Mullah Majalisi's View on Blacks in the Aqira.

Here is a strange ahadith in Bihar al Anwar which in directly attacks black people.

It is a well-known fact that the Prophet had an admirable sense of humour - although even in witticism, he never spoke but truth. Once an old lady of Medina asked him to pray to Allah to give her a place in the Paradise. The Prophet said, "Old women would not enter the Paradise." She went out crying. Bilal saw her and asked her why she was crying. She narrated the whole episode. Bilal came with the lady to the Prophet, and said, "This woman is narrating such and such from you?" The Prophet said, "Even black men would not enter the Paradise." Now Bilal too started crying. Then 'Abbas, the uncle of the Prophet reached there and learning of the episode, tried to intercede with the Prophet, who told him that even old men would not enter the Paradise. When he too joined the crying group, the Prophet told them to be cheerful because Allah would create them young and with bright faces and then they would go into Paradise

al-Majlisi, Hayatu'l Qulub, pp. 129-130; Bihar, vol. 16, p. 295.
http://www.al-islam.org/slavery/4.htm

I'm guessing Mullah Majalisi forgot about Imam Musa al Kazim (as) when he added this ahadith in his ahadith collection.





From the above video, it is clear that the light of haqq (truth) is not blocked due to ones complexion.

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.

Description of Imam Musa Al Kazim (as)

Imam Musa al-Kazim (as) and Haroon Rasheed

Imam Musa al-Kazim (as) and Bishr al Hafi (ra)

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.

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

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.

Hadith regarding Hazrat Imam Sha'afi (ra)

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.

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.

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."

Imam Ali's (as) Humbless

The tyrant rulers believed that leadership was based on cruelty, wealth and power. These tyrants who ruled over the Ummah lived in palaces.
When Imam Ali (as) entered Kufa, he was offered a palace as well. However, the Imam did not have any desire to live in a palace. In fact, he disliked it. Instead Imam Ali (as) asked the people of Kufa about where the local mosque was, and when he discovered it the imam built a small house next to it.

Imam Ali (as) used to shop for clothes at places where the people would not recognize him. Once Imam Ali (as) had 5 dinars to spend. He went to a tailor and asked him to sell him the cheapest materials for a set of clothes. With that 5 dinars the imam bought 2 separate pieces of clothing. One piece of the clothing material was worth 2 dinars, and the other was worth 3 dinar. The imam gave the material worth 3 dinars to his servant and kept the cheaper material for himself.

Umar bin Abdul Aziz's (ra) Reform

When Umar ibn Abdul Aziz (radi Allahu anhu) who can be considered the 6th khalifah, not a king came, and he found that the propaganda and the rumors that were spreading by officials that was nowstandard procedure was not Islamic behavior- remember, we may have slipped, all of this position that the 1st king in Islam institutionalized that became a pillar of themonarchical establishment was attributed to an ayah. They had to have some misinterpretation of an ayah to extend all ofthese deviations to, and that ayah was concerning the death or the murder of Uthman (radi Allahu anhu), And, whoever hasbeen killed or murdered without a basis of justice, then WE have allocated to his guardian 1st of kin, an authorization(Surah Al-Isra' verse 33) They stopped here,the ayah says He should not beexcessive in taking corrective measures for a person who was killed without justice (Surah Al-Isra' verse 33) So, all of this wasextended to give a veneer of legitimacy to the vile language that was used to condemn Ali and his family.Imagine, a khutbah just like this during jum'ah, and then someone would come usewords that we cannot use- these were official words and public pronouncements,and then when Umar ibn Abdul Aziz came, he didn't say that in his khutbah. Hedidn't say any of these institutionalized statements that have been repeatedfor years and generations and then someone stands up and tries to remindthis Muslim who is trying to follow his conscience and tells him "Youshould be following the sunnah" Meaning the Sunnah means you should becondemning Ali and his side; and Umar ibn Abdul Aziz said to him "An innovation! AnInnovation!" and he obliterated or put an end to this type of policy and theseofficial statements from the Mimbar and he replaced it with something that isstill used today- it doesn't come from the time of Allahs Prophet- when you go tothe conventional andtraditional type of Masjid, you hear every khutbah ending with Verily, Allah ordersJustice and that you be patient and dutiful totally for His sake and that you be forthcoming to kin and He forbidsevil deeds and the things which are prohibited and aggression and oppression.Allah admonishes you so that you may take heed. (Surah An-Nahl verse 90) That was not the waythe khutbahs ended during the time of Allahs Prophet. This is the way it began to end when Umar ibn Abdul Azizreplaced those condemnation statements with this ayah from the Qur'an andwe still have it today. People who are not aware of these details think thatthey are saying something that belongs in the time of Allahs Prophet. No!They are saying something that can be traced back to correct what the 1stking in Islam did.

This tradition above is found in the esteemed salafi scholar Ibn Kathir's book. Ibn Kathir in his book The Rightly Guided Calipahs says


The Ummayads use to abuse Ali bin Abi Talib in speeches, but when Umar bin Abdul Aziz became the calipah, he put an end to that by writing to his provincial rulers, ordering them to stop that tradition and quoted the verse.

"Allah commands justice, the doing of good, and liberality to kith and kin, and he forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: he instructs you, that ye may recieve admonition." (Al-Nahl:90). This is verse was always quoted in their speeches from then onwards.
(Biographies Of RightlyGuided Caliphs, Ibn Kathir Pg 393)

Most scholars agree that Umar bin Abdul Aziz is superior to Muawiyah ibn Sufyaan, for his matchless justice, modesty and asceticism.
(Biographies Of Rightly Guided Caliphs, Ibn Kathir Pg 398)

Online Link for the above source:
http://abdurrahman.org/seerah/BiographiesOfRightlyGuidedCaliphs-IbnKathir.pdf

What Imam Ali (as) Said In Regards To Supporting Amir Muawiyah ?

Imam Qadhi Abu al-Hasan al-Mawardi (d 448 Ah) an esteemed Ahle Sunnah scholar of the past authenticated a saying by Imam Ali bin Abi Talib his book 'adb al-dunya wa deen'.

أَنَّ رَجُلًا قَالَ لِعَلِيٍّ كَرَّمَ اللَّهُ وَجْهَهُ: إنِّي أُحِبُّك وَأُحِبُّ مُعَاوِيَةَ. فَقَالَ رضي الله عنه: أَمَّا الانَ فَأَنْتَ أَعْوَرُ، فَإِمَّا أَنْ


تَبْرَأَ وَإِمَّا أَنْ تَعْمَى

(adb al-dunya wa deen )


In his book he authenticates a story of a man that came to Ali and said "I love you and I love Muawiya " To this Ali replied that you are a ONE EYED MAN. The eye that loves me has vision and that loves muawiya is blind. If you persist with it then you will be total blind.

Shia Scholar Says Its a Pillar in Deen To Curse Bibi Ayesha

Question: It is permissible to slander, degrade and disrepect Ayesha ? Is there any sin in sharia for this form of character assissination ?

Answer: The Quran has exposed the evil personality of Abu Lahab and his wife. Since Bibi Ayesha opposed Imam Ali (as) it our duty to expose and curse her.

Now whenever you ask a 12r shia if slander the Bibi Ayesha (ra) they reply by saying "we only state facts about her and nothing else." Above the shia scholar was asked if one can slander the wife of Prophet (sawas) and the scholar didn't oppose it. In fact he supports this form of character assassination against Bibi Ayesha, and says on top of it that its a pillar in the 12r madhab.


Further if you read Mullah Baqir Majalis books they are filled with the character assassination of Bibi Ayesha (ra) and Bibi Hafsa (ra).


12'er alledged-Shi'ite devious Sect Beliefs with Regards to Ayesha - the Wife of the Prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi wa aalihi Wasallam)





Mullah Baqir Majlisi writes:




'When Imam Mahdi arrives, Ayesha will be resurrected so that she may be given a prescribed punishment and that Fatima be vindicated.' (Haqqul Yaqeen: 347)






The same author writes about Ayesha that "She was a traitor." (Tadhkiratul Aimmah: 66)







Again, Mullah Baqir Majilisi comments about Ayesha (R.A.) and Hafsa (R.A.) that: "They were both hypocrites." (Hayatul Quloob: 2:745)




Imam Khomeini writes about the prestige and worth of the oft-quoted Mullah Baqir:





'Keep on reading the Persian books written by Majlisi so that you do not fall into any other such stupidity.' (Kashful Asrar: 121)






Maqbool Dehlavi, a Shi'ite translator of the Quran, quotes Imam Baqir as saying:


'Two women poisoned the Prophet (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) before his death. These are the same two women (Ayesha and Hafsa). May Allah curse them and their fathers (Abu Bakr and Omar respectively). (His translation of Surah Ale Imraan: 134)


From the quotes above I've seen answering ansaar refute the quote about 12th Imam taking revenge against the sahaba and wives. Also, the source about poisoning is only believed by Shia scholar Yasir Habib and his followers. However, the rest of the beliefs are unanimous the mainstream Imami 12r shias.