4 th Dhil-Qadah 1446 (2 nd May 2025) – Islamic Universal Association

In the name of Allah

The All compassionate, the All-Merciful

4

th

Dhil-Qadah 1446 (2

nd

May 2025)

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 80

Having discussed the importance of life in Islam, today I will talk about wealth.

WealthmaybeablessingifitisusedforpurposesthatarepleasingtoAllah(s.w.t.)

and on the contrary it can be a calamity if it is used for evil purposes, or if it distracts

onefromobeyingandrememberingAllah(s.w.t)andbysuccumbingtogreed.

Wealthcanalsofosterarroganceanddeludeindividualsintobelievingtheyhave

complete control over their destinies.

Allah (s.w.t.) reminds us in the Quran that our proximity to Him is not determined by

theabundanceofwealth.However,wealthcanbeatoolfordrawingclosertoAllah

(s.w.t) by spending money in His path. Ayah 37 of Surah Saba reads: “Neither your

wealth nor your children will bring you nearerto Us, but those who believe and do

good deeds will have multiple rewards for what they have done, and they will live in

exalted dwellings of paradise.” Moreover, no matter how much wealth one

accumulatesinthisworld,itwillholdnobenefitinthehereafterifitisspentor

earnedinwaysthatisdispleasingtoAllah(s.w.t.).Ayah88ofAl-Shu’araprovides:

“On the day when no wealth or sons are of avail.” Despite its manifold blessings,

wealth serves as a trial for believers. Ayah 15 of Surah At-Taghabun reads: “Your

possessionandoffspringaresurelyatrialandverilywithGodisagreat

recompense.”

Allah(s.w.t.)hasprovideduswithasetofguidelineshowtoacquire,manageand

equitablydistributewealthandtherearesomepracticesthatareconsideredunlawful

or haram in Islam:

• We are forbidden to acquire goods or money through usury. Allah (s.w.t.) permits

tradingandbusinessbutforbidsusuryinallforms.Infact,increaseofwealth
throughusuryincursAllah(s.w.t.)’sdispleasure,whilemoneythatisgivenin

charity will attract His pleasure.

• Using the law to one’s advantage in a fraudulent or devious way so that one may

acquireanotherperson’spropertyisnotlawful.Onlytradingandmutualconsent

betweentwopartiesareacceptedinIslam.Ayah188ofSurahAl-Baqarah

provides: “Do not swallow other people’s property by wrongful means, nor seek

gainingaccesstherebytotheauthoritiesthatyoumayknowinglyswallowupa

portion of the property of man wrongfully.” Also Ayah 29 of Surah An-Nisa

states: “O you who believe! Do not devour each other’s property among

yourselves unlawfully save that it be trading by mutual consent ….”

• Taking advantage of the weaknesses of other human beings, through fraudulent or

exploitativemeans,suchasorphans,widows,thesick,thepoorandtheelderlyfor

one’s own gain is unacceptable in Islam.

• It is a mortal sin to usurp the property of orphans. Ayahs 2 of Surah An-Nisa

provides: “Give orphans what is theirs and do not substitute your worthless thing

fortheirgoodones,anddonotdevourtheirpropertybymixingitwithyourown,

for verily it is a great sin.” To be continued

Second Sermon

Birth anniversary of Imam Ali ibne Al-Musa (a.s.)

11thofDhil-QadahmarksthebirthanniversaryofoureighthImam,AliibneMusa

Al-Reza(a.s.),andIcongratulateHazratMahdi(a.j.f.)andtheloversoftheAhlul

Bait on this auspicious occasion.

AccordingtoatraditionImamReza(a.s.)wasbornonthe11thofDhilQadah,148

HijriinthecityofMedinaandhemartyredinTus(Mashad),Iran,onthe28thof

Safar,203Hijri.TheperiodofhisImamatelastedfor20years.Hewasbornone

monthafterthemartyrdomofhisgrandfather,ImamJafarAs-Sadeq(a.s.),whowas

longingtoseehisgrandson,butitwasnotmeanttobe.Hewasbroughtupand

instructedbyhisfather,ImamMusaKazim(a.s.)for31years,untilhisfatherwas

takentoBaghdadtosufferthehardshipofimprisonmentfor4yearsuntilhisdeath.

He was 35 years old then and the responsibilities of the Imamate devolved on him. At

thattimeHarun Al-RashidwastheabsoluterulerofBaghdadandthedescendantsof

ImamAliweregoingthroughtrialsandtribulationsbecauseofthetyrannyofthe

Abbasid ruler.
WhenMamuncameintopowerheinvitedtheImamtoMerv,wherehisseatof

caliphatewaslocated,toshowhissupportandfriendshiptohimwiththeevil

intention of keeping a close eye on him. To accomplish his goals, he sent some of his

specialagentstotheImaminMedinatoforcehimtosetonajourneytoKhorasan

througharoutethathadtheleastnumberofShiites.Hisagentsalsowatchedhim

continuouslyandreportedallhisactivitiestoMamun.HearrivedinMerwonthe

10thofShawwal,201Hijri,viaBasra,Khorramshahr,Ahwaz,Rey,Neyshabur,

SanabadandSarakhs.Throughouthislongjourney,hewascordiallyreceivedbythe

people in these cities.

Mamun’spolicieswerecontrarytotheprinciplesofIslamandtheteachingsofthe

Holy Prophet (s.a.). However, on the Imam’s arrival at Merv, he welcomed the Imam

with great pomp and ceremony and treated him with great honour and offered him the

caliphateinthepresenceofallthekeypersonalitiesofhisgovernmentinorderto

gaincontroloftheShiitesandtomaketheImamsettlenearhimtocontrolhimand

suppress his followers. The Imam refused and said: “I am the servant of Allah and

by my supplications and in obedience to Him I hope to attain the divine status. O

Mamun, if Allah has appointed you as Caliph, then you cannot present it to anyone

and if caliphate is not yours in the first place, then you are not authorised to offer it

to anyone either.” The Imam was finally compelled by Mamun to be his successor.

London , UK +44 (0)20 7602 5273 islamicuniversal@gmail.com

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