PEARLS OF WISDOM FROM THE SERMONS OF AMIR-AL-MOMINEEN ALI (A.S.) - FIVE

 

Sermon 17: Among all the people the most detested by Allah are two persons. One is he who is devoted to his self. So, he is deviated from the true path and loves speaking about (foul) innovations and inviting towards wrong path. He is therefore a nuisance for those who are inspired with love of him, is himself mislead from the guidance of those preceding him, misleads those who follow him in his life or after his death, carries the weight of other’s sins and is entangled in his own misdeeds. The other man is he who has picked up ignorance. He moves among the ignorant, is senseless in the thick of mischief and is blind to the advantages of peace. Those resembling like men have named him scholar, but he is not so. He goes out early morning to collect things whose deficiency is better than plenty, till when he has quenched his thirst from polluted water and acquired meaningless things, he sits among the people as a judge for solving whatever is confusing to others. If an ambiguous problem is presented before him, he manages shabby arguments about it of his own accord and passes judgement on its basis. In this way he is entangled in the confusion of doubts as in the spider’s web, not knowing whether he was right or wrong. If he is right, he fears lest he erred, while if he is wrong, he hopes he is right. He is ignorant, wandering astray in ignorance and riding on carriages aimlessly moving in darkness. He did not find reality of knowledge. He scatters the traditions as the wind scatters dry leaves.

By Allah, he is not capable of solving the problems that come to him nor is fit for the position assigned to him. Whatever he does not know he does not regard it worth knowing. He does not realize that what is beyond his reach is within the reach of others. If anything is not clear to him, he keeps quiet over it because he knows his own ignorance. Lost lives are crying against his unjust verdicts, and properties (that have been wrongly disposed of) are grumbling against him.

I complain to Allah about persons who live ignorant and die misguided. For them nothing is more worthless than the Qur’an if it is recited as it should be recited, nor anything more valuable than the Qur’an if its verses are removed from their places, nor anything more vicious than virtue nor more virtuous than vice.

Sermon 18: When a problem is put before anyone of them, he passes judgement on it from his imagination. When the same problem is placed before another of them, he passes an opposite verdict. Then these judges go to the chief who had appointed them, and he confirms all the verdicts, although their Allah is one (and the same), their prophet is one (and the same), their Book (Qur’an) is one (and the same)! Is it that Allah ordered them to differ, and they obeyed Him? Or (is it that) Allah sent an incomplete Faith and sought their help to complete it. Or they are His partners in the affairs, so that it is their share of duty to pronounce, and He has to agree? Or is it that Allah, the Glorified, sent a perfect faith but the Prophet fell short of conveying it and handing it over (to the people)? The fact is that Allah the Glorified says, “We have not neglected anything in the Book (Qur’an) (6:38) and in it is a clarification of everything. And He says that one part of the Qur’an verifies another and that there is no divergence in it as He says, “If it had been from any other than Allah, they would surely have found in it much discrepancy. “(4:82)

Certainly, the outside of the Qur’an is wonderful and in its inside is deep (in meaning), its wonders will never disappear, its amazements will never pass away, and its intricacies cannot be cleared except through itself.

Source: Nahjul Balagha Part One-The Sermons by Sharif Razi (r.a.)

PEARLS OF WISDOM FROM THE SERMONS OF AMIR-AL-MOMINEEN ALI (A.S.)

 

Sermon2: Imam Ali (a.s.) spoke about Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) as: They are the trustees of His secrets, shelter of His affairs, source of knowledge about Him, Centre of His Wisdom, valleys of His books and mountains of His religion. With them Allah straightened the bend of religion’s back and removed the trembling of its limbs. None in the Islamic community can be taken at par with the Progeny (a.s.) of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.). One who was under their obligation cannot be matched with them. They are the foundation of the religion and Pillar of Belief. The forward runner must turn back to them while the follower must overtake them. They possess the chief characteristics of vicegerency. In their favor exists the will (of the Prophet)

He also spoke about the hypocrites saying, “They sowed vices, watered them with deception and harvested destruction.”

Sermon 16: “Beware those sins are like unruly horses on whom the riders have been placed and their reins are let loose so that they would jump with them in Hell. Beware that piety is like trained horses on whom the riders have been placed with the reins in their hands, so that they would take riders to Heaven. There is right and wrong and there are followers for each. If wrong dominates, it has (always) been so in the past, and if the truth goes down that too has often occurred. It seldom happens that a thing that lags comes forward. He who has heaven and Hell in his view has no other aim. He who attempts and acts quickly, succeeds, while the seeker who s slow may also entertain hope, and he who falls short of action faces destruction in Hell. On right and left there are misleading paths. Only the middle way is the (right) path which is the Everlasting Book and the traditions of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.). From it the “Sunnah” has spread out and towards it is the eventual return.

He who claims (otherwise) is ruined and he who concocts false hood is disappointed. He who opposes right with his face gets destruction. It is enough ignorance for a man not to know himself. He who is strong rooted in piety, does not get destruction, and the plantation of a people based on piety never remains without water. Hide yourself in your houses and reform yourselves. Repentance is at your back. One should only praise Allah and condemn only his own self.

 

Source: Nahjul Balagha Part one -the Sermons  by Sharif Razi (r.a.)

 

PEARLS OF WISDOM FROM THE SERMONS OF AMIR-AL-MOMINEEN ALI (A.S.) - THREE

 

The Prophethood of Muhammad: In this way ages passed by, and times rolled on fathers passed away while sons took their places till Allah deputized Muhammad (s.a.w.a.s.) as His Prophet in fulfilment of His Promise and in completion of His Prophethood. His pledge has been taken from His Prophets, his traits of character were well reputed, and his birth was honorable. The people of the earth were divided in different parties, their aims were separate, and ways were diverse. They either likened Allah with His creation or twisted His names or turned to else than Him. Through Muhammad Allah guided out of wrong and with his efforts took them out of ignorance. Then Allah chose for Muhammad (s.a.w.a.s.) to meet Him, selected him for His own nearness, regarded him too dignified to remain in this world and decided to remove him from this place of trial. So, He drew him towards Himself with honor. Allah may shower His blessings on him and his progeny.

The Holy Qur’an and Sunnah: But the Prophet left among you the same which other prophets left among their peoples, because prophets do not leave them untended (in dark) without a clear path and a standing ensign , namely the Book of your Creator, clarifying its permissions and prohibitions, its obligation and discretion, its repealing injunctions and the repealed ones, its permissible matters and compulsory ones ,its particulars and the general ones, its lessons and illustration, its long and short ones, its clear and obscure ones, detailing its abbreviations, and clarifying its obscurities. In it there are some verses whose knowledge is obligatory and others whose ignorance by the people is permissible. It also contains obligatory by the Book, but its repeal is signified by the Prophet’s action (Sunnah) or that which appears compulsory by Prophet’s action, but the Book allows not following it. Or there are those which are obligatory in each time but not so after that time. Its prohibitions also differ. Some are major regarding which there exists the threat of fire (Hell), and others are minor for which there are prospects of forgiveness. There are also those of which a small portion is also acceptable (to Allah), but they are capable of being expanded.

About Hajj: Allah has made obligatory upon you the pilgrimage (Hajj) to His Sacred House which is the turning point for the people who go to it as beasts or pigeons go towards spring water. Allah the Glorified made it the sign of their supplications before His Greatness and their acknowledgement of His Dignity. He selected from among His creation those who on listening to His call responded to it and testified His word. They stood in the position of His Prophets and resembled His angels who surround the Divine Throne securing all the benefits of performing His worship and hastening towards His promised forgiveness. Allah the Glorified made it (His sacred House) an emblem for Islam and object of respect for those who turn to it. He made obligatory its pilgrimage and laid down its claim for which He held you responsible to discharge it. Thus Allah, the Glorified, said, “…and (purely) for Allah, is incumbent upon humankind, the Pilgrimage to the House, for those who can afford to journey thither. And whoever denied then verily, Allah is self-sufficiently independent of the worlds.” (3:96)

 

Source: Nahjul Balagha Part one, The Sermons by Sharif Razi (r.a.)

FORTY HADITHS OF THE FOURTEEN INFALLIBLE - IMAM ALI (A.S.)

 

Shaykh Muhammad ishtihardy’s book titled “Fascinating Discourses of the Fourteen Infallible” was translated by Javed Iqbal Kizilbash under Islamic Propagation Organization. Selected Ahadiths from Imam Ali (a.s.) is reproduced below:

The one who recognizes himself has recognized his Allah. Indeed, raised Muhammad (s.a.w.a.s.) upon righteousness so that he may move His servants (out of) the state of adoration of servants towards His own adoration, and the commitment of His slaves towards His own commitment and from the obedience of His slaves towards His own obedience and from the guardianship of His servants towards His own guardianship. The one who is pleased and satisfied with the deed of a nation (group) is like the one who has shared with it. And for all those entering a falsehood there are two sins; the sin of practice and the sin of being pleased with it. Verily, ordering the good deed and stopping from evil doings do neither draw the death closer nor decreases the sustenance. Absolutely must never the good doer and evil doer be equal in your eyes, since this becomes the reason of inclination of those performing virtuous deeds in their performance of virtuous deeds and the encouragement of the evil doer upon doing bad deeds.

Paradise is acquired by practice not by aspiration. The person calling and inviting others without himself practicing is just like an arrow man with a bow without a string. I recommend you five things for obtaining it if you have to move around on the camel back even then it is worthwhile.: Do not have hope in anyone except Allah, do not be afraid of anything except your sins, if one of you is questioned about a thing which he does not know, he must admit it, exercise patience and forbearance in every work. People are of three categories; the Godly scholars, the students on the way to salvation, and the silly and stupid ones who run after every call who have not been illuminated by the light of knowledge. The world’s example is that of a snake which is soft to touch but it has perilous poison. A servant (of Allah) does not taste the faith till such time that he abandons telling lie both seriously and as joke. The real jurisprudent is the one who does not permit the people to commit sins and does not make the people disappointed with the mercy of Allah and does neither make the people think safe from the plans of Allah. What has the son of Adam got to do with pride (since) he begins as a semen and ends as a corpse? The worth of all the men is in the virtuous deeds that they perform. The person who corrects and rectifies his interior, Allah rectifies his exterior. O, people, the most things regarding which I am afraid are two things: The following of patience and desires and the longevity of hopes and aspirations. Do not look at who speaks and look at what he speaks. The one whose conversations and speech becomes large in quantity; his faults increase in number. Your friends are three and your enemies are three. Your friends are your friend and the friend of your friend and the enemy of your enemy. And your enemies are your (own) enemy and the enemy of your friend and your friend of your enemy. Do not be slave of another person since Allah made you a free person. Indeed, persons do not identify the religion of Allah, instead, it is recognized by the sign of Rights. Therefore, do identify the light to identify the people of the right. The one who is pleased.

 

Source: al-islam.org/Fascinating Discourses of the Fourteen Infallible by Shaykh Mohammad Ishtihardi

PEARLS OF WISDOM FROM THE LETTERS OF AMIR-AL-MOMINEEN ALI (A.S.)

 

While examining the Nahj-ul-Balagha, I noticed a vast collection of valuable wisdom from every sentence of the letters written by Amir-ul-Momineen Ali (a.s.) in Nahju-ul-Balagha, a huge ocean of knowledge delivered by the “Gateway of Knowledge,” Imam Ali (a.s.):

The Creation of the Universe: Allah initiated creation initially without reflection and experimentation. He allotted all things their time, gave them their properties, determined their properties before creating them, realizing fully their limits and confines, appreciating their propensities and intricacies. When Allah created the openings of atmosphere, expanse of firmament and strata of winds, He flowed into it water whose waves were stormy whose surges leapt one over the other. He loaded it on dashing wind and breaking typhoons, ordered it to shed back, gave wind control over the vigor of the rain, and acquainted it with its limitations. The wind blew under it while water flowed furiously over it. Then Allah created forth wind and made its movement sterile, perpetuated its position, intensified its motions, and spread it everywhere. Then He ordered the wind to raise up deep waters and intensify the waves of the oceans. So, the wind churned it like the churning of curd and pushed it fiercely into the firmament throwing its front position on the rear and the stationary on the flowing till its level was raised and the surface was full of foam. The Allah raised the foam on to the open wind and vast firmament and made there-from the seven skies and made the lower one as a stationary surge and upper one as protective ceiling and a high edifice without any pole to support it or nail to hold it together. Then He decorated them with stars and the light of meteors and hung in it the shining sun and effulgent moon under the revolving sky, moving ceiling and rotating firmament.

 

The Creation of the Angels: Then He created the openings between high skies and filled them with all classes of His angels. Some of them are in prostrations and do not kneel up. Others in kneeling position and do not stand up. Some of them are in array and do not leave their position. Others are extolling Allah and do not get tired. The sleep of the eye or the slip of wit or the languor of the body or the effect of forgetfulness does not affect them. Among them are those who work as trusted bearers of His message, those who serve as the speaking tongues for His prophets and those who carry His orders and injunctions. Among them are the protectors of His creatures and guards of the doors of the gardens of Paradise. Among them are those whose steps are fixed on earth but their necks are protruding into the skies, their limbs are getting out on all sides, their shoulders are in accord with columns of Divine Throne, their eyes are down cast before it, they have spread down their wings under it and they have rendered between themselves and all else curtains of honor and screens of power. They do not think of Creator through image, and do not impute to Him attributes of the created, do not confine Him within abodes and do not point at Him through illustrations.

 

Source: Al-Islam.org - Nahjul Balagha Part 1 – The Sermons by Sharif Razi

THE BIRTH OF THE INFALLIBLE SAYYIDA FATIMA ZAHRA (S.A.)

 

Sayyida Fatima Zahra (s.a.) was the only daughter of the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) and Sayyida Khadijatul Kubra (s.a.). Her birth was specially arranged by Almighty Allah (s.w.t.): Gabriel descended in the presence of the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) and conveyed His peace and ordered him not to come close to his wife for forty days. He (s.a.w.a.s) complied by fasting during the day and praying at nights. After forty days Gabriel once again with another angel Michael (Mikael) descended with a plate covered by a handkerchief of brocade and asked that he should break his fast on that day with the food under cover. Imam Ali (a.s.) narrates, “The Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) used to order me to open the door to anyone who came to join him in iftar. On that day he ordered me to guard the door and said, “O Son of Abu Talib! This food is forbidden to everyone save me.” Then, he said “I sat at the door, and the Prophet uncovered the plate and found a cluster of dates and a bunch of grapes, he ate until satisfied and drank his need of water. He then extended his hands for washing, so Gabriel poured water, Michael washed his hands and Israfil dried them. Thereafter, the remaining food ascended to Heavens. Then he started to prepare for prayers when Gabriel said to him, “Prayer is forbidden to you until you go to Khadija and perform coition with her; for Allah (Glory be to Him) ordained upon Himself to create noble progeny from you tonight.”

The birth of Sayyida Fatima Zahra (s.a.) was also miraculous. Sayyida Khadija (s.a.) called the midwives of Quraish for help, everyone refused because she had married the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) ignoring the rich youths of Quraish. She was stressed, but Allah sent the towering women of the world. Four ladies, whose beauty and brilliance are indescribable, entered the room. One of them said, “I am your Mother Eve (Hawwa), the second one said, “I am Umme Kulthum, Musa’s sister, the third one said, “I am Asiya binte Muzahim and the fourth one said, “I am Mariam bint Imran, mother of Isa.” We have come to deliver your child! (Tabari, Qanduzi in Yanabiul Muwaddah, Bihar ul Anwar of Majlisi)

The Infallible Imam Jaffar al-Sadiq (a.s.) said, “My grandmother Fatima Zahra (s.a.)’s light (Noor) was created by Allah (s.w.t.) long before Adam was created. According to Ibne Abbas, she would grow in one month as ordinary babies grow in one year. When she would go to her father, he would stand up to receive her as a mark of respect and make her sit on his place and often kiss her hand.

People asked the sixth Infallible Imam Jaffar al-Sadiq (a.s.), “Why do they call Fatima, Zahra?” The Imam replied, “Because Zahra means shining, and Fatima was such that when she stood in the “Mihrab” of prayers, her light was radiance for the inhabitants of skies, just as the light of the stars are for the inhabitants of earth.”

The Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) said, “My daughter is named Fatima because she and her Shias, the followers of her school, are separated from the fire of Hell (Sawaiq ul Muhriqa). Her other names are more than eighty-five; some of which are,” Ummul A’imma” (Mother of Imams), “Umme Abiha” (Mother of her father), Siddiqah (The Honest), “Taahirah’ (The Virtuous), “Zakiyyah” (The Chaste), “Marziyyah” (Pleasing for her prayers), “Muhaddisah” (One who converses with angels).

 

Sources: Fatima, the Gracious by Abu Muhammad Ordani, Bihar ul Anwar by Allama Muhammad Baqir Majlisi,

                World’s Most Outstanding Lady by Ayatullah Naser Makarem Shirazi, Dua.org

FORTY HADITHS OF THE FOURTEEN INFALLIBLES - SAYYIDA FATIMA ZAHRA (S.A.)

 

Shaykh Mohammad Ishtihardy’s book titled “Fascinating Discourses of The Fourteen Infallible” was translated by Javed Iqbal Kizilbash of Seminary of Qum, under Islamic Propagation Organization. Selected Ahadiths from Sayyida Fatima Zahra (s.a.) are reproduced here:

Praise is for Allah for the blessings and bounties which He has bestowed and thanks to Him upon what He revealed. They are irredeemable and not compensable due to their plentifulness, and the imagination of its end is out of the range of human mind. I testify that there is no deity except the sole and matchless Allah. The Allah Who cannot be seen by the eyes and tongues are unable and baffled to describe His attributes and virtues. Allah made all the beings without previous matter, shape, sample, and pattern. Allah fixed His reward for His obedience and torments for His Insubordination and disobedience so that He may restrain His servants from His Wrath and lead them to His Paradise. And I testify that my father Muhammad (s.a.w.a.s.) is His servant and apostle. And Allah selected and chose him before appointing him as Prophet He chose him before everything. Then all the creations were hidden and covered under the screen of unseen. Allah saw nations idol worshipping. So, Allah illuminated the darkness through my father Muhammad and removed the darkness from their hearts and cured the blindness of eyes. My father Muhammad (s.a.w.a.s.) stood up with his guidance among the people and guided them towards the firm religion. You the servants of Allah are the ones to maintain His Injunctions and prohibitions and the carriers of His religion and trustees on your souls and the propagators of His religion among other nations. O the servants of Allah! Beware the real leader from Allah, is present among you and the commitment has previously been made to you and the remaining and left over of the prophet hood has been appointed for your guidance. The Book of Allah is the guide of its followers towards the pleasure of Allah. Allah made the faith for you as a purity from polytheism. He made salat the cause of your getting distant from pride and rendered alms for the purity of your souls and nourishment and expansion of your sustenance and rendered fasting for the maintenance and firmness of your sincerity. He set Hajj for the consolidation and reinforcement of the religion. He executed and rendered justice for the putting together and harmonization of the hearts. He set the subordination and obedience of us (AhlulBayt) for the security of the society’s systems and our Imamate as a safety from segregation and disunity. He made jihad the honor and glory for Islam and abjectness and humbleness for the infidels and hypocrites. He rendered patience as a help for getting reward. He caused commanding goodness and forbidding to do evil for the amendment and correction of society and commoner. He made the kindness to parents as a protection to His Wrath. He made the joining and connecting with kinship the cause of lengthening life. He made the law of retaliation (revenge for homicide) as the security of blood (from being shed). He executed the vow performing as a medium for forgiveness. He rendered the correct use of weight and measure a medium for stopping from selling less. He rendered prohibition from drinking wine the cause of taking distance from contamination (evils). He made the prohibition to accuse someone of adultery a protection for avoiding His curse. He made refraining from theft for the sake of positivity and affirmation of modesty. He prohibited polytheism for the sake of bringing about sincerity in His adoration and worship. Certainly, an apostle has come to you from among yourselves and if you recognize him, he is my father and not the father of any women, and the brother of my cousin Ali not that of your men. He invited people toward Allah by wisdom and beautiful admonition. You were at the edge of a fire ditch, suffering from moral and social degradation, so Allah liberated you (from these misfortunes) through my father. O Allah! Belittle me in my eyes and glorify and magnify your station to me and inspire me about your obedience and the practice which may cause your pleasure and evading from things which are the cause of Your Wrath. Content me with sustenance you have granted me. O Allah! Bestow upon my parents and those who have rights of their blessings upon me, the best of your reward.

Source: Fascinating Discourses of the Fourteen Infallible by Shaykh Mohammad Ishtihardi (al-islam.org)