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Your Questions Answered

Volume 1

By: Sayyid Saeed Akhtar Rizvi

Published by: Bilal Muslim Mission of Tanzania

Dar es Salaam – Tanzania

www.alhassanain.org/english

Notice:

This versionis published on behalf of www.alhassanain.org/english

The composing errorsare not corrected .

Table of Contents

Q. 1: What is Islam? 11

Q. 2: Why are you a Muslim? 12

Q. 3: What is the best religion in this world? 13

Q. 4: Who started the religion of Islam? 14

Q. 5: What is the basis of faith and what role does it play in our lives? 15

Q. 6;Where can I go to register myself as a Muslim and am I allowed to be a Muslim since I like the religion very much 16

Q. 7: What should we do if we want to be the most God-Fearing person? 17

Q. 8: What should we do if we want to be the richest of people? 18

Q. 9: What should we do if we want to be the faithful? 19

Q. 10: Here I seek some question on Islam. I think of a man, who sincerely believes in all the fundamentals and professes them in words but he neither observes prayer nor performs pilgrimage. Would it be right to call him a true Muslim? 20

Q. 11: How many Muslims are in the World and where is the headquarter? 21

Q. 12: The other day my cousin asked me what proof have we got that Islam is the true religion. I told him that the Qur'an proves it. But he said that even Christians have Bible for their own proof. How should I reply him? 22

Q. 13: All religions believe in God. So do I. But where did God come from? 23

Q. 14: Does our Ithna-Asheri faith accept the theory of evolution, i.e., we were not created at an instant, but were evolved? 24

Q. 15: Does this verse support human evolution? “And surely He has made you Fashion after Fashion”. (71:14) 25

Q. 16: About how many years ago, Nabii Adam was created? 26

Q. 17: How can I be convinced that Allah was the God which Muhammad preached? 27

Q. 18: Why does God exist? 28

Q. 19: Why have we been created? 29

Q. 20: How far away from the earth is the moon? 30

Q. 21: I believe God is nature; that means that nature is God. Is it right? 31

Q. 22: I have been told that Nabii Elias went to the Heavens and is still awaited by the Jews. Is this also what we believe? 32

Q. 23: Is Hazrat Isa (A.S.) still alive or dead? If the former is the answer where is he? 33

Q. 24: Who was Muhammad? (S.A.W.W.) 34

Q. 25: Where was Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.W.) born, and where and when did he expire? 35

Q. 26: How old was Muhammad (S.A.W.W.) when he first began to preach? 36

Q. 27: Our Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W.W.) got his spiritual power from God after reaching the age of 40, to preach Islam. Why not before, when there were other people who were worshipping idols during that time and also needed preaching of Islam 37

Q. 28: When we mention the apostle's name, Muhammad, we say (S.A.W.W.) Why? What does it mean? 38

Q. 29: Had the Prophet Muhammad any other names as we read in Christians' Bible that Jesus had other names as Christ, etc.? 39

Q. 30: How many wives Prophet Muhammad had besides Khadija? What are their names, if any? 40

Q. 31: He died as a Prophet, but where or in which country did he die and was buried? 41

Q. 32: How old was Muhammad the Prophet when he died in 632 A.D, and when he started Islam? 42

Q. 33: Who buried him? 43

Q. 34: Did Muhammad the Prophet arise as Christ from the dead? 44

Q. 35: Who wrote the Qur’an and in which year? 45

Q. 36: I would like to know the languages into which the Qur'an has been translated? 46

Q. 37: Is it a sin reading the Bible? 47

Q. 38: What is Sura Yaasin' generally held to signify? 48

Q. 39: Who succeeded as Caliph after Muhammad? 49

Q. 40: A certain community believes to such an extent that Hazrat Ali (A.S.) is greater than the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W.) and probably as great as God. I shall be extremely obliged if you will please supply me with necessary text and satisfactory explanation so that this absurd notion could be checked 50

Q. 41: They also argue that the Imam can change the "Furu" and not the "Usul" 54

Q. 42: The same community also argued that Imam Hasan (A. S.) was not given Imamat because Hazrat Ali (A.S.) knew that Imam Hasan's descendants were not to survive, and, therefore, the Imamat was given direct to Imam Husain (A.S.) 55

Q. 43: I have been told that after we die, we still feel pain if someone touches us. But as the soul has left the body (after our death) how can we feel pain? 56

Q. 44: If a man knows nothing about Qur'an nor about praying and he is a Muslim and if he fasts, does he get any "God's Reward" or not and why? 57

Q. 45: We believe that our 12th Imam is alive but he is "Ghayab". We also believe that when our Prophet died, he left two things to guide us, namely Qur'an and Ahlul-bait. Till 11th Imam, two things were going along together. Now, we have Qur'an but why not our Imam in person? 58

Q. 46: Can we have a direct contact with our Imam? 59

Q. 47: Can you, please; direct us with reference to Qur'an when, why and where our Imam was "Ghayab"? 60

Q. 48: What is the main difference between Islam and Christianity? 62

Q. 49: Is Islam related in anyway with the Chritianity? 64

Q. 50: What is the message of Islam to the non-Muslims? 65

Q. 51: Why is Islam and Ahmadiyyas not same in their beliefs? 66

Q. 52: I am really confused about my attitude towards the Ahmadiyya Sect 67

Q. 53: ("Note: This letter was sent to Mr. Jamifur Rahman Rafiq, Chief Missionary of Ahmadiya Mission of Kenya, Nairobi. No reply was ever received) 68

Q. 54: I write this letter in reply to your advertisement in the Uganda Argus of 13th November, 1969. I am a student of Islam at Makerere University College and at present I am faced with many unanswered questions, theological, historical and others about Islam. For example, "Western critics claim that Sufism was borrowed from Christianity or other religions outside Islam"' and not within Islam itself 69

Q. 55: Can a Sunni Muslim pray with Ismailis or Bohras in the same Mosque? 70

Q. 56: Explain why Ismailism is a complete way of life? 71

Q. 57: What is the difference between Shia and Sunni sects of Islam? 72

Q. 58: What is the difference between Shia and Ithna-Asheri? 73

Q. 59: The following letter was written in reply to some questions sent by Sheikh Omar Schubert Al-Muhtadi, Vice-President of Islamic Community in Hamburg, (West) Germany 74

Q. 60: Can a woman recite Qur'an or Dua during her monthly period? 76

Q. 61: What are the rules concerning white secretion from woman if it is not connected with sexual act or thought? 77

Q. 62: The sweat produced on human body after masturbation but before "Ghusl" is najis. Is the sweat produced after night ejaculations during dream (wetbed) najis also? 78

Q. 63: Why do Muslims pray five times a day? 79

Q. 64: I always pray with sincere intention and wish but I cannot concentrate while praying. So, are my prayers accepted and valid? Will I ever be able to concentrate? I try very hard but in vain? 80

Q. 65: I find it impossible to repay my KAZA fasts and prayers due to lack of time and some personal reasons. Any other ways to repay them back? 81

Q. 66: What happens when you combine all the prayers of the week and you pray them all on one day? 82

Q. 67: Maghrib prayer time ends at midnight. How can we know the exact midnight? 83

Q. 68: Ghusl of Mass-e-Mayyit becomes wajib after touching a dead body. Now if some-one is a doctor or nurse, and he/she has to touch dead-bodies every now and then, should he/she do Ghusl after every contact? 84

Q. 69: Can Friday and Idd prayers be prayed individually? 85

Q. 70: What are the qualifications of a peshnamaz? 86

Q. 71: Can an Ithna-Asheri pray in a Sunni mosque (a) individually (b) with Jamaat led by a Sunni? 87

Q. 72: If there is no Ithna-Asheri mosque in a town can the Friday prayer be prayed in a Jamaat led by a Sunni? 88

Q. 73: In July, my cousin and I went to the gathering of 'Federation of Students' Islamic Society of England and Ireland (FOSIS). We prayed Jamaat namaaz. Now, the Imam was a Sunni (as majority were sunn is); We prayed behind him. My cousin and I had already prayed (Namaz) in our rooms and then we went and prayed the Jamat Namaz. Was it alright what we did? Do we have to have a special Niyyat if we pray Sunni Jamaat Namaaz? 89

Q. 74: If, in a prayer, we don't keep 'mohr' (although we have it, without any fear), is our prayer void? If I don't have 'mohr' on what can I prostrate? 90

Q. 75: During our Prayers when we have said "ADDUA U BAINAS SAJDATAIN" we prostrate as before for the second time. There is book which I have read and reads 'After that say Atlah-O-Akbar and stand up again for second rakaat and do as you did before. After the Sura-tul-Fatiha and another Sura or a portion of the Holy Qur'an. When you have done two prostrations, sit down and read Tashah-hud! Please would you explain me what this means so that I can start praying. Please, could you explain all the 5 hours of praying. Is there any book which I can buy which tells all about Islam translated in English. Please answer me these questions 91

Q. 76: Can you translate 'Tahiyatu' in English for me? 92

Q. 77: IHTIYAT PRAYERS - How and which time is it prayed? 93

Q. 78: Will you please explain the necessary rules and method of 'Swalatul- Meyyit' 94

Q. 79: What are the differences between the methods of prayer of different Muslim sects? 95

Q. 80: Is it correct to pray Dhuhuri at 1.30 after Juma? 96

Q. 81: Give me full particulars if someone finds that they have prayed Eight Rakats in Taraweeh. How he should recover them? 97

Q. 82: Christians allow anybody or any religion to worship in their Churches 98

Q. 83: Why the Muslim women are not allowed to get in Mosque and yet when the time comes for fasting they are fasting like men 99

Q. 84: Is Ramadhan a special word to express the Ramazan in English like Minaret for Minar? 100

Q. 85: What are the actual sources that make we Moslems all over the world fast during the month of Ramadhan, why, who introduced and when? 101

Q. 86: When are we expected to fast according to your calculations? 102

Q. 87: If a Muslim resides in a place where days and nights are of more than 24 103

Q. 88: Being the Headmaster of a Secondary School attended by a few Pakistani pupils observing the Moslem Religion I should be glad to receive your opinion on the following points: 104

Q. 89: Can a woman fast when pregnant? And is it a MUST in Ramadhan? 106

Q. 90: What sort of sacrifice should a person perform after having sexual intercourse during the month of Ramadhan before breaking the fast? Well, he did not intend to make love with his wife since it is forbidden during the day time. It was sort of strong temptation of the wife. She just went to her husband's bedroom while he was resting and she stripped from head to toe and forced him to make love - the couple were newly weds 107

Q. 91: Reference your latest issue of "THE LIGHT" Magazine, page 10, on the subject "ABOUT ZAKAT", one person has commented as under: 108

Q. 92: I shall be highly obliged if you will kindly enlighten me regarding Khums 110

Q. 93: I am working and earning only £15; have I got to give Zakat to the poor during the month of Ramadhan since I got my parent to support - my father died twelve years ago. And if so how much should I give the poor people? 112

Q. 94: Is it a Must that every Muslim must go to Mecca, if so what of those who don't go there? 113

Q. 95: Is there any limitation to age of going to Mecca? If so, what is the minimum? I am aged 23 years and I would like to go next year 114

Q. 96: What is the most liked house to God? 115

Q. 97: What is Jihad-e-Akbar and what steps would you take to fight Jihade- Akbar? 116

Q. 98: I understand that Jihad is a holy war. Is it true that if someone dies in the battle, he goes straight to Paradise? If so why is that? 117

Q. 99: What is the purpose of marriage? 118

Q. 100: The Islamic religion allows polygamy and not polyandry. Explain briefly why a man is allowed polygamy and a woman forbidden polyandry instead of both of them forbidden 119

Q. 101: Can a Muslim man be a husband of many wives - and if so how many at least? 120

Q. 102: Can a wife divorce her husband if he marries another woman and does not care about her? 121

Q. 103: Can a Muslim woman be married to a man who is not a Muslim or viceversa? 122

Q. 104: Is civil marriage unlawful in our religion? Why? 123

Q. 105: Does Islam religion agree with family planning? 124

Q. 106: The thing is that I have been brought up in a very bad environment 125

Q. 107: Is homosexuality of any kind Haram? 126

Q. 108: Is masturbation allowed? 127

Q. 109: Adultery is forbidden, would you mind to write me a verse from the Quran forbidding adultery? 128

Q. 110: Is it unlawful to read a novel on sexual treatise such as the Famous PERFUMED GARDEN written by Sheikh Nafzaoun translated by Sir Richard Burton? 129

Q. 111: I have been employed a shop where I have to accept orders of delivering wines, write invoices, collect amount due for payment and do correspondence for wines in addition to other commodities for which the Company associates 130

Q. 112: There are only a few of us Ithna-asheris in Mozambique. All of us are engaged in trade and commerce. Some of us have ration shops. But the difficulty here is that the population drinks liquor very much; and beer and wine is considered a part of grocery. As we, the Ithna-asheris, are not allowed by our religion to sell or keep liquor, we do not get as much business as we could if we kept the liquor. The Ismaitis keep liquor, in their shops, and as a result, their businesses prosper, while ours remain small 131

Q. 113: Is it possible, in any way, for a Muslim to open a Super market (which will have wines, spirits, etc.)? 133

Q. 114: Is goat's meat slaughtered by a Jew 'Halal'? I heard that they recite some words before slaughtering it 134

Q. 115: Is food prepared by (a) Sunni (b) Ismaili (c) Bohora allowed to be eaten? 135

Q. 116: I heard from one of my friends that we are allowed to take food prepared by Christian; is this true? and if this is true, I shall try to make you remember the answer you gave in LIGHT Magazine (Vol. III. No. 1) of Q. 1., that we are permitted to take food prepared by any sect of Islam, conditionally that it is not prepared by someone who associates God with human beings? Do Christians not believe Christ as son of God? 136

Q. 117: Do the Muslims modify such rules like eating meat that a non-moslem has slaughtered? 138

Q. 118: Why don't you like to touch dogs; And eat the meat of pigs and some other animals? 139

Q. 119: Can a Muslim eat a hen or poultry? 140

Q. 120: Can indoor games, e.g. ludo, cards, chess, etc. be played (with the intention of time-passing) without introducing money? 141

Q. 121: For a man to keep Beard is wajib according to our sheriet. What benefit one derives by keeping Beard and when it grows after a certain length, it is not advisable, why? 142

Q. 122: I refer to your reply in latest "LIGHT" why Beard? It could be assumed by your reply that all those who shave may have weak eyes and those who do not shave may have bright eyes - then why Dear Mr. Rizvi you having never shaved in your life have to wear spectacles? 143

Q. 123: What does 786/110 mean? 144

Q. 124: Can anyone believing in God be affected by witch-craft? Do we have to recite Al-Falaq and An-Nas to be clear from witch-craft? 145

Q. 125: Is Smoking bad in Islam? Why is it Makruh? 146

Q. 126: Is it allowed for a muslim to smoke in the lavatory of the Mosque? 147

Q. 127: In checking the Holy Qur’anic verses purporting to taking of Liquor to be haram (unauthorized, sinful) is said that ‘it (taking of liquor) has more vices than virtue? If yes then why smoking of tobacco, which has all the vices is allowed among the shias? 148

Q. 128: Do we believe in the Astrologer and the palmistry? 149

Q. 129: Is there any written proof that animals were created to be eaten? Aren’t men animals? They are animals which man is given to them as a name’’ 150

Q. 130: How do Muslims count their years? E.g. When Muhammad did migrate to Medina it was 622 A.D 151

Q. 131: Why is it said that a Muslim cannot enslave his brother Muslim in some books; but also in some books we find the Muslims having slaving whom also they pray in Mosque together? 152

Q. 1: What is Islam?

Joseph Mwambwa, Mombasa, Kenya.

A. Islam is to believe and accept that there is none tobe worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger. It means that one MUST believe in and accept all thathas been brought by Muhammad (s.a.w.w.). For details, see "Islam" obtainable from this Mission.

Q. 2: Why are you a Muslim?

A. I am a Muslim because I realise that:First of all , religion is the most essential thing to develop a man into a perfect human being.And secondly , I have come to the conclusion, after a thorough study of the world religions, that only Islam is the perfect, sensible and wellbalanced religion in the world.

Q. 3: What is the best religion in this world?

A. Islam is the only perfect religion in this world. See for details the booklet "Need of Religion" published by this Mission.

Q. 4: Who started the religion of Islam?

A. Islam is areligion which was originally brought in this world by Hazrat Adam (A.S.). All the prophets have been following the same religion (e.g. One God, Day of Resurrection, etc.) but the actual laws of religion differed from time to time depending upon the time of respective prophets. The last Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.W.) brought the same religion, whichis commonly known as 'ISLAM' today. There will be no Prophet after him. Therefore, Islam is the first and last religion, having beenstarted by Hazrat Adam (A.S.) and perfected by our Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.W.).

Q. 5: What is the basis of faith and what role does it play in our lives?

A. About basis of faith: In our theology, Reason is the basis of faith. Here we differ completely from the Christianity whose motto is "First believe, then you will understand".But we say "First understand, then believe". Therole which our faith plays in our lives is very comprehensive and prevalent. A Muslim's faith governs all his religious, ethical, social, and financial and family activities. It is not like Christianity in which the hold of religion on a Christian's life is limited to a few minutes of Sunday mornings when he attends the church.

Q. 6;Where can I go to register myself as a Muslim and am I allowed to be a Muslim since I like the religion very much.

Miss Mary Oyoo, Mombasa, Kenya.

A. If you have studied the tenets of Islam and are convinced of its truth, there is no need to get your name registered anywhere. Islam is the onlyreligion which establishes a direct relationship between a human being and God. There is no organised clergy or priest-hood as in Christianity; there is no forgiving of sins by priests; no dispensation and nothing to show that you depend on some human being for the salvation of your soul. If you are convinced about the truth of Islam and if you recite the following sentences with conviction, you are a Muslim without any need of any witness or priest or registration.

"I BEAR WITNESS THAT THERE IS NO GOD (OR NONE TO BE WORSHIPPED) EXCEPT ALLAH, AND I BEAR WITNESS THAT MUHAMMAD IS THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH".

Q. 7: What should we do if we want to be the most God-Fearing person?

A. The most God-fearing person these days is the one who obeys all the commands of God and abstains from all forbidden things.

Q. 8: What should we do if we want to be the richest of people?

A. The richest person is he who isthe most perfect in faith.

Q. 9: What should we do if we want to be the faithful?

A. The faithful (i.e. ) : Faith( ) has been defined as "Firm belief, declaration by tongue and Actions according to the commands of Allah.

Q. 10: HereI seek some question on Islam.I think of a man, who sincerely believes in all the fundamentals and professes them in words but he neither observes prayer nor performs pilgrimage. Would it be right to call him a true Muslim?

A. Your question concerns the relationship between 'Iman' and 'Good Deeds'. Imanis likened to a flame of a lamp, and worship of Allah and good deeds are like its light.The stronger the flame of the lamp, the brighter its light. Likewise, the stronger the Iman the better and more sincere the worship of Allah and more virtuous good deeds.

If a person is slow in worship and good deeds, it means that his Iman is weak.

If he does not worship Allah and performs no good deeds atall his claim of Iman is like a claim that lamp is burning while the whole room (walls, floor, roof, furniture) is absolutely dark.

Q. 11: How many Muslims are in the World and where isthe headquarter ?

A. There is no authentic figure available.But it is estimated that there are between 650 and 750 million Muslims in the world.

There is noheadquarter if you mean something on the lines of the Vatican.But the holy places of Islam are in Mecca and Medina (Saudi Arabia), Najaf, Kerbala, Kadhimain and Samarra (Iraq), Damascus (Syria) and Masjid-ul-Aqsa (Jerusalem).

Q. 12: The other daymy cousin asked me what proof have we got that Islam is the true religion.I told him that the Qur'an proves it.But he said that even Christians have Bible for their own proof. How shouldI reply him?

A. Your approach to that question was wrong and it gave your cousin the chance to object in the way he objected.

According to Shia Ithna-Asheri faith, the matters of belief (known commonly as Usul-e-Deen)must be understood through reason and intellect.When a person has accepted by logical reasoning that there is a Creator who is Omnipotent, Omni-scient, Omni-present; that He is Just and Loves His creatures; that because of that Justice and Love, He cannot leave mankind without a Guide; and that the Last of those guides was our Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W.) who brought Islam and Qur'an, then, and only then, may we argue with him on the strength of Qur'an and Hadith.

Otherwise, if he does not believe in God (or the Holy Prophet), you cannot expect him to accept the verdict of Qur'an and Hadiths.

You have been sent5 units of the Islamic Correspondence course. You may show them to your cousin and he may find the answer to his problems in them.

If after carefully reading those books, he wants more clarification, he or you may write to me,.

Q. 13: All religions believe in God. So doI .But where did God come from?

A. God did not come from anywhere. He is "Self-existent"; therefore, His existence cannot be limited by "from" and "to". He is forever.

Other thingssometime exist ,sometime do not exist . We may ask about these things "when"

or "how" or "where from" did they come into being.

Q. 14: Does our Ithna-Asheri faith accept the theory of evolution, i.e., wewere not created at an instant, but were evolved?

A. First let it be clear that our faithis based on the "belief in the Creator”. If evolution means that Allah created different things in stages, there is not much conflict with religion. If, on the other hand, evolution means that there is no creator and that the things came into being just by progress of matter, then it is naked "Kufr" (atheism) and our faith cannot tolerate it even for an instant.

Q. 15: Does this verse support human evolution? “And surely He has made you Fashion after Fashion”. (71:14).

A. The translation of ayat given by you is wrong.It is translated by Abdullah Yusuf Ali as :

“Seeing that it is He that has created you in diverse stages”

Mir Ahmad Ali translates it: - “While indeed He created you through regular stages.”

And the meaning of "in diverse stages" or "through regular stages" is explained by Aimma (a.s.) as a reference to the various stages a foetus passes through, which has been shortly described in Qur'an (22: 5): -

"O’ people! if you be in doubt about (your) rising again (resurrection), then (reflect ye that) verily We created you from dust, then from sperm, then from a clot, then from a lump of flesh, formed and (sometimes) partly unformed, that we may manifest (our power) unto you, and We cause to stay in the womb what We will until an appointed term, then bring ye forth as babes, then (foster you) that ye reach your maturity; and of you is he who is caused to die, and of you is he who is brought back to the feeblest (stage of) old age that he knoweth not aught after knowing (much)".

In another Ayat, itis described thus: -

"And indeedWe created man, from an extract of clay. Then we made him sperm, in a firm resting place. Then made We the sperm a clot, then made We in the lump of flesh bones, then clothed We the bones with flesh; then We did grow it into another creation; so Blessed be God, the Best of the creators (23:13-15).

If you are interested to know the Islamic view of the hypothesis of evolution, you will find it explained in "Need of Religion" and "God of Islam", both published by this Mission.

Q. 16: About how many years ago, Nabii Adamwas created ?

A. Wehave not been informed of it in the Traditions of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.W.) or Imams (A.S.).

Q. 17: How can I be convinced that Allah was theGod which Muhammad preached?

A. Well, open any page of the Qur'an and you will find the name "Allah" mentioned in it several times. Once a Hindu friend ofmine happened to look at an English translation of the Qur'an and said, "It is safe to say that the key word of this book is "Allah"

TheKalema which the Holy Prophet preached contains the name "Allah" twice in the two short sentences. What more proof can anyone demand?

Q. 18: Why does God exist?

A. Your question is misplaced. God is "Self-existent"therefore His existence cannot be questioned. Other things sometimes exist, sometimes do not exist; a few years ago you were not there, now you do exist; after some years your existence willcome to an end . We may ask about such things why do they exist. There "being" needs a creator; without a force to cause them "tobe" they cannot come into existence.

Therefore, it is quite right to ask the cause of the existence of other things; but God is Existence Himself and we cannot ask "why"does He exist .

Q. 19: Whyhave we been created ?

A. Allah says in theQur'an: -

"And I did not create Jin and Human Beings but so that they worship me". The Maarifat (knowledge) of Allah and then obeying His Will and Command is included in the word "Worship"

Q. 20: How far away from theearth is the moon?

A. The average distance of moon from the earthIs estimated to be 238,860 miles.

Q. 21:I believe God is nature; that means that nature is God. Is it right?

A. The answer is "NO" - Nature is a created thing and God is its Creaor. The two cannot be the same.

Q. 22:I have been told that Nabii Elias went to the Heavens and is still awaited by the Jews. Is this also what we believe?

A. According to our Ahadith, Hazarat Elias is alive in this world, not in Heaven.

Q. 23: Is Hazrat Isa (A.S.) still alive or dead? If the former is theanswer where is he?

A. Hazrat Isa (A.S.) is still alive and is in the heaven. He will return to earth before the day of Resurrection to help Imam Mahdi (A.S.).

Q. 24: Who was Muhammad?(S.A.W.W.)

A. He was son of Abdullah and Amina, from the clan of Hashim, tribe of Quraish, in Mecca. He was the Last of the Prophets sent by Allah tolead mankind onto the right path.

Q. 25: Where was Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.W.) born, and where and when did he expire?

A. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.W.) was born in Mecca in A.D. 570 and died in Medina in A.D.

632.

Q. 26: How old was Muhammad (S.A.W.W.) when he first began to preach?

A. He was 40 years old when he announced his Prophethood.

Q. 27: Our Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W.W.) got his spiritual power from God after reaching the age of 40, to preach Islam. Why not before, when there were other people who were worshipping idols during that timeand also needed preaching of Islam.

A. It is wrong tosay that "Our Holy Prophet got spiritual power from God after reaching the age of 40". He was Nabi even before the creation of Hazrat Adam (A.S.) you shouldsay "He was allowed to preach when he reached the age of 40".

Whywas he ordered to wait for such a long time? It was because Allah wanted the people of Arabia to see his character, truth, honesty, so that when he claimed that hewas sent from Allah nobody could say (God forbid) was an untrustworthy person or an imposter.

In fact, the people of Mecca accused him of being a poet, asorcerer or a bewitched man; but never could they accuse him of being untrustworthy. Even as they were planning to kill him, they used to keep their valuables with him in trust.

This trust and faithcould not have been manifested had the Holy Prophet announced his Prophethood in his earlier life.

Q. 28: When we mention the apostle's name, Muhammad, we say (S.A.W.W.) Why? What does it mean?

A. (S.A.W.W.) after the name of the Holy Prophet is the abbreviation of "Sallallahu Alayhiwa Aalihi wa Sallam".It means, "May Allah Bestow His Mercy, Grace and Peace upon him (Muhammad) and his progeny" The Muslims say it in compliance with the command of Allah: -"Verily, Allah Bestows His Grace upon the Prophet and His angels pray for him; O ye who believe send ye blessings on him and salute him as is the proper way" (Qur'an; Sura 33, Ayat 56).

And the addition of "wa Aalihi" (and upon his progeny) is in accordance with the command of the Holy Prophet who said:

"Do not send on me an incomplete salawaat". The companionsasked: “What is the incomplete salawaat, O Messenger of Allah!” The Holy Prophetsaid "It is incomplete to say "O Allah Bless Muhammad" and then to stop. Nay, you should say: "O Allah Bless Muhammad and his Progeny". (Jawahirul-Iqdain; As-Sawaiqul-Muhriqua)

Q. 29: Had the Prophet Muhammad any other names as we read in Christians' Bible that Jesus had other names as Christ, etc.?

A. Yes, Hewas referred to as "Ahmad" in his lifetime.And according to an authentic Hadith, he said: "I have five names, I am Muhammad, I am Ahmad, I am Hashir, I am Mahi, and I am Aaquib."Also , he is referred to as "Mustafa" (the chosen one).

Allah’s Final Messenger

Introduction

Muhammad son of Abdullah was Allah’s final prophet and messenger to humanity, who is also referred to as the Seal of the Prophets. He brought the Almighty’s last revelation to mankind, the Qur’an, and adopted and enshrined a code of conduct, a system of governance, and a morality the like of which was never seen before him in human history, nor will be seen in the future. [And We have not sent you but as a mercy to the worlds.] 21:107 Editors.

78: The Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and his holy family, is the role model for all humanity and the perfect example of all manifestations of good and virtue.

79: It is imperative for the Muslims, or rather, for the entire world population - if they wished good for themselves - to follow the Holy Prophet’s lead and emulate and uphold his morals and conducts.

80: In all situations, Allah’s messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family, was the finest example for trustworthiness and sincerity, truthfulness and loyalty, good manners, noble nature and magnanimity, knowledge and forbearance, forgiveness, generosity and bravery, piety and abstention from any sin or evil, asceticism and virtue, justice, humility, and tireless endeavour (or jihad).

81: Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family, was the embodiment of all virtues and morality, the essence of honour and magnanimity, the home of knowledge and justice, piety and ethics, and the touchstone of the religion, the material world, and the hereafter.

82: Never did a similitude of Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family, come in the past, and there will never ever come one like him in the future.

83: Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and his holy family, is the greatest and the most distinguished and virtuous personality Almighty Allah has ever created. Even when the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali, peace be upon him, was asked“Are you a Prophet?” he said:“I am but one of the slaves of Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family.”

84: The Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him and his holy family, established a comprehensive Sunnah, or a system of rules, laws and teachings for the Muslims. Like the Prophet himself, these rules, laws and teachings are the best and the most perfect for mankind.

85: The Holy Qur’an is the living eternal miracle of Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family. This is because it is the only heavenly book that Almighty Allah willed to be immune from additions, deductions, changes and alterations; despite the concerted effort of those who planned and embarked on effecting such alterations. Thus it is the eternal book, and the permanent constitution for life until the Day of Judgement, and as long as mankind lives on Earth. This is because the Holy Qur’an contains superior laws and teachings that guarantee mankind’s prosperity, progress and advancement.

86: Allah’s messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family, never pre-emptively started a war against an enemy. Rather, it was the enemy who used to attack the holy Prophet. Imam Ali adopted the same policy, as did Imam Husayn;[18] Imam Ali’s son and the holy Prophet’s grandson. Even though the enemy had besieged him, Imam Husayn used to say,“I hate to be the one to initiate the attack.” This indeed was always the stance taken by Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them all, in confrontation with their enemies.[19]

87: Islam lays great emphasises on human behaviour, and pays significant attention to social manners and etiquette, so much so that Allah’s messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family, made the ultimate goal of his blessed mission to be the perfection and dissemination of noble manners and ethical conduct throughout the land, by saying:“Indeed, I have been sent to perfect and complete the noble morals.” Furthermore, when Almighty Allah praises His beloved messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family, He commends his noble manners, by saying: [and you are of sublime morality].[20] When Allah reminds the Muslim nation of the mercy and blessing that have been bestowed upon them, He cites the most important of qualities of such mercy, which are the leniency and clemency of his manners; Almighty Allah states; [by the mercy of Allah you have been lenient to them].[21] These words allude to the importance of good manners and moral conduct in Islam, and their significance for a Muslim individual as a way of life.

88: A great number of people were impressed by Allah’s Messenger’s well-mannered and courteous conduct, and were attracted to Islam as a result.

89: During the Prophet’s time in Mecca - after the start of his divine mission - his teachings and policies did not become common knowledge. Thus most of his teachings were not implemented, because neither the environment was conducive to practise such teachings; nor did he have any other alternatives - in order to assess how the prophet interacted with people; during times of war or peace, and with his friends and foes. But all that became clear in Medina, when he began to lay the foundation for the blessed Islamic government; and when he and the Muslims found themselves unimpeded by the restrictions and sanctions imposed on them in Mecca. It was then that the real meaning and the ideals of the magnanimous Sharia and the pure prophetic Sunnah became evident to the Muslim nation. In this way Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and his holy family, established a perfect example of the ideal model of government in existence. This was the same style of government which the Commander of the Faithful (Amir al-Mo’mineen), Imam Ali, peace be upon him, followed during his five-year reign.

90: You only need to study the biography of the Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him and his holy family, to see hundreds of examples [of his social and moral conducts and interactions with friends and foes, and his generosity].[22] If these examples were compiled and presented, every non-Muslim, even if zealous and fanatic - save the very stubborn ones - would get impressed by the Prophet’s virtues and teachings, and would ultimately embrace Islam.

91: If today, or any other day, the teachings and policies of the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him and his holy family, and those of Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali, peace be upon him, were implemented; say in our homes, places of work, and our countries, then what was achieved fourteen hundred years ago would be realised today.[23] People would attain prosperity and choose Islam as a way of life.

92: The fact that great number of people embraced Islam during the time of the Holy Prophet, was not a miracle or an extraordinary phenomenon. Rather, this was a natural outcome of the policies, approach and conduct of the Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him and his holy family.

93: The life of the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him and his holy family, is full of inspiring examples of superior social and ethical conduct that touch the mind and soul of the individual.

94: I urge you to study the biography of the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him and his holy family, and recount and present the great many of the sublime stances and intellectually persuasive arguments to the Jews, Christians and atheists, and you would undoubtedly convince them to embrace Islam as a religion of reason and ideals. Simultaneously, upon learning about these, Muslims will strengthen their own faith in their religion, and will encourage them to pass on their conviction to others.

95: The Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him and his holy family, introduced the system of social security and welfare as a gift to the world, with happy consequences for humanity. This will be achieved once again with the reappearance of Allah’s greatest Authority, the Awaited Imam Mahdi,[24] may Allah hasten his reappearance, and thus the Divine Promise will be realised.

96: Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and his holy family, was the best human being and Allah’s chosen messenger, and he brought the best law and policy that promised material and spiritual fulfilment to mankind. This begs the question: who wouldn’t like to follow such a convincingly rational path and pride oneself of belonging to a superior system of justice and equality?!

97: The progressive laws which were put in practice by the Prophet Muhammad, and by the Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali, peace be upon them, upheld human honour and dignity and provided social security to the masses. These laws have no similitude anywhere in the world and no laws measure up to the unparalleled laws of Islam.

98: Without doubt, Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family, is matchless in creation, and commands the most distinguished stature in Almighty Allah’s view. He is the most honoured in creation, rather, Almighty Allah did not create anything except for the sake of the Prophet, peace be upon him and his holy family. On the night of ascension, Almighty Allah addressed the prophet by saying,“O Ahmad! Were it not for you, I would not have created the galaxies.”

99: If Almighty Allah had not commanded us to obey His Messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family, it would not have been obligatory for us to obey the Prophet.

100: Obeying the Prophet and obeying the Imam, peace be upon them, is part of the obedience of Almighty Allah, and if Almighty Allah were to order us to obey someone other than them, we would have done so in obedience to His command.

101: The disbelievers used to connive against Islam and the Muslims, show animosity towards Allah’s Messenger personally, belie him, and attribute rude things to him. Yet, despite all this, they used to live in peace and harmony among the Muslims and enjoyed freedom and welfare under the rules of Allah’s Messenger and of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali, peace be upon them. It is not reported that any one of the offending disbelievers was ever harmed in any way for their actions under the Muslim rule. Rather, history records that when a disbeliever activist, who used to harass the Prophet did not show up for a few days, the Prophet enquired about him, and it was said that he was ill. The Prophet, peace be upon him and his holy family, paid him a visit to wish him well, together with a group of his companions.

The Ahl al-Bayt

Introduction

Ahl al-Bayt, or People of the House (of the Prophet), is in reference to Lady Fatima al-Zahra’, her father Prophet Muhammad, her husband, Imam Ali, and her sons, Hasan and Husayn, as well as Husayn’s nine ma‘soom descendants. They are also referred to as the fourteen ma‘soom or infallible. In this respect, Allah Almighty has revealed about them, [Indeed Allah wills to repel all impurity from you, O People of the House, and purify you a thorough purification.] 33:33. Imam Ali, his sons Imams Hasan and Husayn, along with Imam Husayn’s nine ma‘soom descendants are the twelve Imams who have, on divine instructions, been appointed by Prophet Muhammad to succeed him and lead humanity after him. The first of the ma‘soom Imams is Imam Ali, and the twelfth is Imam Mahdi who is hidden from view and will reappear to fill the earth with justice after it is filled with tyranny and injustice. Prophet Muhammad said of the Ahl al-Bayt,“The example of my Ahl al-Bayt is that of Noah’s Ark; whoever boards it is saved, and whoever abandons it drowns.” Towards the end of his blessed life, the Prophet said,“I leave behind with ye two momentous entities - Allah’s Book and my kin the Ahl al-Bayt - as long as ye adhere to them both ye would never go astray after me.” Editors.

102: Almighty Allah has put all the forces of the universe under the authority/command of the ma‘soom Imam, peace be upon him, and this is evident from the declarations and words of the ma‘soomeen themselves, peace be upon them all.

103: Almighty Allah has established only one path for the fulfilment of his creation and legislation and that is the path of Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them.[25]

104: Everything that concerns our fate, or any changes to our fate; whether concerning us as individuals or the family, or the community, or nations at large, is reflected in the honourable hadith of Imam Sadiq,[26] peace be upon him, in which he states, addressing Imam Husayn, peace be upon him:“The ordinance of the Lord concerning His commands descend upon you, and are issued from your houses.”

105: It is evident from numerous hadith - as well as logical reasoning - that all aspects of existence and its forces are put in the hands of the ma‘soom Imam, peace be upon him, by Almighty Allah; whether relating to humans or to objects; in the past or in the future.

106: The Imams, peace be upon them, are Allah’s authorities upon the entire creation; they are the auspicious successors to His Prophet, and they are all from the light of Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family, blessed with the same holiness as the Prophet’s.[27]

107: The Imams were like the Prophet, peace be upon them all, in their knowledge, forbearance, virtue and piety, justice and infallibility, noble morals and magnanimous nature, and all other qualities and praiseworthy traits. How could it be otherwise, given that they are his divinely appointed successors, the leaders of the people and creation, and Allah’s authorities over all mankind after the Prophet himself?!

108: There is no doubt that the ma‘soom Imam, peace be upon him, is the most superior and knowledgeable of Allah’s creation, who has a lofty spirit which transcends all creation, yet he has a heart full of passion which surpasses that of all humanity, despite having the most superior and rational mind.

109: The Imams of Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them, have unparalleled qualities but regrettably there are those amongst us who do not fully understand and appreciate these unique attributes.

110: Obedience to the Messenger and the Imam, peace be upon them, are directly derived from obedience to Allah Almighty which is primary and central to faith.

111: Since obedience to Almighty Allah is mandatory, and as He has ordered us to obey Allah’s Messenger, Muhammad, and his Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them; then their obedience is also mandatory upon us, as per His command.

112: If Almighty Allah, Glory be to Him, had ordered us to obey people other than Ali ibn Abu Talib and his descendant Imams, peace be upon them, we would have complied with such order.

113: Since obedience to the Prophet and the Imam are, in essence, the same, Almighty Allah did not differentiate between the two by using the word“obey” in the holy verse [Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those of authority amongst ye] as opposed to His obedience. A distinction is made between His obedience and the obedience of the Messenger and of the Imam, by repeating the word“obey” to reveal the difference.

114: We believe in the imamate (leadership) of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib, peace be upon him, and the imamate of Hasan[28] and Husayn, peace be upon them, and also the imamate of the other Imams, the descendants of Husayn, peace be upon them, because Almighty Allah commanded us to do so.

115: As the Imams lived in different times, the actions and styles of each Imam differed according to his time. Also his conduct differed from that of the Imam who lived in a different time and under different circumstances. This explains the apparent difference in the conduct and style of the Imams, peace be upon them. However, this does not mean that there are differences between them individually, since“they are all one light” .[29]

116: The example of the Imam, peace be upon them, is not like that of twelve lanterns similar to one another, rather their example is like a single lantern.

117: The difference we observe in the conduct of our Imams, peace be upon them, reflect the instructions they received from Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family, who in turn received them from Almighty Allah, through Archangel Gabriel, each according to their respective prevailing circumstances.

118: It is obligatory for us to learn the biography and history of the ma‘soom Imam, peace be upon him, in order to be guided by it and follow his example.

119: What do we gain by merely professing to be following the Imams such as al-Sajjad, al-Baqir,[30] and al-Sadiq, peace be upon them, if we remain ignorant about their biography and history?!

120: It is essential for us to study, even if briefly, the history and biography of Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them, so that our faith is underpinned by better knowledge and understanding about those blessed personalities Almighty Allah has commanded us to obey.

121: Our role models are our Imams, peace be upon them. The Commander of the Faithful (Amir al-Mo’mineen) Imam Ali, peace be upon him, gave up his right [to succeed the Prophet as the head of state] for fear of the people turning back and apostatizing. If we claim to be followers of Imam Ali, peace be upon him, we should follow our Imam in this respect too.

122: However eloquent and knowledgeable one purports to be, one would not be able to grasp the deepest meanings of the teachings of Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them, because they are the mainspring of language and the masters of literature and eloquence.

123: It is one’s utter misfortune and wretchedness to seek knowledge and understanding from other than Ali and his descendants, peace be upon them. And that knowledge, if gained, would be nothing like the one [gained from Ali and his descendants] because it would be devoid of moral and spiritual values, and removed from the spirit of the Sharia.[31]

124: The struggle of al-Mostafa,[32] peace be upon him and his holy family, his sincerity in conveying the Almighty’s instructions, and the blood of the Ahl al-Bayt that were shed in the cause of Islam were instrumental in preserving the laws of Almighty Allah. This helped the religion to endure and survive in the face of obstacles.

125: Our Lady Fatima al-Zahra’, peace be upon her, was like her father in the way she devoted herself to worship, in asceticism, piety and ethics. Almighty Allah revealed many verses in the Holy Qur’an about her.

126: Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family, gave our Lady Fatima al-Zahra’ the title“Sayyidat-o-Nisa’ el-‘Alameen” meaning the“Chief of the Women of the Worlds” , and the agnomen“Umm-o Abeeha” meaning the“mother of her father” . The Prophet used to love her immensely, and revered her greatly such that when she used to come to see him he used to greet her by rising up for her out of respect, seating her in his place and kissing her hands. Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family, used to say,“Indeed what pleases Fatima pleases Allah, and what angers her angers Him.”

127: As we approach the anniversary of the birthday of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, I would like to recommend three simple courses of actions, which every one of us can do. In this way, maybe we can make up for our failure towards Imam Husayn, peace be upon him.

Inform everyone you meet, whether in workplace or on your way home, or a friend you come across, that the 3rd of Sha‘ban is the birthday of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him. I would not be exaggerating if I said many of those you live amongst do not know that.

On the anniversary of the birthday of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, let’s give a gift to our children, to those in our custody, and those in our care, so that they grow up with the love of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him.

Let’s express joy and happiness and give presents and sweets to our colleagues in our workplace and in our neighbourhood on the anniversary of the birthday of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him.

128: In our daily lives we spend a lot of money on various matters, and also we spend a lot of effort and time with the children and wife at home, and in the workplace and suchlike. Let it be known that whatever wealth is spent and effort made in the cause of Imam Husayn is of best benefit and outcome, because one attains a higher station and a greater value.

129: During the ziyarah of 15th of Sha‘ban, millions of pilgrims from around Iraq, and also from the continents around the globe, converge on the holy city of Karbala to visit the master of the martyrs Imam Husayn, and his brother Abul-Fadl al-Abbas, peace be upon them, and the chosen pure ones from amongst the descendants of Ahl al-Bayt, and from amongst the loyal devout supporters who were martyred along with the master of the martyrs Imam Husayn. By the blessing of this visit, these pilgrims will have the privilege to greet the souls of the one hundred and twenty four thousand prophets and messengers, and they all are the guests of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, and the guests of the people of Karbala.[33]

130: Imam Zayn al-‘Abideen,[34] peace be upon him, had a great role in destroying the Umayyad rule. However, the role of Imam Zayn al-‘Abideen was not like that of his father Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, because if he were to utter a single word against the regime, that would have guaranteed his extermination. Thus he adopted other ways.[35]

131: Imam Zayn al-‘Abideen, peace be upon him, managed to demolish the Umayyad rule without engaging in a military battle against them, because it was not possible for him to unsheathe the sword under those extremely savage and harsh circumstances.

132: The primary principle of the existence of the Imam of the Time [i.e. Imam Mahdi], and the acknowledgement of him as the Imam whose obedience is obligatory [upon every Muslim] is deemed one of the fundamentals of Islam, and it is one issue that is undisputedly established and frequently reported. And when something reaches the level of frequent recurrence, then argument about it would be of the category of sophistry and denial of the obvious.

133: We need billions of books about the Imam of the Time, peace be upon him, since there are billions of souls around the globe. So from now on, let every one of you allocate an amount of money to publish a book about the Imam of the Time, and in doing so there is no objection to seeking help from one’s family; one’s spouse, offspring and siblings. It is not compulsory that the book is massive; everyone should endeavour according to their abilities. If you cannot give the sum in a day you may be able to give it in a month. This is a simple task and it is the least we could do for the service of the Imam of the Time, may Allah hasten his honourable reappearance.

134: Let us make a covenant with Almighty Allah on the anniversary of the birthday of Imam Mahdi, may Allah hasten his reappearance, that we start to follow the path of Almighty Allah, so that we may attain the goal after a while, however long or short it may be, for whoever treads the Path will ultimately reach the goal.

135: We should try and make every effort to seek the contentment of the Imam [of our Time] for this is Almighty Allah’s contentment; and the Imam’s contentment is that we faithfully discharge our obligations according to our creed.

Allah’s Final Messenger

Introduction

Muhammad son of Abdullah was Allah’s final prophet and messenger to humanity, who is also referred to as the Seal of the Prophets. He brought the Almighty’s last revelation to mankind, the Qur’an, and adopted and enshrined a code of conduct, a system of governance, and a morality the like of which was never seen before him in human history, nor will be seen in the future. [And We have not sent you but as a mercy to the worlds.] 21:107 Editors.

78: The Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and his holy family, is the role model for all humanity and the perfect example of all manifestations of good and virtue.

79: It is imperative for the Muslims, or rather, for the entire world population - if they wished good for themselves - to follow the Holy Prophet’s lead and emulate and uphold his morals and conducts.

80: In all situations, Allah’s messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family, was the finest example for trustworthiness and sincerity, truthfulness and loyalty, good manners, noble nature and magnanimity, knowledge and forbearance, forgiveness, generosity and bravery, piety and abstention from any sin or evil, asceticism and virtue, justice, humility, and tireless endeavour (or jihad).

81: Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family, was the embodiment of all virtues and morality, the essence of honour and magnanimity, the home of knowledge and justice, piety and ethics, and the touchstone of the religion, the material world, and the hereafter.

82: Never did a similitude of Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family, come in the past, and there will never ever come one like him in the future.

83: Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and his holy family, is the greatest and the most distinguished and virtuous personality Almighty Allah has ever created. Even when the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali, peace be upon him, was asked“Are you a Prophet?” he said:“I am but one of the slaves of Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family.”

84: The Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him and his holy family, established a comprehensive Sunnah, or a system of rules, laws and teachings for the Muslims. Like the Prophet himself, these rules, laws and teachings are the best and the most perfect for mankind.

85: The Holy Qur’an is the living eternal miracle of Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family. This is because it is the only heavenly book that Almighty Allah willed to be immune from additions, deductions, changes and alterations; despite the concerted effort of those who planned and embarked on effecting such alterations. Thus it is the eternal book, and the permanent constitution for life until the Day of Judgement, and as long as mankind lives on Earth. This is because the Holy Qur’an contains superior laws and teachings that guarantee mankind’s prosperity, progress and advancement.

86: Allah’s messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family, never pre-emptively started a war against an enemy. Rather, it was the enemy who used to attack the holy Prophet. Imam Ali adopted the same policy, as did Imam Husayn;[18] Imam Ali’s son and the holy Prophet’s grandson. Even though the enemy had besieged him, Imam Husayn used to say,“I hate to be the one to initiate the attack.” This indeed was always the stance taken by Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them all, in confrontation with their enemies.[19]

87: Islam lays great emphasises on human behaviour, and pays significant attention to social manners and etiquette, so much so that Allah’s messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family, made the ultimate goal of his blessed mission to be the perfection and dissemination of noble manners and ethical conduct throughout the land, by saying:“Indeed, I have been sent to perfect and complete the noble morals.” Furthermore, when Almighty Allah praises His beloved messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family, He commends his noble manners, by saying: [and you are of sublime morality].[20] When Allah reminds the Muslim nation of the mercy and blessing that have been bestowed upon them, He cites the most important of qualities of such mercy, which are the leniency and clemency of his manners; Almighty Allah states; [by the mercy of Allah you have been lenient to them].[21] These words allude to the importance of good manners and moral conduct in Islam, and their significance for a Muslim individual as a way of life.

88: A great number of people were impressed by Allah’s Messenger’s well-mannered and courteous conduct, and were attracted to Islam as a result.

89: During the Prophet’s time in Mecca - after the start of his divine mission - his teachings and policies did not become common knowledge. Thus most of his teachings were not implemented, because neither the environment was conducive to practise such teachings; nor did he have any other alternatives - in order to assess how the prophet interacted with people; during times of war or peace, and with his friends and foes. But all that became clear in Medina, when he began to lay the foundation for the blessed Islamic government; and when he and the Muslims found themselves unimpeded by the restrictions and sanctions imposed on them in Mecca. It was then that the real meaning and the ideals of the magnanimous Sharia and the pure prophetic Sunnah became evident to the Muslim nation. In this way Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and his holy family, established a perfect example of the ideal model of government in existence. This was the same style of government which the Commander of the Faithful (Amir al-Mo’mineen), Imam Ali, peace be upon him, followed during his five-year reign.

90: You only need to study the biography of the Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him and his holy family, to see hundreds of examples [of his social and moral conducts and interactions with friends and foes, and his generosity].[22] If these examples were compiled and presented, every non-Muslim, even if zealous and fanatic - save the very stubborn ones - would get impressed by the Prophet’s virtues and teachings, and would ultimately embrace Islam.

91: If today, or any other day, the teachings and policies of the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him and his holy family, and those of Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali, peace be upon him, were implemented; say in our homes, places of work, and our countries, then what was achieved fourteen hundred years ago would be realised today.[23] People would attain prosperity and choose Islam as a way of life.

92: The fact that great number of people embraced Islam during the time of the Holy Prophet, was not a miracle or an extraordinary phenomenon. Rather, this was a natural outcome of the policies, approach and conduct of the Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him and his holy family.

93: The life of the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him and his holy family, is full of inspiring examples of superior social and ethical conduct that touch the mind and soul of the individual.

94: I urge you to study the biography of the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him and his holy family, and recount and present the great many of the sublime stances and intellectually persuasive arguments to the Jews, Christians and atheists, and you would undoubtedly convince them to embrace Islam as a religion of reason and ideals. Simultaneously, upon learning about these, Muslims will strengthen their own faith in their religion, and will encourage them to pass on their conviction to others.

95: The Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him and his holy family, introduced the system of social security and welfare as a gift to the world, with happy consequences for humanity. This will be achieved once again with the reappearance of Allah’s greatest Authority, the Awaited Imam Mahdi,[24] may Allah hasten his reappearance, and thus the Divine Promise will be realised.

96: Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and his holy family, was the best human being and Allah’s chosen messenger, and he brought the best law and policy that promised material and spiritual fulfilment to mankind. This begs the question: who wouldn’t like to follow such a convincingly rational path and pride oneself of belonging to a superior system of justice and equality?!

97: The progressive laws which were put in practice by the Prophet Muhammad, and by the Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali, peace be upon them, upheld human honour and dignity and provided social security to the masses. These laws have no similitude anywhere in the world and no laws measure up to the unparalleled laws of Islam.

98: Without doubt, Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family, is matchless in creation, and commands the most distinguished stature in Almighty Allah’s view. He is the most honoured in creation, rather, Almighty Allah did not create anything except for the sake of the Prophet, peace be upon him and his holy family. On the night of ascension, Almighty Allah addressed the prophet by saying,“O Ahmad! Were it not for you, I would not have created the galaxies.”

99: If Almighty Allah had not commanded us to obey His Messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family, it would not have been obligatory for us to obey the Prophet.

100: Obeying the Prophet and obeying the Imam, peace be upon them, is part of the obedience of Almighty Allah, and if Almighty Allah were to order us to obey someone other than them, we would have done so in obedience to His command.

101: The disbelievers used to connive against Islam and the Muslims, show animosity towards Allah’s Messenger personally, belie him, and attribute rude things to him. Yet, despite all this, they used to live in peace and harmony among the Muslims and enjoyed freedom and welfare under the rules of Allah’s Messenger and of the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali, peace be upon them. It is not reported that any one of the offending disbelievers was ever harmed in any way for their actions under the Muslim rule. Rather, history records that when a disbeliever activist, who used to harass the Prophet did not show up for a few days, the Prophet enquired about him, and it was said that he was ill. The Prophet, peace be upon him and his holy family, paid him a visit to wish him well, together with a group of his companions.

The Ahl al-Bayt

Introduction

Ahl al-Bayt, or People of the House (of the Prophet), is in reference to Lady Fatima al-Zahra’, her father Prophet Muhammad, her husband, Imam Ali, and her sons, Hasan and Husayn, as well as Husayn’s nine ma‘soom descendants. They are also referred to as the fourteen ma‘soom or infallible. In this respect, Allah Almighty has revealed about them, [Indeed Allah wills to repel all impurity from you, O People of the House, and purify you a thorough purification.] 33:33. Imam Ali, his sons Imams Hasan and Husayn, along with Imam Husayn’s nine ma‘soom descendants are the twelve Imams who have, on divine instructions, been appointed by Prophet Muhammad to succeed him and lead humanity after him. The first of the ma‘soom Imams is Imam Ali, and the twelfth is Imam Mahdi who is hidden from view and will reappear to fill the earth with justice after it is filled with tyranny and injustice. Prophet Muhammad said of the Ahl al-Bayt,“The example of my Ahl al-Bayt is that of Noah’s Ark; whoever boards it is saved, and whoever abandons it drowns.” Towards the end of his blessed life, the Prophet said,“I leave behind with ye two momentous entities - Allah’s Book and my kin the Ahl al-Bayt - as long as ye adhere to them both ye would never go astray after me.” Editors.

102: Almighty Allah has put all the forces of the universe under the authority/command of the ma‘soom Imam, peace be upon him, and this is evident from the declarations and words of the ma‘soomeen themselves, peace be upon them all.

103: Almighty Allah has established only one path for the fulfilment of his creation and legislation and that is the path of Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them.[25]

104: Everything that concerns our fate, or any changes to our fate; whether concerning us as individuals or the family, or the community, or nations at large, is reflected in the honourable hadith of Imam Sadiq,[26] peace be upon him, in which he states, addressing Imam Husayn, peace be upon him:“The ordinance of the Lord concerning His commands descend upon you, and are issued from your houses.”

105: It is evident from numerous hadith - as well as logical reasoning - that all aspects of existence and its forces are put in the hands of the ma‘soom Imam, peace be upon him, by Almighty Allah; whether relating to humans or to objects; in the past or in the future.

106: The Imams, peace be upon them, are Allah’s authorities upon the entire creation; they are the auspicious successors to His Prophet, and they are all from the light of Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family, blessed with the same holiness as the Prophet’s.[27]

107: The Imams were like the Prophet, peace be upon them all, in their knowledge, forbearance, virtue and piety, justice and infallibility, noble morals and magnanimous nature, and all other qualities and praiseworthy traits. How could it be otherwise, given that they are his divinely appointed successors, the leaders of the people and creation, and Allah’s authorities over all mankind after the Prophet himself?!

108: There is no doubt that the ma‘soom Imam, peace be upon him, is the most superior and knowledgeable of Allah’s creation, who has a lofty spirit which transcends all creation, yet he has a heart full of passion which surpasses that of all humanity, despite having the most superior and rational mind.

109: The Imams of Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them, have unparalleled qualities but regrettably there are those amongst us who do not fully understand and appreciate these unique attributes.

110: Obedience to the Messenger and the Imam, peace be upon them, are directly derived from obedience to Allah Almighty which is primary and central to faith.

111: Since obedience to Almighty Allah is mandatory, and as He has ordered us to obey Allah’s Messenger, Muhammad, and his Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them; then their obedience is also mandatory upon us, as per His command.

112: If Almighty Allah, Glory be to Him, had ordered us to obey people other than Ali ibn Abu Talib and his descendant Imams, peace be upon them, we would have complied with such order.

113: Since obedience to the Prophet and the Imam are, in essence, the same, Almighty Allah did not differentiate between the two by using the word“obey” in the holy verse [Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those of authority amongst ye] as opposed to His obedience. A distinction is made between His obedience and the obedience of the Messenger and of the Imam, by repeating the word“obey” to reveal the difference.

114: We believe in the imamate (leadership) of Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib, peace be upon him, and the imamate of Hasan[28] and Husayn, peace be upon them, and also the imamate of the other Imams, the descendants of Husayn, peace be upon them, because Almighty Allah commanded us to do so.

115: As the Imams lived in different times, the actions and styles of each Imam differed according to his time. Also his conduct differed from that of the Imam who lived in a different time and under different circumstances. This explains the apparent difference in the conduct and style of the Imams, peace be upon them. However, this does not mean that there are differences between them individually, since“they are all one light” .[29]

116: The example of the Imam, peace be upon them, is not like that of twelve lanterns similar to one another, rather their example is like a single lantern.

117: The difference we observe in the conduct of our Imams, peace be upon them, reflect the instructions they received from Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family, who in turn received them from Almighty Allah, through Archangel Gabriel, each according to their respective prevailing circumstances.

118: It is obligatory for us to learn the biography and history of the ma‘soom Imam, peace be upon him, in order to be guided by it and follow his example.

119: What do we gain by merely professing to be following the Imams such as al-Sajjad, al-Baqir,[30] and al-Sadiq, peace be upon them, if we remain ignorant about their biography and history?!

120: It is essential for us to study, even if briefly, the history and biography of Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them, so that our faith is underpinned by better knowledge and understanding about those blessed personalities Almighty Allah has commanded us to obey.

121: Our role models are our Imams, peace be upon them. The Commander of the Faithful (Amir al-Mo’mineen) Imam Ali, peace be upon him, gave up his right [to succeed the Prophet as the head of state] for fear of the people turning back and apostatizing. If we claim to be followers of Imam Ali, peace be upon him, we should follow our Imam in this respect too.

122: However eloquent and knowledgeable one purports to be, one would not be able to grasp the deepest meanings of the teachings of Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them, because they are the mainspring of language and the masters of literature and eloquence.

123: It is one’s utter misfortune and wretchedness to seek knowledge and understanding from other than Ali and his descendants, peace be upon them. And that knowledge, if gained, would be nothing like the one [gained from Ali and his descendants] because it would be devoid of moral and spiritual values, and removed from the spirit of the Sharia.[31]

124: The struggle of al-Mostafa,[32] peace be upon him and his holy family, his sincerity in conveying the Almighty’s instructions, and the blood of the Ahl al-Bayt that were shed in the cause of Islam were instrumental in preserving the laws of Almighty Allah. This helped the religion to endure and survive in the face of obstacles.

125: Our Lady Fatima al-Zahra’, peace be upon her, was like her father in the way she devoted herself to worship, in asceticism, piety and ethics. Almighty Allah revealed many verses in the Holy Qur’an about her.

126: Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family, gave our Lady Fatima al-Zahra’ the title“Sayyidat-o-Nisa’ el-‘Alameen” meaning the“Chief of the Women of the Worlds” , and the agnomen“Umm-o Abeeha” meaning the“mother of her father” . The Prophet used to love her immensely, and revered her greatly such that when she used to come to see him he used to greet her by rising up for her out of respect, seating her in his place and kissing her hands. Allah’s Messenger, peace be upon him and his holy family, used to say,“Indeed what pleases Fatima pleases Allah, and what angers her angers Him.”

127: As we approach the anniversary of the birthday of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, I would like to recommend three simple courses of actions, which every one of us can do. In this way, maybe we can make up for our failure towards Imam Husayn, peace be upon him.

Inform everyone you meet, whether in workplace or on your way home, or a friend you come across, that the 3rd of Sha‘ban is the birthday of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him. I would not be exaggerating if I said many of those you live amongst do not know that.

On the anniversary of the birthday of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, let’s give a gift to our children, to those in our custody, and those in our care, so that they grow up with the love of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him.

Let’s express joy and happiness and give presents and sweets to our colleagues in our workplace and in our neighbourhood on the anniversary of the birthday of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him.

128: In our daily lives we spend a lot of money on various matters, and also we spend a lot of effort and time with the children and wife at home, and in the workplace and suchlike. Let it be known that whatever wealth is spent and effort made in the cause of Imam Husayn is of best benefit and outcome, because one attains a higher station and a greater value.

129: During the ziyarah of 15th of Sha‘ban, millions of pilgrims from around Iraq, and also from the continents around the globe, converge on the holy city of Karbala to visit the master of the martyrs Imam Husayn, and his brother Abul-Fadl al-Abbas, peace be upon them, and the chosen pure ones from amongst the descendants of Ahl al-Bayt, and from amongst the loyal devout supporters who were martyred along with the master of the martyrs Imam Husayn. By the blessing of this visit, these pilgrims will have the privilege to greet the souls of the one hundred and twenty four thousand prophets and messengers, and they all are the guests of Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, and the guests of the people of Karbala.[33]

130: Imam Zayn al-‘Abideen,[34] peace be upon him, had a great role in destroying the Umayyad rule. However, the role of Imam Zayn al-‘Abideen was not like that of his father Imam Husayn, peace be upon him, because if he were to utter a single word against the regime, that would have guaranteed his extermination. Thus he adopted other ways.[35]

131: Imam Zayn al-‘Abideen, peace be upon him, managed to demolish the Umayyad rule without engaging in a military battle against them, because it was not possible for him to unsheathe the sword under those extremely savage and harsh circumstances.

132: The primary principle of the existence of the Imam of the Time [i.e. Imam Mahdi], and the acknowledgement of him as the Imam whose obedience is obligatory [upon every Muslim] is deemed one of the fundamentals of Islam, and it is one issue that is undisputedly established and frequently reported. And when something reaches the level of frequent recurrence, then argument about it would be of the category of sophistry and denial of the obvious.

133: We need billions of books about the Imam of the Time, peace be upon him, since there are billions of souls around the globe. So from now on, let every one of you allocate an amount of money to publish a book about the Imam of the Time, and in doing so there is no objection to seeking help from one’s family; one’s spouse, offspring and siblings. It is not compulsory that the book is massive; everyone should endeavour according to their abilities. If you cannot give the sum in a day you may be able to give it in a month. This is a simple task and it is the least we could do for the service of the Imam of the Time, may Allah hasten his honourable reappearance.

134: Let us make a covenant with Almighty Allah on the anniversary of the birthday of Imam Mahdi, may Allah hasten his reappearance, that we start to follow the path of Almighty Allah, so that we may attain the goal after a while, however long or short it may be, for whoever treads the Path will ultimately reach the goal.

135: We should try and make every effort to seek the contentment of the Imam [of our Time] for this is Almighty Allah’s contentment; and the Imam’s contentment is that we faithfully discharge our obligations according to our creed.