May 14

The Finer Thought

Imam Mohammad Al -Baqir has said:

“Haseebu qabla an tuhasibu” – “Do your accounting before the accounting is done for you”

The poem below sums up how our each day should be:

The Finer Thought

How fine it is at night to say:

“I have not wronged a soul to-day.

I have not by a word or deed,

In any breast sowed anger’s seed,

Or caused a fellow being pain;

Nor is there on my crest a stain

That shame has left. In honour’s way,

With head erect, I’ve lived this day.”

When night slips down and day departs

And rest returns to weary hearts,

How fine it is to close the book

Of records for the day, and look

Once more along the traveled mile

And find that all has been worthwhile;

To say: “In honour I have toiled;

My plume is spotless and unsoiled.”

Yet cold and stern a man may be

Retaining his integrity;

And he may pass from day to day

A spirit dead, in living clay,

Observing strictly morals, laws,

Yet serving but a selfish cause;

So it is not enough to say:

“I have not stooped to shame to-day!”

It is a finer, nobler thought

When day is done and night has brought

The contemplative hours and sweet,

And rest to weary hearts and feet,

If man can stand in truth and say:

“I have been useful here to-day.

Back there is one I chanced to see

with hope newborn because of me.

“This day in honour I have toiled;

My shining crest is still unsoiled;

But on the mile I leave behind

Is one who says that I was kind;

And someone hums a cheerful song

Because I chanced to come along.”

Sweet rest at night that man shall own

Who has not lived his day alone.

 

BY: Edgar A. Guest

Category: Morals N Ethics, Poems | LEAVE A COMMENT
July 13

Barakah

If we were to look for an Islamic definition of Productivity, it can probably be summarised in the word “barakah” or Blessing. Being able to achieve more with few resources, doing much in little time, and generating a lot with little effort is surely a blessing from Allah (Subahanahu Wa Ta’ala). Yet Barakah has somehow become a lost treasure these days; everyone’s looking for it, but no one seems to find it! You always hear people complaining that there’s no barakah in their time, no barakah in their sleep, no barakah in their money and the rest of it.

In this article, we’ll solve this mystery inshaAllah: we’ll find out what Barakah is and where you can find it!

 

What is Barakah?

A Well-known daee explains it as follows:

والبركة: هي ثبوت الخير الإلهي في الشيء؛ فإنها إذا حلت في قليل كثرته، وإذا حلت في كثير نفع، ومن أعظم ثمار البركة في الأمور كلها إستعمالها في طاعة الله عز وجل.

“Barakah is the attachment of Divine goodness to a thing, so if it occurs in something little, it increases it. And if it occurs in something much it benefits. And the greatest fruits of Barakah in all things is to use that barakah in the obedience of Allah (Subahanahu Wa Ta’ala)”

 

Sources of Barakah

I’m a firm believer that Barakah is not a lost treasure, rather, it’s right in front of our eyes! This treasure is only available and ready to be handed over to the one who works for it. 

 

1. Good Intentions

If you want something to have barakah attached to it, have good intentions for it. More specifically, make sure that deed is intended for the sake of Allah (Subahanahu Wa Ta’ala). Looking again at the definition of Barakah, you may guess that without us intending what we have or do for the Sake of Allah, the “Divine goodness” won’t be found in our deeds.

 

2. Piety and Belief in Allah

Allah says in the Quran: “If the people of the towns had but believed and feared Allah, We should indeed have opened out to them (All kinds of) blessings from heaven and earth…”(Surah Al-A’raf, Verse 96). And He says in the Quran: “And for those who fear Allah, He (ever) prepares a way out. And He provides for him from (sources) he never could imagine” (Surah Al-Talaq, Verses 2-3).

 

3. Putting your trust in Allah

Allah says in the Quran: “And if any one puts his trust in Allah, sufficient is (Allah) for him. For Allah will surely accomplish his purpose. Verily, for all things has Allah appointed a due proportion” (Surah Al-Talaq, verses 3)

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “If only you relied on Allah a true reliance, He would provide sustenance for you just as He does the birds: They fly out in the morning empty and return in the afternoon with full stomachs. 

 

4. Reading Quran

This is the fountain of Barakah! But subhanaAllah, we rarely drink from it! Allah says in the Quran: “And this is a Book which We have sent down, bringing blessings, and confirming (the revelations) which came before it…” (Surah Al-An’am, Verse 92). So read the Quran, and observe the blessings and barakah of Allah enter your life. The further we are from this Book of Guidance, the less barakah we will have in our lives.

 

5. Saying Bismillah

When you say “Bismillah” before anything you do, you’re invoking the Name of Allah on that activity; not only will that activity be blessed but shaytaan cannot take part in it! So always say “Bismillah” before anything you do! mSubhanaAllah, it’s easy for us to forget to say “Bismillah”. Sometimes we’re so used to saying it that we cannot remember whether we said it or not! Try to be conscious of saying “Bismillah” and understand what you’re saying before your action is performed.

 

6. Eating with People

Anyone who has had the experience of inviting guests to his/her house will know this one. No matter how little you think the food you’re presenting to your guest is, it’s always more than enough! (Note: this is not an excuse to be miserly when you invite guests over; in fact we should follow the Sunnah of our Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) whom when visited by the angels prepared a large meal for them). What I’m referring to here is the blessing that occurs when eating together, confirmed in the hadeeth of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who said: “Eat together, for blessing is in Jamma’a (congregation or being together)…” 

 

7. Honesty in Trade

This is for all of the business people out there (include ebayers!). We shouldn’t assume lying and deceiving people will make our trade profitable. On the contrary, it will remove the blessing from your trade. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “The buyer and the seller have the option of canceling or confirming the bargain unless they separate, and if they spoke the truth and made clear the defects of the goods, then they would be blessed in their bargain, and if they told lies and hid some facts, their bargain would be deprived of Allah’s blessings”.

Yes, it’s difficult to be honest when you’re trying to sell something, but trust me it’s worth it.

 

8. Dua

Ask Allah for barakah! If you take note of some of the Duas of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) you’ll notice that the Prophet used to make dua for barakah. We always say: “May Allah bless you!” Well, guess what? That’s a source of barakah! Also, when you’re invited to someone’s house, Prophet Muhammad advised us to make the following dua for the host: “O Allah, bless for them, that which You have provided them, forgive them and have mercy upon them.”

 

9. Halal Income/money

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “O people, Allah is good and He therefore, accepts only that which is good” (Scholars say this refers to Halal income and the importance of it).

A scholar also said of the one who eats Haram, that his limbs will disobey Allah whether he likes it or not, and that the one who eats Halal and seeks Halal income, his limbs will also do good and will be given the permission to seek goodness.

This concept of your limbs being ‘blessed’ and enabled to do good is truly a blessing and a barakah we should all seek. It reminds me of a story of an old man who jumped a large distance that the young men were unable to jump. When the young men asked the old man how he did it, he replied: “These are our limbs: we protected them from committing sins when we were young, so Allah preserved them for us when we got old”.

 

10. Following the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad in everything

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the most Productive Man in the history of humanity is our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Therefore, by simply following his lifestyle and the acts of Sunnah we so often hear about, we obtain a great source of Barakah!

Some of these Sunnahs include: eating Suhoor, eating with the right hand from the side of the plate, going out for Eid Salah, licking your fingers after finishing your meal, sleeping on your right hand side, using the siwaak, and many more. Look out for these Sunnahs and follow them, for imitating the life of the most blessed man on earth is surely a source of blessing!

 

11. Giving thanks to Allah in abundance

Allah says in the Quran: “If ye are grateful, I will add more (favours) unto you”. A scholar once told me that if one looks into this verse, the Arabic word that is used to confirm that Allah Wills favours unto the person who thanks Him is actually in the form of an Oath – “La azidannakum”. So Allah is promising the person who thanks Him an increase in goodness and blessings, and Allah never breaks His promises.

 

12. Charity

In a Hadeeth Qudsi, Allah says: “O son of Adam, spend (in charity), and I’ll spend on you!” Whenever you are broke, or you feel barakah is zapped out of your life and urgently need it to return, the quickest of way of gaining barakah in your life can be through giving charity. For example, let’s say barakah was removed from your life due to a sin you committed; charity cleanses your sins, adds good deeds and is a source of barakah.

I cannot describe the instantaneous gratification of giving charity and the barakah that follows it. 

 

13. Waking up early

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Allah made the early hours blessed for my Ummah.”

Waking up early is such an important step to being blessed and feeling good throughout your day.

Try to wake up for Tahajjud, and then work during the hours before Fajr Salah. If you cannot, then at least wake up for Fajr and stay up till sunrise before you return to sleep. Those hours are filled with Barakah. If you’re able to go to work in those hours, do so, you’ll get much more work done than the whole day put together!

 

14. Marriage

Allah says in the Quran: “Marry those among you who are single, or the virtuous ones among yourselves, male or female: if they are in poverty, Allah will give them means out of His grace: for Allah encompasseth all, and He Knoweth all things.” (Quran 24:32)

 

15. Salah

Allah says in the Quran: “Enjoin prayer on thy people, and be constant therein. We ask thee not to provide sustenance: We provide it for thee. But the (fruit of) the Hereafter is for righteousness”. To illustrate the point of Salah further, just imagine your life without this great act of ibadah. Where would Barakah come from? For those of you who are still wavering in your Salah, please get back on track; this is your lifeline for the final destination in the hereafter, and the daily food for your soul.

 

16. Asking Allah for forgiveness

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “If anyone continually asks forgiveness from Allah, Allah will appoint for him a way out of every distress, and a relief from every anxiety, and will provide for him from where he did not reckon.”

Category: Morals N Ethics | LEAVE A COMMENT
July 5

15th Sha’baan: One Of The Greatest Gifts Of Allah (SWT)

 

The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W.) has said that during the night of 15th Sha’baan, the Almighty takes decisions in the matters of

1). Sustenance, 2). Life and death and 3). Welfare of the people.

Next to the “Night of Qadr” the Night of 15th Sha’baan is the most auspicious night (also known as “Night of Bara’at”).

According to the Imam Muhammad bin Ali Al Baqir (a.s.) and Jaa’far bin Muhammad As Sadiq (a.s.), the Almighty Allah has promised to fulfil every legitimate desire put forward to Him tonight. During this night Allah (swt) bestows on HIS people from HIS bounty & forgives them out of HIS grace & generosity.

Of the blessings of this night is that, at the dawn of this night, was born the Leader of the Time Imam e Zamana (atfs) in Samarra -Iraq in the yr 255 AH .  Almighty Allah has chosen this night for the Ahl al-Bayt a.s., in the same way as He has chosen the Qadr Night for our Prophet—peace be upon him and his Family.

Ahadith in the book IqbalulA‘mal – Hadhrat Jibreel visiting the Prophet (s.a.w.w.) said:  "Therefore, stay awake this night in prayer and worship and encourage your Ummah to also keep awake this night in order to get closer to Allah swt.  I have come to you while all the Angels in the Heavens are together with one another some are glorifying Allah, others are in Ruku‘, others are in the state of Sujud while others are busy in the Dhikr of Allah".

1). This is a night in which not a single person supplicates to Allah except that his prayers are accepted.

2). Nobody asks for a single thing on this night except that it will be given to him.

3). No one asks Allah for forgiveness except that his sins are wiped out.

4). No one turns in repentance to Allah except that He accepts their repentance.

5). Whoever is deprived of the goodness of this night has definitely been deprived of something great.

The first thing that Salik (the Wayfarer on the path towards Allah, Glorified and Exalted) must perform on this night is:

1). He must remove the material pleasures and enjoyments of this world from in front of his eyes (and from his heart) and

2). In order to make the most of this special Night he should ensure that all of his actions are performed properly,

3). He must think to himself that tonight  is his last night on this Earth and thus possibly he will no longer have the opportunity to perform any more good deeds and

4). Tomorrow the Day of Judgment will take place.

Waiting for & Calling the Awaited leader

a) Waiting is not a passive situation. It requires efforts & actions to bring about changes on both personal & social fronts.

b) The Reappearance is also dependent upon the conditions of supporters & the society. The leader also awaits the availability of followers who will instantly obey w/o hesitation & questioning.

c) Allah (SWT) operates through a normal cause & effect conditions & miracles are not put into motion in many situations. Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their own condition; Quran Ch 13 V11

d) History repeats itself & Quran is a book of guidance, hence narrates those episodes where there are learning values for humanity

e) Many recent events point to the fact that the reappearance is very close. Many Hadith also point out that, at the end of time it will be easier to hold burning coal in bare hands than to keep ones faith intact.

f) Reappearance will finally take place, with or without participation from us, the question each one of us has to answer is; what is our role & responsibility today in the scheme of things.

Two contrasting types of ‘Calling’ in Islamic History

a) Calling Imam Hussain (as) by the people of Kufa. The people were aware who is the just leader & even their hearts were for the Imam, YET when the time for support arrived they were not prepared for consequences & take personal losses. They did not sufficiently change themselves to be prepared for sacrifices required to follow him. They expected the Imam to come & change situation/solve problems rather than attempting/preparing for it first. They even welcomed the wrong leader in disguise, assuming him to be the Imam, due to lack of marefat.

b) Calling the Prophet (saws) by the people of Medina. The prophet received invitations from Medina, but accepted it only when there was sufficient evidence of the people having changed themselves sufficiently to bear the consequences of his arrival. History then proved how the people supported him in the mission.

Over Confidence. “ Its not us” -The danger of losing faith

Our present status is no guarantee that we will continue to be on the right path & not deviate at times of crucial tests. Even the love, recognition of the Ahlul bayt, piety & worship, may not be sufficient to ensure that we become his followers. There are 3 events given below which are vivid examples:

a) Azazeel: There was a cry in the skies that one of the pious worshippers would be one of the most cursed ones. All the creatures, at all stations were worried that it could be them & went to the creation, next higher in station, to seek his intercession by prayer. Only Azazeel was confident & prayed for all, except himself & as a result was the cursed Satan.!

b) Servant of Mamoon: She loved the Imam & Mamoon sent her to the Imams house for work. The conditions of Imams house were very different from Mamoon’s luxuries & the servant maid could not get used to the perceived difficulty of getting up for prayer each morning etc, which ultimately led her to seek to go away from the Imams servitude.

c) Balam e baoor: He had a high status & his duas were accepted instantly. He was asked to pray for victory against Prophet Musa (as), which he finally attempted, due to the riches offered to him.

We easily condemn the people mentioned in Sura Juma, who left the Prophet in prayer for entertainment & business deals. We need to apply it to ourselves first & check if we too have similar habits of giving priority to these matters over Islam.

We are required to continually recite “Ihdinis siratal Mustaqim” i.e. keep us on the right path, at least 17 times in a day, because there is a danger of deviating & being misled.

Preperations:

a) Our Homes should show preparedness to welcome the Imam. They should be Islamic homes devoid of all things/situations, which lead to sins.

If we are not prepared to give up sins; shaving beards, listening to haram music, not wearing hijab etc for Islam, we may not be able to follow the Imam on his reappearance.

Attention to Islamic education of our children is very important. In our pursuit of wealth and/or over emphasis on academics, the children’s upbringing (tarbiyat) suffers causing our children to deviate.

Hujr ibn hadi’s insistence of his son to be killed before himself & Khizr’s killing of a son, in Sura Khaf, explain to us very vividly that it is better for our children to die in Iman rather than to lose faith & suffer the punishments of the Hereafter

b) Imam Hussain (as) in his last address on 10th Muharrum addressed his opponents by saying that they were unable to recognize the right path due to the Haram rizq in their stomach.

We are very careful of eating food, which does not harm our body & read / know all ingredients. Similar care is required to check if the food we eat is purchased by halal earnings and Khums is paid. This has a great effect on the ability to recognize & follow the leader in his just cause. We need to ensure this to be ready to participate with the Imam

c) Zulqarnain required the affected community to participate in efforts, which he directed. He used modern technology of mixing metals, to create a barrier between Gog & Magog & the troubled community. Time & energy is/ will be required to be spent for the cause of Islam by the community & only providing money will not be sufficient as the verses of Sura kahf narrating this event explain. Acquisition of the latest Technology is also required for salvation, even when the leader reappears to help. But technology without the control of the conscience is disastrous to humanity.

d) Implementation of the complete Shariah in society will be the main objective on reappearance & people who have complete knowledge of Islamic rules will be required. We need to learn & know more of the Islamic Rules. Download some of these from www.islamic-laws.com. Ziarat Arbaeen describes the purpose of Imam Hussain (as) jihad as ‘taking people out of Ignorance’. Acquisition of Knowledge is therefore very important. We do our best, but each one of us has different capacities, yet must remain connected to the source i.e. Marjas rather than remain isolated containers of the limited knowledge we can gather.

We are warned, through a dream of Jabir, of a piece of cloth being torn in parts. The Prophet explained this dream that at the end of time, people will take only parts of Islam to suit themselves, which will benefit no one. This will also give a bad image to Islam like a torn cloth. We need to accept the whole of Islam with all its rules & not only the parts that suit us/ our method of thinking, irrespective of our ability to understand the complete reasons/logic for the rules.

e) Representatives for different regions who have the perfect morals will be required & we need to ensure we acquire those qualities & get rid of the various diseases of the soul like Backbiting, Envy etc

f) We need to go behind events taking place & analyse the depths, rather than take them at face value. This skill requires to be developed for correct analysis & recognition of the plans of the enemy.

Similarly we need to possess the skills to distinguish between the false/self-seeking & the true religious leaders. There will be intellectuals who will present a face of Islam devoid of Islam, in the name of modernity, with the use of Media. The real Ulemas/Maraje & Howzas will never alter Islam to suit the people‘s wishes. They have a known background of years of study, tutors/students etc

g) We need to be aware of the attacks on us & protect the 3 corner stones institutions of Shia Islam i.e. Azadari, Marjaiyyat & the Belief in our Imam.

Our enemy knows this & makes efforts to cause doubts. Our lack of knowledge & emotions are used for these matters in the following ways:

    1) Azadari: The attacks are from 2 sources i.) Certain practices, which contradict Shari at i.e. Aspects, like women w/o hijab; Letting Salaat become qaza etc,is used by adversaries to mention that azadari itself is not ok as it results in these things. ii.) Use of so called ‘intellectual’ arguments to say, what is the need for Alam a wooden stick & Tazia & why beat chest etc. This is done to deviate us from practicing & keeping Azadari alive. Azadari is a source of spiritual strength.

    2) Marjaiyat: i.) Doubts on the need for Taqleed in the name of "we only follow masoom" & Marjas are fallible humans in one corner of the world who are not aware of many matters on which rulings are required etc

(ii.) Creation of Conflict between followers of different Maraje.

    3) False Mahdi’s introduced like creation of Bahai & Ahmadia & Wahabi isms. We must watch & evaluate any claims rather than rush to accept any claim of being mahdi even if he can demonstrate some miracle like acts (using technology probably).

h) Imam Ali’s has informed us of an allegiance (bayyatnama) that the twelfth imam will ask of his followers. This was written & saved by him in a casket for posterity, lists 25 matters, which are to be accepted/followed to be eligible to be amongst the followers of the Imam. Besides the usual things of Avoiding sins, they include; leading simple life protecting property/travellers, Amr bil maroof etc

i) Unity amongst Muslims & Shias We must try to eliminate differences & not give them prominence. Divisions & subdivisions are increasing by the day, which is a policy of our enemy. We should help in playing down conflicts & encourage reconciliation. This does not mean that we give up our Faith about wilayat & forget the atrocities. Mothers need to inform the children of history & public forums need not b used to accentuate differences

Sufyani (Sword- fear) & Dajjal (Material Benefits – Attractions)

Historically tyrants have used 2 methods to silence/mislead people; the sword to make them fearful & money to buy peoples loyalties. Sufyani & Dajjal are symbolic for these at the time of Imams return.

The sword has not been effective in eliminating the true believers, but apparent attractions & enticements have resulted in many deviations of true believers.

Keeping wants & desires in check will help in not getting carried away by material pleasures offered & the apparent “heaven” which will actually be Hell as shown by Dajjal.

Dajjal could be a symbolic of a system of government based only on material progress & NGO’s apparent beneficent aims having hidden agendas. Or it could be governments, individuals & even an entertainment system like Cable TV, which takes us away from HIS rules. One eyed in the sense that it will only consider material aspects, completely ignoring spirituality.

Recitation of Sura Kahf (Ch 18) especially on Fridays is a recommended way to protect oneself form Dajjal. Imam Hussein (as) recited this sura on the spear in Kufa & drew our attention to it. This sura is in exactly in the middle of the Quran & has several relevant messages in the 3 events narrated in it as a reply to the questioners. These are of Ashab e Kahf (Ikhlas), Musa / Khizr (Importance of knowledge & unconditional acceptance of the leader with knowledge without objections) & Zulqarnain (Technology use, but ‘after’ knowledge/fear of Allah)

Some Signs of Reappearance

At the time, which is close to, Reappearance there will be 4 sins by ‘Momins’ first by wrongly making them ‘halal’:

1) Interest, in the name of profit

2) Alcohol, in the name of medicine

3) Music, in the name of entertainment

4) Bribe, in the name of gift

There are other Haidth, which continue after the famous “ Antenna” Hadith, related to Salman E Farsi. It mentions about using a mirror like gadget for security (possibly CCtv ) & a gadget for visually communicating with people close & far (possibly the mobile gsm ) at the time of Reappearance.

Possible reasons for Delay in Reappearance – Duas not accepted for our salvation

Imam is in waiting & Imams dua is accepted by Allah swt

State of momins is that they are not prepared, ie involved in sins, not following Sharia. However their Iman / Faith is in tact. Sins can get forgiven & momins can achieve salvation despite all the problems they face in the material world.

After Reappearance, not following the Imam unconditionally, will mean a fault in beliefs (Iman) & hence it is possible many "momins" may lose their faith itself. & Hence lose salvation.

Our Imam is concerned for Momins & prefers to wait & give additional opportunity to Momins to reform themselves & be prepared. This delay does cause additional hardship to Momins & their lives/ property / honour is more & more in danger with the passing of time.

Insufficient followers who can Unconditionally obey Imam

There is a Story of Ayt Khoie’ s father who saw a house in Hilla which is a mosque/imambara/ house / shrine all in one. The background is that the resident of the house was a true follower of Imam & on a specific day Imam informed him to call all believers to his home. At this event, goats were used to spill blood from the terrace, which scared the believers into fleeing the place. This demonstrated that momins were not prepared to sacrifice for Imam, but were calling without preparation & commitment of unconditional adherence to his commands.

Sahl Khurasani once approached Imam Ja’ffar al-Sadiq (as) and complained: "Why is it that inspite of the truth being on your side, you do not stage an uprising? At present, there are 100,000 Shia’hs, who upon your orders, would immediately unsheathe their swords for battle". In order to give him a practical answer, the Imam (as) ordered the furnace to be lighted and then instructed Sahl to jump into the flames. Sahl was shocked and said: "O my Master! May God shower you with His grace and favours! Do not place me in the fire. I take back my words and request you to withdraw your instruction". After a while, Haroun Makki, a sincere companion of the Imam (as) entered and greeted. As soon as the Imam (as) saw him, he told him to take off his slippers and walk into the hot furnace. Without any question, Haroun complied. Imam (as) then turned towards Sahl and began inquiring about Khurasan as if nothing had happened. All this time, Sahl appeared uncomfortable and disturbed worrying about the plight of Haroun in the furnace. Finally the Imam (as) asked him to get up and to look inside the furnace. Sahl witnessed that Haroun was seated comfortably and unharmed in the fiery flames. Imam (as) asked, "How many such Shia’hs exist in Khurasan?" Sahl said, "By Allah! Not a single Shia’h like Haroun exists in Khurasan". Thereupon, the Imam (as) said, "I shall not stage an uprising when I do not have even five sincere companions. (And do remember) we are very well aware as to when we should stage an uprising".  (Safeenatul-Bihar)

Perhaps this incident conveys why our 12th Imam (AJ) has still not come out of his concealment. It is easy for us to call on him but we must also ask ourselves how many of us are sincere in what we say? How many of us are prepared for his arrival? And how many of us lead a lifestyle, which is in conformity to his teachings?

Taking Time to recognize Imam

It is expected that there will be many false Mahdi’s who will appear before the true Mahdi (atfs). We presently observe many people who claim that Imam meets them regularly. These are all fraudsters. Current technology also makes it possible to show the apparent ‘miracles’ if someone does not have sufficient knowledge of science.

There is a wrong notion that we have to immediately rush to our Imam upon hearing a call. This is only true for those who can & will recognize that it’s the Imams call through own knowledge/deduction. Others need to wait & verify the claim especially thru the Maraje who have the means to guide us.

Salman e Farsi who had waited for 200 years for the Prophet to appear, took 3 consecutive weeks of action & meetings before confirming the Prophet hood with the signs he had.

One final method to recognize Imam will be thru the reappearance of Hazrat Isa (as) who should not have an identifiable birth date

Accepting ALL actions of Imam as full of wisdom

It is possible that the awaiters/callers would go against the Imam when he reappears. This could be because of 2 reasons;

a) Being unable to adopt lifestyle as required

b) Expecting a favourable status compared to others (esp. apparently non-believers/followers) & not receiving the same. A superiority complex.

This has happened before as Quran explains in Ch 2 V 89 :SHAKIR: And when there came to them a Book from Allah verifying that which they have, and a foretime they used to pray for victory against those who disbelieve, but when there came to them (Prophet) that which they did not recognize, they disbelieved in him; so Allah’s curse is on the unbelievers

Don’t Despair, Take Actions within your capacity & Duas too

Duas have a very important role but have to be accompanied by actions. Prophet Abraham’s wife Hagar undertook the ‘action’ of Saaee between Safa & Marwa & prayed to Allah swt & hence the prayer was answered in a way, that she asked for a cupful of water & got in return Zam Zam for all times !

We have to take the required action & leave the rest to HIS will. Allama Hilli commenced copying a very big book at dusk, though it was an impossible task to do it by dawn & return the book to its owner as required. His job was to start the work & with the Imams help the work was accomplished!

The opponents /enemy may appear very strong, & impossible to defeat, but this should not lead to despair. It should lead us to redouble our efforts instead with the resources at our disposal. There are examples in History where the impossible became a reality in a very short period of time. Eg Bilal would have been very happy at being able to practice Islam himself without prosecution, in Mecca, but could never have imagined that he would be reciting the Azan from top of the Kaaba within a few years!

Our Imam has also advised us to recite the following:

Ziarat Ashura at http://www.duas.org/ashura/z_ashura.htm

Ziarat Jamiah

Salat Lail http://www.duas.org/tahajjud.htm

There are other duas relating to Imam like Nudba, Ahad etc & are at http://www.duas.org/imamezamana.htm and www.duas.org/Sahraz/imammehdihtml/indeximammehdi.htm

The reappearance will also be a continuation of the fight between evil & good. A continuation of the Kerbala episode;

It will require participation from all young old, men & women & children, just as Kerbala required all participants. It will not be sufficient to be observers, as was the case of say Khandaq or other wars at the time of the Prophet (saws).

Our Imam is in waiting for over 1170 years & has been perfectly worshipping the Almighty for these years. There are countless events of his meetings/assistance & presentation of our deeds to him. Each of us is required to act in our own way to hasten the reappearance.

May Allah swt keep us guided, hasten his reappearance & make us amongst his followers.

Category: Ahlul Bayt, Sha'baan | LEAVE A COMMENT
May 13

Dua from Imam Al-Husayn (AS) Sahifae Fatema(AS)

Dua Sahifae Fatema

On the 10th day of Muharram, known as the day of ‘Aashura, in the year 61 A.H. when Imam Abu ‘Abdillahil Hussein (as) came into the tent to bid farewell to his family members, he held the hand of his sick son, Ali ibn al-Hussein (as) and pressed it against his chest. He (as) then said, “O son! I am teaching you a dua’ which you should remember. Angel Jibrael taught it to my grandfather the messenger of Allah who passed it to my mother Fatima.

Whenever you have a special need or are faced with any calamity or crises, or are inflicted with any grief or hardship, then recite the following supplication”:

Transliteration:

BIHAQQI YASEEN WAL QUR-AANIL ‘HAKEEM WA BIHAQQI TAA-HAA WAL QUR-AANIL ‘ADHEEM YAA MAN YAQDIRU ‘ALAA ‘HAWAA-IJIS-SAA-ILEEN YAA MAN YA’LAMU MAA FID-DHAMEER YAA MUNAFFISAN ‘ANIL MAKROOBEEN YAA MUFARRIJAN ‘ANIL MAGHMOOMEEN YAA RAA-‘HIMA SHAYKHIL KABEER YAA RAAZIQAT TIFLIS-SAGHEER YAA MAN LAA YAHTAAJU ILAT-TAFSEER SALLI ‘ALAA MUHAMMADIN WA AALI MUHAMMADIN WAF-‘AL BEE …….(mention your wishes)

Translation:

By the truth of Yaseen (a title of the Holy Prophet) and the Quran full of wisdom And for the sake of Taa-haa (another title of the Holy Prophet) and the great Quran O He Who is able to fulfil the desires of those ask. O He Who knows what is in the heart. O He Who banishes sorrow from the sorrowful. O He Who dispels grief from those who grieve. O He Who is merciful to old men. O He Who provides for infants. O He Who needs not to be explained. Send blessings upon Muhammad and his progeny and fulfil for me…(mention your wishes)

Mafateeh al-Jinaan, page no. 380

Ask your Hajaats after reading this Dua’. Insha’Allah your Duas’ will be accepted May Allah (SWT) fulfill all your legitimate wishes with the Wasila of this Dua.

Category: Prayers | LEAVE A COMMENT
February 22

Imam Khamenei(HA): "Production and Stockpiling of Nuclear Weapons is a Big Sin"

Iran will never seek nuclear weapons: Leader


Source: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/228014.html
Recorded from Press TV’s Live News Program at 2100GMT on Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the Iranian nation has never sought and will never seek nuclear weapons as it has the capacity to challenge the nuclear-backed influence such powers rely on.

In a Wednesday meeting in Tehran with the director and officials of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) and nuclear scientists the Leader described the country’s nuclear and technological achievements further in line with national interests and beneficial for the future of the country.

"The Iranian nation has never pursued and will never pursue nuclear weapons," said Ayatollah Khamenei.

"There is no doubt that the decision makers in the countries opposing us know well that Iran is not after nuclear weapons because the Islamic Republic, logically, religiously and theoretically, considers the possession of nuclear weapons a grave sin and believes the proliferation of such weapons is senseless, destructive and dangerous."

"If nations are allowed to independently make progress in the fields of nuclear energy, aerospace, science, technology and industry, there will be no room left for the tyrannical dominance of world powers," said the Leader.

"Sanctions have been in place since the victory of the Islamic Revolution while the nuclear issue is a matter of the past few years; therefore their (the West) real problem is with a nation that has decided to be independent."

Category: Press Tv, Videos | 1 Comment on Imam Khamenei(HA): "Production and Stockpiling of Nuclear Weapons is a Big Sin"
February 13

Valentines Day

And every time February 14th approaches, I think of Imam Khomeini ……

Imam’s wife would say, "I was never woken up by Imam praying Salatul Layl because he would never switch on the room light. When he would go to do wudhoo, he would place a sponge in the sink under the tap so that the sound of the falling water would not wake me."

Agha always offered me the better place in the room.  He would not start
eating until I came to the dinner table.  He would also tell the children:

‘Wait until Maa comes.’ 

He was not even willing that I should work in the house.  He would always
tell me: ‘Don’t sweep.’  If I wanted to wash the children’s clothes at the
pond, he would come and say: “Get up, you shouldn’t be washing.” 

On the whole, I have to say that Imam did not consider sweeping, washing
dishes and even washing my children’s clothes as part of my responsibilities. If out of necessity I sometimes did these, he would get
upset considering them as a type of unjust dealing towards me. Even when I entered the room, he would never say: ‘Close the door behind
you,’ but waited till I sat down and then would himself get up and shut the door.

His daughter Siddika says: My father had an extraordinary respect for my
mother.  In the period of 60 years of living together, he did not even reach
for food (on the dinner table) before his wife, nor did he have even the
smallest expectation from her.  I can even say that in the period of 60
years of living together, at no time did he even ask for a glass of water,
but would always get it himself. 

He behaved this way not only with his wife but also with all of us who were
his daughters. If he ever wanted water we would all enthusiastically run to
get it, but he never wanted us to bring and give him a glass of water in his hand.

During the difficult last days of his life, each time he would open his
eyes, if he was capable of speaking, he would ask: ‘How is Khanom?’  We
would reply: ‘She is good.  Shall we tell her to come to you?’  He would
answer: ‘No, her back is hurting.  Let her rest.’

Here is one of the letters he wrote to her:

To my beloved wife,

imam khomeiniO’ I die for you. I have always remembered you when you – the light of my eyes and strength of my soul- have been away from me. Your pretty face is shining in my heart like in a mirror…..

I really miss you her in Beirut. You can find a lot of beautiful places to visit in the city and at the sea. What a pity that my dearest is not with me……

This has been a good journey so far  trip but you are  really and truly missed. I miss our son, Seyyed Mustafa. I pray that  God will protect you both.

I love you so much.

Duas & Salaams

Ruhullah Khomeini

Category: Interesting Stories | 2 Comments on Valentines Day
January 31

Martyrdom Of Our 11th Imam A.S.- 8th Rabbiul Awwal

Condolences to all mu’mineen on the martyrdom anniversary of our 11th Imam a.s.

Imam Hasan Askari (A.S.) Introduced the Saviour of Humanity

Imam Hassan al-Askari imam hassan al-askari(A.S) has said:

"There are two characteristics, which surpass all others:

Having faith in Allah, and Benefiting one’s brothers (in faith)." (1)

One of the major responsibilities of Imam Hassan al-Askari (A.S), for which he endeavoured earnestly, was to introduce the Imam after him to the Shias and to inform them of the next Imam’s occultation.

At the time, the Abbasid dynasty, having had heard the words of the previous Imams (A.S.) and those of Prophets’ (A.S) about the saviour that would be born to Imam Hassan al-Askari (A.S), were in close watch of Imam Hassan’s (A.S.) residency to make sure he would not have a son. Thereupon, Imam Hassan al-Askari (A.S) had to hide his son from the guards sent by the government and in that manner save his son’s life.

After the martyrdom of Imam Hassan al-Askari (A.S), Imam Mahdi (A.S) went into the periods of his short and long occultation, whereupon most Shiias were deprived from seeing their Imam. Upon this matter, at the time of Imam al-Askari (A.S) it was necessary to introduce Imam Mahdi (A.S) to certain Shiias, and clarify his processes of occultation. Many narrations have been recorded on this matter, but in this excerpt we will refer to only one.

Ahmad ibn Is’haq, one of the reliable companions of Imam Hassan al-Askari (A.S), has narrated: "In one of my visits to the Imam, I had intended to ask about his successor. Yet before I had spoken, the Imam (A.S) said: ‘O Ahmad ibn Is’haq! From the creation of Adam, Allah (SWT) has never left the earth without His successor on people, and will never do so until the Day of Judgment…

‘I asked: ‘O son of the messenger of Allah! So who is the successor and Imam after you?’

Imam Askari (A.S) stood up immediately, and entered the house. He then returned carrying a three year old boy, whose face was filled with a halo of light. He said: ‘O Ahmad! If it were not for your eminence in the eyes of Almighty Allah and His chosen people, I would not have shown you my child. His name and nickname are the same as that of Prophet Muhammad’s (S.A.W.W); and it is he who will fill the earth with justice after it has been corrupted with oppression…By Allah (SWT)! He will live through a long occultation from which people will not survive perdition and deviation, except for those who stand firm on believing in his Imamate, and those who are honoured with the opportunity to pray for haste in his reappearance."

Ahmad ibn Ishaq narrates: "The minute I asked Imam Askari (A.S): ‘Will any sign or miracle appear to make me confident?’ The child began speaking: ‘I am the remainder of Allah (Baqiatullah) on earth; the one who will take revenge on the enemies of Allah; and after seeing me, do not search for any other signs!"…

(Selection taken from," An Analysis of the Life of Imam Hassan Askari (A.S)", by Muhammad Baqir Qurashi) Footnote: 1- Tuhaf al-Uqul, p. 489

Category: Rabbiul Awwal | 1 Comment on Martyrdom Of Our 11th Imam A.S.- 8th Rabbiul Awwal