DUAA-E-MUKAREM-UL-AKHLAAQ PART1

Imam Ali, Zainul Abedin Saiyyadus Sajedeen, the third illuminating star of the Golden Chain of Imamate, had complied 54 Supplications in Sahifa-e-Kamila. The book is also known as “The Psalms of Islam” and “Zuboor-e-Aale Muhammad”.

The supplication is titled as “Noble Moral Traits and Acts Pleasing Almighty Allah (swt)”

It should be absolutely clear in the minds of the readers that our A’imma (plural of Imam) were infallible. They have written these supplications for our guidance to pray.

We should read these duaas, understand and make every effort to practice in our lives.

O Allah, Bless Muhammad (s) and his Progeny (a), cause my faith to reach the most perfect faith, make my certainty most excellent certainty, and take my intention to the best of intentions, and my works to the best of works.

O Allah, complete my intention through your gentleness, rectify my certainty through what is with You, and set right what is corrupt in me through Your Power.

O Allah, Bless Muhammad (s) and his Progeny (a), spare me the concerns which distract me, employ me in that about which You will ask me tomorrow, and let me pass my days in that for which You have created me, free me from need, expand Your Provision towards me, and tempt me not with ingratitude. Exalt me and afflict me not with pride, make me worship You and corrupt not my worship with self-admiration. Let good flow out from my hands upon the people and wipe it not by my making them obliged. Give me the highest moral traits, and preserve me from boastfulness.

O Allah, Bless Muhammad(s) and his Progeny (a), raise me not a single degree before the people without lowering me it’s like in myself and bring about no outward loftiness for me without an inward humiliation in myself to the same degree.

O Allah, Bless Muhammad(s) and his Progeny (a), give me to enjoy a sound guidance which I seek not to replace a path of truth from which I do not change direction, and an intention of right conduct in which I have no doubts. Let me live as long as my life is a free gift in obeying You, but if my life should become a pasture of Shaitaan(l), seize me to Yourself before Your hatred overtakes me or Your wrath against me becomes firm.

O Allah, Bless Muhammad(s) and his Progeny(a), deposit in me no quality for which I will be faulted, unless You set it right, no flaw for which I will be blamed, unless You make it beautiful, no deficient noble trait, unless You complete it.

O Allah, Bless Muhammad(s) and his Progeny(a), and replace for me the hostility of the people of hatred with love, the envy of the insulting people with affection, the suspicion of the people of righteousness with trust, the enmity of those close with friendship, the disrespect of blood relations with devotion, the abandonment of relatives with help, the attachment of flatterers with love set right, the rejections of fellow beings with generous friendliness, and the bitterness of the fear of wrongdoers with the sweetness of security.

O Allah, Bless Muhammad(s) and his Progeny (a), appoint for me a hand against him who wrongs me, a tongue against him who disputes with me, and victory over him who stubbornly resists me, give me guile against him who schemes against me, power over him who oppresses me, prove him false who abusively criticize me, and safety from him who threatens me .Grant me success to obey him who points me to straight path and follow him who guides me right.

O Allah, Bless Muhammad(s) and his Progeny (a), and point me straight to resist him who is dishonest towards me with good counsel, repay him who separates from me with gentle devotion, reward him who deprives me from  free giving, reward him who cuts me off with joining, oppose him who slanders me with excellent mention, give thanks for good, and shut my eyes to evil.

O Allah, Bless Muhammad(s) and his Progeny(a), adorn me with the adornment of the righteous, and clothe me in the ornaments of the god-fearing, through spreading justice, restraining rage, extinguishing the flame of hate, bringing together the people of separation, correcting strife, spreading around good behavior, covering faults, mildness of temper, lowering the wing, beauty of conduct, gravity of bearing, agreeableness in conduct, precedence in reaching excellence, preferring generosity, refraining from condemnation, bestowing bounty on poor, speaking the truth, though it may be painful, making little of the good in my words and deeds, though it may be more, and making much of the evil in my words and deeds, though it be little. Perfect this for me through lasting obedience, holding fast to the community, and rejecting the people of innovation and those who act according to original opinions.

O Allah, Bless Muhammad(s) and his Progeny (a), appoint for me your widest provision in my old age and your strongest strength when I am exhausted, try me not with laziness in worshipping you, blindness towards your path, undertaking what opposes love for you, joining with him who has separated himself from you, and separating from him who has joined himself to you.

O Allah, Bless Muhammad (s) and his Progeny (a), make me leap to you in times of distress, ask from you in needs, and plead to you in misery. Tempt me not to seek help from other than you when I am distressed, to humble myself in asking from someone else when I am poor, or to plead with someone less than you when I fear, for then I would deserve your abandonment, your withholding, and you’re turning away, O Merciful of the most merciful.

SUPERMAN IN ISLAM - 4 THEORY OF LIGHT

Among the wonders of Imam Jafer al-Sadiq (a) was his theory of light. He said “Light comes from an object in to our eyes. The light which enters our eyes is only a part

of the total light which brightens it that is the reason we cannot see clearly objects from far. If the entire light enters our eyes, then we can see distant objects clearly. If a device could be made so as to collect the entire amount of light in our eyes then we can see the distant object clearly”

This theory reached Europe and Rager Beacon used to teach this theory in Oxford University. Subsequently he promulgated his own theory called “Light Theory” in which he expressed his idea that if we could invent an instrument which could convey the complete quantum of light in our eyes then we could see the object 50 times nearer. He was called Doctor Admiral. He died in the year 1294. In the year 1608, Lapershy of Flends, a Belgium national invented the first telescope following the theory of Imam Jafer al-Sadiq (a). In the year 1610, Galilee improved upon this telescope and brought it from Padua University to Vanes and installed it on top of a church. The senators were excited and would like to see the moon through his telescope. When people enquired as to how they could see distant objects so near, Galilee would repeat Imam (a)’s theory.  If Imam Jafer al-Sadiq (a) would not have presented the theory of light, would Lapershy or Galilee have produced a telescope and confirm Copernick and Kippler’s theory that stars including earth are revolving around the sun?

Aristotle presented the false theory that stars are not revolving around sun. This false idea kept the human race from investigating space for 18 centuries. The impact of Imam Jafer-al Sadiq (a) theory of light can be imagined by the development in Physics and Astronomy in subsequent centuries.

Imam Jafer al-Sadiq (a)’s theory of light’s second part is equally important. He(a) said that light travels from objects to human eyes where as before that it was believed that light comes from  eyes to the object. He (a) was the first Muslim to negate this theory and asserted that light comes from an object and travels to the eyes. The logic is that we cannot see an object in dark and if the old theory is correct then we should be able to see in dark. Imam (a) further said that to see an object either the object should be lighted or light should fall on the object.

Imam (a) further said about the speed of light. He (a) said “light travels very fast towards our eyes and it is a mobile thing”. The Imam (a) while talking to his students said “Strong light can move heavy objects and the light which dawned upon Prophet Musa (a), if Allah wanted could have moved Mount Sina”.

Imam (a)’s above statements and theory of light is more important than modern Lasers. 

SUPPLICATION OF REPENTANCE (TAUBA) IN SAHIFA KAMILA - 1

Tauba means to return or come back. It means a man feels sorry for his sins and sincerely prays to Allah to abstain from committing the same sin again. If the sin can be addressed to like discharge any unfulfilled obligation, then he should discharge that liability and if it cannot be done then he should perform such deeds for the aggrieved person that on the Day of Judgment he may be pleased with the sinner. The basic cause of repentance is the knowledge and conviction of reward and punishment. No man is exempt from repentance because every one makes mistake or intention or thought of committing a sin.

As soon as a man commits a sin, he should repent right away because no one knows when he will die. If he postpones repentance he may not repent at all. Moreover, this repentance is a clear evidence that his mind is still intact on natural integrity.

The Holy Prophet (s) said “If a man repents one year before his death, Allah will accept his repentance. He further said that even if he repents one month before or one day before or even one hour before his death, Allah will accept his repentance and forgive his sins”

Duaa-e-Tauba is as follows:

O Allah, O He whom the depiction of describers, fails to describe,

O He beyond whom passes not the hope of the hopers,

O He with whom is not lost the wage of the good-doers,

O He who is the ultimate object of the fear of the worshippers,

O He, who is the utmost limit of the dread of the God-fearing,

This is the station of Him whom sins have passed from hand to hand.

Offenses’ reins have led him on,

And Satan has gained mastery over him.

He fell short of what you have commanded through negligence,

and he pursued what you have prohibited in delusion,

like one ignorant of your power over him,

or one who denies the bounties of your beneficence toward him,

until, when the eye of guidance was open for him,

and the clouds of blindness were dispelled, he reckoned that through which he had

wronged himself,

and reflected upon that in which he had opposed his Lord.

He saw his vast disobedience as vast and his great opposition as great.

So turned to you, hoping in you ashamed before you,

and he directed his beseeching toward you, having trust in you.

He repaired to you in his longing with certitude and he went straight to you in fear

with sincerity.

His longing was devoid of every object of longing but you,

and his fright departed from every object of fear but you.

So he stood before you pleading,

his eyes turned toward the ground in humbleness,

his head bowed before your might in lowliness;

he revealed to you in meekness those secrets of his which you know better than he;

he numbered for you in humility those sins of which you count better than he;

he sought help from you before the dreadful into which he has fallen in your knowledge;

and the ugly which has disgraced him in your judgment:

the sins whose pleasures have turned their backs and gone,

and whose evil consequences have stayed and stuck fast.

He will not deny your justice, my God, if you punish him

nor will he consider your pardon great if you pardon him and have mercy upon him,

for you are the Generous Lord

for whom the forgiveness of great sins is nothing great

O god so here I am: I have come to you obeying your command

for you have commanded supplication

and asking the fulfillment of your promise

for you have promised to respond

you have said “Supplicate Me and I will respond to you” (40:60).

O God, so Bless Muhammad and his Household,

meet me with your forgiveness just as I have met you with my confession,

lift me up from the fatal infirmities of sins just as I have let myself before you,

and cover me with your covering just as you have shown no haste to take vengeance on me

O God, make firm my intention to obey you,

strengthen my insight in worshipping you,

give me the success of works

which will wash away the defilement of offenses,

and take me when you take me in the creed of your Prophet,

Muhammad (peace be upon him).

O God, I repent to you in this my station from

my sins, great or small,

my evil deeds, inward or outward

my lapses, past and recent,

with the repentance of one who does not tell himself that he might disobey

or secretly think that he might return to an offense.

You have said, my God, in the firm text of your Book,

that you ‘accept repentance from your servants,

pardons evil deeds (42:25) and loves the repenters (2:222),

so accept my repentance as you have promised, pardon my evil deeds as you have guaranteed,

and make obligatory toward me your love as you have stipulated’

to you my Lord, belongs my stipulation that I will not return to what is disliked by you

my guaranty that I will not go back to what you blame

and my covenant that I will stay away from acts of disobedience to you.

O God, you know better what I have done, so forgive me what you know

and turn me through your power to what you love.

O God, counted against me are claims that stay in my memory,

and claims that I have forgotten,

while all of them remain in your eye that does not sleep,

and your knowledge that does not forget.

So compensate their owners, lighten their load upon me,

lift up their weight from me, and preserve me from approaching their like.

HOLY MONTH OF RAMAZAAN

In Islam, the spiritual, social, economic, political, and psychological benefits of fasting are inter-related. During the month of Ramazaan, the believers learn to curb their desires and check them against transgression and extravagance. Fast fosters a strong will, teaches patience and self-discipline, the ability to bear hardships and tolerate hunger and thirst. It regulates and systematizes the energies of instincts. It grants its organs respite so that they may be ready to resume their activities. It is a medicine for many bodily and nervous ailments. It is a moral education, a nourishment of supreme virtues. It teaches them humility and humbleness. It promotes the spirit of charity and compassion towards poor. The believers strengthen their ties with Allah, since they express through fast a continuous desire to obey His Will and carry out His commandments.

It is said that hunger is the cloud from which rains of wisdom fall heavily.

Holy Prophet (s) and infallible A’imma (a) of Ahlul Bayt highly encouraged the believers to invite each other for Iftaar in Ramazaan. Such invitation should accompany “Ikraam”

Allah (swt) says in Holy Qur’an:

O believers, fasting has been made mandatory for you as it was made mandatory for the people before you, so that you may have fear of Allah. Fasting is only for a certain number of days. One who is sick or on a journey has to fast same number of days at another time. Those who can afford redemption should feed a poor person. Good deeds performed on one’s own initiative will be rewarded. However, fasting is better and will be rewarded. Would that you had known this! The month of Ramazaan is the month in which the Qur’an was revealed; a guide for the people, the most authoritative of all guidance and a criterion to discern right from wrong. Any one of you who knows that the month of Ramazaan has begun must start to fast……Allah does not impose any hardship upon you. He wants you to have comfort so that you may complete the fast, glorify Allah for His having given you guidance, and perhaps you give Him thanks. (al-Baqara 183-85)

We have revealed the Qur’an on a blessed night to warn man kind. (al-Dukhan: 3)

The Holy Prophet (s) said:

Ramazaan is a month you have been called to the banquet of Allah.

A guest is a guide to Paradise.

Surely, whosoever hates a guest, hates Allah, and whosoever hates Allah, Allah hates him.

Paradise is enveloped by difficulties and Hell Fire is enveloped by desires.

How often is the share of one who fasts (nothing save) hunger and thirst and how often is the share of one who stands in prayer (nothing but mere) vigil.

The month of Ramazaan was named so because it tends to “ramad” the sins, that is, burn them.

Some of the poor companions asked him whether they would be deprived of the reward of the invitation if they cannot bear the expenses of hosting a mumin brother in this holy month. The Holy Prophet said “Protect yourself from Hell Fire even with a piece of date or glass of water”

Imam Ali (a) said:

Prophet Ibrahim (a) was first to host a guest. (Hazrat Ibrahim would not eat any of his meals until he found a guest to eat with him)

I swear by Allah, surely the fasting one among you enjoys in the Gardens of Paradise and the angels pray for his success until he breaks his fast.

Fasting is to abstain from forbidden acts the way a man refrains from food and drink

Lady of Paradise Fatima Zahra (a) said:

What should the fasting one do with his fast if he did not protect his tongue, hearing, sight, and members of his body.

Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (a) said:

Fasting from food and drink does not merely mean that human being should not eat or drink; rather, when you fast, then your ears, eyes, tongue, stomach and private parts must also fast.

One who recites in one night, 10 verses of Holy Qur’an during Ramazaan, will never be written down among the “Indifferent”. One who recites 50 verses will be written down  among those who remember Allah “ Tahkireen”. If he recites 100 verses, he will be written down among those who constantly supplicate (Qaniteen). If he recites 300 verses, he will be written down among the winners (Faa’izeen). If he recites 500 verses, he will be written down among those who reach the degree of ijtehaad (Mujtahideen). If he recites 1,000 verses, he will be rewarded with one “Kantar” which is 5,000 Mithqals, each Mithqal is 24 Karats, the smallest of which (in as far as the weighing in the hereafter) is as big as Mountain of Uhad and the largest extends from the earth to the sky.

At another place he said that if one recites Holy Qur’an in the month of Ramazaan, Allah will let him enjoy his vision, and such recitation decreases the penalty of his parents even if they may be Kafirs.

Medical Benefits of Fasting:

Islam means unconditional surrender to the Will of Almighty Allah, hence it is obligatory on a healthy Muslim to fast he should do so. This supplementary information is for us to realize the hikmat or wisdom for our benefits.

The physiological effects of fasting includes, lowering of blood sugar, lowering of cholesterol, and lowering of the systolic blood pressure. Fasting is recommended for patients with mild to moderate, stable, non-insulin diabetes, obesity and essential hypertension. However, patients suffering from severe diseases, severe diabetes, coronary artery disease, kidney stones etc. should not try to fast.

Psychologically there is peace and tranquility, personal hostility is at a minimum, and the crime rate decreases. Recitation of Holy Qur’an not only produces tranquility of heart and mind, but improves memory.

TRADITIONS OR AHADITH

Hadith means Prophetic tradition or narrative relating to deeds and utterances of the Prophet (S). Sunnah includes every thing relating to the Prophet (S). It includes hadith, his behavior and character. If some activity was being performed in front of the Prophet (S) and he did not object to it, is also considered as his Sunnah.

Collection of hadith had started during the life time of the Prophet (S). Imam Ali (A) was the first to do this. According to the Shiah authorities of hadith the, term Sunnah includes the narratives relating to the speech, biographical details and deeds of the Prophet (S) and the Imams (A). As the Prophet (P) said “ Awwaluna Mohammad, Ausatuna Mohammad, Akhiruna Mohammad and Kulluna Mohammad”

Hadith-e-Qudsi is defined as the Divine communication whose revelation is not the part of the Noble Qur’an.

Among the Muslim recorders of hadith were: Abu Hurayra, Abd Allah ibn Umar, Prophet (S)’s wife Aisha, Abd Allah ibn al-Abbas, Jabir ibn Abd Allah al-Ansari, and Abu Said al Khudri

In the next period of collection of hadith, the texts which were collected by the early Shia scholars were called “Usul”. Most of them were narrated by Imam Mohammad al-Baqir and Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (A).

Subsequently, the later Shia scholars of hadith compiled four great collections from the aforementioned source of “Usul” which became the most important source of hadith.

The following are the four books:

            Al-Kafi compiled by Shaikh Yaqoob Kulayni containing 16,099 ahadith

            Man la yahduru al-Faqih compiled by Shaikh Suduq containing 9,044 ahadith

            Al-Tahdhib compiled by Shaikh al-Tusi containing 13,590 ahadith

            Al-Istibsar complied by Shaikh al-Tusi containing 5,511 ahadith

After a lapse of time great scholars of hadith appeared in the Shiah world during the Safavid rule in Iran. Among them were Mullah Mohsin al-Kashani who wrote Kitab al Jaani al-Wafi, Shaikh Muhammad Amili who compiled Wasail al-Shiah, and Allama Muhammad Baqir Majlisi who compiled the famous Bihar al-Anwar.

There was enmity between Umayyad and Hashemite. Abu Sufiyan belonged to the Umayyad clan and accepted Islam at the time of the great Victory of Makkah to save his life. Abu Sufiyan’s wife was Hinda, who brutally chewed the liver of Hazrat Hamza at the Battle of Uhad. Abu Sufiyan’s son was Muawiya. Yazid was the son of Muawiya, who was responsible for the tragedy of Karbala and subsequent humiliation of Ahlul Bayt on the streets of Sham or Syria. When the grand daughters of the Prophet (S) were made to stand in his court wherein he said “There was no revelation, no angels descended. Bani Hashim played this game to gain power”

During the Banu Umaiyya’s period of persecution, they lavishly plundered the wealth of Muslim umma to consolidate their power, eliminate opposition and defame Prophet’s Ahlul Bayt. They hired writers to fabricate hadith against Ahlul Bayt and favoring those who were not friendly towards Ahlul Bayt (A). Consequently, an enormous number of fraudulent ahadith were fabricated. After the end of Bani Umaiyya’s oppressive rule,  efforts were made to scrutinize the ahadith. Numerous fabricated ahadith were deleted and remaining ahadith were collected in books called Sahih or right. Even in these “Sahih” books, there are still many ahadith which are illogical and unacceptable.

In Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, two of the sahih books called “Saha Sitta” or Six Correct books, there are ahadith that portray Allah as human being having face, hands and legs!

Imam Ali (A) speaks about Allah in Nahjul Balagha as “All praise be to Allah, whose praise cannot be described by those who speak, whose Blessings cannot be enumerated by those who count, those who try to cannot give Him His true rights, the height of intellect cannot reach Him, the depths of perception cannot comprehend Him; for His description no limit has been laid down, no eulogy exists, no time counted and no duration fixed.

Who ever has described Allah, has linked Him (with some thing); whoever links Him (with some thing) has seen Him as two; who ever has seen Him as two has apportioned Him (into parts); who ever apportions Him is ignorant of Him; who ever is ignorant of Him has pointed at Him; who ever points at Him has limited Him (to a place); who ever limits Him has numbered Him.”

People asked our Imams as to how to authenticate any hadith, the Imam (A) gave the yard-stick and said that compare any hadith with Noble Qur’an; if it differs with Holy Qur’an reject it.

There is a science of establishing truth of ahadith called “Ilm ul Rijaal” in which the chain of narrators are scrutinized in detail. All Shiah collected ahadith are linked to any

Holy Imams and this “Golden Chain” last link is Prophet(S).