In the name of Allah

The All Compassionate, the All-Merciful

 6 Rabiul-Thani 1446 (18 September 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 152  

 

With reference to Imam Ali (a.s)’s Sermon 142, today I will talk about wealth in Islam and our core obligations.

 

According to the Imam a wealthy individual must actively distribute his resources to:

• Kinsmen: Supporting family members and maintaining strong bonds of kinship.
• Entertaining: Showing hospitality to guests and fostering community spirit.
• The Afflicted: Releasing prisoners and aiding those facing severe hardship or captivity.
• The Poor: Providing financial relief to those lacking basic necessities.
• Debtors: Helping individuals clear their financial burdens and loans.

 

The sermon also outlines a specific psychological and spiritual approach to charity:

• One must patiently bear the difficulties or personal sacrifices required to fulfil the rights of others.
• Good deeds must be done solely in expectation of reward from Allah (s.w.t), rather than seeking earthly praise or validation.

 

Fulfilling these financial and social duties yields a success both:

• In this world: It represents the height of moral greatness and nobility.
• In the next world: It secures spiritual distinction and eternal reward, by the will of Allah (s.w.t)

 

There are many Ayahs in the Holy Quran on wealth and I quote below some relevant Ayahs on it:

• Ayah 188 of Surah Al-Baqarah:
• “Do not swallow up your property among yourselves by wrongful means, nor seek gaining access thereby to the authorities that you may knowingly swallow up a portion of their property wrongfully.”
• Ayah 130 of Surah Aale Imran: “O you who believe! Do not devour usury, doubling it over, and take refuge in God that you may be successful.”
• Ayahs 2 and 29 of An-Nisa:“Give orphans what is theirs and do not substitute your worthless things for their good ones; and do not devour their substance along with your own for verily this is a great sin.

O you who believe! Do not devour your property among yourselves unlawfully save that it be for trading by mutual consent….” 

 

Second Sermon

 

Birth anniversary of Abd Al-Azim Al-Hasani

 

According to a narration Abd Al-Azim Al-Hasani, known as Shah Abdul Azim, was born on the 4th of Rabiul-Thani in Medina, 173 Hijri during the reign of the Abbassid ruler, Harun Al-Rashid, and he died in Iran on the 15th of Shawwal, 252 Hijri.

 

His father was Abdullah ibne Ali and his mother was Fatima binte Uqba ibne Ghais. He was the progeny of Imam Hasan (a.s) through his son Zayd. According to the famous historian, Al-Najashi, after Abdul Azim’s death a piece of writing was found in his clothes which read:

 “I am Abul-Qasim ibne Ali ibne Hasan ibne Zayd ibne Hasan ibne Ali ibne Abi Talib.” Muhaqqiq Mirdamad had also reported: “Abd Al-Azim Al-Hasani has clear lineage in the progeny of Ali ibne Abi Talib.” 

 

He lived during the Abbasid oppression of the Shiite and like his fathers, he was pursued by them for a long time. Although he practiced Taqiyya during his stay in Medina, Baghdad and Samara, he was disliked by Mutawakkil and Mu’tazz. It has been reported that he had the opportunity to meet five of our Imams, namely Imam Musa Kazim, Imam Reza, Imam Jawad, Imam Hadi and Imam Hasan Al-Askari (a.s). He greatly benefited from the knowledge of Imam Jawad and Imam Hadi (a.s) and he narrated several hadiths from both of them. He was a great scholar and a transmitter of more than a hundred hadith and he was also a writer of several Islamic books. It has been reported by Sheikh Tusi that he contributed in the compilation of the Nahjal-Balagha. Abu Hammad Razi had narrated that one day he visited Imam Hadi (a.s) and when he was about to leave, the Imam said:

“If you have any question about religious issues, you should ask Abd Al-Azim Al-Hasani and please convey my salutations to him.” Abdul Azim once accompanied Imam Hadi (a.s) on a journey and the Imam was so pleased with him that he declared:

“O Abul-Qasim! You surely are our wali… you have received the religion from us which Allah loves… May Allah support you in this world and in the hereafter.”

 

Shah Abdul Azim was a great scholar and a great believer in the Unity and Justice of God. He was also very pious, a devout worshipper, extremely trustworthy, honest and one of the greatest narrators in the Shiite history. Sheikh Al-Saduq had narrated that Imam Hadi (a.s) advised Muhammad ibne Attar, when he returned from Karbala after performing the Ziyarat of Imam Hussain (a.s)’s shrine:

“If you visit Abd Al-Azim Al-Hasani’s grave, it would be as though you have visited Hussain’s shrine in Karbala and will get the same reward for it.”