In the name of Allah

The All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful

3rd Shawwal  1445 (12th April 2024)

Islamic Universal Association

20 Penzance Place, Holland Park

London, W11 4 PG

www.arafeh.co.uk

 

Imam Ali (a.s.)’s advice in the Nahjal-Balagha – Part 22

I quote below an extract from Imam Ali (1.2)’s Sermon 99 from the Nahjul Balagha on the realities of this world:

“O creatures of Allah! I advise you to keep away from this world which is (shortly) due to leave you even though you do not like its departure and the decaying of your body, for you like to keep it fresh. Your example and its example is like a traveler who travels some distance and then he cuts across the road quickly or he heads towards the destination (sign) and reaches it at once. How short is the distance to the destination if one heads towards it and reaches it? And how short is the distance of one who has only a day which he cannot exceed, while a driver (death) is driving him in this world until he departs from it.

So do not hanker after worldly honor and pride and do not get happy over its beauties and bounties nor wail over its damages and misfortunes because its honor and pride will end while its beauty and bounty will perish and its damages and misfortunes will pass away. Every period in it has an end and every living being in it will die. Is there not a warning for you in the relics of the predecessors and an eye opener and lesson in your fore-fathers, provided you understand?”             

Valuable points

• We should understand that this world is temporary and death is moving towards us at great speed even if we do not wish to leave it.
• The Imam has repeatedly advised us to avoid all forms of indulgence here that will keep us away from the right path.
• We should not crave for its honor and status or be fascinated with its adornments and bounties or panic about its hardships and miseries, for its honor and status will terminate, its bounties will perish and its hardship and miseries will end. In fact, every period in it will end and every human being will be annihilated. According to the Holy Quran, “Beautified for men is the love of things they covet; women, children, much of gold and silver (wealth), branded beautiful horses, cattle and well-tilled land. This is the pleasure of the present world’s life; but Allah has the excellent return (Paradise with flowing rivers, etc.) with Him.”
• The Imam emphasizes the importance of taking lessons from the world around us and its changing circumstances of our predecessors and forefathers who have faced death and we will also meet with the same fate. To be continued.

 

 

 Second Sermon

Eide Fitr

Today is the 1st Friday of the month of Shawwal and Muslims all over the world have celebrated Eide Fitr on the 1st day of this month which marks the end of the month of Ramadan. It is a great day of festival for Muslims when they bid farewell to this blessed month. Its significance stems from the special meaning it holds for the entire Muslim community in the remembrance of Allah (s.w.t.) and it fosters brotherhood and interactions like Eide Qurban, Eide Mabath and Eide Ghadir, which are also special days of rejoicing and unity.

Imam Ali (a.s.) addressed Muslims on the day of Eide Fitr and advised them as follows: “O people! Verily this day of yours is the day when the righteous are rewarded and the wretched are losers. It is a day which is similar to the Day of Resurrection when you will be standing before your Lord in awe. Therefore, when you come out of your homes to go to places of worship to perform your Eid prayer, remind yourselves about the day when you will rise from your graves to meet your Lord. When you take your places for prayer, remind yourselves of standing in the presence of your Lord in the divine court. Moreover, when you return to your homes after prayer imagine that the judgement has been pronounced and the joy or the panic you will experience when proceeding to your eternal abode in paradise or hell.

O Servants of Allah! Verily the minimum reward for those men and women who fasted during Ramadan is precisely what the angel announces to them on the last day of the month of Ramadan: ‘O servants of Allah! Rejoice at the glad tiding that all your previous sins have been forgiven. Therefore, be careful of your duties and responsibilities to Allah on this day and the days to follow’.” (The book of Amaali Sadooq, page 100)

 

The valuable points of the above sermon are provided hereunder:

 

1. The believers will be rewarded for having completed their duty as ordained by Allah (s.w.t.) by fasting during the entire month of Ramadan. Hence Allah (s.w.t.) has forgiven all their previous sins.
2. They now have the opportunity to start with a clean slate but they should be careful of their duties and obligations henceforth.
3. Eide Fitr is similar to the Day of Resurrection when everyone will be standing before Allah (s.w.t.) in awe.
4. Muslims should visualise whilst travelling to the mosques to perform their Eid prayer, the day when they will rise from their graves to meet with their Lord. When they take their place for prayer they should imagine that they are standing in Allah (s.w.t.)’s divine court.
5. After prayer they should bring to mind that the judgement has been pronounced and the joy or misery they would then feel.