Ibn Abi Amir narrates from Imam Sadiq(s): In the Bazar of Kufeh, Salman reached the location of the blacksmiths. He saw a young man fallen on the ground and people were gathering around him. People asked Salman to say something in the ear of the youth so that he might rise. Salman sat beside the man. When the youth regained his consciousness he said to Salman: When I was crossing this section and saw the blacksmiths lowering their hammers down over the anvils, I remembered this verse:
وَلَهُمْ مَقَامِعُ مِنْ حَدِيدٍ.
“And for them are whips of iron. 22:21”
I lost my senses from the fright of the doom's day. Salman told him: you deserve to be my brother. Salman was enchanted by him. They were together up to the day when the youth fell ill. He was dying when Salman was beside him. Salman said loudly:
يا مَلَكَ الْمَوتِ ارْفُقْ بِأخي.
“O Angel of Death, have mercy on my brother”
He heard it said:
اِنّي بِكُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ رَفيقٌ.
“I will have mercy on any believer.”
Kashf Al-Qammeh narrates from Imam Sadiq(s): A man came up to Jesus Christ(s), telling him: I have committed adultery; make me pure and clean. Christ asked people to stone him. The guilty man shouted: only those innocent ones may stone me. Everybody went away except for Christ and yahya (John).
John came nearer and asked Salman: give me a piece of advice. He replied: Do not let your self be free with wishes and whims. He asked for more advice: Do not blame a guilty one; John insisted for more advice. He said: Do not engage in rage. John said: That would be enough for me.
The clear-sighted men of God have declared:
One's heart is the rider of the body, which is its palfrey. If the rider is intelligent and far-sighted, he will guide the palfrey in the right path so that it will not fall into the pits. But if the rider were ignorant and negligent, it would let the palfrey go at any direction it wished to and would leave its rider lonely in the desert of life.
Amir kabir was one of the famous politicians in the history of Iran. He was one of the greatest politico-religious personalities of Iran who did his best to let this nation prosper.
If the devil of colonialism had not annihilated that clear-sighted and intelligent and devoted citizen of Iran, Iran would have prospered tremendously and would have been free from all the calamities which befell Iran upto the Islamic Revolution of Iran, headed by Imam Khomeini(s).
Amir kabir was a free man, a realistic, well-wisher, individual, and a sympathizer for others. He controlled his self severely. He would hinder injustice towards the innocent citizens.
Abdollah Mostoufi writes: A man complained to Amir Kabir that he had given to the Judge to keep for him a pack of cashmere scarf containing gold coins. But when he came back from his trip he asked the judge for his package. Upon opening it up he noticed that the gold coins were gone but silver coins were placed for them. The strange thing was that the package had not been opened up, nor had it been torn. The man added he could not say anything to the judge because he did not have any valid reasons to prove his point.
Amir Kabir realized that he was telling the truth. He took the package and studied it and told the man to go away and return sometime later but be mouth-shut.
At night, Amir went to his bed. At mid-night, he woke up and burned the cashmere quilt the size of a big coin.
The following night Amir noticed the quilt was changed. He did not say anything. After several nights he noticed the cashmere quilt was once more in its place. It was darned so skillfully no body could di stinguish anything wrong. He compared the repaired part of the man's package with the quilt and realized both repairs had been done by the same expert. He asked the Janitors what they had done to the quilt. The Janitors became fearful. But he told them: Do not get frightened. I did it on purpose myself. Take the darner to me. When the darner was present, Amir asked him: Did you darn it yourself. The man said: yes. Then Amir summoned the judge and took the gold coins back and gave them to the owner. Later he punished the judge.
مَنْ غَضَّ بَصَرَهُ عَنِ الْمَحارِم، وَأمْسَكَ نَفْسَهُ عَنِ الشَّهَواتِِ، وَعَمَّرَ باطِنَهُ بِدّوامِ الْمُراقَبَةِ، وَظاهِرَهُ باتِّباعِ السُّنَّةِ وَجَدَ حَلاوَةَ النَّجاةِ.
One who protects his self against lusts, wishes and whims, and constructs his deep inside and adorns his face with his obedience of the prophet's traditions, will be salvaged both here and in hereafter.
سُئِلَ عَنْ أحمَدَ بْنِ رُويْمِ كَيفَ حالُكَ؟ قالَ: كَيفَ حالُ مَنْ كانَ دِينُهُ هَواهُ، وَهِمَّتُهُ دّنْياهُ، لَيْسَ بِصالِحٍ تَقِيٍّ وَلا بِعارِفٍ نَقيِّ.
Ahman Ibn Rovaim was asked: How are your? He replied: How could a person be whose religion is his self, his determination is the world and when the scholar is not pious and the Gnostic is not clean.
قيمَةُ كُلِّ إنْسان بِقُدْرِ هِمَّتِهِ، فَإنْ كانَتْ هِمَّتُهُ الُّدنيا فَلا قيمَةَ لَهُ، وَإنْ كانَتْ هِمَّتُهُ رِضى اللهِ فَلا يُمْكِنُ اسْتِدراكُ غايَةِ قيمَتِهِ وَلا الوُقوفُ عَلَيْها.
Any person's value depends on the degree of his determination. If the objective of his determination is materialistic, then he is valueless. If he is resolute to satisfy God, then his value is so high you may never find out its extent.
God's men, who rely on the Holy Quran, and on the Prophet's statements and on the sayings of the infallible ones(s) make the following suggestions for the cleansing of self:
اُوصِيكُمْ بِتَقْوى اللهِ فِي السرِّ والعَلانيَةِ، وَبِقَلّةِ الطعامِ، وَقِلَّةِ الْمَنامِِ، وَقِلَّةِ الْكَلامِ، وَهِجْرانِ المَعاصي وَالآثامِ، وَمُواظَبَةِ الصِّيامِ، وَدَوامِ الْقِيامِ، وَتَرْكِ الشَّهَواتِ عَلَى الدَّوامِ، وَاحْتِمالِ الجَفا مِنْ جَميعِ الأنامِ، وَتَرْكِ مُجالَسَةِ السُّفَهاءِ والْعَوامِّ، ومُصاحبَةِ الصَّالحين والكِرامِ، وإنَّ خَيْرَ النًََاس مَنْ يَنْفَعُ النّاسَ، وَخَيرَ الكَلامِ، ما قَلَّ وَدلِّ والحمدُ لله وَحْدَهُ.
I advise you to engage in the following:
1. Piety both openly and in private;
2. Eating little;
3. Sleeping little;
4. Speaking little;
5. Avoiding sins;
6. Taking care of fasting; and
7. Continuation of nightly prayers;
8. Permanent abandon of ungrounded wishes and whims;
9. Tolerating the people who are hurting you and the offending neighbors;
10. Severing friendship with the fools;
11. Associating with the dignitaries;
12. Indeed the best people are the most beneficent ones, and the best speech is the shortest and the most meaningful one. Thanks are due to Allah.
The beloved prophet of Islam(s) was standing next to a tomb when they took a corpse into the grave. He wept so much that the ground became wet with his tears. He then said:
ما هذِهِ الدّاهيةُ العُظْمى!
“How difficult and hard it is to enter this program”
Then he addressed his followers, saying:
إخْواني لِمِثْلِ هذا فَأعِدُّوا.
“My brothers, prepare yourself for such a moment.” They asked the Prophet(s) how they could prepare themselves. The Prophet(s) replied:
إتْيانُ الفَرائِضِ، وَاجْتِنابُ الْمَحارِمِ، وَاحْتِمالُ الْمَكارِمِ.
“Perform the religious precepts and obligations; Avoid performing the taboos and equip yourselves with the righteous things.”
The great Prophet(s) once asked who a poor person was. They replied: One who does not have wealth. The Prophet(s) answered: No; a poor person is the one who enters the hell on the Doom's Day although he has done some right things. They asked the Prophet(s): How come a man who has done good things has still got to go to the hell.? The Prophet(s) replied: He has to go to the hell because:
1. He owed people, but did not pay back;
2. He used to curse;
3. He had done injustice to some; and
4. He owed to some people their poor-rate
The honorable Luqman, who is praised by God in the Holy Quran for his wisdom, stood at the apex of the pyramids of the pious people at his time, was once asked: were you not a slave of so and so tribe? He answered: yes, I was. He asked him: How did you arrive at such a position?
Luqman answered: By telling the truth, by keeping people's deposits, by abandoning futile activities, by disregarding women whom I was not allowed to look at, by keeping my tongue and being pious in eating. Any body who does not possess these traits is meaner than me; any body who has more traits of this kind than me is superior to me, and finally, anybody who just carries these things is equal to me.
Jesus Christ(s) says: I saw Shaitan with five donkeys with five kinds of merchandise and goods on them. I asked Shaitan: What are they? Shaitan answered: these are goods. I am looking for customers. I asked shaitan: what are your goods? It answered:
1. Tyrany, and its customers are the governors;
2. False pride, and its customers are those who possess titles;
3. Jealousy, and its customers are the scientists;
4. Treason, and its customers are the merchants.
5. Deception and slyness and its customers are women.
قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ2: مَنْ خَزَنَ لِسانَهُ سَتَرَ اللهُ عَوْرَتَهُ، وَمَنْ كَفَّ غَضَبَهُ كَفَّ اللهُ عَنْهُ عَذابَهُ، وَمَنِ اعْتَذَرَ إلى اللهِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ قَبِلَ عُذْرَهُ وَتَجاوَزَ عَنْهُ.
The honorable Prophet(s) has said: Anybody who refrains from speaking nonsense, God will cover his evils; anybody who refrains from getting involved in rage, God will protect him against chastisement; and anybody who asks God for forgiveness, God will pardon him.
In order to be able to move towards purity, there are said to be seven obligations:
1. Accepting the truth which is called “Islam;”
2. Believing in the truth, Nobovvat (Prophethood) Imamate, the Holy Quran, the Doom's Day, these are called “faith;”
3. Carrying out the commands and orders which are stipulated for the welfare of man both here and in the hereafter; this is called “action”
4. Avoiding the forbidden which is stipulated to keep man clean; this is termed “struggle”.
5. Getting involved in true and genuine repentance which will include compensating for the past, returning to people their possessions, and asking God for forgiveness;
6. Getting involved in lawful business in order to free oneself from greed, poverty and wretchedness;
7. Piety which stands on top of anything else.
قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ2: ألا اُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِالْمُؤْمِنِ؟ الْمُؤْمِنُ مَن ائتَمَنَهُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ عَلى أمْوالِهِمْ وَاُمُورِهِم، وَالْمُسْلِمُ مَن سَلِمَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مِنْ لِسانِهِ وَيَدِهِ، وَالْمُهاجِرُ مَنْ هَجَرَ السَّيّئاتِ وَتَرَكَ ما حَرَّمَهُ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ.
“The great Prophet(s) has stated: Let me tell you who a pious person is. A pious person is the one who is trusted by all pious people regarding their possessions and affairs. A true Moslem is the one whose tongue and hands do not hurt other Moslems, and an abandoner is the one who refrains from angaging in anything wrong.”
The section on purification, which is one of the greatest objectives of the Prophet(s), is not the one to be dealt with thoroughly in such a small space which is available to us. What we saw concerning this grave topic was just a glimpse of the content of the expression وَيُزكّيهم from the sacred surah A'lay Imran (The Family of Imran), the verse 164 (Quran 3:164).
وَيُعَلِّمُهُمْ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَإِنْ كَانُوا مِنْ قَبْلُ لَفِي ضَلَالٍ مُبِينٍ.
“And teaching them the Book and the wisdom, although before that they were surely in manifest error. 3:164”
By “Teaching them the Book” is meant to get the surface meaning contained there.
Concerning the teaching of wisdom, the scholars have said: Some have said by “Wisdom” is meant “The deep structure of the verses and concepts of which only the Prophets and the Infallibles are aware.” Some others say by “Wisdom” is meant “Shariat,” which the great Prophet(s) tried to teach people through his actions and behavior. Some others contend that teaching wisdom is a way to prepare people to get the convincing science which is the science of religion, and by the science of religion is meant the foundations of belief, ethics, practice and heavenly knowledge.
Some others have said: by wisdom is meant to get similar to the truth, and the Prophet(s) is the teacher of this assimilation: This is shown in his belief and action:
تَخَلَّقُوا بأخْلاقِ اللهِ.
“Equip yourselves with God's manners.”
However, some others have declared: By wisdom is meant the true knowledge whose effects are felt in every piece of worldly affairs. For a wise man, the world is not a place for pleasure-taking, or ornament, or taking pride or adding up to one's wealth or having children. Rather, for him, the world is a place where there are all means of progress, development and getting at perfection and man could, by making proper use of assets, form the frame of his eternal prosperity.
To sum up: the wise God, send the wise Quran to the wise Prophet(s) to make a wise nation out of an ignorant one:
يُعَلِّمُهُمْ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ.
Upon having shown the heavenly features of Mohammad(s), the Holy Quran persists strongly on people's following of his instructions:
قُلْ أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْكَافِرِينَ.
“Say: Obey Allah and the Apostle; but if they turn back; then surely Allah does not love the unbelievers. 3:32”
... ثُمَّ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مُصَدِّقٌ لِمَا مَعَكُمْ لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِ وَلَتَنْصُرُنَّهُ.
“Then an apostle comes to you verifying that which is with you, you must believe in him, and you must aid him. 3:81”
وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ.
“And obey Allah and the Apostle, that you may be shown mercy. 3:132”
أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي الْأَمْرِ.
“(O you who believe) Obey Allah and obey the Apostle and those in authority from among you. 4:59”
وَمَنْ يُطِعْ اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُوْلَئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُوْلَئِكَ رَفِيقًا.
“And whoever obeys Allah and the Apostle, these are with those upon whom Allah has bestowed favors from among the Prophets and the truthful and the martyrs and the good, and a goodly company are they! 4:69”
مَنْ يُطِعْ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ.
“Whoever obeys the Apostle, he indeed obeys Allah. 4:80”
وَمَا آتَاكُمْ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانْتَهُوا.
“And whatever the Apostle gives you, accept it, and from whatever he forbids you, keep back and be careful of your duty to Allah. 59:7”
وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَلَا مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمْرًا أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُمْ الْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ وَمَنْ يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا مُبِينًا.
“And it behoves not a believing man and a believing woman that they should have any choice in their matter when Allah and His Apostle have decided a matter; and whoever disobeys Allah and His Apostle, he surely strays off a manifest straying. 33:36”
وَمَنْ يُطِعْ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزًا عَظِيمًا.
“And whoever obeys Allah and His Apostle, he indeed achieves a mighty success. 33:71”
A main section of Nahjolbalaqa is devoted to introducing the personality of Mohammad(s) and his aims in his prophethood. Here only a small portion of that introduction is presented:
إلى أن بَعَثَ اللهُ سُبْحانَهُ مُحَمَّداً رَسُولَ اللهِ2 لإنجازِ عِدَتِهِ، وَتَمامِ نُبُوَّتِهِ، مَأْخوذاً عَلَى النَّبيينَ ميثاقُهُ، مَشْهورَةٌ سِماتُهُ، كَريماً ميلادُهُ، وَأهْلُ الأرْضِ يَوْمَئِذٍ مِلَلٌ مُتَفرِّقَةٌ، وَأهواءٌ مُنْتَشِرَةٌن وَطَرائِقَ مُتَشَتِّتَةٌ بَيْنَ مُشّبِّهٍ لِلّهِ بِخَلْقِهِ، أو مُلْحِدٍ في اسْمِهِ، أو مُشيرٍ إلى غَيْرِهِ، فَهَداهُم بِهِ مِنَ الضَّلالَةِ، وَأنْقّذَهُم بِمَكانِهِ مِنَ الجَهالَةِ.
Then Allah appointed Mohammad(s) as His Prophet to fulfill the promise He had given to other prophets, to terminate the issue of prophethood with Mohammad's appointment. This happened while Allah had got the confession of other Apostles prior to Mohammad(s) regarding his prophethood and this confession showed that Mohammad(s) was unique. His name and fame spread all over the universe; his birth was generous. In those days, world people had different religions which were not acceptable. They were replete with strange innovations. Some indicated that God had human traits and some used blasphemy regarding His names and some associated another god with Him. Thus, God, through sending Mohammad(s) as His Apostle, saved people from wretched ness and going astray.
وَأشْهَدُ أنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، أرْسَلَهُ بِالدّينِ الْمَشْهُورِ، وَالْعَلَمِ الْمَأثُورِ، وَالْكِتابِ الْمَسْطُورِ، وَالنَّورِ السّاطِعِ، وَالضِّياءِ اللامِعِ، وَالأمْرِ الصّادِعِ، إزاحَةً لِلشُّبُهاتِ، وَاحْتَجاجاً بالبَيِّناتِ، وَتَحْذيراً بِالآياتِ، وَتَخْوِيفاً بِالمَثُلاتِ، وَالنّاسُ فِي فِتَنٍ انْجَذَمَ فيها حَبْلُ الدّينِ، وَتَرَعْرَعَتْ سوارِي الْيَقِينِ، وَاخْتَلَفَ النَّجْرُ، وَتَشَتَّتَ الأمرُ، وَضاقَ الْمَخْرَجُ، وَعَمِيَ الْمَصْدَرُ، فَالهُدى خامِلٌ، وَالعَمى شامِلٌ، عُصِيَ الرَّحْمانُ، وَنُصِرَ الشَّيْطانُ، وَخُذِلَ الإيْمانُ...
I truly and wholeheartedly confess to the fact that Mohammad(s) is God's servant who is sent by Allah with a religion which is perfect. God accompanied him with miracles. God sent him with the Holy Quran. God sent him with brilliant light and with illuminated brightness and with discrete command to suppress the blasphemy and to talk logic with people and to manifest his miracles and illuminate them with the verses of the Holy Quran and to frighten them of the tortures that the previous nations were inflicted with.
Allah appointed Mohammad(s) as a prophet when the nations of the world were encountered with numerous calamities in which the chord of religion and faith had broken. The pillars of faith had been trembling. There was disagreements regarding the religion; the escape from the disasters was pericarious. There was no means in the world to guide people out of their predicament. The light to the right path was out, misguidance prevailed. Man was an enemy of God and a friend to Shaitan. Faith was considered worthless and its bases were wrecked.
إنَّ اللهَ بَعَثَ مُحَمَّداً2 نَذِيراً لِلْعالَمِينَ، وَأميناً عَلى التَّنْزِيلِ، وَأنْتُم مَعْشَرَ الْعَرَبِ عَلى شَرِّ دِين وَفي شَرِّ دارٍ، مُنيخُونَ بَيْنَ حَجارَةٍ خُشْنٍ وَحَبّاتٍ صُمٍّ، تَشْرَبُونَ الْكَدَرِ، وَتَأكُلُونَ الجَشِبِ، وَتَسْفِكُونَ دِماءَكُمْ، وَتَقْطَعونَ أرْحامَكُمْ، الأصْنامُ فيكُم مَنصُوبَةٌ، وَالآثامُ بِكُمْ مَعْصُوبَةٌ.
Allah appointed Mohammad(s) as the Prophet who warned people against God's chastisement. God trusted him on what He revealed unto him you Arabs, at that time you were the followers of the worst kind of faith and lived under the worst kind of environment. You used to live in stony locations among most poisonous snakes. You used to drink the muddy water and to eat coarse foods and to murder one another and used to keep distance from your relatives. You used to have idols of all sorts and you did not refrain from committing sins.
This was how the Arabs lived in those adversity stricken conditions. They used to be influenced by evil faith, beliefs and ethics. How hard did the generous leader of Islam try to put these people on the right path! Only God knows!
إنَّ الله سُبْحانَهُ بَعَثَ مُحَمَّداً2 وَلَيسَ أحَدٌ مِنَ العَرَبِ يَقْرأُ كِتاباً، وَلا يَدَّعي نُبُوَّةً، فَساقَ النّاسَ حَتّى بَوَّأهم مَحَلَّتَهُم وَبَلَّغَهُم مَنْجاتَهُم، فَاسْتَقامَت قَناتُهُم، وَاطْمأنَّت صَفاتُهُمْ.
When Allah appointed Mohammad(s) as a prophet, there was nobody among Arabs who could read. Nobody did claim to be the Prophet. That sacred being guided them onto the right path so that they could stand in human position. He placed them at ease and saved them from calamities. He gave them freedom. He quelled their worries.
أرْسَلَهُ عَلى حينِ فَتْرَةٍ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ، وَطُولِ هَجْعَةٍ مِنَ الاُمَمِ، وَاعْتِزامٍ مِنَ الْفِتَنِ، وَانْتِشارٍ مِنَ الاُمورِ، وَتَلَظٍّ مِنَ مِنَ الحُرُوبِ، وَالدُّنيا كاسِفَةُ النُّورِ، ظاهِرَة، الْغُرُورِ، عَلى حينِ اصْفِرارٍ مِنْ وَرَقِها، وَإياسٍ مِنْ ثَمَرِها، واغْوِرارٍ مِنْ مائِها، قَدْ دَرَسَتْ مَنارُ الْهُدى، وَظَهَرَتْ أعْلامُ الرَّدى، فَهيَ مُتَجَهّمَةٌ لِأهْلِها، عابِسَةٌ في وَجْهِ طالِبِها، ثَمَرُها الْفِتْنَةُ، وَطِعامُها الجِيفَةُ، وَشِعارُها الْخَوفُ، وَدِثارُها السَّيفُ...
When Allah appointed Mohammad(s) as a prophet to lead those who had gone astray, there was no prophet available. Different sects have spent their time in a prolonged duration of sleep and negligence. There were calamities spread everywhere; there was chaos everywhere. The fire of wars was still on and the light in the world had gone behind thick, dark clouds. People did not benefit from their life, their nature, their wisdom, knowledge and sciences. There was no sign of salvage, either. Rather, the flags of destruction and misery were erected. The world had turned into the enemy of men. The result was wide-spread corruption.
There was nothing left on the earth except for fear and insecurity. Nothing ruled over people except swords.
حَتّى أفْضَتْ كَرامَةُ اللهِ سُبْحانَهُ إلى مُحَمَّداً2 فأخْرَجَهُ مِن أفْضَلِ الْمَعادِنِ مَنْبَتاً، وَأعَزَّ الاُرُوماتِ مَغْرَساً، مِنَ الشَّجَرَةِ الّتي صَدَعَ مِنْها أنْبياءَهُ، وَانْتَخَبَ مِنْها اُمَناءَهُ. عِتْرَتُهُ خَيْرُ العِتَرِِ، وَاُسْرَتُهُ خَيْرُ الاُسَرِ، وَشَجَرَتُهُ خَيْرُ الشَّجَرِ، نَبَتَتْ في حَرَمٍ، وَبَسَقَتْ في كَرَمٍ، لَها فُروعٌ طِوالٌ، وَثَمَرةٌ لا تُنالُ، فَهُوَ إمامُ مَنِ اتَّقى، وَبَصيرةُ مَنِ اهْتَدى، سِراجٌ لَمَعَ ضَوؤُهُ، وَشِهابٌ سَطَعَ نُورُهُ، وَزَنْدٌ بَرَقَ لَمْعُهُ، سِيرَتُهُ الْقَصْدُ، وَسُنَّتُهُ الرُّشْدُ وَكَلامُهُ الفَصْلُ، وَحُكْمُهُ الْعَدْلُ؛ أرْسَلَهُ عَلى حينِ فَتْرَةٍ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ وَهَفْوَةٍ عَنِ العَمَلِ، وَغَباوَةٍ مَنَ الاُمَمِ.
Allah then appointed Mohammad(s) as a prophet. God got Mohammad(s) out of the best mines, from the dearest roots. Allah got Mohammad(s) out of the sacred tree from which He had produced His previous Prophets. He had chosen His dependable and trustable prophets from that tree. Mohammad's household was among the noblest, his relatives were among the most generous ones. His pedigree was among the best ones. That pedigree has got high branches with noble fruits to which no body could have access.
That sacred being is the leader of the pious ones, is the light of the seeing people, is a burning candle, is a twinkling star and a flint from which brilliant lights scatter around.
His method is perseverance, his way is the right path, his speech is the distinguisher between the right and the wrong and his orders and commands are compatible with justice.
When he arrived at the lofty position of Prophethood, there was no other Prophet. People were misled away from the right path; the nations of the previous prophets were living in dire ignorance.
بَعَثَهُ وَالنّاسُ ضُلالٌ في حَيرَةٍ، وَخابِطُونَ في فِتْنَةٍ، قَدِ اسْتَهوَتْهُمُ الأهْواءُ، وَاسْتَزَلَّتهُمُ الْكِبْرِياءُ، وَاسْتَخَفَّتهُم الجاهِلِيَّةِ الْجَهلاءُ، حَيارى في زَلْزالٍ مِنَ الأمْرِ، وَبَلاءٍ مِنَ الجَهْلِ، فَبالَغَ في النَّصيحَةِ، وَمَضى عَلى الطَّرِيقَةِن وَدَعا إلى الحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ.
When Allah sent Mohammad(s) to people as a prophet, people had been misled and were wondering. They were on the path of errors; they were driven by their unfounded wishes and whims; they were misguided by false pride and haughtiness; they had become light-headed due to their ignorance and their distance from the right way.
While these people were exposed to misery and all sorts of corruption and ignorance, the generous prophet of Islam(s) did not spare a moment in advising them and did his best to drive them towards wisdom, and rightly advice.
مُسْتَقَرُّهُ خَيْرُ مُسْتَقَرٍّ، وَمَنْبَتُهُ أشْرَفُ مَنْبَتٍ، في مَعادِنِ الْكَرامَةِ، وَمَماهِدِ السَّلامَةِ، قَدْ صُرِفَتْ نَحْوَهُ أفْئِدَةُ الأبْرارِ، وَثُنِيَت إلَيهِ أزِمَّةُ الأبصارِ، دَفَنَ اللهُ بِهِ الضغائِنِ، وَأطْفأ بِهِ النَّوائِرِ، ألَّفَ إخْواناً، وَفَرَّقَ أقْراناً، أعَزَّ بِهِ الذِّلَّةَ، وَأذَلَّ بِهِ العِزَّةَ، كَلامُهُ بَيانٌ، وَصَمْتُهُ لِسانٌ.
The location out of which the Prophet(s) emerged was the noblest place. He was raised in the mines of health and magnanimity. The hearts of the benevolent ones were absorbed by him and the eyes were turned towards his amazing personality.
Through Mohammad's appointment to the lofty position of Prophethood, Allah annihilated the roots of ancient hatred and enmity; Allah put off the fire of animosities, and established friendship among people and let there be disagreement between faith and blasphemy. Through His prophet, Allah turned the believers' wretchedness into prosperity and changed the infidels' glory into dire misery. His speech was the indicator of truth and his silence was equal to his speech.
أمّا بَعْدُ فَإنَّ اللهَ سُبْحانَهُ بَعَثَ مُحَمَّداً وَلَيسَ أحَدٌ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ يَقْرأُ كِتاباً، وَلا يَدَّعي نُبُوَّةً وَلا وَحْياً، فَقاتَلَ بِمَنْ أطاعَهُ مَنْ عَصاهُ، يَسُوقُهُمْ إلى مَنْجاتِهِم, وَيُبادِرُ بِهِمْ السّاعَةَ أنْ تَنْزِلَ بِهِمْ، يَحْسِرُ الْحَسيرُ، وَيَقِفُ الْكَسِيرُ، فَيُقيمُ عَلَيهِ حَتّى يُلْحِقَهُ غايَتَهُ، إلا هالِكاً لا خَيْرَ فيهِ، حَتّى أراهُمْ مَنْجاتَهُمُ، وَبَوّاهُمْ مَحَلَّتَهُم، فَاسْتَدارَتْ رَحاهُم، وَاسْتَقامَت قَناتُهُم...
The Benevolent Allah selected the pure and sacred being of Mohammad(s) among the Arabs as a Prophet while none of them could read or write. There was no claimer among them for the position of Prophethood.
Then, Mohammad(s), assisted by the believers, fought against the aggressors and helped them find their way to salvage. He helped them out of their sinful ways prior to their inevitable and imminent death.
The Prophet(s) helped out of their plight those who had been bent under the weight of their sins and assisted them to find their ways to prosperity. This applied to all except for those who were mean by nature. He did all his best to show them the way of salvage on the mountain of knowledge so that the wanderers could find their way. In the indoctrination of his prophethood he is reliable. He is a witness over the believers on the Doom's Day. You have appointed the Prophet(s) as an asset for the people of the world. He is your true messenger to bring blessings to people.
اِخْتارَهُ مِنْ شَجَرَةِ الأنْبِياءِ، وَمِشْكاةِ الضّياءِ، وَذُؤابَةِ العَلْياءِ، وَسُرَّةِ البَطحاءِ، وَمَصابيحِ الظُّلْمَةِ، وَيَنابِيعِ الْحِكْمَةِ.
Allah selected Mohammad(s) out of the pedigree of prophets. He elected him out of the best ones, from the land of Mecca and out of the darkness abolishers and out of the fountain-head of wisdom.
طَبيبٌ دَوّارٌ بِطِبِّهِ، قَدْ أحْكَمَ مَراهِمَه، وَأحمى مَواسِمَهُ، يَضَعُ مِنْ ذلِكَ حَيْثُ الحاجَةُ إليهِ، مِنْ قُلُوبٍ عُمي، وآذانٍ صُمٍّ، وَألْسِنَةٍ بُكْمٍ، مُتَتَبِّعٌ بِدَوائِهِ مَواضِعَ الغَفلَةِ، وَمَواطِنَ الحَيرَةِ، لَمْ يَسْتَضِيئُوا بِأضْواءِ الْحِكْمَةِ، وَلَم يَقْدَحوا بِزِنادِ العُلُومِ الثّاقِبَةِ، فَهُم في ذلِكَ كَالأنْعامِ السَائِمَةِ، وَالصُّخُورِ القاسِيَةِ.
The Prophet(s) is a physician who goes around steadily. He has his ointments and his equipments ready to treat the sick ones. Those hearts which are void of intelligence and those ears which are unable to listen to the truth and those tongues which are tight in explaining the reality, all need salvation, to lead them towards their true natures. Then their affairs became orderly and their direction was the straight way.
حَتّى بَعَثَ اللهُ مُحَمّداً2 شَهِيداً وَبَشِيراً وَنَذِيراً، خَيرَ البَرِيَّهِ طِفلاً، وَأنْجَبَها كَهْلاً، وَأطْهَرَ الْمُطَهَّرِينَ شيمَةً، وَأجْوَدَ المُسْتَمْطِرِينَ ديمَةً.
(Prior to the Advent of Islam, the world population were under the worst kind of wretchedness and deviation) Allah appointed the Prophet(s) to be witness to the world dewellers and to give the benevolent the good news of salvation and to warn the wrong-doers of the horrible chastisement.
At his youth, Mohammad(s) was of the highest rank in creation and at his old age, he was the most magnanimous creature in the world. His nature and creation was the noblest and his generosity was beyond expectation.
حَتّى أوْرى قَبَساً لِقابِسٍ، وَأنارَ عَلَماً لِحابِسٍ، فَهُو أمينُكَ الْمَأمُونُ، وَشَهيدُكَ يَومَ الدّينِ، وَبَعيثُكَ نِعْمَةًن وَرَسُولُكَ بَالحَقِّ رَحْمَةً.
Your generous Prophet put forth his best trials to kindle the candle of salvation so that the world dwellers could benefit from it and lit the sign of treatments which the Prophet can supply.
This heavenly physician, with his medicines and treatment, can treat the illness of ignorance, and wandering. Some of the sick ones have not made use of the lights of wisdom and Gnostics and have not lit the bright candles of knowledge. Therefore, they are like the grazing beasts and the motionless rocks.
قد حَقّرَ الدُّنيا وَصَغَّرها، وَأهْوَنها وَهَوَّنها، وَعَلِمَ أنَّ اللهَ زّواها عَنْهُ اخْتياراً، وَبَسَطَها لِغَيرِهِ احْتَقاراً، فَاعْرَضَ عَنِ الدُّنيا بِقَلْبِهِ، وَأماتَ ذِكْرها عَنْ نَفْسِهِ، وَأحبَّ أنْ تَغِيبَ زِينَتُها عَن عَينَيهِ، لِكيلا يَتَّخِذَ مِنها رِياشاً، أو يَرْجو فيها مُقاماً. بَلَّغَ عَن رَبِّهِ مُعْذِراً، وَنَصَحَ لأمّتِهِ مُنْذِراً، وَدَعا إلى الجَنَّةِ مُبَشّراً.
The Holy and Sacred Prophet(s) belittled this world and considered it insignificant. He did not give any great value to it. It was evident for him that the Almighty God has optionally decided to keep Mohammad(s) away from this world and has given this meager and insignificant world to others. Therefore, that superman showed his unwillingness towards it and kept his inward desires distant from it. He did not desire to watch the ornaments of the world; neither did he want to stay there long.
He, on behalf of God, let people know the religions obligations and warned his followers against the tortures and chastisement of the other world. He gave people the good news of the godly rewards.
أرْسَلَهُ دعياً إلى الْحَقِّ، وَشاهِداً عَلَى الْخَلْقِ، فَبَلَّغَ رِسالاتِ رَبِّهِ غَيْرَ وانٍ وَلا مُقَصِّرٍ، وَجَاهَدَ في اللهِ أعْداءَهُ غَيْرَ واهِنٍ وَلا مَعذِّرٍ، إمامُ مَنِ اتَّقى، وَبَصَرُ مَنِ اهْتَدى.
Allah sent the sacred being of Mohammad(s) to invite people towards truth and with his actions, behaviors, ethics, and speech, be a witness for the world dwellers. He wasted no time in letting the world know of God's commands. He fought the foes of Islam without showing any sign of weakness. He is the leader of the pious ones.
فَبَعَثَ اللهُ مُحَمَّداً4 بالْحَقِّ لِيُخْرِجَ عِبادَهُ مِنْ عِبادَةِ الأوْثانِ إلى عِبادَتِهِِ، وَمِنْ طاعَةِ الشَّيطانِ إلى طاعَتِهِ، بِقُرآنٍ قَد بَيَّنَهُ وَأحْكَمَهُ، لِيَعْلَمَ الْعِبادُ رَبَّهُم إذ جَهِلُوهُ، وَلِيُقِرُّوا بِهِ بَعْدَ إذْ جَحَدُوهُ، وَلِيُثْبِتُوهُ بَعْدَ إذْ أنكَرُوهُ.
Allah appointed Mohammad(s) as His true and rightful prophet to save His servants from worshiping the idols and call them to pray Him and to be His obedient servants. Allah sent him to prohibit them from following Shaitan and to lead them towards Allah. This He made possible through the Holy Quran so that the servants should recognize their Allah since they were previously unaware of Him. Allah sent Mohammad(s) to confess to Him while they denied him before and to solidify God's position in their hearts while they did not believe before.
أرْسَلَهُ عَلى حينِ فَتْرَةٍ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ، وَطُولِ هَجْعَةٍ مِنَ الاُمَمِ وَانْتِقاصٍ مِنَ الْمُبْرَمِ، فَجاءَهُم بِتَصْدِيقِ الَّذي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ، وَالنُّورِ الْمُقْتَدى بِهِ، ذلِكَ الْقُرآنُ فَاسْتَنْطِقُوهُ، وَلَنْ يَنْطِقَ، وَلكِنْ اُخْبِرُكُمْ عَنْهُ: إلا إنَّ فيهِ عِلْمَ ما يأتي وَالْحَدِيثَ عَنِ الْماضي، وَدَواءَ دائِكُم، وَنَظْمَ ما بَيْنَكُم.
It was long after the arrival of other prophets when Allah decided to appoint Mohammad(s) as His Messenger. Different religious sects of the world had been in a prolonged sleep and a state of ignorance. The very foundation of the religion had been shattered. Then the Prophet(s) came to people while he was confirming the previous heavenly Books and presented people with the Quran and asked people to follow it. Ask the Quran to present to you the truth. Be aware that Quran contains knowledge of all sorts, for instance the knowledge about the past. It is panacea for all ailments and it puts in order all that pertains to you.
فَإنَّ اللهَ جَعَلَ مُحَمَّداً4 عَلَماً لِلساعَةِ وَمُبَشِّراً بِالْجَنَّةِ، وَمُنْذِراً بِالْعُقُوبَةِ. خَرَجَ مِنَ الدُّنيا خَميصاً، وَوَرَدَ الآخِرَةَ سَلِيماً...
Allah let Mohammad(s) be a sign and icon of the resurrection, the giver of the good news of the paradise, and the warner of the chastisement. He passed away while he was hungry and entered the other world in good health.
اِبْتَعَثَهُ بِالنُّورِ الْمُضئ، وَالبُرْهانِ الجَلِيِّ، وَالمِنْهاجِ البادي، وَالكِتابِ الهادي، اُسْرَتُهُ خَيْرُ اُسْرَةٍ، وَشَجَرَتُهُ خَيْرُ شَجَرَةٍ، أغْصانُها مُعْتَدِلَةٌ، وَثِمارُها مُنْهَدِلَةِ، مَولِدُهُ بِمَكَّةَ، وَهِجْرَتُهُ بِطَيبَةَ، عَلا بِها ذِكْرُهُ, وَامْتَدَ مِنها صَوتُهُ، أرْسَلَهُ بِحُجَّةٍ كافِيَةٍ، وَمَوعِظَةٍ ضافِيةٍ، وَدَعْوَةٍ مُتَلافِيَةٍ، أظْهَرَ بِهِ الشَّرايع المَجْهُولَةَ، وَقَمَعَ بِهِ البِدَعَ المَدْخُولَةَ، وَبَيَّنَ بِهِ الأحْكامَ المَفْصُولَةَ...
Allah, the Almighty, sent the Prophet(s) with illuminating light. He appointed him with vivid and explicit reasons. Mohammad(s) was the vivid way and a book of guidance.
His household was the best one and his pedigree the best. The branches of that tree (pedigree) are straight and erect and its fruits (which are the knowledge) are available to everybody. He was born in Mecca and he migrated to Medina. There he became well-known and started inviting people to his faith.
Allah sent him with sufficient reasons and let him invite people to the worldly prosperity and success in the next world. He made the Shariat commands become known and the innovations obsolete. He made evident to His servants those commands which should obligatorily be carried out by the believers.
أمينٌ وَحْيهِ، وَخاتَمُ رُسُلِهِ، وَبَشيرُ رَحْمَتِهِ، وَنَذِيرُ نِقْمَتِهِ.
Mohammad(s) was the reliable conveyer of Allah's revelation; he was the last one of the prophets; he was the giver of the good news of the paradise; and he was the warner of the chastisement of the Resurrection Day.
ثُمَّ إنَّ اللهَ سُبْحانَهُ بَعَثَ مُحَمَّداً4 بِالحقِّ حينَ دَنا مِنَ الدُّنيا الإنْقِطاعُ، وَأقْبَلَ مِنَ الآخِرَةِ الإطِّلاعُ، وَأظْلَمَت بَهْجَتُها بَعْدَ إشْراقٍ، وَقامَتْ بِأهْلِها عَلى ساقٍ، وَخَشُنَ مِنْها مِهادٌ، وَأزِفَ مِنها قِيادٌ، فِي انْقِطاعٍ مِن مُدَّتِها، وَاقْتَرَابٍ مِنْ أشْراطِها، وَتَصَرُّمٍ مِنْ أهْلِها، وَانْفِصامٍ مِنْ حَلْقَتِها، وانْتِشارٍ مِنْ سَبَبِها، وَعَفاءٍ مِنْ أعلامِها، وَتَكَشُّفٍ مِنْ عَوْرَاتِها، وَقِصَرٍ مِنْ طُولِها.
جَعَلَهُ اللهُ سُبْحانَهُ بَلاغاً لِرِسالَتِهِ، وَكَرامَةً لِاُمَّتِهِ، وَرَبيعاً لأهْلِ زَمانِهِ، وَرِفْعَةً لأعْوانِهِ، وَشَرَفاً لأنْصارِهِ...
Then the Almighty God appointed Mohammad(s) equipped with righteous ness and honesty while the world was nearing its end and the Hereafter was shortly coming and when the pleasure of this world was fading and when the world had inflicted its dwellers with all sorts of hardships and the world was no more a steady place. Allah appointed Mohammad(s) while the world was heading towards destruction. And all these were the signs for the annihilation of the chord, the disappearance of the signs, the manifestation of the faults and the shortening of its duration.
The Almighty God appointed the Prophet(s) to let people get acquainted with Shariat. He sent the Prophet(s) to bring about prosperity for people, and to cause them to feel exalted.
أرْسَلَهُ بِالضِّياءِ، وَقَدَّمَهُ فِي الاِصْطِفاءِ، فَرَتَقَ بِهِ الْمَفاتِقَ، وَساورَ بِهِ الْمُغالِبِ، وَذَلَّلَ بِهِ الصُّعُوبَةَ، وَسَهَّلَ بِهِ الحُزُونَةَ، حَتّى سَرَّحَ الضَّلالَ عَنْ يَمينٍ وَشِمالٍ.
The Almighty God sent to men His Messenger equipped with the light of knowledge and Nobovvat (Prophethood). He put Mohammad(s) in front of all creatures. Through him, God bridged the gaps, and through him defeated those who had gone astray. He made easy the hardships through him. Allah, through His prophet(s) resolved man's problems. Allah sent mischievousness away from man through him.
Here, The description and analysis of the first sentence of the second supplication of Sahifeh comes to an end. I will, God willing, deal with the other parts of the supplication.
فَخَتَمَ بِنا عَلى جَمِيعِ مَنْ ذَرَأ، وَجَعَلَنا شُهّداءَ عَلى مَنْ جَحَدَ، وَكَثَّرَنا بِمَنِّهِ عَلى مَنْ قَلَّ.
“Then Allah let us be the last ommah; the Almighty God let us be the witness and reason for those who deny the truth. Allah considered our spiritual significance very high.”
Those people whose hearts are based resurrection and those spirits whose ethics rely on the Quranic verses and those bodily actions which are based on the commands of the Holy Quran are all witnesses over all the world dwellers. These people are the true followers of Mohammad(s).
A true believer should be a witness for all other nations in the ethical issues, directions and applications as stipulated by the Holy Quran, God's Prophet(s) and the Infallible(s). Other nations and Non-Moslem peoles should realize the magnificence of truth, ethic, faith, the Prophet's behaviors and the Infallibles traits by just looking at a Moslem.
In one of the most significant books on narration, Imam Sadiq(s) is reported to have stated:
كُونُوا دُعاةً لِلنّاسِ بِغَيرِ ألْسِنَتِكُم، لِيَرَوا مِنْكُمُ الْوَرَعَ وَالاِجْتِهادَ وَالصَّلاةَ وَالْخَيْرَ، فَإنَّ ذلِكَ داعيةٌ.
Through your behaviors you should invite others towards the truth. Others should see in you honesty, chastity, trial on God's way at all phases of life and prayers. It is because these actions, etics, faith, and beliefs will lead all towards the straight way.
Concerning Safvan Ibn Yahya, who was a witness on others, we read in important books on personalities:
1. He was the close follower of Imam Musa Ibn Ja'afar(s) and Imam Reza(s) and Imam Javad(s) and he made the best use of Divine Blessings.
2. He was considered by Imam Reza(s) a man of dignity, benevolence and honor;
3. In the worldly affairs and issues related to the other world, he was at the service of Imam Reza(s) and the ninth Imam(s).
4. He was the most authoritative, the most reliable and the most pious of all people of his time.
5. He was considered an authority in piety and service to God.
6. The Vaqefiyyeh took a large amount of money to seduce him into their sect, but they failed because of the strength of his faith.
7. He, and Abdollah Ibn Jandab, and Ali Ibn No'aman, vowed in front of Mecca, that any one of those three who lived longer should perform fasting, praying, and giving the alms to the poor. Those two died and Safvan performed one hundred and fifty roka't of prayers for himself and for those two. He paid three portions of alms each year.
8. On a hajj pilgrimage, one of his neighbors gave him some money to give to his wife and child in Kufeh. He said: Wait a minute. Then he went to the camel driver, asking him: the weight of this much money will be added to my weight; Do you let me carry it?
9. When Safvan passed away in Medina, Imam Javad(s) sent him his special shroud, to be wrapped in.
There is a significant narration with the following content, from Sheikh Saduq, related to the issue that a believer should be a sample of piety for others:
قالَ أبُوعبداللهC: لَيْسَ مِنْ شِيعَتِنا مِنْ قالَ بِلِسانِهِ وَخالَفَنا في أعْمالِنا وَآثارِنا، وَلَكِنْ شِيعَتُنا مَنْ وافَقَنا بِلِسانِهِ وَقَلْبِهِ، وَاتَّبَعَ آثارَنا، وَعَمِلَ بِأعْمَالِنا، اُولئِكَ شيعَتُنا.
The individual who only verbally declares that he is a Shiite, but practically he is against us, does not belong to us. A true Shiite is the one who agrees with us with his heart and tongue; the one who follows us closely and does as we do act: these are among our Shiites.
Amr Ibn Saeed asked Imam Sadiq(s): please give me a piece of advice. Imam(s) answered: I suggest that you perform piety and honesty and go the straight path. Be aware that little trial without piety is of no use.”
The Holy Quran depicts the features of a true believer in the following manner:
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَإِذَا تُلِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ آياتُهُ زَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَانًا وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ حَقًّا لَهُمْ دَرَجَاتٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ.
“Those only are believers whose hearts become full of fear when Allah is mentioned, and when His communications are recited to them they increase them in faith and in their Lord do they trust. Those who keep up prayer and spend benevolently out of what we have given them. These are the believers in truth; they shall have from their Lord exalted grades and forgiveness and an honorable sustenance. 8:2-4”
At the end of the surah Bayyinah, Allah says:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ جَزَاؤُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِيَ رَبَّهُ.
“As for those who believe and do good, surely they are the best of men. Their reward with their Lord is gardens of perpetuity beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein forever; Allah is well pleased with them and they are well pleased with Him; that is for him who fears his Lord. 98:7-8”
In the following verses, the Holy Quran insists that you nation should be the bearers of witness to other nations in your beliefs; ethics and in your actions and being a bearer of witness is possible only in the light of the Holy Quran and by following Mohammad(s) in all phases of your life.
وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا.
“And thus we have made you a medium (Just) nation that you may be the bearers of witness to the people and that the Apostle may be a bearer of witness to you. 2:143”
لِيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ.
“That the Apostle may be a bearer of witness to you and you may be bearers of witness to the people. 22:78”
In some narrations the word “witness” is translated as the Infallible ones(s) and some of the interpreters will refer the meaning and the content of this kind of verses to the Doom's Day, i.e., that this nation will be the bearers of witness to the actions of other nations on the Doom's Day. These senses are not in contradiction, however.
In the treasury of creation there is no jewel more precious than Islam and Islam means the true beliefs, ethical, good deeds. Islam was well presented by the Prophet(s) and through the Velayat of the Infallible(s):
الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمْ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا.
“This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen for you Islam as a religion. 5:3”
We may read in one of the sacred narrations:
أوْحى اللهُ عَزَّوجَلَّ إلى مُوسىC أن يا موسى، ما خَلَقْتُ خَلْقاً أحَبُّ إلىَّ مِنْ عَبْدِيَ المُؤْمِنِ...
It was revealed onto Moses(s): O Musa I have not created a more beloved creature than a believing servant.
مَثَلُ المُؤْمِنِ عِنْدَ اللهِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ كَمَثَلِ مَلَكٍ مُقَرَّبٍ، وَإنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ عِنْدَ اللهِ عَزَّوجَلَّ أعْظَمُ مِنْ ذلِكَ...
For God a believer is like an angel who is beloved to God, and indeed a believer is even more highly regarded by God than such an angel.
The Prophet(s) has stated:
إنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ أعْظَمُ حُرْمَةً مِنَ الكَعْبَةِ
The reverence for a believer is more superior than that for Ka'aba.
Imam Ali(s) has stated:
وَفَضَّلَ حُرْمَةَ المُسْلِمِ عَلى الحُرَمِ كُلِّها.
And God increased a Moslem's reverence due to his being equipped with Islam.
Concerning the obedient Moslem, we will read in the Holy Quran:
وَمَنْ يُطِعْ اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُوْلَئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُوْلَئِكَ رَفِيقًا.
“And whoever obeys Allah and the Apostle, these are with those upon whom Allah has bestowed favors from among the prophets and the truthful and the martyrs and the good, and a goodly company are they! 4:69”
Thus, the magnanimous traits of a believers are vividly depicted in the sacred verses of the Holy Quran and in the narrations. You may refer to those verses and narrations in Osul Kafi, Man La Yahtharahol Faqih, Touhid, Thavab Al-A'mal, Khethal, Majmu'eh Varram, Tohaf Al-Oqul, Mahjattol Beitha;, Shafi, Vafi, and the like. Such a book will not be able to carry all those verses or narrations, however.
الَّلهُمَّ فَصَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ أمينِكَ عَلى وَحْيكَ، وَنَجيبِكَ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ، وَصَفِيِّكَ مِنْ عِبادِكَ، إمامِ الرَّحْمَةِ، وَقائِدِ الْخَيرِ، وَمِفْتاحِ البَرَكَةِ.
“O God, Send your blessings to Mohammad(s) since he was trustworthy of Your revelation and was the selected one out of your creatures. He was your noblest and most distinguished servant. He was the leader of blessings, the pioneer in goodly actions and the key to magnanimity”
Indeed, Mohammad(s) was the trustworthy of God's revelation; he brought to people for twenty three years as a prophet all the rules and regulations of Islam concerning good and evil actions, although he was confronted with the worst kind of hardships.
On his farewell hajj, on the day of Sacrifice (Qorban), at Khayf Mosque, as an introduction to a significant lecture, Mohammad(s) stated:
“O God, be my witness that I stated for people all those things which will take them to the paradise and will keep them from your chastisement.”
The Holy Quran ordered Mohammad(s) to tell people:
وَأُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنُ لِأُنذِرَكُمْ بِهِ وَمَنْ بَلَغَ.
“And this Quran has been revealed to me that with it I may warn you and whomsoever it reaches. 6:19”
يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنْ النَّاسِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِرِينَ.
“O Apostle! Deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord; and if you do it not, then you have not delivered His message, and Allah will protect you from the people; Surely Allah will not guide the unbelieving people. 5:67”
In accordance with the belief of the interpreters, of course disregarding those who are not just in their statement and therefore are lacking in humanity, and according to the unanimous belief and view of the narrators in hundreds of books verse was revealed onto Mohammad(s) to announce the Velayat and Caliphate of Imam Ali(s). Although its announcement could have made all sorts of dangers for Mohammad(s), the keeper of God's revelation, at a place called Qadir Khom, while tens of thousands observers, based on the above verse, introduced Imam Ali(s) as his successor, and while doing so, he uttered those heavenly, eloquent sentences:
مَنْ كُنْتُ مَولاهُ فَعَليٌ مَولاهُ، الَّلهُمَّ والِ مَن والاهُ، وَعَادِ مَن عاداهُ، وَاْنصُر مَنْ نَصَرَهُ، وَاخْذُل مَنْ خَذلَهُ.
“Anybody who follows me should follow Ali(s). O God, Let his friends be yours and his foes be your foes. Help those who help him, and leave alone those who choose to betray him. Cease helping them, O God.”
الَّذِينَ يُبَلِّغُونَ رِسَالَاتِ اللَّهِ وَيَخْشَوْنَهُ وَلَا يَخْشَوْنَ أَحَدًا إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ حَسِيبًا.
“Those who deliver the messages of Allah and fear Him, and do not fear any one but Allah; and Allah is sufficient to take account. 33:39”
In all aspects of the delivery of God's message, i.e., oral, ethical, practical and educational, Mohammad(s) was an evidence for this sacred verse.
وَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْكَ الْبَلَاغُ وَاللَّهُ بَصِيرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ.
“(If they submit then indeed they follow the right way;) and if they turn back, then upon you is only the delivery of the message and Allah sees the servants.3:20”
Mohammad's delivery of God's message was based on logic, and reasoning and did not leave anything ambigious. While the world mongers, materialists, pleasure-seekers, libertines, and some jews and Christians, due to their hatred towards Mohammad(s) left him, he did not leave the delivery of God's message and let people know godly commands and heavenly knowledge.
Mohammad(s) was God's Apostle for the following traits that he had: because of his honesty, and worships; his knowledge and his wisdom; his sobriety and piety; his generosity; truthfulness and magnanimity; his loyalty; his faith and ethical considerations; his personality and benevolence; his insight; his personality and benevolence; his insight; his care and blessings; his heart and spirit; his humbleness; his cleanliness of spirit; his perseverance; his services to God; his nobovvat (Prophethood).
Mohammad(s) was Allah's blessings among people and was the giver of good news from Allah to people.
The Holy Quran, on the one hand, introduces Mohammad(s) as the source of mercy:
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِلْعَالَمِينَ.
“And We have not sent you but as a mercy to the worlds. 21:107”
And as the bearer of Good news, on the other hand:
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا كَافَّةً لِلنَّاسِ بَشِيرًا.
“And We have not sent you but to all the men as a bearer of good news. 34:28”
He was the blessing of God. His Quran, his statements and his instructions and commands were all the providers of man's prosperity both here and in Hereafter. A blessed life in this world is a life which is immune against wishes and whims, shaitan and aggression, enemity and disgrace. Rather, it is God's mercy which by itself is the product of following that Prophet(s). Paradise and paradise garden which is loftier than paradise and which is available only through obeying the prophet(s) is God's blessing. Imam Zain Al-Abedin has called the Prophet(s) as “the Imam of mercy.”
Indeed the Holy Quran and the Prophet's explanations on this heavenly book, which is the most precious jewel of the treasury of the creation, and which was preached by the honorable Prophet of Islam(s) is the true blessing of God, a blessing which got to people because the Prophet(s) was a blessing.
The pure and clean life means man's arrival at God's mercy in this world and God's blessing in the Hereafter means the paradise and the garden of paradise. We will never reach God's blessing in the Hereafter unless we are connected to the Holy Quran, which is Mohammad's heavenly Book, and we related to the Prophethood of Mohammad(s), and we are obedient to his orders.
Mohammad(s) was the manifestation of God's vast source of blessings both from the point of view of his character and his Prophethood.
His nobovvat (Prophethood) was the terminator of Prophethood; relgion became perfect due to his Prophethood; God's spiritual blessing became prefect in the light of his blessed existence; his religion became a means for worldly blessing and prosperity in the Hereafter; because of his heavenly mercy the Holy Quran was revealed to man. All of these are the manifestations of God's blessings.
Now, we will delve into the concept of God's blessings as it is explained in the Holy Quran:
God's special blessing manifests itself in this and is translated into action in the form of ethical behavior. Its result is eternal security. God's special blessing is translated into the paradise in the other world. Mohammad(s) has made all of this possible for humanity.
Nobody in this world will ever get God's blessings unless he complies with Mohammad's rules and regulations.
Now we will deal with some of those sacred verses of the Holy Quran which are concerned with the ways to get the blessings of God.
وَأَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ. وَسَارِعُوا إِلَى مَغْفِرَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهَا السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالْأَرْضُ أُعِدَّتْ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ. الَّذِينَ يُنْفِقُونَ فِي السَّرَّاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنْ النَّاسِ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ. وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا اللَّهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَنْ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوا عَلَى مَا فَعَلُوا وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ. أُوْلَئِكَ جَزَاؤُهُمْ مَغْفِرَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَجَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَنِعْمَ أَجْرُ الْعَامِلِينَ.
“And obey Allah and the Apostle, that you may be shown mercy. And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord; and a Garden, the extensiveness of which is as the heavens and the earth, it is prepared for those who guard against evil. And those who when they commit an indecency or do injustice to their souls remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their faults-and who forgives the faults but Allah, and who do not knowingly persist in what they have done. 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. 3:131-136”
Within these sacred verses certain stipulations are set to gain the God's one has to be obedient to Him and to the Apostle, and the Garden is reserved for those who guard against evil. To get the God's Love, one has to be bound by good ethics. To be forgiven by God, one has to do decent things and refrain from evil. And in order to enter the paradise, one has to obey God's commands. And all these blessings are the direct consequences of the Prophethood of Mohammad(s).
وَهَذَا كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مُبَارَكٌ فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَاتَّقُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ.
“And this is a Book We have revealed, blessed; therefore follow it and guard against evil that mercy may be shown to you. 6:155”
وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ وَأَنصِتُوا لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ.
“And when the Quran is recited, then listen to it” and remain silent, that mercy may be shown to you. 7:204”
وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ.
“And keep up prayers and pay the poor-rate and obey the Apostle, so that mercy may be shown to you. 24:56”
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ.
“The believers are but brethren, therefore make peace between your brethren and be careful of your duty to Allah that mercy may be had on you. 49:10”
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِنْ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ وَبَشِّرْ الصَّابِرِينَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُمْ مُصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ أُوْلَئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ وَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الْمُهْتَدُونَ.
“And We will most certainly try you with somewhat of fear and hunger and loss of property and lives and fruits; and give good news to the patient, who, when a misfortune befalls them, say: Surely we are Allah's and to Him we shall surely return. Those are they on whom are blessings and mercy from their Lord, and those are the followers of the right course. 2:155-157”
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أُوْلَئِكَ يَرْجُونَ رَحْمَةَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ.
“Surely those who believed and those who fled their home and strove hard in the way of Allah those hope for the mercy of Allah and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”
فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَاعْتَصَمُوا بِهِ فَسَيُدْخِلُهُمْ فِي رَحْمَةٍ مِنْهُ وَفَضْلٍ وَيَهْدِيهِمْ إِلَيْهِ صِرَاطًا مُسْتَقِيمًا.
“Then as for those who believe in Allah and hold fast by Him, He will cause them to enter into His mercy and grace and guide them to Himself on a right path. 4:175”
فَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ بَيِّنَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ...
“So indeed there has come to you clear proof from your Lord, and guidance and mercy. 6:157”
وَلَقَدْ جِئْنَاهُمْ بِكِتَابٍ فَصَّلْنَاهُ عَلَى عِلْمٍ هُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ.
“And certainly We have brought them a Book which We have made clear with knowledge, a guidance and a mercy for a people who believe. 7:52”
وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَاحِهَا وَادْعُوهُ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا إِنَّ رَحْمَةَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ مِنْ الْمُحْسِنِينَ.
“And do not make mischief in the earth after its reformation, and call on Him fearing and hoping; surely the mercy of Allah is nigh to those who do good to others. 7:56”
قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَتَّبِعُ مَا يُوحَى إِلَيَّ مِنْ رَبِّي هَذَا بَصَائِرُ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ.
“Say: I only follow what is revealed to me from my Lord; these are clear proofs from your Lord and a guidance and a mercy for a people who believe. 7:203”
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَهَاجَرُوا وَجَاهَدُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوَالِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الْفَائِزُونَ يُبَشِّرُهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ بِرَحْمَةٍ مِنْهُ وَرِضْوَانٍ وَجَنَّاتٍ لَهُمْ فِيهَا نَعِيمٌ مُقِيمٌ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِنْدَهُ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ.
“Those who believed and fled their homes, and strove hard in Allah's way with their property and their souls, are much higher in rank with Allah; and those are they who are the achievers of their objects. Their Lord gives them good news of mercy from Himself and His good pleasure and gardens, wherein Lasting blessings shall be theirs. Abiding therein for ever; surely Allah has a Mighty reward with Him. 9:20-22”
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَتْكُمْ مَوْعِظَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَشِفَاءٌ لِمَا فِي الصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ.
“O men! There has come to you indeed an admonition from your Lord and a healing for what is in the breasts and a guidance and a mercy for the believers. Say: In the grace of Allah and in His mercy-in that they should rejoice; it is better than that which they gather. 10:57-58”
وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً وَبُشْرَى لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ.
“We have revealed the Book to you explaining clearly everything, and a guidance and mercy and good news for those who submit. 16:89”
فَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ لَكُنتُمْ مِنْ الْخَاسِرِينَ.
“So were it not for the grace of Allah and His mercy on you, you would certainly have been among the Losers. 2:64”
وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ لَاتَّبَعْتُمْ الشَّيْطَانَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا.
“And were it not for the grace of Allah upon you and His mercy, you would have certainly followed the Shaitan save a few. 4:83”
فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فَيُدْخِلُهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ فِي رَحْمَتِهِ ذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْمُبِينُ.
“Then as to those who believed and did good, their Lord will make them enter into His mercy; that is the manifest achievement. 45:30”
The generous Prophet(s) of Islam in all phases of his life was a true guide and torch towards humanity and good deeds.
That unique person, through the Holy Quran, showed to man every program for engaging in good deeds. He translated the meaning of blessing and good deeds through his deeds, actions, ethical values and eloquent speeches.
One can not achieve any blessing either here or in the Hereafter without the help of that great Prophet(s).
Prior to his Prophethood, the world people were unaware of the meaning of blessing and good deeds. What they considered a blessing was in fact a mischief. That burning torch of guidance, i.e., Mohammad(s), taught people the true meaning of blessing. He invited all people to equip themselves with blessings at all phases of their lives.
The life-giving instructions of the Prophet of Islam(s) were a light which glimmered in the dark life of humanity.
The vigilance of the east was due to his Prophethood and the world civilization has a deep root in his Prophethood.
It is necessary for us, now, to delve into the issue of blessing in the verses of the Holy Quran as well as in the narrations handed down to us so that we get better acquainted with the meaning of blessing which was put forth by the great prophet(s) of Islam.
The Holy Quran considers as a blessing anything which is to the benefit of man, family and society and ultimately leads to the right reward in the hereafter.
وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَمَثُوبَةٌ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ.
“And if they had believed and guarded themselves against evil, reward from Allah would certainly have been better; had they but known this. 2:103”
In this sacred verse, the Holy Quran considers faith and piety as two sources of blessing. This blessing manifests itself as an eternal reward for those who are faithful to Allah. In this sacred verse the presence of faith in a way is interpreted as his prosperity and lack of it is regarded as man's calamity.
It is the faith and piety which leads to one's mental health. It will cause a man's welfare and prosperity. And by faith is meant love towards truth and belief in the resurrection. Piety will stop a man from getting involved in wrong doing.
وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا لِأَنفُسِكُمْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ.
“And keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and whatever good you send before for yourselves, you shall find it with Allah; surely Allah sees what you do. 2:110”
وَأَنْ تَصُومُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ.
“And that you fast is better for you if you know. 2:184”
In this sacred verse the important issue of fasting is brought out and is considered a source of blessing for man.
وَتَزَوَّدُوا فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الزَّادِ التَّقْوَى وَاتَّقُونِي يَا أُوْلِي الْأَلْبَابِ.
“And make provision, for surely the provision is the guarding of oneself, and be careful of your duty to Me, o men of understanding. 2:197”
يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنْ الْيَتَامَى قُلْ إِصْلَاحٌ لَهُمْ خَيْرٌ وَإِنْ تُخَالِطُوهُمْ فَإِخْوَانُكُمْ.
“And they ask you concerning the orphans, say: to set right for them their affairs is good, and if you become co-partners with them, they are your brethren. 2:220”
قَوْلٌ مَعْرُوفٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ يَتْبَعُهَا أَذًى وَاللَّهُ غَنِيٌّ حَلِيمٌ.
“Kind speech and forgiveness is better than charity followed by injury; and Allah is Self-sufficient, Forbearing. 2:263”
إِنْ تُبْدُوا الصَّدَقَاتِ فَنِعِمَّا هِيَ وَإِنْ تُخْفُوهَا وَتُؤْتُوهَا الْفُقَرَاءَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ ...
“If you give alms openly, it is well, and if you hide it and give it to the poor, it is better for you. 2:271”
To dispense with money and to help the needy and to assist the honorable ones are considered of high value in the Holy Quran.
يَوْمَ تَجِدُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَا عَمِلَتْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ مُحْضَرًا ...
“On the day that every soul shall find present what it has done of good and what it had done of evil. 3:30”
وَلْتَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنْ الْمُنْكَرِ وَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الْمُفْلِحُونَ.
“And from among you there should be a party who invite to good and enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong, and these it is that shall be successful. 3:104”
وَمَا يَفْعَلُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَلَنْ يُكْفَرُوهُ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِالْمُتَّقِينَ.
“And whatever good they do, they shall not be denied it, and Allah knows those who guard against evil. 3:115”
وَأَنْ تَصْبِرُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ.
“And that you abstain is better for you, and Allah is forgiving, Merciful. 4:25”
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا.
“O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Apostle and those in authority from among you; then if you quarrel about anything, refer it to Allah and the Apostle, if you believe in Allah and the Last day; this is better and very good in the end. 4:59”
What is better in this world than obeying Allah and His Apostle? In solving our feuds or quarrels there is no judgment better than that of Allah's or His Apostle's.
If the nations had gone through the conditions that are stipulated in the above sacred verse, they would never have met with calamities that they are faced with now.
قُلْ مَتَاعُ الدُّنْيَا قَلِيلٌ وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِمَنْ اتَّقَى.
“Say: the provision of this world is short, and the hereafter is better for him who guards against evil. 4:77”
وَلِبَاسُ التَّقْوَى ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ.
“(We have sent down to you) Clothing that guards against evil; that is the best. 7:26”
وَإِلَى مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ إِلَهٍ غَيْرُهُ قَدْ جَاءَتْكُمْ بَيِّنَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ فَأَوْفُوا الْكَيْلَ وَالْمِيزَانَ وَلَا تَبْخَسُوا النَّاسَ أَشْيَاءَهُمْ وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَاحِهَا ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ.
“And to Madyan We sent their brother Shu'aib. He said: O my people! Serve Allah, you have no god other than Him; clear proof indeed has come to you from your Lord, therefore give full measure and weight and do not diminish to men their things, and do not make mischief in the land after its reform; this is better for you if you are believers. 7:85”
فَإِنْ تُبْتُمْ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ.
“Therefore if you repent, it will be better for you. 9:3”
انفِرُوا خِفَافًا وَثِقَالًا وَجَاهِدُوا بِأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ.
“Go forth light and heavy, and strive hard in Allah's way with your property and your persons; this is better for you, if you know. 9:41”
وَإِلَى مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ إِلَهٍ غَيْرُهُ وَلَا تَنقُصُوا الْمِكْيَالَ وَالْمِيزَانَ إِنِّي أَرَاكُمْ بِخَيْرٍ وَإِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ مُحِيطٍ.
“And to Madyan We sent their brother Shu'aib. He said: O my people! Serve Allah, you have no god other than Him, and do not give short measure and weight: surely I see you in prosperity and surely I fear for you the punishment of an all-encompassing day. 11:84”
بَقِيَّةُ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ.
“What remains with Allah is better for you if you are believers. 11:86”
وَلَأَجْرُ الْآخِرَةِ خَيْرٌ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَ.
“And certainly the reward of the hereafter is much better for those who believe and guard against evil. 11:86”
Although faith and piety are usually accompanied by all sorts of hardships, they are ultimately to the benefit of man. This is because, based on the Holy Quran and the Islamic supreme knowledge, the only way for man's salvage both here and in hereafter, is the way of piety and faith.
وَقِيلَ لِلَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا مَاذَا أَنْزَلَ رَبُّكُمْ قَالُوا خَيْرًا لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا فِي هَذِهِ الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةٌ وَلَدَارُ الْآخِرَةِ خَيْرٌ وَلَنِعْمَ دَارُ الْمُتَّقِينَ.
“And it is said to those who guard against evil: What is it that your Lord has revealed? They say: Good for those who do good in this world is good and certainly the abode of the hereafter is better; and certainly most excellent is the abode of those who guard against evil. 16:30”
وَأَوْفُوا الْكَيْلَ إِذَا كِلْتُمْ وَزِنُوا بِالْقِسْطَاسِ الْمُسْتَقِيمِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا.
“And give full measure when you measure out, and weigh with a true balance; this is fair and better in the end. 17:35”
الْمَالُ وَالْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَالْبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًا.
“Wealth and children are an adornment of the life of this world; and the ever-abiding, the good works, are better with your Lord in reward and better in expectation. 18:46”
وَلَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيْنَيْكَ إِلَى مَا مَتَّعْنَا بِهِ أَزْوَاجًا مِنْهُمْ زَهْرَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنيَا لِنَفْتِنَهُمْ فِيهِ وَرِزْقُ رَبِّكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى.
“And do not stretch you eyes after that with which We have provided different classes of them, of the splendor of this world's life, that We may thereby try them; and the sustenance given by you Lord is better and more abiding. 20:131”
ذَلِكَ وَمَنْ يُعَظِّمْ حُرُمَاتِ اللَّهِ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَهُ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِ.
“That shall be so; and whoever respects the sacred ordinances of Allah, it is better for him with his Lord. 22:30”
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَدْخُلُوا بُيُوتًا غَيْرَ بُيُوتِكُمْ حَتَّى تَسْتَأْنِسُوا وَتُسَلِّمُوا عَلَى أَهْلِهَا ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ.
“O you who believe! Do not enter houses other than your own houses until you have asked permission and saluted their inmates; this is better for you, that you may be mindful. 24:27”
فَلَمَّا جَاءَ سُلَيْمَانَ قَالَ أَتُمِدُّونَنِي بِمَالٍ فَمَا آتَانِي اللَّهُ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا آتَاكُمْ بَلْ أَنْتُمْ بِهَدِيَّتِكُمْ تَفْرَحُونَ.
“So when he came to Sulaiman, he said: what! Will you help me with wealth? But what Allah has given me is better than what He has given you. Nay, you are exultant because of your present. 27:36”
وَمَا أُوتِيتُمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَمَتَاعُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَزِينَتُهَا وَمَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ.
“And whatever things you have been given are only a provision of this world's life and its adornment, and whatever is with Allah is better and more lasting; do you not then understand? 28:60”
وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ وَيْلَكُمْ ثَوَابُ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ لِمَنْ آمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَلَا يُلَقَّاهَا إِلَّا الصَّابِرُونَ.
“And those who were given the knowledge said: Woe to you! Allah's reward is better for Him who believes and does good, and none is made to receive this except the patient. 28:80”
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى تِجَارَةٍ تُنجِيكُمْ مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَتُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ.
“O you who believe! Shall I lead you to a merchandise which may deliver you from a painful chastisement? 61:10-11”
قُلْ مَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ اللَّهْوِ وَمِنْ التِّجَارَةِ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ.
“Say: what is with Allah is better than sport and better than merchandise, and Allah is the best Sustainers. 62:11”
فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَقْرِضُوا اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا لِأَنْفُسِكُمْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ هُوَ خَيْرًا وَأَعْظَمَ أَجْرًا وَاسْتَغْفِرُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ.
“Therefore read as much of it as is easy to you, and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and offer to Allah a goodly gift, and whatever of good you send on before-hand for yourselves, you will find it with Allah; that is best and greatest in reward; and ask forgiveness of Allah; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. 73:20”
يُؤْتِي الْحِكْمَةَ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَمَنْ يُؤْتَ الْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِيَ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا.
“He grants wisdom to whom He pleases, and whoever is granted wisdom, he indeed is given a great good. 2:269”
وَلَوْ آمَنَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ.
“And if the followers of the Book had believed it would have been better for them. 3:110”
وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ فَعَلُوا مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِهِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ تَثْبِيتًا.
“And if they had done what they were admonished, it would have certainly been better for them and best in strengthening them. 4:66”
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ الرَّسُولُ بِالْحَقِّ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ فَآمِنُوا خَيْرًا لَكُمْ.
“O people! Surely the Apostle has come to you with the truth from your Lord, therefore believe, it shall be good for you. 4:170”
طَاعَةٌ وَقَوْلٌ مَعْرُوفٌ فَإِذَا عَزَمَ الْأَمْرُ فَلَوْ صَدَقُوا اللَّهَ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ.
“Obedience and a gentle word was proper; but when the affair become settled, then if they remain true to Allah it would certainly be better for them. 47:21”
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ وَاسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا وَأَنفِقُوا خَيْرًا لِأَنْفُسِكُمْ.
“Therefore be careful of your duty to Allah as much as you can, and hear and obey and spend, it is better for your souls. 64:16”
فَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَه.
“So, he who has done an atom's weight of good shall see it. 99:7”
The pre-Islamic world was a world inflicted by injustice and was void of divine truth.
The Prophet's mission and a burning torch such as the Holy Quran which he had to guide the nations of the world with brought about drastic changes in all aspects of human's life.
The wisdoms had stopped working, the Prophet(s) enlivened them. Man's knowledge was restricted to certain boundaries, he widened those borders. Man was unaware of the divine world, he made him aware of such a world. The acquisition of knowledge was the prerogative of a selected few, he widened the scope of its acquisition. The very bases of civilization were shaking, he founded a civilization in which our modern civilization has its roots. The ways to progress were shown and depicted by him and his successors, i.e., the Imams(s).
The Moslems, thanks to his very existence, achieved the highest points of progress and development. There arose among them some great scholars in all branches of science. They set out some great libraries and for this, all nations are indebted to them.
One of the famous European scientist, Called Lepry, writes, “If the names of Islam and Moslems had been deleted from the history of the world, the European Renaisance would have lagged behind for centuries.”
In his book called “the History of the Islamic civilization”, Gustav Le Bon writes, “During the ninth and tenth centuries AD, i.e., at the time when the Islamic civilization had reached its peak of success in Andelos, the so-called European scientic centers included some clumsy castles in which our European ancestors used to live a semi-nomadic life and took pride in not being able to read or write. Among them the most learned ones were the ignorant monks who wasted their time in digging for the ancient Greek or Roman books in order to engrave their letters on the animal skins and to write their nonsense words on them.
This nomadic state remained with the Europeans for a long time. There was a little degree of vigilance among the European people towards the end of the twelfth century but this was due to some connections which had taken place with the Moslems.”
Gostav Le Bon, then, continues, “In the year 1130 AD, there was founded a translation house at a place called Tolaitaleh in Europe by the Bishop Rimond. They translated the Arabic books into Latin. These translations had a tremendous impact over Europeans who became able to observe new horizons in science.
In this translation house both the books of Mohammad Zakarya Razi and those of Ave Sina, Ibn Roshd of Andelos, who were among the Islamic scholars, were translated into latin. Above all, the works of Galenus, De'mocrite, Plato, Aristotle, Euclide, Archimede, and Claudius, which had been previously rendered into Arabic from Greek, were translated from Arabic into Latin.”
In his book called, “The History of Medicine,” Dr Le Kirk, after having mentioned the names of more than three hundred famous Arabic books which had been translated into latin, writes:
“The knowledge we have of the Greek sciences in the Middle Ages were through these translations. Through these translations we were able to get hold of the ancient Greek books. This could not have been done through the monks who were even ignorant of the name of Greece. Thus, all the nations of the world should be appreciative and indebted to the Moslems who have done a great service to the world knowledge and have done a lot to keep this treasure out of hazards.”
Regarding the degree of the thought deterioration and degeneration of the European nations, Gustav Le Bon writes, “In 999 AD, Gerbert carried out some studies and got to the position of the pope under the name of Sylvester. But when he wanted to spread his knowledge in Europe people thought his ideas were unnatural and accused him of having been driven out of the Jesus circle. They thought Shaitan had possessed his soul.”
This French Scholar continues to report. “Up to the fifteenth century a narration did not have any significance unless it was takn out of the Moslem Scholars' works.” Then he adds, “George Bacon, Leonardo de piez, Arnovilano, Rimond Lul, Saint Thomas, Albert the Great, Alfonse the tenth, all of these were either direct students to the Moslem Scholars or they were the narrators of their ideas.”
Monsieur Renant writes. “What Albert the Great (Whose researches had a tremendous effects on the thoughts of the Europeans) possessed was due to Ave Sina, the Great scholar of the Moslem world. All the philosophical ideas of Saint Thomas were adopted from the philosophy of Ibn Roshd of Andelos, the great scientist of the world of Islam. All the European colleges were based on the Islamic books for five hundred years. In some branches of science, notable in medicine, the views of the Moslem physicians are still valid. Up to the end of the 19th century, Ave Sina's books were used in France and there were some commentaries written on them.
Since the beginning of the thirteenth century, the philosophy of Ibn Roshd of Andelos was taught in the European schools. When in 1473 AD, Lewis, the eleventh, issued the order for general education, he ordered for the Ibn Roshd's philosophical books to be taught. In the Italian universities, especially at the Pad u university, the influence of the Islamic sciences was not less than that in other parts of Europe.”
Gustav Le Bon continues to write, “Our European ancestors gradually dispensed with their barbaric mannerisms through their relations with Moslems and learned from Moslems such human traits as mercy, Love towards wives and children and loyalty towards one's promises.”
During the Crusades, the Europeans proved to be ways behind the Moslems in human traits.
Saint Barthe'lemy in his book called “Quran”, writes: Through their relations with the Arabs and Moslems, our European nobility put aside their vicious customs and manners and rectified them through their imitation of the Moslems in the Middle Ages. Those proper mannerisms now active in Europe were adopted from the Moslems. The Islamic civilization had a tremendous impact on the world; as a result, the nomadic European tribes adopted human traits. The Moslems opened up the gates of sciences and philosophy to the European nations who were entirely illiterate and ignorant. Moslems had been our masters for six hundred years.
The same crusades made the Europeans leave their viscious mannerisms and nomadic of the Renaissance which was the direct result of the propagation of the Islamic knowledge and sciences and literature at the European colleges.
At the end of his book, Gustave Le Bon summarizes his discussions by writing, “Firstly, we should be aware that no nation in the world could ever excel the Islamic civilization. Secondly, the advancement the Moslems got was impossible for other nations. This was because Moslems had a great progressive religion which is still the most lively religion in the world. One of the prerogatives of the Moslems was the training of the European scholars.”
Mrs Dr Ziggrid Hunkeh has written a three-volume book called “The Islamic culture in Europe”, which is translated into Persian by Morteza Rohbani. Ziggrid in the introduction of this book writes, “This book intends to express a long-delayed thankfullness and appreciation which we owe to the Moslems.”
Dr Ziggrid, through her elaborate research, has proved that the whole world owes their progress and advancement of sciences to the Moslems, the Islam whose founder was the honorable Mohammad(s).
Let us believe that nobody, except God, is ever able to describe the generosities of the sacred being, called Mohammad(s).
كَما نَصَبَ لأمْرِكَ نَفْسَهُ، وَعَرَّضَ فيكَ لِلمَكْرُوه بَدَنَهُ، وَكاشَفَ في الدُّعاءِ إلَيكَ حامَّتَهُ، وَحارَبَ في رِضاكَ اُسْرَتَهُ، وَقَطَعَ في إحْياءِ دينِكَ رَحْمَهُ، وَأقْصى الأدنَينَ عَلى جُحُودِهِم وَقَرَّبَ الأقْصَينَ عَلى استِجابَتِهِم لَكَ، وَوالى فيكَ الأبْعَدِينَ، وَعادى فيكَ الأقْرَبينَ.
“In order to carry out your commands, Mohammad(s) made himself ready. He put himself in hazardous positions in order to propate your religion. He cut his relations with his close relatives who did not intend to accept your Holy Quran. He quarreled with his own tribe to make you satisfied. He put aside all his family bonds to enliven your religion. He kept distant from his relatives who did not believe in you. He accepted a hard life just for your sake and tolerated them through his amicable manners. He made friends with all sorts of people because of You. And he cut his friendly ties with those who opposed you.”
The content and meaning of the above statements will be clear only through a glimpse at the ignorance prevalent at the pre-Islamic Era. This look at the events then will depict the hardships and calamities the Prophet(s) had to go through in order to make the teachings of Islam known.
In those days only one sixth of the population of Arabia were city dwellers, mostly living in the southern sections (Yemen, Adan, Hathar Mout), in the northern and north-western areas such as Hyreh and Qassan. Some of the population also lived in the three main cities of Hijaz: namely, Mecca, Yathreb and Tayef. The rest of the population lived a nomadid life. The bases of their lives were reliant on the tribal traditions.
The nomadic Arabs obeyed no rules and regulations. Rather, they heavily relied on their tribes. They did to others what the extremist nationalists and racialists did in modern times with other races, and nations: they plundered, annihilated, murdered anything they wanted to destroy and they used deception, conspiracies and lies wherever they wanted to.
The nomadic Arabs obeyed no governmental systems and possessed no diplomacy. Their nationality and identity relied on the tribe. A tribe consisted of some families headed by an elderly sheikh of the tribe.
A tribe was a social unity which was self-sufficient. All other tribes were strangers and could be plundered at any moment by a tribe. This did not hold only in those cases where there was an agreement between two tribes to live at peace with each other. But these kinds of pacts and agreements did not last long. It could easily be broken by one member of either tribe.
Thus for the members of a tribe whose protection and pride heavily rested on their clan, it was natural for them to take pride in being a member of a specific tribe and to enjoy certain prejudices related to their clans.
The reasons for the inter-tribal fights rested on the seizure of pastures and most often on their long-standing prejudices.
The Land of Arabia used to train hard-working warriors. If you added this spirit of being warriors to the tribal prejudices and clan nationalism, you would find the root for many blood-sheddings.
It was lawful for any member of a tribe to hunt the wife, wealth or life of any member of the opposing tribe and any tribe which was harassed in this way was rightful to take revenge.
It was a common saying among the nomads that the only remedy for blood-shed is blood-shed. The story of Shanfarah clearly shows the degree of prejudice in taking revenge. He was once insulted by one of the members of Bani Salman tribe and decided to kill one hundred of them. Finally, after encountering a lot of hardships in setting ambushes, he was able to kill only ninety nine of them!
The Arab Era is synonymous with the war events of the nomad Arabs. These fights usually were sparked by a small conflict among two memembers of two tribes and usually lasted for forty years. One such case was the fight called “Besus”. This continued until there was no warrior left and then peace would follow through arbitration.
The greatest disaster occurred to a person if he was rejected by his own tribe. He then was left alone, subject to any mischievous action. He might even get sold as a slave or his wealth would got stolen. Anybody could then dispense with him.
Plundering through formal means was considered a way of life. This was because the wealth, life and safety of others were not respected. Theft and looting was common even among the Christian tribe of Bani Taqleb. But blood-shed was not allowed while plundering was going on. An Arab poet called Qotami, has written the following poem: “It is our job to plunder the neighbors and to assault them”
The nomadic Arab, in his lyrics and odes, considers a great sign of pride to involve in plunder and blood-shed.
Marriage was usual for a girl at the age of eight or nine. The only conditions were the parents' consent and the payment of the marriage portion.
Polygomy was extremely prevalent. A wife was considered as an asset among a father's or husband's or a boy's other assets. She was handed down to the heirs after the husband's death. Thus, one could easily marry the wife of one's father.
It was forbidden to marry girls from other tribes. This did not apply to Qoraish tribe which was allowed to marry any girl outside their circles.
One other way to lawfully possess another man's wife was to set a fight. If he defeated his husband, then he could posses his wife. Some Arab tribes, notably Bani Assad and Tamim, used to put their daughters alive in graves.
Idolatry was practiced among the nomadic Arabs in different shapes.
Idolatory took different shapes: animals, plants, human beings, jinn, angels, stars and even stones were common models for idolatory.
A cubic stone called “Lot” was used among the Tayef tribes as an idole. It was surrounded by pastures and trees. Cutting trees, hunting and blood-shed were forbidden around this idol. The Meccan people used to pay pilgrimage to this location.
The dearest god was Ozza which was equal to Venus. It was in a place called Nakhleh, in the eastern part of Mecca. It was worshipped more than other idols. The shrine of Ozza consisted of three trees and human sacrifices took place there.
Manta was the god of chance and destiny. Its temple was a black stone in Qadaid on the way of Mecca to Yathreb. It belonged to Oos and Khazraj. These three idols were goddesses and assembled the angels.
Ba'al was the symbol for the spirits of the springs and subterraneal canals. Most probably a well full of clean water in adesert could easily be worshipped.
Since caves were connected with under-ground forces and gods they were considered sacred. The Qabqab idol-temple at Nakhleh was discovered because it was in a cave.
Zat Anvat in Nakhlen, on which people used to hang articles, was worshipped for years by the people of Mecca.
Zavel Shara, a mass of carved four-angled rocks, was respected by people.
“The spirit of the cultivable land” was a well-wisher god to whom sacrifices should be offered.
“The spirit of the barren land” was a viscious bevel which had to be avoided.
Besides these public gods, each nomadic Arab had an idol at home. When he or she got home, he or she would go around the god and at the time of a trip, they first got the permission from the god and then took it with them.
The nomadic Arabs used to put aside some portions of their agricultural produce and the cattle off springs for their idols.
Azlma were wooden rods used for telling one's fortune and making consultation. They played a significant role in people's destiny and they were even used to find out the identity of the true parent for a child.
These rods were located in front of Hobal and the ceremonies were carried out by a monk.
These rods were also used for a special kind of gambling.
Once Amraolqeis, the well-known poet, consulted these rods to revenge his father's blood. The results were negative for three consecutive times. Throwing the rods to the face of the idol, the poet said: the hell with you! If your own father had been killed, would you still have forbidden yourself from taking revenge?
It was under such abhorring situations that Muhammad(s) got the mission of a prophet.
Mohammad(s) started his sacred mission when the clouds of ignorance had made dark the sky of humanity, when corruption was widespread, when idoltry had taken the place of monotheism, when figures such as Mazdak and Mani had their ideology and were governing over the people's thoughts, when debauchery and lawdness were considered to be honorable acts, when bloodshed and tyranny were commonplace, when humanity was put on the threshold of annihilation, when women were deprived of their rights and were buried alive with their dead husbands.
People such as Abujahl and Abu Sofyan were dominating over the life and wealth of people in a desert, barren land on the hot rocks of which the blood of the innocent ones was seen and its graves were filled with the girls being buried alive.
The Prophet(s) got his mission in a land where rocks and wood were people's idols, people whose job it was to engage in robbery, and plundering, who lived under deplorable conditions, whose main source of sustenance was raising camels and grazing them and were surrounded by poisonous snakes; people who drank filthy water and fed on barley bread mixed with the powder of the date seeds and on locusts and lizards; people who were in the habit of killing their brothers and were drowned in the murky water of superstitions.
In such a quagmire the boat of man's abominable life was wandering aimlessly. Everybody was dissatisfied with his life; everybody lived with no hope. Ignorance had made life miserable for humanity.
Under such conditions did the Prophet(s) of Islam bigin his mission and endeavored to change man's life through the Holy Quran. The people who had got the habit of worshipping idols, who had been engaged in all sorts of family and social problems made numerous unsurmountable barracks on the may of the Prophet's teachings; hardships which in the word of the Holy Quran were devastating. But helped by God, and due to his perseverance, patience, and prudence, the Great Prophet(s) could resolve all these Problems and was able to lead people in the right path.
The Qoraish chiefs, who were involved in usury, corruption, aggression, injustice, amassing wealth through keeping the idols, got alarmed at the teachings of Islam. God's right way and the Quranic verses and Mohammad's invitiations to Islam frightened these chiefs tremendously. They were well aware that they would lose their social dignities through Mohammad's invitations.
Abu Lahab, Abu jahl, Abu Sofyan, Valid, Shibeh, Atabeh and other despots were well aware that the hand-made idols were useless for themselves and for the people. But since they earned great fortunes through keeping these idols, they preferred to keep people in the dark altogether.
The closing down of the idol-temples was translated into losing Jobs and incomes. They had already kept people in the dark for a long time for their own pleasure-seeking lives.
الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الرَّسُولَ النَّبِيَّ الْأُمِّيَّ الَّذِي يَجِدُونَهُ مَكْتُوبًا عِنْدَهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنجِيلِ يَأْمُرُهُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَاهُمْ عَنْ الْمُنكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمْ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمْ الْخَبَائِثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنْهُمْ إِصْرَهُمْ وَالْأَغْلَالَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ فَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِهِ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ وَاتَّبَعُوا النُّورَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ مَعَهُ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الْمُفْلِحُونَ.
“Those who follow the Apostle-Prophet, the Umme, whom they find written down with them in the Tavrat and the Injeel, who enjoins them good and forbids them evil and makes lawful to them the good things and makes unlawful to them impure things, and removes from them their burden and the shackles which were upon them; so as for those who believe in him and honor Him and help Him, and follow the light which has been sent down with Him, these it is that are the successful. 7:156”
They would have lost all the privileges and prerogatives if the shackles had been removed from their wisdom, if they had known that God is not inclusive goods in the hand of the monks, idol-temple keepers and others, and they had known that everybody is on the same relations with God, and finally if they had known that all are created equal.
These chiefs could not stand the wise attacks of the Prophet(s) over their false idols. But Abulahab, Abujahl and Valid who were the pioneers of this atheistic movement looked at the scene rather differently:
They were aware that people would not undergo slavery if they felt the taste of freedom.
What would you think those people who consider wealth as prosperity would do under such conditions? Definitely they would look at money as a solution. So they decided to hinder Mohammad's teachings through their wealth. So they had to resort to money to extinguish the God's light.
We will read in the Ya'aqubi History: “The Qoraish told Abutalib: Your nephew insults our gods; he calls us maniacs; he accuses our followers as idiots. Tell him to stop instigating against us. We will, in return, supply him with ample amounts of money. When Mohammad(s) heard this, he replied: God has not appointed me to collect money or to invite people to be world-mongers; rather, He has commissioned me to give people His invitation to the right way.
Now that the Qoraish leaders saw that they could not tempt Mohammad(s) through money, they decided to force Abu Talib to cut his relation with the Prophet(s). A group of this tribe came up to Abu Talib and said: We will give you Omarat Ibn Valid Ibn Moqayreh, who is a strong and wise youth, as your own son and give us Mohammad(s) so that we will kill him.”
This story is recorded by most historians. It clearly depicts the Qoraishi's mannerisms and their lust for money and usury.
In the eyes of those money-mongers, Omarat was more appropriate than Mohammad(s) to attract money and to repel loss. When the Qoraish chiefs repeated their demand and got nothing from Abu Talib, he was told by Mo'atam Ibn Oday: “Abu Talib, I swear to God your relatives told the truth and they were just.”
But Abu Talib replied: what an unjust demand? You want me to accept your son as my own son, but instead receive my son to kill him? This is sheer tyranny. I would never accept your proposal. Go away and do anything you wish.
Now that they did not succeed in this way, the Qoraish chiefs thought of another plot, a way which is usually adopted by the stupid ones at the time of danger. It is the customs of the idiots to call names or to ridicule others when confronted with an impasse.
The Qoraish, too, rose to insult and assault Mohammad(s) and in this way they spared nothing. Abu Lahab, his wife Omme Jameel, Hakam Ibn Abi Al-As, A'qaba Ibn Abi Moi't are among those who hurt Mohammad(s) most.
When Mohammad at the Okaz Market invited people to Islam, Abu Lahab used to follow him and tell people that his nephew was a liar and urged people not to take him seriously. Another plot they used was to ask children to harass Mohammad(s).
Once when Mohammad(s) was praying, some of these aggressors gave their servant a camel's rumen filled with dung to put over the body of Mohammad(s) when he bent to perform adoration. This contaminated his sacred shoulder and back.
Following their continual harassments, the Qoraish decided to murdr Mohammad(s). And they told Abu Talib to warn him not to continue with his work or he should be ready to die. Abu Talib told Mohammad(s) what he had heard. Mohammad(s) replied: My dearest uncle: If they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left hand, I would not quit inviting people to this faith.
Abu Talib left home and courageously told the Qoraishi what he had heard.
Upon realizing that Abu Talib would not cease protecting his nephew, the Qoraish leaders gathered at their usual meeting-place at Dar Al-Nadvah. After a lot of discussions, they signed a treaty with the following content: From then on no one of the Qoraish was allowed to enter into any trade transaction with any member of the Bani Hashim, nor was he permitted to have a dialogue with anyone of the latter tribe. They signed it and hung it at the Ka'aba.
When Abu Talib heard of the content of the treaty, he hurriedly left home and asked the Qoraish: what is this horrible news? They replied: O Abu Talib, surrender your nephew to us and be our chief. He replied: How unjust you are! Should I submit my son to you to kill him?
Then Abu Talib went upto Bani Hashim Saying:
عَلَيْكُم يا بَني هاشِمِ وحِصْنَ الشَّعْبِ.
“O Bani Hashim, to save your life, enter the Abi Talib Sha'ab.”
Then all of them took refuge to Sha'ab of Abi Talib, which was a valley between two mountains.
Abu Jahl, As Ibn Vae'l, Nathr Ibn Harith, and Aqaba Ibn Abi Moi't guarded the entrances to the valley so that nobody could bring food to the Moslems taking shelter in the Sha'ab.
Nobody could openly take provisions to the sha'ab, but Abu Al-As Ibn Rabi', the Prophet's son-in-law, during the nights, would put some provisions including food, wheat, and dates over his camel and painstakingly would take it to the sha'ab and then would release the camel to go to the Sha'ab to to take its goods and items there.
Since Abu Talib feared Abu Jahl and his associates, he used to change the prophet's sleeping-place several times each night, so that he could stay alive.
They stayed in the Sha'ab for three years, living in pure poverty. They had to endure a lot of sufferings and their children's crying for food could be neard all over the sha'ab.
As long as Abu Talib and khadijeh Kobra were alive, the Prophet(s) could tolerate the harassments of the infidels, but when these two passed away, the Prophet(s) could tolerate no more and could stay in Mecca no longer. Towards the end of the month of Shavval he went to Tae'f accompanid by Zeid Ibn Harithe and met with three of the chiefs of thaqif: Abd Ibn Amr, Mas'ud Ibn Amr and Habib Ibn Amr, who were three brothers, and invited them to Islam. Each one of them answered to the Prophet(s) harshly. One of them answered impolitely: Your telling the truth resembles my having stolen the curtain of ka'aba. Your prophethood is sheer hoax. The other said: Was your God that weak to have appointed you as His Prophet? The third one said shamelessly: I swear to my god that I am not willing to listen to your statements. It is because if you sere the prophet(s), I would not be allowed to talk to you because of our rank; and if you were not a prophet, then I would not talk to you since you are not my equal. The Prophet(s), being disillusioned, asked them not to reveal his invitation. But they let everybody know and betrayed him. People then ridiculed and harassed him and threw so many rocks at his feet that they started bleeding.
Musa Ibn Aqabe says: the extent of blood was so great that his sandles were covered with blood. He fell to the ground because of bleeding excessively. People then would take him up and continue making fun of him.
According to some narrations, only Zeid Ibn Harithe defended the Prophet(s). His head, too, was hurt several times. Then the Prophet(s) had to leave Tae'f.
There was a garden in the outskirts of Tae'f. In that garden Atabah, and Sheiban, the sons of rabia', together with their servant Edas, used to live. The prophet sat in the shade of the garden wall, still bleeding. When Atabah and Sheibah saw him in that horrifying situation, they let their servant take some grapes to the Prophet(s). The prophet said:
ijk.
“In the Name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful.”
Edas asked: This statememen I have never heard before. The Prpohet(s) asked where are you from? He replied: from Neinava. The Prophet(s) asked: the city of Yunus Ibn Matta, the God's true servant?
Edas asked the Prophet(s): How did you recognize Yunus? The Prophet(s) replied: My God has informed me. Then he invited Edas, and Edas became a Moslem and fell to the ground, performing adoration. He then started kissing the bleeding feet of the Prophet(s). When he went back to his masters, they asked him: what had this man done to you that you kissed his legs? Edas replied: He let me know something that only the Prophet is aware of. They laughed at him telling him: “This man let you forget about your Christianity.”
The Prophet(s) stayed in Tae'f nearly one month. He carried out his mission of iniviting people to Islam. Nobody accepted this faith in that city. The Prophet(s) had to return to Mecca. On his way back, he sat in the shade of a vine, supplicating and saying:
اللَّهُمَّ أشْكُو إليكَ ضَعْفَ قُوَّتي، وَقِلَّةَ حِيلَتي، وَهَواني عَلَى النّاسِ، أنْتَ أرْحَمُ الرّاحمِينَ، أنْتَ رَبُّ الْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ، وَأنْتَ رَبّي، إلى مَنْ تَكِلُني؟ إلى بَعِيدٍ يَتَجَهَّمُني، أو إلى عَدُوٍّ مَلَّكْتَهُ أمْري؟ إنْ لَمْ يَكُن بِكَ عَلَيَّ غَضَبٌ فَلا أبالي وَلكِن عافِيَتُكَ هِيَ أوْسَعُ لي. أعوذُ بِنُورِ وَجْهِكَ الّذي أشْرَقَت لَهُ الظُّلُماتُ، وَصَلَحَ عَلَيْهِ أمْرُ الدّنيا وَالآخِرَةِ مِنْ أن يَنْزِلَ بي غَضَبُكَ أو يَحُلَّ عَلَيَّ سَخَطُكَ، لكِن لَكَ العُتْبى حَتّى تَرْضى، وَلا قُوَّةَ إلا بِكَ.
O God! I complain to you of my wretchedness, lack of stamina and my inabilities in front of people. You are the kindest of all kinds; you are the God for the wretched ones; you are my God. Are you going to leave me alone in front of the infidels who reject me altogether? If you are not angry with me, then I will not fear others. Your kindness is what I desire for. I take shelter in your light by which everything is illuminated and through which all the worldly affairs are organized. I will ask for your pardons and forgiveness to the degree that you get satisfied with me. There is no power beyond yours.
Thus, as Imam Zain Al-Abedin(s) has stated: the Prophet(s) suffered a lot of hardships and endured many disasters in order to invite people to the right ways of Islam. But he carried out his mission with love and energy. This he explicitly refers to in the following statements:
وَأذابَ نَفْسَهُ في تَبْليغِ رِسالَتِكَ، وَأتْعَبَها بِالدُّعاءِ إلى مِلَّتِكَ، وَشَغَلَها بِالنُّصْحِ لِأهْلِ دَعْوَتِكَ، وَهاجَرَ إلى بِلادِ الْغُرْبَةِ وَمَحَلِّ النّأي عَنْ مَوطِنِ رَحْلِهِ وَمَوْضِعِ رِجْلِهِ وَمَسْقَطِ رَأسِهِ وَمَأنَسِ نَفْسِهِ، إرادَةً مِنْهُ لإعْزازِ دِينِكَ، وَاسْتِنْصاراً عَلى أهْلِ الكُفْرِ بِكَ، حَتّى استَتَبَّ لَهُ ما حاوَلَ في أعْدائِكَ، وَاستَتمَّ لَهُ ما دَبَّرَ في أوْلِيائِكَ، فَنَهَدَ إليهِم مُسْتَفْتِحاً بِعَونِكَ، وَمُتَقَوِّياً عَلى ضَعْفِهِ بِنَصْرِكَ، فَغزاهُم في عُقْرِ دِيارِهِم، وَهَجَمَ عَلَيهِمْ في بُحْبُوحَةِ قَرارِهِم، حَتّى ظَهَرَ أمْرُكَ، وَعَلَتْ كَلِمَتُكَ وَلَو كَرِهَ المُشْرِكُونَ.
In order to put out your messages, that person (the Prophet) made himself tired and hurt and suffered a lot in order to publicize the new faith and got involved in offering advice to improve humanity.
He then migrated from his homeland, where his relatives used to settle and headed for unknown districts. All this he did to publicize your faith.
The Prophet asked Your assistance to overcome the infidels and succeeded with your help. All was done for the prosperity of those who are your true servants.
While he was asking for your assistance He entered the wars with your adversaries. He staged war against them even in their houses. He made an assault on them in their residence, till your faith was revealed to them, although the infidels did not like it.
اللَّهُمَّ فَارْفَعْهُ بِما كَدَجَ فيكَ إلى الدَّرَجَةِ العُلْيا مِنْ جَنَّتِكَ، حَتّى لا يُساوى في مَنْزِلَةٍ، وَلا يُكافَأُ في مَرْتِبَةٍ، وَلا يُوازِيه لدَيْكَ مَلَكٌ مُقَرَّبٌ، وَلا نَبِيٌّ مُرْسَلٌ، وَعَرِّفهُ في أهْلِهِ الطاهِرِينَ وَاُمَّتِهِ المُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ حُسْنِ الشّفاعَةِ أجَلَّ ما وَعَدْتَهُ، يا نافِذَ العِدَةِ، يا وافيَ القَولِ، يا مُبَدِّلَ السَّيّئاتِ بِأضْعافِها مِنَ الحَسَناتِ، إنَّكَ ذُو الفَضْلِ العَظِيمِ.
O God! For the hardships that Mohammad(s) has gone through to advance and publicize your faith, put him in the loftiest place of your paradise, a place unoccupied by any other one, either the angels or other Prophets.
Please be kind towards him and his infallible ones, and towards the believers. You have always carried out your promises and have never broken anyone of them. You change the evils into good things, you are the most generous.
source : THE LAND OF THE LOVERS /BY Shaykh Husayn Ansariyan
