In the name of Allah

The All-Compassionate, the All-Merciful

   18^th Jamadial Thani 1446 (20^th December 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 59

The salient features and benefits of truth have been highlighted in several Ayahs of the Holy Quran, as opposed to batil (falsehood, vain, invalid acts); some of which have been quoted by me in my earlier sessions, which I will briefly analyses.

 

The concept of truth in Islam:

• Allah is the ultimate truth and we are accountable to Him for our actions, whereas He is independent of the entire creation.
• His promise is true and so is the Day of Reckoning and His measuring of our deeds.
• Islam is the true religion and He is the only one God.
• The Holy Quran is true guidance and His messengers are true guides.
• Allah (s.w.t.)’s servants must tread on the true path.
• He supports the truthful
• Truth will remain until the end of time, whereas falsehood will vanish.

 

Relevant Ayahs

• Ayahs 42 and 147 of Surah Al-Baqarah: “Do not mix truth with falsehood or conceal the truth when you know it.”

   It is the truth from your Lord; so do not be of those who doubt.”

• Ayahs 60 and 62 of Surah Aale Imran:“It is the truth from your Lord, therefore do not entertain any doubt.

   Verily! This is the true narrative, there is no god but God, and verily God

    is the Almighty, the all-Wise.”

• Ayah 8 of Surah Al-A’raaf:“The measuring of deeds on that day will be true (measuring).”
• Ayahs 7 and 8 of Surah Al-Anfaal: “When God promised you of the two (enemy) parties, that it should be yours, you wished that the one unarmed should be yours, yet God intended to establish the truth with His words, and to cut off the roots of the infidels.

   That He might establish the truth to triumph and to bring falsehood to 

   Naught, though the guilty ones disliked it.”

• Ayah 33 of Surah at-Tawba: “He it is Who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, to make it prevail over all other religions though the polytheists may detest it.”
• Ayah 4 of Surah Younus: “To Him shall all of you return; it is a promise of God in truth.”
• Ayah 81 of Surah Bani Isra’il:“And say: “Truth has come and falsehood has vanished; verily falsehood is doomed to vanish.”
• Ayah 62 of Surah Al-Hajj: “That is because God is the Truth, and what they call upon besides Him is falsehood and because God is the Highest, the most Great.” To be continued

 

 

Second Sermon

Birth anniversary of the unique lady Fatima (a.s.)

I congratulate all Muslims on the auspicious birth anniversary of Fatima (a.s.), the daughter of the Hoy Prophet, Mohammad (s.a.).

 

Fatima (a.s.) was born on the 20th of Jamadial-Thani, five years after the initiation of the Islamic mission by her father, in Mecca. The house of the Holy Prophet (s.a.) and Khadija was illuminated by her birth and there are several traditions relating to this auspicious event. It has been reported in Bahjatul-Qalb Al-Mustafa P: 142 that Imam Ali Ibne Al-Hussain (a.s.) has said she was born during a very important era of Islam and during exceptional circumstances.

 

Moreover, it has been reported by many scholars that Allah (s.w.t) had revealed to the Holy Prophet (s.a.) that he would be blessed in abundance through the birth of his daughter, Fatima (a.s.) and he was asked to prepare special food and prayer for her. According to a tradition, Gabriel revealed to the Holy Prophet (s.a.) that Surah Kauthar was especially granted to him for this divine occasion, which reads:

“Verily, we have granted you (O Muhammad) Al-Kauthar (the abundance). So pray to your Lord and offer sacrifice. Verily your enemy shall be the one who is cut off (in his progeny).”

The reason for the revelation of this Surah is that one day one of the polytheists’ leaders, Asim ibne Wa’el, denounced the Holy Prophet (s.a.) and referred to him as an ’abtar’ (an animal whose tail is cut-off) in the presence of his followers, implying that he did not have a son or an heir. The Holy Prophet (s.a.)’s two sons, Qasim and Taher (Abdullah) through his wife, Khadija, had died and he was very upset by this remark. To console the Holy Prophet (s.a.), this Surah was revealed with the glad tidings that the highest degree of the grace of Allah (s.w.t) would be bestowed upon him. His enemies, on the other hand, happily imagined that with the demise of the Holy Prophet (s.a.) his mission would cease to exist, as he had no son or an heir. Hence, the revelation of this Surah was in answer to them that Islam and the Holy Quran would continue forever.