, those preparations ended working against RasoolAllah (sawas). The reason for that is the Jews did not purify their souls, and they didn't prepare their children to become faithful believers. The result of their preparation became inevitable, and the Jews began to oppose the Prophet (sawas). The same downfall will occur during the time of the Imam (as). Shia will present themselves as shias but they will lack imaan, not follow what is binding on them, not have purified souls, and as a result shias themselves will end up becoming the Imaam's enemies. So the real preparation is to strengthen your imaan, and not worry about which weapon's technology which will exist at the time. The military power and weapon's technology is the secondary stage and not the primary preparation for the imam.
My advise to the sunnis is not to waste time with such closed minded shias. They are only online to insult you and your madhab. As for shias, if you think by using this type of lip service is contribution to Islam, then you are wrong. Please review the aklaaq of Ahlul Bayt (as).
Here is his exact quote. He edited the first reply, but I still manged to store his second reply.
bro i have told u before and i will say again please please please follow The Holy Quran and dont assume bad things about your fellow brothers or sisters.
firstly i will not be the one debating bcz its been a long time since my research and ive gotten rusty takes a few months to get back all that information and i found someone more capable also bro i did see more than one lecture however i refused to look into the details and review it.
secondly what i said goes both ways we could be the ones following the enemies of Allah (AW) there is no "agenda" what u see is what u get with me.
However, what the 12r shia failed to reliaze, just like any other average 12rs is that I have been around shia for a long time. Therefore, the material the 12rs present me from answering ansaar, al-islam.org, pesharwar nights and Tijani's books will not shock me. It might world for a laymen sunni, but these sources fail on sunnis who are educated about the shia sect. After the shia posted the line where he stated "what i said goes both ways we could be the ones following the enemies of Allah," I told him that he may have a point.
After doing a little research I managed to find a clip where a shia scholar admits that a group of Shia will prepare for the Mahdi like how the Jews prepared for RasoolAllah (sawas). The Jews when the time came they themselves became the enemies of RasoolAllah(sawas). Likewise the shia scholar says a group of shias too will become the enemies of Imam Mahdi (as) as well.
Translation:
Inshallah ! The Imam will come with the most advanced technology. According to a narration, at the time of his appearance knowledge will be leveled at 23 different stages. The Imam (as) will have knowledge of all 23 stages and the enemy will have the knowledge of only two stages out of the 23 stages of knowledge. Therefore, with all this knowledge that the Imam has he will eliminate all his enemies. For us shias instead of looking toward at military power and weapon technology, there is another aspect that we have to focus on. That aspect is our to duty to increase our level of imaan, our belief in the imam, our aqeeda, and the most important one to focus on is how we are going to guard ourselves from sinning. These are the requirement that will make us the true shia/soldiers of Imam Mahdi (as). Our weapons and technology power will not impress the imam to believe that we are his supporters, but what is important for our imam to see is that we have purified souls. If your soul is purified then you will be able to get close to the Imam (as). Today, our souls have been polluted, so we have opened up ports to our spirituality which allow Shayataan to whisper his evil messages toward our hearts and minds. Therefore, with this negative status we will only end up going against the imam. For example the Jews, they made preparations for RasoolAllah (sawas) for centuries and millenniums, and when the Prophet (sawas) appeared they instead started opposing him. The Jews of Khaybar originally settled there and made bases to prepare for the coming of the Prophet (sawas). On the contrary, those preparations ended working against RasoolAllah (sawas). The reason for that is the Jews did not purify their souls, and they didn't prepare their children to become faithful believers. The result of their preparation became inevitable, and the Jews began to oppose the Prophet (sawas). The same downfall will occur during the time of the Imam (as). Shia will present themselves as shias but they will lack imaan, not follow what is binding on them, not have purified souls, and as a result shias themselves will end up becoming the Imaam's enemies. So the real preparation is to strengthen your imaan, and not worry about which weapon's technology which will exist at the time. The military power and weapon's technology is the secondary stage and not the primary preparation for the imam.
My advise to the sunnis is not to waste time with such closed minded shias. They are only online to insult you and your madhab. As for shias, if you think by using this type of lip service is contribution to Islam, then you are wrong. Please review the aklaaq of Ahlul Bayt (as).
Friday, September 18, 2009
Hadhrat Abdur Rahman bin Abu Bakr (ra) refuses to Accept Wealth From Muawiyah
The Incident with Hadhrat Muawiya (RAD) Hadhrat Abdul Azeez bin Hadhrat Abdur Rahman bin Auf (RAD) narrates that Hadhrat Muawiya (RAD) once sent a hundred thousand dirham’s to Hadhrat Abdur Rahman bin Abu Bakr (RAD) after he refused to pledge allegiance to Yazid who was the son of Hadhrat Muawiya (RAD). Hadhrat Abdur Rahman (RAD) refused to accept the money saying, “Should I sell my deen for my worldly gain?” He then proceeded to Makkah where he passed away (1)
1. Hakim (vol.3 Pg. 476) Zubayr bin Bakkar has reported a similar narration, as quoted in isabah (vol 2 pg 408)
1. Hakim (vol.3 Pg. 476) Zubayr bin Bakkar has reported a similar narration, as quoted in isabah (vol 2 pg 408)
Tabarra (Character Assissination) Against Imam Ali (as) and the Fatimids (children of Bibi Fatima)
Q. Please enlighten us more on the topic of Hadrat Muawiya (rad). Is it true that the Ummayyads ‘manufactured consent’ by spreading forged ahadith in his praise (Hadrat Muawiya) and is it true that the descendents of Fatima Zahra (radi allahu ta’ala anha) were openly insulted during the Ummayyad reign, and that ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (radhi allahu anhu) was openly rebuked and abused during their reign?
A. Yes, unfortunately, during the reign of the Ummayyads, which commenced with Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan, the descendents of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) were openly insulted and their father, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (radiallahu ta’ala anhu) was openly and officially condemned, abused and rebuked from the pulpits every Jum'ah for a period of 90 years.
Here is a quote from a reliable neutral source on the subject, Allamah Shibli Nu'mani's book Sirat-An-Nabi, Vol. 1, p. 60
"Traditions were first formed in book form in the days of Ummayads, who, for about 90 years, throughout their vast dominions stretching from the Indus in India to Asia Minor and Spain, insulted the descendents of Fatima and got Ali openly censured* in Friday sermons at the mosques. They had hundreds of saying coined to eulogize Amir Muawiya…
Today, we find none of this rubbish in the Hadith literature”
Source: Sirat-An-Nabi (The Life of the Prophet), by Allamah Shibli Nu'mani, rendered into English by M. Tayyib Budayuni. Rightway Publications, New Delhi, India. From Vol 1. p.60
“Censured” means to vehemently disapprove, an official reprimand, to reproach in a harsh or vehement manner, and is synonymous to rebuke, condemn, abuse and chide. May Allah save us!
And Allah Knows Best!
Ahmed Amiruddin
10th of Muharram, 1429 Hijri
http://www.alsunnahfoundation.org/rbk.html
A. Yes, unfortunately, during the reign of the Ummayyads, which commenced with Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan, the descendents of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) were openly insulted and their father, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (radiallahu ta’ala anhu) was openly and officially condemned, abused and rebuked from the pulpits every Jum'ah for a period of 90 years.
Here is a quote from a reliable neutral source on the subject, Allamah Shibli Nu'mani's book Sirat-An-Nabi, Vol. 1, p. 60
"Traditions were first formed in book form in the days of Ummayads, who, for about 90 years, throughout their vast dominions stretching from the Indus in India to Asia Minor and Spain, insulted the descendents of Fatima and got Ali openly censured* in Friday sermons at the mosques. They had hundreds of saying coined to eulogize Amir Muawiya…
Today, we find none of this rubbish in the Hadith literature”
Source: Sirat-An-Nabi (The Life of the Prophet), by Allamah Shibli Nu'mani, rendered into English by M. Tayyib Budayuni. Rightway Publications, New Delhi, India. From Vol 1. p.60
“Censured” means to vehemently disapprove, an official reprimand, to reproach in a harsh or vehement manner, and is synonymous to rebuke, condemn, abuse and chide. May Allah save us!
And Allah Knows Best!
Ahmed Amiruddin
10th of Muharram, 1429 Hijri
http://www.alsunnahfoundation.org/rbk.html
Parents of The Holy Prophet (sawas)
Q. What do you say regarding the religion of the parents of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)?
A. "But honor belongs to Allah and His Messenger, and to the Believers; but the Hypocrites know not"(al Munafiqoon 63:8)
It is our belief that the Prophet's parents (Hadrat Abdullah and Hadrat Amina) were both true Believers, and they were granted the greatest of honors, in that they were the parents of the Master of Both Worlds (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).
The proof of their Iman this is found in the following verse of the Holy Quran:
"Wa tawakkal `ala al-`azizi-r-rahim al-ladhi yaraka hina taqum wa taqallubaka fi-s-sajidin"
"And rely on the Almighty, the Merciful, Who sees you when you rise up, and your descending (lit. "taking turns") among those who fall prostrate in worship." (al-Shu`araa 26:217-219)
The author of Tafsir Uthmani comments:
"Some of the earlier writers have said that in this verse 'sajidin' represents the fathers [ancestors] of the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), that is, the translation [i.e. transmission] of the Light of the Last Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) from one prophet to the other prophet culminating in the external appearance of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) in this world of matter. The scholars said by this verse the Iman of both of the Prophet's parents is confirmed." 1
May Allah bless Muhammad, and the family of Muhammad!
Ahmed Amiruddin
1. Allama Shabbir Ahmad Uthmani, Tafsir Uthmani, trans. Muhammad Ashfaq Ahmad (Bombay: Taj Publishers, 1992) vol. 2, p. 1657.http://www.alsunnahfoundation.org/parents1.html
Hadrat Abu Talib was a Momin
Q. What is the true position regarding the religion of Abu Talib, the uncle of the Messenger of Allah and the father of Ali?
A. The author of the well renowned book Sirat-An-Nabi, Allamah Shibli Nu'mani believed that Hadrat Abu Talib was a Believer and he recited the Kalima at the time of his death in presence of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) into the ears of Al Abbas.
He also disregarded the narrations of Muslim and Bukhari as being unreliable because their narrator was not only a Kafir himself at the time when he allegedly witnessed this event, but states that he was actually not even present in the room with the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), Abu Talib and the Prophet’s uncles and therefore, this tradition is "not worth taking as reliable".
Here is the excerpt from Allamah Shibli Nu'mani's book Sirat-An-Nabi, from Vol 1. "Death of Khadija and Abu Talib" P. 223-224:
“The Prophet asked Abu Talib to recite the credo of Islam La illa ha illallah Muhammadur Rasulullah, so that he might bear witness to his faith in the presence of Allah (SWT). Abu Jahil and Ibn Umayya expostulated with Abu Talib and asked if he was going to turn away from the religion of Abd al-Muttalib. In the end, Abu Talib said he was dying with his belief in the religion of Abd al Muttalib. Then he turned to the Prophet (S) and said that he would have recited that creed, but he feared lest the Quraish should accuse him of the fear of death. The Prophet (S) said that he would be praying to Allah for him till He forbade. This is the version of Al Bukhari and Muslim. Ibn Ishaq says that while dying Abu Talib's lips were in motion. Abbas, (the Prophet's uncle)...put his ears to his lips and said to the Prophet (S) that he was reciting the KALIMA the Prophet (S) had wanted of him. It is on account of these conflicting reports that there is such a difference of opinion regarding the Islam of Abu Talib. But as the version of Al Bukhari is generally considered to be more trustworthy, the traditionalists hold him to have died an unbeliever.
But from a traditionalist point of view, this report of Al Bukhari is not worth taking as reliable because the last narrator is Musaiyyab who embraced Islam after the fall of Mecca and was not himself present at the time of Abu Talib's death. It is on this account that Al Aini, in his commentary has remarked that this tradition is mursal.” (Nu’mani, Sirat-An-Nabi, Vol.1 p.224)
And Allah Knows Best!
Ahmed Amiruddin
Source:
Tafsir Uthmani, Allama Shabbir Ahmad Uthmani, trans. Muhammad Ashfaq Ahmad (Bombay: Taj Publishers, 1992) vol. 2, p. 1657.
http://www.alsunnahfoundation.org/Abu_Talib.html
Al-Khidr is Alive
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH,
THE MERCIFUL, THE COMPASSIONATE
And from Him do we seek help
The First Letter
By Said Nursi
In His Name, be He glorified!
And there is nothing but it glorifies Him with praise.
[This consists of the brief answers to four questions]
FIRST QUESTION
Is Hazrat Khidr alive? If he is alive, why do some important religious scholars not accept this?
T h e A n s w e r : He is alive, but there are five degrees of life. He is at the second degree. It is because of this that some religious scholars have been doubtful about it.
The First Level of Life is that of our life, which is very restricted.
The Second Level of Life is that of the lives of Khidr and Ilyas (May Allah grant them peace), which is free to an extent. That is to say, they can be present in numerous places at the same time. They are not permanently restricted by the requirements of humanity like us. They can eat and drink like us when they want to, but are not compelled to like us. The saints are those who uncover and witness the realities of creation, and the reports of their adventures with Khidr are unanimous and elucidate and prove this level of life. There is even one degree of sainthood which is called ‘the degree of Khidr.’ A saint who reaches this degree receives instruction from Khidr and meets with him. But sometimes the one at that degree is mistakenly thought to be Khidr himself.
The Third Level of Life is that of Idris and Jesus (May Allah grant them peace) which, being removed from the requirements of humanity, enters an angelic life and acquires a luminous fineness. Quite simply, Idris and Jesus are present in the heavens with their earthly bodies, which have the subtlety of bodies from the World of Similitudes and the luminosity of star-like bodies. The Hadith the meaning of which is, “At the end of time, Jesus (Upon whom be peace) will come and will act in accordance with the Shari’a of Muhammed (PBUH),” indicates that at the end of time the religion of Christianity will be purified and divest itself of superstition in the face of the current of unbelief and atheism born of Naturalist philosophy, and will be transformed into Islam. At this point, just as the collective personality of Christianity will kill the fearsome collective personality of irreligion with the sword of heavenly Revelation, so too, representing the collective personality of Christianity, Jesus (Upon whom be peace) will kill the Dajjal, who represents the collective personality of irreligion, that is, he will kill atheistic thought.
The Fourth Level of Life is that of the martyrs. According to the Qur’an, the martyrs have a level of life higher than that of the other dead in their graves. Since the martyrs sacrificed their worldly lives in the way of truth, in His perfect munificence, Almighty Allah bestows on them in the Intermediate Realm a life resembling earthly life, but without the sorrow and hardship. They do not know themselves to be dead, thinking only that they have gone to a better world. They enjoy themselves in perfect happiness and do not suffer the pains of separation that accompany death. For sure the spirits of the dead are immortal, but they know themselves to be dead. The happiness and pleasure they experience in the Intermediate World are not equal to that of the martyrs. Like if two men in their dreams enter a beautiful palace resembling Paradise; one knows that he is dreaming and the pleasure and enjoyment he receives are deficient. He thinks: “If I wake up, all this enjoyment will disappear.” While the other man does not know he is dreaming, and he experiences true happiness and pleasure.
The way the martyrs and other dead benefit from life in the Intermediate Realm is thus different. It has been established by innumerable incidents and narrations and it is certain that the martyrs manifest life in that way and think that they are alive. Indeed, this level of life has been illuminated and proved on repeated occasions by many occurrences like Hamza (May Allah be pleased with him) - the lord of the martyrs - protecting those that have recourse to him and performing and making performed matters in this world. I myself, even, had a nephew and student called Ubeyd. He was killed at my side and in my place and became a martyr. Then, when I was being held as a prisoner-of-war at a place three months’ distance away, I entered his grave in a true dream, which was in the form of a dwelling-place under the earth, although I did not know where he was buried. I saw him living the level of life of martyrs. He evidently thought that I was dead, and said that he had wept much for me. He thought that he was alive, but having retreated from the Russian invasion, had made himself a good home under the ground. Thus, through a number of conditions and indications, this unimportant dream afforded the conviction as certain as witnessing it concerning the above-mentioned truth.
The Fifth Level of Life is that of the life of the spirits of the dead in their graves. Yes, death is a change of residence, the liberation of the spirit, a discharge from duties; it is not annihilation, non-existence, and a going to nothingness. Many evidences like innumerable occurrences of the spirits of the saints assuming forms and appearing to those who uncover the realities, and the other dead having relations with us while awake or sleeping and their telling us of things that are conformable with reality, - evidences like these illuminate and prove this level of life. In fact, the Twenty-Ninth Word about the immortality of man’s spirit demonstrates this level of life with incontrovertible proofs.
Who is Elia in the bible ? Is it Imam Ali (as) ?
This shia scholar says its Imam Ali (as). He is wrong. The Ahle Sunnah concludes its Prophet Ilyas (as), and the Jews here were looking for him here. Prophet Ilyas (as) is believed to be still alive in both shia and sunni sources, and this is why the Jews were looking for him.
Now just because I am in a disagreement here it doesn't mean I am denying the merits of Imam Ali (as). In fact in the sunni book Hazrat Qadhi Ayyadh Maliki says in his famous book "as-shifa" that:
Rasul Allah(s) said that on Mi'raj He(Sallallaho alaihi wa aalihi wassallam) saw written on the Arsh 'There is no God but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I(swt) helped Him(S) with Ali(A).
We don't need to rely on speculations when it comes to Imam Ali (as) merits. Imam Ali (as) in reality has uncountable merits.
12 Princes from Prophet Ismail (as)
The 12r shias claim that the 12 Princes mentioned in the bible are the 12 imams of the Ummah ? Are they correct ? No! The 12 princes here refer to another set of descendants that descended from Prophet Ismail (as)
The Definition of 'Arabs' and The Twelve Tribes of Ishmael
By Sayyid Ahmed Amiruddin
The Definition of 'Arabs' and The Twelve Tribes of Ishmael
By Sayyid Ahmed Amiruddin
Q. Who is an 'Arab', and how would you define 'Arab' according to the religion of Islam?
A. Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem.
“Allah did choose Adam and Noah, the House of Abraham, and the House of 'Imran above all people, Offspring, one of the other: And Allah heareth and knoweth all things." (Holy Quran, Sura 3, V. 33-34) and,
"Or do they envy mankind for what Allah hath given them of his bounty? But We had already given the House of Abraham the Book and Wisdom, and conferred upon them a Mighty Kingdom" (Holy Quran, Sura 4, V.54)
The correct definition for 'Arab' is, those persons who descend from the bloodline of the House of Abraham, through his eldest son Ishmael. This was also the correct view of the renowned Arab genealogist Hisham ibn Muhammad al-Kalbi (A.D. 737-819), known as Ibn al Kalbi, who established a genealogical link between Ishmael (alahi salam) and the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and wrote that the people known as 'Arabs' were specifically and only the descendants of Ishmael, from his twelve sons, who formed The 12 Tribes of Ishmael.
The Bible gives us the following record of these tribes:
"But as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: behold I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation." Genesis 17:20
"And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth, and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, and Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, Hadad and Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedmah. These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns and by their encampments; twelve princes according to their nations." Genesis 25:12-16
According to Islamic traditions, the names of the twelve sons of Ishmael (alaihi salam) are, Qedar, Fidmah, Bana Buth, 'Awil, Taqes, Masma', Taima, Jasham, Hadu, Duma, Yatur, and Massa . Madinah the Illuminated was inhabited by the descendents of Taima and Yemen by the descendents of Massa.
Allah's Apostle (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) descends from Qedar (Kedar) the son of Ishmael (alaihi salam). The Kedarites were a mighty tribe whose historical importance may be noted from the fact that they were mentioned in the pages of the Torah, Assyrian Tablets, and ancient Greek history. Aryan, Ptolemy and Pliny give clear mention of their existence in the Hijaz province of Arabia. (Forester, 'Arab Geography', Vol. 1, p.248)
And Allah Knows Best!
Sayyid Ahmed Amiruddin
http://www.alsunnahfoundation.org/Ishmaelites.htm
Imame Azam Abu Hanifa and Behlol Majzoob (ra)
Dr Tahir Ul Qadri talks about Imam Abu Hanifa (ra) being the student of Hz Behlol(ra) in Tasawuuf. He further states that Imam Abu Hanifa (ra) was the student of Ahlul Bayt imams such as Imam Zayd bin Ali (as), Imam Hassana Muthanna (as), Imam Abdullah bin Hassan (as), Imam Muhammad Al Baqir (as) and Imam Jafar as Sadiq (as).
The 12r shia myth about Abu Hanifa & Behlol Majzoob
The 12r shia usually quote this fabricated tradition to mock the status of Imam Abu Hanifa.
"Can pain be seen?"
Bahlool replied, "You yourself say that every present thing can be seen and you criticize Imam Jafar Sadiq by saying how is it possible that Allah is present, but invisible. Secondly, you wrongly claim that the clod of earth pains your head; because the clod of earth is made of mud and you were also created from mud. Then how can one kind of thing hurt the same type of substance? Thirdly, you yourself said that all acts are done by Allah. Then how can you say that I am guilty, present me to the Khalifa, complain about me, and demand punishment for me!"
Abu Hanifa listened to Bahlool's intelligent answers and shamefully left Haroun's court.
Notice it the end of this tradition it says Imam Abu Hanifa (ra) left Haroun Rashid court. Well the reality is Abu Hanifa (ra) did not live during the time of Haroon Rasheed rule.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Imam Jafar Sadiq (as) and Imam Abu Hanifa (ra)
It is reported in the esteemed Ahle sunnah scholar Shaykh Abu Zahra al Misiri's book on Imam Abu Hanifa (ra) that Imam Abu Hanifa (ra) stated that if he 'hadn't spent two years of his life with Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (as), he would have been destroyed' (Imam Abu Hanifa, Abu Zahra).
Also in the 12r shias book there is a narration where Imam Abu Hanifa's (ra) acknowledges that Imam Jafar as Sadiq (as) was the most exalted imam of the time.
Abu Hanifa acknowledges al-Sadiq's authority
He said: Abu Bakr Muhammad b. Umar al-Je'abi reported to me from Abu al-Abbas Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Saeed al-Hamadani, who reported from Ahmad b. Yahya Zakariyya; and Muhammad b. Abdullah b. Muhammad b. Salim among the latter ones, both of whom reported from Abdullah b. Salim, who reported from Hisham b. Mehran, who reported from his maternal uncle Muhammad b. Zayd al-Attar, who was among the prominent companions of A'armash, reporting from Muhammad b. Ahmad b. al-Hasan, reported from Munzir b. Jayfar, reporting from Muhammad b.Yezid Albani, who said:
I was present at Ja'far b. Muhammad's (AS), when Umar b. Qays al-Masir and Abu Hanifa and Umar b. Dharr, together with a group of their companions, called upon him. Then they asked him about faith (al-Iman). He said: The Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, said: "An adulterer (and a fornicator) does not commit that sin at the same time being a Mo'min, and a thief does not steal at the same time being a Mo'min, and one does not drink liquor (intoxicant) while being a Mo'min."
We started looking at each other, then Umar b. Dharr said: "What shall we call them?"
He, peace be upon him, said: "Call them the way Allah has called them because of their deeds. Allah in Qur'an says: 'And for a male thief and a female thief, cut off their hands' (al-Maedah V:38) and 'As for the fornicatress and the fornicator, flog each of them a hundred stripes.' (al-Noor V:2)." Hearing this, they stared at each other.
Muhammad b. Yazid says: Bishr b. Umar b. Dharr, who was with them, reported to me that: When we left, Umar b. Dharr said to Abu Hanifa: "Why did you not ask him who had reported from the Prophet?" He (Abu Hanifa) said: "What can I say to a man who (authoritatively) says: The Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, said."
(Al Amali, Mufid)
Dirar bin Damrah describes Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as)
During Ali's caliphate, Ibn At-Tayyah once came to him and said, "O Leader of the Believers, the Muslim Treasury is filled with gold and silver."
"Allah is the greatest," was Ali's reply. He (ra) then ordered Ibn At-Tayyah to gather the people of Kufah. When everyone was present, Ali began distributing the wealth, all the while saying, "O yellow (gold) and white (silver), deceive someone other than me."
When all was said and done, Ali (ra) had finished distributing all of the wealth that was in the treasury. He then ordered for the inside of the treasury to be cleaned; and after this task was performed, Ali (ra)entered inside and performed two units of prayer.
After Ali (ra) died, Muawiyah bin Abu Sufyan (ra) said to Dirar bin Damrah," Describe Ali to me."
"Will you not excuse me from answering you," said Dirar.
"No, describe him," insisted Muawiyah (ra).
"Please, excuse me from doing so," said Dirar.
"I will not," said Muawiyah.
"I will do so, then," said Dirar with a sigh. "By Allah, he was (far-sighted) and very strong. He spoke with a truthful finality, so that, through him, truht became distinguished from falsehood. He ruled justly, and knowledge gushed forth from him, as did wisdom. He felt an aversion to the world and its (pleasures). By Allah, he would cry profusely (from the fear of Allah); long durations would he spend in contemplation, during which time he would converse with his soul. "
" He showed a liking ( for religious reasons, of course; to train his soul to be patient and abstemious) to coarse garments and lower quality food. By Allah, it was as if - in his humbleness - he was one of us: when we asked him a question, he would answer us; when we would go to him, he would initiate (the greetings of peace); and when we would invite him (to our homes), he would come to us. Yet, in spite of his closeness to us, we would not speak (freely) with him, because of the dignity and honour that he exuded if he smiled, he revealed the likes of straight and regular pearls (i.e. his teeth). He honoured religious people and loved the poor. The strong person could not hope to gain favours from him through falsehood. And the weak person never lost hope of his justness. I swear, by Allah, that on certain occasions, I saw him in his place of prayer when the night was dark and few stars could be seen; he would be holding his beard and crying the way a very sad person cries; and I would hear him saying, "O world, O world, are you offering yourself to me? Do you desire me? Never! Never! Decieve someone other than me. I have divorced you for the third time, so that you cannot return to me. O world, your life is short, the existence you offer is base, and your danger is great. Alas for the paucity of sustenance (i.e. good deeds), the great distance of the journey, and the loneliness of the road!"
Upon hearing this description, Muawiyah's eyes swelled with tears, and not being able to hold them from gushing forth, he was forced to wipe them with his cuffs; and the same can be said for those who were present. Muawaiyah (ra) then said, "May Allah have mercy on the father of Al Hasan, for he was, by Allah, just as you described him to be." He (ra) then said, "O Dirar, describe your sadness at having lost him."
"My sadness," began Dirar, "is like the sadness of a woman who cannot control her tears or allay her grief after her child, while in her lap, has just been slaughtered." Dirar then stood up and left.
"Allah is the greatest," was Ali's reply. He (ra) then ordered Ibn At-Tayyah to gather the people of Kufah. When everyone was present, Ali began distributing the wealth, all the while saying, "O yellow (gold) and white (silver), deceive someone other than me."
When all was said and done, Ali (ra) had finished distributing all of the wealth that was in the treasury. He then ordered for the inside of the treasury to be cleaned; and after this task was performed, Ali (ra)entered inside and performed two units of prayer.
After Ali (ra) died, Muawiyah bin Abu Sufyan (ra) said to Dirar bin Damrah," Describe Ali to me."
"Will you not excuse me from answering you," said Dirar.
"No, describe him," insisted Muawiyah (ra).
"Please, excuse me from doing so," said Dirar.
"I will not," said Muawiyah.
"I will do so, then," said Dirar with a sigh. "By Allah, he was (far-sighted) and very strong. He spoke with a truthful finality, so that, through him, truht became distinguished from falsehood. He ruled justly, and knowledge gushed forth from him, as did wisdom. He felt an aversion to the world and its (pleasures). By Allah, he would cry profusely (from the fear of Allah); long durations would he spend in contemplation, during which time he would converse with his soul. "
" He showed a liking ( for religious reasons, of course; to train his soul to be patient and abstemious) to coarse garments and lower quality food. By Allah, it was as if - in his humbleness - he was one of us: when we asked him a question, he would answer us; when we would go to him, he would initiate (the greetings of peace); and when we would invite him (to our homes), he would come to us. Yet, in spite of his closeness to us, we would not speak (freely) with him, because of the dignity and honour that he exuded if he smiled, he revealed the likes of straight and regular pearls (i.e. his teeth). He honoured religious people and loved the poor. The strong person could not hope to gain favours from him through falsehood. And the weak person never lost hope of his justness. I swear, by Allah, that on certain occasions, I saw him in his place of prayer when the night was dark and few stars could be seen; he would be holding his beard and crying the way a very sad person cries; and I would hear him saying, "O world, O world, are you offering yourself to me? Do you desire me? Never! Never! Decieve someone other than me. I have divorced you for the third time, so that you cannot return to me. O world, your life is short, the existence you offer is base, and your danger is great. Alas for the paucity of sustenance (i.e. good deeds), the great distance of the journey, and the loneliness of the road!"
Upon hearing this description, Muawiyah's eyes swelled with tears, and not being able to hold them from gushing forth, he was forced to wipe them with his cuffs; and the same can be said for those who were present. Muawaiyah (ra) then said, "May Allah have mercy on the father of Al Hasan, for he was, by Allah, just as you described him to be." He (ra) then said, "O Dirar, describe your sadness at having lost him."
"My sadness," began Dirar, "is like the sadness of a woman who cannot control her tears or allay her grief after her child, while in her lap, has just been slaughtered." Dirar then stood up and left.
Imam Ali and the Atheist Group
by Shaykh Nazim Al Haqqani
Once upon a time, there was a group of atheist. They requested to visit Sayyidina Ali (Allah blessings be upon him) in order to discuss an issue with him. They told the imam 'we are coming to visit you and we want to have a discussion.'
Sayyidina Ali replied ' We can have a discussion but if you want to have an argument then I don't have time because arguments are forbidden, but discussions are acceptable. The atheists made an agreement. The atheists started by saying 'You are an Imam, an Imam of Muslims. You are saying that there is another life on earth? You claim that this is a short life and beyond it there is an eternal life? You have faith in such a thing and you claim that in this world there are laws which dictate what is halal (lawful) and what is haram (forbidden). On top of that you pray, meditate and fast and practice other religious rituals. We see all these rituals to be a burden that only waste time, and restrict you from real freedom.
As you know freedom is very beautiful. In order to live freely you should have no restrictions on what is halal (lawful) and what is haram (forbidden) . Everything should halal (lawful), nothing should be haram (forbidden). This is our philosophical belief. With all these restrictions in your beliefs, you have go through so many difficulties. In our philosophical thought, we live freely without any restrictions. We do whatever we like. What do have left to say?'
Sayyidina Ali replied by questioning the atheists' accusations 'I am going to ask you one question. You claim that you are happy with your life because you are free to do anything you want and nothing is preventing you from fulfilling your egos? Is this the case? On top of that you accuse of us Muslims of carrying a heavy burden since we have laws on what is haram (forbidden) ? Then you add that on top of our restrictions we have services to commit such as praying, we fasting, giving charity, perform hajj etc ? Is this what you are concluding? ", Sayyidina Ali continued, 'One question! Do you ponder of day when we are going to leave this world and no longer be able practice this so called freedom?'
The atheist began thinking.
'Now people are either following laws and doing good or doing whatever they want. They continue doing this till their deaths.
The atheists replied ' Go on'.
"That means your freedom is going to come to an end one day. Are you getting pleasure from this freedom which is going to end one day? Are you aware this freedom has its limits ? You claim we are placing a burden on our selves by following religious rituals like praying, fasting, giving charity etc? Just like how the day of pleasure will end one day, our services to Allah has its deadline. The Imam continued "o unbelievers, materialists, and atheist people you are saying, there is nothing beyond our life and that and we are equal. But you must think since we service ourselves to Allah we also believe as result, we are going to go into a realm of endless pleasures instead of staying in realm of limited pleasure. Think about yourselves. What is going be a result when your pleasure days are over?' Imam Ali got the atheist to think deeper. What is going to happen when you die, and you discover there is a hell and a heaven? What would your position be? How did you prepare for the next world? In the next world if there is no hell and heaven then you and equal in status. But if there is a hell and a paradise then us believing in it is going get us into paradise and whereas you as result will be in loss. This loss will be a pathway to hell. Think about it!"
The atheists contemplated and said "O Imam. You are so right. Your opinion, what you saying, it is just 100% filling into our mentalities. Now that are beginning to understand, and we must take the safe route. The safe route is your way. The wrong way is our way and our philosophical thoughts.
We are now going to declare 'ashadu an la ilaha illallah, illallah, illallah, wa ashadu sayyidina Muhammadan abduhu wa habibihu wa rasulu sallallahu alayhi wa sal'lam"
Fatiha.
Once upon a time, there was a group of atheist. They requested to visit Sayyidina Ali (Allah blessings be upon him) in order to discuss an issue with him. They told the imam 'we are coming to visit you and we want to have a discussion.'
Sayyidina Ali replied ' We can have a discussion but if you want to have an argument then I don't have time because arguments are forbidden, but discussions are acceptable. The atheists made an agreement. The atheists started by saying 'You are an Imam, an Imam of Muslims. You are saying that there is another life on earth? You claim that this is a short life and beyond it there is an eternal life? You have faith in such a thing and you claim that in this world there are laws which dictate what is halal (lawful) and what is haram (forbidden). On top of that you pray, meditate and fast and practice other religious rituals. We see all these rituals to be a burden that only waste time, and restrict you from real freedom.
As you know freedom is very beautiful. In order to live freely you should have no restrictions on what is halal (lawful) and what is haram (forbidden) . Everything should halal (lawful), nothing should be haram (forbidden). This is our philosophical belief. With all these restrictions in your beliefs, you have go through so many difficulties. In our philosophical thought, we live freely without any restrictions. We do whatever we like. What do have left to say?'
Sayyidina Ali replied by questioning the atheists' accusations 'I am going to ask you one question. You claim that you are happy with your life because you are free to do anything you want and nothing is preventing you from fulfilling your egos? Is this the case? On top of that you accuse of us Muslims of carrying a heavy burden since we have laws on what is haram (forbidden) ? Then you add that on top of our restrictions we have services to commit such as praying, we fasting, giving charity, perform hajj etc ? Is this what you are concluding? ", Sayyidina Ali continued, 'One question! Do you ponder of day when we are going to leave this world and no longer be able practice this so called freedom?'
The atheist began thinking.
'Now people are either following laws and doing good or doing whatever they want. They continue doing this till their deaths.
The atheists replied ' Go on'.
"That means your freedom is going to come to an end one day. Are you getting pleasure from this freedom which is going to end one day? Are you aware this freedom has its limits ? You claim we are placing a burden on our selves by following religious rituals like praying, fasting, giving charity etc? Just like how the day of pleasure will end one day, our services to Allah has its deadline. The Imam continued "o unbelievers, materialists, and atheist people you are saying, there is nothing beyond our life and that and we are equal. But you must think since we service ourselves to Allah we also believe as result, we are going to go into a realm of endless pleasures instead of staying in realm of limited pleasure. Think about yourselves. What is going be a result when your pleasure days are over?' Imam Ali got the atheist to think deeper. What is going to happen when you die, and you discover there is a hell and a heaven? What would your position be? How did you prepare for the next world? In the next world if there is no hell and heaven then you and equal in status. But if there is a hell and a paradise then us believing in it is going get us into paradise and whereas you as result will be in loss. This loss will be a pathway to hell. Think about it!"
The atheists contemplated and said "O Imam. You are so right. Your opinion, what you saying, it is just 100% filling into our mentalities. Now that are beginning to understand, and we must take the safe route. The safe route is your way. The wrong way is our way and our philosophical thoughts.
We are now going to declare 'ashadu an la ilaha illallah, illallah, illallah, wa ashadu sayyidina Muhammadan abduhu wa habibihu wa rasulu sallallahu alayhi wa sal'lam"
Fatiha.
Imam Ali (as) The Father of Sufism
Ali is acclaimed as the "Father of Sufism". Most of the Sufi orders claim their descent from Ali. According to Ali Hajjweri, the rank of Ali is very high in the line up of Sufism. According to Junayd of Baghdad, Ali is the Shaykh as regards the principles and practices of Sufism.
The Holy Prophet and Sufism
The roots of Sufism lie embedded in Islam itself. There are numerous passages in the Holy Quran which are of a mystical character. The Holy Prophet of Islam (peace be on him) himself displayed mystical inclinations and he very often retired to the cave of Hirah for the purpose of devotions, meditation and contemplation. The Holy Prophet was recipient of two types of revelations, one embodied in the Holy Quran, and the other that illuminated his heart. The former was meant for all, the latter for a selected few whose hearts could be illuminated with the Divine Light. The knowledge of the Holy Prophet was thus book knowledge (ilm-i-Safina), and heart knowledge (ilm-i-Sina). Ali got this heart knowledge from the Holy Prophet. It is related that after the Ascension, the Holy Prophet awarded a mantle to Ali which led to the illumination of his heart.
Gnosis of God
According to Ali, the base of religion is the gnosis of God. He held: "The height of gnosis is His confirmation. The height of confirmation is Tauhid. The height of Tauhid is the acknowledgment of the supremacy of God in all matters. He is beyond all attributes. No particular of attribute can give an idea of His exact nature. He is not bound by anything; all things are bound by Him. He is Infinite, limitless, boundless, beyond time, beyond space, beyond imagination. Time does not affect Him. He existed when there was nothing. He will exist forever. His existence is not subject to the law of birth or death. He is manifest in everything, but He is distinct from everything, He is One. He is not the cause of anything, everything is because of Him. He is unique. He has no partner. He is the Creator. He creates as well as destroys. All things are subject to His command. He orders a thing to be and it is. Ali enjoined the severance of the heart from all things save God. Ali was asked what was the purest thing that could be acquired, and he said, "It is that which belongs to a heart made rich by God". When Ali was asked about gnosis, he said, "I know God by God, and I know that which is not God by the Light of God. " When asked whether he had seen God he said that verily he had seen God, for he could not worship Him unless he knew Him.
Prayers to God
When Ali used to pray, his hair would stand on end. He would tremble and say, "The hour has come to fulfil a trust which the heavens and the earth were unable to bear." Abu Darda, an eminent companion of the Holy Prophet, said, "None in this world has excelled Ali in prayer." While praying, so great was the intensity of the emotions of Ali that he would fall into a swoon. It is related that on one occasion, Abu Darda found Ali lying rigid on the prayer mat, and touching his cold body thought that Ali had breathed his last. Then he broke this news to Fatima. She said that Ali often became unconscious while praying. Abu Darda weeping profusely sprinkled some water on the face of Ali, and he regained consciousness. Seeing the tears in the eyes of Abu Darda, Ali said: "Why are you crying? You shed tears when you see me in this state. Imagine what will happen to me when the angels drag me into the presence of God, and I am forced to render an account of my deeds. They will bind me with fetters of iron, and present me before God and those of my friends who will happen to be witnesses will be powerless to help me. They will lament my unhappy plight, but none save God will be able to help me on that day. "
Communion with God
Very often, Ali would sob the whole night in prayers to God, and God would reward him with a glimpse of the Inner Vision. According to Ali, the highest purpose of knowledge is the awakening of latent spiritual faculties whereby one is enabled to discover his true and inner self. It is to this inner self that God reveals Himself when the self disappears in the vision of the "All Absorbing Reality." Ali often observed that man could have the joy and wonder of communion with God if one abandoned pride, disciplined the flesh, overcame the lust and submitted to the Will of God. He exhorted the people in his various sermons not to indulge in the gross licentiousness, which had characterized Arab society in the "Days of Ignorance." But should instead live in piety and simplicity as enjoined by Islam. Ali said, "Man is a wave in the boundless Sea of God. As long as man's vision is clouded by ignorance and sensuality he will consider himself a separate entity, different from God. But when the veil between him and God is lifted, he will then know what he really is, the wave will then merge with the ocean". Ali held that enlightenment is needed so that one can first get to know himself. Only then would he get to know God. Ali held that to this end religious exercises must be practiced. Sufism for which Ali stood derived its strength from the Shariah. Ali preached that any form of knowledge which failed to show the Infinite Reality in man was useless, because it could not fill that vacuum of which the aching soul of every individual was so pathetically conscious. Ali wanted men to be virtuous as virtues purify the soul, and it is only the purified soul that can be the recipient of spiritual enlightenment. This is the doctrine of Inner Light, which was enunciated by Ali as the core of Sufi thought. Ali is accordingly acknowledged as the "Father of Sufism" and the "Prince of Saints".
Doctrine of preference
Ali also enunciated the doctrine of preference. He stood for preferring the claims of others to one's own claims. He gave an outstanding demonstration of this doctrine when he slept on the bed of the Holy Prophet on the night of the Holy Prophet's migration from Makkah, when the infidels were seeking to slay him. Ali risked his life for the sake of the Holy Prophet, because of the preference that Ali gave to the life of the Holy Prophet as compared with his own life. After the death of the Holy Prophet, Ali considered that he was the most deserving person to be elected as the Caliph. When his claims were overlooked and other persons were elected as the Caliph, he offered them allegiance in pursuance of the doctrine of preference. It was this spirit of preference that motivated Ali to plunge on the thick of the battle to meet the challenge of the enemy regardless of his own personal safety. It is related that after the ascension, the Holy Prophet gave Ali a mantle, he asked him as to the use that he would make of the mantle. Ali said that he would use it to cover the faults of others. The true Sufi way lies in covering the faults of others.
Fasting
According to Ali, fasting was not a mere formality or a ritual; it was an exercise for the purification of the soul. Because of his constant fasting, Ali earned the epithets of "Qa'im-ul-Lail" (Praying most of the night without sleep), and "Sa'im-un-Nahar", (Fasting mostly during the day). Ali held that hunger sharpens the intelligence, and improves the mind and health. Hunger involves home affliction for the body, but it illumines the heart, purifies the soul, and leads the spirit into the presence of God. One who cultivates his spiritual nature by means of hunger in order to devote himself entirely to God and detach himself from worldly ties is at a much higher level than the person who cultivates his body by means of gluttony and lust. Ali acted on the advice of the Holy Prophet, "Fast so that perchance your hearts may see God in this world". And verily, because of his fasting and other spiritual exercises, Ali did see God in this world. The Holy Prophet had enjoined, "When you fast, let your ear, your eye, your tongue, your hand, and your every limb fast." Ali followed this advice in letter as well as in spirit. By the discipline of fasting, Ali was able to subordinate the physical senses to spiritual requirements in such a way that they could respond only to what was pure and became dead to what was impure. Ali thus led a purified life.
Zakat
Ali held: "Of the most meritorious acts of a believer, and one of the most acceptable things to God is Zakat. It behooves everyone to give charity, because from amongst the acts of worship this is the most pleasing to God." In his sermons, Ali exhorted the people in the following terms: "O ye people send a part of your wealth to God so that: it may stand you in good stead in the next world. Do not leave your entire wealth here so as to be a source to annoyance to you in the world to come". In the annals of the Arabs, Hatim Tai enjoys fame for his munificence and generosity. Ali outclassed Hatim in the matter of generosity. Some of the stories of his generosity which have attained the dimensions of legends are narrated in another Chapter of this book.
Pilgrimage
Ali was born in the Kaaba. He had, therefore, a strong emotional attachment for the Kaaba. Ali observed that the Holy Kaaba was sited in a territory known for its stony wastes and wilderness where no water was available. God had ordained the Muslims to bear the hardships involved in a journey through such inhospitable land cheerfully so that these very privations might ultimately become a source of salvation. The pilgrimage is symbolic of the fact that whatever hardship one bears in the trials of life and endeavors to fulfill the will of God, he acquires goodness and righteousness by them. The darkest thing in the world is the beloved's house without the beloved. What is really important for a lover is the beloved and not the house of the beloved. According to Ali the spirit of pilgrimage did not lie in a bare visit to the Kaaba, it lay in developing the inner vision whereby one could see God, the Lord of the Kaaba.
Jihad
Ali held that Jihad is the gateway to Paradise. He said: "God has opened this gate for His friend. It is the mantle of piety. It is the shield of faith. He who avoids it, God subjects him to disgrace".
Ali held that Jihad did not lie in merely taking up arms in the cause of God, it comprehends incessant struggle against falsehood in all spheres of life. Jihad is the main pillar on which Islam rests.
Repentance
The first stage in the path of Sufism is repentance. Repentance is described as the awakening of the soul from the slumber of heedlessness, so that the sinner becomes aware of his evil ways and feels contrition for past disobedience. Ali repeatedly prayed for the forgiveness of God. His typical prayer was: "O God, forgive me my sins of which you are more aware than me. And if I commit these sins again, even then forgive me. Whatever promises I had made with myself to follow Your commands have not been fulfilled. I seek Your forbearance if I have sought Your proximity with my tongue, but my heart did not keep pace with my tongue, overlook my lapse. O God, forgive me for my futile talk, vain desires and lapses of the tongue".
Detachment
Ali exhorted that while living in the world, one should not renounce the world, yet he should not have an undue attachment for the world. Detachment from the world is the means of attaining God. It is related that some one begged Ali to give him a precept. Ali said: "Do not let your wives and children be a cause of concern for you, for if they are the friends of God, He will look after His friends, and if they are the enemies of God, why should you take care of God's enemies?"
Patience
On the mystic way, the traveler has to meet many trials and tribulations. God subjects His lovers to severe testing, and he alone can pass such tests who is patient. Ali was the personification of patience, and for his patience he won the epithet of "Job, the Second". In the Battle of Uhud Ali received as many as sixty-one wounds so that his whole body looked like one big wound which the nurses could not dress. Ali though in mortal agony said: "May God grant me patience to bear this suffering. Is it not a favor of God that He gave me the courage to stand and fight, and not to leave the field?"
About the patience of Ali, Dr. Ata Moyudin writes as follows in his Ali, the Superman, "Ali used to say that at no time in his life had he ever known peace and tranquillity. From the time he went in infancy to the home of the Holy Prophet, it was a ferment of turbulence and turmoil. The Holy Prophet was constantly persecuted by the Makkan pagans. Then from adolescence onwards, Ali was constantly fighting in Jihad, and after the death of the Holy Prophet, he was embroiled against his wish, in the political intrigues of others. Even when elected Caliph, the implacable enemies of Islam arose and rebelled against him. Yet he bore all these afflictions with patience, thanking God that he had acquitted himself well in the tests and trials to which the Almighty had thought fit to subject him."
The Holy Prophet and Sufism
The roots of Sufism lie embedded in Islam itself. There are numerous passages in the Holy Quran which are of a mystical character. The Holy Prophet of Islam (peace be on him) himself displayed mystical inclinations and he very often retired to the cave of Hirah for the purpose of devotions, meditation and contemplation. The Holy Prophet was recipient of two types of revelations, one embodied in the Holy Quran, and the other that illuminated his heart. The former was meant for all, the latter for a selected few whose hearts could be illuminated with the Divine Light. The knowledge of the Holy Prophet was thus book knowledge (ilm-i-Safina), and heart knowledge (ilm-i-Sina). Ali got this heart knowledge from the Holy Prophet. It is related that after the Ascension, the Holy Prophet awarded a mantle to Ali which led to the illumination of his heart.
Gnosis of God
According to Ali, the base of religion is the gnosis of God. He held: "The height of gnosis is His confirmation. The height of confirmation is Tauhid. The height of Tauhid is the acknowledgment of the supremacy of God in all matters. He is beyond all attributes. No particular of attribute can give an idea of His exact nature. He is not bound by anything; all things are bound by Him. He is Infinite, limitless, boundless, beyond time, beyond space, beyond imagination. Time does not affect Him. He existed when there was nothing. He will exist forever. His existence is not subject to the law of birth or death. He is manifest in everything, but He is distinct from everything, He is One. He is not the cause of anything, everything is because of Him. He is unique. He has no partner. He is the Creator. He creates as well as destroys. All things are subject to His command. He orders a thing to be and it is. Ali enjoined the severance of the heart from all things save God. Ali was asked what was the purest thing that could be acquired, and he said, "It is that which belongs to a heart made rich by God". When Ali was asked about gnosis, he said, "I know God by God, and I know that which is not God by the Light of God. " When asked whether he had seen God he said that verily he had seen God, for he could not worship Him unless he knew Him.
Prayers to God
When Ali used to pray, his hair would stand on end. He would tremble and say, "The hour has come to fulfil a trust which the heavens and the earth were unable to bear." Abu Darda, an eminent companion of the Holy Prophet, said, "None in this world has excelled Ali in prayer." While praying, so great was the intensity of the emotions of Ali that he would fall into a swoon. It is related that on one occasion, Abu Darda found Ali lying rigid on the prayer mat, and touching his cold body thought that Ali had breathed his last. Then he broke this news to Fatima. She said that Ali often became unconscious while praying. Abu Darda weeping profusely sprinkled some water on the face of Ali, and he regained consciousness. Seeing the tears in the eyes of Abu Darda, Ali said: "Why are you crying? You shed tears when you see me in this state. Imagine what will happen to me when the angels drag me into the presence of God, and I am forced to render an account of my deeds. They will bind me with fetters of iron, and present me before God and those of my friends who will happen to be witnesses will be powerless to help me. They will lament my unhappy plight, but none save God will be able to help me on that day. "
Communion with God
Very often, Ali would sob the whole night in prayers to God, and God would reward him with a glimpse of the Inner Vision. According to Ali, the highest purpose of knowledge is the awakening of latent spiritual faculties whereby one is enabled to discover his true and inner self. It is to this inner self that God reveals Himself when the self disappears in the vision of the "All Absorbing Reality." Ali often observed that man could have the joy and wonder of communion with God if one abandoned pride, disciplined the flesh, overcame the lust and submitted to the Will of God. He exhorted the people in his various sermons not to indulge in the gross licentiousness, which had characterized Arab society in the "Days of Ignorance." But should instead live in piety and simplicity as enjoined by Islam. Ali said, "Man is a wave in the boundless Sea of God. As long as man's vision is clouded by ignorance and sensuality he will consider himself a separate entity, different from God. But when the veil between him and God is lifted, he will then know what he really is, the wave will then merge with the ocean". Ali held that enlightenment is needed so that one can first get to know himself. Only then would he get to know God. Ali held that to this end religious exercises must be practiced. Sufism for which Ali stood derived its strength from the Shariah. Ali preached that any form of knowledge which failed to show the Infinite Reality in man was useless, because it could not fill that vacuum of which the aching soul of every individual was so pathetically conscious. Ali wanted men to be virtuous as virtues purify the soul, and it is only the purified soul that can be the recipient of spiritual enlightenment. This is the doctrine of Inner Light, which was enunciated by Ali as the core of Sufi thought. Ali is accordingly acknowledged as the "Father of Sufism" and the "Prince of Saints".
Doctrine of preference
Ali also enunciated the doctrine of preference. He stood for preferring the claims of others to one's own claims. He gave an outstanding demonstration of this doctrine when he slept on the bed of the Holy Prophet on the night of the Holy Prophet's migration from Makkah, when the infidels were seeking to slay him. Ali risked his life for the sake of the Holy Prophet, because of the preference that Ali gave to the life of the Holy Prophet as compared with his own life. After the death of the Holy Prophet, Ali considered that he was the most deserving person to be elected as the Caliph. When his claims were overlooked and other persons were elected as the Caliph, he offered them allegiance in pursuance of the doctrine of preference. It was this spirit of preference that motivated Ali to plunge on the thick of the battle to meet the challenge of the enemy regardless of his own personal safety. It is related that after the ascension, the Holy Prophet gave Ali a mantle, he asked him as to the use that he would make of the mantle. Ali said that he would use it to cover the faults of others. The true Sufi way lies in covering the faults of others.
Fasting
According to Ali, fasting was not a mere formality or a ritual; it was an exercise for the purification of the soul. Because of his constant fasting, Ali earned the epithets of "Qa'im-ul-Lail" (Praying most of the night without sleep), and "Sa'im-un-Nahar", (Fasting mostly during the day). Ali held that hunger sharpens the intelligence, and improves the mind and health. Hunger involves home affliction for the body, but it illumines the heart, purifies the soul, and leads the spirit into the presence of God. One who cultivates his spiritual nature by means of hunger in order to devote himself entirely to God and detach himself from worldly ties is at a much higher level than the person who cultivates his body by means of gluttony and lust. Ali acted on the advice of the Holy Prophet, "Fast so that perchance your hearts may see God in this world". And verily, because of his fasting and other spiritual exercises, Ali did see God in this world. The Holy Prophet had enjoined, "When you fast, let your ear, your eye, your tongue, your hand, and your every limb fast." Ali followed this advice in letter as well as in spirit. By the discipline of fasting, Ali was able to subordinate the physical senses to spiritual requirements in such a way that they could respond only to what was pure and became dead to what was impure. Ali thus led a purified life.
Zakat
Ali held: "Of the most meritorious acts of a believer, and one of the most acceptable things to God is Zakat. It behooves everyone to give charity, because from amongst the acts of worship this is the most pleasing to God." In his sermons, Ali exhorted the people in the following terms: "O ye people send a part of your wealth to God so that: it may stand you in good stead in the next world. Do not leave your entire wealth here so as to be a source to annoyance to you in the world to come". In the annals of the Arabs, Hatim Tai enjoys fame for his munificence and generosity. Ali outclassed Hatim in the matter of generosity. Some of the stories of his generosity which have attained the dimensions of legends are narrated in another Chapter of this book.
Pilgrimage
Ali was born in the Kaaba. He had, therefore, a strong emotional attachment for the Kaaba. Ali observed that the Holy Kaaba was sited in a territory known for its stony wastes and wilderness where no water was available. God had ordained the Muslims to bear the hardships involved in a journey through such inhospitable land cheerfully so that these very privations might ultimately become a source of salvation. The pilgrimage is symbolic of the fact that whatever hardship one bears in the trials of life and endeavors to fulfill the will of God, he acquires goodness and righteousness by them. The darkest thing in the world is the beloved's house without the beloved. What is really important for a lover is the beloved and not the house of the beloved. According to Ali the spirit of pilgrimage did not lie in a bare visit to the Kaaba, it lay in developing the inner vision whereby one could see God, the Lord of the Kaaba.
Jihad
Ali held that Jihad is the gateway to Paradise. He said: "God has opened this gate for His friend. It is the mantle of piety. It is the shield of faith. He who avoids it, God subjects him to disgrace".
Ali held that Jihad did not lie in merely taking up arms in the cause of God, it comprehends incessant struggle against falsehood in all spheres of life. Jihad is the main pillar on which Islam rests.
Repentance
The first stage in the path of Sufism is repentance. Repentance is described as the awakening of the soul from the slumber of heedlessness, so that the sinner becomes aware of his evil ways and feels contrition for past disobedience. Ali repeatedly prayed for the forgiveness of God. His typical prayer was: "O God, forgive me my sins of which you are more aware than me. And if I commit these sins again, even then forgive me. Whatever promises I had made with myself to follow Your commands have not been fulfilled. I seek Your forbearance if I have sought Your proximity with my tongue, but my heart did not keep pace with my tongue, overlook my lapse. O God, forgive me for my futile talk, vain desires and lapses of the tongue".
Detachment
Ali exhorted that while living in the world, one should not renounce the world, yet he should not have an undue attachment for the world. Detachment from the world is the means of attaining God. It is related that some one begged Ali to give him a precept. Ali said: "Do not let your wives and children be a cause of concern for you, for if they are the friends of God, He will look after His friends, and if they are the enemies of God, why should you take care of God's enemies?"
Patience
On the mystic way, the traveler has to meet many trials and tribulations. God subjects His lovers to severe testing, and he alone can pass such tests who is patient. Ali was the personification of patience, and for his patience he won the epithet of "Job, the Second". In the Battle of Uhud Ali received as many as sixty-one wounds so that his whole body looked like one big wound which the nurses could not dress. Ali though in mortal agony said: "May God grant me patience to bear this suffering. Is it not a favor of God that He gave me the courage to stand and fight, and not to leave the field?"
About the patience of Ali, Dr. Ata Moyudin writes as follows in his Ali, the Superman, "Ali used to say that at no time in his life had he ever known peace and tranquillity. From the time he went in infancy to the home of the Holy Prophet, it was a ferment of turbulence and turmoil. The Holy Prophet was constantly persecuted by the Makkan pagans. Then from adolescence onwards, Ali was constantly fighting in Jihad, and after the death of the Holy Prophet, he was embroiled against his wish, in the political intrigues of others. Even when elected Caliph, the implacable enemies of Islam arose and rebelled against him. Yet he bore all these afflictions with patience, thanking God that he had acquitted himself well in the tests and trials to which the Almighty had thought fit to subject him."
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