Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Chapter 9

Verses 22-23

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

And what reason have I that I should not serve Him Who brought me into existence? And to Him you shall be brought back; What! shall I take besides Him gods whose intercession, if the Beneficent God should desire to afflict me with a harm, shall not avail me aught, nor shall they be able to deliver me? (36:22-23)

One who manifests is worthy of worship

The noble believer Habib Najjar argues before the community of polytheists, “What has happened to me that I should not worship the One Who made me manifest (created me) and also made me return towards Him?”

The messengers say, “You must worship the One Who brought you from non-existence into existence when, before that, you were nothing.”

There surely came over man a period of time when he was a thing not worth mentioning. (76:1)

Thereafter He has, from a drop of sperm, manufactured this wonderful body and a strange structure.

“He created me” is a proof showing the aptness of worshipping Only One God, Who is the Creator. He is the Owner and you are owned (by Him), a slave and a servant, and the Master is the Lord of the worlds. For what did He create various kinds of woods, vegetables, stones, iron, angels, jinn’s or man except that all should worship Him and Him alone? You must be humble before Him. Humility before and fear of anyone or anybody else is wrong. None of those others are creators; they have not created anything.

Is He then Who creates like him who does not create? Do you not then mind? (16:17)

Fear of and hope from Only One God to Whom all have to return

And to Him you shall be brought back…

Commentators say that here is a hint at the degree or rank of fear and hope. O ignorant! When you die, you return to God. Therefore, you should worship Him with a hope to get reward from Him. O idol worshipper! Do you return to the idol after your death?

Surely we are Allah's and to Him we shall surely return. (2:156)

Do something by which the One towards Whom you are returning may be pleased with you and not the created ones and created things that are as weak as you are.

It is the same with regard to fear. Your return is towards your creator. So fear Him so that you may not be a target of His displeasure. Let it not be so that when you die you may be like a runaway slave whereby you are dragged to Him with a blow and degradation.

How can I worship something that cannot make me needless?

What! Shall I take besides Him gods…

Antioch was the country of Sabean people, the worshippers of stars and angels. They had carved idols in the shape of angels for worshipping. He says, “Should I give up the worship of the Beneficent God? Should I adopt another god? Should I worship a star, angels or even a cow, as some simple fellows do?”

Whose intercession, if the Beneficent God should desire to afflict me with a harm, shall not avail me aught, nor shall they be able to deliver me?

That is if the Lord God wishes that I should suffer a loss or harm, all the false gods cannot reach me even if they desire. They cannot save me even if all of them help each other fully. Their recommendation cannot help me and they cannot give me salvation.

There is a story about the question that the late Shaykh Ahmed Bahraini put to a Zoroastrian, “Why do you worship fire and prostrate before it?” That fire worshipper replied, “So that tomorrow, on the Day of Judgment, it may not burn me.” The Shaykh said, “Very well, now here am I who never cared for fire. I am putting my hand in it. You also may do so. Let us see whose hand this fire does not burn? Fire has no conscience whereby it may differentiate between the one who worshipped it and who did not.”

Things worshipped by polytheists are also like this and so are animals and angels. They can never do anything against the Will of God.

In that case I shall most surely be in clear error…

That is, I will be falling into a clear waywardness if I worship them despite seeing that they are unable to do anything. We can say the same for those who worship the rulers.

“I entrust my daughters to God”

Muslims should not claim, “By the grace of God, we do not worship idols.” Because if you consider anyone or anything other than God as able and mighty, then you also are like those polytheists.

It is written in Layaliul Akhbar that: A great monotheist scholar was about to breathe his last. The ruler of the time came to see him. He stood near his head and inquired about his condition. The scholar said, “My departure is very near.” The ruler said, “If you need anything, tell me so that I may fulfill it.” The scholar said, “You cannot fulfill my need.”

The ruler said, “I have heard that you have some teenaged daughters. Allow me to admit them to my harem.”

“How can I entrust them to you when God, Who created them is there, asked the scholar, “Perhaps you may die earlier. Then what is the use?”

What! Shall I take besides Him gods…

That is inspite of the ever-existent God, should I make anyone else my support and make him a center of my hope, fear and trust?

Husain (‘a), while departing from his women and children, had said, “Allah is my successor for you.”

Anybody who makes anyone or anything, except Only One God, a center of his hope and support, be it wealth, position or a friend, is totally deviated.

Habib Najjar dies in torture

To the best of his ability Habib Najjar helped the messengers but the people pounced upon him. Some have written that they threw him down and kicked him so much that his entrails and intestines came out. Then they suffocated him, threw him in a well and filled it up.

Others have written that they stoned him and hit him so much that he died. Some say they pierced his shoulder and hanged him by the wall of a well until he died gradually under torture.

After being attacked by the disbelievers, Habib Najjar knew that he was about to be killed. So he turned towards the messengers and said,

Surely I believe in your Lord, therefore hear me.

Some famous scholars say the messengers said this. Habib said, “O Sages! Be witness that I also, like your honors, worship your Lord Almighty. Thus his last word was faith in the Lord of the worlds, so he said, “Hear me and be witnesses.”

Asking for testification of faith is desirable

The explanation of this verse is mentioned in some narrations of the Prophet and Imams (‘a). They have recommended that when a believer falls ill and is likely to die he should open the door of his house for worshippers. Then when he feels he is returning to his or her Lord the faithful person should reiterate his faith in “There is no god, except Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah”, and in the finality of the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet and in Ali being the friend (Wali) and vicegerent of Allah.

It is emphatically mentioned in traditions that one should say, “Hasan and Husain are the sons of the Prophet of Allah and the nine descendants of Husain are the saints of Allah and the Imams of the believers. And indeed the death is truth and the Paradise and the Hell is truth…These are my beliefs. So give witness tomorrow on the Day of Judgment.”

Regarding the meaning of the verse:

They shall not control intercession, save he who has made a covenant with the Beneficent God. (19:87)

Some narrations on this are recorded in Usul Kafi and Tafsir of Ali bin Ibrahim Qummi. They asked, “How to make a will better?” The Imam replied, “First narrate your true beliefs clearly. At that time, if you have minor children, appoint a guardian for them, if you have a lot of money, make a will in respect of one third of it so that it may be given in charity after you pass away. If you do not have much wealth then let the said one third remain with your legal heirs so that they may benefit from it.

If among your relatives there are some who are poor and also do not have heirs then fix something from the said one third for them.”

In Urwathul Wuthqa it is mentioned in the chapter about the rules regarding the wills that the dying person should announce his beliefs.

It is written in Shaykh Tusi’s Misbah that witness should be called from the audience around the death bed and a written testimony should be obtained from them that so and so, son of so and so, gives witness and testifies his belief in the Oneness of God and the messengership of Muhammad (‘s) and the Imamat of Ali (‘a) and his eleven sons and about the truth of death and Resurrection on the Day of Judgment and paradise and hell…

The signed paper is then placed with the two green branches and buried along with the dead. I can’t say what is the exact explanation for this.

An amazing story about testification to faith

Haji Noori writes in Darus Salam: Once in Najaf-e-Ashraf a man named Syed Muhammad Faqihi who was a good scholar, told me one night, “If possible please lend me the book Misbahul Faqih (by Shaykh Tusi).” I said, “Well, I will bring it for you tomorrow evening.” Next day I brought Misbah, which is about supplications, and handed it over to that person. He came again the next night and said, “I request you to do something for me. Please do it.” Noori said, “I am at your service.” He said, “Please you and the great Jurist (Maraja) come to my place and have breakfast with me tomorrow morning.” I told this to the late scholar who accepted the invitation. When we arrived the next morning, I saw two great scholars, the late Shaykh Jawwad Najafi and Syed Muhammad Husain Kazmi and his two students sitting there. Thus we were six persons in all. After the breakfast, the host went in and brought the same book of Tusi (Misbah) and said, “Dear Sirs! Please hear these beliefs of mine and then be witnesses.”

The late Haji Noori says, “I took Misbah from him and read.” I said, “Imam has said, ‘The one who is about to die should do this’ while you are hale and hearty.” Thus implying that he was not covered by this narration. But Shaykh Muhammad Tabrizi said very humbly, “Why do you restrain me from a good deed? May be this narration applies to me.” I said, “All right, you know better.” Then he reiterated his beliefs one by one with such humility that it made all of us weep. Then he said, “Now it is your turn to give testimony.” All those present there also gave witness.

That evening he returned the Misbah of Shaykh to me and said, “I am also giving you this letter. Please give it to the respected scholars and others to put their seals on it.” I took the letter and had it attested by the respected scholars. The following night a man came and said, “Sir, your friend is not able to attend the dawn prayer, you should visit him.” Next day, I went to see him with the scholars. He passed away on the seventh day.

Haji says, “I wonder how he knew that he was nearing his death!”

Today’s death of adversity

Nowadays sudden deaths overtake more and more people and one is unable to make a will because of unexpected and sudden heart failure or accident etc. However, one must try ones best to act on this narration and keep the Hereafter in mind. If possible you may act as per this narration.

Majlisi (r.a.) acted cautiously and wrote down his beliefs while he was hale and healthy and asked forty people to witness it. They also endorsed his note by writing: There is not doubt in the faith of Majlisi.

In this age, is it done this way in our hospitals? How pitiable is this condition? Worse is that they expect health from the physician and medicines, that is, they die in polytheism.

Chapter 10

Verses 26-27

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

It was said: Enter the garden. He said: O would that my people had known; Of that on account of which my Lord has forgiven me and made me of the honored ones! (36:26-27)

So far we have discussed upto the verse meaning that Habib Najjar, the believer, supported the messengers, admonished the people and wished well of all saying, “O negligent man! These messengers do no ask anything from you. They want from you neither wealth nor kingdom. They only remind you of God. They have brought proofs also. Now should I not fear God Who created me and to Whom I have to return?” But, instead of hearing his words and accepting his sincere advice, they fell on him, kicked him fatally and spilled out his intestines. Then they threw him in a well and filled it up.

Some have said that they sawed his skull. His only crime was that he favored the truth and gave admonition.

Some have written that they pierced his neck and hanged him over a well to die a slow death.

Come to the Barzakh Paradise, O helper of Religion!

Regarding this verse some commentators have said that no sooner than this supporter of the messengers was killed a voice came to his holy soul, “Enter Paradise.” The Divine Command came, “Enter the garden of God.” Of course, here what is meant is the paradise in the grave (Barzakh) not the paradise of the Hereafter after the Day of Judgment.

The paradise of the grave is from the moment of death till Qiyamat. It starts from the moment the soul departs from the body. Barzakh is mentioned in the following verse of Quran:

…and before them is a barrier until the day they are raised. (23:100)

Barzakh is the intermediary state from the hour of death till the Day of Judgment. It is not like this world where there are so many impurities. Nor is it like the Hereafter where everything is pure and fine. It is between the two. Barzakh exists now. It is in this universe but it is veiled from this world. It is hidden from matter and feelings. This material eye cannot observe it. Now consider air, which is existent and our body too exists but yet we cannot see air because it too thin (rare).

It is the defect of our eyes that we cannot see anything except matter and material things. After being released from this body the bodies and forms of Barzakh, which are not material, can be seen. What God has promised in the Holy Quran applies to both the paradise of the Hereafter as well as to the paradise of Barzakh. As soon as the soul gets separated from the body, a good tiding is given, “Enter the Paradise.” All the sins of a martyr in the path of God are pardoned instantly because no deed is greater than martyrdom.[21]

I wish they might see my position

When Habib Najjar, the martyr, saw the bounties of God he said,

O would that my people had known; Of that on account of which my Lord has forgiven me and made me of the honored ones!

That is I wish my community, these neglectful people who are drowned deep in material activities and lustful passions should know what God has bestowed me with. How kind and loving behavior Almighty God shows to the faithful after their death. Would that my people knew that my Lord has included me among the rewarded and honored people.

The believer uttered this sentence and God quoted his words for you and me so that we may be inspired and we may also adopt the path of the honored ones. How does God grant honor, status and glories in the Barzakh life? It is also mentioned in narrations that as soon as the soul of a believer departs from his body, angels from the higher world greet him with flowers and lead him to the Divine Throne (Arsh).

The one in whose view death is perdition

Death is not annihilation or extinction. Why do you consider death an end to everything? Why are you fearful of death? You are a Muslim and you believe in the Holy Quran. One who does not believe in Quran should fear death as they think that it is perdition or doom. But why should believers fear death? Why do they cry and complain so much at the demise of a near and dear one? Has he become extinct? To think so is disbelief in Quran and traditions. If he is not annihilated then why do they act so and what is all this?

This body was like an animal and yet it was riding the one who was running it. It has now become free through death. In the words of Imam Sadiq (‘a), “There was a bird in a cage. Now the door of the cage has opened and the bird became free.” In other words, it was a pearl in a box. Now it has come out of the box and has begun to glitter and shine.

The spiritual world is also in this limitless space but it is hidden from this material world.

Of course, it is human nature and relationships demand that when one departs earlier it affects the survivors. So there is no harm in being thus affected and also there is no harm in weeping. What is essential is that there must be no excessive complaints and crying.

It is necessary to understand that death is first a meeting or a union. It is the first enjoyment of fruits from the bounties promised by God. You undertook fasts for one full month of Ramadan. Now it is time to enjoy its reward. It is the period of encashing life long savings.

Fix your place in paradise while you are here

Every one of us after we are born is being surrounded (by our relatives). They pick us up and we become happy. We experience happiness both in the cradle and in the laps of our mothers.

Then God takes away all of the material bounties, home and life, wife and children on the last day from you. Just as you had arrived naked, they make you bare. From your clothing, you take only the shroud with you. Muhammad (‘s) is the caller from God. O people! Do such deeds whereby your life after death may be insured. You should be pleased when they want to take you away (to the grave). Prepare your place in the Hereafter while you are yet here. How will you do it? Just hear it from Muhammad (‘s). It is reported that the Holy Prophet said, “Most of you, O women! Are hell dwellers as you are deniers?” They replied, “We have put faith (how are we ‘disbelievers’?).” The Holy Prophet said, “You are ‘disbeliever’ of your husbands. You are not performing your duty towards them, as it is necessary to obey your husbands.”

They asked, “Now what should we do?” He replied, “Spend in the path of God.”[22]

Especially with regard to your relatives, do such deeds that your house in the Hereafter may be prepared before you go there. Send before you proceed.

Send a soft bedding to your grave. None will bring it later; therefore you must send it in advance. (Persian couplet)

A man owned a large quantity of date fruits. He made a will that the Holy Prophet (‘s) may give away the lot in the path of God after his death. So when he died, the Holy Prophet (‘s) gave away those dates in charity. A piece fell on ground. The Holy Prophet (‘s) picked it up and said, “Had he (that man) himself given this one in the path of God it would have been better for him than the giving of this whole lot after his death.”[23]

I long for you at my last moment

O Muslims! They have not yet carried you away. Prepare your paradise in grave just now. Take benefit from you body, wealth and heart. Put faith in God and perform good deeds through your body and wealth here only so that, at the time of your death, your love for Aale Muhammad (‘a) may make you restless to meet Ali (‘a) who will come to see you. He would desire to release you. Truly, you must be eager to meet your beloved. Your heart should be turned away from everything else and you must be ready to give up your life happily.

Divine callers have told you what things destroy your house. They have also described the calamities of the life.

O the one who fasted! Indeed you have performed a very good deed. But do not backbite with this tongue. You have built a house, now do not demolish it. Do not dishonor a believer otherwise the house you built in Ramadan would be destroyed.

Notes:

[21] Safinatul Bihar, vol.2, pg. 687

[22] Safinatul Bihar, vol.2, pg. 588

[23] Layaliul Akhbar, pg. 277

Chapter 11

Verses 26-29

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

It was said: Enter the garden. He said: O would that my people had known; Of that on account of which my Lord has forgiven me and made me of the honored ones! And We did not send down upon his people after him any hosts from heaven, nor do We ever send down.

It was naught but a single cry, and lo! they were still. (36:26-29)

When they killed the believer of Aale Yasin in front of the messengers whom also they killed, he was told, “Enter paradise.” And as he entered paradise, he said, “I wish my community should know that my Lord has absolved me of all sins and placed me among the honored ones. Would that those who killed me knew how much forgiving God is?”

Messengers and divine callers are true well-wishers of all, as they have nothing but sympathy. They want that this creation (people) should get salvation and bliss from God though they are beaten up and even killed at their hands. Yet they never cursed them, but showed only sympathy and said, “I wish these ignorant people accept our admonition and understand.”

As we have mentioned, this paradise is in the grave and it is for the believer to enjoy from the hour of his death until the Day of Resurrection. Though if one is a believer but had committed some sins and died without repentance, one remains in torture in Barzakh for a certain time until one’s account is finally cleared. Sometimes he gets enough punishment in Barzakh to clean his past sins and so when he comes to the field of Gathering on the Day of Judgment, he does not have to account for any more sins.

Some commentators have said that in the verse, “It was said: Enter the garden,” the news must have been given before the killing of this believer because there is no mention of his killing. Actually it is not so because the same verse shows that the death took place earlier, “And We did not send down upon his people after him any hosts from heaven, nor do We ever send down.”

The words ‘after him’ indicate that it is after his death and hence it is not necessary to specify that he was killed.

A martyr enters paradise at the very moment of his martyrdom

There is one more fine point here. It is not said, “They killed him and it was said to him,” in order to show the contiguity. For example saying that as soon as he was killed he entered paradise. The Quranic wording indicates emphatically that when the last moment of the martyr arrived he was already in his place in paradise; that there was no time gap at all.

Imam Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have said in respect of some noble Shias that there is no distance between you and what will brighten your eyes except the reaching of your life to your neck. You at once reach the place promised by God.

Words of Imam Hasan (‘a) in his last moments

Fifteenth of Ramadan is the auspicious birth anniversary of Imam Hasan (‘a), the elder grandson of Prophet (‘s). In this connection, let us read a narration about the last moments of Imam Hasan (‘a).

In Amali, Tusi has quoted in the chapter of the martyrdom of Imam Hasan Mujtaba (‘a) that at the time of his departure from this world, his brother Husain (‘a) was at his bedside. His hand was in Husain’s hand. Husain (‘a) asked, “My brother! How are you?” The Imam said, “This is the last day of my life in the world and the first day of my life in the Hereafter, while I am restless due to separation from you and other relatives.”

According to this narration, he immediately added, “I seek pardon from God for what I said. I long to see my grandfather, the Holy Prophet (‘s) and my father, Amirul Mo-mineen (‘a) and my mother Fatima (s.a.). Though I regret the separation from Husain in this world yet I will be very happy to reach my grandfather.”

You too, believing men and women, should be like this. Though you suffer separation from your near and dear ones, you also reach the mercy of the Lord and the nearness to the great good personalities in the Hereafter. In the Barzakh life of grave, you meet the holy spirits of those who proceeded there before you, your friends who are awaiting you.

And whoever obeys Allah and the Apostle, these are with those upon whom Allah has bestowed favors from among the prophets and the truthful and the martyrs and the good, and a goodly company are they! (4:69)

So you will need friends after your death, friends with perfect faith, all true and truthful ones having true love and affection.

Also there is no jealousy in paradise and if there is any jealousy in someone he would never enter Paradise.

Friendship becomes manifest there. Believers meet their brothers, who are brothers in the true sense. World like relationship is not there at all.

Hereafter is a place of gathering together. In the Holy Quran, God had promised at two places in Quran that the believer and his children would be together at one place. As for example in the verse:

And (as for) those who believe and their offspring follow them in faith, We will unite with them their offspring… (52:21)

And their affection will be of the highest quality.

We killed them all with a shriek

And We did not send down upon his people after him any hosts from heaven, nor do We ever send down. It was naught but a single cry, and lo! they were still. (36:28-29)

These two verses describe God’s anger. A believer is very dear to Him. Killing of a believer is a very serious misdeed. The Merciful Lord describes His favor and support to Habib Najjar. According to one narration, at that very moment (when Habib was martyred), and as per another narration the next day and according to a third tradition, after three days thereafter, God decided to punish the oppressors. A wit prior to description He says, “After they killed My favorite servant, We did not send on them any army from heaven - they never deserve that We may send any troops from the sky to finish them. So We annihilated them merely with a heavenly shriek.”

According to a tradition, God ordered Jibraeel to smite them with a frightening cry or shriek. Who can bear the sound of Divine anger? Man is weak. Just look at our own weakness and observe our deeds.

A weak person who disobeys the strong

It is said that once a born-rich person who oppressed others and committed sins went to a religious lecture. One sentence of the speaker changed his condition. It was, “I wonder how a weak person can disobey the strong One?”

He pondered over his weakness and changed his thoughts and deeds completely. It was as if an arrow had pierced his heart, which overturned his lifestyle. He turned towards God.

A time comes when you want to say a word but you cannot utter even a word. You are unable even to move your hand. You become weaker than a mosquito.

Thus Allah says, “We did not send on the community of Habib, after him, an army from heaven and it also does not befit us to do (such a little work which was not necessary for them).”

Our chastisement was but a cry and a shriek and instantly all became silent. The kind of shriek it was is known only to God, which uproots the heart from its position, strangles the throat or kills man due to fear while man has no strength to bear it.

Umar bin Abdul Aziz falls hearing the cry

It is written in Hayatul Haiwan that: It was spring season during the caliphate of Umar bin Abdul Azeez and he was sitting on this throne. The atmosphere changed and rainy winds arrived with many clouds and dazzling flashes of lightning, and the caliph fell down from his throne. The terrible fright shook him.

Yahya bin Muaz Razi who used to give beneficial admonishments said, “O Caliph! This is the fear of the Beneficent Lord.”

If lightning, thunder and the arrival of rains and good tidings of bounties shake you so much, how would you respond to the sound of Divine anger?

After the departure of the Last Prophet (‘s) such kinds of calamities, which generally used to kill all at a time were postponed by the blessing of the Prophet of mercy.

And We have not sent you but as a mercy to the worlds. (21:107)

Devastating calamities were postponed but occasional punishment is there. A few years ago some earthquakes struck Iran and they could also be a kind of divine warnings.

Alas for the servants! there comes not to them an apostle but they mock at him. (36:30)

Meaning: Woe unto such people. Ever since the creation until the time of the Last Prophet (‘s) whenever a warner arrived from God, they made fun of him.

Now, we are also like this. There are people in the Islamic world who, on seeing a religious man, make fun of him. They deride him when he tries to stop an evil. They call him reactionary. They pay no attention to the promises and warnings of the Holy Quran. Rather, as a matter of fact, they give no ear to it like the community of Noah; who used to put their fingers in their ears to avoid hearing the words of their prophet.

And whenever I have called them that Thou mayest forgive them, they put their fingers in their ears…(71:7)

Now, in fact, one does not even come to the masjid to hear the admonitions, to understand the path to success and to hear the invitation or the call of divine messengers.

Words of Imam Sajjad (‘a) and guidance of a man

It is reported in the chapter pertaining to the forbearance of Imam Sajjad (‘a), that the Imam was passing through a lane of Medina with a cloak on his shoulders. One of the mean fellows of the city told his companions, “Let me put my hand today on Ali bin Husain (‘a).” To make fun of the Imam, he caught and pulled the Imam’s cloak from behind. The Imam turned back and said, “The Day is to come when every wrong doer will be a loser. O Wrongdoers! Your loss will become manifest on the Day of Judgment. God’s frowning will terrorize you, but you are making a mockery of these truths. This world has made you mad, deceiving you fully but very soon you will wake with the cry of death.”

And leave those who have taken their religion for a play and an idle sport, and whom this world's life has deceived…(6:70)

Chapter 12

Verses 30-31

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Alas for the servants! there comes not to them an apostle but they mock at him. Do they not consider how many of the generations have We destroyed before them, because they do not turn to them? (36:30-31)

Qiyamat is a bright day in comparison with this dark world

We are talking about the verse:

Alas for the servants…(36:30)

It explains the condition of man in the grave and in the Hereafter and it reveals hidden truths. There are and were people who mocked the messengers and those who followed these ‘callers towards God’, who invited the people to Hereafter. How pitiable and disgraceful will be their condition on the day when truth is manifested.

Quran refers to resurrection as ‘the Day’, for example, day of gathering, day of Qiyamat, day of recompense and so on. Why is it called a ‘day’? There is no sun in the Hereafter, like we have in this world:

When the sun is covered…(81:1) And the sun and the moon are brought together, (75:9)

On the gathering ground of Mahshar there will be no shining of sun but radiance of Muhammad (‘s).

So, on the basis of this, what does ‘day’ denote? Day is bright compared to night, which is dark. In this world, there is darkness. Truth is hidden and inner conditions are veiled. Truth is not visible. From the moment of death begins the real dawn for the opening up of secrets. For example, however much you want to recognize Ali (‘a) you will not be able to do so fully and perfectly as he is hidden. From the moment of death, the grave life opens. Now you may visualize the highness and greatness of Ali (‘a) as much as you can.

With the powerful hand of God, good people will enjoy divine bounties and the evil ones will taste the divine chastisement. Thus it is night (full of darkness) from the hour of birth till death and after death it is day, which reveals all truths.

Let there be the manifestation of truth. At that time those who mocked the messengers will realize their arrogance. Then they will realize what befalls them. They will see that those whom they had mocked have gained lofty ranks.

In king’s company and manifestation of truth

Here I narrate a story from the book Faraj baad az shiddah.

A justice-loving king ruled over a part of India and when he died, he was succeeded by his son who also was as good and justice loving and sympathetic as his father. But there was a rebellion in his kingdom and the good-natured prince thought if fighting took place there would be much bloodshed and anarchy would prevail. So he thought it would be better if he himself left the kingdom. While leaving he put on a royal coat studded with costly jewels with a view that it would help him in adverse conditions. He did not take any money or food with him and went to forest on foot. He set off at night and next morning he rested under a tree by a stream.

There he saw a man with a load on his back. The prince thought that this was also a traveler whom he could accompany in his journey and he might also be having food with him. At last that man came near him and sat down, spread his tablecloth, ate and did not say even a word to the prince. The prince also, due to self-respect and shame, could not say that he was hungry. At last both began to travel together and again at dinnertime the man with food ate inviting his fellow traveler to join him.

Thus for two days and nights this runaway king moved along with this miserly man without eating anything. On the third day, naturally, the king had no strength to walk further. He separated from that man and traveled alone. Then suddenly he saw a city where a house was under construction. He asked the man in charge of construction work, “Can I get some work here?” The contractor agreed. The refugee king asked for his wages early and he got them. Then he bought some food, ate it and started working with enthusiasm. The builder noted that this was not a professional laborer and that he seemed a noble personality possessing royal traits.

So he mentioned this to the respectable lady who owned the building under construction. She called for the strange laborer and in the evening he was brought in her presence. She understood the nobility of the man at first sight, hosted him and offered her hand in marriage to him. The king prayed to God to let him live there, as there was no other place.

Thus he passed three years with this noble lady and benefited from her generosity but during all these years he did not divulge to her who he actually was. After three years, he recognized a man from his native land that was searching for someone. The king asked him, “What is the news about India?”

The man replied, “We had a good and just king. But there was rebellion; the rebels grabbed the throne and ruled over us for three years committing much injustice all this time and oppressing us severely. At last people could bear it no longer and they killed the rebels. Now they are searching for the real king so that if he is found he may be reinstated on the throne to rule judiciously over us. Thus we are now in search of him.

The king made himself known and also showed his royal coat to prove the veracity of his claim. Then he informed the lady of the facts and told her, “I am now going. If I get the throne without trouble, I will send my men to bring you home.” The messenger returned to India and gave the news to his countrymen. Along with their army the people arrived to welcome him and placed him on his throne without any trouble.

While fleeing his kingdom the king had realized how difficult it was to travel alone penniless, so he ordered that inns should be constructed at intervals for travelers and that at every such halting place the travelers should be given provision for three days. He also ordered, “If a foreigner comes to our city he should be brought to me so that if he needs anything I may help him.”

After a few days that miserly man who had accompanied the king in his journey for three days also arrived in the city. The king recognized him at once and asked, “Do you know me?” “You are the king,” he replied. “No, I am that same man who was in your company for three days,” reminded the King. The fellow was severely ashamed and wished that earth should split and swallow him.

The king told him, “Do not be afraid, you will not see anything but good from me.” Then he ordered that the newcomer should be given a room in the royal palace. He made him dine with him and provided him various facilities and honors. At night he provided a royal bed to him and gave him the best of slave girls. After sometime the slave girl came to the king and reported, “Your guest is deed in sleep.”

“Do you think he has died?” asked the king. So they went back and saw that it was so. The king said, “This man has drowned in extreme sorrow and grief and a feeling of shame. I had intended it to be so.”

Hit by deep desires after revelation of facts

O man! All of us here are to be hit by deep regret except those who value the message of divine messengers in this world. They would then express their sorrow:

Alas for the servants!

They would understand what God had said and how they were indifferent towards the divine scholars and messengers. They would also understand how the Lord of the worlds only increased His bounties upon them despite such disrespect on their part. They indulged in ungratefulness and mockery, yet God showered them with bounties and behaved mercifully with them. Woe unto man when this reality is manifested.

In the first station in Qiyamat, the first forty years will be those of amazement and astonishment. Thereafter it would be shame in facing the Holy Prophet (‘s). It is narrated that the feeling of shame will cause perspiration so profusely that man would wish that he should be sent to hell to escape this situation.[24]

How We annihilated the ancient people?

At that time the Almighty would tell threateningly to those who had mocked His messengers’ invitation, “Look at your predecessors (who had done so earlier).”

Do they not consider how many of the generations have We destroyed before them…

Meaning: Look what has happened to those who had mocked the divine prophets earlier. You Arabs do pass, during your travels through places they inhabited. You repeatedly see the habitats of Prophet Lut etc; how we turned them upside down. How We destroyed them who paid no heed to the invitation of divine messengers.

They do not believe in it, and indeed the example of the former people has already passed. And even if We open to them a gateway of heaven, so that they ascend into it all the while, they would certainly say: Only our eyes have been covered over, rather we are an enchanted people. (15:13-15)

So take lesson from this. Before you, some had revolted and disobeyed. From among them were the people of Pharaoh whom We drowned. Also We pushed some deep in earth. To some We killed by a thunder like the killers of Habib Najjar.

So each We punished for his sin; of them was he on whom We sent down a violent storm, and of them was he whom the rumbling overtook, and of them was he whom We made to be swallowed up by the earth, and of them was he whom We drowned… (29:40)

So do not be like them. They were destroyed because they did not return to Us in repentance.

This Ummah is blessed for taking lesson from the predecessors

A religious figure has said with regard to this community, that it is the blessed community because it is the last one that has learnt from the mistakes of the past people and thus became eligible for divine mercy. One who comes first is likely to fall down without noticing a hole in the path, but one who follows, looks at those who fall and avoids the peril.

Thus Allah says, “You are the blessed Ummah. You saw what happened to the community of Lut, Salih and Hud. You read about them in history and saw their remnants while traveling. Why do you not take lesson therefrom?”

Note:

[24] Biharul Anwar, vol.4