In the name of Allah
The All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful
30 Rabial-Awwal 1446 (4 October 2024)
Islamic Universal Association
20 Penzance Place, Holland Park
London, W11 4 PG
Imam Ali (a.s)’s advice in the Nahjal-Balagha – Part 47
My previous discussion was about the issue of justice in which I mentioned some revenant Ayahs from the holy Quran.
Today I will continue my talk in the same topic and bring some evidence from the Islamic traditions.
Imam Ali (as) in his book nahj al-Balagha talk about the issue of justice allots which is denoting the importance of this matter. One them is the letter that he had written to his governor in Basra Uthman ibne Hunayf who was appointed by him as the Governor of Basrah and during the tenure of his governorship; he had attended a lavish feast given by a very wealthy individual. When Imam Ali (a.s) heard of this, he wrote to him along the following lines:
“O Ibn Hunayf, I have come to know that a young man of Basrah invited you to a feast and you leapt towards it. Finest varieties of food were placed before you in large bowls and you enjoyed them. I am sorry to hear the news. I never expected that you would accept the invitation of a person who invites only the rich and from whose doors the poor and hungry paupers are turned away. Look carefully at the morsel you take. If there is even a shade of their being obtained unlawfully, then throw them away, only eat the food which you are absolutely certain are secured lawfully and by honest means.
You must know Ibn Hunayf that every follower has a leader whom he follows and from the effulgence of his knowledge he takes light. Now look at your Imam (Imam Ali meant himself); in this world he is content with two old and coarse garments and two pieces of bread. I know that to adopt such a hard way of life is beyond you but at least try to be pious. Try to follow me and be my companion in virtue, piety, chastity and uprightness. I swear by Allah that from this world I have neither amassed gold nor have I did not gather wealth and possessions nor have I collected any clothes other than these two shabby sheets.” To be continued
Second sermon
Birth anniversary of Abd Al-Azim Al-Hasani
According to a narration Abd Al-Azim Al-Hasani, known as Shah Abdul Azim, was born on the 4th of Rabial-Thani in Medina, 173 Hijri during the reign of the Abbasside ruler, Harun Al-Rashid, and he died in Iran on the 15th of Shawwal, 252 Hijri.
His father was Abdullah ibne Ali and his mother was Fatima binte Uqba ibne Ghais. He was the progeny of Imam Hasan (a.s) through his son Zayd. According to the famous historian, Al-Najashi, after Abdul Azim’s death a piece of writing was found in his clothes which read:
“I am Abul-Qasim ibne Ali ibne Hasan ibne Zayd ibne Hasan ibne Ali ibne Abi Talib.”
Muhaqqiq Mirdamad had also reported:
“Abd Al-Azim Al-Hasani has clear lineage in the progeny of Ali ibne Abi Talib.”
He lived during the Abbasside oppression of the Shiite and like his fathers; he was pursued by them for a long time. Although he practiced Taqiyya during his stay in Medina, Baghdad and Samara, he was disliked by Mutawakkil and Mu’tazz. It has been reported that he had the opportunity to meet five of our Imams, namely, Imam Musa Kazim, Imam Reza, Imam Jawad, Imam Hadi and Imam Hasan Al-Askari (a.s). He greatly benefited from the knowledge of Imam Jawad and Imam Hadi (a.s) and he narrated several hadiths from both of them. He was a great scholar and a transmitter of more than a hundred hadith and he was also a writer of several Islamic books. It has been reported by Sheikh Tusi that he contributed in the compilation of the Nahjal Balagha. Abu Hammad Razi had narrated that one day he visited Imam Hadi (a.s) and when he was about to leave, the Imam said:
“If you have any question about religious issues, you should ask Abd Al-Azim Al-Hasani and please convey my salutations to him.”
Abdul Azim once accompanied Imam Hadi (a.s) on a journey and the Imam was so pleased with him that he declared:
“O Abul-Qasim! You surely are our wali… you have received the religion from us which Allah loves… May Allah support you in this world and in the hereafter?”
Shah Abdul Azim was a great scholar and a great believer in the Unity and Justice of God. He was also very pious, a devout worshipper, extremely trustworthy, honest and one of the greatest narrators of the Shiite history. Sheikh Al-Saduq had narrated that Imam Hadi (a.s) advised Muhammad ibne Attar, when he returned from Karbala after performing the Ziyarat of Imam Hussain (a.s)’s shrine:
“If you visit Abd Al-Azim Al-Hasani’s grave, it would be as though you have visited Hussain’s shrine in Karbala and get the same reward for it.”
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