In the name of Allah

        The All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful

         23 Rabial-Awwal 1446 (27 September 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 46

I had quoted some Ayahs from the Holy Quran on justice, in my earlier sermons, which I will analyze today.

 

Justice is the duty imposed by Allah (s.w.t) and we have to stand firmly for it though it may be detrimental to our own interests or to the interests of those who are near and dear to us. It is one of the best acts of devotion and one of the most important duties after belief in Allah (s.w.t). It places everything in its rightful place. In this regard, there are at least three important aspects of justice: First and foremost, placing someone in a post or function appropriate to his capabilities; secondly, making a decision appropriate to a situation or person; and finally giving wealth or property to those who rightly deserve them. Justice in Islam is justice without having regard to differences in color, sect and creed. Allah (s.w.t) enjoins us to forbid any form of injustice and to uphold His system of justice, which is wide and boundless and without any limitations. It clearly emphasizes that the objective of the creation of the universe is primarily to uphold justice and remove cruelty and evil. This was the mission of every prophet and the message of every scripture. Ayah 25 of Surah Al-Hadid provides: “Indeed We have sent Our Messengers with clear proofs, and We sent down with them the Book and the Scale that people might establish justice.”

 

Whenever Imam Ali (a.s)’s name is mentioned the word of justice comes to mind. At the beginning of his life he fought against injustice and oppression of the Quraish. He later accepted the caliphate in order to establish justice throughout the Islamic realm. He believed that the ruler of the land plays a huge role in determining the fate of the society over which he rules. He stringently upheld justice and in this context I quote below an extract from his Sermon 224 from the Nahjul Balagha:

“By Allah, I would rather pass a night in wakefulness on the thorns of as-sa’dan (a plant having sharp prickles) or be driven in chains as a prisoner than meet Allah and His Messenger on the Day of Judgement as an oppressor over any person or a usurper of anything out of worldly wealth. And how can I oppress any one for the sake of a life that is fast moving towards destruction and is to remain under the earth for a long time? By Allah, I certainly saw (my brother) Aqil fallen in destitution and he asked me for a sa’ (about three kilograms) out of your share of wheat, and I also saw his children with disheveled hair and a dusty countenance due to starvation, as though their faces had been blackened by indigo. He came to me several times and repeated his request to me again and again. I heard him, and he thought I would sell my faith to him and follow his tread leaving my own way.

Then I heated a piece of iron and took it near his body so that he might take a lesson from it, then he cried as a person in protracted illness cries with pain and he was about to get burnt with its branding. Then I said to him, “Moaning women may moan over you, O ‘Aqil. Do you cry on account of this heated iron which has been made by a man while you are driving me towards the fire which Allah, the Powerful, has prepared for (a manifestation of) His wrath? Should you cry from pain, but I should not cry from the flames?”       To be continued

 

Second Sermon

Birth anniversary 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:

 

“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 blessings 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 asked: “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

• From the time of the Holy Prophet (s.a)’s weaning (about 2 years), Allah (s.w.t) 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 (a.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 prophethood.
• 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 had 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.