Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

The Qur’an and Exposure of the Enemies

Islam has paid due attention to the independence of the MuslimUmmah , and for this very reason it has suggested certain measures to prevent any kind, of alien interference in the internal affairs of an Islamic State on the part of the non‑Muslims . TheQur’anic imperatives are categorical in this regard.

In some of theQur’anic verses the evil designs and targets of the plotting unbelievers are fully exposed, so that Muslims should nothe deceived by their hypocritical attitude. They also suggest how this challengeshould be met . A few relevant versesare quoted here:

مَّا يَوَدُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ وَلَا الْمُشْرِكِينَ أَن يُنَزَّلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْۗ وَاللَّهُ يَخْتَصُّ بِرَحْمَتِهِ مَن يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ

“The unbelievers of the People of the Book (the Jews and the Christians) and the idolaters do not like that any good should be sent down to you from your Lord, and God chooses especially whom He pleases for His mercy, and God is of bounty abounding.” (2:105)

إِن تَمْسَسْكُمْ حَسَنَةٌ تَسُؤْهُمْ وَإِن تُصِبْكُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَفْرَحُوا بِهَاۖ وَإِن تَصْبِرُوا وَتَتَّقُوا لَا يَضُرُّكُمْ كَيْدُهُمْ شَيْئًاۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌ

“If you are visited with good fortune it vexes them, and if an evil afflicts you, they rejoice at it. Yet if you are patient and God‑fearing, their evil designs will not harm you in any way; God encompasses the things they do.” (3:120)

وَدَّ كَثِيرٌ مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ لَوْ يَرُدُّونَكُم مِّن بَعْدِ إِيمَانِكُمْ كُفَّارًا حَسَدًا مِّنْ عِندِ أَنفُسِهِم مِّن بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الْحَقُّۖ فَاعْفُوا وَاصْفَحُوا حَتَّىٰ يَأْتِيَ اللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

“Many of the People of the Book wish that they might restore you as unbelievers, after you have believed, in the jealousy of their souls after the truth has become manifest to them; yet do you pardon and forgive, till God brings His command; truly God is powerful over everything.” (2:109)

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِن تُطِيعُوا فَرِيقًا مِّنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ يَرُدُّوكُم بَعْدَ إِيمَانِكُمْ كَافِرِينَ

“O believers, if you obey a sect of those who have been given the Book, they will turn you after you have believed, into unbelievers.” (3:100)

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِن تُطِيعُوا الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يَرُدُّوكُمْ عَلَىٰ أَعْقَابِكُمْ فَتَنقَلِبُوا خَاسِرِينَ بَلِ اللَّهُ مَوْلَاكُمْۖ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ النَّاصِرِينَ

“O believers, if you obey the unbelievers they will turn you upon your heels, so that you turn back losers.No; but God is your Protector and He is the best of helpers.” (3:149‑150)

فَبِمَا نَقْضِهِم مِّيثَاقَهُمْ لَعَنَّاهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَا قُلُوبَهُمْ قَاسِيَةًۖ يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِۙ وَنَسُوا حَظًّا مِّمَّا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ وَلَا تَزَالُ تَطَّلِعُ عَلَىٰ خَائِنَةٍ مِّنْهُمْ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّنْهُمْۖ فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاصْفَحْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

“So for their breaking their covenant We cursed them and made their hearts hard; they pervert words from their meanings; and they have forgotten a portion of what they were reminded of; and you shall always discover treachery in them excepting a few of them. Yet pardon them, and forgive; surely Allah loves the good‑doers .” (5:13)

وَلَن تَرْضَىٰ عَنكَ الْيَهُودُ وَلَا النَّصَارَىٰ حَتَّىٰ تَتَّبِعَ مِلَّتَهُمْۗ قُلْ إِنَّ هُدَى اللَّهِ هُوَ الْهُدَىٰۗ وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَاءَهُم بَعْدَ الَّذِي جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِۙ مَا لَكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ مِن وَلِيٍّ وَلَا نَصِيرٍ

“Never will the Jews be pleased with you, neither the Christians, not till you follow their religion. Say: “Surely God's guidance is the [only] true guidance.” And if you follow their caprices after the knowledge that has come to you, you shall have against God neither protector nor helper.” (2:120)

كَيْفَ وَإِن يَظْهَرُوا عَلَيْكُمْ لَا يَرْقُبُوا فِيكُمْ إِلًّا وَلَا ذِمَّةً يُرْضُونَكُم بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَتَأْبَىٰ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ فَاسِقُونَ اشْتَرَوْا بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيلًا فَصَدُّوا عَن سَبِيلِهِ إِنَّهُمْ سَاءَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ لَا يَرْقُبُونَ فِي مُؤْمِنٍ إِلًّا وَلَا ذِمَّةً وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُعْتَدُونَ

“How can it be? If they get the better of you, they will not observe towards you any bond or treaty, giving you satisfaction with their mouths while their hearts do not consent; and most of them are transgressors. They have sold the signs o f God for a small price, and have barred from His way; surely evil is that they have been doing, observing neither bond nor treaty towards a believer; they are the transgressors.” (9:8‑10)

هَا أَنتُمْ أُولَاءِ تُحِبُّونَهُمْ وَلَا يُحِبُّونَكُمْ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْكِتَابِ كُلِّهِ وَإِذَا لَقُوكُمْ قَالُوا آمَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَوْا عَضُّوا عَلَيْكُمُ الْأَنَامِلَ مِنَ الْغَيْظِ قُلْ مُوتُوا بِغَيْظِكُمْۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ

“Ha, there you are; you love them while they love you not; you believe in the Book, all of it, and when they meet you they say, `We believe,' and when they goprivily , they bite at you their fingers. Say: Die in your rage;' surely God knows what is in the hearts.” (3:119)

وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ إِلَّا تَفْعَلُوهُ تَكُن فِتْنَةٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَفَسَادٌ كَبِيرٌ

“As for the unbelievers, they are friends one of another. Unless you do this, there will be persecutionan the earth and great corruption.” (8:73)

These verses disclose the evil motives, secret designs, and the essential characteristics of the unbelievers, some of whichare given below:

1. If any good fortune comes to you, the unbelievers and polytheists are unhappy, for they do not like to see you benefited from anything. They are happy if some misfortune befalls you.

2. The unbelievers nurture jealousy for you and wish to turn you back from your faith.

3. If you obey the unbelievers they would make you give up your faith.

4. The unbelievers are dishonest in dealings with you, and you ought to be always aware of their evil intentions.

5. The Jews and the Christians shall never accept you unless you embrace their faith.

6. Their pacts and covenants are unreliable. If they find means of subordinating you, they will violate all the treaties and compacts that they earlier signed with you.

7. The unbelievers shall never be friendly with you, even though you treat them as friends.

8. The unbelieversare united in friendship against you and shall cooperate with one another to inflict losses on you.

God, the Almighty, has warned Muslims of the malice, enmity, dishonesty, and subversive nature of the unbelievers so that Muslims may be conscious of the fact that they can never be trusted as friends and well‑wishers. It is imperative to keep them at a distance and to strengthen yourdefences .

God places great emphasis on thedefence of the freedom and independence of Islam against the dangers posed by the evil plots of its enemies. After enumerating some of the characteristics of the unbelievers and their evil objectives, God warns Muslims of the dangers of being friendly with them, placing reliance on them, and against surrendering their resources and powers to them.

He warns them against following the unbelievers and thus directly or indirectly helping them in realizing their objectives. The Islamic State should not form friendly alliances with the unbelievers, nor are their covenants to be fully trusted. SomeQur’anic verses in this contextmay be referred to:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا بِطَانَةً مِّن دُونِكُمْ لَا يَأْلُونَكُمْ خَبَالًا وَدُّوا مَا عَنِتُّمْ قَدْ بَدَتِ الْبَغْضَاءُ مِنْ أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَمَا تُخْفِي صُدُورُهُمْ أَكْبَرُ قَدْ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ الْآيَاتِۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

“Obelievers, take not for your intimates outside yourselves; such men spare nothing to ruin you; they yearn for you to suffer. Hatred has already shown itself of their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is yet greater. Indeed,We have made Our signs clear to you, if you understand them.” (3:118)

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَىٰ أَوْلِيَاءَۘ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْهُمْۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ

“Obelievers, do not take the Jews and Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, he is one of them. Surely God doesnotguide the evildoers.” (5:51)

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا دِينَكُمْ هُزُوًا وَلَعِبًا مِّنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ وَالْكُفَّارَ أَوْلِيَاءَ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

“O believers, do not take for guardians those who take your religion for a mockery and a joke, from among those who were given the Book before you and the unbelievers; and fear God, if you are believers.” (5:57)

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا عَدُوِّي وَعَدُوَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَاءَ تُلْقُونَ إِلَيْهِم بِالْمَوَدَّةِ وَقَدْ كَفَرُوا بِمَا جَاءَكُم مِّنَ الْحَقِّ يُخْرِجُونَ الرَّسُولَ وَإِيَّاكُمْۙ أَن تُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ رَبِّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ خَرَجْتُمْ جِهَادًا فِي سَبِيلِي وَابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاتِي تُسِرُّونَ إِلَيْهِم بِالْمَوَدَّةِ وَأَنَا أَعْلَمُ بِمَا أَخْفَيْتُمْ وَمَا أَعْلَنتُمْ وَمَن يَفْعَلْهُ مِنكُمْ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَوَاءَ السَّبِيلِ

“Obelievers, do not take My enemy and your enemy for friends; would you offer them love while they deny what has come to you of the Truth, expelling the Apostle and yourselves because you believe in God, your Lord? If you go forth to struggle inMy path and seek My good pleasure, would you show love for them in secret? And I know what you conceal and what you manifest, and whoever of you does this, he indeed has gone astray from the straight path.” (60:1)

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا الْكَافِرِينَ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِن دُونِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَتُرِيدُونَ أَن تَجْعَلُوا لِلَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ سُلْطَانًا مُّبِينًا

“O believers, do not take the unbelievers for friends rather than the believers, do you desire that you should give to Allah a manifest proof against yourselves?” (4:144)

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَوَلَّوْا قَوْمًا غَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ قَدْ يَئِسُوا مِنَ الْآخِرَةِ كَمَا يَئِسَ الْكُفَّارُ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْقُبُورِ

“Obelievers, do not make friends with a people with whom God iswroth ; indeed they despair of the Hereafter as the unbelievers despair of those in graves.” (60:13)

لَّا يَتَّخِذِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الْكَافِرِينَ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِن دُونِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَۖ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ فَلَيْسَ مِنَ اللَّهِ فِي شَيْءٍ إِلَّا أَن تَتَّقُوا مِنْهُمْ تُقَاةًۗ وَيُحَذِّرُكُمُ اللَّهُ نَفْسَهُۗ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ الْمَصِيرُ

“Let not the believers take the unbelievers for friends rather than believers; for whoso does that belongs not to God in anything, unless you have a fear of them. God warns you that you beware of Him, and unto God is the eventual coming.” (3:28)

In addition to the traits of the unbelievers enumeratedearlier the following can also be inferred from the verses quoted above:

1. The unbelievers nurture malice towards the believers and do not spare anything for harming them in any possible way.

2. Their enmity of Muslims finds expression in what they say, but the intensity of their unexpressed enmity, hidden in their hearts, is far greater.

3. They can never accept your religion and they make fun of it.

4. They are enemies of Muslims and of God, and do not accept theQur’anic teachings.

God, after warning us of the characteristics of the unbelievers, makes it explicit that they are not well‑wishing friends of the believers and the believers should not consider them as their friends, guardians, and defenders, and should not reveal their secrets to them. They are un­trustworthy and so are their pacts and promises.

The Muslims should not allow them to plan on their behalf and to decide for them. They should not let the unbelievers take charge of their institutions and decide their policies and execute their programs, and they should not let themselvesbe deceived by their apparently well‑wishing but inwardly injurious suggestions.

This point is repeatedly stressed, and finally it is declared that a Muslim who males any pact of friendship and alliance with the unbelievers ceases to be one of the IslamicUmmah and the Party of God.

Friendship with unbelieversis considered even as a sign of disbelief

وَلَوْ كَانُوا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالنَّبِيِّ وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مَا اتَّخَذُوهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءَ وَلَٰكِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنْهُمْ فَاسِقُونَ

“And had they believed in God and the Prophet (S) and what was revealed to him, they would not have taken them (the unbelievers) for friends, but most of them are transgressors.” (5:81)

لَّا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوا آبَاءَهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَانَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ

“You shall not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day be­friending those who act in opposition to Allah and His Apostle, even though they were their [own] fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their kinsfolk.” (58:22)

In theseQur’anic verses the basic guide‑lines of an Islamic govern­ment's external policy in relation to the countries having no faith in God is clearly and explicitly laid down. Muslimsare categorically commanded to guard and defend their independence and freedom, and not let the unbelievers to infiltrate and interfere in their internal affairs.

Muslimsare asked to be on guard against them. All relations andpacts which would ultimately lead to the increasing influence and domination of unbelievers over the affairs of Muslims are illegitimate and must be abstained from. TheQur’anic injunction in this regard is not only clear but also categorical:

...وَلَن يَجْعَلَ اللَّهُ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ سَبِيلًا

“... And Allah will by no means give the unbelievers a way against the believer‑s [to dominate them].” (4:141)

Friendship with Unbelievers in Case of Emergency

The Qur’an by forbidding allegiance to unbelievers aims at protecting independence of the MuslimUmmah . In accordance with this aim, if the interests of Islam and Muslims require, the Islamic government can establish friendly relations provisionally.1

For instance, if the Islamic government finds that it is unable to resist an infidel power, it can temporarily seek its friendship and conclude truce with it, in order to strengthen its position anddefences .

Similarly if the interests of Islam demand adopting a soft and liberal policy towards the unbelievers with the purpose of propagating Islam among them and converting them to Islam, the Islamic State can have friendly relations with them. The Qur’an permits Muslims to have such relations with the unbelievers in special circumstances:

لَّا يَتَّخِذِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الْكَافِرِينَ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِن دُونِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَۖ وَمَن يَفْعَلْ ذَٰلِكَ فَلَيْسَ مِنَ اللَّهِ فِي شَيْءٍ إِلَّا أَن تَتَّقُوا مِنْهُمْ تُقَاةًۗ وَيُحَذِّرُكُمُ اللَّهُ نَفْسَهُۗ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ الْمَصِيرُ

Let not the believers take the unbelievers for friends rather than believers; for whoso does that belongs not to God in anything, unless you have a fear of them. God warns you that you beware of Him, and unto God is the eventual coming. (3:28)

This verse forbids friendship with the unbelievers, but in exceptionalcircumstances dissimulation (taqiyyah ) is permissible. The issue of dissimulationis confirmed by many authentic traditions. Of such reliable traditions is the one quoted byTafsir al‑Safi , under the commentary on the verse 3:28, from the book al‑'Ihtijaj , that Amir al ­Mu'minin 'Ali (A)said:

وأمرك أن تستعمل التقية في دينك فإن الله يقول: لا يتخذ المؤمنون الكافرين أولياء من دون المؤمنين ومن يفعل ذلك فليس من الله في شئ إلا أن تتقوا منهم تقاة " وإياك ثم إياك أن تتعرض للهلاك وأن تترك التقية التي أمرتك بها فإنك شائط بدمك ودماء إخوانك معرض لنعمك ولنعمهم للزوال مذلهم في أيدي أعداء الله وقد امرك بإعزازهم

“God commanded you to observetaqiyyah so that you may follow this command in the matter of religion. Godsays: I commanded you to dis­simulate, so do not give it up lest your life be endangered. Giving up this practice would result in shedding ofyour and your brothers' blood and in dis­appearance of your and their fortunes, and by violating the rule of dis­simulation you will let your brothers be humiliated by the enemies of God's religion despite the fact that you are obliged to save theirhonour .”2

ImamJa'far al‑Sadiq (A) relates from Imam Muhammad al‑Baqir (A) that,

قال: كان رسول الله (ص) يقول: لا إيمان لمن لا تقية له ويقول، ويقول: قال الله (( إلا أن تتقوا منهم تقاةً )).

The Prophet (S) saidthat: “a man who does not dissimulate, has no faith (iman ), for God says, “... unless you have a fear of them ....”3

Consider the following traditions:

قال الباقر (ع): التقية في كل شيء يضطر إليه ابن آدم، فقد أحله الله له

Imam Muhammad al‑Baqir said: “Dissimulation is permissible in all the things in which a man is coerced. God has permitted it.”4

Al‑Imam al‑Hasan ibn 'Ali (A) related from the Prophet (S) that he said, “God distinguished the prophets from other beings for they showed courtesy to enemies of God's religion, andpractised dissimulation for the sake of their brothers.

قال الصادق عليه السلام في قول الله تعالى: ((وقولوا للناس حسنا)) - أي للناس كلهم مؤمنهم ومخالفهم; أما المؤمنون فيبسط لهم وجهه، وأما المخالفون فيكلمهم بالمداراة لاجتذابهم إلى الإيمان. فإنه بـأيسر من ذلك يكف شرورهم عن نفسه وعن إخوانه المؤمنين

قال الإمام عليه السلام: إن مداراة أعداء الله من أفضل صدقة المرء على نفسه وإخوانه. كان رسول الله في منزله إذ استأذن عليه عبد الله بن أبي السلول، فقال رسول الله: بئس أخو العشيرة. ائذنوا له. فلما دخل، أجلسه وبشر في وجهه. فلما خرج، قالت عائشة: يا رسول الله قلت فيه ما قلت وفعلت به من البشر ما فعلت، فقال رسول الله: يا عويش! يا حميراء! إن شر الناس عند الله يوم القيمة من يكرم اتقاء شره

ImamJa'far al‑Sadiq (A), referring to the Divine Utterance,

“... And speakgood to men ....” (2:83),

said : “[It means, speak kindly] to all people, whether believers or unbelievers; converse with the believers with warmth.and cheer and with unbelievers with courtesy so that you attract them to the Islamic faith. Or at least you can protect yourself and your fellow believers from the harm that can be caused to you by the unbelievers.”

The Imamsaid: “Showing courtesy to enemies of God is the best form of alms‑giving as it saves you and your Muslim brothers from harm. Once the Prophet (S) was at his home, `Abd Allahibn Abi Sulul came to see him. He said, `A bad one of his tribe. Let him come.' Then he received him with courtesy and asked him to sit. When he departed, `A'ishah asked, `O Prophet (S) of God, after what you said about him, whydid you show him so much courtesy?' The Prophet (S) replied, `O `Uwaysh !OHumayra '! He would be regarded as the worst man on the Day ofJudgement whom people pay respect due to the fear of his evil!”5

It is evident from the above‑quoted Qur’anic verse and traditions that in case an Islamic government realizes that courtesy, benevolence and friendly relations with the unbelievers is the best policy for the existence and independence of the MuslimUmmah , they may provisionally adopt the policy oftaqiyyah .Nevertheless the real objective, i.e. expansion, independence, and glory of Islam, should in no case be forgotten. It makes some adjustments only for protecting its position and power.

Pacts of Cooperation and Non‑aggression with Unbelievers

If unbelievers haveno dishonest intentions of plotting and aggres­sion against Muslims and are inclined to coexist with them in peace, an Islamic State, according to its diagnosis of the interests of Islam, can sign pacts of mutual coexistence with them. In the legitimate matters (permitted by theShari'ah ) that are beneficial for both the sides, they are permitted even to cooperate. The Qur’an says:

لَّا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُم مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ أَن تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوا إِلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ إِنَّمَا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ قَاتَلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَأَخْرَجُوكُم مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ وَظَاهَرُوا عَلَىٰ إِخْرَاجِكُمْ أَن تَوَلَّوْهُمْ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُمْ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ

“Allah does not forbid you respecting those who have not made war against you on account of (your) religion, and have not driven you forth from your homes, that you show them kindness and deal with them justly; surely Allah loves the doers of justice. Allah only forbids you respecting those who made war upon you on account of (your) religion, and drove you out from your homes and backed up (others) in your expulsion, that you make friends with them; and whoever makes friends with them, these are the unjust.” (60:8‑9)

Some of the verses of the Qur’an direct Muslims to make peace with the unbelievers in case they are inclined to accept peace:

وَإِن جَنَحُوا لِلسَّلْمِ فَاجْنَحْ لَهَا وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ

“And if they incline to peace, then incline to it and trust in Allah; Surely He is the Hearing, the Knowing.” (8:61)

The Qur’an bears witness to the concluding of the Prophet's pacts with the unbelievers:

إِلَّا الَّذِينَ عَاهَدتُّم مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَنقُصُوكُمْ شَيْئًا وَلَمْ يُظَاهِرُوا عَلَيْكُمْ أَحَدًا فَأَتِمُّوا إِلَيْهِمْ عَهْدَهُمْ إِلَىٰ مُدَّتِهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ

“Except those of the idolaters with whom you made an agreement, then they haverot failed in anything and have not backed up any one against you, so fulfill their agreement to the end of their term; surely Allah loves those who are God‑fearing.” (9:4)

If we refer to the history of Islam and the life of the Prophet (S), we see that during the period of his prophetic mission, he concluded treaties with the unbelievers and faithfully observed all the conditions agreedupon . A few instancesmay be referred to here:

A. The Pact with the Jews

When the Prophet (S) migrated to al‑Madinah , he concluded a treaty between the Jews and the Emigrants (alMuhajirun ) and the Supporters (al‑'Ansar ), whose text has been preserved in history. Some highlights of that treaty, relevant to our discussion,are given below:

(i ) Every Jew who abides by this pact would benefit from our help and friendship and there would be no discrimination between him and Muslims, and nobodywould be allowed to violate his rights and befriend.his enemy.

(ii) At the time of war the Jews would be required to pay their share of the expenses incurred in war.

(iii) The Jews are free to act upon theirfaith, and Muslims upon their faith.

(iv) Anybody who declares war against any of the parties of this treaty would be fought againstunitedly by both the Muslims and the Jews, and each of the allies would meet his part of the war expenditure.

(v) The Jews and Muslims declare to be committed to cooperate for the well‑being and welfare of each other, but not in the matters of sin and evil.

(vi) The signatories of this treaty would defend al‑Madinah unitedly .6

As wesee the Prophet (S) made three kinds of pacts with the unbelievers in the light of this treaty:

(1) A pact of mutualdefence and sharing of the war expenditure.

(2) Freedom of the performance of religious rites.

(3) Mutual cooperation in matters of welfare and good deeds.

B. The Treaty ofHudaybiyyah

The highlights of the conditions of this truce, signed by the Prophet (S) at a place called `Hudaybiyyah ', are as follows:

(i ) The Muslims and theQuraysh are bound to cease all hostilities for a period of four (or ten) years, and would not attack each other.

(ii) They would respect each other's property and would not resort to cheating or theft.

(iii) Every Muslim arriving at Mecca with the purpose of the Hajj or `Umrah , or on his way to Yemen orTa'if would be guaranteed safe passage and security by theQuraysh , and similarly every member of theQuraysh arriving at al‑Madinah on their way to Syria or the east would be guaranteed security.

(iv) Each of the two partiesare free to conclude pact with any tribe they prefer, and this pact would be respected by the other party.

(v) The Muslims and theQuraysh promise to forget all malice, enmity, and grievance against each other and would not nurture in their hearts any feeling of betrayal.

(vi) Muhammad (S) and his followers can enter Mecca to perform ceremonies offfajj the year after, provided they do not have any kind of arms and their stay at Mecca does not exceed three days.7

C. The Treaty withYuhanna , the Governor ofAylah

This assurance of securityis made on behalf of God and His Prophet (S) infavour ofYuhanna , son ofRubah , and the residents ofAylah . God and His Prophet (S) stand surety for the safety of their persons and their ships and their caravans on voyage by land or sea.Similarly the people from Syria, Yemen and Bahrain who pass through their land are promised security. The people ofAylah are bound to pay thediyah (blood money) to the heirs of any person killed by them, and are bound not to prevent anybody from making use of the waters they take possession of, and would not prevent anybody from using the land and sea routes under their control.8

D. The Treaty with the Christians ofNajran

(i ) The residents ofNajran are bound topay as taxes two thousandhullah's (certain kind of garment) to the Muslims every year in twoinstalments .

(ii) The emissaries of Muhammad (S)would be offered hospitality by them for one month or less, whereas the emissaries' stay there would not exceed one month.

(iii) In case of battle in the region of Yemen, the people ofNajrim , as a token of friendship and cooperation, would make available 30 coats of mail, 30horses and 30 camels as a guaranteed loan for the Muslim army.

(iv) The people ofNajran and their surrounding areas would be under the protection of God and His Prophet (S); their lives, property and places of worship would be also safe; and their bishops and priests would be free to continue performing their duties without any hindrance from anybody.

(v) No one is entitled to exile them from theirland or extract tithe (`ushr ) from them or launch a military attack against them.

(vi) Every person from among them who makes a legitimate claim would be treated with justice.

(vii) No person from among themwould be held responsible for the crime committed by others of his faith.

(viii) The people ofNajran promise to abstain from usury (ribd ), otherwise Muhammad (S) would revoke terms of friendship with them and would not be bound to stick to the treaty. 9

It is evident from the Prophet's (S) treaties with the unbelievers that the Islamic State, taking into consideration the interests of Islam and Muslims, can conclude treaties and pacts of friendship and cooperation with the unbelievers, polytheists and the People of the Book (Ahl al‑Kitab ) in matters of common welfare, such as exchange in spheres of science, agriculture, industry, commerce, economy and defense.

Of course, such pacts should not pave way for the influence and interference of the unbelievers in the internal affairs of a Muslim State and should not hamper its independence and security, which is tobe considered of the foremost importance at the time of concluding such pacts. In no way such pactsmay be allowed to strengthen the position of the unbelievers and to endanger independence of Muslims. Islamic government in no case should ignore the hidden and inherent enmity and evil designs of the unbelievers; laxity can result in extending their influence on the Islamic State.

42. Religion

Allah, the Wise, has said:

فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفاً

“Then set your face upright for religion in the right state.”1

The Noble Prophet (s.a.w) said:

أََلْمُسْتَأْكَلُ بِدِيـنِهِ حَظُّهُ مِنْ دِيـنِهِ مَا يَأْكُلُهُ

“One, who seeks to fill his stomach by means of religion, his share of religion is what he fills in his stomach.”2

Short Explanation

Allah grants the worldly provisions to His friends as well His enemies. However, He only bestows His religion to His friends - just as he has placed monotheism within the fitrah and nature of every person, but grants His special religion to those whom He pleases.

One ought to sacrifice one's life and wealth for the religion of Allah and adorn oneself with the insignias of religion, such as truthfulness, steadfastness, faithfulness towards trusts, fulfilment of pledges and covenants, and goodness of behaviour.

1) Religion isDead

Imam ‘Ali (a.s) was passing by a place where a group of children were engaged in play. However, there was one boy who was not playing with them but stood aloof and sad. Imam (a.s) approached him and asked: “What is your name?” He replied: “Mat al-Din (Religion died).”

The Imam (a.s) desired to know the reason for such a name and so inquired about the child's father. He was informed that his father had died, but his mother was alive. He (a.s) called for his mother and inquired about the reason for such a strange name, whereupon the mother said: “When this child was in my womb, his father had embarked upon a journey. After a period his companions approached me and said: “Your husband fell ill on the way and died, but before his death he requested us that if his child was born, he should be named Mat al-Din.”

Having heard this, the Imam (a.s) comprehended the reason for such a name and ordered all the people to gather in the mosque. When the people had gathered, he (a.s) said to them: “Whenever I recite Allahu Akbar, all of you should recite it in unison too.”

He then called for the dead person's companions - who were four in number - and subjected them to individual and separate interrogation.

Turning to the first person, he (a.s) sought to know how he had killed the boy's father. The man, who was stunned to hear the question, blurted out: “All I did was to present the cord.” The Imam (a.s) recited Allahu Akbar, and the people in the mosque chorused.

The second one, in answer to the Imam's (a.s) question, said: “My only crime was to tie the cord around his neck.” The third person said: “I had brought the knife”, while the fourth person, recounting the incident explicitly, said: “We collectively murdered him for the purpose of seizing and appropriating his wealth.” The Imam (a.s) recited Allahu Akbar and the people too recited in unison.

Imam ‘Ali (a.s) took possession of the wealth which they had stolen from the deceased and handed it to the boy's mother, and then subjected the killers to a severe punishment. Then turning to the boy's mother, he (a.s) said: “Change his name to Asha al-Din (religion is alive).”3

2) The Religiousness of the Learned One from Dizful

At the time of his death, Sheikh Murtadha Ansari - having become the highest-ranking religious authority, with notable popularity and profundity in the Methodology and Science of Islamic Jurisprudence - was not any different in the material point of life from the time when he had first set foot in Najaf as a poor student from Dizful.

When people looked at his house, they found that he led his life just as the most impoverished ones led theirs. A person once said to him: “This is an immense work on your part that despite the large sum of money that comes to you, you refuse to use it for yourself.” He said: “What great work have I done?” The man said: “What work could be greater than what you are doing presently?” The Sheikh said: “At the very best, my work is similar to the donkey-riders of Kashan, who go to Isfahan and then return from there.

The donkey-riders are given money to travel to Isfahan, purchase goods from there and bring them back to Kashan. Have you ever sin them exhibiting unfaithfulness and disloyalty with respect to the people's money? They are trustworthy individuals and do not possess any right (over the people's money). This work of mine is not as important as it appears to you.”4

3) ReligionBeside the Royal Throne

During the caliphate of the second Caliph, Sad Ibn Waqqas in the company of a few others, started out for Iran. Yazdgard, the king of Persia who was in the city of Madain at that time, sent a herald to Sad inviting some of the people in his caravan to come to his court so that he could become aware of their destination.

They reached his court at a time when he had been busy consuming wine and so he ordered the drinks to be removed. When the group had entered the court, Mughairah Ibn Amir sat down alongside the king near the royal bed. Witnessing this, Yazdgard, in a state of protest, said: “You Arabs initially came to our lands for trading and begging, and after you had consumed the tasty food and the delicious water (of our land) you went and informed your friends. Now you return and claim to have brought a 'new religion.'

Your example is similar to that of the fox that had entered a garden with the intention of eating the grapes. The owner of the garden allowed him to eat and did not hurt him. The next day the fox brought other foxes along with him and, entering the garden, began eating the grapes. When the owner of the garden arrived and witnessed the scene, he bolted all the exits and killed them all.

If I wished, I too could behave just like that but I know that you have drawn up your army because of your poverty and straitened livelihood. I shall give you abundant bounties and place over you a commander such that you would lead a life of ease and comfort.”

Mughairah IbnAamir said: “Your statement regarding a difficult livelihood is correct and we too agree that there was a time when we used to eat mice and lizards, could not differentiate the lawful from the unlawful, kill our cousins for the sake of one turnip and even go on to brag about it. But then Allah, by means of His Prophet, sent for us a religion, stopped us from idolatry, guided us towards monotheism, and very soon we shall be targeting your country too.

O' Yazdgard! I give you the option to choose one out of three things: Become a Muslim so that you can continue to rule, pay the poll-tax or prepare for war.”

Hearing this, Yazdgard was overcome with rage and said: “Nothing, save a sword, can exist between you and me.” Having said this, he then drove them out of his court. Later, a war ensued betwin the two forces in which the Muslims emerged victorious.5

4) The Religiousness of Abu Ja’far Husaini

Abu Ja’far Muhammad Husaini6 - whose lineage reached Imam Husain (a.s) through four generations - was a jurist and a pious and ascetic person, who had revolted against Mutasam - the Abbasid Caliph - due to his oppression and injustices. Mutasam sought to crush his revolt and so he fled to Iran and into the cities of Khorasan, Sarakhs, Taliqan, Nisa and Merv, and a great number of Iranians pledged allegiance to him.

In Merv, forty thousand Iranians pledged allegiance to him. One night, when his army had gathered, he heard the sound of weeping. Investigating, he came to know that one of his soldiers had forcefully taken felt from a weaver and it was this weaver who had been weeping.

Abu Ja’far called for the soldier and sought to know the reason for the evil act whereupon the soldier replied: We have pledged allegiance to you so that we can loot the people and do as we like.

Abu Ja’far returned the felt to its owner and then disbanded his army, saying: “Assistance for the religion of Allah cannot be sought from such people.” Then, accompanied by his close companions, he left for Taliqan.7

5) Religion-Selling by Samurah

Samurah Ibn Jundab was of the inhabitants of Basrah. After his father's death, he accompanied his mother to Madinah, where she married Mary Ibn Shaiban - a companion of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) - and Samurah grew up under his care. Despite his young age, he was an expert archer and the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) permitted him to participate in the battle of Uhud; later, he participated in the other battles as well.

During the reign of Muawiyah, Samurah, like some of the corrupt and lying companions of the Noble Prophet(s.a.w), began fabricating traditions in praise of Muawiyah and in criticism of Amirul Mo`minin (a.s).

Muawiyah said to him: “I shall give you one hundred thousand dirhams if you ascribe the following verse (which was revealed in criticism of the hypocrites) to ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib:

وَ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يُعْجِبُكَ قَوْلُهُ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْـيَا وَ يُشْهِدُ اللَّهَ عَلى‏ مَا فِي قَلْبِهِ وَ هُوَ أَلَدُّ الْخِصَامِ وَ إِذَا تَوَلَّى سَعى‏ فِي الأََرْضِ لِيُفْسِدَ فِيهَا وَ يُهْلِكَ الْحَرْثَ وَ النَّسْلَ وَ اللَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْفَسادَ

“And among men is he, whose speech about the life of this world causes you to wonder, and he calls on Allah to witness as to what is in his heart, yet he is the most violent of adversaries. And when he turns back, he runs along in the land that he may cause mischief in it and destroy the tilth and the stock, and Allah does not love mischief-making.”8

…and ascribe this verse (which was revealed in praise of Imam ‘Ali (a.s) after he had slept on the bed of the Noble Prophet during the migration of the Noble Prophet to Medina) to Ibn Muljim:

وَ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَشْرِي نَفْسَهُ ابْتِغاءَ مَرْضاتِ اللَّهِ وَ اللَّهُ رَؤُفٌ بِالْعِبادِ

“And among men is he who sells himself to seek the pleasure of Allah; and Allah is Affectionate to the servants.”9

Initially Samurah refused the offer, howver Muawiyah raised the stakes saying: “I shall give you two hundred thousand dirhams”, but once again Samurah refused. But when Muawiyah offered him four hundred thousand dirhams he agreed and then forged traditions ascribeeng the first verse, which was about the hypocrites, to Amirul Mominin (a.s) and attributing the second verse, which was for Amirul Mominin (a.s), to Ibn Muljim, and in this manner proved that he had indeed sold his religion.10

Notes

1. Suratul Rum (30), Verse 30

2. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 78, pg. 63

3. Dastan-ha Wa Pand-ha, vol. 10, pg. 168; In the book Tarikh al-Anbiya - vol. 2, pg. 215, this judgment has bin attributed to Prophet Dawud and a similar one this has been ascribed to the Commander of the Faithfuls(as).

4. Dastanha-e-Ustad, vol. 2, pg. 68; Sirah-e-Nabawi, pg. 29

5. Namunah-e-Ma’arif, vol. 5, pg. 234; Bazm-e-Iran, pg. 142

6. He was the son of Qasim Ibn ‘Umar Ibn ‘Ali Ibn al-Husain (as) while his mother, Safiyyah, was the daughter of Musa Ibn ‘Umar Ibn ‘Ali Ibn al-Husain (as).

7. Tatimmah al-Muntaha, pg. 221

8. Suratul Baqarah (2), Verse 204-205

9.Ibid., Verse 207

10. PaighambarWa Yaran, vol. 3, pg. 258; Commentary of Nahjul Balagha (of Ibn Abil Hadid), vol. 1, pg. 471

43. Dhikr (RemembranceOf Allah)

Allah, the Wise, says:

أَلاَ بِذِکْرِ اللهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ

“Now surely by Allah's remembrance are the hearts set at rest.”1

Allah said to Musa (a.s):

لاَ تَدَعْ ذِکرِي عَلىَ کُلِّ حاَلٍ

“Under no circumstance (should you) abandonMy remembrance.”2

Short Explanation

Remembering Allah - with concentration and presence of heart - is the ultimate objective of all acts of worship. If a dhakir (one who recites dhikr and is engaged in the remembrance of Allah) is focussed towards Allah in heart and deeds, he shall come to possess a rank such that the Satan would be unable to overcome him and gain dominance over him!

If thetongue were to recite, but the heart were to be heedless, the effects and the benefits would be reduced. At the same time if he were to regard his recitations as something very important and significant, he would be overcome by pride and vanity.

Accordingly, it is vital that in addition to remembering Allah, a person should regard himself as trivial and insignificant - rather, he should look upon himself as a non-entity before His bounties; he should beseech Him to never ever make him heedless and negligent of His remembrance but instead bestow an increase in it.

1) Remembering Allah when Confronting the Enemy

The Noble Prophet (s.a.w) had started out for a battle and on the way ordered his army to halt.

In order to relieve himself, he distanced himself from his forces and headed towards a secluded location. In the meantime, it began to rain and it rained so hard that water began to flood as a result of which, the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) was cut off from his army.

Having witnessed the change in weather, he (s.a.w) sat beneath a tree when Huwairith Ibn al-Harith happened to see him. Speaking to his companions, he said: “This man is Muhammad and he has become isolated from his forces. May Allah kill me if I do not killhim! ”

He unsheathed his sword and rushed at him (s.a.w) saying: “Who is it that can deliver you from me?” The Noble Prophet (s.a.w) said: “Allah” and then prayed softly: “O' Lord! Deliver me from the evils of Huwairith in any manner as you please.”

Just as Huwairith was about to inflict his blow an angel struck him on his shoulder as a result of which he collapsed onto the ground and the sword fell from his grasp. The Noble Prophet (s.a.w) picked it up and said to him: “Who is it that can save you from me?” He said: “No one.” The Noble Prophet (s.a.w) advised: “Accept Islam and I shall hand your sword back to you!” He said: “I shall not accept Islam but I shall pledge that neither shall I fight you and your followers, nor help anyone against you.”

The Noble Prophet (s.a.w) returned his sword to him whereupon, Huwairith said: “I swear that you are better than me.”3

2) The Enamoured One

Sadi states: “Once it so happened that I had been travelling throughout the night in the company of a group of people. Accompanying us on this journey was a person, who was obsessed with Allah and drowned in His love. It was not yet dawn when we reached a jungle where we decided to rest, however as soon as we arrived, the person uttered a cry and rushing into the woods immediately engaged himself in supplicating and communicating with his Lord.

When it was morning, I asked him: What was that state which overcame you last night? He replied: Looking into the jungle, I witnessed the nightingales on the trees, the partridges on the mountains, the frogs in the water and the various animals in the jungle weeping and lamenting (out of love for Allah), and so thought to myself that it would be contrary to courtesy and civility that while all the other creations were engaged in His glorification, I slept, heedless and unmindful of Him.”4

3) The Poor Ones Question the Noble Prophet

Some of the poor persons of Madinah approached the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) and said to him: “The affluent ones perform acts of goodness like freeing slaves, giving charity, performing the Hajj etc., which are beyond our means (as a result, they shall be in possession of greater rewards than us).”

The Noble Prophet (s.a.w) said: “One, who recites Allahu Akbar a hundred times, shall be granted rewards which shall exceed the rewards of freeing one hundred slaves. One, who recites Subhan Allah a hundred times, shall come to possess rewards better than the rewards associated with the performance of Hajj. Reciting Alhamdulillah a hundred times is better than giving one hundred fully laden horses as charity in the way of Allah. One, who recites La Ilaha Illallah a hundred times, shall be of the best of the people on the Day of Judgment.”

When the affluent ones of Madinah came to know of this they too began to act upon these recommendations and so the poor ones again approached the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) and complained: “The affluent ones too have started to act upon your recommendations!” Hearing their complaint, he (s.a.w) remarked: “This is Allah”s grace and favour; He grants it to whomsoever He pleases.”5

4) Remembering the Beloved while in Comfort

Allah had granted immense bounties to Prophet Ayyub (a.s) such that it has been reported that he possessed five hundred pairs of bulls for ploughing his fields and hundreds of slaves, who used to cultivate his farms. His cargo-carrying camels were three thousand in number while his ship totalled seven thousand.

In addition to this, Allah had also granted him good health and numerous children. On his part, Ayyub (a.s) perpetually praised and thanked his Lord, and when faced with two acts of obedience, he would always choose the more difficult of the two.

But then, he became the object of Divine trials - not for having committed any sin but rather for raising his rank and status - such that Allah took back all the bounties that He had given him and afflicted his body with an incurable disease.

However, despite the severity of the adversity, when Ayyub (a.s) never abandoned thanking, praising and remembering Allah, the Satan got into the act. He began whispering into his (a.s) wife's mind as a result of which she started to complain of the hard times that had befallen them and would moan: “Everyone has deserted us and we do not possess anything.” Ayyub (a.s) said: “For eighty years we had been receiving the bounties of Allah and so we should not complain for seven years of hardships but instead continue to remember Him in all circumstances!”

But his wife continued to complain and protest, and persistently placed before him irrational ideas till eventually, enraged, he hollered: “Go away from me such that I do not set my eyes upon you ever again.”

When his wife had left him, Ayyub found himself alone and without a caretaker; going into prostration, he began praying to his Lord and communicating with Him. On this occasion Allah answered the prayers of His servant, who had continued to praise and thank Him, and once again granted him all the bounties!

Meanwhile his wife thought to herself: “Though he has driven me away, it is inappropriate for me to leave him alone. He has none to look after him and he may perish out of hunger.” With this in mind she returned to the place where she had left him but found him missing, while in his place, sat a youth. As she began to weep, the youth asked her: “Why do you weep?” She replied: I had left my old husband here but I do not see him anymore. The youth said: “If you were to see him, would you recognize him?” She said: “Yes.” Having answered him, she then looked at him hard and realised that he possessed a great resemblance to her husband. The youth then said to her: “I am the same Ayyub.”6

5) The Woman who Remembered Allah

Sayyidah Nafisah, the daughter of Hasan Ibn Zaid Ibn Hasan al-Mujtaba (a.s)) married Ishaq Mutamin, the pious and virtuous son of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s). She was of the rare and distinguished ladies of her time and stood apart from the rest with regards to worship and remembrance of Allah.

Zainab, her niece, states: “I had been in the services of my aunt for forty years and throughout this period neither did I ever observe her sleep at night (for she would be engaged in worship) nor eat in the day (for she would be engaged in fasting). Once I said to her: “Would it not be better if you were to ease things upon yourself?” She replied: “How can I place myself in ease when I have before me the bottlenecks of the Purgatory and the Day of Judgment which none can cross save the delivered ones!”

She possessed great wealth, which she used to spend on the sick, the bed-ridden and the impoverished ones for the pleasure of Allah.

She had the honour of performing the Hajj on thirty occasions - most of her journeys to the House of Allah being accomplished on foot. Once, in the company of her husband, she started out from Madinah for Palestine in order to visit the grave of Prophet Ibrahim (a.s) after which she proceeded towards Egypt.

The inhabitants of Egypt requested her to settle down there and she agreed. She dug a grave in her house and perpetually engaged herself in worship and remembrance of Allah - reportedly completing thousands of recitations of the Noble Qur`an in the grave.

According to Hadith-e-Qudsi, when Allah observes that a servant of His continually engages himself in His remembrance, He manifests the person's worth amongst the people and makes him respected and revered.

In the neighbourhood of Nafisah there lived a Jew, who had a daughter who was blind. By means of the water of Nafisah's Wudhhu, the Jew's daughter regained her sight and this prompted numerous Jews of Egypt to accept Islam.

One day, in a state of fast, as she recited the chapter al-Anam of the Noble Qur`an, upon reciting the verse:

لَهُمْ دَارُ السَّلاَمِ عِنْدَ رَبِّـهِمْ

“They shall have the abode of peace with their Lord”

her soul departed from her body. The people wanted her to be buried in Egypt but her husband, desiring to take her to Madinah, refused. At night the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) appeared to him in his dream and said: “Do not oppose the people of Egypt in connection with Nafisah's burial since Allah shall descend His mercy upon them as a result of her blessed presence there.”7

Notes

1. Suratul Ra’d (13), Verse 28

2. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 13, pg. 342

3. Dastan-ha Wa Pand-ha, vol. 2, pg. 67;The commentary of Abul Futuh

4. Hikayat-ha-e-Gulistan, pg. 127

5. Shanidaniha-e-Tarikh, pg. 18; Mahajjatul Bai¤a, vol. 2, pg. 274

6. Tarikh-e-Anbiya, vol. 2, pg. 20

7. Shagirdan-e-Maktab-e-Aimmah, pg. 168; Wafiyyat al-A’yan, vol. 5, pg. 56

44. Sustenance

Allah, the Wise, has said:

وَ مَا مِنْ دَآبَّةٍ فِي الأََرْضِ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللهِ رِزْقُها

“And there is no creature on the earth but on Allah is the sustenance of it.”1

The Noble Prophet (s.a.w) said:

أََلرِّزْقُ يَطلُبُ الْعَبْدَ أَشَدُّ طَلَباً مِنْ أَجَلِهِ

“Sustenance seeks a person more intensely than his death does.”2

Short Explanation

There exists no creature except that Allah has apportioned a livelihood for it, and no soul departs from the world before it has consumed the last morsel that had been ordained for it. One should strive to procure lawful sustenance and, in the event of delay and stoppages in this path, desist from attempting to obtain it by unlawful means - the best approach being that of patience and self-control.

Every person has his sustenance placed in a particular thing - one has his sustenance placed in trade, while another has it in leadership while yet another in farming, etc. Absence of satisfaction with respect to the share allotted, and lack of contentment strengthens the vices of greed and covetousness within man leading him towards sins in order to procure an increased sustenance - a state that only stems from a lack of Tawakkul3 ) in Allah.

1) They Should Witness the Wisdom!

Prophet Musa (a.s) came across a poor person who, due to his abject poverty, lay bare-bodied on the desert sand. When he (a.s) came nearer, the person requested: “O' Musa! Pray to Allah that he grants me a little sustenance for I am on the verge of dying.”

Musa (a.s) prayed for him and then proceeded from there to Mount Sinai to converse with Allah.

A few days later Musa (a.s), on his return, happened to pass by that very place when he witnessed that the same poor man had been arrested and a large crowd had gathered around him.

He (a.s) inquired: “What has happened?” The people present there said: “Until recently he was penniless but off late he had managed to acquire some money; having consumed wine, he got involved in a brawl and killed a person. He has now been arrested so that he can be subjected to 'qisas'4 ) and put to death!”

Allah says in the Noble Qur`an:

وَ لَوْ بَسَطَ اللٌّهُ الرِّزْقَ لِعِبادِهِ لَبَغَوْا فِي الأَرْضِ‏

“And if Allah should amplify the provision for His servants they would certainly revolt in the earth.”5

Musa (a.s) acknowledged the divine Wisdom and, expressing repentance over his request, sought Allah's forgiveness.6

2) Incorrect Deduction fromThe Qur`an

Umar Ibn Muslim was one of the companions of Imam Sadiq (a.s) and used to visit him (a.s) frequently.

Once, when he did not visit the Imam (a.s) for a long time, he (a.s) inquired about him from ‘Ali Ibn Abdul Aziz, who said: “May I be made your ransom! He has stopped working for his livelihood, and has engaged himself in worship and asceticism instead. Hearing this, Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Woe unto him! But does he not know that the prayers of one, who stops working, go unanswered!”

During the time of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w), when the verse:

وَ مَنْ يَتَّقِ اللٌّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجاً وَ يَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لا يَحْتَسِبُ‏

“And whoever is careful of (his duty to) Allah, He will make for him an outlet, and give him sustenance from whence he thinks not”7 was revealed, a group from amongst the Muslims abandoned their professions, adopted seclusion and engaged themselves in worship, saying: “Allah Himself provides the sustenance and shall never permit the religious ones to become distressed and destitute; hence why do we need to toil in order to procure our sustenance.”

When the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) was informed of this, he (s.a.w) summoned them and objecting at this attitude of theirs, asked: “Why have you abandoned your professions?” They replied: “Allah has undertaken to provide us our sustenance.” When he (s.a.w) heard this, he explained: “It is not as you think. Allah does not answer the prayers of a person who, despite possessing the ability to work and exert himself, fails to do so. You must continue to engage yourselves in your respective professions.”8

3) Sustenance in the Measure of Sufficiency

Once, passing through a desert, the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) and his companions happened to come across a person tending camels and requested him to provide them with some milk. The man excused himself saying: “The milk that is in the breasts of these camels is for the breakfast of the people of the tribe and that, which lies in the container, is for their evening meals.”

When he heard this, the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) prayed for him, saying: “O' Lord! Increase this person in wealth and children” - and the group continued on its way. A little later they came across another person, who too was engaged in feeding the camels. When they requested him to provide them with some milk, he immediately milked the she-camels and poured all of the milk in the vessels of the Noble Prophet's (s.a.w). In addition to the milk he even presented them with a sheep and said: At the moment this is all I can offer but if you desire I shall arrange for more.

The Noble Prophet (s.a.w) raised his holy hands and prayed: “O' Lord! Grant him sustenance in a measure that is sufficient for him.”

Astonished, his (s.a.w) companions said: “O' Prophet of Allah! For the person who rejected your request you sought something which all of us long for, whereas for the one who fulfilled your desire, you prayed for something, which none of us prefer (sustenance in a measure that is just sufficient and not excess)!”

The Noble Prophet (s.a.w) said:

إِنَّ مَا قَلَّ وَ كَفَى خَيْرٌ مِمَّا كَثُرَ وَ أَلْهَى

“A livelihood that is less but sufficient for (fulfilling the needs of) one's life is better than great riches that engrosses man in itself.” He (s.a.w) then supplicated:

اللَّهُمَّ ارْزُقْ مُحَمَّداً وَ آلَ مُحَمَّدٍ الْكَفَافَ

“O' Lord! Grant Muhammad and his Progenya sustenance in the measure that is just sufficient (for them).9

4) Charity Increases Sustenance

Imam Sadiq (a.s) had many sons, one of whom was named Muhammad. Occasionally it would so happen that his income would exceed his expenses. Once, Imam Sadiq (a.s) inquired: “How much have you managed to save?” He replied: “Forty dinars.” The Imam (a.s) said: “Give it as charity in the way of Allah. He said: This is all that I have with me and if I were to give this in charity there would be nothing left for me.”

The Imam (a.s) insisted: “Go and give it in charity and Allah shall compensate it for you. Do you not know that for everything there is a key and the key to sustenance is charity?”

Muhammad, heeding his father's advice, gave the forty dinars in charity. Hardly ten days had passed by since this episode when a sum of four thousand dinars was presented to the Imam (a.s). Turning to Muhammad, he (a.s) said: “My Son! We gave forty dinars in the path of Allah and He gave us four thousand dinars (a hundred times) in return.”10

5) Wealth from Unknown Places

The Buyids, whose sultanate had commenced in the year 322 ah, ruled for a period of 126 years. The greatest of the Buyid rulers and the most compassionate of them all with respect to the Shiite faith and his subjects was Imad al-Daulah - (Abul Hasan, ‘Ali Ibn Babwaih) - who ruled for nine years (d. 338 ah). During his lifetime, several strange incidents occurred with him in connection with riches and treasures:

1. When Imad al-Daulah arrived in Shiraz, Yaqut, whom Al-Muqtadir Billah Abbasi had placed there as the governor, took to flight. In the circumstances, Imad al-Daulah did not possess anything to pay for the expenditure of his army. Distressed and lost in thought he set out for hunting. On the way the foot of his horse plunged into a hole. As Imad al-Daulah extracted the animal's foot, the hole widened revealing a treasure which Yaqut had concealed there. He extracted the treasure and used it to pay for his army's expenses.

2. Once, as he lay down and reflected about his army and subjects, his eyes suddenly fell upon a snake that had emerged from one corner of the roof and disappeared into another. As a precautionary measure, he ordered the roof to be taken apart and the snake killed so that it did not sting anyone.

When a portion of the roof was broken, a second roof became manifest and the intervening region betwin the two roofswas found to house chests containing a total of five hundred thousand dinars. The chests were brought down and Imad al-Daulah distributed the money amongst his subjects.

3. Once, having decided to have some clothes stitched for the elders of his army, his soldiers and himself, he called for a tailor. The special tailor of Yaqut, the erstwhile governor of the city, was recommended to him. Incidentally this tailor happened to be deaf but Imad al-Daulah said: “The faculty of sight is what a tailor ought to necessarily possess; as for hearing, it is not a necessity.”

When the tailor was brought before him, he ordered: “I want you to stitch clothes for my servants, soldiers, officers, generals and myself.”

The tailor - deaf that he was - imagined that someone had spoken ill of him and, complaining that he had money in his possession, said: “There are only four chests of the governor Yaqut in my custody and I am unaware of what is contained within them!”

Imad al-Daulah ordered the chests to be brought before him; when they were opened, they were found to contain great riches, beautiful clothes and valuable stones.11

Notes

1. SuratHud (11), Verse 6

2. Jame’ul Akhbar, pg. 126

3. Placing one’s trust (in Allah) (Tr.)

4. Retaliation (Tr.)

5. Suratul Shura (42), Verse 27

6. Hikayat-ha-e-Gulistan, pg. 161

7. Suratul Talaq (65), Verse 2-3

8. Ba Mardum In Guneh Barkhord Konim , pg. 163; al-Wafi, vol. 10, pg. 15

9. Dastan-ha Wa Pand-ha, vol. 2, pg. 72; Anwar al-Nu’maniyyah, pg. 342

10. Hikayat-ha-e-Shanidani, vol. 4, pg. 92; Al-Kafi, vol. 4, pg. 9

11. Jame’ al-Nurain, pg. 323. It has bin reported in the book ‘Akhbar-e-Ghaibiyyah dar malahim wa fitan’ (pg. 314), that Amirul Mu’minin (as), alluding to the rule of the Buyids, had stated:

يخرج من ديلمان بنو الصياد ثم يستقوي امرهم حتى يملكوا الزوراء و يخلعوا الخلفاء

45. Pleasure (Over Divine Acts)

Allah, the Wise, says:

رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمْ وَ رَضُوا عَنهُ

“Allah is well-pleased with them and they are well-pleased with Him.”1

Imam Sajjad (a.s) has said:

أََلصَّبْرُ وَ الرِّضاَ رَأْسُ طاَعِةِ اللهِ

“Patience and pleasure (over Divine acts) constitute the pinnacle of Allah's obedience.”2

Short Explanation

The attribute of Ridha is that a person remains pleased with occurrences - irrespective of whether they are to his liking or otherwise. This characteristic is a ray from the light of (Divine) cognizance such that a person possessing this attribute turns away from his own desires and seeks that which Allah has decreed for him instead. This is because attachment of the heart to worldly and material things is shirk, and therefore inconsistent with the attribute of Ridha.

It is amazing to observe those, who vociferously claim to be the servants and worshippers of Allah, complaining and grumbling over Divine decrees and acts. However, those who are truly cognizant, are in total submission and subservience to Allah - pleased and satisfied with Divine destinies, uncomplaining in the face of adversities, shortages and severity of trials, and contented and happy over things bestowed to them as well as those not granted to them.3

1) Complete Contentment with Allah

Jabir Ibn Abdullah Ansari, who had been of the companions of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w), had remained alive till the time of Imam Baqir (a.s) but had become old and blind by then.

Once, when he had arrived in the presence of the Imam (a.s), the Imam (a.s) inquired after his health, whereupon he said: “I find myself in a state such that I give preference to old age over youth, to sickness over soundness of health and to death over life!”

The Imam (a.s) responded by saying: ”(On the contrary) if Allah makes me old, I prefer old age; if He desires to give me youth, I prefer youth; if He afflicts me with sickness, I desire sickness, and if He desires to favour me with sound health, I prefer soundness of health. If Allah wishes to give me death, I prefer death and if He wills to keep me alive, I desire to live.”

As soon as Jabir heard the Imam's (a.s) speech he kissed his (a.s) face and said: “The Noble Prophet (s.a.w) had spoken the truth.” He had said: “O' Jabir! You shall continue to live till you meet one of my children whose name shall be Baqir. He shall split open knowledge just as a cow splits open the earth.”4

2) Pleased with Three Calamities

Hadhrat Isa [Jesus] (a.s) happened to come upon a blind, paralytic leper, whose disease had caused his very flesh to fall out of his body, and overheard him say: “Thanks to Allah, Who has cured me from the affliction that has seized numerous persons in its grasp!”

Isa (a.s) said to him: “O' Man! What is that affliction from which He has protected you?” The man replied: “O' Spirit of Allah! I am better off than one whose heart does not possess the cognizance of Allah - that cognizance which He has placed in mine.”

Hearing this, Isa (a.s) said to him: “You have spoken correctly. Now give me your hand.” Then taking hold of his hand, Isa (a.s) moved his holy hand over the leper's body, whereupon, the leper was immediately cured of his afflictions and was transformed into a man of charming appearance and good physique. Since he had remained pleased (and uncomplaining) over the tribulations that had afflicted him, Allah cured him of his ailments. Later on he went on to become one of the companions of Isa (a.s) and engaged in worship along with him (a.s).5

3) One of the Inmates of Paradise

Imam Sadiq (a.s) relates: “Once, Allah revealed to Hadhrat Dawud (a.s) to give glad tidings to Khalladah, the daughter of Aus, that she was of the inmates of Paradise and would be one of his (a.s) companions in it.” Hadhrat Dawud (a.s) went to her house and knocked at her door, and it was Khalladah herself who opened it. She recognized him the moment she set her eyes upon him and so inquired: “Has something been revealed about me that you have come here?” When he (a.s) had replied in the affirmative, she said: “The revelation is probably for someone else, who resembles me in name!”

He (a.s) said: “No. The revelation has been for you. Tell me something about yourself.”

She replied: “Whenever any pain, injury or misfortune would come to afflict me, I would exhibit patience and submit myself to Allah's pleasure. Neither would I desire any of the adversities to be warded away from me nor would I aspire for anything in exchange; I was always thankful to Him and His pleasure was the only thing that I coveted!”

When he heard this, Hadhrat Dawud (a.s) said: “It is because of this that you have reached such a rank that Allah has sent down this revelation about you.”

Having related this incident, Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “This is that very religion, which Allah has chosen for His righteous servants.”6

4) Ammar in the Battle of Siffin

Ammar Yasir was one of the special companions of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) possessed such a high degree of faith that the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) had stated: Ammar is replete with faith from head to toe, and faith has blended with (and become part of) his flesh and blood.”7

After the death of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) he continued to be of those who fiercely supported Imam ‘Ali (a.s), and when the battle of Siffin commenced, he fought on the side of the Imam (a.s). One day, coming out of the ranks of the Imam's (a.s) army, he stationed himself before the enemy forces and said: “O' Lord! You are aware that if I were to realize that Your happiness lies in my hurling myself into the seas, I would surely do so; and if I were to know that Your happiness lies in that I fling myself upon the point of a sword so that it enters into my stomach and emerges from the back of my neck, I would certainly do so. I know that today, Your happiness lies in waging a battle with these sinning and corrupt people, and had I known of an act that would have pleased You more, I would have surely opted for it.”

Then, raising his voice, he said: “Whoever desires Allah's pleasure and does not desire to return to his wealth and children should come to me.”

He was eventually martyred after displaying great valor and courage in the battlefield. Reaching his dead body, the Commander of theFaithfuls( a.s) sat down, placed his head upon his thighs and, as he wept, said: “O' Death! It appears that you are totally familiar with those, whom I love; you come and take them away from me.”8

5) The Best Creation

Prophet Musa (a.s) requested to Allah: “O' Lord! Show to me who, from amongst allYour creations, is the best person who worships You.” Allah revealed to him: “Proceed towards the village situated near the sea-shore and you shall find the person there.”

Reaching there Musa (a.s) found a leper, who was engaged in praising and glorifying Allah. He (a.s) asked Jibra`il : “Where is the person whom I had sought from Allah?” Jibra`il pointed to the sick person and said: “This is the person! I am under instructions to take away his eyes; pay careful attention to what he shall say.”

Having said this, he pointed towards the leper's eyes and they suddenly popped out of their sockets. As soon as this happened, the leper said: “O' Allah! TillYou desired you let me benefit from my eyes and now You have desired to take them away from me. O' The One! Who doesgood to me and provides me with goodness.”

Approaching him, Musa (a.s) said: “O' Servant of Allah! I am a person whose prayers are always accepted; if you desire, I shall pray to Allah so that He returns your eyes to you.”

The man said: “No, I do not desire it. Allah has desired this state for me and I am pleased with all that pleases Him.”

Musa (a.s) said: “I heard you say: “O' The One! Who doesgood to me and provides me with goodness. What did you mean by these words?”

He said: “In this village I am the only one who is cognizant of Allah and worships Him (what goodness could be greater than this that He has made me aware and cognizant of Himself.)”

Musa (a.s) was overcome by astonishment and amazement, and as he turned back, he said to himself: “He is the greatest worshipper of Allah in the world.”9

Notes

1. Suratul Mujadilah (58), Verse 22

2. Jame’ al-Sa’adat, vol. 3, pg. 203

3. Tadhkeratul Haqa`iq , pg. 85

4. Pand-e-Tarikh, vol. 5, pg. 186

5. ‘Ilm-e-Akhlaq-e-Islami, vol. 3, pg. 262; Jami’ al-Sa’adat, vol. 3, pg. 208

6. Dastan-ha Wa Pand-ha, vol. 3, pg. 37; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 71, pg. 89

7. Safinatul Bihar, vol. 2, pg. 275:

ان عمارا ملئ ايمانا من قرنه الى قدمه و اختلط الايمان بلحمه و دمه

8. Paighambar Wa Yaran , vol. 5, pp. 24-28; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 8, pg. 524

9. Namunah-e-Ma’arif, vol. 5, pg. 373; Shaytan, vol. 1, pg. 524

42. Religion

Allah, the Wise, has said:

فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنِيفاً

“Then set your face upright for religion in the right state.”1

The Noble Prophet (s.a.w) said:

أََلْمُسْتَأْكَلُ بِدِيـنِهِ حَظُّهُ مِنْ دِيـنِهِ مَا يَأْكُلُهُ

“One, who seeks to fill his stomach by means of religion, his share of religion is what he fills in his stomach.”2

Short Explanation

Allah grants the worldly provisions to His friends as well His enemies. However, He only bestows His religion to His friends - just as he has placed monotheism within the fitrah and nature of every person, but grants His special religion to those whom He pleases.

One ought to sacrifice one's life and wealth for the religion of Allah and adorn oneself with the insignias of religion, such as truthfulness, steadfastness, faithfulness towards trusts, fulfilment of pledges and covenants, and goodness of behaviour.

1) Religion isDead

Imam ‘Ali (a.s) was passing by a place where a group of children were engaged in play. However, there was one boy who was not playing with them but stood aloof and sad. Imam (a.s) approached him and asked: “What is your name?” He replied: “Mat al-Din (Religion died).”

The Imam (a.s) desired to know the reason for such a name and so inquired about the child's father. He was informed that his father had died, but his mother was alive. He (a.s) called for his mother and inquired about the reason for such a strange name, whereupon the mother said: “When this child was in my womb, his father had embarked upon a journey. After a period his companions approached me and said: “Your husband fell ill on the way and died, but before his death he requested us that if his child was born, he should be named Mat al-Din.”

Having heard this, the Imam (a.s) comprehended the reason for such a name and ordered all the people to gather in the mosque. When the people had gathered, he (a.s) said to them: “Whenever I recite Allahu Akbar, all of you should recite it in unison too.”

He then called for the dead person's companions - who were four in number - and subjected them to individual and separate interrogation.

Turning to the first person, he (a.s) sought to know how he had killed the boy's father. The man, who was stunned to hear the question, blurted out: “All I did was to present the cord.” The Imam (a.s) recited Allahu Akbar, and the people in the mosque chorused.

The second one, in answer to the Imam's (a.s) question, said: “My only crime was to tie the cord around his neck.” The third person said: “I had brought the knife”, while the fourth person, recounting the incident explicitly, said: “We collectively murdered him for the purpose of seizing and appropriating his wealth.” The Imam (a.s) recited Allahu Akbar and the people too recited in unison.

Imam ‘Ali (a.s) took possession of the wealth which they had stolen from the deceased and handed it to the boy's mother, and then subjected the killers to a severe punishment. Then turning to the boy's mother, he (a.s) said: “Change his name to Asha al-Din (religion is alive).”3

2) The Religiousness of the Learned One from Dizful

At the time of his death, Sheikh Murtadha Ansari - having become the highest-ranking religious authority, with notable popularity and profundity in the Methodology and Science of Islamic Jurisprudence - was not any different in the material point of life from the time when he had first set foot in Najaf as a poor student from Dizful.

When people looked at his house, they found that he led his life just as the most impoverished ones led theirs. A person once said to him: “This is an immense work on your part that despite the large sum of money that comes to you, you refuse to use it for yourself.” He said: “What great work have I done?” The man said: “What work could be greater than what you are doing presently?” The Sheikh said: “At the very best, my work is similar to the donkey-riders of Kashan, who go to Isfahan and then return from there.

The donkey-riders are given money to travel to Isfahan, purchase goods from there and bring them back to Kashan. Have you ever sin them exhibiting unfaithfulness and disloyalty with respect to the people's money? They are trustworthy individuals and do not possess any right (over the people's money). This work of mine is not as important as it appears to you.”4

3) ReligionBeside the Royal Throne

During the caliphate of the second Caliph, Sad Ibn Waqqas in the company of a few others, started out for Iran. Yazdgard, the king of Persia who was in the city of Madain at that time, sent a herald to Sad inviting some of the people in his caravan to come to his court so that he could become aware of their destination.

They reached his court at a time when he had been busy consuming wine and so he ordered the drinks to be removed. When the group had entered the court, Mughairah Ibn Amir sat down alongside the king near the royal bed. Witnessing this, Yazdgard, in a state of protest, said: “You Arabs initially came to our lands for trading and begging, and after you had consumed the tasty food and the delicious water (of our land) you went and informed your friends. Now you return and claim to have brought a 'new religion.'

Your example is similar to that of the fox that had entered a garden with the intention of eating the grapes. The owner of the garden allowed him to eat and did not hurt him. The next day the fox brought other foxes along with him and, entering the garden, began eating the grapes. When the owner of the garden arrived and witnessed the scene, he bolted all the exits and killed them all.

If I wished, I too could behave just like that but I know that you have drawn up your army because of your poverty and straitened livelihood. I shall give you abundant bounties and place over you a commander such that you would lead a life of ease and comfort.”

Mughairah IbnAamir said: “Your statement regarding a difficult livelihood is correct and we too agree that there was a time when we used to eat mice and lizards, could not differentiate the lawful from the unlawful, kill our cousins for the sake of one turnip and even go on to brag about it. But then Allah, by means of His Prophet, sent for us a religion, stopped us from idolatry, guided us towards monotheism, and very soon we shall be targeting your country too.

O' Yazdgard! I give you the option to choose one out of three things: Become a Muslim so that you can continue to rule, pay the poll-tax or prepare for war.”

Hearing this, Yazdgard was overcome with rage and said: “Nothing, save a sword, can exist between you and me.” Having said this, he then drove them out of his court. Later, a war ensued betwin the two forces in which the Muslims emerged victorious.5

4) The Religiousness of Abu Ja’far Husaini

Abu Ja’far Muhammad Husaini6 - whose lineage reached Imam Husain (a.s) through four generations - was a jurist and a pious and ascetic person, who had revolted against Mutasam - the Abbasid Caliph - due to his oppression and injustices. Mutasam sought to crush his revolt and so he fled to Iran and into the cities of Khorasan, Sarakhs, Taliqan, Nisa and Merv, and a great number of Iranians pledged allegiance to him.

In Merv, forty thousand Iranians pledged allegiance to him. One night, when his army had gathered, he heard the sound of weeping. Investigating, he came to know that one of his soldiers had forcefully taken felt from a weaver and it was this weaver who had been weeping.

Abu Ja’far called for the soldier and sought to know the reason for the evil act whereupon the soldier replied: We have pledged allegiance to you so that we can loot the people and do as we like.

Abu Ja’far returned the felt to its owner and then disbanded his army, saying: “Assistance for the religion of Allah cannot be sought from such people.” Then, accompanied by his close companions, he left for Taliqan.7

5) Religion-Selling by Samurah

Samurah Ibn Jundab was of the inhabitants of Basrah. After his father's death, he accompanied his mother to Madinah, where she married Mary Ibn Shaiban - a companion of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) - and Samurah grew up under his care. Despite his young age, he was an expert archer and the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) permitted him to participate in the battle of Uhud; later, he participated in the other battles as well.

During the reign of Muawiyah, Samurah, like some of the corrupt and lying companions of the Noble Prophet(s.a.w), began fabricating traditions in praise of Muawiyah and in criticism of Amirul Mo`minin (a.s).

Muawiyah said to him: “I shall give you one hundred thousand dirhams if you ascribe the following verse (which was revealed in criticism of the hypocrites) to ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib:

وَ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يُعْجِبُكَ قَوْلُهُ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْـيَا وَ يُشْهِدُ اللَّهَ عَلى‏ مَا فِي قَلْبِهِ وَ هُوَ أَلَدُّ الْخِصَامِ وَ إِذَا تَوَلَّى سَعى‏ فِي الأََرْضِ لِيُفْسِدَ فِيهَا وَ يُهْلِكَ الْحَرْثَ وَ النَّسْلَ وَ اللَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْفَسادَ

“And among men is he, whose speech about the life of this world causes you to wonder, and he calls on Allah to witness as to what is in his heart, yet he is the most violent of adversaries. And when he turns back, he runs along in the land that he may cause mischief in it and destroy the tilth and the stock, and Allah does not love mischief-making.”8

…and ascribe this verse (which was revealed in praise of Imam ‘Ali (a.s) after he had slept on the bed of the Noble Prophet during the migration of the Noble Prophet to Medina) to Ibn Muljim:

وَ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَشْرِي نَفْسَهُ ابْتِغاءَ مَرْضاتِ اللَّهِ وَ اللَّهُ رَؤُفٌ بِالْعِبادِ

“And among men is he who sells himself to seek the pleasure of Allah; and Allah is Affectionate to the servants.”9

Initially Samurah refused the offer, howver Muawiyah raised the stakes saying: “I shall give you two hundred thousand dirhams”, but once again Samurah refused. But when Muawiyah offered him four hundred thousand dirhams he agreed and then forged traditions ascribeeng the first verse, which was about the hypocrites, to Amirul Mominin (a.s) and attributing the second verse, which was for Amirul Mominin (a.s), to Ibn Muljim, and in this manner proved that he had indeed sold his religion.10

Notes

1. Suratul Rum (30), Verse 30

2. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 78, pg. 63

3. Dastan-ha Wa Pand-ha, vol. 10, pg. 168; In the book Tarikh al-Anbiya - vol. 2, pg. 215, this judgment has bin attributed to Prophet Dawud and a similar one this has been ascribed to the Commander of the Faithfuls(as).

4. Dastanha-e-Ustad, vol. 2, pg. 68; Sirah-e-Nabawi, pg. 29

5. Namunah-e-Ma’arif, vol. 5, pg. 234; Bazm-e-Iran, pg. 142

6. He was the son of Qasim Ibn ‘Umar Ibn ‘Ali Ibn al-Husain (as) while his mother, Safiyyah, was the daughter of Musa Ibn ‘Umar Ibn ‘Ali Ibn al-Husain (as).

7. Tatimmah al-Muntaha, pg. 221

8. Suratul Baqarah (2), Verse 204-205

9.Ibid., Verse 207

10. PaighambarWa Yaran, vol. 3, pg. 258; Commentary of Nahjul Balagha (of Ibn Abil Hadid), vol. 1, pg. 471

43. Dhikr (RemembranceOf Allah)

Allah, the Wise, says:

أَلاَ بِذِکْرِ اللهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ

“Now surely by Allah's remembrance are the hearts set at rest.”1

Allah said to Musa (a.s):

لاَ تَدَعْ ذِکرِي عَلىَ کُلِّ حاَلٍ

“Under no circumstance (should you) abandonMy remembrance.”2

Short Explanation

Remembering Allah - with concentration and presence of heart - is the ultimate objective of all acts of worship. If a dhakir (one who recites dhikr and is engaged in the remembrance of Allah) is focussed towards Allah in heart and deeds, he shall come to possess a rank such that the Satan would be unable to overcome him and gain dominance over him!

If thetongue were to recite, but the heart were to be heedless, the effects and the benefits would be reduced. At the same time if he were to regard his recitations as something very important and significant, he would be overcome by pride and vanity.

Accordingly, it is vital that in addition to remembering Allah, a person should regard himself as trivial and insignificant - rather, he should look upon himself as a non-entity before His bounties; he should beseech Him to never ever make him heedless and negligent of His remembrance but instead bestow an increase in it.

1) Remembering Allah when Confronting the Enemy

The Noble Prophet (s.a.w) had started out for a battle and on the way ordered his army to halt.

In order to relieve himself, he distanced himself from his forces and headed towards a secluded location. In the meantime, it began to rain and it rained so hard that water began to flood as a result of which, the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) was cut off from his army.

Having witnessed the change in weather, he (s.a.w) sat beneath a tree when Huwairith Ibn al-Harith happened to see him. Speaking to his companions, he said: “This man is Muhammad and he has become isolated from his forces. May Allah kill me if I do not killhim! ”

He unsheathed his sword and rushed at him (s.a.w) saying: “Who is it that can deliver you from me?” The Noble Prophet (s.a.w) said: “Allah” and then prayed softly: “O' Lord! Deliver me from the evils of Huwairith in any manner as you please.”

Just as Huwairith was about to inflict his blow an angel struck him on his shoulder as a result of which he collapsed onto the ground and the sword fell from his grasp. The Noble Prophet (s.a.w) picked it up and said to him: “Who is it that can save you from me?” He said: “No one.” The Noble Prophet (s.a.w) advised: “Accept Islam and I shall hand your sword back to you!” He said: “I shall not accept Islam but I shall pledge that neither shall I fight you and your followers, nor help anyone against you.”

The Noble Prophet (s.a.w) returned his sword to him whereupon, Huwairith said: “I swear that you are better than me.”3

2) The Enamoured One

Sadi states: “Once it so happened that I had been travelling throughout the night in the company of a group of people. Accompanying us on this journey was a person, who was obsessed with Allah and drowned in His love. It was not yet dawn when we reached a jungle where we decided to rest, however as soon as we arrived, the person uttered a cry and rushing into the woods immediately engaged himself in supplicating and communicating with his Lord.

When it was morning, I asked him: What was that state which overcame you last night? He replied: Looking into the jungle, I witnessed the nightingales on the trees, the partridges on the mountains, the frogs in the water and the various animals in the jungle weeping and lamenting (out of love for Allah), and so thought to myself that it would be contrary to courtesy and civility that while all the other creations were engaged in His glorification, I slept, heedless and unmindful of Him.”4

3) The Poor Ones Question the Noble Prophet

Some of the poor persons of Madinah approached the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) and said to him: “The affluent ones perform acts of goodness like freeing slaves, giving charity, performing the Hajj etc., which are beyond our means (as a result, they shall be in possession of greater rewards than us).”

The Noble Prophet (s.a.w) said: “One, who recites Allahu Akbar a hundred times, shall be granted rewards which shall exceed the rewards of freeing one hundred slaves. One, who recites Subhan Allah a hundred times, shall come to possess rewards better than the rewards associated with the performance of Hajj. Reciting Alhamdulillah a hundred times is better than giving one hundred fully laden horses as charity in the way of Allah. One, who recites La Ilaha Illallah a hundred times, shall be of the best of the people on the Day of Judgment.”

When the affluent ones of Madinah came to know of this they too began to act upon these recommendations and so the poor ones again approached the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) and complained: “The affluent ones too have started to act upon your recommendations!” Hearing their complaint, he (s.a.w) remarked: “This is Allah”s grace and favour; He grants it to whomsoever He pleases.”5

4) Remembering the Beloved while in Comfort

Allah had granted immense bounties to Prophet Ayyub (a.s) such that it has been reported that he possessed five hundred pairs of bulls for ploughing his fields and hundreds of slaves, who used to cultivate his farms. His cargo-carrying camels were three thousand in number while his ship totalled seven thousand.

In addition to this, Allah had also granted him good health and numerous children. On his part, Ayyub (a.s) perpetually praised and thanked his Lord, and when faced with two acts of obedience, he would always choose the more difficult of the two.

But then, he became the object of Divine trials - not for having committed any sin but rather for raising his rank and status - such that Allah took back all the bounties that He had given him and afflicted his body with an incurable disease.

However, despite the severity of the adversity, when Ayyub (a.s) never abandoned thanking, praising and remembering Allah, the Satan got into the act. He began whispering into his (a.s) wife's mind as a result of which she started to complain of the hard times that had befallen them and would moan: “Everyone has deserted us and we do not possess anything.” Ayyub (a.s) said: “For eighty years we had been receiving the bounties of Allah and so we should not complain for seven years of hardships but instead continue to remember Him in all circumstances!”

But his wife continued to complain and protest, and persistently placed before him irrational ideas till eventually, enraged, he hollered: “Go away from me such that I do not set my eyes upon you ever again.”

When his wife had left him, Ayyub found himself alone and without a caretaker; going into prostration, he began praying to his Lord and communicating with Him. On this occasion Allah answered the prayers of His servant, who had continued to praise and thank Him, and once again granted him all the bounties!

Meanwhile his wife thought to herself: “Though he has driven me away, it is inappropriate for me to leave him alone. He has none to look after him and he may perish out of hunger.” With this in mind she returned to the place where she had left him but found him missing, while in his place, sat a youth. As she began to weep, the youth asked her: “Why do you weep?” She replied: I had left my old husband here but I do not see him anymore. The youth said: “If you were to see him, would you recognize him?” She said: “Yes.” Having answered him, she then looked at him hard and realised that he possessed a great resemblance to her husband. The youth then said to her: “I am the same Ayyub.”6

5) The Woman who Remembered Allah

Sayyidah Nafisah, the daughter of Hasan Ibn Zaid Ibn Hasan al-Mujtaba (a.s)) married Ishaq Mutamin, the pious and virtuous son of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s). She was of the rare and distinguished ladies of her time and stood apart from the rest with regards to worship and remembrance of Allah.

Zainab, her niece, states: “I had been in the services of my aunt for forty years and throughout this period neither did I ever observe her sleep at night (for she would be engaged in worship) nor eat in the day (for she would be engaged in fasting). Once I said to her: “Would it not be better if you were to ease things upon yourself?” She replied: “How can I place myself in ease when I have before me the bottlenecks of the Purgatory and the Day of Judgment which none can cross save the delivered ones!”

She possessed great wealth, which she used to spend on the sick, the bed-ridden and the impoverished ones for the pleasure of Allah.

She had the honour of performing the Hajj on thirty occasions - most of her journeys to the House of Allah being accomplished on foot. Once, in the company of her husband, she started out from Madinah for Palestine in order to visit the grave of Prophet Ibrahim (a.s) after which she proceeded towards Egypt.

The inhabitants of Egypt requested her to settle down there and she agreed. She dug a grave in her house and perpetually engaged herself in worship and remembrance of Allah - reportedly completing thousands of recitations of the Noble Qur`an in the grave.

According to Hadith-e-Qudsi, when Allah observes that a servant of His continually engages himself in His remembrance, He manifests the person's worth amongst the people and makes him respected and revered.

In the neighbourhood of Nafisah there lived a Jew, who had a daughter who was blind. By means of the water of Nafisah's Wudhhu, the Jew's daughter regained her sight and this prompted numerous Jews of Egypt to accept Islam.

One day, in a state of fast, as she recited the chapter al-Anam of the Noble Qur`an, upon reciting the verse:

لَهُمْ دَارُ السَّلاَمِ عِنْدَ رَبِّـهِمْ

“They shall have the abode of peace with their Lord”

her soul departed from her body. The people wanted her to be buried in Egypt but her husband, desiring to take her to Madinah, refused. At night the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) appeared to him in his dream and said: “Do not oppose the people of Egypt in connection with Nafisah's burial since Allah shall descend His mercy upon them as a result of her blessed presence there.”7

Notes

1. Suratul Ra’d (13), Verse 28

2. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 13, pg. 342

3. Dastan-ha Wa Pand-ha, vol. 2, pg. 67;The commentary of Abul Futuh

4. Hikayat-ha-e-Gulistan, pg. 127

5. Shanidaniha-e-Tarikh, pg. 18; Mahajjatul Bai¤a, vol. 2, pg. 274

6. Tarikh-e-Anbiya, vol. 2, pg. 20

7. Shagirdan-e-Maktab-e-Aimmah, pg. 168; Wafiyyat al-A’yan, vol. 5, pg. 56

44. Sustenance

Allah, the Wise, has said:

وَ مَا مِنْ دَآبَّةٍ فِي الأََرْضِ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللهِ رِزْقُها

“And there is no creature on the earth but on Allah is the sustenance of it.”1

The Noble Prophet (s.a.w) said:

أََلرِّزْقُ يَطلُبُ الْعَبْدَ أَشَدُّ طَلَباً مِنْ أَجَلِهِ

“Sustenance seeks a person more intensely than his death does.”2

Short Explanation

There exists no creature except that Allah has apportioned a livelihood for it, and no soul departs from the world before it has consumed the last morsel that had been ordained for it. One should strive to procure lawful sustenance and, in the event of delay and stoppages in this path, desist from attempting to obtain it by unlawful means - the best approach being that of patience and self-control.

Every person has his sustenance placed in a particular thing - one has his sustenance placed in trade, while another has it in leadership while yet another in farming, etc. Absence of satisfaction with respect to the share allotted, and lack of contentment strengthens the vices of greed and covetousness within man leading him towards sins in order to procure an increased sustenance - a state that only stems from a lack of Tawakkul3 ) in Allah.

1) They Should Witness the Wisdom!

Prophet Musa (a.s) came across a poor person who, due to his abject poverty, lay bare-bodied on the desert sand. When he (a.s) came nearer, the person requested: “O' Musa! Pray to Allah that he grants me a little sustenance for I am on the verge of dying.”

Musa (a.s) prayed for him and then proceeded from there to Mount Sinai to converse with Allah.

A few days later Musa (a.s), on his return, happened to pass by that very place when he witnessed that the same poor man had been arrested and a large crowd had gathered around him.

He (a.s) inquired: “What has happened?” The people present there said: “Until recently he was penniless but off late he had managed to acquire some money; having consumed wine, he got involved in a brawl and killed a person. He has now been arrested so that he can be subjected to 'qisas'4 ) and put to death!”

Allah says in the Noble Qur`an:

وَ لَوْ بَسَطَ اللٌّهُ الرِّزْقَ لِعِبادِهِ لَبَغَوْا فِي الأَرْضِ‏

“And if Allah should amplify the provision for His servants they would certainly revolt in the earth.”5

Musa (a.s) acknowledged the divine Wisdom and, expressing repentance over his request, sought Allah's forgiveness.6

2) Incorrect Deduction fromThe Qur`an

Umar Ibn Muslim was one of the companions of Imam Sadiq (a.s) and used to visit him (a.s) frequently.

Once, when he did not visit the Imam (a.s) for a long time, he (a.s) inquired about him from ‘Ali Ibn Abdul Aziz, who said: “May I be made your ransom! He has stopped working for his livelihood, and has engaged himself in worship and asceticism instead. Hearing this, Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Woe unto him! But does he not know that the prayers of one, who stops working, go unanswered!”

During the time of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w), when the verse:

وَ مَنْ يَتَّقِ اللٌّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجاً وَ يَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لا يَحْتَسِبُ‏

“And whoever is careful of (his duty to) Allah, He will make for him an outlet, and give him sustenance from whence he thinks not”7 was revealed, a group from amongst the Muslims abandoned their professions, adopted seclusion and engaged themselves in worship, saying: “Allah Himself provides the sustenance and shall never permit the religious ones to become distressed and destitute; hence why do we need to toil in order to procure our sustenance.”

When the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) was informed of this, he (s.a.w) summoned them and objecting at this attitude of theirs, asked: “Why have you abandoned your professions?” They replied: “Allah has undertaken to provide us our sustenance.” When he (s.a.w) heard this, he explained: “It is not as you think. Allah does not answer the prayers of a person who, despite possessing the ability to work and exert himself, fails to do so. You must continue to engage yourselves in your respective professions.”8

3) Sustenance in the Measure of Sufficiency

Once, passing through a desert, the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) and his companions happened to come across a person tending camels and requested him to provide them with some milk. The man excused himself saying: “The milk that is in the breasts of these camels is for the breakfast of the people of the tribe and that, which lies in the container, is for their evening meals.”

When he heard this, the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) prayed for him, saying: “O' Lord! Increase this person in wealth and children” - and the group continued on its way. A little later they came across another person, who too was engaged in feeding the camels. When they requested him to provide them with some milk, he immediately milked the she-camels and poured all of the milk in the vessels of the Noble Prophet's (s.a.w). In addition to the milk he even presented them with a sheep and said: At the moment this is all I can offer but if you desire I shall arrange for more.

The Noble Prophet (s.a.w) raised his holy hands and prayed: “O' Lord! Grant him sustenance in a measure that is sufficient for him.”

Astonished, his (s.a.w) companions said: “O' Prophet of Allah! For the person who rejected your request you sought something which all of us long for, whereas for the one who fulfilled your desire, you prayed for something, which none of us prefer (sustenance in a measure that is just sufficient and not excess)!”

The Noble Prophet (s.a.w) said:

إِنَّ مَا قَلَّ وَ كَفَى خَيْرٌ مِمَّا كَثُرَ وَ أَلْهَى

“A livelihood that is less but sufficient for (fulfilling the needs of) one's life is better than great riches that engrosses man in itself.” He (s.a.w) then supplicated:

اللَّهُمَّ ارْزُقْ مُحَمَّداً وَ آلَ مُحَمَّدٍ الْكَفَافَ

“O' Lord! Grant Muhammad and his Progenya sustenance in the measure that is just sufficient (for them).9

4) Charity Increases Sustenance

Imam Sadiq (a.s) had many sons, one of whom was named Muhammad. Occasionally it would so happen that his income would exceed his expenses. Once, Imam Sadiq (a.s) inquired: “How much have you managed to save?” He replied: “Forty dinars.” The Imam (a.s) said: “Give it as charity in the way of Allah. He said: This is all that I have with me and if I were to give this in charity there would be nothing left for me.”

The Imam (a.s) insisted: “Go and give it in charity and Allah shall compensate it for you. Do you not know that for everything there is a key and the key to sustenance is charity?”

Muhammad, heeding his father's advice, gave the forty dinars in charity. Hardly ten days had passed by since this episode when a sum of four thousand dinars was presented to the Imam (a.s). Turning to Muhammad, he (a.s) said: “My Son! We gave forty dinars in the path of Allah and He gave us four thousand dinars (a hundred times) in return.”10

5) Wealth from Unknown Places

The Buyids, whose sultanate had commenced in the year 322 ah, ruled for a period of 126 years. The greatest of the Buyid rulers and the most compassionate of them all with respect to the Shiite faith and his subjects was Imad al-Daulah - (Abul Hasan, ‘Ali Ibn Babwaih) - who ruled for nine years (d. 338 ah). During his lifetime, several strange incidents occurred with him in connection with riches and treasures:

1. When Imad al-Daulah arrived in Shiraz, Yaqut, whom Al-Muqtadir Billah Abbasi had placed there as the governor, took to flight. In the circumstances, Imad al-Daulah did not possess anything to pay for the expenditure of his army. Distressed and lost in thought he set out for hunting. On the way the foot of his horse plunged into a hole. As Imad al-Daulah extracted the animal's foot, the hole widened revealing a treasure which Yaqut had concealed there. He extracted the treasure and used it to pay for his army's expenses.

2. Once, as he lay down and reflected about his army and subjects, his eyes suddenly fell upon a snake that had emerged from one corner of the roof and disappeared into another. As a precautionary measure, he ordered the roof to be taken apart and the snake killed so that it did not sting anyone.

When a portion of the roof was broken, a second roof became manifest and the intervening region betwin the two roofswas found to house chests containing a total of five hundred thousand dinars. The chests were brought down and Imad al-Daulah distributed the money amongst his subjects.

3. Once, having decided to have some clothes stitched for the elders of his army, his soldiers and himself, he called for a tailor. The special tailor of Yaqut, the erstwhile governor of the city, was recommended to him. Incidentally this tailor happened to be deaf but Imad al-Daulah said: “The faculty of sight is what a tailor ought to necessarily possess; as for hearing, it is not a necessity.”

When the tailor was brought before him, he ordered: “I want you to stitch clothes for my servants, soldiers, officers, generals and myself.”

The tailor - deaf that he was - imagined that someone had spoken ill of him and, complaining that he had money in his possession, said: “There are only four chests of the governor Yaqut in my custody and I am unaware of what is contained within them!”

Imad al-Daulah ordered the chests to be brought before him; when they were opened, they were found to contain great riches, beautiful clothes and valuable stones.11

Notes

1. SuratHud (11), Verse 6

2. Jame’ul Akhbar, pg. 126

3. Placing one’s trust (in Allah) (Tr.)

4. Retaliation (Tr.)

5. Suratul Shura (42), Verse 27

6. Hikayat-ha-e-Gulistan, pg. 161

7. Suratul Talaq (65), Verse 2-3

8. Ba Mardum In Guneh Barkhord Konim , pg. 163; al-Wafi, vol. 10, pg. 15

9. Dastan-ha Wa Pand-ha, vol. 2, pg. 72; Anwar al-Nu’maniyyah, pg. 342

10. Hikayat-ha-e-Shanidani, vol. 4, pg. 92; Al-Kafi, vol. 4, pg. 9

11. Jame’ al-Nurain, pg. 323. It has bin reported in the book ‘Akhbar-e-Ghaibiyyah dar malahim wa fitan’ (pg. 314), that Amirul Mu’minin (as), alluding to the rule of the Buyids, had stated:

يخرج من ديلمان بنو الصياد ثم يستقوي امرهم حتى يملكوا الزوراء و يخلعوا الخلفاء

45. Pleasure (Over Divine Acts)

Allah, the Wise, says:

رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمْ وَ رَضُوا عَنهُ

“Allah is well-pleased with them and they are well-pleased with Him.”1

Imam Sajjad (a.s) has said:

أََلصَّبْرُ وَ الرِّضاَ رَأْسُ طاَعِةِ اللهِ

“Patience and pleasure (over Divine acts) constitute the pinnacle of Allah's obedience.”2

Short Explanation

The attribute of Ridha is that a person remains pleased with occurrences - irrespective of whether they are to his liking or otherwise. This characteristic is a ray from the light of (Divine) cognizance such that a person possessing this attribute turns away from his own desires and seeks that which Allah has decreed for him instead. This is because attachment of the heart to worldly and material things is shirk, and therefore inconsistent with the attribute of Ridha.

It is amazing to observe those, who vociferously claim to be the servants and worshippers of Allah, complaining and grumbling over Divine decrees and acts. However, those who are truly cognizant, are in total submission and subservience to Allah - pleased and satisfied with Divine destinies, uncomplaining in the face of adversities, shortages and severity of trials, and contented and happy over things bestowed to them as well as those not granted to them.3

1) Complete Contentment with Allah

Jabir Ibn Abdullah Ansari, who had been of the companions of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w), had remained alive till the time of Imam Baqir (a.s) but had become old and blind by then.

Once, when he had arrived in the presence of the Imam (a.s), the Imam (a.s) inquired after his health, whereupon he said: “I find myself in a state such that I give preference to old age over youth, to sickness over soundness of health and to death over life!”

The Imam (a.s) responded by saying: ”(On the contrary) if Allah makes me old, I prefer old age; if He desires to give me youth, I prefer youth; if He afflicts me with sickness, I desire sickness, and if He desires to favour me with sound health, I prefer soundness of health. If Allah wishes to give me death, I prefer death and if He wills to keep me alive, I desire to live.”

As soon as Jabir heard the Imam's (a.s) speech he kissed his (a.s) face and said: “The Noble Prophet (s.a.w) had spoken the truth.” He had said: “O' Jabir! You shall continue to live till you meet one of my children whose name shall be Baqir. He shall split open knowledge just as a cow splits open the earth.”4

2) Pleased with Three Calamities

Hadhrat Isa [Jesus] (a.s) happened to come upon a blind, paralytic leper, whose disease had caused his very flesh to fall out of his body, and overheard him say: “Thanks to Allah, Who has cured me from the affliction that has seized numerous persons in its grasp!”

Isa (a.s) said to him: “O' Man! What is that affliction from which He has protected you?” The man replied: “O' Spirit of Allah! I am better off than one whose heart does not possess the cognizance of Allah - that cognizance which He has placed in mine.”

Hearing this, Isa (a.s) said to him: “You have spoken correctly. Now give me your hand.” Then taking hold of his hand, Isa (a.s) moved his holy hand over the leper's body, whereupon, the leper was immediately cured of his afflictions and was transformed into a man of charming appearance and good physique. Since he had remained pleased (and uncomplaining) over the tribulations that had afflicted him, Allah cured him of his ailments. Later on he went on to become one of the companions of Isa (a.s) and engaged in worship along with him (a.s).5

3) One of the Inmates of Paradise

Imam Sadiq (a.s) relates: “Once, Allah revealed to Hadhrat Dawud (a.s) to give glad tidings to Khalladah, the daughter of Aus, that she was of the inmates of Paradise and would be one of his (a.s) companions in it.” Hadhrat Dawud (a.s) went to her house and knocked at her door, and it was Khalladah herself who opened it. She recognized him the moment she set her eyes upon him and so inquired: “Has something been revealed about me that you have come here?” When he (a.s) had replied in the affirmative, she said: “The revelation is probably for someone else, who resembles me in name!”

He (a.s) said: “No. The revelation has been for you. Tell me something about yourself.”

She replied: “Whenever any pain, injury or misfortune would come to afflict me, I would exhibit patience and submit myself to Allah's pleasure. Neither would I desire any of the adversities to be warded away from me nor would I aspire for anything in exchange; I was always thankful to Him and His pleasure was the only thing that I coveted!”

When he heard this, Hadhrat Dawud (a.s) said: “It is because of this that you have reached such a rank that Allah has sent down this revelation about you.”

Having related this incident, Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “This is that very religion, which Allah has chosen for His righteous servants.”6

4) Ammar in the Battle of Siffin

Ammar Yasir was one of the special companions of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) possessed such a high degree of faith that the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) had stated: Ammar is replete with faith from head to toe, and faith has blended with (and become part of) his flesh and blood.”7

After the death of the Noble Prophet (s.a.w) he continued to be of those who fiercely supported Imam ‘Ali (a.s), and when the battle of Siffin commenced, he fought on the side of the Imam (a.s). One day, coming out of the ranks of the Imam's (a.s) army, he stationed himself before the enemy forces and said: “O' Lord! You are aware that if I were to realize that Your happiness lies in my hurling myself into the seas, I would surely do so; and if I were to know that Your happiness lies in that I fling myself upon the point of a sword so that it enters into my stomach and emerges from the back of my neck, I would certainly do so. I know that today, Your happiness lies in waging a battle with these sinning and corrupt people, and had I known of an act that would have pleased You more, I would have surely opted for it.”

Then, raising his voice, he said: “Whoever desires Allah's pleasure and does not desire to return to his wealth and children should come to me.”

He was eventually martyred after displaying great valor and courage in the battlefield. Reaching his dead body, the Commander of theFaithfuls( a.s) sat down, placed his head upon his thighs and, as he wept, said: “O' Death! It appears that you are totally familiar with those, whom I love; you come and take them away from me.”8

5) The Best Creation

Prophet Musa (a.s) requested to Allah: “O' Lord! Show to me who, from amongst allYour creations, is the best person who worships You.” Allah revealed to him: “Proceed towards the village situated near the sea-shore and you shall find the person there.”

Reaching there Musa (a.s) found a leper, who was engaged in praising and glorifying Allah. He (a.s) asked Jibra`il : “Where is the person whom I had sought from Allah?” Jibra`il pointed to the sick person and said: “This is the person! I am under instructions to take away his eyes; pay careful attention to what he shall say.”

Having said this, he pointed towards the leper's eyes and they suddenly popped out of their sockets. As soon as this happened, the leper said: “O' Allah! TillYou desired you let me benefit from my eyes and now You have desired to take them away from me. O' The One! Who doesgood to me and provides me with goodness.”

Approaching him, Musa (a.s) said: “O' Servant of Allah! I am a person whose prayers are always accepted; if you desire, I shall pray to Allah so that He returns your eyes to you.”

The man said: “No, I do not desire it. Allah has desired this state for me and I am pleased with all that pleases Him.”

Musa (a.s) said: “I heard you say: “O' The One! Who doesgood to me and provides me with goodness. What did you mean by these words?”

He said: “In this village I am the only one who is cognizant of Allah and worships Him (what goodness could be greater than this that He has made me aware and cognizant of Himself.)”

Musa (a.s) was overcome by astonishment and amazement, and as he turned back, he said to himself: “He is the greatest worshipper of Allah in the world.”9

Notes

1. Suratul Mujadilah (58), Verse 22

2. Jame’ al-Sa’adat, vol. 3, pg. 203

3. Tadhkeratul Haqa`iq , pg. 85

4. Pand-e-Tarikh, vol. 5, pg. 186

5. ‘Ilm-e-Akhlaq-e-Islami, vol. 3, pg. 262; Jami’ al-Sa’adat, vol. 3, pg. 208

6. Dastan-ha Wa Pand-ha, vol. 3, pg. 37; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 71, pg. 89

7. Safinatul Bihar, vol. 2, pg. 275:

ان عمارا ملئ ايمانا من قرنه الى قدمه و اختلط الايمان بلحمه و دمه

8. Paighambar Wa Yaran , vol. 5, pp. 24-28; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 8, pg. 524

9. Namunah-e-Ma’arif, vol. 5, pg. 373; Shaytan, vol. 1, pg. 524