Six facts in sixth Invocation-part 1

Professor Hossein Ansarian who is a great Analysor and interpreters of Islamic texts in his book “ the land of lovers” which is an expository on Sahifeh Sajjadieh, elaborates on the issues and invocations of this treasure in a different way which is too attractive and rich. In a section of his book, the Professor writes “  A world of Knowledge deposited in this invocation” to refer to the sixth invocation of Sahifeh Sajjadieh. Here is a cut from the book. ( Facts 1, 2 , 3)

In this part of the invocation mention is made to six facts: praising god, thanking God, reward for pious deeds, provision, bounty, and benevolence.

1. Praising God:

If we spend the whole day coordinating ourselves with the God's demands, with the Prophet's tradition, and with the instructions of the Infallible ones(s), i.e., if we have good intentions towards people; if our limbs and organs do nothing of the viscious acts, and if our tongues utter nothing except for righteousness, justice and facts, then we have been truly involved in praising Allah and have been paying heed to what is stated in the Holy Quran concerning the praise of Allah.

فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَكُنْ مِنْ السَّاجِدِينَ  [1]

“Therefore celebrate the praise of your lord, and be of those who make obeisance.”

وَقُلْ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ شَرِيكٌ فِي الْمُلْكِ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ وَلِيٌّ مِنْ الذُّلِّ وَكَبِّرْهُ تَكْبِيرًا  [2]

And say: All praise is due to Allah, who has not taken a son and who has not a partner in the kingdom, and who has not a helper to save Him from disgrace; and proclaim His greatness magnifying Him.

فَاصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا يَقُولُونَ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ وَقَبْلَ غُرُوبِهَا وَمِنْ آنَاءِ اللَّيْلِ فَسَبِّحْ وَأَطْرَافَ النَّهَارِ لَعَلَّكَ تَرْضَى  [3]

“Bear then patiently what they say, and glorify your Lord by the praising of Him before the rising of the sun and before its setting, and during hours of the night do also glorify Him and during parts of the day, that you may by well pleased”.

2. Thanking God:

The act of thanking and appreciation is a great fact which is deemed of great significance in the Holy Quran and in the news and the narrations.

If all people of the world were determined to embark on thanking God, i.e., if they spent any asset bestowed upon them in the direction which is stipulated by the creator, the acts of injustice, corruption, treasion and crime would be a thing of the past. This is because by thanking God is meant spending the asset in those areas where God has ordered us to do so. The truth of thanking God relies in avoiding performing what God has announced as forbidden.

On several occasions, the Holy Quran orders man to engage in giving thanks to Allah and considers this act as crucial.

فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِي وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِي  [4]

Therefore remember Me, I will remember you, and be thankful to Me, and do not be ungrateful to Me.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُلُوا مِنْ طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِلَّهِ إِنْ كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ  [5]

O you who believe! Eat of the good things that we have provided you with, and give thanks to Allah if Him it is that you serve.

فَابْتَغُوا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الرِّزْقَ وَاعْبُدُوهُ وَاشْكُرُوا لَهُ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ  [6]

Therefore seek the sustenance from Allah and serve Him and be grateful to Him; to Him you shall be brought back.

The Holy Quran brings to our attention that it is us who shall see the consequences of being grateful to Allah:

وَمَنْ شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ وَمَنْ كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّي غَنِيٌّ كَرِيمٌ  [7]

“and whoever is grateful, he is grateful only for his own soul, and whoever is ungrateful, then surely my Lord is self-sufficient, Honored.”

وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا لُقْمَانَ الْحِكْمَةَ أَنْ اشْكُرْ لِلَّهِ وَمَنْ يَشْكُرْ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ وَمَنْ كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ  [8]

“And certainly We gave wisdom to Luqman, saying: Be grateful to Allah. And whoever is grateful, he is only grateful for his own soul; and whoever is ungrateful, then surely Allah is self-sufficient, Praised.”

فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ  [9]

“be careful of your duty to Allah then, that you may give thanks.”

وَاللَّهُ أَخْرَجَكُمْ مِنْ بُطُونِ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ شَيْئًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ السَّمْعَ وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَالْأَفْئِدَةَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ  [10]

“And Allah has brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers-you did not know anything- and He gave you hearing and sight and hearths that you may give thanks.

عن الصّادقA: شُكْرُ النِّعَمِ اجْتِنابُ الْمَحارِمِ، وَتَمامُ الشُكْرِ قَولُ الرَّجُلِ: الْحَمْدُ للهِ رَبِّ الْعالَمِينَ. [11]

Imam Sadiq(s) has said: To indulge in the act of giving thanks God for His assests equals the avoidance of committing sins; the whole essence of giving thanks to Allah relies on the fact that a man says to Allah: oh Allah, the God of all worlds: I thank you.

قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ3: يُنادي مُنادٍ يَوْمَ الْقِيامَةِ لِيَقُمِ الْحَمّادُونَ، فَيَقُومَ زُمْرَةٌ، فَيُنْصَبُ لَهُمْ لِواءٌ، فَيَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ. قيلَ: وَمَنِ الْحَمّادُونَ؟ فَقالَ: الَّذِينَ يَشْكُرُونَ اللهَ تَعالى عَلى كُلِّ حالٍ، وَفي لَفْظٍ آخَرَ: الَّذينَ يَشْكُرُونَ اللهَ عَلَى السَّرّاء وَالضَّرّاءِ. [12]

The Prophet of Allah has stated: On the Doom's Day a caller announces: Rise up you “Hammadun”; some rise up; they are given then a flay and all enter the paradise. They asked the Prophet: what do you mean by “Hammadun”? He replied: These are the individuals who thank God at all times.

Still in another narration we will read that by “Hammadun” is meant those who thank God under all circumstances.

3. Reward for pious deeds:

There would be reward for man if he spends his hours in obtaining his subsistence in legal and religiously-determined ways, if he carries out the obligatory duties, if he engages in good temper , if he serves mankind and if he carries out his religious tasks perfectly.

In nearly one hundred verses, the Holy Quran refers to the rewards for pious deeds. Some of these verses will be presented here.

أُوْلَئِكَ جَزَاؤُهُمْ مَغْفِرَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَجَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَنِعْمَ أَجْرُ الْعَامِلِينَ  [13]

“As for these-their reward is forgiveness from their Lord, and gardens beneath which rivers flow, to abide in them, and excellent is the reward of the laborers.”

يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ بِنِعْمَةٍ مِنْ اللَّهِ وَفَضْلٍ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ  [14]

“They rejoice on account of favor from Allah and His grace, and that Allah will not waste the reward of the believers.”

الَّذِينَ اسْتَجَابُوا لِلَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا أَصَابَهُمْ الْقَرْحُ لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا مِنْهُمْ وَاتَّقَوْا أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ  [15]

“As for those who responded [at Ohud] to the call of Allah and the Apostle after the wound had befallen them, those among them who do good to others and guard against evil shall have a great reward.”

وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَهُمْ مَغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ  [16]

Allah has promised to those who believe and do good deeds that they shall have forgiveness and a might reward.

وَالَّذِينَ يُمَسِّكُونَ بِالْكِتَابِ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ إِنَّا لَا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُصْلِحِينَ  [17]

And as for those who hold fast by the Book and keep up prayer, surely We do not waste the reward of the righ doers.

إِلَّا الَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُوْلَئِكَ لَهُمْ مَغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ  [18]

Except those who are patient and do good; they shall have forgiveness and a great reward.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ إِنَّا لَا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ مَنْ أَحْسَنَ عَمَلًا  [19]

Surely as for those who believe and do good, We do not waste the reward of his who does a good work.

Refrence: The Land of lovers