Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

The Fourteen Luminaries of Islam

Author(s): Ahmad Ahmadi Birjandi

Translator(s): Ahmad Rezwani

Publisher(s): Islamic Research Foundation Astan-e Quds Razavi

www.alhassanain.org/english

Biography of Prophet Muhammad (S), Hadhrat Fatimah Zahra (as), and the Twelve Holy Imams (as)

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This work is published on behalf of www.alhassanain.org/english

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Table of Contents

Publisher's Note 8

Notes 9

The First Infallible Hadhrat Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah, the Holy Prophet of Islam 10

A Remembrance of the Brave Youth Pledge (known as half Al-Fudhul) 12

Muhammad (S)'s Marriage 12

The Beginning of the Prophetic Mission (Bi‘tha) 13

The First Muslims 14

General Call to Islam 15

Early Muslims 16

Persecution by the Opponents 16

Idolater's Confrontation with Muhammad (S) 17

Prophet (S)’s Perseverance 18

Emigration to Abyssinia 18

Economic Sanction 19

Spread of Islam in Yathrib (Medina) 20

Mi‘raj (Ascension) - Journey to Ta’if 20

Emigration to Medina 21

Arrival in Medina 21

The Importance of Emigration 22

The First Step 22

The Prophet (S)'s Battles 23

Battle of Badr 23

Change of the Qibla 23

Battle of Uhud 23

Battle of Kandaq (or Ahzab Confederates) 23

The 6th Year of Hijra - Hudaybiya Peace 24

The Holy Prophet (S)'s Letters to the Kings 24

Battle of Khaibar 25

Conquest of Mecca 25

The Death of the Holy Prophet (S)'s Beloved Son 25

Farewell Pilgrimage - the Last Journey of the Prophet (S) to Mecca 26

In the Arena of Ghadir Khumm 26

The Qur’an and the Household of the Prophet (S) 27

The Qur’an 27

‘Itrat or Ahl-al Bayt (as) 28

The Holy Messenger's Wives 28

The Prophet (S)'s Behavior and Temperament 29

Notes 30

The Second Infallible, Hadhrat ‘Ali b. Abi Talib, The First Imam 31

The Beginning of ‘Ali (as)'s Self-Sacrifices 31

In the Fourth year of the Prophetic Mission 32

Another Self-Sacrifice 32

The Night of Hijra and Self-Sacrifice by ‘Ali (as) 32

In the battle of Uhud 33

In the Battle of Khandaq 33

The Battle of Khaybar 33

In the Conquest of Mecca 34

In the Battles of Hunayn and Ta’if 34

In the Battle of Tabuk 34

The Visage of ‘Ali (as) in the Qur’an 34

After the Demise of the Holy Prophet (S) 35

‘Ali (as)'s Murder and the End of His Rule 36

Imam and Imamate 37

Nahj al-Balagha 38

Imam ‘Ali (as)'s Wives and Children 38

Notes 39

The Third Infallible, Hadhrat Fatimah al-Zahra 40

Her Parents 40

Lifetime of Fatimah al-Zahra (as) 41

How Fatimah (as) and ‘Ali (as) Got Married 42

From Delight to Sorrow 43

The Story of Fadak as a Historical Reality 44

Note 48

The Fourth Infallible, Hadhrat Imam al-Hasan al-Mujtaba, The Second Imam 49

Human Perfections 49

People's Allegiance to Imam al-Hasan (as) 51

Wives and Children of Imam al-Hasan (as) 55

Notes 56

The Fifth Infallible, Hadhrat Imam al-Husayn, Sayyid al-Shuhada, The Third Imam 57

Imam al-Husayn (as) and Mu‘awiya 59

Preparation for the Everlasting Epic of Karbala 60

Letters of Invitation from the People of Kufa 62

Notes 65

The Sixth Infallible, Hadhrat Imam Zayn al-‘Abidin, The Fourth Imam 66

The Message of Blood and Martyrdom 67

Imam al-Sajjad (as) in Damascus 69

Leaving for Medina 70

Sahifat al-Sajjadiyya 71

Some Sayings of Imam al-Sajjad (as) 73

Notes 73

The Seventh Infallible, Hadhrat Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, The Fifth Imam 75

Martyrdom of Imam Muhmmad al-Baqir (as) 80

His Wives and Children 80

Notes 81

The Eighth Infallible, Hadhrat Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq, The Sixth Imam 82

The Era of Imam al-Sadiq (as) 82

Scientific Movement 84

The Temperament of Imam al-Sadiq (as) 86

Notes 88

The Ninth Infallible, Hadhrat Imam Musa b. Ja‘far, The Seventh Imam 89

The Appearance, Traits, and Morals of Imam Musa al-Kazim (as) 89

Imam al-Kazim (as) in the Bastion of Teaching Truths and Struggle 90

Notes 94

The Tenth Infallible, Hadhrat Imam ‘Ali b. Musa al-Ridha, The Eighth Imam 95

Hadith Silsilat al-Dhahab in Neyshabur 97

In Merv 98

Crown Princeship 98

The Consequence of Transferring Caliphate and its Tendency Toward the ‘Alawis 99

The Last Intrigues and Deceptions 101

Burial Place of Imam al-Ridha (as) 101

Notes 102

The Eleventh Infallible, Hadhrat Imam Muhammad al-Taqi, Jawad al-A’imma, The Ninth Imam 103

Martyrdom of Imam al-Jawad (as) 106

Imam al-Jawad (as)'s Wives and Children 107

Notes 108

The Twelfth Infallible, Hadhrat Imam ‘Ali al-Naqi, al-Hadi, The Tenth Imam 109

The Tenth Imam (as)'s Companions 112

Imam al-Hadi (as)'s Countenance and Conduct 113

Imam al-Hadi (as)'s Martyrdom 113

Imam al-Hadi (as)'s Wife and Children 113

Notes 114

The Thirteenth Infallible, Hadhrat Imam al-Hasan al-‘Askari, The Eleventh Imam 115

Countenance and Conduct of Imam al-Hasan ‘Askari (a.s.) 115

The Period of His Imamate 115

The Martyrdom of Imam al-Hasan al-‘Askari (as) 116

Notes 119

The Fourteenth Infallible, Hadhrat Hujjat b. al-Hasan al-‘Askari, The Twelfth Imam 120

Devoted Shi‘as Saw Imam al-Mahdi (as) 120

Necessity of the Last Imam's Occultation 121

Countenance and Conduct of al-Mahdi (as) 122

Imam al-Mahdi (as)'s Sword 123

Short-time or Minor Occultation 124

The Long-term or Major Occultation and the General Deputyship 124

Belief in Mahdism in the Past Periods 125

Belief in Imam al-Mahdi (as) is not Confined to Shi‘ism 125

The Holy Qur’an and Imam al-Mahdi (as) 125

The length of Imam (as)'s Life 126

Awaiting the Reappearance of the Qa’im (as) 126

Notes 127

Bibliography 129

Publisher's Note

Studying the life and sira of the Infallible ones (as) is incumbent upon every Muslim, as their life is a full-length mirror reflecting the Islamic thought and they are considered as the symbols of the purified Prophetic Sunna. First of all, it is to be noted that both the Prophet Muhammad (S) and the Imams (as) have all enjoyed Divine and human virtues and excellences. From this perspective, there is no difference between them; and if a virtue is more saliently symbolized in one of them, it is due to the circumstances and conditions that the Imam has been situated in.

The Imams (as), themselves, say: “Whatever we have is from the Holy Prophet (S) and whatever the Holy Prophet (S) has is from Allah (S.W.T.).”

In Surat al-Shura, Allah (S.W.T.) says to His Apostle:

قُلْ لَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَمَنْ يَقْتَرِفْ حَسَنَةً نَزِدْ لَهُ فِيهَا حُسْنًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ شَكُورٌ (23)

﴾ Say, “I do not ask you any reward for it except love of [my] relatives.” Whoever performs a good deed, We shall enhance for him its goodness. Indeed Allah is All-forgiving, All-appreciative. ﴿ (Q: 42/23)

It may be said that over one fourth of the Holy Qur’an concerns the values which can be found in the Prophet (S.A.) and his pure and noble progeny, all enjoying a sublime status before God Almighty. The Holy Prophet (S.A.) states: “The parable of my Ahl al-Bayt among you is that of the Ark of Noah; whoever boards it is safe; and whoever remains behind, is drowned.”1 He is also quoted as saying: “The parable of my Ahl al-Bayt is that of the Remission Gate (Bab Hitta) among the Israelites, whoever enters it is forgiven.”2

Accordingly, the Shi‘as believe that the Prophetic Mission is sealed with the Prophethood of Muhammad (S); however, the wilaya, which is the continuation of Prophetic Mission, would live on and sustain through holding on fast to the twelve Infallible Imams (as). Besides, continuity of Imamate and wilaya is secured with the existence of Imam al-Mahdi (as), who will one day fill the world with justice and equity with his reappearance.

The Islamic Research Foundation of Astan Quds Razavi is honored to undertake the promotion of the thoughts and words of the Infallible Imams (as), which represent the pure Islamic intellectual thought. Accordingly, with the translation of Chahardah Akhtar-i Tabnak into English (The Fourteen Luminaries of Islam) and publishing it in a single volume as well as fourteen separate volumes, this Foundation has tried to take a step, however small, toward the introduction of these luminary figures and the dissemination of Islamic and human values.

Chahardah Akhtar-i Tabnak, originally written by the late eminent researcher Ahmad Ahmadi Birjandi (a member of the Islamic Research Foundation), is such a valuable and concise work that has managed to address a great number of seekers after perfection and has been published several times. Being decided to be published in English; however, the Persian version was assigned to the IRF Department of History of Islam to be revised and then handed over to the Translation Department to be rendered into English.

It is hoped that this English translation may pave the way for further familiarization of the interested readers with the profound and prominent Islamic culture.

Islamic Research Foundation of Astan Quds Razavi

Notes

1. Bihar al-Anwar, 23/124.

2. Ibid, 23/119.