In the name of Allah

The All Compassionate, the All-Merciful

19 Dhil-Hajja 1447 (5 June 2026)

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 137

As explained earlier every individual will be given a “letter of deed” or a book containing his life’s actions on the Day of Judgements, when he will be held accountable for his deeds. The Holy Quran states: “Whoever does evil shall be recompensed for it, and he will not find any guardian or helper. Whoever does deeds of righteousness, male or female, is a believer and he shall enter the garden.” (Ayahs123-124, Surah An-Nisa). This awareness is intended to make people mindful of their actions and to encourage righteous behavior, knowing that every deed has consequences in the afterlife.

 

I quote below a relevant excerpt from Imam Ali (a.s.)’s Letter 3 from the Nahjal Balagha, to his Chief Justice in Kufa, Shurayh ibne Al-Harith. The letter was prompted by news that Shurayh had purchased an expensive house for 80 Dinars which was inconsistent with the responsibility expected of a high-ranking official.

O Shurayh, beware, shortly one body (the angel of death) will come to you who will not look at the document, nor question you about your evidence but take you out of it far away and deposit you in your grave quite alone. Look! O Shurayh, if you have purchased this, house from money other than yours or paid the price from unlawful source, you have incurred the loss of this world as well as of the next. If you had come to me at the time of purchase I would have written for you a document on this paper and then you would not have liked to purchase the house even for one Dinar, not to speak of more.”

 

Key points 

• This highlights the concept of absolute justice and personal accountability, where nothing is hidden from Allah (s.w.t) and every action will be accounted for.
• Imam Ali (a.s) warns Shurayh that the Angel of Death will not care about legal documents, witnesses, or evidence.
• The Imam cautions him that if the money used was from an unlawful source, such as, from public money (Baitul Al-Maal), bribery or fraud, it would lead to loss in this world and in the hereafter,.
• The Imam describes the boundaries of such a house as being the cause of calamities, distress and devastating desires. To be continued

 

Second sermon

Eid Al-Ghadir

The 18th of Dhil-Hajja is the celebrated Day of Ghadir; the day when Ali ibne Abi Talib (a.s) was nominated as the successor of the Holy Prophet (s.a). I would like to congratulate Imam Mahdi (a.t.f), and the followers of the Ahlul Bait on this auspicious event. I also take this opportunity to congratulate the pilgrims who have performed Hajj and I earnestly hope and pray that Allah (s.w.t) has accepted their amaals and bestowed His blessings upon them.

 

Eid Al-Ghadir is celebrated with great rejoicing amongst the Shiites, as they remember the Holy Prophet (s.a)’s last instructions to the believers when he declared Ali (a.s) as his successor at Ghadir Khum. Foraat Ibn Al-Naif has reported as follows: “I asked Imam Jafar Sadeq whether there is any Eid better than the Day of Jumaah, Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha and the Day of Arafah. The Imam replied: “Yes, the best day in the Islamic calendar is when the Holy Prophet, the Messenger of Allah, appointed Amirul Momineen as the leader of the Muslim Ummah after him. That was the day when the religion of Islam was perfected and Ayah 3 of Surah Al-Ma’ida was revealed:“…. This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and chosen Islam as your religion….” (Safinatul Bihar, V: 2 P: 286). Some traditions and important points relating to it are provided hereunder:

 

1. The Holy Prophet (s.a) in Ayah 67 of Surah Ma’ida was commanded by Allah (s.w.t) to convey the life and soul of his mission to the people. It reads as follows: “O Apostle! Deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord; and if you do not do so, then you would not have fulfilled and delivered His Mission at all. And God will surely protect you from (mischievous) people; verily God does not guide those who reject faith.”

Commentators of the Holy Quran have held different views on Ayah 67, but most of them believe that it refers to the divine guardianship of Imam Ali (a.s). The assurance of Allah (s.w.t) to his messenger against the mischievous people makes the entire situation quite clear. The Holy Prophet (s.a) was evidently apprehensive to declare Ali (as) as his successor as it would not have been accepted by a group of hypocrites, who were powerful elements. Moreover, the matter of successorship was so important that without it Islam would not have been complete and all that the Holy Prophet (s.a) had done would have been of no effect or of any avail at all.

2. After the Holy Prophet (s.a) made his official and divinely ordained declaration of appointing Ali (a.s) as his successor, when he was returning from his last Hajj, Allah (s.w.t) showed His approval by revealing the following from Ayah 3 of Surah Al-Maida: “….This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and chosen Islam as your religion….”…” (Tafsir Majma Al-Bayan V: 3 P: 159).
3. According to several traditions which have been narrated from Imam Baqer and Imam Sadeq (a.s), Allah (s.w.t) had ordered the Holy Prophet (s.a) to announce to the people that Ali (a.s) would be his successor after him when he was returning from his last Hajj from Mecca known in history, as ‘Hajjatul Wida’. (Majma Al-Bayan V: 3 P: 223).
4. This event at Ghadir is so unique that many narrators have reported it and there are several books written on it by great scholars, and thousands of pilgrims have witnessed this divine event. (Safinatul-Al-Bihar 2 P: 307)
5. Ibn Abi Al-Hadid, in his Sharh V: 9 P:242 has referred to Sermon 162 from the Nahjul Balagha wherein Imam Ali (a.s) has explained the reason why people had deprived him of successorship despite the Holy Prophet (s.a)’s declaration at Ghadir.