In the name of Allah

The All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful

17 Shawwal 1445 (26 April 2024)

Islamic Universal Association

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London, W11 4 PG

www.arafeh.co.uk

 

Imam Ali (a.s)’s advice in the Nahjal-Balagha – Part 24

Last week I had quoted some Quranic verses on acquiring provisions for the hereafter. However, today I quote below some tradition

• In the book of Safinatul al-Bihar V: 2 P: 669 it has been narrated that Gabriel advised the Holy Prophet: “O Muhammad, live as you wish, for you will surely die. Work as you desire, for you will surely be compensated. Love whomever you wish, for you will surely be separated. Know that the nobility of the believer is in prayer at night and his honor is in his independence of people.”
• Luqman always talked with wisdom and thoughtfulness and he had given so many admonitions to his son that he became the embodiment of his enlightening wisdom. It is reported from Imam Sadiq (a.s) that Luqman in his will advised his son:
• “My Son! People before you gathered wealth for their family members, who either died or their wealth did not last them. You are a laborer who has been ordered to do some work on fixed remuneration. So carry out your duties, take your remuneration and do not to live in this world like a sheep which goes to a field and grazes so much that it becomes fat and then it is slaughtered because of its obesity. You should pass through this world like crossing a bridge that is built over a river and that you can never return to it. Remember that when you will be made to stand before your Lord on the Day of Judgment you will be questioned about four things: 1.How you spent your youth? 2. How you spent your life until your final hour? 3 How you earned your wealth? 4. How you spent it? So be ready to answer these queries and never be sorry for the loss of worldly wealth because wealth does not last long and one should be free from the trouble it causes. Always distance yourself from the evil of this world and be busy collecting good deeds for the Hereafter. Remove the blindfold from your eyes and immerse yourself in the pleasure of your Lord through good deeds. Always repent earnestly and make effort for achieving virtues until you have time and before they (angels) target you and Allah will turn towards you and these things will become a barrier between you and your desires.”
• Imam Baqir (a.s) highlights one of the admonitions given by Luqman to his son: “My Son! If you have at all any doubt about your impending death then tries and remove sleep from you. You can never do it. And if you have any doubt about rising up again after death them avoid awakening after your sleep. You can never do it either. So if you ponder over these two things you will realize that your life is in the hand of someone else and that sleep is like death and awakening is like rising up after death.”
• Luqman also advised his son:
• “This world is a deep ocean. Innumerable people have drowned in it and have been destroyed. So it is essential for you to make faith your ship for saving yourself from the dangers of this world. You should rely only on Allah to sail your ship, your provision in the ship should be avoidance of illegal and undesirable things. Thereafter if you are saved it is due to Allah’s mercy and if you get destroyed it is because of your sins.” To be continued

Second sermon

Martyrdom anniversary of Imam Sadeq (a.s)

 

The 25th of Shawwal is the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Jafar Sadeq (a.s) and I express my condolences to Imam Mahdi (a.t.f) and to my Shiite brethren.

Imam Sadeq (a.s) was born on 17  Rabiul Awwal, 83 Hijri, in Medina and he was brought up by his grandfather, Imam Zainul Abedin (a.s), for 12 years and thereafter he remained under the patronage of his father, Imam Muhammad Baqer (a.s), for 19 years until his martyrdom. His Imamate lasted for 34 years and it coincided with the reigns of Ibrahim ibn Walid and Marvan Hemar, the Umayyad rulers. After the assassination of Marvan and the fall of the Umayyad regime, the Abbasid ruler, Abul Abbas Saffah, took over the Caliphate for over 4 years, and thereafter his brother, Abu Jafar Al-Mansoor, succeeded him. After 2 years of his Caliphate, the Imam was martyred by poisoning on the 25th of Shawwal, 148 Hijri, by the governor of Medina under the instructions of Al-Mansoor and his body was laid to rest in Jannatul-Baqi, in Medina. (Re: Manaqib V: 4 P: 20)

The Imam’s character was exemplary; he was considered to be the model and specimen of Islamic ethics, moral and conduct. He had no desire for worldly matters and was given the title of ‘the honest’ for his integrity and truthfulness. He was pious, always engaged in the remembrance of God and a perpetual worshipper of Him. It has been narrated that one day a traveler on a pilgrimage to Medina suddenly fell asleep. When he woke up, he found that his purse which contained a thousand Dinar was missing. He accused the Imam of having stolen it, as he was praying in a nearby mosque at the time. When the Imam learnt about this, he asked the man to follow him to his house where he gave him a thousand Dinar. When the pilgrim returned from the house, he found his missing purse and was deeply ashamed about his conduct. He profusely apologized to the Imam and offered to return his money, to which the Imam replied: “We never take back what we give, but if you feel guilty about it, give it to the deprived and the impoverished of this town.” The traveler donated the entire money to the poor in Medina.

The era of his Imamate coincided with the most revolutionary and eventful era of Islamic history. It was due to the political strife for power between the Ummayads and Abbasids, the Imam was left undisturbed to accomplish his devotional duties and peacefully carry out his mission to propagate Islam. In doing so, he followed in his father’s footsteps, and expanded the school established by him. Students trained in this school included Hisham ibn Hakam, Muhammad ibn Muslim, Aban ibn Taghlab, Hisham ibn Salim, Mu’min Taq, Mufaddal ibn Umar, Jabir ibn Hayyan, Mu’alli ibn Khanis, Mu’awiyyah ibn Ammar, and Ali ibn Yaqtin. Some of these students were so advanced and well taught that they became leaders in their fields. For example, Hisham ibn Hakam wrote 31 books, and Jabir ibn Hayyan wrote more than 220 books on various subjects, especially on rational and natural subjects and chemistry, which was called alchemy then. That is why Jabir ibn Hayyan is known as ‘The Father of Chemistry’. His students were not only Shiites but Sunnis also benefited from his knowledge. Many well-known Sunni leaders were directly or indirectly the Imam’s students. Abu-Hanifah studied under the Imam for 2 years and he considered these 2 years as the foundation of his knowledge; he said: “Had it not been for those 2 years, Nu’man (Abu-Hanifah) would have been destroyed.”