In the name of Allah
The All Compassionate, the All Merciful
21st Muharram1444 (19th August 2022)
Islamic Universal Association
20 Penzance Place, Holland Park
London, W11 4 PG
Jihad An-Nafs – Part 95
Purification of the heart-Part 37
As we enjoy Allah (s.w.t.)’s bounties or face unprecedented circumstances with uncertainty, fear and anticipation of loss, it is our relationship with Allah (s.w.t.) that remains constant. Islam teaches us that days of good fortune or hardship will all pass, but as we go through these tests we must seek ways to purify ourselves and to nourish our souls, as advised by Imam Ali (a.s.) to his son, Hasan (a.s.) in letter 31.
A believer sees in every moment an opportunity to reap blessings and rewards. Reliance on Allah (s.w.t.) is among the greatest acts of worship and a means to His pleasure and reward. It is the source that inspires hope and contentment during all times and situations. Allah (s.w.t.) has blessed His worshipers abundantly with favors that man cannot enumerate, yet some have gone deep into disbelief, misguidance and tyranny, and the likes of these are many in the past and the present. The Holy Quran has narrated the story of Quran, in Ayahs 76-82 Surah Al-Qasas, whom Allah had given great treasures that no man could possibly own. Quran thought that this wealth was obtained due to his ability alone and that he was the only disposer of it. He failed to realize that people with greater wealth, grandeur and power in the past had been annihilated by Allah (s.w.t.). The Ayahs read as follows:
“Indeed Korah (Qarun) belonged to the people of Moses, but rebelled against them. We had given him treasures, so much that their keys would have been a burden for a group of strong men. When his people said to him: “Do not exult, for God does not love those who exult.
And seek by means of what God has given you the abode of the hereafter, and do not forget your share in this world; be good unto others as God has been good unto you, and do not seek mischief in the world; verily God does not love mischief-makers.”
He (Korah) said: “It has been granted to me only on account of my knowledge I possess.” Did he not know that God had surely destroyed generations before him who were mightier in prowess than him and greater in hoarding? The criminals shall not be questioned about their crimes.
So he went forth to his people, pompous, and those who coveted about the pleasures of this world said: “Would that we had the like of what Korah has been given! Verily he owns a great fortune.”
Those who were endowed with knowledge said: “Woe unto you! God’s reward is better for him who believes and does good deeds, but none shall attain it save the steadfast ones.” Then We caused the earth to swallow him and his abode; there was no group that could help him against God, nor was he able to defend himself.
Those who coveted his position only the day before began saying: “Oh! Know that God amplifies and straitness sustenance of whomsoever He pleases of His servants! Had God not been gracious to us, He would certainly have let the earth swallow us too. Know that He never let the ungrateful ever succeed.”
Second Sermon
Divine revolution of Imam Husain (a.s.) – Part-4
The momentous journey of Imam Husain (a.s.) which commenced at Mecca and eventually ended in the plains of Karbala should never be forgotten. During this journey, he stopped in various places and delivered several sermons to the people he met which reflected the true motive he had in mind. However, when he along with Hurr accompanied by their respective companions reached a halting place called Bayza he addressed the people and made it clearer than before that he was under an obligation to perform a duty and he warned them of the consequences of obeying a man like Yazid. The contents of his speech are provided below:
“O People Yazid is a tyrannical and oppressive ruler, who has permitted what Allah has forbidden and prohibited what He has permitted. He breaks divine covenants, opposes the path of the Holy Prophet and oppresses the people. The Messenger of Allah has said: “Whoever sees an unjust governor who changes the forbidden to permissible, breaks his promise, exposes the earth to corruption, defies the traditions established by the Holy Prophet, acts unjustly and does not do anything against it in action or in words, Allah will send him to a place reserved in hell for such people.” Indeed, these people follow Satan and they have ignored Allah. They have spread mischief, abandoned all rules, misused wealth and made the illegal ordinances legal and the legal ordinances illegal.
Allah has said: We have made some of the Imams {leaders} who lead their followers to the Fire. (Surah al-Qasas, 28:41)
All leaders do not take their followers to paradise. Some Imams and leaders of the nation guide people towards paradise and good fortune, and that paradise means in the general sense as progress, prosperity and greatness in this world as well as in the hereafter. However, according to the Holy Quran and historical accounts some Imams, like Yazid, drag their followers towards fire, torture and downfall.
The Imam then explained more explicitly the conditions prevailing during the days in 60 A.H. and said: “You should know that these people namely the agents of the Caliphate of Bani Umayyah follow Satan, carry out his orders and do not forsake his obedience. They have disobeyed Allah and have committed crimes blatantly and have suspended the divine punishments. They have misappropriated the property of Muslims i.e. they have allocated to themselves the money which should have been credited to the public treasury of Muslims and have spent it for their own selfish desires. They have treated the things made lawful by Allah to be unlawful and those made unlawful by Him to be lawful. Now that they have created these conditions, who can be more responsible to change them and eliminate the causes of the decline of the Muslims, in accordance with the orders of the Holy Prophet, than myself? I am Husain ibne Ali, the son of Fatima, and one of those for whom the verse of Purification (33:33) and the verse of Mubahila (3:61) were revealed, and I am the disciple of Imam Ali, the Commander of the Faithful.”
To be continued
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