Three years had passed since the commencement of the prophetic mission of the Prophet. After inviting his nearest kinsfolk the Prophet resorted to general invitation. During these three years he had guided some persons by special contacts to accept the Islamic faith but this time he invited the general public openly to the religion of worshipping Allah the One and the Unique One. One day he took his place on a high rock and said aloud: 'Ya ...
O scholars, you who are celebrated and enjoy good repute on account of your learning! You have achieved fame in society because of your devotion, the good counsel you impart, and the guidance you dispense. It is on account of God that men venerate and stand in awe of you, so that even the Powerful fear you and feel compelled to rise respectfully before you, and men who are not subject to you and over whom you hold no authority willingly regard ...
Patience Against Unpleasant Events (Tragedies)
The human life is always accompanied by events and unpleasant calamities, and there is no escape from such happenings. The human structure has been created in such a way, that it has to deal with these imposed situations, i.e. always encountering unpleasant events and calamities during the entire span of our lives. The following famous sentence of the Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali (A.S.) ...
Abbas ibn Ali was the son of Ali ibn Abu Talib and Fatima binte Hizam, commonly known as Ummul Baneen. Abbas is particularly revered by Shi’a Muslims for his loyalty to his half-brother and third Shi’a Imam, Hussain ibn Ali, his respect for the Ahl al-Bayt, and his role in the battle of Karbala. Abbas was married to Lubaba binte Obaidullah ibn Abbas ibn Abdul Muttalib. He had three sons, and their names are Fazal ibn Abbas, Qasim ibn Abbas, ...
Imam Husain (A.S.), the second son of Imam Ali (A.S.), and the grandson of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.), was a pure page of the book of Islam, and a vivid translation of its goals and concepts. That is why he first one who responded to the call of faith in his time. In order to honor his commitments to the Shar'ia, he had no other way before him other that of uprising. Without it there would be no reforms. The first communiqué of his ...
FROM MARRIAGE UP TO PROPHETHOOD
The most sensitive period of the life of a person begins when he (or she) comes of age. It is so because at this time the sexual instincts attain perfection, the sensual self inspires passions in one's head every moment, the storm of lust darkens the atmosphere of human intellect, the foundation of the rule of material instincts becomes more firm and as a result of all this the lamp of wisdom becomes dim. During ...
Imam Reza(A.S.) lived under the wing of his father, Imam Musa al-Kazim, peace be on him, for twenty five years and some months. He witnessed various kinds of ordeal and misfortune which befell his father, who worried and frightened the 'Abbasid government, for he was the focus of the attention of the Muslims and the place of their hope for saving them from the ruling 'Abbasid band, who went too far in wronging the people and forcing them (to do) ...
The happiest times Fatimah (A.S) had were the times when she communicated with her Lord in prayer. When she offered the prayer, her heart traveled high to the Divine Sphere, and her body shook out of the fear of her Lord.
After each prayer, Fatimah (A.S) devotedly supplicated her Lord with some Dua’a. The following are some of that Dua’a:
Her du’a after the Dhuhr (noon) Prayer
When Fatimah (A.S) finished the Dhuhr Prayer, ...
The Torch of Guidance and Ark of Salvation
It is reported that on one occasion Imam Husayn alayhis-salam entered
into a room where Prophet Muhammad salla-llahu-alayhi-wa-aalih was
present, and the latter welcome him by saying, "Welcome to you O Aba-
Abdillah, the beauty of the heavens and earths". It was said to the Prophet,
"How can anyone other than you be the beauty of the heavens and earths?"
Rasulollah salla-llahu-alayhi-wa-aalih ...
I still remember the deep impression which the first Persian poem I ever read in connection with the tragic events of Karbala' left on me. It was Qaani's elegy which begins with the words:
What is raining? Blood.Who? The eyes.How? Day and night.Why? From grief.Grief for whom? Grief for the king of Karbala'
This poem, in its marvellous style of question and answer, conveys much of the dramatic events and of the feelings a pious Muslim ...
Lessons of Faith and Optimism in the Sīrah of the Prophet
The problems and crises facing Muslims today are that many Muslims become deeply pessimistic about the future of the Muslim community. In his talk at a Mīlād Conference in Pretoria last month, Zafar Bangash, Director of the Institute of Contemporary Islamic Thought, highlighted the centrality of optimism in the Sīrah.
The intensity of problems confronting Muslims worldwide from ...
By: Seyyed Ali Shahbaz "My God, submerge me in the most blissful lights of Your majesty, so that I become intimate with You, renouncing all else, fear You and be wary of You, O Majestic and Munificent! And may the blessings of Allah be upon His Prophet Muhammad, and his pure Family, and may countless greetings be to them!" This is how the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (AS), ends his famous munajat or 'whispered supplication' to the Lord ...
1. (Oh people) contemplate, meditate & practice for the (place, thing) that you have been created for, Allah did not at all create you in vain & useless.2. There are three (qualities) which is present in a faithful, he is supported & backed by Allah, & Allah provides him the shade of His celestial throne & secures him from the great horror of the dooms day: the one who gives those rights to the others which he wishes & looks forwards to from ...
The distinguished scholar, Sheikh Baqir Kadhimi, who lived near Najaf-e-Ashraf, narrates that a truthful barber, once related the following story:
I had an old father, whom I served diligently. I exercised such great care never to be neglectful towards him, that I would even place water for him in the toilet and remain in wait outside till he emerged. All throughout (the week) I would be watchful of him, except on Wednesday evenings when I ...
The Perfect Light of Ahl al-Bayt
Based on the following authentic narration reported on the authority of the Holy Prophet:
The first thing Allah created was my light.
And based on the fact that Ahl al-Bayt are the manifestation of this light, we should admit that Ahl al-Bayt are light in essence and this light is the light of Allah which cannot be put out with the puffing of the ignorant ones:
They desire to put out the light of Allah with ...
Ghadir Tradition
Preface
You may have heard the name of Ghadir. It is a territory between Mecca and Medina, near Johfeh, which is 200 km far from Mecca. It is a cross road, where the pilgrims of different parts separate from each other:a road towards Medina, northwarda road towards Iraq, eastwarda road towards Egypt, westwarda road towards Yemen, southwardToday, it is an abandoned area, but once it was the witness of one the greatest events in ...
Bakr the son of Salih narrates the following story:My son in law wrote Imam Javad (PBUH) a letter which included the following: "My father has great animosity with Prophet Muhammad's progeny (PBUT). His belief is corrupted, and he mistreats me to a great extent.My Master, I first like to request your prayer on my behalf, and second to ask for your suggestions on how to deal with this matter. Should I inform others of his corrupted thoughts or of ...
Hadrat Fatima Masumah (S.A.) the Blessed and the Gracious Divine Lady from the Holy Ahlul Bayt (A.S.) was born in the holy city of Medina on the First Day of the month of Dhu al-Qa'dah 173 A.H. Hadrat Fatima Masumah (S.A.) was the most learned scholar and very pious lady and was greatly revered by the Holy Imams (A.S.). She was buried in the holy city of Qum (Iran) and her holy shrine is every year visited by millions of the lovers of Holy Ahlul ...
ModestyOne day Imam Musa Kazim was passing by the tent of a Nomad who was a black man. He went up to him and said "Salam-Alaikum", in a warm and friendly manner.Upon leaving he said good-bye to him in a very kind manner with these words: "If there is anything I can do for you, I'm more than willing to do it".One of the followers of the Imam who saw this attitude said "Is it suitable for you, the son of the messenger of Allah, to sit and talk ...
As for the jurisprudence of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them, most of it was taken from the two Ima`ms al-Ba`qir and his son al-Sa`diq, peace be on them. The Ima`mi jurisprudence encyclopedias - such as al-Hada'iq, al-Jawa`hir, and Mustamsak al-'Urwat al-Withqa`- are full of the traditions reported on their authority. Ima`mi jurists depend on them when they conclude legal precepts and give religious opinions. As for ...
