In the name of Allah
The All compassionate, the All-Merciful
11th Dhil-Qadah 1446 (9th May 2025)
Islamic Universal Association
20 Penzance Place, Holland Park
London, W11 4 PG
Imam Ali (a.s.)’s advice in the Nahjal-Balagha – Part 81
Islam has given man an ideal code of human rights fourteen centuries ago. These rights aim at conferring honor and dignity on man and eliminating exploitation, oppression and injustice. Human rights are firmly rooted in Islam and no one can curtail or violate them, nor can they be surrendered. It is an integral part of the overall Islamic order and Muslims should implement them in letter and in spirit within the framework of that order.
Every member of the Islamic society should be respected, honored and treated like a brother. There are several relevant Ayahs in the Holy Quran; some of which are quoted hereinafter:
Ayah 103 of Surah Aale Imran: “And hold fast to the Rope of God all together, and do not be divided among yourselves, and remember the bounty of God bestowed upon you when you were enemies. He united your hearts with love and through His favor you become brethren…”
Ayah 71 of Surah Baraa: “The believing men and believing women are guardians of one another. They enjoin good and forbid evil, establish prayer, pay zakat, and obey God and His Prophet. God shall bestow on them His mercy; God is Almighty, all-Wise.”
Ayahs 10, 11 and 12 of Surah Al-Hujurat:“The believers are brethren; so make peace among them and fear God that you may be blessed with mercy.
O you who believe! Let not some people laugh at other people; it may be the latter is better than them, nor let women laugh at other women; it may be that the latter is better than the former. Find no faults with one another nor call one another by nicknames. How bad it is to insult one’s brother after accepting the faith; whoever does nor repents such conduct is surely the unjust ones.
O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, for verily some suspicions are sins and do not spy. Do not backbite others; does any of you like the eating of the flesh of his dead brother? You would surely abhor it, and fear God; verily God is oft-Returning, Most merciful.”
As can be noted, the concept of brotherhood holds a profound place in Islam and there are many essential elements fostered under this concept. Brotherhood harvests the fruit of faith and love for the sake of Allah (s.w.t). It is a gift from Allah (s.w.t) that the believers share. It extends beyond mere words; it is a concept that shapes the lives of Muslims as it influences their behavior, interactions and responsibilities towards one another. According to the Holy Prophet (s.a.): “A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim. He does not oppress him, nor does he leave him at the mercy of others.” Thus by embracing the principles of brotherhood, we can strengthen our faith and create a more harmonious and caring community. To be continued
Second Sermon
Birth anniversary of Imam Ali ibne Al-Musa (a.s.) – Part 2
Throughout Imam Reza (a.s.)’s journey from Medina to Merv, when he was forcefully taken by Mamun Ar-Rashid, he explained to the Islamic nation the position of the divine Imamate and that Caliphate was ordained by Allah (s.w.t.) Who alone appoints a caliph and it would not be dependent on the wishes of an emperor or head of state.
It has been narrated that when the Imam was passing through Neyshabur, more than 120,000 people gathered around him, including distinguished scholars and traditionalists, namely, Muhammad ibne Al-Rafi, Ahmed ibne Al-Harith, and Yahya ibne Al-Yahya. According to Ishaq ibne Al-Rahwayh, when the Imam decided to leave the city to join Mamun, many scholars said:
“O son of Allah’s apostle, are you leaving us without narrating a hadith?” The Imam looked at the large congregation and declared: “Musa ibne Jafar, my father, heard from his father Jafar ibne Mohammad, who in turn heard from his father, Mohammad ibne Ali, who heard from his father, Ali ibne Husain, who heard from Husain ibne Ali, the master of the youth of paradise, who heard from his father Ali Ibne Abi Talib who directly heard from the Holy Messenger of Allah the affirmation made by Gabriel: “The kalima La illaha illallah (There’s no god, but Allah) is My fortress. Whoever recites it enters My fortress, and whoever enters My fortress shall be safe from My punishment.” The Imam then paused for a moment and continued, “There are few conditions for entering this fortress and I am one of the conditions.” (Uyoon Al-Akhbar Al-Ridha P: 135) .
This tradition is known as Hadith Al-Silsilah Al-Dhahab (Hadith of the golden chain) as every member of the chain was infallible. This has been narrated by 20,000 scholars and reported in several hadith collections, such as, Uyoon Al-Akhbar Al-Ridha of Shaikh Al-Saduq and Al-Amali of Shaikh Tusi. It indicates that the words ‘La ilaaha illallah’ strengthen the principle of divine unity and by obeying and accepting the words of Allah (s.w.t.), Imamate is confirmed. Evidently, the recitation of Tawhid (the Oneness of God) is a condition for being safe from Allah (s.w.t.)’s wrath and the acceptance of Imamate and Wilayat (leadership and successorship) is a precondition to believe in the Oneness of Allah (s.w.t.).
It will perhaps not be out of place to mention here that Allah (s.w.t.) has selected 12 divine leaders from the family of the Holy Prophet (s.a.), who were perfect successors to His messenger and each of them responsibly led people to the right path with their deeds, words and behaviour. They interpreted Islam as it had been revealed to the Holy Prophet (s.a.) and they defended the believers against the enemies of Islam. Imam Reza (a.s.) was part of the chain of this divine light, the best example for both Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
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