THE IMAM) METHODECAL WAY (SUNNAT)

33- THE IMAM) METHODECAL WAY (SUNNAT)

WE BELIEVE that the traditions and orders of the innocent Imams are all taken from the prophet, through their fathers, and are all to be obeyed. There is a famous tradition related by successive witnesses:_

"I have left among you two heavy things to prevent you being misled:_ The Book of Allah and my nearest KINS."( SAHIH TIMIDHI_ volume 5 _ P.662)

On the other hand, whatever the saints have said, are narrations from the prophet: The prophet foresaw the future and to solve its problems, laid the key in the hands of his nearest kins, and THE BOOK OF ALLAH; and how can a true Muslim ignore such a firm and important Hadith? If the above tradition was considered precisely, our present difficulties in faith, comments, and the disputes in jurisprudence, would not exist.

CHAPTER - FOUR
RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE AFTER DEATH

34- WITHOUT RESURRECTION, LIFE IS VOID

WE BELIEVE that all men and women will be raised up in a certain day after death. They all will be judged, and those who are good and virtuous shall live in PARADISE (THE GARDEN OF BLISS), and the sinners will join the fire in Hell. "Allah, there is no God but He. Of a surety He will gather you all together in the resurrection day about which there is no doubt, and whose word can be truer than Allah?"

THE HOLY QURAN _ S4: 87

"As for he who transgressed and chose this present life, his abode will be Hell-Fire. And as for those who feared to stand before their LORD, and restrained their souls from lusts, (LOW DESIRES) their abode will be PARADISE."

THE HOLY QURAN _ S79: 37_41

WE BELIEVE that this world is only a bridge that man should pass it over so as to join an eternal life; or in other word it may be a farm, to sow here and to harvest in hereafter or else it may be taken as a market here to provide for the next life to come.

About this life of ours, Imam Ali says:_

"This WORLD is a place of truth for him who confronts it with truthfulness. It is a house (means) for being FREE OF WANT, for him who gathers provisions from it and stores for his next life. It is a place of awareness for him who takes advice from it. It is the mosque of the friends of God, a place of worship for the angels; where God's inspirations is sent down, and a trade market for God's friends."

35- THE REASONS FOR THE RESURRECTION ARE CLEAR ENOUGH

WE BELIEVE that the reasons to prove the resurrection are very clear, because, it can easily be seen that this mortal life cannot be a reasonable object, and the final goal for such a creation; i.e. to come and live here for a short period, living with immense hardships and difficulties, and then end to nothing or to some dusts! Is that what is meant by our complex creation?

"Do you think that we have created you for nothing, (IN JEST) and that you would not return to us?"

THE HOLY QURAN _ S23: 115_

Secondly; in this world the evildoers are usually in one line with the beneficent and some times higher; a none equity which doesn't read with the great justice of God. So there must be somewhere or some how to distinct bad from good and false from truth.

"Do the evildoers think that they are equal in OUR SIGHT, with the believer who does good works, so that their lives and deaths are alike? How bad they judge!

THE HOLY QURAN _ S45: 21

Thirdly; the Infinite Mercy of God NECESSITATES that His Mercy and Bounties come not to an end by man's death.

"Say to who belongs all that heavens and the earth contain? say to Allah; He has inscribed Mercy for Himself and willl gather you all on the day of resurrection. That day is sure to come. Those who have lost their own souls are those who will never have faith."

THE HOLY QURAN _ S6: 12

Quran, addressing those who doubt about the resurrection asks: How do they doubt the Power of the Almighty to raise the dead? While they already have seen God's first creation, BEGINNING to make them out of the soil:_

"Were we weary with the first creation that they should be in confused doubt about a new creation?"

THE HOLY QURAN _ S50: 15

"And he (the unbeliever) makes comparison for Us, and forgets his own creation. He asks:_ `Who will give life to the rotten bones?' say:_ `He who created them for the first time will give them life again, He has knowledge of every creature.

THE HOLY QURAN _ S36: 78_79

Besides that; is the creation of man important in comparison with that of heavens and the earth? He who was able to create such a vast, and strange world, is He not able to raise the dead?

"Do they not see that Allah who created the heavens and the earth, and was not wearied by their creation can raise the dead to life? Yes, He Has Power to do everything."

THE HOLY QURAN _ S46: 33

36- RESURRECTION IS CORPOREAL

WE BELIEVE that not only the SOUL, but the soul and body of man both will be raised to life in resurrection. This is because whatever is done here is done by both the soul and the body; so the reward too should be given to both of them. Most of the Quranic verses which refer to resurrection have put the stress on corporeal raise of the body as well as the soul. In answer to the amazed questioner, who asked the prophet:_ who raises the dead? Quran answers:_

He who gave them their first creation can easily raise them once again.

"Does man think that we cannot assemble his bones once again? Yes! We are able to remold the very Tips of his fingers."

THE HOLY QURAN _ S75: 3_4

Such verses also denote that the resurrection is corporeal too. There are also verses that report of getting out of our graves, proving the raise to be bodily.

37- THE STRANGE WORLD, AFTER DEATH

WE BELIEVE that whatever is going on after death, and in the PARADISE & HELL, is far above what we see here!

"No one knows what delights of the eyes,(THE REAL BLISS THAT GIVES MOST SATISFACTION) are kept hidden for them as a reward for their good deeds."

THE HOLY QURAN _ S32: 17

Through a famous tradition God says:_

"I have prepared for my virtuous servants.

BOUNTIES that not eye have ever seen, no ear has ever heard, and no heart has ever comprehended."

As a matter of fact, in this world we are similar to a FOETUS in the mother's womb! If the fetus could have a mind and wisdom he could certainly KNOW nothing of whatever is outside the womb, such as the sun, the bright moon, the beautiful flowers AND the roaring sea-waves. So is this world COMPARED to the hereafter? It is comparable with the womb in relation to the next. Please note carefully.

38- RESURRECTION AND THE RECORD OF OUR DEEDS

WE BELIEVE that in DOOMSDAY, the RECORD BOOK of whatever we have done, will be given to us. The record of those who are sanctified will be given to their right hand, and that of the wrongdoers shall be given to their left. By reading the book of their deeds the virtuous will be happy and the evildoers anxious.

"He who is given his record in his right hand will say:_ `Take mine and read it! I knew that I would come to my account.' And he will be in a blissful life, in a lofty garden with clusters of fruit within his reach. We shall say to him: Eat and drink to your happiness.' Here is your reward for what you did in days gone by.' And as for him whose book is given to his left hand, will say: `Ah! Would that my record had not been given to me! Would that I knew nothing of my account. Would that death had made an end of me. "My wealth has availed me nothing, and I AM BEREFT OF ALL MY POWER."

THE HOLY QURAN _ S69: 19_25

As for the book; how it is written or read, no one knows enough, but it exists, no one can deny. The particularity of that day is such that we cannot know it in detail, but generally we know what is going to happen.

39- THE WITNESSES IN THE FINAL JUDGEMENT

WE BELIEVE that in the final judgement, besides God who is controlling all the judgements, there are other witnesses too; such as the hands and feet; the skin and even the ground upon which we live. All of these will testify as to what we have done before!

"That Day, We should set a seal on their mouths, (SHUT THEM UP) and their hands will speak to Us, and their feet shall bear witness to all that they did."

THE HOLY QURAN _ S36: 65

"When they reach it, their ears and their skins will testify to their misdeeds! `Why did you speak against us?' they will say to their skins? And their skins will reply:_ "ALLAH, who gives speech to all, has made us to speak."

THE HOLY QURAN _ S41: 20

"When the Earth is shaken to her utmost convulsion, and man asks:_ `What may this mean?' On that DAY will she declare her reports, because your LORD has inspired her to do so?"

THE HOLY QURAN _ S99: 4_5