Al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an [The Prolegomena to the Qur’an]

Al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an [The Prolegomena to the Qur’an]13%

Al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an [The Prolegomena to the Qur’an] Author:
Publisher: Ansariyan Publications – Qum
Category: Quranic Sciences

Al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an [The Prolegomena to the Qur’an]
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Al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an [The Prolegomena to the Qur’an]

Al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an [The Prolegomena to the Qur’an]

Author:
Publisher: Ansariyan Publications – Qum
English

This book is corrected and edited by Al-Hassanain (p) Institue for Islamic Heritage and Thought


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11. Modification in the Creation

Synopsis: Eternal divine knowledge does not contradict divine omnipotence; the Jewish position about God's omnipotence; the place of modification (bada') in the Shi’ite doctrine; the determination of God's decree (qada); the benefit in the belief in modification; the real meaning of bada' in the Shi’ite doctrine; Sunni traditions that corroborate bada'; disclosures by the infallible Imams of future events.

In chapter 10 we discussed the question of abrogation (naskh) of ordinances, and this was in the realm of matters related to the Shari'a. We should now tum our attention to the question of bada', which is a sort of naskh, but in the realm of the matters connected with creation (takwin). This subject is important because the actual meaning of bada' is unknown to many Muslim scholars, and hence, they have attributed to the Shi’ites that of which they are innocent. Moreover, they have not been able to comprehend the subject well and have not been fair in their critique. If only they had proceeded with caution or had suspended judgment when they did not know the subject.1

To preserve complete integrity in citations and to apply caution in passing a judgment on a subject under investigation is a normal expectation in a work of scholarship. Moreover, in the matter of religion, one needs to observe the requirements of piety. In view of all this, it is necessary to make a few remarks to clarify the meaning of bada', even though it is not directly relevant to an introduction to the exegesis of the Qur'an.

To begin our discussion, it is appropriate to state that there is no doubt that the universe in its entirety is under God's sovereignty and His omnipotence. Moreover, the existence of any of the possible things is dependent upon the will of God, the Exalted. Thus, if God wills, He brings that thing into existence, and if He does not will, He does not create it.

Furthermore, there is no doubt that God's knowledge encompasses everything since eternity, and that all things in their entirety possess a cognizant apportionment in the eternal knowledge of God. This apportionment is sometimes designated as God's predetermination (taqdfr), and at other times as God's decree (qada'). However, God's predetermination and His knowledge about things since time eternal neither interferes with nor contradicts His omnipotence over them upon their creation. The reason is that the possible continues to be dependent for its existence upon its attachment to the will of God, and this is designated as free will or volition. Consequently, if God's will attaches to it, it comes into existence; otherwise, not. Divine knowledge is related to things as they are, as a result of being conditional on divine will, for the uncovering of a thing does not add anything to its existence. Thus, if existence is conditional upon the will of God, the Exalted, the knowledge related to that thing is in accordance with this state, or else the knowledge would not be in any respect a knowledge about that thing revealing for Him its reality. Accordingly, the meaning of God's predetermination of things and of His decree regarding them is as follows: All [possible] things are apportioned in divine knowledge from eternity according to what they would be from the point of view that their existence is conditional upon divine will being attached to them, depending upon what is beneficial and what is the cause of corruption for them, which vary in accordance with varying conditions [in which things would come into being], but which are encompassed by divine knowledge.

The Jewish Position Regarding God's Omnipotence

The Jews maintain that since things have been recorded by the pen of destiny and decrees since eternity, it would be impossible for divine will to encompass anything else. It is for this reason that they say that God's hands are shackled in seizing, unfolding, taking, and giving, because the pen of destiny has fixed these already and there is no possibility of changing them.2 It is astonishing that they have persisted in dispossessing God of omnipotence, but have not maintained such a view of human beings, in spite of the fact that the essential prerequisite in maintaining such a belief is one and the same, since eternal knowledge is related to the divine sanctions as well as to human actions.

The Place of Modification (bada) in the Sh 'ite Doctrine

The bada' (modification) that the Imamite Shi’ites speak about occurs only in the alterable decree (al-qada 'ghayr al-mahtum). As for the unalterable decree, there does not occur in it any alteration, but divine will shall inevitably be attached to the things that are related to divine decrees. To explain this, we shall examine the three kinds of divine decree.

First, we have the divine decree about which God informed none of His creatures, and the guarded knowledge He has kept exclusively to Himself. Certainly, bada' does not occur in this kind of decree. Rather, according to the traditions related on the authority of the Imams, badii' originates from this knowledge.

Inhis book al-'Uyun, al-Shaykh al-Saduq relates a tradition he traces back to al­Hasan b. Muhammad al-Nawfali, who heard the Imam al-Rida say to Sulayman al­ Marzawi:

It has been related by my father that he heard the Imam al-Sadiq say: "God possesses two kinds of knowledge: one is the guarded, hidden knowledge which no one knows except Him. From that knowledge comes al-bada'. The other is the kind which He has taught His angels and His prophets. The learned ones among the Family of your Prophet [i.e., the Imams] know it . ."3

In Basa'ir al-Darajat, al-Shaykh Muhammad b. al-Hasan al-Saffar relates a tradition he traces back to Abu Basir, who heard the Imam al-Sadiq say:

God possesses two kinds of knowledge. [First], knowledge that is guarded, hidden, about which no one except Him knows. From this knowledge originates al-bada and [second], from knowledge that He has taught to His angels, messengers, and prophets, and which we know.4

Second, we have the divine decree regarding which God informed His Prophet and His angels that it would definitely come to pass. Undoubtedly, al-bada' does not occur in this kind, either. The difference between this and the first kind is that al­bada' does not originate in this knowledge.

The Imam al-Rida told Sulayman al-Marwazi, in the abovementioned tradition related by al-Sadiq:

'Ali (peace be upon him) used to say: "Knowledge is of two kinds. [First], knowledge that God taught His angels and His prophets, and what He taught His angels and His prophets will occur. He shall not belie Himself or His angels or His prophets. And [second], knowledge that [is] hidden with Him, of which He informed none of His creatures. He shall cause to pass that of it which He will, and hold back that which He will, and effaces of it what He will, and confirm what He will."5

Al-'Ayyashi relates from al-Fudayl, who heard the Imam al-Baqir say:

Some occurrences are inevitable, bound to happen definitely, and others are held back with God, of which He shall send forward what He will, and efface what He will, and confirm what He will. No one knows about them-that is, the occurrences held back by God. As for those [the knowledge of which] comes with the prophets, they are bound to happen, for God does not give lie to Himself, nor to His prophet or His angels.6

Third, there is the divine decree (which, God has informed His Prophet and His angels, shall come to pass) that occurs in the external. This is conditional on God's will not becoming attached to a different thing. This is the type in which al-badli' occurs:

God effaces whatever He will, and establishes whatever He will; and with Him is the Essence of the Book (Qur’an 13:39). To God belongs the Command before and after [the event] (Qur’an 30:4).

A number of traditions support this interpretation about the bada', of which the following are examples.

1. In the Tafsir of 'Ali b. Ibrahim, a tradition is related on the authority of 'Abd Allah b. Muskan, who reports from the Imam al-Sadiq:

He [Ibn Muskan] said: "On the Night of Determination (laylat al-qadar) the angels, the Spirit, and the angels who record [human deeds] descend to the heaven of the earth. Then they will write what will occur through the divine decree during that year. Thus, if God wills to hasten or delay something, or decrease something, He commands the angel to efface whatever He will, and, then, establish [in its place] what He will." I asked him, "Is everything recorded with God in a book?" He said, "Yes." Then I asked, "What thing will be there to occur after it?" He replied, "Glory be to God! Then God, the Blessed and Exalted, will create whatever He will."7

2. In the same Tafsir, a tradition is quoted on the authority of 'Abd Allah b. Muskan, who heard it from the Imams al-Baqir, al-Sadiq, and al-Kazim, in connection with the explanation of God's saying, "Therein every wise bidding is determined as a bidding from Us" (Qur’an 44:4):

This means that God predetermines everything whether truthful or false, and all that will happen that year, and it is for Him to will it or change it. He hastens what He will and delays what He will in matters connected with preordained time of death, sustenance, calamities, accidents, and illnesses, increasing them or decreasing them as He will….8

3. Al-Tabarsi, in his Kitab al-Ihitijaj, relates a tradition on the authority of the Commander of the Faithful, 'Ali, who said:

But for one verse in the Qur'an, I would have related to you all that has occurred, is occurring, and is bound to occur until the Day of Judgment. And that verse is this: "God effaces . ." [Qur’an 13:39].9

A similar tradition has been related by al-Saduq in his Amali and al-Tawhid, with a chain of transmission going back to al-Abagh b. Nubata, who reported from 'Ali b. Abi Talib.

4. The Tafsir of al-'Ayyashi cites a tradition reported by Zurara, who reported on the authority of the Imam al-Baqir:

He [Zurara] said, '"Ali b. al-Husayn [the fourth Imam] used to say, 'But for one verse in the Book of God, I would have informed you about what was going to happen until the Day of Judgment.' I asked him, "Which verse is that?" He replied, "God's saying, 'God effaces . ."10

5. [In] Qurb al-Isnad [al-Hiyari] relates a tradition from al-Bizanti on the authority of the Imam al-Rida, who, tracing the tradition through all the Imams to the Imam 'Ali, said, "By God! But for a verse in the Book of God, we would have informed you about all that was going to happen until the coming of the Hour. This verse is, 'God effaces . ."11

There are numerous other traditions that prove the occurrence of al-bada' in the conditional decree (al-qada' al-mawquf). To summarize what we have said: It is impossible for al-bada 'to occur in the unalterable decree, which is referred to as the Preserved Tablet, or the Essence of the Book, or the Guarded Knowledge with God. How can one even imagine modification taking place in it? Indeed, God, the Exalted, is knowledgeable about things from eternity; nothing escapes from His knowledge, even an atom's weight, in the earth or in the heaven.

Al-Saduq, in his book Ikmal al-Din, relates a tradition he traces back to Abu Basir and Sama'a, who heard it from the Imam al-Sadiq. He [al-Sadiq] said, "Anyone who asserts that for God, the Almighty, the Glorified, something appeared which He did not know yesterday, then, keep away from him."12

Al-'Ayyasi relates from Ibn Sinan, who heard al-Sadiq say:

Certainly, God hastens what He will and delays what He will. He effaces whatever He will and establishes whatever He will. With Him is the Essence of the Book. [And he added]: Any thing He desires, that thing is in His knowledge before He designs it. There is not a thing that appears for Him [i.e., in which bada' occurs] except that it was in His knowledge. Nothing appears for Him [i.e., in which bada 'occurs] about which He was ignorant.13

The same source reports from 'Amma b. Musa, who reported from al-Sadiq: He [al-Sadiq] was asked about God's saying, "God effaces what He will" [Qur’an13:39].

He said: "That Book [i.e., the Essence of the Book mentioned in the verse] is the one

God effaces and establishes as He will. It is from this that He turns down the supplication regarding the decree. The supplication which can stay the decree is predetermined, but when it reaches the Essence of the Book, the supplication has no effect upon anything in it."14

In his book al-Ghayba, al-Shaykh al-TiisI relates a tradition from al-Bizanti on the authority of the Imam al-Riqa, who traces it back to 'AlI b. AbI Talib, through all the other Imams. He [al-Riqa] said:

How can we discuss [future events] in spite of what the verse "God effaces what He will" says? As for the one who says that God does not know a thing until after it comes into existence, then such a person has certainly adopted disbelief and has departed from the belief in divine oneness (tawhid).15

The traditions narrated on the authority of the Imams regarding the subject that God possessed knowledge before He created the creation are far more numerous to be recounted here. All the Imamite Shi’ites are in agreement on this, in accordance with the Book of God and the Sunna of His Prophet, and in accordance with what is required in a judgment based on sound innate reasoning.

The Benefit of Belief in al-Bada'

Al-Bada' could obtain only in the conditional decree, designated as the Tablet of Effacement and Confirmation (lawla al-mahw wa al-ithbat). Adopting the view that bada' is possible in it does not necessitate ascribing ignorance to God, nor is there anything in this view that is incompatible with God's greatness and His glory.

The reason is that belief in bada 'is a clear acknowledgment that the creation and survival of the universe are under the sovereignty of God and His omnipotence, and that the will of God is effective over things from eternity to infinity. In fact, belief in bada' emphasizes the distinction between divine knowledge and the knowledge of the creatures. The latter, even if it is the knowledge possessed by the prophets and apostles, does not encompass what is covered by divine knowledge. Although some of them have knowledge--by means of God's endowing them with it--about all aspects of possible things, their knowledge does not encompass the knowledge that God kept exclusively to Himself. Thus, they do not know whether God wills a thing to exist, or does not will it, except when He informs them about it in a definite way.

Furthermore, belief in badii 'causes a human being to concentrate on God and ask Him to listen to his prayer and fulfill his needs, and to aid him in obedience to Him and keep him away from disobedience. This is because rejection of bada' in the divine decree and upholding the view that what the Pen of Destiny has already written is unalterable, without exception, would cause a person who holds this belief to lose hope in the acceptance of his prayer. For, if what a person is asking from God has already been decreed by the Pen of Destiny, then, indeed, it is bound to happen, and there is no need for prayer and supplication; and if the Pen has decreed something else, then it would never happen and it would be useless for him to supplicate and to implore God for it to happen. When a person loses the hope of being granted his request, he would give up supplicating his Creator since there is no use in doing so. The same applies to all the devotions and charitable works that are reported, on the authority of the Imams, to be effective in increasing the lifetime, the sustenance, and other things that a person might desire.

This, then, is why numerous traditions narrated on the authority of the Imams lay great stress on the significance of bada' in the divine decree.

Al-Saduq relates a tradition in his al-Tawhid that he traces back to Zurara, who received it from one of the two Imams, al-Baqir or al-Sadiq: "God has not been worshiped with a thing [more fervently than with] bada'."16 In another tradition he relates that Hisham b. Salim heard the Imam al-Sadiq say: "Nothing has caused God to be seen as powerful more clearly than a thing like al-bada'."17

In still another tradition, al-Kulayni relates, from Muhammad b. Muslim, that the Imam al-Sadiq said:

God did not send a prophet until He required three characteristics in him: the affirmation of servanthood [in relation to God], the rejection of partners [for God], and the acknowledgment that God hastens what He will and delays what He will.18

The reason behind attaching this significance to al-bada 'is that the rejection of it has the same effect as the view that maintains that God does not have the power to change what has been decreed by the Pen of Destiny-Exalted is God above that. This is because both views would cause a person to lose faith in his supplications being answered by God, and this would [in turn] lead him to refrain from addressing his requests to God.

The Real Meaning of al-Bada' in the Shi’ite Doctrine

To recapitulate, the meaning of al-bada', as maintained by the Imamite Shi’ites, is derived from ibda' (bringing about)-that is, izhar (disclosing, manifesting a reality). The term bada' is applied to the act of izhar on the basis of the revelation and the resemblance between the two acts. It has been used in this sense in some of the Sunni traditions.

Al-Bukhari, for example, relates a tradition, from Abu 'Amra, that Abu Hurayra told him that he heard the Prophet say: "There were three among the Children of Israel: a leper, a blind person, and a bald person. God resolved (bada lil-Lah) to test them. Thus, He sent them an angel who came to the leper. . ."19

A similar notion occurs in many Qur'anic passages:

Now God has lightened it for you, knowing that there is weakness in you (Qur’an 8:66).

Afterward, We raised them up again, that We might know which of the two parties would better calculate the time they tarried (Qur’an 18:12).

That He might try you [to see] which of you is fairest in works (Qur’an 77:2).

There are numerous traditions, recorded in Sunni sources, that maintain that charitable deeds and supplication can change the divine decree (qada').20

As for future events foretold in the traditions related on the authority of the infallible Imams, it is relevant to point out that whenever an Imam discloses something that is bound to happen, and that is not conditional upon anything, then, such infor­ mation falls under the category of an unalterable decree (which, as discussed previ­ ously in this chapter, is the second type of decree-namely, the unalterable one [al­qada' al-mahtum]. This is the type in which bada' does not occur because God does not give the lie to Himself or to His Prophet. However, when an Imam discloses something which is conditional on the divine will not attaching itself to something else, and when He corroborates it with an attached or unattached context, such a disclosure points to a conditional decree, which is subject to bada'. The information related by the infallible Imams is true even when the bada' occurs in it and the divine will becomes attached to another thing. The reason is that the disclosed event is conditional upon its not being contrary to the divine will.

Al-'Ayyashi has related a tradition on the authority of 'Amr b. al-Humq (Himq), who said:

I went to visit the Commander of the Faithful ['Ali] when he was struck [with a sword] on his head. At that time he told me, "O 'Amr, I will be leaving you all." Then he added, "In the year seventy (689 C.E.), there will descend a calamity . ." I said, "May my father and mother be sacrifice for you! Until the year seventy there will be a calamity. Would there be comfort after the year seventy" He replied, "Yes, O 'Amr! Indeed, after calamity there is comfort." And then he went on to mention the verse "God effaces . ."

Notes

1. This lack of knowledge about the meaning of the word bada' led scholars like Fakhr al-Razi to attribute to Shr'ites the false view ascribing ignorance to God. See his Tafsir on the verse "God blots out, and He establishes whatsoever He will" (13:39).

2. For some traditions pertaining to the will of God, see Majlisi, Bihar, vol. 4, pp. 92-134.

3. Al-Shaykh al-Saduq Muhammad b. 'Al Ibn Babawayh al-Qummi, 'Uyun Akhbar al­ Rida, 2 vols. (Najaf: Al-Matba'at al-Haydariyya, 1970), vol. 1, p. 145, sec. 13, which describes the meeting between the Imam al-Rida and Sulayman al-Marwazi; and Majlisi, Bihar, the section dealing with al-bada' wa al naskh, in vol. 4, pp. 92-134.

4. Majlisi, Bihar, vol. 4, pp. 92-134. It has also been related by al-Kulayni from Abu Basir; see Kashi, al-Wafi, vol. 1 , p. 113.

5. Ibn Babawayh, 'Uyun Akhbar al-Rida, sec. 13, vol. I , p. 146. Al-Kulayni cites the same tradition from al-Fudayl b. Yasar, on the authority of al-Baqir. See Kashi, al-Wafi, vol. 1, p. 113

6. Quoted in Majlisi, Bihar, vol. 4, p. 119.

7. Ibid.

8. Ibid. p. 134

9. Ahmad b. 'Ali. Abu Talib al-Tabarsi, al-Ihtijaj (Najaf: al-Matba'at al-Murtaqawiyya), p. 137

10. Majlisi, Bihar, vol. 2, p. 139

11. Ibid

12. Ibid., p. 136

13. Ibid.

14. Ibid

15. Ibid., p. 136. Al-Kulayni has also related a tradition to the same effect but through a different chain of transmission, in which al-Sadiq says: "Modification (bada ') does not occur for God in anything except that He knew about it before it came into being." See Kashi, al­Wafi, vol. 1, p. 113.

16. A variant tradition reads, ". . more excellent (afdal) than bada'."

17. Al-Shaykh al-Saduq Muhammad b. 'Ali ibn Babawayh, al-Tawhid (Najaf: Al-Maba'at al-Haydariyya, 1966), p. 272; also narrated by Kulayni; see Kashi, al-Wafi, vol. 1, p. 113

18. Ibn Babawayh, al-Tawhid, p. 272; also narrated by al-Kulayni; see Kashi, al-Wafi, vol. l, p. 113.

19. Bukhari, Sahih, vol. 4, p. 443

20. There are numerous traditions, reported by Sunni sources, that suggest that supplication changes divine decree. See, for example, Tirmidhi, Sunan, vol. 8, p. 350; Ibn Maja, Sunan, vol. 1, p. 24; Hakim, Mustadrak, vol. 1, p. 493; Ibn Hanbal, Musnad , vol. 5, pp. 277, 280, and 282

12. The Principles of the Exegesis

Synopsis: The invalidity of depending upon conjecture and the views of commentators in the comprehension of the Qur'an; the sources of the exegesis; particularization of the Qur'anic ordinances through a single tradition; the error of those who deny it, and their views on the question.

Al-tafsir(the exegesis), is the clarification of God's purport in His Book, the Qur'an. It is therefore improper to rely in this clarification on conjectures and application of personal discretion. Nor is it proper to depend on a thing which is not established as being a proof derived from the intellect ('aql) or from revelation (shar'), for it is prohibited to follow conjecture and to ascribe a thing to God without His permission. God, the Exalted, says:

Say, Has God permitted you, or do you invent a lie concerning God? (Qur’an 10:59).

In another place God says:

Do not follow that whereof you have no knowledge (Qur’an 17:36).

There are other verses in the Qur'an, as well as the traditions, that forbid actions that are not based on knowledge. Moreover, the traditions that prohibit engaging in a conjectural exegesis are exhaustive and reported in the Sunni as well as Shi’ite sources.

Consequently, it is clear that it is not permissible to follow any exegete in his commentary, regardless of whether he is, or is not, of sound religion, for this would be a kind of reliance on conjecture, and that is of no avail in seeking the truth.

Sources of the Exegesis

Undoubtedly, the commentator has to follow the apparent sense of the text as understood by an Arab well versed in the Arabic language. (We already demonstrated the evidentiary nature of the apparent meanings of the text.) Or one should follow what sound innate reason determines, because it is internal evidence just as the Prophet is external evidence. Or else, one should follow what has been established by the infallible leaders-the Prophet and the Imams-since they are the authorities in matters of religion. They are also the ones about whom the Prophet has left his last will and testament, requiring the Muslims to adhere to them. Thus he declared, "I leave among you two things of high esteem: the Book of God and my family, my ahl al-bayt. As long as you adhere to them both, you will never go astray, ever."1

There is no doubt about the certainty of their opinion if it is established through a reliable source of transmission that is not open to doubt, just as there is no doubt about the absence of its certainty if it is proven that it was transmitted through a weak tradition that does not meet the conditions for its admission as evidence. Is it possible to establish an authentic proof by means of evidence derived through conjecture? There is a dispute in this matter among the scholars.

The problem can be stated as follows:

The question rests on the dispute about the evidential nature of a reliable single tradition (khabar al-wahid al-thiqa), related from the infallible Imams, explaining the Qur'an. The point of the dispute is that the evidentiary nature that is admitted for a single tradition, or for any other conjectural proof, requires that actions should be based on [these traditions or conjectures] when the true state of affairs is unknown, just as they would be based on the true state of affairs if it were known with certainty. This corollary is not realized except when the underlying idea of communication is a religious-legal ordinance, or a question on which the lawgiver has constructed such an ordinance. This condition may not be available in a single tradition that is related on the authority of the infallible Imams in regard to the exegesis of the Qur'an.

The response to the problem can be formulated as follows:

This objection is without substantiation. We explained, in our discussion of the science of legal theory, that the meaning of the evidentiary admission of a documentation, in matters that function as indicators of the true state of affairs, is their advancement to the level of ascertainment by means of an injunction from the lawgiver. Accordingly, the considered method would be one of the several ways to certainty. But it is the way that is based on obedience to the injunction of the lawgiver, rather than on reasoning. Hence, all that can be derived from the reliable documentation among the transmitted sources can also be derived from this conjectural source. The traditions are authenticated when they are in conformity with it, just as they become authenticated by means of mental knowledge. In any case, it is not an opinion formed without certainty.

This is corroborated by the practice that is common among rational persons. The reason [for this corroboration] is that they treat the reliable method as they do mental knowledge, without differentiating between their effects. Thus, the hand, for example, among rational persons, is a symbol of ownership for the person to whom the hand belongs when he has something in his hand. It is on the basis of this that they assign to him the effect of ownership and inform about his being an owner of a thing, with no one rejecting [the claim]. There is no evidence from the direction of the lawgiver that prohibits this continuous rational method.

Indeed, the crucial factor that is taken into consideration in a reliable tradition, and in other acceptable methods [of transmission], is that they should meet all the conditions of evidentiality. One of these is that a tradition should not be known to be false, for it makes no sense to give a false tradition the status of evidentiary proof. Accordingly, the traditions that are contrary to the consensus, or to the well-established sunna, or to the Qur'an, or to a sound rational conclusion, cannot qualify for admission as evidential documentation, even if they meet all the remaining conditions that are taken into consideration, in establishing sound evidence. In this regard, it makes no difference whether or not traditions explain a legal ordinance.

An underlying consideration in admitting a document as evidence is that the narrator, no matter how trustworthy, is not immune from reporting something different from the facts. As such, there is always, however minimal, a possibility of his having made an error, more so when the intermediaries are many in number. Therefore, one needs to cling to the criteria of evidentiary proof to eliminate this possibility, and to assume it to be almost nonexistent. As for the assumption that there is a discrepancy, and that the tradition does not accord with reality, it makes no sense to follow its non­conformity, because that which renders a thing absolute is its essence, and its evidentiary status is established in accordance with the necessary rational verdict.

It is therefore necessary that the criteria of evidentiary proof be restricted to traditions other than those whose falsehood is incontrovertible, and whose narrative departs from the real state of affairs. The same applies to the accepted methods, other than the traditions, that assist a researcher in discovering the truth of a matter. This discussion leads us to consider many other situations and to respond to a number of problems and objections that arise from the admission of a communication reported, in the form of a single narration, as proof.

Particularization of the Qu r'anic Ordinances through a Single Narration

If the evidentiary nature of a single narration is established by means of definitive proof, can one use it to particularize the general injunctions that have been stated in the Qur'an? The prevalent view is that this is permissible, but a group of Sunni scholars has differed with it. Some of them have rejected it in absolute terms. According to Isa b. 'Aban, if a general injunction of the Qur'an has already been particularized through an established proof, then it is permissible to particularize it by means of a single narration; otherwise, it is not. However, al-Karakhi maintains that if a general injunction of the Qur'an has been particularized by a proof outside it, then it is permissible to particularize it after that by means of documentation provided by a single narration; otherwise, not. On the other hand, al-Qadi Abu Bakr has maintained that a final decision should be withheld in the matter.2

We have followed the well-established opinion in this matter because the incontrovertible tradition, as we have assumed, necessitates that one would follow its terms, as long as there is no reason to reject them.

Nevertheless, we should consider the objections that some scholars put forward against relying on single narrations, although these objections are baseless. These objections, moreover, are prompted by their error in the following matters.

1. They maintain that the Book of God is the Speech of God the Almighty, which was revealed to His Prophet, and that this is an incontestable fact about which there is no room for doubt. A single narration, however, does not have the certainty of being in conformity with the reality or to be an authentic pronouncement of the infallible Prophet or the Imams, for there is a possibility, however small, of an error in the narrator's communication about it. In this situation, reason does not permit aban­ doning the incontestable proof for evidence in which there is a possibility of error. The response [to this is as follows]. Although the origin of the Book of God is incontrovertible, it is not certain that its actual injunction is in accordance with its general sense. This is because it is necessary to act in accordance with the general sense, since it constitutes the apparent sense of the text. To be sure, the practice of rational persons has been to accept the apparent sense of the speech as evidence, and the lawgiver has not prohibited this practice. It is evident that the practice of the rational persons regarding the evidentiary nature of the apparent sense applies only when there is no context to suggest the contrary, regardless of whether that context is attached or unattached. When the context points to something other than the apparent sense, then one ought to discard the latter and act in accordance with the contextual sense. Consequently, it is inevitable that one should particularize the general injunctions of the Qur'an by means of a single narration, following the establishment of the absolute proof of its evidentiary status. In other words, the subject of the single narration, related on the authority of the infallible Imams, should be followed [as coming from the lawgiver]. The argument can be rephrased by saying that the chain of transmission of the Qur'an, even when the Qur'an itself is incontestable, is based on a conjectural proof. According to rational judgment, there is no problem in disregarding one conjectural proof in favor of another whose evidentiary status has been established by means of an incontrovertible proof.

2. They [some scholars] maintain that sound traditions from the infallible Imams affirm that traditions should be correlated with the Qur'an, and they maintain that those of them which disagree with the Qur'an should be discarded and rejected outright, for they cannot be something the Imams had said. Moreover, a tradition dealing with a particular matter reported on the authority of the Imams, which runs contrary to the general sense of the Qur'an because of the evidence it includes, should be rejected and its validity be denied.

The response [to this is as follows]. The conventional factual evidence for the explanation of the purport of the Qur'an is not ordinarily regarded as something that is in contradiction to its intent. Moreover, a specific verification in a single narration is evidence of the elaboration of the intended meaning of the Qur'anic statement that expresses the intent in general terms. However, the inconsistency between the two forms of evidence comes into effect when one of them contradicts the other in such a way that, when both originate from the same speaker or from someone who acts on his behalf, then the people who follow an accepted practice will withhold judgment concerning the intent of these statements. Thus, in this sense a specific single narration does not contradict the general sense of the Qur'an; rather, it functions as an expounder of its implications.

This is further supported by our knowledge of numerous traditions, related on the authority of the Imams, that particularize the general meanings of the Qur'an and restrict its absolute injunctions. If particularization or restriction by a single narration were in contradiction of the Qur'an, then the Imams would not have spoken correctly when they said, "That which contradicts our Lord's statement would not have been said by us. It is either vain or erroneous." In the light of this statement it is evident that particularizing or restricting a general sense does not involve a contradiction of the Qur'an.

Furthermore, the Imams established that if one of two contradictory traditions were in harmony with the Qur'an, that would weigh in favor of it against the other. In other words, the one contradicting it-that is, the one that does not agree with the general sense of the Qur'an-would have been evidence in itself had it not been contradicted by the other tradition. Therefore, it is evident that such a tradition, if its disagreement with the Qur'an were so great that it would be impossible to attain harmony between the two, then it would no longer be proof in itself, nor would there be any point in countering it with the other tradition and establishing the latter's preponder­ ance. Consequently, it is inevitable that the purport of its disagreement with the Qur'an is that it is possible to harmonize the two conventionally on the basis of particularizing or restricting the general meaning of the Qur'anic revelation.

To conclude, the tradition that functions as a particularizer for the Qur'an, or a restricter for it, is evidentiary in itself and hence must be abided by except if it is tested by a contradicting tradition.

1. They maintain that if it is permissible to particularize the Qur'an through a single narration, then it would also be permissible to abrogate it by the same means. Since abrogation by means of such a tradition is definitely not permissible, it follows that particularization by means of it is also not permissible. The evidence in support of this correlation is that abrogation, as discussed in chapter 10, is a form of particularization of the period [of applicability], and the evidence of the abrogator is provided by the clarification that the earlier ordinance was specifically limited to a period terminated by the appearance of the evidence provided by the abrogator. Abrogation therefore does not abolish the substance of an ordinance but simply sets it up formally and outwardly. Particularization with respect to persons is similar to time specification-in both cases it is particularization, and, accordingly, if the first is permissible, so is the second.

The response [to this is as follows]. That which distinguishes the two kinds of particularization is the incontestable consensus regarding the prohibition of admitting a single narration as evidence of abrogation. Had it not been for this consensus, then it would have been permissible to admit abrogation by means of an evidentiary single narration, just as the particularization by it is permissible. We explained earlier that the Qur'an, although incontrovertible in the matter of its transmission, is not decisively clear in its meaning. There is no objection to resolving this latter aspect by means of a single narration whose evidentiary nature is established by means of absolute proof.

To be sure, the stated consensus is not a type that must be merely followed. Rather, it arises because certain things are of such a nature that if they occur externally, they would be transmitted without interruption. If it is transmitted by a few, to the exclusion of others, this, then, would be the proof of the falsehood of its narrator or his error. Consequently, it does not meet all the criteria that establish the evidentiary nature of a single tradition. It is for this reason that we maintain that the Qur'an does not become established by means of a single tradition. Itmust be transmitted successively. Among the things which cannot be doubted is the fact that an abrogation is not applicable to some Muslims, to the exclusion of others. Therefore, the reasons for reporting it are strong. Hence, if an abrogation became conclusively established, then information about it would have been transmitted without interruption. If, however, it were reported by a single narration, this would serve as proof of its falsehood and error. In this way, the distinction between particularization and abrogation becomes clear, and the correlation between the permissibility of the former and that of the latter ceases to hold true.

Notes

1. See Ibn 'Abd al-Muttaqi, Kanz al- 'Ummal, including the section dealing with I'tisam, vol. 1, pp. 153-54, 332, where many sources of this tradition are listed

2. 'Ali b. Abi 'Ali al-Amidi, al-lkam fi Usul al-Ahkam, 3 vols. (Cairo: Maktabat wa Matba'at Muhammad 'Ali Sabib, 1968), vol. 2, pp. 150-51.

Mutahhirat (Purifying Agents)

71. There are twelve things which make Najis objects Tahir:

(i) Water

(ii) Earth

(iii) The Sun

(iv) Trancformation (Istihalah)

(v) Change (Inqilab)

(vi) Transfer (Intiqal)

(vii) Islam

(viii) Subjection (Tabaiyyah)

(ix) Removal of original Najasah

(x) Confining (Istipà) of animal which feeds on Najasah

(xi) Disappearance of a Muslim

(xii) Draining of the usual quantity of blood from the slaughtered body of an animal.

I.Water

72. The interior of a Najis vessel, or utensil, even if it has been made Najis with wine, must be washed three times if less than Kurr water is used, and as per obligatory percaution,the same will apply if Kurr or running water is used. If a dog drinks water or any other liquid from a utensil, the utensil should be first scrubbed with Tahir earth,and after washing off the dust, it should be washed twice with running, Kurr or under Kurr water. similarly, if the dog licks a utensil, it should be scrubbed with dust before washing. And if the saliva of a dog falls into the utensil, or somewhere of its body meets the utensil, as per obligatory precaution, it should be scrubbed with dust and then washed with water three times.

73. If a utensil is licked by a pig, or if it drinks any liquid from it, or in which a rat has died, it should be washed seven times with running water, or Kurr or lesser water. It will not be necessary to scour it with dust.

A Najis utensil can be made Tahir with under Kurr water in two ways:

(i) The utensil is filled up with water and emptied three times.

(ii) some quantity of water and poured in it, and then the utensil is shaken, so that the water reaches all Najis parts. This should be done three times and then the water is spilled.

74. If a Najis thing is immersed once in Kurr or running water, is such a way that water reacher all its Najis parts, it becomes Tahir. And in the case of a carpet or dress, it is not necessary to squeeze or wring or press it. And when body or dress is Najis because of urine, it must be washed twice even in Kurr water.

75. When a thing which has become Najis with urine, is to be made Tahir with under_Kurr water, it should be poured once, and as water flows off eliminating all the traces of urine,the thing will become Tahir. But if dress or body has become Najis because of urine, it must be washed twice to be made Tahir. when a cloth or a carpet and similar things are made Tahir with water which is less than Kurr, it must be wrung, or squeezed, till the water remaining in it runs out.

76. If anything becomes Najis with the urine of a suckling child, who has not yet started taking solid food, the thing will be Tahir if water is poured over it once, reaching all parts which had been Najis.

163. If anything becomes Najis with Najasah other than urine, it becomes Tahir by first removing the Najasah and then pouring under-Kurr water once allowing it to flow off. But, if it is a dress etc, it should be squeezed so that the remaining water should flow off.

77. If the exterior of soap becomes Najis, it can be made Tahir, but if its interior becomes Najis, it cannot become Tahir, and if soap or not, its interior will be considered Tahir.

78. A Najis thing does not become Tahir unless the najis_ul_Ayn is removed from it,but there is not harm if the colour, or smell of the Najasah remains in it. So, if blood is removed from a cloth, and the cloth is rinsed with water, it will become Tahir even if the colour of blood remains on it.

79. Meat or fat which becomes Najis, can be made Tahir with water like all other things. same is the case if the body or dress or utensil has a little grease on it, which does not revent water from reaching it.

80. Tap water which is connected with Kurr water is considered to be Kurr.

81. If a person washed a thing with water, and becomes sure that it has become Tahir, but doubts later whether or not he had removed the Najis_ul_Ayn from it, he should wash it again, and ensure that the Najis_ul_Ayn has been removed.

82. If a ground which absorbs water (e.g. land on the surface of which there is fine sand) becomes Najis, it can be made Tahir even with under Kurr water.

83. If the floor which is made of stones, or picks or other hard ground, in which water is not absorbed, becomes Najis, it can be made Tahir with under Kurr water, but, it is necessary that so much water is poured on it that it begins to flow. And if that Water is not drained out, and it collects there, it should be drawn out by a vessel or soaked by a cloth.

II.Earth

84. The earth makes the sole of one’s feet and shoes Tahir, provided that the following four conditions are fulfilled:

(i) The earth should be Tahir.

(ii) The earth should be dry, as a precaution.

(iii) As an obligatory precaution, the Najasah should have stuck from the earth.

(iv) If najis-ul- Any, like blood or urine, or something which has become Najis, like najis clay, is stuck on the sole of a foot, or a shoe, it will be Tahir only if it is cleared by walking on earth, or by rubbing the foot or the shoe against it. therefore, if the Najis-ul-Any vanishes by itself, and not by walking or rubbing on the ground, the foot or the sole will not be Tahir by earth, as an obligatory precaution. And the earth should be dust or sand, or consisting of stones or laid with picks ; which means walking on carpet, mats, green grass will not make the sole of feet or shoes Tahir.

85. It is a matter of Ishkal that walking over a tarred road. or a wooden floor will make the Najis sole of feet and shoes Tahir. ( In other words, as an obligatory precaution, tarred road or wooden floor does not make Najis sole of feet or shoes Tahir.)

86. When the Najis sole of one's foot or shoe becomes Tahir by walking on earth, the parts adjacent to it, which are usually blotched with mud, become Tahir.

87. If a person moves on his hands and knees, and his hands or knees become Najis, it is a matter of Ishkal (it is improbable) that they become Tahir by such movement. Similarly, the end of a stick, the bottom of a prosthetic leg, the shoe of quadruped and the wheels of a car or a cart etc. would not become Tahir.

III.The Sun

88. The sun makes the earth, building,and the walls Tahir, provided the following five conditions are fulfilled:

(i) The Najis thing should be sufficiently wet, and if it is dry, it should be made wet so that the sun dries it up.

(ii) Any Najis-ul-Ayn should not be remained on it.

(iii) Nothing should intervene between the Najis thing and the sun. Therefore, if the rays fall on the Najis thing from behind a curtain, or a cloud etc, and makes it dry, the thing will not become Tahir. But, there is no harm if the cloud is so thin that it does not serve as an impediment between the Najis thing and the sun.

(iv) Only the sun should make the Najis thing dry. So, if a Najis thing is jointly dried by the wind and the sun, it will not become Tahir. However, it would not matter if the wind blows so lightly that it can be said that the thing has dried by the sun.

(v) The sun should dry up the whole Najis part of the building all at once. if the sun dries the surface of the Najis earth, or building, first, and later on dries the inner part, only the surface will become Tahir, and the inner portion will remain Najis.

89. If the sun shines on Najis earth, and one doubts later whether the earth was wet or not at that time, or whether the wetness dried up because of the sunshine or not, the earth will remain najis. Similarly, if one toubts whether Najis-ul- Ayn had been removed from the earth, or whether there was any impediment preventing direct sunshine, the earth will remain Najis.

IV. Transformation (Istia*àlah)

90. If a Najis thing undergoes such a change, that it assumes the category of a Tahir thing it becomes Tahir ; for example, if a Najis wood burns and is reduced to ashes,or a dog falls in a salt-marsh and transforms into salt, it becomes Tahir. But a thing does not become Tahir if its essence or category does not change ; like, if wheat is ground into flour, or is used for baking pead, it does not become Tahir

Change (Inqilab)

91. Any wine which becomes vinegar by itself, or by mixing it with vine gar or salt, becomes Tahir.

92. If the juice of grapes ferments by itself, or when heated, it becomes Halal (allowed). However, if it boils so much that only one third of it is left, it becomesHalal (allowed). It has already been mentioned in rule 60 that the juice of grapes does not become Najis on fermentation.

VI. Transfer (Intiqal)

93. If the blood of a human being, or of an animal whose blood gushes forth when its large vein is cut, is sucked by an insect, normally known to be bloodless, and it becomes part of its body, the blood becomes Tahir. This process is called intiqal.

VII. Islam

94. If an unbeliever testifies Oneness of Allah, and the Prophethood of prophet Muhammad(s), in whatever language, he becomes a Muslim. And just as he was Najis before, he becomes Tahir after becoming a Muslim, and his body, along with the saliva and the sweat, is Tahir.

95. If an unbeliever professes Islam, he will be Tahir even if another person is not sure whether he has empaced Islam sincerely, or not. And the same order applies even if it is known that he has not sincerely accepted Islam, but his words or deeds do not betray anything which may be contrary to the confirmation by him of the Oneness of Allah, and of prophet Muhammad(s) beingprophet of Allah.

VIII. subjection (TABA ‘IYYAH)

96. Tabaiyyah means that a Najis thing becomes Tahir, in subjection of another thing becoming Tahir.

97. When wine is transformed into vinegar, its container, up to the level wine reached on account of fermentation, will become Tahir. And so will the cloth or other thing which is usually put on it, if it has became Najis due to the wine. But, if the back part of the container become Najis because of contact with wine, it should be avoided, as an obligatory precaution, even after wine has transformed into vinegar.

98. If an unbeliever empaces Islam, his child in subjection to him becomes Tahir. Similarly, if the mother, grandfather or grandmother of a child empaces Islam, the child will become Tahir, provided that it is in their custody and care and there is not a Kàfir relative closer than them with it, and if the child has attained the age of under standing and discerning, it does not show inclination to unbelief.

99. The plank or slab of stone on which a dead body is given Ghusl, and the cloth with which his private parts are covered, and the hands of the person who gives Ghusl and all things washed together with the dead body, become Tahir when Ghusl is over.

100. When a person washes something with water to make it Tahir, his hands washed along with that thing, will be Tahir when the thing is Tahir.

101. If cloth etc. Is washed with under-Kurr water and is squeezed as usual, allowing water to flow off, the water which still remains in it is Tahir.

102. When a Najis utensil is washed with under-Kurr water, the small quantity of water left in it after spillig the water of final wash, is Tahir.

IX. Remoral of Najis-ul ‘Ayn

103. If body of an animal is stained with a Najis-ul-Ayn like blood or with something which has become Najis, for example, Najis water, its body becomes Tahir when the Najasah disappears. Similarly, the inner parts of the human body, for example inner parts of mouth, or nose or inner ears which become Najis with an external Najasah,become Tahir, after the Najasah has disappeared. But the internal Najasah, like the blood from the gums of the teeth,does not make inner mouth Najis. Similarly, any external thing which is placed internally in the body,does not become Najis when it meets with the internal Najasah. So if the dentures come in contact with blood from the gums, it does not require rinsing. Of course, if it contacts a Najis food, it must be made Tahir with water.

104. If food remains between the teeth, and blood emerges within the mouth, the food will not be Najis if it comes in contact with that blood.

105. Those parts of the lips and the eyes which overlap when shut, will be considered as inner parts of the body, and they need not be washed when an external Najasah reaches them. But a part of which one is not sure whether it is intenal or external, must be washed with water if it meets with an external Najasah.

X. Istipa’ of an animal which Eats Najasah

106. The dung and urine of an animal which is habituated to eating human excrement,is najis, and it could be made Tahir by subjecting it to "Istipà", that is, it should be prevented from eating Najasah, and Tahir food should be given to it,till such time that it may no more be considered an animal which eats Najasah.

XI. Disappeance of aMuslim

107. When body, dress, household utensil, carpet or any similar thing, which has been in the possession of an adult Muslim or an underage Muslim who is capable of distinguishing between purity and impurity, becomes Najis, and there after that Musl’m disappears, the things in question can be treated as Tahir, if one believes that he may have rinsed them.

108. A scrupulous person who can never be certain about a Najis becoming Tahir, he should follow the method used by the common people.

XII. Flowing out of a slau ghtered Animal’s Blood in Normal Quantity

109. As stated in rule 98, if an animal is slaughtered in accordance with the rules prescribed by Islam, and blood flows out of its body in normal quantity, the blood which still remains in the body of the animal is Tahir.

Rule of Gold and Silver Utensils

110. It is Halal (allowed) to use gold and silver vessels for eating and drinking purposes, and as an obligatory precaution, their general use is also Halal (allowed). However, it is not Halal (allowed) to have them in possession as item of decoration. Similarly, it is not Halal (allowed) to manufacture gold and silver vessels, or to buy and sell them for possession or decoration.

Ghosl

111. In Ghosl, it is obligatory to wash the face and hands (including the forearms), and to wipe the front portion of th head and the upper part of two feet.

112. The length of the face should be washed from the upper part of the forehead, where hair grow, up to the farthest end of the chin, and its peadth should be washed to the part covered between the thumb and the middle finger. If even a small part of this area is left out, Ghosl will be void. thus, in order to ensure that the prescribed part has been fully washed, one should also wash a bit of the adjacent parts.

113. If a person suspects that there is dirt or something else in the eyepows, or corners of his eyes, or on his lips, which does not permit water to reach them and that suspicion is reasonable, he should examine it before performing Ghosl, and remove any such thing if it is there.

114. If the skin of the face is visible from under the hair growing on the face, like beard, liphair etc, he should make the water reach the skin, but if it is not visible, it is sufficient to wash the hair, and it is not necessary to make the water reach beneath it.

115. While performing Ghosl, it is not obligatory that one should wash the inner parts of the nose, nor of the lips and eyes which cannot be seen when they close. however, if one is not sure that all parts have been washed, in order to ensure, it is obligatory that some portion of these parts (i.e. inner parts of nose, lips and eyes) are also included. And if a person did not know how much of the face should be washed, and does not remember whether he has washed his face thoroughly in Ghosl already performed, his prayers will be valid, and there will be no need to do fresh Ghosl for the ensuing prayers.

116. The hands and forearms, and as an obligatory precaution the face, shold be washed from above downwards, and if one washes the opposite way, his Ghosl will be void.

117. After washing the face, one should first wash the right forearm and hand and then the left forearm and hand, from the elbows to the tips of the fingers.

118. If one is not sure that the elbow has been washed thoroughly, in order to ensure, he should include some portion above the elbow in washing.

119. If before washing his face, a person has washed his hands up to the wrist, he should, while performing Ghosl, wash them again up to the tips of the fingers, and if he washes only the forearms up to the wrist, his Ghosl will be void.

120. While performing Ghosl, it is obligatory to wash the face and the hands and forearms once, and it is recommended to wash them twice. Washing them three or more times is Halal (allowed). As regads to which washing should be treated as the first, it will depend upon pouring water on the face or hand so much that it cover them thoroughly, leaving no room for precaution, with the intention of Ghosl. So, if one pours water on his face ten times, in order to cover it thoroughly, with the intention of the first washing for Ghosl, there is no harm. The first washing realises only when one washes with the intention of Ghosl. Thus, he can wash his face or hands several times, and in the final wash, make the intention of washing for Ghosl. But if he follows this procedure, the face or the hands should not be washed more than once again, as an obligatory precaution, even if without the intention of washing for Ghosl.

121. After washing both the hands and forearms, one performing Ghosl should wipe front part of the head with the wetness of his hand: and the recommended precaution is that he should wipe it with the palm of his right hand, from the upper part of the hand, downwards.

256. The part on which wiping should be performed, is the one fourth of the head posterior to the forehead it is sufficient to wipe however mucha tany place in this part of the head.

Ghusl for Touching a Dead Body

284. If a person touches a human dead body which has become cold and has not yet been given Ghusl (i.e. pings any part of his own body in contact with it) he should do Ghusl.

285. If a person touches a dead body which has not become entirely cold, Ghusl will not be obligatory, even if the part touched has become cold.

286. If a person pings his hair in contact with the body of a dead person, or if his body touches the hair of the dead person or if his hair touches the hair of the dead person, Ghusl will not become obligatory.

287. It is not obligatory to do Ghusl for touching a separated bone which has not been given Ghusl, whether it has been separated from a dead body or a living person. The same rule applies to touching the teeth which have been separated from a dead body or a living person.

288. The method of doing Ghusl for touching the dead body is the same as of Ghusl for Janaban and it does not require any Ghosl.

Rules Related to a Dying Person

289. A Mu'min who is dying, whether man or woman, old or young, should, as a measure of precaution, be laid on his/her back if possible, in such a manner that the soles of his/her feet would face the Qiblah (direction towards the holy Ka'bah).

290. It is an obligatory precaution upon every Muslim, to lay a dying person facing the Qiblah. And if it is known that the dying person consents to it and he or she is not defective, there is no need to seek the permission for it from the guardian. Otherwise, the permission must be sought as a precaution.

291. It is recommended that the doctrinal testimory of Islam (Shahadatayn) and the acknowledgement of the twelve Imàms and other tenets of faith should be inculcated to a dying person in such a manner that he/she would understand. It is also recommended that these utterances are repeated till the time of his/her death.

The obligation of Ghusl, Kafn (Shrouding),Salat and Burial

292. Giving Ghusl, Kafn, Hunot, salat and burial to every dead Muslim, regardless of whether he/she is an Ithna-Ashari or not,is obligatory on the guardian must either discharge all these duties himself or appoint someone to do them.

‏ The Method of Ghusl of Mayyit

293. It is obligatory to give three Ghusl to a dead body. The first bathing should be with water mixed with Sidr (powdered leaves of lote tree). The second bathing should be with water mixed with caphor and the third should be with unmixed water.

294. The quantity of Sidr and caphor should neither be so much that the water becomes mixed (Muèàf), nor so little that it may be said that Sidr and caphor have not been mixed in it at all.

295. Aperson who gives Ghusl to a dead body should be a Muslim and sane and as a precaution a Shi'ah Ithna-Ashariyyah, and ahould know the rules of Ghusl.

296. One who gives Ghuls to the dead body should perform the act with the intention of Qurbah, and it is enough to be with intention of complying with the God's will.

297. Ghusl to a Muslim dead child, even illegitimate, is obligatory.

298. If a foetus of 4 months or more is aborted it is obligatory to give it Ghuls, and even if it has not completed four months, but it has formed features of a human child, it must be given Ghusl as a precaution. In the event of both of these circumstances being absent, the foetus will be wrapped up in a cloth and buried without Ghusl.

299. It is unlawful for a man to give Ghusl to the dead body of a non-Mahram woman and for a woman to give Ghusl to the dead body of a non-Mahram man. Husband and wife can, however, give Ghusl to the dead body of each other.

300. If there is an essential impurity on any part of the dead body, it is obligatory to remove it befor giving Ghusl.

301. Ghusl for a dead body is similar to Ghusl of Janàbah. And the obligatory precaution is that a corpse should not be given Ghusl by Irtimàsi',that is, immersion, as long as it is possible to give Ghusl by way of Tartibi. And even in the case of Tartibi Ghusl it is necessary that the body should be washed on the right side first. And then the left side.

302. There is no rule for Jabi'rah in Ghusl of mayyit, so if water is not available or there is some other valid excuse for abstaining from using water for the Ghusl, then the dead body should be given one Tayammum instead of Ghusl.

303. A perscon giving Tayammum to the dead body should strike his own palms on earth and then wipe them the face and back of the hands of the daed body. And the recommended precaution is that he should, if possible, use the hands of the dead for another Tayammum.

Rules Regarding Kafn (Shrouding)

304. The body of a dead Muslim should be given Kafn with three pieces of cloth:a loin cloth, a shirt or tunic, and a full cover.

305. As an obligatory precaution, the loin cloth should be long enough to cover the body from the navel up to the knees, better still if it covers the body from the chest up to the feet. As an obligatory precaution, the shirt should be long enough to cover the entire body from the top of the shoulders up to the middle of the forelegs, and better still if it reaches the feet. The sheet cover should be long enough to conceal the whole body, and as an obligatory precaution it should be so long that both its ends could be tied, and its peadth should be enough to allow one side to overlap the other.

306. As a precaution, it must be ensured that each of the three pieces used for Kafan is not so thin as to show the body of the deceased. However, if the body is fully consealed when all the three pieces are put together, then it will suffice.

307. It is not permissible to give a Kafan which is Najis, or which is made of pure silk, or as a precaution which is women with gold, except in the situation of helplessness, when no alternative is to be found.

308. If the Kafan becomes Najis owing to Najasah, of the deceased, or owing to some other Najasah, its Najis part should be washed or cut off in such a manner that the Kafan may not be lost, even after the dead body has been placed in the grave. And if it is not possible to wash it, or to cut it off, but it is possible to change it, then it should be changed.

Rules of Hunot

309. After having given Ghusl to a dead body it is obligatory to give Hunot, which is to apply caphor on its forehead, both the palms, both the knees and both the big toes. It is not necessary to rub the caphor ; it must be seen on those parts. It is Mustahab to apply caphor to the nose tip also. Caphor must be powdered and freash and Tahir and Mubah, and if it is so stale that it has lost its fragrance, then it will not suffice.

310. It is better that Hunotis given before Kafn, although there is no harm in giving Hunotduring Kafn or even after.

311. Though it is Halal (allowed) for a Mutakif and a woman whose husband has died and she is in Iddah to perform him/herself, but if he or she dies, it is obligatory to give her Hunot.

312. It is Mustahab to mix a small quantity of Turbah (soil of the shrine of Imàm Husayn) with caphor, but it should not be applied to those parts of the body, where its use may imply any disrespect. It is also necessary that the quantity of Turban is not much, so that the identity of caphor does not change.

Rules ofSalat -ul-Mayyit

313. It is obligatory to offerSalat-ul-Mayyit for every dead Muslim, as well as for a Muslim child if it has completed 6 years of its age.

314. If a child had not completed 6 years of its age, but it was a discerning child who knew whatSalat was, then as an obligatory precautionSalat-ul-Mayyit for it should be offered. If it did not know ofSalat, the prayer msy be offered with the hope of pleasing Allah (Raja'an). However, to offerSalat-ul- mayyit for a still born child is not Mustahab.

315. Salat-ul-Mayyit should be offered after the dead body has been given Ghusl, Hunotand Kafan and if it is offered before or during the performance of these acts, it does not suffice, even if it is due to forgetfulness or on account of not knowing the rule.

316. It is not necessary for a person who offersSalat-ul-Mayyit to be in Ghosl or Ghusl or Tayammum nor is it necessary that his body and dress be Tahir. Rather there is no harm even if his dress is a usurped one.

317. One who offersSalat-ul-Mayyit should face the Qiblah, and it is also obligatory that at the time ofSalat-ul-Mayyit, the dead body remains before him on its back, in a manner that its head is on his right and its feet on his left side.

318. The place where a man stands to offerSalat-ul-Mayyit should not be higher or lower than the place where the dead body is kept. However, its being a littie higher or iower is immaterial.

319. The person offeringSalat-ul-Mayyet should not be distant from the dead body. However, it he is praying in a congredation (Jamaah), then there is no harm in his being distant from the head body in the rows which are connected to each other.

320. InSalat-ul-Mayyit, one who offers prayer should stand in such a Way that the dead body is in front of him, except if theSalat is prayed in a congregation and the lines extend beyond on both sides, then praying away from the dead body will not be objectionable.

321. If a dead body is buried withoutSalat-ul- Mayyet, either intentionally or forgetfully, or on account of an excuse, or if it trancpires after its burial that the prayer offered for it was void, it will not be permissible to dig up the grave for prayingSalat-ul-Mayyit. There is no objection to praying, with the hope of pleasing Allah, by the graveside, if one feels that decay has not yet taken place.

Method ofSalat-ul-Mayyit

322. There are 5 Takbirs (saying Allahu Akbar) inSalat-ul-Mayyit and it is sufficient if a person recites those 5 Takbirs in the following order:

After making intention to offer the prayer and pronouncing the 1st Takbir he should say: Ashhadu an la ilaha illa-llah, wa anna muhammadan Rasulullah. (I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah's Messenger.)

After the 2nd Takbir he should say: Allahumma salli ala Muhammadin wa ali Muhammad. (O'Lord ! Bestow peace and blessing upon Muhammad and his progeny.)

After the 3rd Takbir he should say: Allahumma-ghfi rlil-mu'minina walmu'minat. (O'Lord ! Forgive all believers men as well as women.)

After the 4th Takbir he should say: Allahumma-ghfir li-hadhal-mayyit. (O'Lord Forgive this dead male person).If the dead person is a female, he would say:

Allahumma-ghfir li-hadhihil-mayyit.

Thereafter he should pronounce the 5th Takbir.

323. A person offering prayer for the dead body should recite Takbirs and supplications in a sequence, so thatSalat-ul-Mayyit does not lose its from.

324. A person who joinsSalat-ul-Mayyit to follow an Imàm should recite all the Takbirs and supplisations.

Rules About Burial of the Dead Body

325. It is obligatory to bury a dead body in the ground, so deep thst its smell does not come out and the beasts of prey do not dig it out.

326. The dead body should be laid in the grave on its right side so that the face remains towards the Qiblah.

327. It is not permitted to bury a muslim in the graveyard of the con Muslims, nor to bury a non-Muslim in the graveyard of the Muslims.

328. It is not permissible to bury a dead body in a usurped place not in a place which is dedicated for purposes other then burial (e.g.in a Masjid), if it is harmful or obtrusive for the dedication. As an obligatory precaution this is not permitted, even if it is not harmful or obstructive for the dedication.

329. It is not permissible to dig up a grave for the purpose of burying another dead body in it, unless one is sure that the grave is very old and the former body has been totally disintegrated.

330. Anything which is separated from the dead body (even its hair, nail or tooth) should be buried along with it. And if any part of the body, including hair. nails or teeth are found after the body has been buried, they should be buried at a separate place, as per obligatory precaution. And it is Mustahab that nails and teeth cut off or extracted during lifetime are also buried.

Exhumation

331. It is Halal (allowed) to open the grave of a Muslim even if it belongs to a child or an insane person. However, there is no objection in doing so if the dead body has decayed and turned into dust.

332. Digging up or destroying the graves of the descendants of Imàms the martyrs, the Ulama (religious scholars) and all cases whose destroying amounts to desecration, is Halal (allowed) even if they are very old.

333. Digging up the grave is allowed in some cases, which are explained fully in defailed books.

Recommended Ghusls

334. In Islam, several Ghusls are Mustahab. Some of them are listed below:

* Ghusl-ul-jumu'ah (Friday Ghusl): Its prescribed time is from Fajr (dawn) to sunset, but it is better to perform it near noon. If, however, a person does not perform it till noon, he can perform it till dusk without an entention of either performing it on time or as Qaèà. And if a person does not perform his Ghusl on Friday it is Mustahab that he should perform the Qaèà of Ghusl on Saturday at any time between dawn and dusk.

* Taking baths on the 1st, 17th, 19th, 21st, 23rd and 24th nights of the holy month of Ramadan.

* Ghusl on id-ul-Fitr day and id-ul-Adha day. The time of this Ghusl is from Fajr up to sunset. it is, however, better to perform it before id prayer.

* Ghusl on the 8th and 9th of the month of Dhul-Hijjah. As regars the bathing on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjad it is better to perform it at noon-time.

* Some other Ghusls which are mentioned in detailed books.

‏335 After having taken a Ghusl wich its being recommended is established, like those listed in rule no. 651, one can perform acts (e.g. prayer) for which Ghosl is necessary. However, Ghusls which thier being Mustahab is not estoblished do not suffice for Ghosl (i.e.Ghosl has to be performed).

336. If a person wishes to perform a number of Mustahab Ghusls, one Ghusl with the intention of performing all the Ghusls will be sufficient.


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