In the name of Allah
The All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful
7th Dhil-Hijja 1445 (14th June 2024)
Islamic Universal Association
20 Penzance Place, Holland Park
London, W11 4 PG
Imam Ali (a.s.)’s advice in the Nahjal-Balagha – Part 31
Further to my discussion on Imam Ali (a.s.)’s Sermon 114, I would like to reiterate that this world is the place of striving, tribulations and destruction. Allah (s.w.t) has made this worldly life a test and a preparation ground for the afterlife and with death it comes to an end. Thus, everyone has only one chance to prepare for the life to come where Allah (s.w.t) will resurrect and judge every individual and will entitle them to rewards or punishment based on their good or bad deeds.
One who is polluted with moral vices like pride, greed, envy, ignorance of Allah (s.w.t) and the reality of the Holy Quran is easily deceived by worldly material, wealth and status and he will thus be deprived of blessings of this world and the hereafter. Eventually at the time of his death, he will find that his worldly aims were futile and all his efforts were useless and he will be proceeding to the next world empty-handed and without any provision. The Sermon states that he “collects what he does not eat and builds where he does not live. Then he goes out to Allah without carrying the wealth or shifting the building.”
On the other hand, one who does not have a polluted soul constantly remembers Allah (s.w.t) and considers this world along with all its facilities as nothing but a tool for living purely and for performing good deeds and preparing for a better hereafter. He therefore utilizes all his time in fulfilling these goals. According to Imam Sadiq (a.s.): “One, who is indifferent to the world, Allah will bestow wisdom in his heart, enable his tongue to utter it, make his eye see worldly faults and illnesses and he would eventually be transferred to the Territory of Peace.”
There are lessons to be learnt; according to the Imam: “As for its lessons, a man reaches near (realization of) his desires when suddenly with his death neither the desires are achieved nor the desirer is spared. Glory be to Allah, how deceitful are its pleasures, how thirst-rousing is its quenching and how sunny is its shade. That which approaches (i.e. death) cannot be sent back, he who goes away does not return. Glory to Allah, how near is the living to the dead because he will meet him soon and how far is the dead from the living because he has gone away from him.” To be continued
Second Sermon
Anniversary of the Martyrdom of Imam Baqir (a,s.)
According to a famous tradition, the 7th of Dhil-Hajja is the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Mohammad Baqir (a.s.), and I hereby offer my condolences to Imam Mahdi (a.j.f.) and to the followers of the Ahlul Bait.
The Imam was born during the month of Rajab, 57 Hijri in Medina and in 114 Hijri, when he was 57 year old; he was martyred by poisoning by Ibrahim ibne Walid, under the instruction of Hisham ibne Abdul-Malik, the Umayyad ruler. He was buried in Jannatul Baqi alongside the graves of Imam Hasan (a.s.) and his father, Imam Zainul Abedin (a.s.). His father was Ali ibne Al-Hussain (a.s.) and his mother, Fatima, was the daughter of Imam Hasan (a.s). He was the only Imam who was the direct descendant of the Holy Prophet (s.a.) from both his maternal and paternal side. He grew up under the enlightening care of his father for 35 years and in 95 Hijri, after his father’s martyrdom, he took over the reins of Imamate, which lasted for 19 years. His Imamate coincided with reigns of Walid ibne Abdul-Malik, Sulaiman ibne Abdul-Malik, Umar ibne Abdul-Aziz, Yazid ibne Abdul-Malik and Hisham ibne Abdul-Malik who terrorized and oppressed his subjects and his policy of persecution and torment led to many revolts. He also persecuted the students of the Imam, but those unjust measures did not prevent the increase in Islamic awakening and religious awareness among people.
According to an authentic Hadith the Holy Prophet (s.a.) advised his companion, Jabir ibne Abdullah Ansari: “O Jabir, you will have a long life, and you will meet the fifth in line of my descendants, whose name will be the same as mine. He will walk like me and he will be the fifth Imam of the time. When you meet him, convey my greetings to him.” As predicted by the Holy Prophet (s.a.), Jabir had a long life and had become blind in his old age, but he devoutly waited to meet the fifth Imam. Every morning he would come out of his house, sit by the roadside and wait for the sound of his footsteps. One day while he was waiting in the street, he heard someone walking towards him; the sound of footsteps reminded him of the Holy Prophet (s.a.). Jabir stood up, stopped the man and asked his name. The Imam told him that he was Mohammad son of Ali ibne Al-Hussain (a.s.). Jabir immediately realized that he was the fifth Imam and kissed his hand and conveyed the message of the Holy Prophet (s.a.). The Imam prayed for Allah (s.w.t)’s blessings to be bestowed upon his great grandfather and on Jabir as well.
The Imam pursued an indirect method of opposing the ruling political system. He did this through teaching people to know their roles and duties in their current circumstances. He followed the process of enjoining righteousness and forbidding evil through spreading accurate political concepts, but he did not express his views concerning the military revolts against the ruling system because he knew that these revolts would not succeed in bringing about change. He also laid the foundation of the educational and research assemblies and paved the way for the establishment of the Islamic university, which reached its peak during the life of his son, Imam Sadeq (a.s.) as the Bani Ummayads were absorbed in their own affairs and were engaged in constant skirmishes against the Bani Abbasides. Many of his contemporaries and prominent scholars from different schools of thought had written about his scholarly status.
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