In the name of Allah
The All Compassionate, the All-Merciful
16th Safar 1448 (31st July 2026)
Islamic Universal Association
20 Penzance Place, Holland Park
London, W11 4 PG
Imam Ali (a.s.)’s advice in the Nahjal-Balagha – Part 145
The two significant qualities for leadership mentioned by Imam Ali (a.s.) in his Sermon 173, which I had quoted last week, are profound knowledge and physical capability. I quote below Ayahs 246 and 247 of Surah Al-Baqarah, which illustrates the objections of the Israelites to the divine appointment of Talut (Saul) as their king:
“Have you not seen the chiefs of the children of Israel, after Moses, when they said to their Prophet: “Appoint for us a king and we may fight in the path of God.” He said: “Would you then refrain from fighting, if fighting was prescribed for you?” They said, “What ails us that we should not fight in the path of God when we have been driven out of our homes and children?” But when fighting was ordained to them, they turned back, save a few; God well knows the unjust.
Their Prophet (Samuel) said to them: “Verily God has appointed Talut (Saul) as a king over you.” They said, “How can the kingdom be his when we have more right to it than he, and he has not been endowed with abundant wealth?” He said: “Verily, God has favored him over you and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature. And God grants His divine authority to whomsoever He wills and God is Omniscient, all-Knowing.”
As can be noted, the above Ayahs define leadership standards, focusing on competence rather than mere lineage or wealth:
- Abundance in knowledge:
- Essential intellectual capacity, wisdom and understanding are needed for governance.
- Abundance in sstature/pphysique:
- Physical strength, endurance and capability are required for leadership. To be continued
Second Sermon
Arba’een of Imam Hussain (a.s.)
I hereby express my deepest condolence to Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.) and to the followers of the Ahlul Bait on the occasion of the anniversary of Arba’een, the fortieth day of Imam Hussain (a.s.)’s martyrdom and that of his dear relatives and companions.
The day of Arba’een marks an important turning point in the movement of Karbala; it is as important as the day of Ashura for many reasons. It was on that day the surviving members of the Ahlul Bait reached Karbala and visited the grave of Imam Hussain (a.s.) and the loyal members of his family and friends who gave their lives for the cause of Islam. Moreover, the occasion of Arba’een reminds the faithful of the core message behind Imam Hussain (a.s.)’s martyrdom, that is, to establish justice and fight injustice, no matter what; a message that strongly influenced subsequent Shiite uprisings against the tyranny of the Umayyad and the Abbasid rule. As we complete the forty days of the remembrance of our dear Imam, we must re-assert our pledge of obedience and loyalty to him.
According to Imam Hasan Al-Askari (a.s.) a true Shiite conducts the following acts: 1. Performs daily 51 rakat prayers (17 wajib rakats and 34 mustahab rakats). 2. Recites Ziyarat Arba’een of Imam Hussain (a.s.) on the day of Arba’een. 3. Wears a ring on his right index finger 4. Prostrates on earth (mohar) in the name of Allah (s.w.t). 5.Recites loudly Bismillah Ar-Rahman Nir-Rahim during prayers.
Imam, Sadeq (a.s.) has stated in a special prayer that on the day of Arba’een Imam Hussain (a.s.) and his faithful companions sacrificed their lives to initiate declarations of freedom for the people who were in search of independence and justice. I hereby invite you to pay attention to the following declaration by the Imam in Ziyarat Arba’een:
“O Lord, I declare that Hussain is your friend and your friend’s son. He has been elected by You and Your friends. He was honored to die a martyr and had the privilege to defend Your religion. You have given him and his household a special elevated position and You have assigned him as successor to your messengers and as Your executor and an exemplar to Your servants on earth.
He invited people to pursue Islam in order to attain an honorable life. He gave them his advice and generously sacrificed his and his companions’ lives to save the Muslim Ummah from anguish and desolation…”
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