In the name of Allah

The All Compassionate, the All Merciful

2nd Rabial-Thani 1444 (28th October 2022)

Islamic Universal Association

20 Penzance Place, Holland Park

London, W11 4 PG

www.arafeh.co.uk

 

Jihad An-Nafs – Part 103

Purification of the heart-Part 45

Belief in the Day of Resurrection is one of the central tenets of the Islamic faith. It is a belief that was preached by all the prophets from Adam to the Holy Prophet (s.a.). In fact, it is one of the most important necessities of Islam as it makes man focus on what is in his ultimate best interests and guides him in ways that will benefit him and bring him happiness in this world and the next. On the broader social level, this belief imposes control on human greed and restrains man from committing transgressions for which he would ultimately have to answer.

 

We should regularly remind ourselves of the Day of Resurrection as the fear of the accountability on that Day, along with the hope in the promise of Allah (s.w.t)’s ultimate justice, will motivate us to worship Him, which is the true purpose of human existence. According to some scholar there are more than 2000 verses in the Holy Quran that deal with life after death and the Day of Resurrection, whereas others are view that there are at least 1200 such Ayahs. These numbers reveal the significance of life after death and emphasize that the life of a human being does not end at death, but, in fact, it continues towards a new life. Some of the relevant Ayahs are:

 

• Ayah 130 of SurahAl-An’am:“O assembly of jinn and men! Did not prophets come to you from amongst you, reciting to you My signs and warning you of the meeting of your Day (of requital)?” They shall say: “We testify against ourselves.” The life of this world deceived them and they shall bear witness against their own selves that they were disbelievers.”
• Ayah 147 of Al-A’raaf: “Those who reject Our signs and the meeting in the hereafter, vain shall be their deeds. They shall be compensated for what they wrought.”
• Ayah 7 of Surah Al-Hajj: “And that the Hour is coming, there is no doubt therein and God will raise those who are in the graves.”
• Ayahs 2, 3, 4 and 5 of Surah An-Naml: “A guidance, and glad tidings to the believers,
• Who establish regular prayers and give zakat and are sure about the hereafter.
• Verily, We have made the deeds of those who do not believe in the hereafter fair-seeming to them, so they wander bewildered.
• These are those for whom a grievous chastisement is in store, and in the hereafter they will be the greatest losers of all.” To be continued.

 

 

Second Sermon

Personality of the Holy Prophet (s.a) – Part 2

Further to last week’s discussion, I would like to add that the Holy Prophet (s.a.) was a great leader and a perfect example of how best to serve Allah (s.w.t). He changed the lives of the illiterate Arabs who were enemies of one another and could not live a day in peace. He was not only a great source of inspiration for Muslims but for the entire human race. No one can introduce him better than Imam Ali (a.s.) for he was very close to him from infancy. Moreover he was his ardent student, his devout follower and his successor. I quote below a relevant extract from his Sermon 192 from the Nahjul Balagha:

 

“Certainly, you know my position of close kinship and special relationship with the Prophet of Allah – peace and blessing of Allah be upon him and his descendants. When I was only a child he took charge of me. He used to press me to his chest and place me beside him in his bed, bringing his body close to mine and letting me smell his fragrance. He used to chew something and then feed me with it. He found that I never uttered a lie nor was I weak in my disposition.

From the time of his weaning, Allah had kept a mighty angel with him, day and night, to take him along the path of high character and good behaviour, while I used to follow him like a young camel following in the footprints of its mother. Every day he would show me in the form of a banner some of his high traits and commanded me to follow it. Every year he used to go into seclusion in Mount Hira, where I would see him but no one ever saw him. In those days Islam did not exist in any house except that of the Prophet of Allah – peace and blessing of Allah be upon him and his descendants – and Khadijah, while I was the third after these two. I used to see and watch the effulgence of the divine revelation and message, and breathed the scent of prophethood.

When the revelation descended on the Prophet of Allah – peace and blessing of Allah be upon him and his descendants – I heard the moan of Satan. I said, “O Prophet of Allah, what is this moan?” He replied, “This is Satan who has lost all hope of being worshipped. O Ali, you see all that I see and you hear all that I hear, except that you are not a Prophet, but you are a vicegerent and you are surely on (the path of) virtue.”

 

Salient features

• There was no other person closer than Ali (a.s.) to the Holy Prophet (s.a.). He was an integral part of the Holy Prophet (s.a.)’s life.
• Soon after Ali (a.s.)’s birth, the Holy Prophet (s.a.) took him under his care and tutelage. He lived with the Holy Prophet (s.a.) and slept with him, close to his chest where he could smell his fragrance. He was also fed, washed and dressed by the Holy Prophet (s.a.).
• When he was older, he followed the Holy Prophet (s.a.) everywhere, like a young camel following in the footprints of its mother.
• From the time of the Holy Prophet (s.a.)’s weaning (about 2 years), Allah (s.a.) appointed his greatest angel to guide him towards the highest of morality and outstanding characteristics.
• The Holy Prophet (a.s.) would show Ali (a.s.) his moral strength and integrity every day, and commanded him to follow him. Hence, a reflection of the sublime qualities of the Holy Prophet (s.a.) was seen in Ali (s.).
• Every year when the Holy Prophet would go into seclusion in Mount Hira, no one would see him except Ali (a.s.),who would spend days with him there, where he could see the light of revelation and smell the fragrance of prophet hood.
• At that time Islam only existed in the Holy Prophet (s.a.) and Khadijah (a.s.)’s house, while Ali was the third Muslim after them.
• When the revelations descended to the Holy Prophet (s.a.) Satan was distraught as he had lost all hope of being followed.
• The Holy Prophet (s.a.) advised Ai (a.s.) that although he can see what he sees and can hear what he hears, he is not a prophet of Allah, but his vicegerent and certainly on the path of virtue and morality.